X-amining X-Factor Annual #9

"Contact" / "Cleaning House"
1994

In a Nutshell
Xavier meets Haven as X-Factor battles Professor Power.

Writer: JM DeMatteis, Matthew Friedman/Amy Meyer (2nd Story)
Penciler: Matt Broome, Kerry Gammil (2nd Story)
Inker: Steve Moncuse/Terry Austin, Hilary Barta (2nd Story)
Letterer: Janice Chiang, Richard Starkings (2nd Story)
Colorist: Glynis Oliver, Ashley Posella
Editor: Kelly Corvese
Group Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
On the Astral Plane, Haven appears before Professor X, wanting to talk to him, while X-Factor arrives at a SHIELD base in DC, having been tasked to guard a large container being shipped to Idaho. Shortly after departing, an energy wave hits the truck, and the group is attacked by a pair of cyborgs. As Xavier & Haven debate the merits of her philosophy and discuss Haven's background, X-Factor defeats the cyborgs, but in the process, the container they're transporting is opened and another cyborg emerges, declaring he is Professor Power, an old enemy of Xavier's. As Haven comes to realize she'll never win Xavier over to her way of thinking, she expels him from the Astral Plane. X-Factor ultimately defeats Professor Power. In the wake of her encounter, Haven mediates on her goals, including having had her agents free Power as a means of handling Xavier.

X-amining X-Factor #98

"Into Oblivion"
January 1994

In a Nutshell
X-Factor learns more about Haven.

Writer: JM DeMatteis
Penciler: Greg Luzniak
Inker: Al Milgrom
Letterer: Lois Buhalis
Colorist: Matt Webb
Editor: Kelly Corvese
Group Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Despite Havok & Forge's orders to arrest Haven, X-Factor is torn over whether to do so, with Polaris in particular vehemently defending her, until Haven simply teleports away. The team continues their debate back at their headquarters, where Havok & Forge share their government intel that Haven is responsible for a number of recent cataclysms, triggered in an attempt to jump-start her prophesied "New Humanity", including the recent Kennedy Center bombing X-Factor responded to. Polaris remains dubious however, citing that the intelligence came from the same government that recently tried to kill her. Later, Madrox tries to reabsorb all his errant duplicates, but is unable to reabsorb two of them. Meanwhile, Random approaches Strong Guy & Wolfsbane looking for X-Factor's help, telling them he was targeted by the same soldiers who attacked Polaris. And at her retreat in the California mountains, Haven initiates an eager Val Cooper into her organization.

X-amining X-Factor #96

"In the Beginning"
November 1993

In a Nutshell
The debut of Haven.

Writer: JM DeMatteis
Penciler: Greg Luzniak
Inker: Al Milgrom
Letterer: Richard Starkings
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Corvese
Group Editor: Harras
Chief: DeFalco

Plot
X-Factor responds to a terrorist attack at the Kennedy Center, working through the night to rescue as many people as possible. As they finish, Forge appears, and orders Havok into a meeting. Meanwhile, Random meets with his mysterious employer, but afterwards, is marked for termination. At the Pentagon, Havok lays into Forge, but Forge tells Havok there are lots of questions hanging over their heads, and he needs Havok's help to unravel them. At X-Factor headquarters, Rahne & Lorna share a midnight snack, and Rahne lashes out at Polaris, saying Havok hasn't done enough to help her, but would have if Polaris needed it. Elsewhere, one of Madrox' dupes takes Guido out on the town, while an increasingly-sick Madrox reads a mysterious book. Going for a walk to clear her head, Lorna realizes that Madrox' problems started in Genosha, just as she's attacked by a group of armored soldiers. She holds them off, but before the situation escalates further, the soldiers are teleported away by a mysterious woman who appears before Lorna, telling her to embrace the dawning new age, an age of hope for man, mutant, and the new humanity.

X-amining X-Factor #95

"Fatal Repulsions"
October 1993

In a Nutshell
Polaris battles Random

Plot: Scott Lobdell
Script: JM DeMatteis
Penciler: Greg Luzniak
Inker: Al Milgrom
Letterer: Richard Starkings
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Kelly Corvese
Group Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Polaris meets Random on a DC rooftop, only to be attacked by him. Meanwhile, Havok meets with Forge, who questions whether or not he should start over with a new X-Factor roster. This prompts Havok to argue in defense of each of his teammates, which is enough to convince Forge he has the right people and that Havok is the right person to lead them. Meanwhile, Polaris manages to overpower Random, and leaves him in a puddle underneath his damaged car. Later, as Polaris describes the fight to Havok, she says it almost felt like Random was rooting for her to win, but the pair is interrupted by a sobbing, slobbering Wolfsbane, who has fled Muir Island, saying Havok's pull on her soul is too strong and she's got to be with him.

X-amining X-Factor #94

"Evening Where: The Longest Day Part II"
September 1993

In a Nutshell
Havok & Polaris go on a date while Wolfsbane arrives on Muir Island.

Plot: Scott Lobdell
Script: J.M. DeMatteis
Penciler: Paul Ryan
Inker: Al Milgrom
Letterer: Janice Chiang
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Kelly Corvese
Group Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Lorna and a distracted Alex are on a dinner date, but their presence offends a nearby diner. Meanwhile, Guido accompanies Rahne to Muir Island, and Rahne tells Guido she knows he's more sensitive than he lets on. At X-Factor headquarters, a sculpting Quicksilver is interrupted by one of Madrox' dupes, hoping to escape Madrox' morose mood. Back at the restaurant, Lorna confronts the bigoted customer, much to the pleasure of a figure watching from the shadows, leading to a brawl in the restaurant among the customers. On Muir Island, Rahne fully reverts to her human form, becoming a mindless mutate, and is carried away by the scientists there. At the Pentagon, Forge deals with the situation caused by Lorna, then returns to his briefing with Val. Across town, Lorna is released from jail, and gives a brief statement condemning bigotry and declaring that mutants are a part of the world, and everyone had better get used to it. She is watched once again from the shadows by Random, who laments having to kill her.

X-amining X-Factor #93

"The Longest Day: Part 1"
August 1993

In a Nutshell
X-Factor deals with the death of Illyana while Forge is appointed their new government liaison.

Plot: Scott Lobdell
Script: J.M. DeMatteis
Penciler: Terry Shoemaker
Inker: Al Milgrom
Letterer: Richard Starkings
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Kelly Corvese
Group Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Havok & Wolfsbane arrive at the X-Mansion, and express their condolences for Illyana's death to a stone-faced Colossus before being taken to Professor X. Meanwhile, Polaris & Quicksilver try on their new X-Factor uniforms while Guido is teleported away by Lila Cheney. At the X-Mansion, Havok plays handball with his brother, while Xavier gives Wolfsbane the bad news that he can't cure her mental conditioning telepathically, without risking her ending up stuck as a mindless mutate. Someplace far away, Guido finds himself in front of an alien crowd during one of Lila's concerts, and demands that she take him him, turning down her offer to return as her bodyguard and live a life of luxury, much to her dismay. Back at X-Factor headquarters, Quicksilver reluctantly accepts his new costume after shedding it of some unnecessary accessories, while at the pentagon, Val Cooper meets with X-Factor's new government liaison: Forge.

X-amining X-Factor #92

"The Man Who Wasn't There"
July 1993

In a Nutshell
X-Factor battles the Acolytes

Co-Plotter: Scott Lobdell
Penciler/Co-Plotter: Joe Quesada
Script: J.M. DeMatteis
Inker: Al Milgrom
Letterer: Starkings
Background Artist: Cliff Van Meter
Colorist: Oliver
Editor: Kelly Corvese
Group Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
In the wake of an Acolyte attack on a hospice in Virgina, Havok, Quicksilver & Val Cooper interview one of the survivors, whose descriptions of the Acolytes' savagery stuns them. They are unknowingly watched by the Acolyte Scanner, who reports back to Cortez. Later, X-Factor interrogates Spoor, the one Acolyte captured during the attack. He is initially belligerent, but becomes reverential when Quicksilver, the son of Magneto, enters the room. Spoor proceeds to tell them the location of the Acolytes' next target, a low-level military base in Kentucky. But instead of bringing X-Factor, Val goes there only with Quicksilver, along with Random as hired help. Suspicious, the rest of X-Factor follows, and along the way they encounter a mysterious flying mutant who observes them briefly before flying off. At Camp Hayden, Quicksilver quickly learns the base is a front for Project: Wideawake, the government program to create Sentinels. Arriving shortly thereafter, X-Factor is stunned by the revelation. Just then, the Acolytes attack the base, and while they fight X-Factor, Cortez attempts to recruit Quicksilver. He rejects Cortez, who then calls for the Acolytes' retreat, saying they've succeeded in planting a seed. In the wake of their departure, Val coughs up green smoke, revealing she's been under the control of the Acolytes for the last several weeks. However, she says that she was just following the government's orders in keeping Project: Wideawake a secret from the team, and X-Factor walks away from her in disgust.