X-amining Uncanny X-Men #305

"The Measure of the Man"
October 1993

In a Nutshell
The X-Men are attacked by mysterious soldiers.

Writer: Scott Lobdell
Penciler: Jan Duuresma
Inker: Jose Marzan
Letterer: Chris Eliopoulos
Colorist: Joe Rosas
Editor: Bob Harras
Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Outside Opal's home, Rogue, Bishop & Iceman fight off a group of armored soldiers whom Cerebro detected as genetic anomalies, each of whom collapses into a chemical ooze upon defeat. Meanwhile, in Washington DC, Professor X & Storm meet with Ambassador St. Croix, a member of Xavier's Mutant Underground. Aboard the Blackbird, the X-Men attempt to interrogate one of the soldiers they captured, but when he refuses to talk, Rogue touches him, causing her body to mutate horribly to mimic. In DC, Xavier asks Storm to steal an exo-suit designed to shield the wearer from Magneto's electro-magnetic senses. Aboard the Blackbird, Bishop tackles Rogue, causing her to absorb his memories before her body returns to normal, after which she tells her teammates that the soldiers were like skin & tissue stuffed into armor and programmed to destroy them, with the only thought she was able to discern a name: Hodge. Back in DC, Storm steals the design schematics for the exo-suit, but does not destroy the prototype, telling Xavier that humanity has a right to defend itself, and to not ask her to steal for him again, that the X-Men need to be better than that.

X-amining X-Men Unlimited #2

"Point Blank"
1993

In a Nutshell

Writer: Fabian Nicieza
Penciler: Jan Duursema
Inkers: Dan Panosian, Keith Williams, Jimmy Palmiotti, Joe Rubinstein
Letterer: Richard Starkings
Colorist: Marie Javins
Editor: Kellu Corvese
Group Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
A former East German solider named Adrian Eiskalt recounts to his psychiatrist an encounter with Magneto in which Magneto killed Adrian's brother. In New York, Gabrielle Haller leads a symposium on Magneto, later meeting with Adrian to discuss their respective governments' desire to eliminate the threat he poses. Adrian insists he has no desire to kill Magneto, and Haller agrees to share information, but she can see the desire for vengeance in Adrian's eyes. Meanwhile, Exodus offers Phantazia a place on Avalon, but she reluctantly turns him down when he reveals her fellow Brotherhood of Evil Mutant teammates are not invited. As Adrian studies the information on Magneto provided by Haller, Haller compares notes with Moira MacTaggert. This leads to the creation of a suit which will mask Adrian's bio-electric signature, and a taser gun made of plastic. Later, Henry Gyrich briefs the Commission on Super-Human Affairs on Magneto's return, and while the group approves of sending Adrian to engage him, they're uncertain how to draw him out. Adrian has an idea, however, and lays in wait at the site of Magneto's wife Magda's grave, the same spot where Magneto killed his brother years ago. But when Magneto arrives and Adrian has him in his sights, he finds himself unable to act, having gained a better understanding of the man from his research, and realizing that when he killed Adrian's brother, he did so only in self-defense, after Adrian's brother attacked him. As Magneto leaves, Adrian is left alone, realizing all he's ever really had was his hate.

X-amining X-Factor #91

"Underpinnings"
June 1993

In a Nutshell
Multiple Man is infected by the Legacy Virus.

Writer: Scott Lobdell
Penciler: Joe Quesada
Inker: Al Milgrom
Letterer: Richard Starkings
Colorist: Tom Smith
Editor: Kelly Corvese
Group Editor: Bob Harras
Underlord: Tom DeFalco

Plot
In the tunnels beneath Genosha, X-Factor hunts for the escaped mutate, hoping to capture him before the Magistrates kill him. Finding an interactive map of the system, Polaris sees a trio of Magistrates approaching Wolfsbane, but when Havok & Strong Guy arrive to help, she has already overpowered them. Meanwhile, Val meets Quicksilver at the airport, and continues to manipulate him. Back in the sewers, Madrox finds the escaped mutate. He is near death, and in order to resuscitate him, Madrox is forced to create a duplicate, thus exposing himself to the same disease killing the mutate. After he's revived, the mutate reiterates that he doesn't want to die a lab rat, so X-Factor returns him to the treatment center and ensures he's allowed to die with dignity. The Genoshan president promises Havok they'll free the mutates of their mental conditioning once they've found the source and cure for the disease afflicting them, and as they leave, Wolfsbane tells Madrox he looks like death warmed over.