X-amining Cable #-1

"The Devil's Herald!"

July 1997

In a Nutshell

Moira meets Cable in the moments immediately after he arrives in the past.

Writer: James Robinson

Penciler: Ladronn

Inker: Juan Vlasco

Letterer: Richard Starkings & Crowquillcraft

Colorist: Glynis Oliver

Editor: Mark Powers

Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot

Moira MacTaggert and her ward Rahne Sinclair race from Muir Island to the town of Stornoway via boat, having received word of trouble in the city. Making landfall, they discover Reverend Craig whipping a mob into a religious frenzy at the site of a strangely dressed man who doesn't speak English. Moira tries to calm everyone down, but her efforts are futile until the stranger uses telepathic abilities to alter the perceptions of the mob. Realizing the man is a mutant, she brings him back to Muir Island. There, she tries to run some tests on him, but the equipment causes his mechanical arm to go wild, triggering an explosion. As Moira is about to be crushed by falling debris, the stranger saves her, using telekinesis to stop the falling debris. He then uses his telepathy to read Moira's mind to learn English - also accidentally learning about her son, Kevin, in the process. Able to finally communicate, he tells Moira he is from the future, and has arrived in this era on a mission. He can't give her any details, other than the fact that he needs to find Charles Xavier. Moira tells him she knows Xavier, and promises to take the stranger to him. Meanwhile, in Switzerland, Apocalypse emerges early from hibernation, having been awakened by the arrival of the stranger in this time. 

X-amining X-Men (vol. 2) #-1

"I Had A Dream"

July 1997

In a Nutshell

Professor X and Magneto reunite on the verge of their philosophical differences exploding into open conflict.

Writer: Scott Lobdell

Pencils: Carlos Pacheco 
Inks: Art Thibert
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colorist: Chris Lichtner & Aron Lusen

Associate Editor: Mark Powers
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot

At his mansion, Charles Xavier continues his physical therapy, under the guidance of his nurse/girlfriend, Amelia Voght. She urges him to rethink his plans regarding mutantkind, but he insists they can't simply hide in his mansion and do nothing. He then asks her to teleport him to the remains of concentration camp in Europe, where he knows his old friend Erik will soon appear. Meanwhile, aboard Asteroid M in orbit around the planet, Wanda and Pietro Maximoff discuss their recent alliance with the man known as Magneto Despite having saved their lives, Pietro remains unconvinced Magneto is a good man. Magneto arrives and brings the twins down to the concentration camp, where he finds Xavier and Voght waiting. The two former friends each try to convince each other, for the last time, to give up their respective plans to chart the course of mutantkind's future, with Xavier arguing that places like the concentration camp will rise again if Magneto launches his war on humanity. Both men acknowledge their ability to kill the other, but leave each other in peace for the last time, with Magneto declaring there will be only one onclusion to their conflict, and to the victor will go the spoils. He then scoops up a handful of earth, and returns with the Maximoffs to Asteroid M.

X-amining Wolverine #-1

"A Whiff of Sartre’s Madeleine!"

July 1997

In a Nutshell

Logan meets the inventor of adamantium.

Script: Larry Hama
Pencils: Cary Nord
Inks: Scott Hanna
Letters: Richard Starkings & Comicraft/EM
Colors: Joe Rosas
Editor: Mark Powers

Editor in Chief: Bob Harras

Plot

Hoping to help Logan find some answers about his metal skeleton and his past, James and Heather Hudson have setup a meeting between Logan and Myron MacLain, the scientist who created adamantium. When Logan arrives at the Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. to meet with MacLain, he is monitored by both the CIA and Hydra. MacLain is astonished to learn someone bonded adamantium to Logan's skeleton, having only heard rumors about a Japanese scientist developing a process for such. Just then, CIA agent Victor Creed bursts in; pleased to see Logan doesn't remember him, he pulls a gun, but a Hydra team attacks, hoping to capture Logan.  interrupted by Hydra, who open fire on the pair, trying to hit Logan. The ensuing brawl is joined by Nick Fury and Carol Danvers, who rescue Logan with an assist from Black Widow, who tells Logan he's better off not joining any of the groups pursuing him. When Creed catches up to them, Logan defeats him, but rather than finish him, he merely takes his hat. Then Logan departs to return to Canada, more confused than ever. As he leaves, Hydra agents target him with a missile, but their leader Madame Hydra calls off the attack, opting to leave him alive — for now. 

X-amining X-Factor #-1

"A Summers Tale"

July 1997

In a Nutshell

Mister Sinister tests a young Havok, and finds him wanting. 

Writer: Howard Mackie
Penciler: Jeff Matsuda
Inker: Art Thibert
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Kelly Corvese
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot

13 year old Alex Summers is trying to fit into his new adoptive family, with his mother frequently mistaking him for her recently deceased son Todd and his dad urging him to pursue athletics like Todd. Alex's sister Haley convinces Alex to try out for the football team - which his father coaches - and his success at both football and in school attracts the attention of some school bullies. Haley scares them off, but their leader Vince follows Alex home. While lurking outside, he's approached by Mister Sinister, who urges him to take action. Vince and his gang kidnap Alex and Haley, taking them to an abandoned warehouse where they are hunted for sport. Haley and Alex manage to escape, but Vince catches up to them. He shoots Haley in the leg, implies that he killed Todd, and tells Alex he's going to kill the rest of his family. Haley and Todd race home, where Alex uses his powers for the first time to incinerate Vince before he can blow up the house. Having watched from afar, Sinister is pleased with the results, but feels Alex has too little control, so he erases everyone's memories of recent events, promising himself to reunite with Alex should he ever gain control of his powers. 

X-amining X-Man #-1

"Breeding Ground"

July 1997

In a Nutshell

In the Age of Apocalypse, Mister Sinister performs a status check on his pet project, Nate Grey.

Writer: Terry Kavanagh
Penciler: Roger Cruz 
Inker: Bud LaRosa & Wellington Diaz
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colorist: Mike Thomas
Editor: Bob Harras

Plot

Safely ensconced in his secret lab inside an abandoned orphanage in Nebraska, Mister Sinister checks on his pet project, the creation of a supremely powerful mutant named Nate Grey. Removing the prepubescent Nate from his nutrient bath, Sinister is pleased with the boy's development. When an incoming call from Beast distracts Sinister, Nate slips away, experiencing psionic echoes of his genetic father's, Scott Summers, experiences as a child in the orphanage. Angry, Sinister gives Nate a glimpse of life outside the orphanage, of Apocalypse's Infinites rounding up humans. Nate instinctively uses his power to try and stop the Infinites psionically, prompting Sinister to trigger a failsafe to cut off Nate's powers. As the young Nate grows angry, Sinister placates him with a teddy bear, then leads him back to his nutrient bath. The experience has made Sinister realize that, when fully grown, the boy will be too powerful, and he must develop a stronger failsafe to keep him in check.

X-amining Uncanny X-Men #-1

"The Boy Who Saw Tomorrow!"

July 1997

In a Nutshell

Rachel Summers tracks Sanctity to the early days of the Sentinels creation.

Writer: Scott Lobdell
Penciler: Bryan Hitch
Inker: Paul Neary
Letters: Richard Starkings
Colors: Steve Buccellato

Editor: Mark Powers
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot

Following her disciple Sanctity into the past, Rachel Summers arrives in South Dakota, near where Bolivar Trask is close to completing the first Master Mold. Bolivar is tending to his son, Larry, a mutant with hidden precognitive abilities. Just then, Sanctity attacks Rachel, and the two argue over the merits of trying to change the past, something with which Rachel is all too familiar. But Rachel quickly realizes she's only fighting a psionic projection of Sanctity. The real Sanctity is confronting Bolivar, revealing herself to him as his daughter, Tanya. She explains how her powers caused her to be lost in time, but that she was saved by Rachel. She wants Bolivar to give up the Sentinel project, but Rachel intervenes, erasing Bolivar's memory of the encounter in an effort to preserve the timeline. The two women return to the future, but Sanctity manages to secretly upload a file on the Twelve into Master Mold's programming before she goes.