X-amining New Mutants #12

"Sunstroke"
February 1984

In a Nutshell
Amara loses control in Rio De Janeiro, convincing her she needs to join the New Mutants. 

Writer: Chris Claremont
Penciler: Sal Buscema
Finisher: Tom Mandrake
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: George Roussos
Editor: Louise Jones
Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
In Rio De Janiero, Emmanuel DaCosta arrives to his office to find Roberto waiting for him. Roberto tells his father to forget about the Maderia, that Nova Roma is off limits, or else he and the other New Mutants will do everything in their power to stop him. His father tells him that if he leaves, it will be as though he has no son, to which Roberto replies that he's now half an orphan. Enraged, Emmanuel calls Sebastian Shaw and tells him he accepts his invitation to join the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club. Meanwhile, Dani and Amara are enjoying the beach at Ipanema, with Amara reflecting on her father's decision to send her to Xavier's school to gain control of her power, when the girls are accosted by a group of men. When one of them kisses Amara, she triggers a volcano on the beach.

X-amining New Mutants #11

"Magma"
January 1984

In a Nutshell
Magma helps the New Mutants defeat Selene. 

Writer: Chris Claremont
Penciler: Sal Buscema
Finisher: Tom Mandrake
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Editor: Louise Jones
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
Amara attacks Selene, who defends herself by animating the rock within the cavern. That use of power leaves Selene old and frail, but she sacrifices her followers to rejuvenate herself. Turning to Dani, she entrances her, declaring her intent to use her and the other New Mutants to conquer the world. Dani fights her influence, just as Amara escapes from the rock and attacks Selene again, blasting her with lava. Dani vows to help Amara, just as Selene suddenly drains Amara's lifeforce. Meanwhile, Senator Gallio triumphantly leads Senator Aquilla away in chains, much to the consternation of Sam, Roberto and Rahne. Spying a red-haired woman amongst Aquilla's captured slaves, Roberto steals a guard's armor and follows her. Inside a dungeon, he discovers his captured mother being taunted by Castro. Roberto knocks out Castro, then frees his mother.

X-amining New Mutants #10

"Betrayal!"
December 1983

In a Nutshell
The New Mutants are drawn deeper into the machinations of Nova Roma. 

Writer: Chris Claremont
Penciler: Sal Buscema
Finisher: Tom Mandrake
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Editor: Louise Jones
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter
Consultant: Diana Schutz

Plot
The New Mutants, heralded as gods, are paraded through the streets of Nova Roma. Arriving at Senator Gallio's palace, he tells them of how Senator Aquilla, Amara's father, wishes to declare himself emperor of Nova Roma. Though both Sam and Dani sense that Gallio is lying, they play dumb. That night, Roberto goes for a walk, and sees a woman he believes to be his missing mother in the street, but Gallio's guards detain him, and following Xavier's teachings, he refuses to use his power on them, so he loses his mother in the crowd. Later, Dani sneaks out of the palace, hoping to get a sense of what Nova Roma is really like, when she's grabbed from behind. Back inside, Roberto is suddenly shot in the arm, and the New Mutants discover the gunman is Castro, who claims Senator Aquilla hired him to kill the mutants. Gallio orders the immediate arrest of Aquilla.

X-amining New Mutants #9

"Arena"
November 1983

In a Nutshell
The New Mutants arrive in Nova Roma.

Presentor: Stan Lee
Writer: Chris Claremont
Penciler: Sal Buscema
Finisher: Tom Mandrake
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Editor: Louise Jones
Emperor: Jim Shooter

Plot
The New Mutants and Amara, guarded by a group of Legionnaires, arrive in the hidden Roman city of Nova Roma. Considered barbarians by the soldiers, the teenagers are locked inside a dungeon, where Amara explains that she is the daughter of the First Senator of Nova Roma, Lucius Aquilla. Roberto, concerned about his still-missing mother, doesn't trust Amara, but when he tries to smash his way out of the cell, a booby trap is triggered and all the captives are hit with darts, knocking them out. Meanwhile, at the senatorial baths, Amara's father meets with Senator Gallio and confirms that the captured males will do battle in the arena while the girls will be sold into slavery. Gallio returns home to his wife, a sorceress priestess named Selene, upset that Lucius Aquilla has prevented him from using the New Mutants' to help him seize power. Selene takes him to another prisoner, the deckhand Castro. He suggests an alliance between Gallio and Emmanuel Da Costa, intriguing the senator. Elsewhere, Dani, Rahne and Amara are cleaned up in preparation for being placed in the slave auction.

X-amining New Mutants #8

"The Road to...Rome?"
October 1983

In a Nutshell
In the Amazon, the New Mutants meet a strange girl named Amara. 

Writer: Chris Claremont
Penciler: Sal Buscema
Inker: Bob McLeod
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Editor: Louise Jones
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
In the Amazon, the New Mutants play an improvised game of hide-n-seek to exercise their mutant powers. Later, they check in with Professor X, who advises them that Karma is still missing and that they should continue their trip. When Dani decides to swim back to their boat, one of the crewmen, Carlos, hoping to stir up some piranhas, empties a slop bucket into the river. Dani uses her power on the fish to scare them away, and Sam manages to pull her out of the water. They crash on the opposite shore and come face to face with a group of Native American women, who attack them. Realizing the Native Americans were watching the boat, Sam and Dani fight them off, but take one of them captive. That night, as the ship sails up the river, Roberto's mother Nina unsuccessfully tries to communicate with the captured girl. Meanwhile, in Rio De Janiero, Emmanuel Da Costa meets with Sebastian Shaw, and they discuss once again the difficulty of sabotaging Nina's expedition without hurting her or Roberto, but Emmanuel insists he will stop her from reaching the uncharted resources of the Maderia.

X-amining New Mutants #7

"Flying Down to Rio!"
September 1983

In a Nutshell
The New Mutants rescue Sunspot's mom from the Hellfire Club.  

Writer: Chris Claremont
Penciler: Sal Buscema
Inker: Bob McLeod
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Editor: Louise Jones
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
Days after the explosion of Viper's base, the New Mutants and the X-Men continue to search for some sign of Karma. When Roberto's mother, Nina DaCosta, an archaeologist, arrives at the X-Men's camp, Professor X declares he's sending the team to accompany Nina on a trip to the headwaters of the Amazon. Though the New Mutants are reluctant to give up on the search, Professor X explains to the X-Men that he believes Karma is alive, but in light of the malevolent psychic entity he sensed, he won't risk the New Mutants encountering it while searching for Karma. A week later the New Mutants arrive at Roberto's lavish home in Rio De Janiero and suffer through a tense dinner in which Nina and Roberto's father Emmanuel snipe at each other. The next morning, the New Mutants accompany Nina into the city for Carnival, but Nina is captured by a group of Hellfire Club soldiers led by a mutant named Axe.