X-amining New Mutants #85

"The Killing Stroke"
January 1990

In a Nutshell
The New Mutants thwart Hela's attack on Odin. 

Writer: Louise Simonson
Guest Penciller: Geoff Isherwood 
Inker: Bret Blevins
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Outside the city of Asgard, Hela's forces clash with Asgard's defenders. Spotting Dani heading towards Odin's tower, the New Mutants break off, determined to stop their friend from slaying him. Meanwhile, in Hel, Eitri breaks himself and the Einherjar out of Hela's prison. They enter Hela's portal, arriving outside Asgard. As the Einherjar reinforce the fight against Hela, Eitri heads for the castle, determined to destroy the sword he forged for Hela or die trying. Inside Odin's chambers, Dani prepares to strike the killing blow, but the New Mutants intervene. Dani fights back, burning Rictor and Roberto while knocking out Sam, forcing Rahne to realize Dani is no longer the friend they knew. Just then, Eitri bursts in and manages to strike Dani's sword with his hammer.

X-amining New Mutants #83

"The Quick and the Dead"
December 1989

In a Nutshell
Hela gets her sword as the Hel-bound New Mutants seemingly perish. 

Writer: Louise Simonson
Artist: Bret Blevins
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Caught by a Frost Giant, Boom-Boom, Warlock & Hrimhari work together to free themselves, but are ultimately saved by Tiwaz, the sorcerer whose help they were seeking against Hela. Watching from Hel, a furious Hela urges Eitri to hurry completion of her sword. As he pulls the finished weapon from the forge, the New Mutants take advantage of Hela's distraction to break free of their chains. With Mist's help, they free the Einherjar from Hela's dungeons and enlist their aid. In the ensuing battle, Sam manages to wrest the sword free from Hela and the New Mutants race off with it. However, Hela's control over Mist is slowly increasing, and she leads them down the wrong path.

X-amining New Mutants #82

"The Road to Hel..."
Mid November 1989

In a Nutshell
Boom-Boom & Warlock discover Odin is in the midst of the Odinsleep and unable to help, while the rest of the New Mutants are captured by Hela. 

Writer: Louise Simonson
Artist: Bret Blevins
Inker: Al Williamson
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Trapped in the warp separating Valhalla from Asgard, Boom-Boom and the Wolf Prince try to free Warlock, drawing the attention of Hela's forces below. One of the possessed Valkyrie, Mist, uses the distraction to surreptiously tell Sam she can save them all if he trusts her, and Sam allows the New Mutants to be captured without a fight. Outside the warp, Boom-Boom manages to blast Warlock free, and the three of them race for Asgard. Meanwhile, the rest of the New Mutants are led past Garm, the wolf who guards Hela's realm, into Hel itself. Elsewhere, Boom-Boom, Warlock and the Wolf Prince reach Asgard but discover Odin in the throes of the Odinsleep and thus unable to help them or defend Asgard against Hela, and they are promptly captured by Odin's guards.

X-amining New Mutants #80

"Curse of the Valkyries"
October 1989

In a Nutshell
The New Mutants get separated in Asgard. 

Writer: Louise Simonson
Artist: Bret Blevins
Inker: Al Williamson
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
In the caverns beneath their castle, the possessed Valkyrie attack the New Mutants and the dwarf army. Watching from afar, Hela tasks Dani with capturing the New Mutants and bringing Eitri to her. Meanwhile, in New York, Rusty and Skids are still waiting out Freedom Force inside Skids' force field, prepared to tell the soon-to-arrive tourists everything they know about Freedom Force's nefarious plans. However, Crimson Commando arrives with a large laser and cuts out the ground beneath Rusty & Skids, enabling Blob to carry the pair of them away. Back in Asgard, Dani enters the fray, using a magic powder to freeze the New Mutants in place. Carrying off Eitri, she commands the New Mutants be imprisoned in the Immobilization Chamber. Inside the chamber, the New Mutants are unable to move, but Boom-Boom is able generate a time bomb, blowing a hole into the floor through which she falls.

X-amining New Mutants #79

"Asgard"
September 1989

In a Nutshell
The New Mutants reunite with their Dwarf friends. 

Writer: Louise Simonson
Penciler: Bret Blevins
Inker: Al Williamson
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Now in Asgard, Rahne transforms into a wolf, hoping to telepathically establish communication with Dani, but the evil entity in control of Dani's body attacks her. Watching from Hel, Hela is angry to see Dani in Asgard, as she was supposed to deliver the souls of Earth's greatest heroes to her, but she consoles herself with the knowledge that at least she can still acquire the souls of the New Mutants. As Dani flies off, the New Mutants discover that Rahne is still alive, which she believes is an indication that Dani still has some control over her actions. As the New Mutants debate their next move, they discover an army of dwarfs marching on the nearby castle. The dwarfs attack the New Mutants, but once Sam hears they're led by his old friend Eitri, he orders them to stand down and allows themselves to be taken prisoner.

X-amining New Mutants #74

"The Right Stuff"
April 1989

In a Nutshell
In the wake of "Inferno", Gosamyr leaves the team. 

Writer: Louise Simonson
Artist: Bret Blevins
Inker: Bob Wiacek 
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Gregory Wright
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Cannonball, Rusty and Skids fly through the streets of Manhattan, mopping up the lingering effects of the Inferno, while Rictor, Wolfsbane and Boom-Boom tend to the rescued mutant babies at the church. Shortly thereafter, Mirage, Warlock, Gosamyr and Sunspot return from their own clean-up mission. Meanwhile, at the Hellfire Club, Shaw and Magneto come to blows over their respective outlooks on the future of mutantkind. Elsewhere, the X-Terminators take the New Mutants and the rescued babies to Ship, who scans each of them as they enter. He freaks out upon scanning Gosamyr, and imprisons her in a containment unit, prompting both teams of young mutants to attack Ship in order to free her. Working together, Sunspot and Rictor manage to free Gosamyr, but she ends the confrontation, telling them Ship understands better than they do just how dangerous her race is.

X-amining New Mutants #73

"The Gift"
March 1989

In a Nutshell
Illyana's battle with her dark side comes to an end. 

Writer: Louise Simonson
Penciler: Bret Blevins
Inker: Al Williamson & Mike Manley  
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
In the demonically transformed Manhattan, Illyana battles S'ym, quickly realizing she'll need to fully accept her dark side in order to defeat him. Elsewhere, both the New Mutants and Colossus search for Illyana. Atop the roof of the Hellfire Club, N'astirh appears before the Inner Circle, offering an alliance. Passing by, the New Mutants see Magneto conversing with the demon, increasing their distrust in their estranged headmaster. Nearby, Colossus is brought to S'ym, just as the New Mutants spot the effects of his battle with Illyana. The New Mutants manage to separate Illyana from S'ym as Colossus fights the demon himself, and Illyana, distraught over her brother seeing her Darkchilde form, flees to Limbo along with the New Mutants. Once there, she realizes she can no longer run from her destiny and takes her throne, accepting her dark side as ruler of Limbo once more. On Earth, Colossus continues to fight S'ym as Dani, Rusty and Skids defend the kidnapped babies from demon attacks. In Limbo, Rahne rushes off, determined to locate the child Illyana the New Mutants had previously seen running through Limbo.

X-amining New Mutants #72

"Demon Reign"
February 1989

In a Nutshell
The New Mutants battle the demon rain as Illyana struggles with her dark side. 

Writer: Louise Simonson
Artist: Bret Blevins
Inker: Al Williamson 
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
In Times Square, S'ym appears before N'astirh and the New Mutants, and the two demons begin to fight one another, with N'astirh teleporting Illyana away. Otherwise forgotten, the New Mutants attempt to disrupt the pentagram, reasoning that closing the portal between Earth and Limbo may very well help Illyana as well. Meanwhile, Illyana appears in a demonically-possessed diner, where inanimate objects urge her to use her sword to attack the possessed people inside before she is teleported away again. In the skies over Times Square, the New Mutants meet the X-Terminators, and the two groups team up to try and close the portal. Illyana next arrives in a demonic pet shop and is once again urged to use her sword, and she realizes the demons want her to use it to spill innocent blood in order to seal her dark transformation. In Times Square, the New Mutants succeed in rescuing the mutant infants and disrupting the pentagram.

X-amining New Mutants #71

"Limbo"
January 1989

In a Nutshell
Illyana is tricked into opening the portal that brings Limbo to Earth. 

Writer: Louise Simonson
Artist: Bret Blevins
Inker: Al Williamson 
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
With Illyana unable to open a stepping disc out of Limbo, the New Mutants attack S'ym and his the demon horde. During the fight, S'ym manages to wrest Illyana's Soul Sword from her grasp. Realizing she can still teleport within Limbo, Illyana escapes with her teammates. Just then, N'astirh contacts S'ym from Earth, admonishing him for trying to kill Illyana and revealing it is his magic which is keeping her from leaving. The New Mutants emerge in Belasco's former throne room, and when S'ym's demons track them there, Illyana jumps the team into the past, where they see her as a small girl shortly after she arrived in Limbo. They watch as N'astirh saves the young girl from S'ym. Back on Earth, Magneto and the Inner Circle are attacked by the growing Empire State Building, and the White Queen's hears the telepathic cries of the tourists inside as they're killed.

X-amining New Mutants #69

"Bad Company"
November 1988

In a Nutshell
The New Mutants learn the truth about Gosamyr. 

Writer: Louise Simonson
Artist: Bret Blevins
Inker: Al Williamson
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
As the forces around Spyder's planet prepare to fire on the New Mutants' ship in punishment for their bribing of an official, Spyder calls off the attack, telling the admiral the ship contains his cargo, giving them permission to land on the planet. Once the suspicious New Mutants have landed, Dani, fed up with Gosamyr, runs off the ship and bumps into a group of thugs looking to sell her to Spyder. Back on the ship, Sam and Roberto continue to fight over Gosamyr, while an unaffected Warlock tries to get a sulking Illyana to help them. Outside, Dani fights off the group of aliens, only to run into another group. When Rahne transforms into a wolf, she senses Dani's distress, and the New Mutants teleport to an increasingly dark Limbo. On Earth, Magneto discusses his missing students with the White Queen, and leaves the mansion to join her at the Hellfire Club. Back on Spyder's world, the New Mutants emerge from Limbo to help Dani.

X-amining New Mutants #68

"Illusion!"
October 1988

In a Nutshell
Chasing Spyder, Gosamyr sows discord amongst the New Mutants. 

Writer: Louise Simonson
Artist: Bret Blevins
Letterer: Ken Bruzenak
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
In Limbo, Illyana tries to repair her broken scrying glass in order to locate Lila and Spyder. She manages to locate Spyder's ship for a moment, but then an image of her Darkchild persona appears in the glass and she loses concentration. The New Mutants decide to have her teleport them aboard the stolen space ship to Spyder's last known position; even though he's likely gone from that spot now, they can track him via the ship from there. With the ship tracking Spyder, Gosamyr uses a machine to recreate Sam's uniform, as well as new clothes for herself, Dani and Rahne. As Spyder watches this, he explains to a captive Lila that it is in the nature of Gosamyr's species to destroy by intensifying the passions of those around her. Back aboard the ship, Sam finds himself drawn to Gosamyr, much to Rahne's dismay, even while Gosamyr eventually kisses Roberto.

X-amining New Mutants #67

"Promise"
September 1988

In a Nutshell
Lila Cheney is kidnapped by Spyder. 

Writer: Louise Simonson
Artist: Bret Blevins
Letterer: Ken Bruzenak
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
In order to go into the city to attend his girlfriend Lila Cheney's concert, Sam promises Magneto he won't use his powers while at the concert. However, the alien Spyder has arrived in Earth orbit, and he dispatches his accountants to retrieve Lila, whom he believes to be his property. At the concert, Lila is happy Sam made it, while at the mansion, the rest of the New Mutants listen to the show on the radio. Aboard Spyder's ship, Gosamyr manages to sneak aboard the craft heading after Lila, hoping that if she saves Lila, Lila will help her in turn. She's spotted by Spyder, however, but, intoxicated, he decides to let her go and see how her adventure plays out. The aliens crash Lila's concert and a fight breaks out, with Sam doing the best he can to help without using his powers and breaking his promise.

X-amining New Mutants #66

"Sorcerer's Duel!"
August 1988

In a Nutshell
Illyana battles Forge. 

Writer: Louise Simonson
Artist: Bret Blevins
Inker: Terry Austin 
Letterer: Ken Bruzenak
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Ann Nocenti & Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
In Dallas, Illyana confronts Forge, determined to kill him as revenge for his role in the deaths of her brother and the X-Men. A surprised Forge, whose magical abilities are tied to Earth, manages to hold her off, and as they battle, the rest of the New Mutants debate what to do. When they decide to intervene on Forge's behalf, Illyana teleports everyone to Limbo, where her power reigns supreme. Restraining the New Mutants, she and Forge resume their battle, during which her scrying glass is destroyed and Forge gradually realizes that Illyana is little more than an angry, grieving child, not so different than he was in Vietnam when he cast the spell the X-Men died to complete.

X-amining New Mutants #65

"Demons!"
July 1988

In a Nutshell
The New Mutants fight Freedom Force. 

Writer: Louise Simonson
Artist: Bret Blevins
Inker: Terry Austin 
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Ann Nocenti
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Illyana approaches Magneto, asking for his help in killing Forge to avenge the deaths of the X-Men, but Magneto refuses, saying that the X-Men died willingly, and that they are not his charges. He reminds the team that they are grounded, but this doesn't stop Illyana from teleporting away. She arrives on Muir Isle and reunites with Kitty Pryde, hoping to enlist Kitty's help. But she too tries to talk Illyana down, and Illyana teleports away in anger. Back at the mansion, the remaining New Mutants are split over whether to help Illyana, but when she appears to grab her costume, they quickly follow her to Limbo. Though still unwilling to kill Forge, the New Mutants agree to help Illyana, if only to prevent her from being killed herself. Drawing her Soul Sword, thus ceding control of Limbo to S'ym for the time being, she teleports the team to Dallas, where they find Forge and Freedom Force waiting for them.

X-amining New Mutants #64

"Instant Replay!"
June 1988

In a Nutshell
The New Mutants bury Doug Ramsey. 

Writer: Louise Simonson
Penciler: Bret Blevins
Inker: Terry Austin 
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Ann Nocenti
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
In the Danger Room, Rahne replays the events surrounding Doug's death, only this time, she manages to prevent his death. Just then, Roberto interrupts, urging Rahne to get some sleep before Doug's visitation. Upstairs, Illyana watches the footage of the X-Men dying on a loop, while Dani and Warlock watch Night of the Living Dead. The next day, the students, as well as Magneto, attend Doug's visitation, though the site of his body upsets Rahne, and the notion that Doug will be buried away from light and sun forever causes Warlock to freak out. That evening, Warlock sneaks into the funeral room and attempts to wake up Doug. Remembering the time Doug helped revive Warlock by giving him some of his life energy, Warlock tries to the do the same. When Doug doesn't revive, Warlock concludes Doug has forgotten what it feels like to be alive, and determines to show him how much everyone misses him in order to get Doug to take Warlock's life energy.  

X-amining New Mutants #61

"Our Way!"
March 1988

In a Nutshell
The New Mutants deal with Doug's death. 

Writer: Louise Simonson
Artist: Bret Blevins
Inker: Terry Austin 
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: Bill Wray
Editor: Ann Nocenti
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
On the Animates' island, Rahne is hysterical over the death of Doug as Illyana teleports the remaining Right soldiers to Limbo. When she returns to the island, the New Mutants say goodbye to Bird-Brain and the Animates, then teleport home with Doug's body. Meanwhile, Magneto arrives at the Hellfire Club amidst the devastation caused by Apocalypse and his Horsemen, and learns of the X-Men's battle in Dallas. Back at the mansion, the New Mutants all react to Doug's death in their own way before calling Magneto at the Hellfire Club. As they wait for him to return, they watch the footage of the X-Men seemingly dying in Dallas. Just then, Magneto arrives and learns of Doug's death. His sadness quickly gives way to anger, as he suspends the New Mutants in midair, asking if that's the only way he can keep them safe.

X-amining New Mutants #60

"Suspended Ani-mation!"
February 1987

In a Nutshell
The death of Doug Ramsey 

Writer: Louise Simonson
Penciler: Bret Blevins
Inker: Terry Austin 
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Ann Nocenti
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
The Animator brings the captured New Mutants deeper into his complex, where he imprisons them before ordering his Animates to destroy a failed batch of fellow creatures. Back in New York, Magneto flies off to the Hellfire Club to use their equipment to search for the missing New Mutants. Meanwhile, Roberto and Warlock discover the maps their friends had been studying and deduce their relative location. Leaving a note for Magneto, they fly off to find their teammates. Meanwhile, the Animator is contacted by Cameron Hodge, seeking reassurance that the Animator is still working to find a way to stop mutations. Though he insists he is, Hodge decides to visit the island himself. Worried the Right will usurp his work, the Animator decides to flee. But when the New Mutants convince the Animates guarding them that the Animator intends to kill the Animates, they break free and overpower the Animates. Believing they've won, the New Mutants prepare to take an elevator to the island's surface, but when it opens, Hodge and a group of Right soldiers emerge.

X-amining New Mutants #59

"Fang and Claw!"
January 1988

In a Nutshell
The New Mutants are captured by the Animator. 

Writer: Louise Simonson
Penciler: Bret Blevins
Inker: Terry Austin 
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Ann Nocenti
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Landing on the island from which Bird-Brain came, the New Mutants find themselves surrounded by angry human-like animals, animates, similar to Bird-Brain. Below, a scientist working for the Right who calls himself the Animator, and who is responsible for the creation of the animates, detects the arrival of the New Mutants. Not wanting to draw the attention of Cameron Hodge, he calls the Right and tells them to stay away from the island while he deals with the mutants. Above, Bird-Brain is able to calm the animates with the food he brought, but then they turn on him, saying Bird-Brain has become too much like man, who is the enemy. In New York, Roberto and Warlock return to the mansion after their adventures with the Beat Street Club. They are reunited with an equally overjoyed and angry Magneto, but quickly discover the rest of the New Mutants are gone.

X-amining New Mutants #58

"A Bird in the Hand"
December 1987

In a Nutshell
The New Mutants take Bird-Brain home to help his friends.

Writer: Louise Simonson
Penciler: Bret Blevins & Off the Wall Studios
Inker: Terry Austin 
Letterer: Ken Lopez
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Ann Nocenti
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
As the rest of the New Mutants study for midterms, Doug and Rahne work with Bird-Brain to increase his vocabulary. As the moon comes out, Bird-Brain starts to freak out, talking, near as Doug can tell, about some kind of tests and "the end of it all" occurring with the full moon. Later, as Bird-Brain watches Sesame Street, he shows familiarity towards a tiger, intriguing the New Mutants as Bird-Brain was found on an ice flow in the North Atlantic. The next morning, they show him pictures from old National Geographics, and determine he likes pictures of Greenland but hates zoos. Later, despite being grounded, the New Mutants decide to sneak out for burgers, taking Bird-Brain with them once more. That night, as they watch a movie, Bird-Brain is upset when a lion tamer whips a lion.

X-amining New Mutants #57

"Birds of a Feather"
November 1987

In a Nutshell
The New Mutants try to communicate with Bird Boy. 

Writer: Louise Simonson
Artist: Bret Blevins
Inker: Terry Austin 
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Ann Nocenti
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
As Magneto shepherds the protesting New Mutants into the Danger Room, he's stunned to discover Bird Boy living inside. Freaked out by the disappearing environment, the New Mutants quickly attempt to calm down the creature. Rahne asks Doug to try and talk to him, but Doug insists he's not speaking a language. Magneto runs some tests and determines Bird Boy is neither mutant nor human, then sends the New Mutants back to their midterm studies. Later, the New Mutants gather to say goodbye to Amara as she leaves for the Massachusetts Academy, assuring her they'll still remain friends. In order to cheer themselves up, they decide to skip studying and sneak out to the mall for burgers and a movie. Rahne insists they bring along Bird Boy, and after disguising him with some old clothes, Illyana teleports the group to the mall. However, Bird Boy, egged on by Illyana, goes nuts over the food at the malt shoppe, causing a scene.