X-amining X-Factor #59

"Yesterday's News"
October 1990

In a Nutshell 
Archangel & Charlotte grow closer, helping Archangel make peace with his condition. 

Writer: Louise Simonson
Penciler: Terry Shoemaker
Inker: Allen Milgrom
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Petra Scotese
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Archangel is brooding, perched atop a cable line for the Roosevelt Island tram, when he is interrupted by a group of reporters crammed into one of the cars. Two of the reporters fall out, prompting Archangel to sweep down and rescue them, but when they pepper him with questions about Charlotte, he drops them in the river. The whole thing is picked up by Trish Tilby and her cameraman, and Trish laments that while the reporters deserved it, the public will only see a mutant attacking two humans, and starts to come around to Hank's side of their argument. Archangel proceeds to Charlotte Jones apartment, where he meets her son and her mother-in-law before joining her for coffee. Inside Ship, the rest of X-Factor runs some tests on Christopher's force field, after which Bobby leaves for a date with Opal after helping Hank realize he owes Trish an apology. At the TV station, Trish laments her inability to cut the footage to present Archangel in a positive light to her boss and ex-husband, Paul.

X-amining New Mutants Annual #6

"The Once and Future Mutant"
1990

In a Nutshell
The New Mutants get drawn into the conflict between Franklin Richards and Ahab. 

Writer: Louise Simonson
Pencilers: Terry Shoemaker, Chris Wozniak
Inkers: Williams, Milgrom, Thibert, Candelario
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Brad Vancata
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Franklin Richards arrives at the X-Mansion. Disturbed to find it destroyed, he transforms it into the place he remembers. Meanwhile, Ahab dispatches ones of his Hounds and a group of scout ships to destroy Franklin. Back at the school, as the New Mutants finish a Danger Room session, a group of students, including Franklin and Doug Ramsey, suddenly appear. When Doug reacts violently to Rahne, Rictor attacks him, and fight between the two groups breaks out. Eventually, Cable leads the New Mutants out of the Danger Room, where they encounter an older Banshee, allowing cooler heads to prevail. When the New Mutants realize Doug and the rest are all illusions created by Franklin, Franklin freaks out and disappears, and the mansion returns to normal. Just then, Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman and Banshee arrive, having tracked Franklin to the school. As they compare notes on the situation, Ahab's Hound and the drones suddenly materialize, and attack.

X-amining X-Factor #53

"Ghosts"
April 1990

In a Nutshell 
Scott proposes to Jean. 

Writer: Louise Simonson
Penciler: Terry Shoemaker
Inker: Allen Milgrom
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Tom Vincent
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Caliban comes across Archangel, badly wounded by Sabretooth,. Thinking Caliban is Sabretooth, Archangel attacks, and Caliban is pleased, as he hopes to best Apocalypse's earlier creation. Meanwhile, Scott and Jean go on a romantic walk through Central Park, while Bobby tries to take Opal to a great restaurant he knows, while they are unknowingly being followed by Mole. However, it turns out the restaurant has closed, so Opal invites Bobby back to her apartment for leftover pizza. On the way, they run into Officer Jones, who warn them about the grisly murder she discovered not far away. Nearby, Caliban and Archangel's battle continues, with Archangel slashing Caliban's face. In Central Park, Scott proposes to Jean. In Soho, Bobby and Opal near her apartment, but Christopher's stroller suddenly detects Mole.

X-amining X-Factor #52

"Celebrity!"
March 1990

In a Nutshell
Archangel battles Sabretooth

Writer: Louise Simonson
Penciler: Terry Shoemaker
Inker: Allen Milgrom
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: B. Vancata
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Archangel watches from above as Officer Charlotte Jones discovers the body of the Morlock Wings, then saves her from a gang of crackheads before flying off, fighting the urge to kill the criminals. As he leaves, Sabretooth, watching from a nearby rooftop, shoots him down with an assault rifle. Meanwhile, Scott, Jean, Hank and Trish Tilby are on a double date when the restaurant is attacked by giant cockroaches. Meannwhile, Opal arrives at work and drops off dinner for Mole, who is still hiding in the basement of the music store. On a snowy rooftop, Sabretooth checks the fallen Archangel, but gets his face slashed by Archangel's wings.

X-amining X-Factor #51

"Home!"
February 1990

In a Nutshell 
X-Factor returns to Earth and settles back in New York. 

Writer: Louise Simonson
Penciler: Terry Shoemaker
Inker: Allen Milgrom
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Tom Vincent
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
In New York, two surviving Morlocks, Mole and Chicken Wing, are hunted by Sabretooth. Chicken Wing is killed, but Mole uses his power to escape into a building. Watching from Apocalypse's base in the Himalayas, Caliban yearns to go to New York and use his new powers to kill Sabretooth, but Apocalypse insists he must have patience. Meanwhile, X-Factor returns to Earth, and Ship lands himself upright where the old X-Factor building was, transforming himself into a skyscraper. Elsewhere, Opal Tanaka discovers Mole in the basement of the record store where she works, but agrees to let him stay. Back at Ship, X-Factor's return has caught the attention of the press and the police, but their helicopters are caught in a scrum and X-Factor springs into action to rescue everyone, including police officer Charlotte Jones.

X-amining X-Factor #50

"Judgement Day"
January 1990

In a Nutshell 
X-Factor helps drive off the Celestials as the Chosen, Rejects and Beginagains unite. 

Writer: Louise Simonson
Guest Penciler: Rich Buckler, Terry Shoemaker (2nd Story)
Inker: Allen Milgrom, Hilary Barta (2nd Story)
Letterer: Joe Rosen, Michael Heisler (2nd Story)
Colorist: Tom Vincent
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
The battle rages inside the Chosen arena as Cyclops and his faction of Rejects and Beginagains make their way through the city in search of Christopher and Marvel Girl. After Palik orders the Dualers into the arena to quell the invading Rejects, Lev and Seera rally the Dualers, turning them against the Chosen. Meanwhile, Cyclops reaches the Hall of Science and is reunited with Christopher and Marvel Girl, though Madelyne remains in control of the body. With Cyclops' help, Jean is able to assert herself, but she can feel both Maddy and Phoenix fighting to get free. Together, Cyclops' group knocks out the city's power grid, shutting down the barrier protecting the Chosen from the battle in the arena. As more Celestials arrive outside the city, Palik is forced to restore Archangel's sight, allowing him to overpower Rask. Cyclops and Marvel Girl reach the arena at the same time as Ryest and the Beginagain elders, just as the final Celestial, Arishem lands, outside the city.

X-amining New Mutants #84

"The Sword's Edge"
Mid-December 1989

In a Nutshell
The New Mutants acquire allies for the fight against Hela. 

Writer: Louise Simonson
Penciler: Terry Shoemaker
Inker: Al Milgrom
Letterer: Ken Bruzenak
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
In Hel, the New Mutants wait until Hela's forces retreat, then emerge from the volcanic smoke where they were hiding, protected by Sam's blast field. In Asgard's icy wastes, Tiwaz shows the rest of the New Mutants the location of the Warriors Three, who are being held by Queen Ula and her troll swarm, and they set out to rescue them. Meanwhile, Volstagg's children commandeer Thor's goats to take them to Balder and Karnilla, the Norn Queen, and they warn Balder of Hela's attack. Back in New York, the Vulture receives a package containing a set of wings created by the Tinkerer and uses them to escape his cell, but Rusty burns through his own cell and grabs the Vulture on his way out, trying to stop him.

X-amining X-Factor #35

"Go to the Orphan Maker!"
December 1988

In a Nutshell 
Cyclops & Marvel Girl battle Nanny & the Orphan Maker.

Writer: Louise Simonson
Guest Penciler: Terry Shoemaker
Guest Inker: Joe Rubinstein
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Petra Scotese
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
In Manhattan, Beast and Iceman patrol the streets, protecting citizens from inanimate objects run amok. In Nebraska, Cyclops and Marvel Girl arrive at the orphanage where Cyclops grew up, and sneak in through the attic. Their subterfuge soon turns out to be unnecessary though, as the staff and children at the orphanage don't seem to notice their presence. As they head towards the basement, Cyclops is bombarded by jumbled memories of his childhood. Meanwhile, above the orphanage, Nanny arrives, seeking to rescue the mutant babies inside, and she sets Orphan Maker and her super powered Lost Boys and Girls to the task. Below, Cyclops and Marvel Girl discover a massive subterranean complex beneath the orphanage, inside of which are scientists tending to babies within suspended animation pods. Above, a group of demons dispatched by N'astirh arrive, also seeking the mutant babies and Cyclops' son.

X-amining New Mutants #70

"Self-Fulfilling Prophesy"
December 1988

In a Nutshell
The New Mutants escape Spyder but at the cost of Lila. 

Writer: Louise Simonson
Penciler: Terry Shoemaker
Inker: Al Milgrom
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
In Spyder's lair, the captured New Mutants attempt to escape their cage, but are unable to do so, and Illyana is reluctant to teleport to Limbo due to the state of things there. As Spyder gloats, he restrains Gosamyr, then leaves to witness the unveiling of her family. Meanwhile, back on Earth, Magneto arrives in Manhattan for a meeting of the Hellfire Club and is attacked by a possessed fire escape. Back on Spyder's planet, Gosamyr enters a metamorphic state called the minor death to escape her bonds and become invisible. Attacking Spyder's guards, she knocks one into the New Mutants' cage, its body draining enough energy from the cage that the New Mutants are able to escape. They race after Spyder and Lila, intending to rescue Lila and save Gosamyr's family. Just then, a group of massive cocoons begin to open, and monstrous beings, Gosamyr's family, emerge.

X-amining X-Factor Annual #3

"Unnatural Selection"
1988

In a Nutshell 
X-Factor battles the High Evolutionary's Purifiers. 

Writer: Louise Simonson
Penciler: Terry Shoemaker, Tom Artis (2nd Story)
Inker: Al Milgrom, Joe Rubstein (2nd Story)
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Petra Scotese
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Far underground, the High Evolutionary's Purifiers attack the subterranean races living beneath the surface, ordered to destroy them all because the High Evolutionary has deemed them a genetic dead-end. One of the Moloids, however, possesses psychic abilities, and his cry of distress during the attack reaches psychics all over the globe, including Marvel Girl. Meanwhile, Apocalypse, alerted to the attack by Caliban, decides to visit the High Evolutionary. X-Factor descends into the tunnels, determined to answer the cry for help. They encounter the telepathic Moloid and manage to subdue him, learning of the Purifiers' attack. Elsewhere, Apocalypse teleports himself to the High Evolutionary's orbital base, and the two debate their respective philosophies before coming to blows.