X-Men: Omega #1 of 1

Scott Lobdell & Mark Waid // Roger Cruz
June 1995
****

Magneto sends a time-tossed hero into a cosmic crystal to restore the true X-universe. Waid’s tense, dramatic script masks Cruz’s errors (an unoriginal Ameri-manga artist, he’s the weak link here). Lobdell, the crossover’s mastermind, has done commendable work. Tho’ individual minis may’ve faltered, his cumulative plot & vision makes AoA  the pinnacle of mutant mags between Claremont and Morrison.

continued from The Amazing X-Men #4 of 4
continued from The Astonishing X-Men #4 of 4
continued from Factor X #4 of 4
continued from Gambit and the X-Ternals #4 of 4
continued from Generation Next #4 of 4
continued from Weapon X #4 of 4
continued from X-Calibre #4 of 4
continued from X-Man #4 of 4
continued from X-Universe #4 of 4
continued in X-Men Prime #1 of 1

X-Calibre #4 of 4

Warren Ellis // Ken Lashley
June 1995
***

AoA‘s writers mostly steal Claremont’s X-cast & the Byronic moping, but Ellis pilfers CC’s collaborative teamwork! The mini’s trio of heroes use their superpowers in tandem to defeat the baddie. Despite the atrocious art, his writerly craft makes X-Cal more compelling than most of AoA.

continued in X-Men: Omega #1 of 1
last issue: X-Calibre #3 of 4

also indexed for Jun. ’95
The Amazing X-Men #4 of 4
The Astonishing X-Men #4 of 4
Factor X #4 of 4
Gambit and the X-Ternals #4 of 4
Generation Next #4 of 4
Weapon X #4 of 4
X-Man #4
X-Men: Chronicles #2 of 2
X-Men: Omega #1 of 1
X-Universe #2 of 2

X-Calibre #3 of 4

Warren Ellis // Ken Lashley
May 1995
**

Doing his best to write a recognizable person, Ellis brings depth to Mystique. Her conscience has warred with her survival instinct, exiling her from salvation & her son till now. But this mini is drawn by Lashley, who has no eye for normal human behavior—it’s all grimaces, screams, & posturing.

last issue: X-Calibre #2 of 4
next issue: X-Calibre #4 of 4

also indexed for May ’95
The Amazing X-Men #3 of 4
The Astonishing X-Men #3 of 4
Factor X #3 of 4
Gambit and the X-Ternals #3 of 4
Generation Next #3 of 4
Weapon X #3 of 4
X-Man #3
X-Universe #1 of 2

X-Calibre #2 of 4

Warren Ellis // Roger Cruz, Renato Arlem, Carlos Mota, & Eddie Wagner
April 1995
**

The ultra-’90s AoA gives Ellis the chance to write a truly dark plot. Demonoid Nightcrawler, tracking a smuggler’s route to an Antarctic X-haven, avenges himself upon human traffickers who dump refugees into the ocean. The many hands of this issue’s artists blend into something nearly readable.

last issue: X-Calibre #1 of 4
next issue: X-Calibre #3 of 4

also indexed for Apr. ’95
The Amazing X-Men #2 of 4
The Astonishing X-Men #2 of 4
Factor X #2 of 4
Gambit and the X-Ternals #2 of 4
Generation Next #2 of 4
Weapon X #2 of 4
X-Man #2

X-Calibre #1 of 4

Warren Ellis // Ken Lashley
March 1995
*

Editorial revamps the mutant line, pitching readers into the grimmest comics they could imagine. For Excaliber, that means Nightcrawler follows a refugee pipeline to the Savage Land. Awful Jim Lee-style art has distended anatomies & weightless bodies; Ellis entertains himself w/ a religious theme.

continued from X-Men: Alpha #1 of 1
next issue: X-Calibre #2 of 4

also indexed for Mar. ’95
The Amazing X-Men #1 of 4
The Astonishing X-Men #1 of 4
Factor X #1 of 4
Gambit and the X-Ternals #1 of 4
Generation Next #1 of 4
Weapon X #1 of 4
X-Man #1
X-Men: Chronicles #1 of 2

The Amazing X-Men #4 of 4

Fabian Nicieza // Andy Kubert
June 1995
**

Read all the other issues first: the penultimate issue of AoA ties the various minis’ plots together. The ish also takes the time to moot a few moral choices. Unlike last ish, however, the noble sacrifices (Banshee & Madrox both kamikaze) are over-melodramatic & executed by supporting characters.

continued in X-Men: Omega #1 of 1
last issue: The Amazing X-Men #3 of 4

also indexed for Jun. ’95
The Astonishing X-Men #4 of 4
Factor X #4 of 4
Gambit and the X-Ternals #4 of 4
Generation Next #4 of 4
Weapon X #4 of 4
X-Calibre #4 of 4
X-Man #4
X-Men: Chronicles #2 of 2
X-Men: Omega #1 of 1
X-Universe #2 of 2