Tale of Two Mutants

• Writer - Joe Kelly
• Penciler - Alan Davis
• Inker - Mark Farmer
• Colorist - Liquid!
• Lettering - Richard Starkings
• Lettering - Comicraft
• Lettering - Emerson Miranda
• Editor - Mark Powers
• Editor in Chief - Bob Harras

On the Eve of the Magneto War

A crucible of Fire

Summary

  Magneto sees humanity as a cancer, and he has the cure. The Center for Humanitarian Excellence building is upside down. Must be mutants. Magneto, incognito, walks up to the construction manager, Bill.

  The X-Men save patients from a burning, collapsing hospital, while Xavier observes. He is proud of them but has doubts about his own dream.

  Magneto tests Bill, goading him with bigotry, suggesting one of his crew is a mutant and offering to identify him. But Bill's a stand-up guy. Meanwhile, robots including Ferris glide to the magnetic north pole and build a base.

  The X-Men burst out of the hospital carrying newborns, the police assume as hostages. Xavier is about to break his rule and take over their minds, but Ororo tells the police they're here to help, and asks them to lower their guns. They hesitate, then decide to trust.

  Bill doesn't like hypothetical questions, so Magneto reveals himself and asks directly if he would like to kill him. Bill runs away, and Magneto chases him. Bill, freaked, says he wants him dead. Magneto takes this as proof of bigotry; Bill says no, it's because he's a sick, twisted monster. Magneto glares, then flies off to his new base.

  Xavier's dream is alive; Magneto prepares his army.