Assault on Weapon Plus

• Writer - Grant Morrison
• Penciler - Chris Bachalo
• Inker - Tim Townsend
• Colorist - Chris Chuckry
• Lettering - Virtual Calligraphy
• Lettering - Chris Eliopoulos
• Ass't Editor - Warren Simons
• Associated Editor - Mike Raicht
• Editor - Mike Marts
• Editor in Chief - Joe Quesada

Brimstone & Whiskey

Summary

  A scantily-clad redhead asks, "So, why did you choose me? Is it because I remind you of someone? … Someone who wouldn't dare do anything like this?" She looks like Jean as the Black Queen (X-Men I:130), and she's stripping for Scott, who decides this is just weird and "unarousing" and not real. She says he really knows how to kill the mood; he admits it's probably his mutant power.

  Scott is in the Hellfire Club, alone and glum. Creed shows up and mocks him, says he's been through therapy in prison and offers to bite off Scott's scalp to see what's wrong. Shaw intervenes, says fighting's against the rules, and warns Creed he could make him a carpet in the vestibule.

  Creed growls and leaves; Shaw apologizes to Scott, scoffs at his choice of champagne, and asks if this is a raid. Scott says he's no connoisseur and not an X-Man anymore, and he's just trying to get drunk. Shaw congratulates him. Scott asks about a nearby reserved table; Shaw says Emma hurt him, too, and he hurt her. He smelled her in Scott's mind (evidently he's found a telepathic assistant to replace Tessa). All the dancers are telepathic, able to make men see what they want. The redhead cracks her whip.

  Logan speaks up from the table behind Scott, saying he's making the X-Men look like losers, and offers him a serious drink: whiskey. Scott joins him while complaining he wanted to be alone. He assumes Xavier sent him to bring him back, since he's a suspect in Emma's murder (iss. 139), but Logan has other plans. He challenges Scott to a drinking contest but first needs to go to the urinal.

  Facing the wall with its erotic photos, he thinks the girl must be a descendant of one he met in Arnhem in 1943. Creed shows up to do his business; they threaten each other, but fighting's against the rules.

  The redhead dances, the X-Men drink, and Scott unburdens: with Emma he could say anything, and she just accepted him. Jean and he have known each other so long, they're stuck in their teenage views of each other. He and Logan finish the bottle; Scott can't believe anyone could think he'd shoot Emma: "After all this time, how can they still think so badly of me?" The whiskey hasn't affected him, and he's not returning to the mansion. Logan says he's always whining, even though all the smart, interesting, beautiful women are always attracted to him. Logan always wanted his life: nice girl, steady life, but Scott wanted to throw it away with Emma, and he thinks Jean wouldn't understand, but she's been praying for him to come out of his shell.

  Logan asks about the guy at the next table who keeps winking at him, who uses a house phone to call their table and order some Tylenol. It's Fantomex, Logan's contact, who's going to help him find out where he came from. Lately he's had dreams of a woman from his past (Rose, see Origin LS). Fantomex wants to expose the Weapon Plus program, and Logan wants their files on him.

  Scott is sick of missions, of having to be a perfect soldier; Logan insists this one is important to him. Scott says he won the drinking competition and walks away, and Logan watches as he collapses, drunk, into the next table. Logan takes another drink and tells Fantomex Scott is one of the best. Really.

  Note: the battle of Arnhem, in Holland, was in 1944.

Summary

  Cover name was changed to "New X-Men" for Issues 114 - 156.