Golgotha

The Crazy Gang

• Writer - Peter Milligan
• Penciler - Salvador Larroca
• Inker - Danny Miki
• Lettering - Virtual Calligraphy
• Lettering - Cory Petit
• Colorist - Liquid!
• Ass't Editor - Sean Ryan
• Associated Editor - Nick Lowe
• Editor - Mike Marts
• Editor in Chief - Joe Quesada

Summary

  As Emma comes to, her subconscious activates Cerebra, "instigating a process of polyphenol oxidative-dependent polymerization" which results in the perfect cup of tea. She contacts Rogue to warn her Golgotha is more complex and dangerous than they thought; Rogue is busy with the rest of the team battling another Golgotha creature in the cave under Calvary (last iss.). She notes there are outbreaks of "Golgotha Rage" in Los Angeles and suggests Alex drop by.

  Los Angeles: Boy and his Crazy Gang rampage through the streets, the word "Golgotha" filling their heads like a mantra. He himself is a little more sane than his followers, which is why he can lead them. They go to an old movie set as a headquarters, a Western, "the western symbol of white colonialism." His followers aren't quite disciplined, however: Frankie rips another apart for looking at him funny.

  The X-Men tow the second Golgotha creature to Westchester, while Logan leads a team to L.A. Bobby goes along so Remy can stay with Rogue; Logan notes Alex is jealous of Bobby and Lorna. Logan's team parachutes, flies, and ice-slides down to the aftermath of the rampage and sees some people in an alley. Lorna realizes they're empty shells, unable to remember their own names or speak; one reaches out to Lorna, and Bobby reflexively ices over his hand, but Lorna shows him he was just handing her a flyer inviting her to the 110th St. Baptist Church. Logan says Bobby'd be less jittery if he admitted his feelings for Lorna; he says she's been through so much and he just wants to protect her from everything. Logan tells him good luck, considering the business they're in.

  The Crazy Gang attacks a board meeting of a major TV network. One guy pleads for his life, saying he's just a comedian, an outcast like the mutants. Frankie holds his claws to his throat and has him tell a joke; it begins with "a Jewish guy, an Arab and a mutant…" Later Frankie explains he found it offensive, and since the comedian said he was like a mutant, now he looks like one. His teammates laugh and wonder what to do next. Boy suggests they boil the governor alive and put his head on a pole; they think that's boring.

  The X-Men arrive; Frankie ponders if it's the real Wolverine or an actor, since he looks so short. He lunges; Logan slices off his claws with one swipe of his own. Boy blasts Logan right in the chest, to demonstrate that superheroes still yell when you hit them. Bobby tosses some ice onto the wound; Logan tells him to ice over the Crazy Gang, but Lorna is quicker and fells them all with her magnetic power. Logan and Bobby are impressed; the X-jet returns to pick them up, and Lorna asks for a window-seat as a reward.

  Alex and Emma have the Golgothas in two tanks in the Institute, but Emma says they're not two creatures named Golgotha. Boy complains they're "contravening my human rights," but Rogue, escorting him, isn't sure mutants have any official rights. Alex asks why he's got a helmet on; Logan explains his power's like Scott's, so they put an early visor prototype on him, one that lets nothing in or out. The rest of the Crazy Gang is locked up, their minds disintegrating, and there were worse cases. Boy taunts them, saying the same may happen here and asking how sane they really are. He can feel it coming, and since he's half-crazy already, he's immune. In the land of the insane the half-crazy is king, so he'll wind up leading the X-Men. Alex wants him to shut up, so Logan approaches; Boy taunts him, saying he's an old man running around with kids hoping their youth will rub off on him. Logan kicks him down, but Remy stops him, so Logan attacks Remy, and Rogue has to stop him. Boy says this is how it begins, their demons crawling out like maggots.

  Logan lies in bed; he was sure he left his demons behind in the cold and wet when he broke out of the Weapon X lab. His demons were transformed into six sharp bone nails. His demons are all healed over. He looks at his chest in the mirror; the scar from Boy's blast is almost healed. But he attacked Remy; he punches the mirror, not sure what's wrong with him. He decides to get some air, but at the front door Cerebra warns him the building is sealed for 24 hours. The team stands behind him; Emma warns him she's put them under quarantine to sweat out the craziness.