Gen X/Group X "Psycho
Christmas"
(Front cover. We see the members of Generation X and Group X
decorating a large Christmas tree.)
Cap
(N): Holidays with the X!
(Inside
front cover. We see the usual blurbs for Lotus, Diving Owl, Starshot, Bakerman, Mirror, and Quicksand.
Below that, we see the blurbs for Banshee, Jubilee, Synch, Skin, Gaia, Zero G, and Penance. Page 1, panel 1. A quonset hut in the arctic. We
see the place in longshot. Caption
notation:
Cap
(N1): A hut in the arctic.
Cap (N2): Here we have an unassuming building.
Cap (N3): But looks can be very deceiving....
(Panel 2. Go inside to see a man wearing a Santa Claus
outfit, with a cold, inhuman look in his eyes.)
Cap (E1): They thought they could keep me down.
Cap (E2): They thought I could be locked away in some
hellhole forever.
Cap (E3): They were wrong.
Cap (E4): Well, wait until they get a load of Evil St. Nick!
(Panel 3.
Cap
(E): Now we’ll see who will be full of good cheer this holiday season!
(Panel 4. Generation X headquarters,
Gaia:
Interesting... what did you call this stuff again? Synch: It’s
snow, Gaia.
(Page
2, panel 1. Gaia holds up a handful of snow.)
Gaia:
Interesting... on my home planet, the precipitation was always rain. It never
got cold enough to do this there.
Skin: It never snowed in the barrios of
(Panel 3. Suddenly a snowball hits Jubilee from behind.)
SFX: WHIFT!
(Panel 4. Jubilee, angered, turns around.)
Jubilee: All right, who like threw that?
(Panel 5. Jubilee fires her energy plasmoids
at everyone.)
Jubilee:
Tell me!!
Zero G: Woah, chill out Jubes.
It was an accident.
SFX: Pip!
(Panel 6. Jubilee gets angry.)
Jubilee:
So it was you,
(Page
3, panel 1. Synch stands in the way of Jubilee and
Zero G.)
Synch:
Woah, Jubes, calm down now.
Jubilee: Out of my way, Ev!
(Panel 2. Jubilee hits Synch in the face with her energy plasmoids.)
Jubilee:
You’ve always hated me ever since you met me!
SFX: Pip!
(Panel 3. Synch pulls away, hurt and holding his face.)
Psi balloon (Pointing to Chamber): That’s enough,
Jubilation Lee.
Jubilee (Turns): Stay out of this, Jono!
(Panel 4. Suddenly Synch makes a diving tackle on Jubilee.)
SFX:
POW!!!
Synch: Try and hurt me, will you!?
(Panel 5. Chamber tries to restrain Synch while Gaia tries
to restrain Jubilee.)
Gaia:
What is wrong with you two? You’re supposed to be friends!
(Page
4, panel 1. Suddenly Skin joins the fray as Gaia and
Chamber are thrown off of Jubilee and Synch,
respectively.)
Gaia: UHN!
Psi
balloon (pointing to Chamber): Blimey!
Skin: I’ll show you real fighting, gringos!
(Panel 2. Gaia psi-blasts
all except Chamber. The others grab their heads.)
All but Gaia and Chamber: UHN!
(Panel 3. Gaia collapses into Chamber’s arms.)
Psi balloon (Pointing to Chamber): Scarpers!
(Panel 4. Group X headquarters,
Cap
(N1): Meanwhile, in
Cap (N2): They are unaware of what is transpiring outside.
Mirror:
Almost finished, y’all.
Lotus: Take your time, Quinton. You know, it’s been a good while since we got to have a nice, quiet day together.
(Page
5, panel 1. Bakerman climbs
up a ladder to put up a string of lights along the ceiling.)
Bakerman (1): It’s gonna
be the best Christmas I’ve ever had.
Bakerman (2): For starters, I don’t have to spend it
with my family...
(Panel 2. Starshot gets a slightly puzzled look on her
face.)
Starshot:
Well, now that ye’ve mentioned it, I donna think I’ve ever heard ye
talk about them.
Bakerman: Well, there’s a very good reason, Sara.
(Panel 3. Bakerman ties the lights
to a hook on the ceiling.)
Bakerman: They make me look normal.
Lotus: You, Mr. Nose ring and tattoo on your chest normal?
(Panel 4. Bakerman faces Lotus.)
Bakerman: Oh yea... for example, I’ve got
a former uncle who is now in a hospital for the criminally insane. He was a
cokehead and shot a bank teller to buy drugs. Taking him off cocaine made him
homicidal.
Lotus: I’m sorry I asked.
(Panel 5. Bakerman slips, and
falls to the ground.)
SFX: WHONK! Starshot: Chris!
(Panel 6. Bakerman stands, kicking
the ladder.)
Bakerman: %&*$ ladder!
SFX: Kick!
Lotus: Chris, aren’t you overreacting?
(Page
6, panel 1. Bakerman catches
himself.)
Bakerman: You’re right, I am overreacting... but I felt
like something primal in me was being brought to the
forefront.
(Panel 2. Bakerman grabs his head,
and collapses.)
Bakerman: UHN!!!
Starshot (rushing to him): CHRIS!!!
(Panel 3. Starshot picks up Bakerman.)
Lotus:
Let’s get him to the infirmary.
(Panel 4. We see Bakerman lying on
a bed as Sonnos stands over him, scanning him.)
Sonnos:
There’s some outside source influencing his mind.
Lotus: What? Starshot: So why isn’t it affecting the
rest of us?
(Panel 5. Sonnos faces the computer.)
Sonnos:
Computer, scan for abnormal emissions or chemicals in the air.
Computer: Toast - orange you glad you saw me? -
Germanium - Throwout... shutting down to correct
internal problem.
(Panel 6. Lotus faces the others.)
Lotus:
Looks like we’re on our own here. Suit up, everyone. I have a feeling we’re
going to need special equipment.
(Page
7, panel 1. Generation X headquarters,
Cap
(N): And back in
Gaia: I do not understand it, Mr. Cassidy. They just suddenly went crazy.
Banshee: Ye did the right thing bringing them here, lassie. I’ll contact Moira
and see if she can help.
(Panel 2. Banshee faces a computer screen.)
Banshee:
Computer, contact Moira MacTaggert’s research base on
(Panel 3. The screen shows the logo for Moira’s research
base.)
Computer voice: Thank you for calling the
(Panel 4. Banshee slams his fist into the console, severing
the link.)
Banshee:
Bloody technology!!
(Panel 5. Gaia’s eyes go wide in
terror.)
Gaia:
Mr. Cassidy, please calm down.
Banshee (turns): Calm down!? Who do ye think ye are,
talking t’me like that!?
(Panel 6. Gaia psi blasts Banshee,
making him grab his head.)
Psi balloon (Pointing to Chamber): Well, this was
productive. Banshee: UHN!
(Page
8, panel 1. Enter Penance.)
Gaia: Not you too, Penny.
Psi balloon (pointing to Chamber): This is a rotten
time for Emma ta go off with
Mr. Montoya.
(Panel 2. Penance gestures to a locked cabinet.)
Gaia:
What is it, Penny?
(Panel 3. Penance slashes the lock, tearing it to shreds.)
SFX:
SLASH!!
Gaia: Let’s see what’s inside.
(Panel 4. Chamber opens the cabinet up to see about 7-8 psi-headbands.)
Psi balloon (pointing to Chamber): Psionic
attack prevention headgear. It’s worth a shot, luv.
(Panel 5. Chamber puts one of the headbands over Synch’s head. Gaia does the same to Jubilee.)
Gaia:
I hope you’re right about this, Penny...
(Panel 6. Chamber puts a headband on Banshee as Gaia puts
one on Skin.)
Gaia:
Now, we wait.
(Page
9, panel 1. Group X infirmary.
We see Bakerman wake up, and sit up. Missing is
Mirror.)
Bakerman: Ooh... that hurt.
Lotus: Chris... what happened?
(Panel 2. Bakerman faces Lotus.)
Bakerman: I...
I don’t know, Lecita. I felt a little angry then the
next thing I know I’m here.
Sonnos: We’ve got Quinton trying to fix the computer
now.
(Panel 3. Enter Mirror.)
Mirror:
Y’all, I’ve got the thing fixed... and you won’t believe what’s happening.
(Panel 4. Briefing room. Group X enters
to see the screen filled with a riot in the middle of
Mirror:
Whatever it was that affected Chris is affecting the world... everywhere,
people are turning violent and taking up arms.
Lotus: That is a problem... we could end up in some global nuclear catastrophe.
We’ve got to find the source of this pronto.
(Page 10, panel 1. The computer responds.)
Computer:
Source of abnormal transmissions detected.
Lotus: Computer, display location of this source.
(Panel 2. The screen shows a map of
Lotus:
Quosent island? Never heard of it.
Bakerman: Whatever is there, we have to stop it.
(Panel 3. Generation X headquarters.
The team is up and awake now.)
Cap
(N): And later...
Jubilee: Ooh... that was totally skanky...
Banshee: Look alive, lassie... we’ve got t’stop
whatever is causing this.
(Panel 4. Gaia faces the computer.)
Gaia:
We’ve had the computer working on where the source of these emissions is ...
and it says that they are coming from a source near
Banshee: Then that’s where we’re going, lass.
(Panel 5. They go out.)
Banshee:
Hopefully, we can be back in time f’r
Christmas.
(Page 11, panel 1. Go back to Evil St. Nick. We see him
smiling as he sees people fighting and hurting each other.)
Evil St. Nick: Soon... Christmas will be nothing but a
memory... then, the world will be mine!!
(Panel 2. Group X plane. We see
them entering the plane.)
Lotus:
Be careful, everyone... we are definitely going into a trap.
(Panel 3. Generation X headquarters.
We see Banshee and the others revive, and be set
free.)
Cap
(N): Meanwhile...
Gaia: Welcome back, everyone.
Jubilee: Like, what happened?
(Panel 4. Gaia is serious.)
Gaia:
We’ve traced the trouble to some weird psychic emission coming from northern
Banshee: Aye, lass... everyone, suit up.
(Page 12, panel 1. We see the Group X plane heading to Evil
St. Nick’s place.)
Cap
(N): And back with Group X...
(Panel 2. Go inside to see Group X in their uniforms,
getting ready for the fight.)
Lotus: Any analysis on the person responsible?
Mirror: None, Lecita. the bunker he’s in reflects all wavelengths that we throw at
it.
(Panel 3. The plane lands.)
Lotus:
Let’s get ready, gang.
(Panel 4. We see Banshee flying an airplane over
Banshee:
Get in yuir arctic gear, lads... this place is mighty cold.
Jubilee: I just hope this dweeb behind it doesn’t put up a big fight.
(Panel 5. The Gen X plane lands.)
Banshee:
We’re here, lads.
(Page 13, panel 1. Go over to see Group X in arctic coats
walking to the hut. There is a snowstorm raging around them.)
Mirror:
Teleporters are useless in this snowstorm.
Lotus: Well, everything’s going to be useless unless we stop this person!
(Panel 2. Diving Owl tears the door off its hinges.)
Sonnos:
We’re going in.
(Panel 3. About 15 large (6-foot) toy soldiers meet them.)
Evil
St. Nick: Soldiers, Forward!
Lotus: Adolf?
(Panel 4. The soldiers fire their weapons.)
Evil
St. Nick: The wave will end... once Christmas has!!
Starshot: Ye fiend! Christmas is one of the most
celebrated holidays in the world!
(Panel 5. We see Lotus shift into her spirit form.)
Lotus:
You were always the psycho, Adolf, wanting to support
causes that you knew wouldn’t win.
Evil St. Nick: ADOLF IS DEAD!!! THERE IS ONLY EVIL
(Page 14, panel 1. The Generation X people enter from the other side, to be greeted by a hail of
bullets. Penance steps to the forefront, and the bullets bounce off her.
Banshee puts up a sonic shield around the others.)
Jubilee: Ohmigawd! This is like
totally skanky!
(Panel 2. Lotus gets closer to Evil St. Nick.)
Evil
St. Nick: Stay away from me! I’ll kill you!!
Lotus: While I am in this form, you cannot kill me. Relax, Adolf...
(Panel 3. Lotus puts a hand into Evil St. Nick’s head.)
Lotus:
All will be well.
Evil St. Nick: AAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHH!!!!!!
(Panel 4. Evil St. Nick falls, out cold. Lotus turns solid.)
Lotus:
Now, let’s turn this machine off here.
(Panel 5. Lotus pushes a button, and the machine goes off.)
Lotus:
Wonderful, we’ve managed to do it just before Christmas Eve...
(Page 15, panel 1. We see the soldiers deactivate, and stop
firing.)
Bakerman: Whew!
I’m glad this is over.
(Panel 2. Generation X break a door
down, and enter.)
Jubilee:
Alright you dweeb I’m gonna - Esteban!?
Sonnos: Jubilación?
(Panel 3. Sonnos and Jubilee embrace.)
Sonnos: Ah, mi amor... I have
missed you so much.
Jubilee: Mmm... This is like
the best present I could have gotten.
(Panel 4. Mirror approaches Penance.)
Cap
(M1): That’s her!
Cap (M2): That’s the woman that the holographic message said
I was to fall in love with!
Mirror: Hi there... my name is Quinton, and you are.... ?
Penance: Yvette.
*Cap (N): *Remember here that Penance speaks with the help of a voice module
fastened to her neck.
(Panel 5. The two stare into each other’s eyes, and sparks
fly.)
Mirror: Yvette... that’s such a beautiful name.
Penance: Flatterer.
(Panel 6. Lotus faces Banshee.)
Lotus:
Well, looks like they’re enjoying themselves.
Banshee: Aye. We really weren’t planning on this. Just
who was this? (Panel 7. They continue to talk.)
Lotus
(1): His real name is Milton Sheldonstein, but when I
first met him, he went by the name of Adolf Rommel. When I first met him, he was a goose-stepping nazi, complete with uniform and salute. He resisted all
treatment whatsoever, thinking that "The evil
Jews were out to poison his mind."
Lotus (2): Never you mind that I'm not Jewish.
(Page 16, panel 1. Lotus smiles.)
Lotus:
Well, now that things have happened, I think we should let them be together for
Christmas, right?
Banshee:
Aye... ye’d need a crowbar and superhuman strength t’get Jubilee away from Sonnos now.
(Panel 2. Group X secondary base, on
Cap
(N1): It’s a base that they use for special occasions.
Cap (N2): When your primary base gets blown up a lot
like the X-bases do,
Cap (N3): It helps to have a backup.
Cap (N4): Right now, they’re going there to spend some time before, during, and after Christmas.
(Panel 3. The teams teleports into
the place, seeing the place has been cleaned up and decorated for Christmas.)
Lotus:
We’re home, everyone.
Jubilee: God, this is so much better than that totally
cold arctic place.
(Panel 4. Later. We see Generation
X celebrating with Group X in the living area. Everyone is dressed nicely for
the occasion.)
Cap
(N1): Later.
Cap (N2): They’ve traded their uniforms for something more celebratory.
(Panel 5. We see Sonnos holding some mistletoe over
Jubilee’s head.)
Sonnos:
Look above you, mi amor.
Jubilee (smiles): Well, I’m under the mistletoe, hm?
(Panel 6. Sonnos and Jubilee embrace, and kiss.)
Lotus:
Well, nice to see you two are still together.
(Page 17, panel 1. Sonnos and Jubilee
part.)
Sonnos:
Amiga, do you mind, two’s company; three is a crowd.
Lotus: Well, we’ve got the big toast coming up.
(Panel 2. Go over to see Mirror getting close to Penance. )
Mirror:
It’s wonderful to be with you, Yvette...
(Panel 3. Banshee clinks his glass. )
Banshee:
Lads, lassies, gather around... it’s time t’ make the toast.
SFX:
(Panel 4. Everyone gathers around Banshee.)
Banshee:
It’s not often we get to relax from the rigors that our lives demand of us. I
know each one of us has been hated, hurt, and
otherwise put down by a world that doesn’t like us. But
frankly, there is one thing about life that makes it worth living... that is,
friends and teammates like ye. I couldna ask f’r a finer lot than ye.
Lotus: I have to agree, Sean. Everyone here is willing to do what it takes to
make the world safe for everyone.... despite all our differences, despite
coming from almost different worlds, we can unite and work for the right thing.
(Page 18, full panel page. We see everyone raising his or
her glasses to the viewer.)
All:
Merry Christmas to one and all!
(Page 19, panel 1. Later. We see
the Generation X ladies looking over Mirror.)
Zero
G: Say, who's the new hunk?
M: Well, it's obvious what his intentions are.
(Panel 2. Zero G faces M.)
Zero
G: It is?
M: Il est évident qu'il me veuille. Well, I'll admit he's nice, but not my type.
(Panel 3. Mirror approaches the Gen X ladies.)
Zero
G: Here he comes...
(Panel 4. M strikes a fashion model pose as Mirror passes
her by.)
M
(not amused): Ah-hem.
Mirror: Oh, sorry about that. Excuse me, please.
(Panel 5. M gets angry as Mirror goes toward Penance.)
M:
C'est un idiot!
(Panel 6. M gets in front of Mirror.)
M: Vous êtes stupide!
(Panel 7. M slaps Mirror.)
SFX:
SLAP!!
(Panel 8. M nurses her hand as stars of pain come from it.)
Mirror:
Look, you're nice, Monet... but you're not my type.
M: Sacre Bleu! This really
hurts!
(Page 20, panel 1. Later. We see
Mirror and Penance standing on the beach, by themselves.
She wears a one-piece swimsuit; he wears a pair of swimtrunks.)
Mirror:
It’s true, Yvette. My mutant power reflects the attack back on the attacker.
Your razor sharp, diamond hard skin won’t cut me.
(Panel 2. Mirror holds hands with Penance.)
Mirror: See? You and I were meant
for each other.
Penance: It’s much more complicated than that, Quinton.
(Panel 3. Penance turns away.)
Penance:
I’m not just one person - I’m two people trapped in one body. My names are
Nicole and Claudette St. Croix.
(Panel 4. Mirror puts an arm around Penance.)
Mirror:
Yvette, I’m the only chance you have for love. I know you’ve been following the
divine path as have I.
Penance: What could you know about divineness?
(Panel 5. Mirror kisses Penance.)
Mirror:
Love is the most divine act we can do.
(Panel 6. Penance embraces Mirror as they continue to kiss.)
Cap
(N1): And love strikes again.
Cap (N2): Whether it will last or not,
Cap (N3): Only time will tell.
--End--
And a happy holiday season to all
of you from me, Quamp. No matter what religion you
celebrate, enjoy every day of your life.