X-TEAM SPOTLIGHT: EXCALIBUR

X-TEAM SPOTLIGHT: EXCALIBUR Excalibur brings together Captain Britain, Meggan, Nightcrawler, Shadowcat and Rachel Summers as Phoenix, with Lockheed right there alongside them. The team starts in The Sword Is Drawn, followed by the ongoing Excalibur series in 1988. The launch special is a 1987–88 cataloging wrinkle: the original went on sale in late 1987, while Marvel's current listing labels it 1988. Chris Claremont and Alan Davis are the central creators of that launch. The circumstances are rough. Kurt and Kitty are recovering from the Mutant Massacre, and they believe the X-Men have died. Rachel arrives with enemies pursuing her, pulling the surviving X-Men together with Brian and Meggan. Helping Rachel gives them an immediate reason to act together. From there, they decide to keep going as a team. The setting opens up a different part of the X-family: Britain, Brian's lighthouse, strange visitors and threats that can come from other realities. But the beginning is also about people dealing with the apparent loss of their friends. This thread covers that original group, with one post for each of the five and a separate one for Lockheed.