Classic X-Men #17
In "Mindgames," Chris Claremont and John Byrne deliver a twisty, atmospheric tale where Beast discovers the X-Mansion deserted and follows the missing X-Men to a Texas carnival—only to find them trapped in a bizarre performance as sideshow attractions. With Mesmero's mind control unraveling and Magneto's sudden arrival turning the tide, the team must fight not just for freedom, but for their very sense of self. The cover by Jon Bogdanove and Terry Austin captures the eerie spectacle, while the art team brings the surreal carnival setting to life with sharp detail and moody color.
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Beast comes a calling and finds X-Mansion empty so he tracks the X-Men to a carnival in Texas where they are performing as sideshow freaks. Mesmero is uncovered as the culprit, but once his hold is broken over the team, Magneto shows up to crash the party.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).