Excalibur #101

Excalibur #101 hits its landmark issue in fine form, with cover art by Anthony Winn and Robert Jones showcasing the team charging forward in full force — Colossus in his gleaming red-and-yellow armor leads the charge, flanked by a sword-wielding Nightcrawler leaping overhead, a fierce feral figure snarling at the foreground, and two women in yellow-trimmed costumes rounding out the ensemble. The energy here captures exactly why this British-based X-Men offshoot earned its devoted following, with each character rendered in the bold mid-'90s style that defined the era. A "Special Heroes Reborn Update Inside" banner adds extra value for Marvel readers keeping tabs on the wider universe in September 1996.