The Uncanny X-Men #362

Kicking off "The Hunt for Xavier" in December 1998, this issue launches a five-part search for the X-Men's missing mentor with a cover by Chris Bachalo and Tim Townsend that packs the team onto one dynamic, energy-charged image. Wolverine charges front and center with claws extended, surrounded by Beast, Rogue, Psylocke, Storm, Nightcrawler, and Jubilee — all surging forward through bursts of pink and blue energy against swirling dark clouds. It's a confident, kinetic lineup that sets the stakes perfectly for what promises to be a consequential team mission, and a 1998 Wizard Fan Award badge on the cover confirms readers had already taken notice of this creative run.