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| "Child's Play" | |
|---|---|
 Cover ofX-Force vol. 1, 32 (Mar, 1994). Art byTony Daniel. | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| Publication date | March – April1994 |
| Genre | |
| Title(s) | X-Force #32-33 The New Warriors #45-46 |
| Main character(s) | New Warriors X-Force Upstarts |
| Creative team | |
| Writer | Fabian Nicieza |
| Penciller(s) | X-Force Tony Daniel The New Warriors Darick Robertson |
| Inker(s) | X-Force Jon Holdredge The New Warriors Larry Mahlstedt |
| Letterer(s) | X-Force Chris Eliopoulos The New Warriors Anthony Avon |
| Colorist(s) | X-Force Marie Javins The New Warriors Ovi Hondru |
| Editor(s) | X-Force Tom DeFalco Bob Harras Lisa Patrick The New Warriors Rob Tokar |
"Child's Play" is a 1994Marvel Comicscrossover storyline featuring theNew Warriors,X-Force, and theUpstarts. It is also the first timeKarma reunites with the New Mutants since she left the team inNew Mutants #54 (1987).
The Upstarts continue their series of games to prove their power and worth to one another. This time, they devise "the Younghunt", a mission to capture all of the surviving members of theNew Mutants (some of whom are now members ofX-Force) and theHellions. This competition also brings the Upstarts into conflict with the New Warriors, asFirestar is a former Hellion. The Upstarts acquire most of their targets, who are pitted against X-Force and the New Warriors during the crossover's climax. However,Paige Guthrie, who secretly followed X-Force on the rescue mission, is able to convince theGamesmaster to play another game—instead of killing mutants, the Upstarts should compete with the mutant leaders of the world to find and train young mutants like herself. The Gamesmaster is intrigued by the proposition and cancels the competition.
This crossover marks a watershed moment for several characters.Danielle Moonstar, still affiliated with theMutant Liberation Front, unmasks herself to her former teammates during this event, and reveals that she is, in fact, Moonstar and not an imposter. She maintains her cover and does not reveal she is working forS.H.I.E.L.D. to her teammates at this juncture, but this marks the first hint that she does not buy into the MLF's agenda.
Theretcon of the origin of Nova Roma is very much a part of the storyline. Accordingly, during this story,Magma divorces herself from the Amara Aquilla persona and decides to uncover her origins as Alison Crestmere. In the process, she demandsEmpath keep his distance.
| No. | Target | Upstart | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Magma | Fenris | Captured in Nova Roma; ensnared by energy-dampening steel coils. |
| 2. 3. | Cannonball Boomer | Siena Blaze | Captured at the Guthrie farm inKentucky; Incapacitated by Siena's electromagnetic force blast. |
| 4. | Empath | Fenris | Escaped capture in Nova Roma due to Moonstar paralyzing the Fenris siblings with her psi-arrows. |
| 5. 6. - | Karma Moonstar Empath | Siena Blaze | Averted capture inMadripoor by Karma taking control of Siena's mind; the three attempt to infiltrate the Upstarts and Younghunt by pretending to be captured. |
| 6. | Firestar | Graydon Creed | Resists capture by defeating Creed's armored goons with the New Warriors' help inManhattan. |
| - | Firestar | Shinobi Shaw | Delivered to Shinobi inTokyo byJustice. |
| 7. 8. | Warpath Rictor | Trevor Fitzroy | Resist capture by defeating Fitzroy with X-Force's help in Kentucky. |
| 9. | Wolfsbane | Fenris | Resists capture by apprehending Fenris with X-Factor's help in Washington. |
