Beyond Evolution

Number One - Lines in the Sand

First Published: February 2002
Stars: Storm, Wolverine
Writer: Devin Grayson
Art and Colors: Udon, Long Vo, Charles Park and Saka of Studio XD
Letters: Randy Gentile
Editor: Ralph Macchio
Associate Editor: Brian Smith
Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada
President: Bill Jemas
Pages: 22

For more information about this comic, including scans of the first four pages visit Toon Zone!

Summary

Somewhere in Canada, and two hunters find a man, lying spread-eagled and unconscious in the snow. Surprised by their find, they check him over to find if he’s still alive, and who he is… the latter question changing to ‘what he is’, as they find he’s got metal claws sticking out of his hands…

Cut to a university, somewhere in America. Monica, a student at the university, runs after her wheelchair bound professor, calling for him. As he stops, he asks her what he can do for her. Monica wants to ask her a question about his advanced genetics lecture, but as he’s explaining, a car crashes into a nearby tree. The car catches fire, trapping its driver. One of the other students, a young African lady, goes to the car and tries to pull open the door, but it’s jammed. The other students warn her that the car’s going to explode, upon which she replies it won’t, and the next moment she summons up an isolated rain shower. As the other students begin to ask her how she did that, she flies away. Professor Xavier looks on very interested.

Later on that day, after nightfall, the young student is walking over the campus when she suddenly hears a voice in her head calling for her. Astonished, she looks around and sees the professor, introducing himself as Charles Xavier, a telepath. As he explains her he can communicate mentally with other persons or read their minds, she exclaims that that’s not possible, upon which he answers that it’s just as possible as creating an isolated rain shower. As she tries to deny that, he tells her he knows what she is… but does she?

Ororo starts explaining that in Tanzania she’s seen as a goddess, but that on the university, she’s just seen as an eccentric graduate student. The professor starts explaining to her he thinks she’s the confirmation of a theory of his, namely that both their powers are the results of a mutation, and that they’re both proof that humanity is still evolving. He invites her to discuss some things over a cup of coffee, and she accepts the invitation.

Cut to another place, later on that same night. We find the professor discussing the fact he finally found another mutant with an old friend of his, Eric Magnus. As he tells him it confirms they’re not the only mutants around, Eric comments that he would liked to have met Ororo, as she could have made a powerful ally. Charles responds that Ororo’s not a weapon, but a person. Eric responds that he’s wrong: Ororo’s the next stage of evolution, a superior being. As Eric’s maid pours Charles a cup of coffee, he clearly words his objection to the term ‘superior’, but Eric continues by saying his description’s right, and that there are a lot more mutants to be discovered. Charles tells Eric that sort of talk would make mankind fear them, but Eric then tells him they’re already feared. He then turns on the television and shows Charles something he taped from TV.

On the screen, a newsreader comments on some footage their station received of an illegal fight in Canada. As he comments on the fight, we see footage of a man fighting a bear. Not only does he succeed in beating the bear, but he also does it using metal claws.

Eric continues where the footage stops: he tells Charles this “wild man” was taken into custody – by two dozen heavily armed men – and that it proves relations between men & mutants aren’t really off to a good start. Charles tells Eric he has to go, as someone… ‘Has got to rescue the poor mutant?’ Eric replies.

As Charles leaves the house, Eric’s maid asks him whether something is troubling his friend. Eric answers he’s only an idealist. As the maid suddenly changes – into Mystique – Magneto tells her he hadn’t mentioned her to Charles… Back in the University, Ororo asks Charles about Eric. He tells her that though they’re friends, they differ on ideologies, mostly because Eric witnessed the worst intolerance. While Eric doesn’t believe men and mutants can live together, so he explains, he believes it can be done. And the “wild man” somehow seems to be crucial in all of it. He can’t explain Ororo why, but he feels he can make a difference – both in the “wild man’s and in Eric’s life. Ororo then points to a machine and asks him how his device, ‘Cerebro’, can help him with it. The professor explains to her it can help him find other mutants – if only he had enough power to use it…

Ororo asks him whether it runs on electricity and the professor answers positively. So she takes over his helmet, and charges it with lightning. Thanks to that, the professor is able to pin-point the “wild man’s position. Cut to Canada. The “wild man” breaks through the wall of the police station and succeeds in escaping. Pursuing police agents rush into the alley, and ask a beggar where the “wild man” has gone. The beggar points into the wrong direction and as the agents begin their ‘pursuit’, the beggar turns into Mystique.

Meanwhile, the wild man’s attention is drawn to Ororo, who is floating above him. He slices a telephone pole, but Ororo succeeds in tossing it away, while telling him she means him no harm, and that she can help him. But the man doubts her, as he tells her even he doesn’t know who or what he is. She tells him he’s a mutant, just like her, and that she has come to him on behalf of the Professor. At which point he mentally relays a message that she is telling the truth – while calling him Logan. This startles him, as even he couldn’t remember his own name. As the professor offers him an opportunity to come with him so he can help him to fit in with society, the opportunity becomes a choice – as Magneto appears and offers Logan ‘his rightful place amid the next step of human evolution’. The Professor tells Logan it doesn’t have to be that way, that there’s a peaceful way. Magneto tells him there’s no such way, and that a battle is inevitable. But when left to take the decision between peace and war, Logan chooses… peace, and the Professors side. Magneto tells him he’s making a mistake. As he congratulates the Professor, he asks him what he’s going to do…

Cut to a year later, and the Blackbird makes a landing on the grounds of the Institute. Storm and Wolverine meet the Professor, and tell him they’ve succeeded in stopping Magneto’s attempt to hijack some missiles, but that it isn’t likely to be the last time they hear of him. The Professor tells them it’s exactly the reason the X-Men are there. As both Wolverine and Storm change subject to the new school for mutants, they ask him whether he’s already found a first student. As the Professor confirms he has thanks to his improved Cerebro, the name of Scott Summers appears on its screen…

Summary written by Nikko for -