Obsessed with evolving humanity to its next stage ahead of time the High Evolutionary has been both a help and a hindrance to the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, X-Men and Adam Warlock over the years. He’s created intelligent animal-beings, a citadel that can launch into space and an entire planet. And he comes from Manchester.
The High Evolutionary’s origin story had only been told in a series of flashbacks in numerous different comics over the years, including Thor #135, Spider-Woman #1 and Avengers #186. That was until THE EVOLUTIONARY WAR (1988) which featured the Evolutionary as the story’s central villain and included a series of back-up features in each issue which, as THE SAGA OF THE HIGH EVOLUTIONARY (1988), would define his origin going forward.
Must Reads: Story arcs in bold in the Core List or marked with a ✔ in the Full Reading Order are must-read stories from this time period, along with any key related stories and often-forgotten tales that are worth a look.
Anthology Issues: When an issue contains multiple stories, the relevant story is denoted with square brackets. For example [2/5] refers to the second story of the five stories in that issue, so you don’t need to read the other four.
Chronology: Every appearance of High Evolutionary from this period is included in chronological order, laying out their timeline rather than just the order the issues were released.
Spoilers: The issue/story overviews may include spoilers, so be warned!
| Title & Synopsis | Crossover / Event |
| X-Factor Annual #3 [3/3] (1988) Punisher Annual #1 [3/3] (1988) Silver Surfer Annual #1 [4/4] (1988) New Mutants Annual #4 [3/3] (1988) Fantastic Four Annual #21 [3/3] (1988) Amazing Spider-Man Annual #22 [3/3] (1988) Uncanny X-Men Annual #12 [3/3] (1988) Web of Spider-Man Annual #4 [3/3] (1988) In 1928, geneticist Herbert Edgar Wyndham is granted advanced genetic knowledge by the Deviant/Inhuman hybrid Phaeder; in the 1930s, Wyndham builds a research facility with John & Miriam Drew at Wundagore Mountain; Phaeder grants Wyndham Moloids; an encounter with a werewolf (Baron Gregor Russoff) that kills Miriam also inspires Wyndham to combine animal and human DNA; he builds armour for protection and captures the werewolf; the sorcerer Magnus warns Wyndham that Chthon is trapped in Wundagore Mountain beneath his Citadel of Science, prompting him to create an army of human/animal New Men called the Knights of Wundagore to combat him; after becoming the High Evolutionary, young Jessica Drew finally wakes up and Wyndham comes into possession of the infant Wanda & Pietro whose care he trusts to a Romani couple Django & Marya Maximoff. | THE SAGA OF THE HIGH EVOLUTIONARY |
Want to keep it simple? A version of this reading order without story descriptions, page-by-page breakdowns or less non-essential guest appearances – just the primary stories:
- X-Factor Annual #3 [3/3]
- Punisher Annual #1 [3/3]
- Silver Surfer Annual #1 [4/4]
- New Mutants Annual #4 [3/3]
- Fantastic Four Annual #21 [3/3]
- Amazing Spider-Man Annual #22 [3/3]
- Uncanny X-Men Annual #12 [3/3]
- Web of Spider-Man Annual #4 [3/3]
- Thor #134 [1/2]
- Thor #135 [1/2]
- Tales to Astonish #94 [2/2]
- Tales to Astonish #96 [2/2]
- West Coast Avengers Annual #3 [3/3]
- Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #8 [4/4]
- Marvel Premiere #1 [1/2]
- Marvel Premiere #2 [1/2]
- Warlock #1
- Incredible Hulk #158
- Warlock #3, 8
- Fantastic Four #172-175
- Marvel Two-in-One #62-63
- Incredible Hulk #266
- Avengers Annual #17 [2/2]
- X-Factor Annual #3 [1/3]
- Silver Surfer Annual #1 [1/4]
- New Mutants Annual #4 [1/3]
- Amazing Spider-Man Annual #22 [1/3]
- Fantastic Four Annual #21 [1/3]
- Uncanny X-Men Annual #12 [1/3]
- Web of Spider-Man Annual #4 [1/3]
- West Coast Avengers Annual #3 [1/3]
- West Coast Avengers Annual #3 [2/3]
- Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #8 [1/4]
- Avengers Annual #17 [1/2]
- Thor #407-408
- Thor #417 [1/2]
- Thor #419 [1/2]
- Thor #420 [1/2]
- Thor #422 [1/2]
- Thor #423 [1/2]
- Thor #424 [1/2]
- Thor #425 [1/2]
- Warlock and the Infinity Watch #3-4
- Thor #449 [2/2]
- Thor #450 [2/2]
- Thor #472-474
- Thor Annual #19 [1/2]
- Thor #475-477
- Fantastic Four Unlimited #9
- Thunderstrike #14: Double Feature [2/2]
- Thor #480-481
- Thor #482 [1/2]
- Avengers #380-382
- Thor #483-484, 486-489
- Scarlet Spider Unlimited #1
- Spider-Man: Dead Man’s Hand #1
- Excalibur #113
- Quicksilver #1
- Ka-Zar #12-13
- Ka-Zar #14 [1/2]
- Quicksilver #8-9
- Quicksilver #10
- Heroes for Hire #15
- Quicksilver #11
- Heroes for Hire #16
- Quicksilver #12
- Heroes for Hire & Quicksilver Annual
- Heroes fire Hire #17
- Uncanny X-Men ’99 Annual
- Uncanny X-Men #379 (2000)
- X-Men #99 (2000)
- Uncanny X-Men #380 (2000)
- X-Men #200 [2/2
- Uncanny X-Men #488 [2/2]
- X-Factor #21[2/2]
- Annihilation: Conquest #1-6
- Uncanny X-Men #500
- Uncanny X-Men #507
- Iron Man/Thor #1-4
- Silver Surfer #1-5
- FF #3-5, 8-9
- Avengers #12-13
- New Warriors #1-4
- New Warriors #10-12
- Uncanny Avengers #1-5
- Secret Empire #5
- Amazing Spider-Man #16
- Ultimates² #8-9, 100
- Avengers #673
- Champions #14
- Avengers #674
- Champions #15
- Spider-Woman #6
- Punisher Kill Krew #2
- Spider-Woman #8-10
- X-Men (2021) #1
- X-Men (2021) #3
- Avengers and Moon Girl #1
- X-Men and Moon Girl #1
- Avengers Infinity Comic #44
- X-Men (2021) #30
| Must Reads | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis | Crossover / Event |
| ✔ | Thor #134 [1/2] (1966) Thor #135 [1/2] (1966) To find the missing Jane Foster, Thor allows himself to be captured by the Knights of Wundagore and meets the High Evolutionary; Thor’s aggression distracts the Evolutionary from his experiment, leading to the creation of the Man-Beast who is launched into the Dromisana galaxy; the High Evolutionary and his New Men leave Earth by transforming the Citadel of Science into a spacecraft to remove themselves from the taint of humanity. 1st appearance: High Evolutionary/Herbert Edgar Wyndham, Knights of Wundagore/New Men (Count Tagar, Sir Lepard, Sir Lyan, Sir Ossilot, Sir Porga), Man-Beast, the Atomic Steed, the Genetic Accelerator, Citadel of Science, Wundagore Mountain | |
| ✔ | West Coast Avengers Annual #3 [3/3] (pp.1-4) (1988) The Citadel of Science lands on an inhabitable planet which is dubbed Wundagore II; as the High Evolutionary gets lost in his work, the Knights of Wundagore resort to savagery. | THE SAGA OF THE HIGH EVOLUTIONARY |
| ✔ | Tales to Astonish #94 [2/2] (1967) Tales to Astonish #96 [2/2] (1967) Sir Ram gathers animals on Earth for the High Evolutionary and also captures the Hulk under his orders and bring him to Wundagore II; the Hulk battles the rogue Knights, though not as planned; the wounded High Evolutionary advances himself by 10 million years to attain god-like status and uses his powers to restore the New Men to animal forms and return the Hulk to Earth. 1st appearance: Sir Ram, Wundagore II | |
| ✔ | West Coast Avengers Annual #3 [3/3] (pp.6) (1988) Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #8 [4/4] (pp.1-3) (1988) The advanced High Evolutionary takes to the stars in his new form; he devolves himself and restores his own human form, believing he’s gone too far; the High Evolutionary creates Counter-Earth, a version of Earth without evil to corrupt it, only for the Man-Beast to return and introduce the new humanity to violence. | THE SAGA OF THE HIGH EVOLUTIONARY |
| ✔ | Marvel Premiere #1 [1/2] (1972) Marvel Premiere #2 [1/2] (1972) Warlock #1 (1972) The High Evolutionary locates the synthetic man Him, grants him the Soul Gem, renames him Warlock and sends him to remove the Man-Beast from Counter-Earth and save the world. 1st appearance: Astrella Carpenter, David Carter, Jason Grey, Kohbra, Ellie Roberts, Sir Ram II, the Soul Gem, Counter-Earth (and versions of Reed Richards, Victor von Doom & Bruce Banner) New Identity: Him as Adam Warlock | COUNT-DOWN FOR COUNTER-EARTH |
| Incredible Hulk #158 (1972) The Hulk and the Rhino’s clash aboard a rocket ship lands them on Counter-Earth; the High Evolutionary’s becomes concerned that the existence of his new planet has been discovered. | ||
| Warlock #3, 8 (1972-1973) The discovery of Counter-Earth prompts the High Evolutionary to consider its destruction, only for Adam Warlock to fight to give it another chance; the Evolutionary makes a deal with the Rigellians to record the events on Counter-Earth; the identity of President Rex Carpenter is revealed. | ||
| ✔ | Fantastic Four #172-175 (1976) Following the departure of Adam Warlock, Counter-Earth is targeted for consumption by Galactus; the High Evolutionary recruits the Fantastic Four; the Evolutionary grows in size to face Galactus himself, but ultimately tries and fails to save his life when a trap set for Galactus destroys him; the shields hiding Counter-Earth’s existence are presumably amplified. | |
| ✔ | Marvel Two-in-One #62-63 (1980) Before his death in battle with Thanos, Adam Warlock realised he could no longer sense Counter-Earth and, believing the High Evolutionary had destroyed it, attacked him; to escape being drawn into the Soul Gem, the Evolutionary super-evolved himself and left his body; after learning Warlock is now dead, he realises Counter-Earth has been stolen by the Prime Movers of Tarkus on behalf of the Beyonders. 1st appearance: Beyonders (mention only) | |
| ✔ | Avengers Annual #17 [2/2] (pp.3-4) (1988) The High Evolutionary meets the Beyonders and, feeling inconsequential, becomes deeply depressed. | THE SAGA OF THE HIGH EVOLUTIONARY |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #266 (1981) The depressed High Evolutionary is unable to take his own life due to his armour’s self-preservation protocols, so he travels to Earth and enrages the Hulk enough to rip the armour apart; the High Evolutionary devolves himself to a protoplasmic state. | |
| ✔ | Avengers Annual #17 [2/2] (p.6) (1988) The High Evolutonary’s armour rebuilds and restores him; returned to a more lucid state, the Evolutionary swears to make mankind the superior race of beings in existence. | THE SAGA OF THE HIGH EVOLUTIONARY |
| ✔ | X-Factor Annual #3 [1/3] (1988) The High Evolutionary begins targeting those he considers to be ‘evolutionary dead ends’; he sends his Purifiers to wipe out the Moloids, Tyrannoids and Lava Men, drawing the attention of X-Factor and a direct clash with Apocalypse. 1st appearances: Gatherers, Purifiers | THE EVOLUTIONARY WAR |
| Silver Surfer Annual #1 [1/4] (1988) The Eternals are tasked with obtaining the Silver Surfer’s DNA by the High Evolutionary who plans to use it to advance humanity. | THE EVOLUTIONARY WAR I DIE LIKE THE STARS | |
| New Mutants Annual #4 [1/3] (1988) Amazing Spider-Man Annual #22 [1/3] (1988) High Evolutionary cameos; the New Mutants and Magneto oppose the High Evolutionary’s attempts to depower mutants whose abilities he considers a threat to humanity’s evolution; the Kingpin discovers the High Evolutionary’s plan to sterilise undesirable genetics in New York. 1st appearance: Madeline Nylor, Speedball/Robbie Baldwin | THE EVOLUTIONARY WAR | |
| ✔ | Fantastic Four Annual #21 [1/3] (1988) The High Evolutionary and an army of Gathers attempt to steal the Terrigen Crystals from the Inhumans on the Moon. | THE EVOLUTIONARY WAR SECRET WARS III |
| Must Reads | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis | Crossover / Event |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men Annual #12 [1/3] (1988) The High Evolutionary allies with the X-Men against ‘Terminus’ and restores the Savage Land to its former glory. 1st appearance: Matthew Plunder, Peter | THE EVOLUTIONARY WAR |
| Web of Spider-Man Annual #4 [1/3] (1988) High Evolutionary cameo; the Purifiers and Eliminators are sent on a mission to the Nexus of All Realties, clashing with the Man-Thing and Spider-Man. | THE EVOLUTIONARY WAR | |
| ✔ | West Coast Avengers Annual #3 [1/3] (1988) West Coast Avengers Annual #3 [2/3] (1988) After the High Evolutionary’s failed attempt to take the Vibranium resources from Wakanda, the divided West Coast Avengers and Giant-Man battle the High Evolutionary in his new Savage Land headquarters. The Black Panther and Hawkeye’s West Coast Avengers defend Wakanda when the High Evolutionary makes a bid to steal the country’s Vibranium resources; Mockingbird’s West Coast Avengers team-up with Giant-Man to battle the High Evolutionary in his new Savage Land headquarters. | THE EVOLUTIONARY WAR WEST COAST AVENGERS DISASSEMBLE! |
| Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #8 [1/4] (1988) The Purifiers hunt down the clone of Gwen Stacy as the High Evolutionary investigations her origins. | THE EVOLUTIONARY WAR | |
| ✔ | Avengers Annual #17 [1/2] (p.6) (1988) The Captain (Steve Rogers) gathers a team of reserve Avengers to make a last stand against the High Evolutionary before he can force a massive step in evolution on humanity with his Genetic Bomb; Hercules allows himself to be super-evolved in order to combat the god-like Evolutionary | THE EVOLUTIONARY WAR FUTURES IMPERFECT PRIDE GOETH BEFORE THE FALL |
| ✔ | Thor #407-408 (1989) Hercules and the High Evolutionary are revealed to have become one with the Black Galaxy; the Knights of Wundagore and Thor help restore them both to their physical forms; the Evolutionary returns to the Black Galaxy to study it. | |
| ✔ | Thor #417 [1/2] (1990) The High Evolutionary initiates a plan to create a race of gods. | |
| ✔ | Thor #419 [1/2] (1990) Thor #420 [1/2] (1990) The High Evolutionary initiates his plan to create a race of gods from Thor’s DNA and his findings in the Black Galaxy. 1st appearance: Stellaris | |
| ✔ | Thor #422[1/2] (1990) Thor #423 [1/2] (1990) Thor #424 [1/2] (1990) Thor #425[1/2] (1990) The New Immortals are born, with Nobilus created from Thor and Loki’s genetic material; Thor and Hercules clash the the High Evolutionary’s New Immortals and learn the Black Galaxy is the brain of an unborn Celestial; the High Evolutionary witnesses the birth of the Blue Celestial. 1st appearance: New Immortals (Juvan, Nobilus, Zon) New Identity: Recorder-211 as Analyzer | |
| ✔ | Warlock and the Infinity Watch #3-4 (1992) The resurrected Adam Warlock visits the High Evolutionary and finds him driven mad after witnessing the birth of the Blue Celestial; Warlock defends the Evolutionary when he and Nobilus become a target of They, the agents of Omega. New Identity: Man-Beast as Omega, Apollo as Triax | |
| Thor #449 [2/2] (1992) Thor #450 [2/2] (1992) The insane High Evolutionary tries to turn Ego the Living Planet into a weapon to use against Super-Ego. | ||
| Thor #472-475 (pp.1-10) (1994) Thor Annual #19 [1/2] (1994) Thor #475 (pp.11-40) (1994) Thor meets the High Evolutionary’s new ‘gods’, the Godpack, who he created to combat the rebellious New Immortals; Thor joins the Godpack; the High Evolutionary, Thor and the Godpack initially clash with ‘Karnivore’ and his Ani-Mutants. 1st appearances: Godlings/Godpack (Anak, Bellam, Blitziana, Loga, Luminor, Riger, Zefra), Simbus New Identity: Man-Beast as Karnivore | THE GODPACK | |
| Thor #476-477 (1994) High Evolutionary cameos; the High Evolutionary invites Jane Foster to teach the Ani-Mutants and begins rebuilding his Wundagore base. | MYTH CONCEPTIONS | |
| Fantastic Four Unlimited #9 (1995) The Fantastic Four turn to the High Evolutionary for help when Ant-Man is mutated; the FF, Thor and the Godpack oppose Grottu. | ||
| Thunderstrike #14: Double Feature [2/2] (1994) Thor rejects the High Evolutionary’s orders to return to Wundagore. | ||
| Thor #480-481 (1994) Thor #482[1/2] (1995) Despite Thor and the High Evolutionary butting heads, Thor remains with the Godpack when they go up against Grotesk before the final showdown with the New Immortals themselves. | ||
| Avengers #380-382 (1994) Quicksilver and Crystal turn to the High Evolutionary for help the dying Bova; the New Men defend Wundagore from the monstrous Rakkus, one of Exodus’ Acolytes sent to roust the Evolutionary from Wundagore. | ||
| Thor #483-484, 486 (1995) High Evolutionary cameos; the High Evolutionary relocates Wundagore III to New York. | ||
| Thor #487-488 (1995) The High Evolutionary joins Thor, Sif and the Godpack in opposing the Ravagers from the Realms of Ice and Death. | ||
| Thor #489 (1995) High Evolutionary cameo; the High Evolutionary relays the events of the battle to the Hulk. | ||
| Scarlet Spider Unlimited #1 (1995) Having returned to Wundagore Mountain and created new Animen, the High Evolutionary meets the Scarlet Spider and explains his past connections to the cloning-obsessed Jackal. | ||
| Spider-Man: Dead Man’s Hand #1 (1997) Spider-Man confronts the High Evolutionary over the Carrion Virus and its connection to the Jackal’s cloning process. 1st appearance: Carrion/William Allen |
| Must Reads | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis | Crossover / Event |
| ✔ | Excalibur #113 (1997) Quicksilver #1 (1997) The High Evolutionary prepares for the coming war with Exodus who wants both Wundagore Mountain and Luna Maximoff who’s in the Evolutionary’s care; Quicksilver returns to Wundagore and joins the Knights of Wundagore to repel the Acolytes latest assault; the Acolytes claim Wundagore. 1st appearance: Lord Churchill, Sir Delphis, Lord Gator, Lord Tyger, Lady Ursula, Lady Vermin New Identity: Man-Beast as Lord Anon | A MOST DANGEROUS GAME |
| ✔ | Ka-Zar #12-13 (1998) Ka-Zar #14 [1/2] (1998) In the Savage Land, Ka-Zar interrupts the High Evolutionary’s investigations into Isotope E to convince him to remove Shanna the She-Devil’s new terraforming powers; when the Evolutionary asks Shanna to leave Earth and help him create a new Counter-Earth, Ka-Zar turns against him; the Evolutionary is revealed to have reverted to an ape-like form under his armour. 1st appearance: Isotope E | |
| ✔ | Quicksilver #8-9 (1998) The Acolytes pick up the Isotope E activity in the Savage Land and pursue the semi-devolved High Evolutionary who has become genetically unstable; the origin of Isotope E is revealed; the High Evolutionary and the Knights of Wundagore evacuate the Savage Land. 1st appearance: Decay/Jacob Lashinski, Gargouille/Lavinia LeBlac, Projector/Zachary Williams | |
| Quicksilver #10 (1998) The High Evolutionary orders Bova to summon the White Tiger from the Heroes for Hire. | LIVE KREE OR DIE! | |
| ✔ | Heroes for Hire #15 (1998) Quicksilver #11 (1998) Heroes for Hire #16 (1998) Quicksilver #12 (1998) Heroes for Hire & Quicksilver Annual (1998) The Man-Beast allies with Exodus and the Acolytes against the High Evolutionary, Quicksilver and the Knights of Wundagore; the Heroes for Hire assist the Knights in reclaiming Wundagore Mountain and keep Isotope E out of Exodus’ hands. | THE SIEGE OF WUNDAGORE |
| Heroes fire Hire #17 (1998) The Black Knight, Thena and High Evolutionary seal the comatose Exodus away in a chamber created for him by Apocalypse; the Black Knight accepts the Evolutionary’s offer to leave the Heroes for Hire and join the Knights of Wundagore. | ||
| Uncanny X-Men ’99 Annual (1999) Exodus escapes his chamber and causes chaos in Genosha; witnessing this, the High Evolutionary decides to purge the world of mutants. | APOCALYPSE: THE TWELVE | |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #379 (2000) X-Men #99 (2000) Uncanny X-Men #380 (2000) The High Evolutionary gives the X-Men a 60 second warning before switching off all mutant powers on Earth; the X-Men discover Mister Sinister is really behind the powers purge, having betrayed the Evolutionary. 1st appearances: The Neo (Domina, Jaeger) | MUTANTS NO MORE |
| X-Men #200 [2/2] (2007) Uncanny X-Men #488 [2/2] (2007) X-Factor #21 [2/2] (2007) The X-Men’s Beast turns to a number of morally ambiguous contacts – including the High Evolutionary – to help save mutantkind from extinction. | ENCANGERED SPECIES | |
| ✔ | Annihilation: Conquest #1-6 (2008) The Supreme Intelligence is revealed to have asked the High Evolutionary to evolve the Kree; the Evolutionary joins Adam Warlock in opposing Ultron and the Phalanx when they take over Hala. | ANNIHILATION: CONQUEST |
| Uncanny X-Men #500 (2008) Magneto’s powers are partially restored by the High Evolutionary who uses him to distract the X-Men while he investigates the Dreaming Celestial. 1st appearance: Hellfire Cult | MANIFEST DESTINY | |
| Uncanny X-Men #507 (2009) The High Evolutionary uses his findings from the Dreaming Celestial to fully restore Magneto’s powers, allowing him to potentially do the same for any mutants who lost their powers on M-Day. 1st appearance: X-Club | MANIFEST DESTINY LOVELORN | |
| Iron Man/Thor #1-4 (2011) The High Evolutionary combines what he learned from his encounters with the Phalanx and the Dreaming Celestial to advance humanity by combining magic and science; the Evolutionary’s treacherous ally Diablo is revealed to be the true threat; the Evolutionary, Thor and Iron Man defeat him. | ||
| ✔ | Silver Surfer #1-5 (2011) The High Evolutionary steals the Silver Surfer’s Power Cosmic and uses it to terraform the Chihuahuan Desert, only for the water to give people cosmic powers; Suzi Endo is transformed into the Seeker and acts as the High Evolutionary’s Herald; his attempts to terraform Earth’s Moon are blocked by the Silver Surfer, Galactus and the Future Foundation. 1st appearance: Seeker |
| Must Reads | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis | Crossover / Event |
| FF #3-5 (2011) The Future Foundation kids are taken to meet the High Evolutionary. 1st appearance: Forever City/Lost City | ||
| FF #8-9 (2011) Despite allying with the Future Foundation, the Inhumans take over the High Evolutionary’s Lost City. | ||
| Avengers #12-13 (2013) The Avengers investigate effects of the Gardeners’ Origin Bomb in the Savage Land, but are attacked by the High Evolutionary’s monstrous hybrids as he attempts to get to the Children of the Sun first. | MARVEL NOW! | |
| New Warriors #1-4 (2014) Nova and other superhumans are kidnapped by the High Evolutionary as uses the Evolutionaries in an attempt to wipe out superhumans; the Evolutionary is to believe that removing superhumans will save Earth from the Celestials. 1st appearance: Haechi/Mark Simm, Water Snake/Faira Sar Namora | ALL-NEW MARVEL NOW! | |
| New Warriors #10-12 (2014-2015) The Eternals side with the High Evolutionary against the New Warriors when he creates another Gene Bomb that will wipe out all superhumans; the Warriors learn the High Evolutionary has been manipulated by Zuras who seemingly kills the Evolutionary. | ||
| ✔ | Uncanny Avengers #1-5 (2015) Counter-Earth inexplicably returns, this time as a home primarily for New Men; the High Evolutionary becomes obsessed with perfection and kills any imperfect New Men; from the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver’s genetic material, the High Evolutionary has created Luminous who he considers to be his daughter; he also kidnaps Rogue and experiments on her; the human Low Evolutionary leads the surviving rejected New Men and the Avengers Unity Division against the High Evolutionary who is revealed to have mutated again. 1st appearances: Low Evolutionary, Luminous | AVENGERS NOW! |
| Secret Empire #5 (2017) High Evolutionary cameo; Hercules and Iron Man battle the High Evolutionary in the Savage Land for unknown reasons. | SECRET EMPIRE | |
| Amazing Spider-Man #16 (2019) Flashback: Kraven the Hunter kills the High Evolutionary’s New Men in the Savage Land until he agrees to create 87 clones of Kraven. | HUNTED | |
| ✔ | Ultimates² #8-9, 100 (2017) The Ultimates of Earth-616 and the Ultimates of Earth-1610 team up to stop the Maker of Earth-1610 and the High Evolutionary from merging all universes into one. | ETERNITY WAR |
| ✔ | Avengers #673 (2018) Champions #14 (2018) Avengers #674 (2018) Champions #15 (2018) The Avengers and the Champions oppose the High Evolutionary when he attempts to crash Counter-Earth into Earth to restart evolution; the Evolutionary’s clone – the Higher Evolutionary – transforms the High Evolutionary into data and he’s trapped in another dimension by Viv Vision. | MARVEL LEGACY WORLDS COLLIDE |
| Spider-Woman #6 (2021) Flashback: High Evolutionary cameo; the New Men return the High Evolutionary to Counter-Earth and, after expressing his disappointment in them, he decides to leave. | ||
| Punisher Kill Krew #2 (2019) High Evolutionary cameo; the Punisher’s attack on a shark-hybrid creature on Counter-Earth attracts attention of the High Evolutionary (or presumably a stand-in). | ||
| ✔ | Spider-Woman #8 (2021) In search of the family she believed were dead, Spider-Woman tracks down the High Evolutionary with help from Captain Marvel; the Evolutionary is surrounded by clones of Spider-Woman’s mother, Miriam Drew. | KING IN BLACK |
| ✔ | Spider-Woman #9-10 (2021) Years ago, the High Evolutionary created clones of his friend Miriam Drew as decoys when Hydra planned to assassinate her; the High Evolutionary cures Spider-Woman of the excessive radiation levels in her system and survives an attempt on his life by Octavia Vermis. | |
| X-Men #1 (2021) High Evolutionary cameo; on Gameworld, the High Evolutionary quietly listens to Cordyceps Jones as he demands that Earthlings die, but Earth must remain. 1st appearances: Doctor Stasis/Nathaniel Essex (clone), Feilong/Kelvin Heng, the Treehouse | REIGN OF X | |
| ✔ | X-Men #3 (2021) The High Evolutionary returns to Earth to obtain a sample of Synch’s blood, through the X-Men violently refuse his gift of a Nihility Sphere. | REIGN OF X |
| Avengers and Moon Girl #1 (2022) X-Men and Moon Girl #1 (2022) Captain Marvel and the X-Men help Moon Girl locate the missing Devil Dinosaur when he’s taken for experimentation by the High Evolutionary. | ENDANGERED SPECIES | |
| Avengers Infinity Comic #44 (2023, digital comic) The Black Panther plays a high stakes game against the High Evolutionary while Gamora defends the Panther from the Evolutionary’s allies, the Fraternity of Raptors. | ||
| ✔ | X-Men #30 (2024) The High Evolutionary has a rematch with Synch and Talon. | FALL OF THE HOUSE OF X |
Notable alternate universe versions of the High Evolutionary from around the multiverse.
| Title, Issue Number & Synopsis |
| What If? #1 (1989) Earth-89721 – In this alternate timeline, the High Evolutionary detonated his Gene Bomb at the end of the ‘Evolutionary War’ and successfully hyper-evolved humanity; this allows humanity to repel the Celestials themselves when they judge Earth to be unworthy. |
| Excalibur #51 (1992) Earth-99476 – On an alternate Earth on which the dinosaurs evolved into the dominant species on Earth; a human family are experimented upon by the reptilian version of the High Evolutionary’s until they’re freed by this world’s Excalibur. |
| Guardians of the Galaxy #57-58 (1995) Earth-691 – Still existing in the year 3000, the High Evolutionary cures the inhabitants of the Sanctuary that were infected by Bubonicus; Ripjack accompanies the High Evolutionary as the pursues Bubonicus across the galaxy. |
| Earth X #11 (2000) Universe X: 4 #1 (2000) Earth-9997 – In a not-so distant future, it’s revealed that the Earth contains an embryo of a Celestial that, when it matures, will burst forth from the Earth; the High Evolutionary’s Counter-Earth also contains a Celestial embryo; the High Evolutionary speeds up Franklin Richards’ evolution so that he believes he’s Galactus. |
| Fantastic Four: The End #2 (2006-2007) Earth-71166 – In a not-so-distant future, the Lord High Evolutionary alerts the heroes of Earth to a threat to the planet from his home on Pluto’s moon, Charon. |
| Wolverine: First Class #3-4 (2008) There’s some debate over whether the ‘First Class’ X-Men comics are set in Earth-616 continuity or not – I vote ‘not’; in this story, Wolverine and Sprite are mutated when they’re caught in a conflict between the New Men and the Man-Beast – with the High Evolutionary waiting on the sidelines! |
Notable Collected Editions that feature the High Evolutionary…
| Collected Editions Title | Includes… |
| Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor vol.5 Marvel Visionaries: Jack Kirby Mighty Thor Omnibus vol.2 Thor Epic Collection: The Wrath of Odin (vol.3) | Thor #134-135 |
| Adam Warlock Omnibus Marvel Masterworks: Warlock | Marvel Premiere #1-2 Warlock #1 |
| Fantastic Four: Crusaders and Titans Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four vol.16 | Fantastic Four #172-175 |
| Evolutionary War Omnibus | Amazing Spider-Man Annual #22 Fantastic Four Annual #21 New Mutants Annual #4 Punisher Annual #1 Silver Surfer Annual #1 Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #8 Uncanny X-Men Annual #12 Web of Spider-Man Annual #4 West Coast Avengers Annual #3 X-Factor Annual #3 |
| Ka-Zar by Mark Waid & Andy Kubert vol.2 | Ka-Zar #12-14 |
| Avengers: Quicksilver | Heroes for Hire #15-16 Heroes for Hire & Quicksilver Annual Quicksilver #1, 8-12 |
| Collected Editions Title | Includes… |
| Luke Cage, Iron Fist and the Heroes for Hire vol.2 | Heroes for Hire #15-16 Heroes for Hire & Quicksilver Annual Quicksilver #11-12 |
| X-Men: Powerless X-Men vs Apocalypse Omnibus | Uncanny X-Men #379 X-Men #99 Uncanny X-Men #380 |
| Annihilation: Conquest vol.1-2 Annihilation: Conquest Omnibus | Annihilation: Conquest #1-6 |
| Uncanny Avengers: Counter-Evolutionary | Uncanny Avengers #1-5 |
| Ultimates by Al Ewing: The Complete Collection Ultimates² vol.2: Eternity War | Ultimates² #8-9, 100 |
| Avengers and Champions: World Collide Champions: Worlds Collide | Champions #14-15 Avengers #673-674 |
| Spider-Woman vol.2: King in Black | Spider-Woman #8-10 |
Reading Order ©OmniverseComicsGuide 2023
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