Backup Stories
Each chapter of the crossover features a short back up strip titled "The High Evolutionary" which was written by Mark Gruenwald with pencil art by Ron Lim. This 11 part story details the origins of the High Evolutionary, his previous storylines, and key events in which he participated (such as the origins of Spider-Woman, Quicksilver, and the Scarlet Witch). The series concludes by revealing how the High Evolutionary survived his apparent suicide and began plotting the Evolutionary War.
In the course of the story, it is revealed that the High Evolutionary received help from a mysterious benefactor, who provided him with the secrets of the human genetic code and access to Moloids to build his base on Wundagore Mountain. The story never reveals the identity of the benefactor, although it has been speculated to be Phaeder of the Inhumans.
The backup stories were intended to be read in the same order as the lead stories. However, the backups in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #22 and Fantastic Four Annual #21 are transposed, creating some confusion. Amazing Spider-Man Annual #22 contains part 5 of the lead story and part 6 of the backups; Fantastic Four Annual #21 contains part 6 of the lead story and part 5 of the backups. This can be confirmed by reading the relevant stories: In the lead story of Fantastic Four Annual #21, the Watcher refers to events in the lead story of Amazing Spider-Man Annual #22; whereas in the backup of Amazing Spider-Man Annual #22 the High Evolutionary has subdued the werewolf he fought in the backup of Fantastic Four Annual #21.
Read more about this topic: The Evolutionary War
Famous quotes containing the word stories:
“Castaway, your time is a flat sea that doesn’t stop,
with no new land to make for and no new stories to swap.”
—Anne Sexton (1928–1974)