Type: Divergent Earth
Environment: Earth-like
Usual means of access: Presumably vibrational attunement
Dominant Life Form: Humans, mutants.
Significant Inhabitants: Charles Xavier, Lucifer, Magneto, Cyclops, Arch Angel, Iceman, Psyke, Beast, Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, Dr. Doom, Galactus, the Silver Surfer,
Significant Locations: Asteroid M
First Appearance: The Art of John Byrne (SQP Inc, 1980)
History: (AoJB) When Charles Xavier faced the alien known as Lucifer, he managed to defeat him at the cost of his own life, when Lucifer dropped a stone slab atop him.
(AoJB) Magneto formed the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, comprising Cyclops, Arch Angel, Iceman, Psyke, Beast, Scarlet Witch, and Quicksilver. The team defeated the Avengers, and collaborated with Dr. Doom to defeat the Fantastic Four (which involved killing at least the Thing). When Doom turned on them, Magneto used his magnetic powers to crush Doom's chest plate.
(AoJB) All other non-mutant super-heroes were either slain, or imprisoned on Asteroid M (including Spider-Man and Daredevil). Magneto became established as ruler of the world. He functioned as a benevolent tyrant, and Homo Sapiens were not persecuted although the governance was entirely in the hands of Homo Superior.
(AoJB) When Galactus arrived on Earth, as there was no Ben Grimm to knock the Silver Surfer into Alicia Masters' skylight, the Surfer never became sympathetic to humanity. As he did not turn on Galactus, the alien devoured the world.
(AoJB) Asteroid M, which was in orbit, went drifting off into space.
Comments: Created by John Byrne.
This reality diverged from events in Uncanny X-Men#9.
The story was intended by Byrne for an issue of What If which never appeared; the details were given in an interview with Byrne. Byrne also stated this version of Dr. Doom was circa Fantastic Four #10, which helps date the subsequent events.
Psyke was this world's counterpart to the Marvel Girl of Earth-616. Arch Angel was this world's counterpart to the Angel of Earth-616, and carried a flaming sword. Although not mentioned in the interview, I suspect Mastermind and the Toad would also have been members of this version of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.
I can't help but finding the choice of ending unsatisfactory. Even had the Beast knocked the Surfer into Alicia's skylight, and the Watcher empowered Quicksilver to track down the Ultimate Nullifier, for Magneto's use to repel Galactus ... then the next world-destroying menace which had only been stopped because the Avengers, Fantastic Four, or the Defenders had been in just the right place at the right time ... would end up destroying Earth-8013. While there is a certain logic to it, it seems anticlimactic if every Earth which involves a significant divergence on the part of the Fantastic Four ends the same way.
Ron Fredricks found this cover (to the left) for this unpublished story!
Clarifications:
No known connection to
Images:
Art of John Byrne, p. 10
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Last Updated: 11/22/17
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