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This topic shall serve as the summary chain for each chapter of the Endangered species ongoing series. Today we begin with the one shot, a piece of writing that I must say is the single greatest comic I have had the privilege of reading.

The story begins, and continues, and ends, on a somber note. "The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away". Says a priest in a small and isolated church. The place is packed, with the X-men filling the front two rows. Scott, Emma, Nightcrawler, Beast, Xavier, and Wolverine are present. The priest goes on to state that this phrase seems to contradict itself. But what it means is that God has a plan. And that whatever this plan is, those who suffer can only have faith that all will be well in the end. Bleary eyed mutants from all over the globe sit and watch, Bishop himself runs security. The coffin is carried out by the deads friends and family, and Mercury and X23 begin to discuss what would have happened if the kid was at Xaviers, if it would have been different. Remember the bloodbath caused by Stryker, and lamenting at the funerals they had been to, they drop the subject.

The Priest requests 3 minutes of silent prayer, and slowly the thoughts weed their way int Xaviers mind, brief snippets of fear, anxiety, remorse, even a quiet analysis of the damage to the dead boy's body. Then Emma breaks through, and speaks to Xavier in his mind. How the x-men thought themselves as gods, arcietects of the future, but the future cannot be written or designed, its all ad lib, ad lib in front of a dying audience in a room about to collapse in on itself, she cant help but feel the X-men got what they deserved for their arrogance.

Wolverine sees the open coffin, he sees Mariko dead, Jean weeping in agony, Sabertooth snarling at him. His claws trigger, and he hastily tries to put them away when Nightcrawler notices. He apologies, saying he ways miles away. We see Wolverine, hair streaked with grey, surrounded by graves: Monroe, Grey, Summers, Summers, Pryde, McCoy, and many more we cannot read.

Xavier looks to a feeble old man and reads his thoughts, his are cool and analytical, talking about votes, and making coups, and shaking things up. He glances up to Xavier, and thinks about how theres no privacy anymore. His thoughts become static to Xavier. And the Kid is lowered into the ground.

Scott approaches the parents and thanks them for allowing them to coming, and that they wanted to pay their respects. The father blows up at Scott, telling him that he son wasnt just a number, that he was a person, not just a mutant. That they are only here to mourn themselves, to deal with their own hard times.

Emma speaks in scotts mind and tells him that she could give him a mingraine, or mild incontinence, something that would calm the man. Scott says she must be joking, Emma replies that she saw what happened on Genosha, she buried the hellions, and she doesn't need a lecture on grief from anyone. The father questions if Scott has lost anyone, and then tells him that if he has, he must know how isolating grief is. Scott decides to leave the man alone.

Rahne and Julio walk through the cemetary and discuss their fear of the future, Julio however says that hes grateful the boy died with his powers, knowing who and what he was, that he lived and died a mutant.

Bishop approaches a grim Bobby and Sam, Bishop says that the place is quite secure, which was a good stroke of luck. Sam stands however and asks why he didnt warn them, hes from the future, he should know. Bishop however says that time has lots of tragedies, not all can be remembered, many records were destroyed, if he had known he would have stopped it somehow. He says that they mentioned something called 'The Winnowing', but it was little more than legends and fragments. Sam asks to explain how they managed to have so many mutants in camps in his timeline. Bishop, frustrated, tries to explain that it might be a different timeline, although he seems to hope it isnt.

Mercury approaches Nightcrawler and asks how the boy died, if it was a hate crime. Kurt says that he was run down at a busy intersection. Mercury is overcome by rage, wishing the kid was still alive so she could punch him, that he was wreckless, that he could not even be bothered to look both ways when hes part of a dying race. She weeps.

Xavier follows the old man to his car, and addresses him as Sebastian. He turns and flips off his disguise, stating that although his presence may be threatening, he just wanted to pay his respects anonymously. Xavier asks if he tried to recruit this boy, and Sebastian shakes his head. He only wished to mark his death as an important one. Xavier questions his psionic shield, and Sebastian says that they are his thoughts to think. The two punks guarding Shaw lunge at Xavier and he strikes them mentally out of the air like nothing. Shaw says that Xavier must really want a fight, Xavier counters with the fact that Shaw has plotted against the X-men many times. Shaw sharply replies that Xavier has always fought against them as well.

He laments that they were supposed to be the smart ones, the ones to usher in a new era for mutant kind, him, Xavier, Eric, but all they did was fight until their knuckles bled. He gives his regards to Emma, and departs.

Maddrox and Hank walk through the tombs as Beast talks about how his search for a solution is getting nowhere. Maddrox suggests he hires X-factor to search, and if not, arent their breeding programs for dying species? Beast says that there are not enough mutants to do that. Maddrox snaps his fingers and soon a dozen of him stand before McCoy. Beast says he appreciates his dedication, and surely he would give his best effort to spread his seed around, but they are still all genetically identical, theres not enough genetic diversity in mutant kind to continue the race, they would all wind up in-breeding eventually. Maddrox wonders if they should just lay down, but Beast intends to stand till the end, singing the Marseillaise (french national anthem).

Scott stands in a seclutded place and takes off his glasses, blasting the sky a bit before putting them back on. The sky begins to thunder. Logan appears behind and asks if that relieved him any. It didnt. Scott talks about how he was the one who inteveiwed the kid for the academy. But there were over 300 to inteveiw at the time, the kid wasnt interested, and Scott quickly forgot him. Logan pulls off his jacket and comments on how he isnt a priest, so why is he confessing? Scott says that he was a fan of the movie Pinocchio as a boy, so he figured the short guy has to be his conscience.

Logan says that this whole situation makes one look at their own life. When that boy died another piece of stand fell down the hourglass, they could just watch it go. But thats what their own life is, a constant struggle to survive, but a rigged boxing match that everyone fights. Scott asks why people dont just stop fighting. Logan responds simply: "Because we dont know how."

The clouds clear and the sun sets on the horizon.

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Just a stunning piece of work from Mr. Carey, a deep thoughful piece, and really, for once I can say that my summary cannot do this issue justice, you must buy it and read it yourself. Theres not much more I can say than that.
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I always thought that Rogue and Gambit should adopt that Leech kid from X3.
"Alright son, you can sleep on dis here futon next to our bed! put on deese earmuffs, an' dis blindfold, and if you hear screamin' ignore it!"

Thank you for this Lord E. I have to say that I've missed your reviews.

This looks like it's amasing. As it is, I will be getting it this lunch time and Kaz and I will be reading it then.

Also, thank you in advance for doing the reviews of each part of the endangered species story. It is very much appreciated.
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And I sit, endlessly watching the people as they walk below me, knowing that I will never walk among them, knowing I will never live as they have lived and loving them for it.

Bang mon ami, you dead!

God loves Tante, he's too scared to do otherwise.

Thanks Lord E...Great summary. Thanks so much.
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RIP Heath

I got it this lunch time.

Wow, just wow. I see what you mean Lord E about it being a work of art and one of the best comics out there at the moment (that I've seen anyway).

To anyone else, you really should buy it. It's a great set up for the next few months of X-Men stuff.
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And I sit, endlessly watching the people as they walk below me, knowing that I will never walk among them, knowing I will never live as they have lived and loving them for it.

Bang mon ami, you dead!

God loves Tante, he's too scared to do otherwise.

I missed getting it (too late to order and the local comic shop closed down) so a BIG thanx to Lord E for the review!

Will you also be able to do the review for the 30-page special that is going to be shown in the backs of X-Men, Uncanny, New X-Men and X-Factor? Only I don't collect the latter two so to keep up would be great!
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"Playin' for keeps is still playin', Mon Ami, so take a card...ANY CARD!"

Crimson Queen wrote:

Will you also be able to do the review for the 30-page special that is going to be shown in the backs of X-Men, Uncanny, New X-Men and X-Factor? Only I don't collect the latter two so to keep up would be great!

He said he would. Isn't he wonderful Smile

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And I sit, endlessly watching the people as they walk below me, knowing that I will never walk among them, knowing I will never live as they have lived and loving them for it.

Bang mon ami, you dead!

God loves Tante, he's too scared to do otherwise.

Shoot, I just started trying to get into new X-men, and I havent touched X-factor, but dont worry, i'll be picking em up both to get to know the characters and to keep up with Endangered Species
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I always thought that Rogue and Gambit should adopt that Leech kid from X3.
"Alright son, you can sleep on dis here futon next to our bed! put on deese earmuffs, an' dis blindfold, and if you hear screamin' ignore it!"

Well I get both, and my comic book guy is setting on of each aside for me, so if you can't for whatever reason I should be able to.
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And I sit, endlessly watching the people as they walk below me, knowing that I will never walk among them, knowing I will never live as they have lived and loving them for it.

Bang mon ami, you dead!

God loves Tante, he's too scared to do otherwise.

Well, I know I will be getting the Next Uncanny a day late because our independence day just happened to fall on a Wednesday. Dammit! Okay, we get it, we managed to stop the British from taxing us, but its been over 225 years and I want my fucking X-men!!!!
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I always thought that Rogue and Gambit should adopt that Leech kid from X3.
"Alright son, you can sleep on dis here futon next to our bed! put on deese earmuffs, an' dis blindfold, and if you hear screamin' ignore it!"

Oh yes, England strikes back Laughing

I know that feeling. They come out on a Wednesday, so why can't I fucking get it on a fucking Wednesday. And thats ever damn week.

Saying that, if Messiah CompleX starts in the first week of October, the first issue will come out on my birthday. This is a birthday to look forward to.
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And I sit, endlessly watching the people as they walk below me, knowing that I will never walk among them, knowing I will never live as they have lived and loving them for it.

Bang mon ami, you dead!

God loves Tante, he's too scared to do otherwise.

Endangered Species: Part 1 of 17

Beast speaks of the events in the house of M universe. The people fighting for their lives. Fighting because their lives had been stolen. They burned all in their path to get it back.

In Beasts lab, a voice on a compute screen questions why they cannot remember it.

Beast explains that they set it right, for all intents and purposes, mutant kind stopped her. the world was reset.

He goes on to describe the army they had to fight, how fighting impossible odds were their forte. Magneto and Quicksilver could have stopped them, had they not been so desperate to stop one another. But long story short, they reached her. And they wanted to kill her. They believed killing her was the only way to end this madness. But it wasnt in their nature. And they hesitated, and she said those words.It wasnt loud, barely over a whisper.

No more mutants.

And it turned bright white, and then the world was changed.

Two hundred left out of tens of millions. They didnt die, unless they happened to be in a circumstance where they would die without their power. In the end, they learned how to live even after they had lost what had made them feel alive.

A voice cuts in over the monitor. Telling him to move on from the 'human interest stories'

Beast comments on how Human interest stories are only of interest to humans.

He speaks again. He talks of how he locked himself away, day and night, worked on the problem constantly...and found nothing. But it didnt matter, he was friends with some of the worlds greatest scientists. They show him working with Reed Richards, looking aty the genome, using some of the machinery of Tony Stark, and walking along a strand of molecules in a space suit with Hank Pym.

"And now I fimd myself talking to you. Which ought to be a good indciation in and of itself of how desperate I am"

A voice inquires if that is an implied insult.

Beast apologizes. He intended for the insult to be explicit. He says that they should help him out of self interest, but he knows they wont, he does have something to offer in exchange. When he and his comerades failed to save mutant kind, they succeeded in finding out a multitude of genetic secrets, techniques, unspeakable scientific acchievents, some so incredible that he would not be able to sleep if it fell into their hands.

He holds up several pages and burns them in front of the screen. But other then these huge discoveries, there are a multitude of lesser ones, ones that have a massive impact. If they agree to work with him on it, he promises him all of this research.

And then we finally get to see the screen:

M.O.D.O.K. (Machine designed only for killing), Dr. Doom (Arch nemesis of the Fantastic Four and ruler of Latveria), High Evolutionary (Sick and twisted Geneticist), Mr. Sinister (If you dont know who he is by now I reccomend suicide), Mojo(Interdimensional slaver/network executive), Arnim Zola(Biologist, enemy of the Avengers, and a TV on a torso), Sugar Man (A relic of the Age of Apocalypse, presumed dead), Pandemic (Twisted megalomaniac, geneticist, and formerly the deadliest mutant on earth, as well as the creator of Strain 88 ), and Kavita Rao (Creator of the mutant cure).

"Over to you, ladies and Gentleman. I've sold my soul. Would any of you care to ransom yours?"

To be continued....
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I always thought that Rogue and Gambit should adopt that Leech kid from X3.
"Alright son, you can sleep on dis here futon next to our bed! put on deese earmuffs, an' dis blindfold, and if you hear screamin' ignore it!"

Dude, just dude.

Endangered species is so going to be an incredible story. The lengths to which Beast will go to save his species. Oh my.

I can't wait for more.

Thanks Lord E once again for a brilliant synopsis.
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And I sit, endlessly watching the people as they walk below me, knowing that I will never walk among them, knowing I will never live as they have lived and loving them for it.

Bang mon ami, you dead!

God loves Tante, he's too scared to do otherwise.

I shall have the next chapter up tomorrow, I just need to do some research on some of the characters, lets just say though that most of our villains are not biting with Beast and refuse to work with him, most notably Pandemic (Gee, I wonder why)
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I always thought that Rogue and Gambit should adopt that Leech kid from X3.
"Alright son, you can sleep on dis here futon next to our bed! put on deese earmuffs, an' dis blindfold, and if you hear screamin' ignore it!"

Any time you're able to get it up is good for me Lord E Smile

It looks like it's going to be very interesting.
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And I sit, endlessly watching the people as they walk below me, knowing that I will never walk among them, knowing I will never live as they have lived and loving them for it.

Bang mon ami, you dead!

God loves Tante, he's too scared to do otherwise.

Oy...I had to wade through one of the single most boring issues of X-men ever for this issue of Endangered species, I dare say that it was as daunting as what Beast must trudge through in:

CHAPTER 2

It begins on a deep, cold mountain, Beast sits in a tent and quietly taps away at his journal. It is June 18th. As he puts it: "It didnt work".

He hit the wall and bounced, and he isnt surprised at all. He put forward his idea to a group of brilliant sociopaths, and if anyone had accepted his offer...well, they would have lost face in front of a group of brilliant sociopaths.

But he was hoping for a few more maybes.

A man peeks in the tent and tells Beast that the bearers are unhappy, and they might run back down the mountain if he doesnt stop them. Beast sighs and finishes his journal, stating that they had nothing to lose by taking his offer, and he has too much. He flips a switch on his belt and takes on the apperance of a young, dark haired man.

He is immediately yelled at by several men in a foreign tongue, the man from before, who goes by the name of Stanis, interprets that they are saying that the storm is coming and that they cannot reach the summit till spring. Beast protests that they can beat the storm if they hurry. He tells them that they may leave if they want, but he will double the pay of those who stick with him. One of the men argues that they should already be recieving double for getting this far. There are strange lions on these slopes, climbers often disappear.

Beast cooly responds that its their own fault for making the lion people mad. One of the men curses at him. He puts on his pack and tells the men that hes going, with or without them.

As the men go by he thinks back to the responses of the various villains he had adressed.

Dr. Doom: "You have nothing to offer me that I could possibly need, Doctor McCoy. And Biology is not my forte."

Arnim Zola: "It is mine. But the extinction of a sentient race....well, i'm hoping to collect a lot of valuable date"

Modok: "A.I.M. intends to exploit the current situtation in other ways. Our assistance would not be forthcoming"

Pandemic: "The X-men destroyed my lifes work! I'll raise a glass when the last of you dies...."

Sugar Man:"You'll have to make the pill a lot sweeter, my good doctor. I honestly dont think you can afford me."

Mister Sinister: "You have delusions of adequacy, Beast. Yoke my genius to your blind gropings? I think not."

But he had cast a wide net for a reason.

Dr. Kavita Rao: "I'll think about it. And I'll see what i've got that might be of use to you"

Spiral: "I've little to do, at the moment. And this sparks one or two....thoughts. Perhaps i'll play with them in my body shop, and see where they lead."

But he thinks most on the words of High Evolutionary. How he knows something, something he cannot say in front of everyone else.

High Evolutionary: "I do not wish to sound dismissive, Doctor, but you will not reach the end of this quest. Not if you begin it facing in the wrong direction...."

It is as he thinks these thoughts that the storm hits. They attempt to get to the lea of the slope to keep from being tossed around like ragdolls.

Beast thinks this is why he is here, at Wundagore mountain. He needs to know what Evolutionary meant, and since all his comm channels are closed, he has to get there himself.

A man is knocked off the edge and Beast reaches over to catch him, breaking his holographic device in the process. He orders Stanis to tell the man not to panic, hes an X-man and hes here to help him. He drags the man up and finds them all grovelling on the ground. He looks up to see the 'Knights of Wundagore' standing before him.

"You never know when to quit." a feline female says,"Do you Doctor McCoy?"
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Overal, I must say I was surprised at some of the villains responses. Doom is an opportunist, he should have bitten. Pandemic and Sinister are no surprise. And Zola is a freakin psychopath. And Dr. Rao is not even a villain, just a scientist.'

But damn, good stuff.
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I always thought that Rogue and Gambit should adopt that Leech kid from X3.
"Alright son, you can sleep on dis here futon next to our bed! put on deese earmuffs, an' dis blindfold, and if you hear screamin' ignore it!"

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