"The Evolutionary War" was a comic book crossover which ran through most of the 1988 annuals published by Marvel Comics. Principal writers included Gerry Conway, Steve Englehart, Louise Simonson, Chris Claremont, and Steve Gerber. The storyline was the first of its kind. While there had been previous extended crossovers over multiple titles before it, "The Evolutionary War" was the first to take place exclusively in annuals. This format of crossover annuals was to be repeated by Marvel for the next four years, most notably with 1989's "Atlantis Attacks." Background One of the world's premiere geneticists, the High Evolutionary had devoted his life to unlocking the mysteries of life and creating new forms of intelligent beings for his research. His crowning achievement was the creation of Counter-Earth; however, this was viewed as little more than a trivial matter by the Beyonders, who captured the planet for display in a cosmic museum of curiosities. Realizing that his own aspirations to godhood were dwarfed by the Beyonders, the Evolutionary succumbed to madness and depression. He goaded the Hulk into damaging the defense mechanisms in his armor, so that he could commit suicide. Plot The High Evolutionary is revealed to have survived his suicide attempt, and has rededicated himself to guiding and enhancing the evolution of humanity so that his race may one day be supreme to all others, including the Beyonders. To this end he initiates several concurrent efforts to accelerate human evolution and eliminate perceived threats to mankind's genetic purity. He sends his Purifier troops into Subterranea to sterilize the simple-minded races that dwell there. However, the discovery of a mutant Moloid attracts the intervention of X-Factor and Apocalypse. Apocalypse and The High Evolutionary engage in an epic battle in outer space. The Evolutionary is ultimately convinced that the Subterraneans indeed have genetic potential and ceases his operations there. In Bogotá, the Evolutionary's Eliminators are dispatched to exterminate a drug cartel. The Punisher discovers the battle and dispatches with both sides. Meanwhile, the High Evolutionary visits the Eternals and persuades them aid his cause by mapping the genetic code of the Silver Surfer. The Surfer refuses to cooperate, and convinces the Eternals to let him be. The Purifiers set about removing the powers of mutants deemed to pose a threat to humanity. When they capture Magma from Nova Roma, the inner circle of the Hellfire Club and the New Mutants storm the