Earth X is a 1999 comic book limited series published by American company Marvel Comics. Earth X was written by Jim Krueger with art by John Paul Leon. Based on Alex Ross' notes, the series features a dystopian version of the Marvel Universe.
The series was followed by two sequels, Universe X and Paradise X, and a prequel, Marvels X. The universe of Earth X is designated as Earth-9997 in the Marvel Comics multiverse.Marvel Encyclopedia Volume 6: Fantastic FourOfficial Handbook to the Marvel Universe: Alternate Universes 2005
Elements of the storyline were adapted to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) entries Eternals (2021), Moon Knight (2022), and The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025), while the Earth X incarnation of Spider-Man made his cinematic debut in the 2023 feature film Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, depicted as a member of Miguel O'Hara's Spider-Society.
History Earth X began in 1997 when Wizard magazine asked Alex Ross to create a possible dystopian future for Marvel. Ross designed a future where all ordinary humans had gained superpowers, and he examined how some of the most well-known Marvel characters (including Spider-Man, Captain America and the Hulk) would manage a world where their superhero powers had now become commonplace. The issue of Wizard that contained the Ross article sold out rapidly. Demand was so extensive that in 1999 (in affiliation with Marvel), they republished the article as the Earth X Sketchbook, which also sold out. Based on this indicator of fan interest, Marvel commissioned Ross to create a full series based on his notes.
Plot summary Earth X Black Bolt releases the mutagenic Terrigen Mists into Earth's atmosphere, seeking to transform humanity into Inhumans so that his people would not suffer persecution. Black Bolt then blinds Uatu before leaving Earth with the Inhumans. Uatu transports X-51 (Machine Man)—who has long since given up super-heroics to imitate the life of his human creator—to the Moon to act as Earth's new Watcher.
The Terrigen Mists begin mutating Earth's human population, though much of the world blames "Plague X" on Reed Richards' failed experiment, which was intended to solve a looming energy crisis using a network of vibranium power centers. Benny Beckley, the young son of Comet Man, gains the ability to control the actions of others and becomes known as Skull. Meanwhile, Doctor Doom and Namor fight the Fantastic Four. Doom is killed in an explosion along with Susan Richards. Namor kills Johnny Storm. Franklin Richards responds by cursing Namor, causing one side of his body to burst into flame upon contact with air. Namor is forced back into the ocean. A distraught Reed dons Doom's armor and exiles himself to Castle Doom in Latveria.
Soon after, Absorbing Man absorbs Ultron. Vision defeats Absorbing Man with a computer virus. Attempting to isolate the virus by turning to stone, Absorbing Man is shattered by Vision after murdering the Avengers. Absorbing Man's pieces are scattered amongst the world's leaders so that he can never be reassembled.
Norman Osborn manipulates America into electing him President by using alien DNA to create Hydra—a mind-controlling parasite. Osborn grants Tony Stark political asylum in exchange for constructing robotic replicas of the fallen Avengers to battle Hydra.
Loki discovers that ancient humans were modified by the Celestials, given the ability to develop powers to act as a type of anti-bodies, to stop radical elements such as Deviants and alien species from harming the Earth and the Celestial embryo growing within it. Along with Earth, the Celestials modified the native species of many planets harboring Celestial embryos, causing them to gradually evolve and develop superpowers - either by through natural means such as mutants, or unnatural means, as with superhumans like Spider-Man. Species with Celestial modifications in theory hold enough power to rival the Celestials, but are inhibited by a psychological safeguard put in place by the Celestials. The safeguard relates to constructivist philosophy, that essentially states that people are shaped by their environment. The deities and devils within the Marvel universe are species that were modified by Celestials and unwittingly inhibit their own abilities due to the fact that they self-identify as a deity or devil. These evolved beings hold their sense of identity being reinforced by those that interact with them.
The Inhuman Royal Family return from space and contact Reed Richards, hoping to reunite with their people. While trying to find the lost Inhuman nation with Cerebro, Reed discovers Black Bolt's actions. Skull's army reaches New York, overtaking it, and Captain America and his allies fall to Skull's powers. While Skull is distracted, Captain America kills him and liberates his followers.
Before the heroes can celebrate, the Celestials arrive on Earth to germinate the embryo. As the Celestials prepare to attack New York, Loki arrives with a host of Asgardians found in the afterlife. Stark sacrifices himself while trying to hold off the arriving Celestials. Black Bolt is killed after using his voice to travel across the universe and call for Galactus, who is revealed to be devouring worlds in order to destroy Celestial embryos growing within them. Galactus consumes Earth's Celestial embryo before revealing himself to be Franklin Richards. After the Fantastic Four used the Ultimate Nullifier to kill Galactus, Franklin sacrificed his own identity to become Galactus's successor, reasoning that Galactus existed to keep the Celestial population in check.
X-51 realizes the Watchers' true purpose is to watch over Celestial eggs because one of their numbers failed to stop the birth of Galactus millions of years ago. X-51 then decides to destroy all Celestial eggs gestating inside the various planets within the universe. Reed repurposes his vibranium power network, hoping to destroy the Terrigen Mist.
Universe X With the Celestial embryo gone, Earth's mass is reduced, causing a shift in orbit and polarity as well as drastic worldwide climate changes. The Tong of Creel, a cult dedicated to reassembling Absorbing Man, begins killing those who hold his fragments. Under Mephisto's influence, Pope Immortus founds a church advocating mutant dominance of the galaxy and the destruction of Reed's network. Meanwhile, Mar-Vell is reincarnated as the child of Him and Her, though his soul remains in the Realm of the Dead. Captain America becomes Mar-Vell's guardian and embarks on a worldwide quest with him to deal with Earth's mutant population and prepare for an impending war in the Realm of the Dead. Arriving at Zero Street, the duo is attacked by the Night People, and Captain America sacrifices his life to save Mar-Vell.
Mar-Vell reveals that other than creating constructivist safeguards to stop species that they modified from being able to challenge their supremacy, the Celestials also schemed to manipulate causality and fatalism by helping to create beings such as death and Mephisto to distort truth and reality. Mar-Vell also discovered that beings that travel through time actually create new universes in the process of doing so and Celestials, acting through others such as Mephisto, encouraged time travel as it created entirely new universes for the Celestial to inhabit and grow in number.
When the Tong of Creel finally reassembles Absorbing Man in New York, Absorbing Man absorbs Manhattan itself, adding its buildings and streets to his being. However, Loki and Iron Maiden convince Absorbing Man to transform himself into vibranium and use his mass to stabilize Earth's fluctuating orbit and polarity. Meanwhile, in the Realm of the Dead, Mar-Vell leads an army of deceased heroes and villains against Thanos and Death. With the artifacts collected by himself and Captain America in his possession, Mar-Vell shows Thanos how Death has manipulated him and convinces Thanos to use the Ultimate Nullifier on the entity.
Paradise X
With Death destroyed, Mar-Vell constructs a Paradise in the center of the Negative Zone for the dead to inhabit. However, the living find themselves unable to die.
Meanwhile, X-51 decides that the inhabitants of alternate Earths should be warned about the Celestial embryos he believes are growing within their planets. He spreads the alarm across the multiverse by recruiting and dispatching Heralds from alternate timelines such as Bloodstorm (Ororo Munroe, Earth-1298), Deathlok (Luther Manning, Earth-7484), Hyperion (Earth-1121), Killraven (Earth-691), Iron Man 2020 (Earth-8410), Spider-Girl (Earth-1122), and Wolverine (Days of Future Past, Earth-811).
After banishing the Watchers of Earth-9997 to alternate worlds with the hope that their presence will lead to the discovery and destruction of each Celestial embryo, X-51 takes his Heralds to his Earth, where he will aid each in achieving their wishes. In Mar-Vell's Paradise, the High Evolutionary's equipment transforms the souls of Black Bolt, Captain America, Daredevil (Matt Murdock), Doctor Doom, Giant-Man, Phoenix, and Tony Stark into the Avenging Host, charged with ushering souls from the Realm of the Dead to Paradise. Those who enter Paradise consume a piece of the Cosmic Cube, enabling them to create their own, seemingly perfect pocket reality. But as more souls enter Paradise, it begins to expand and consume entire worlds within the Negative Zone, causing Blastaar and Annihilus to attack the Baxter Building in New York.
Reed Richards, Bruce Banner, Beast, and several other scientists convene to discuss a solution to Death's absence. They decide to access the imprisoned Jude the Entropic Man, who can turn others to dust on contact, and synthesize his essence into a chemical to end the suffering of those unable to die. With the chemical complete, Reed, growing suspicious of Mar-Vell's motives, plans to use Pym Particles to slow Paradise's growth. Mephisto frees Jude from captivity, convincing him to go on a killing spree. With the help of Merlin, Doctor Strange, Psylocke and the sacrifice of Meggan, King Britain uses Excalibur to kill Mephisto. Meanwhile, in Paradise, Reed and a legion of heroes confront Mar-Vell. After Paradise is nearly conquered in the name of the Supreme Intelligence by the arriving souls of the Kree military, Mar-Vell explains to Reed that the latter will become the new Eternity.
Using his new role as Eternity, Reed ends the conflict and frees the remaining heroes from their Cosmic Cube-induced dream-worlds. Once this is accomplished, Mar-Vell explains to Reed that his plan is to build a wall around their universe, preventing further influence from the Celestials. Feeling that his work is not yet complete, Mar-Vell tells the people of Paradise that he is going to the source of Excalibur, which is strongly implied to be the original universe.
Marvels X In 2020, Marvel published Marvels X, a prequel to Earth X written by Krueger. It focuses on the last normal human being on Earth named David as he deals with the aftermath of the Terrigen Mist that turns most of the individuals of Earth into super powered beings and freaks.
Characters (Earth X and Universe X) Uatu – Uatu has been blinded and has not been able to watch the Earth for twenty years, and has become very nihilistic and callous. Machine Man – A transparent Machine Man has become the New Watcher after Uatu became blind, and ultimately renders Uatu useless by removing his source of hearing, annoyed at his assurance at the heroes' defeat.
Avengers Steve Rogers / Captain America – Steve Rogers / Captain America is 100 years old and showing his age, although still in physically good shape. He has become a broken, haunted man who struggles to maintain hope in defending the nation whose name he bears. He bears an A-shaped scar on his forehead. T'Challa / Black Panther – T'Challa / Black Panther was mutated into a humanoid panther.