Connect with us
The man who made the X-Men possible!
Marvel Comics

Comic Books

Charles Darwin in X-Men comics, and the animated series

The man who made X-Men possible!

Science in comics is squishy. Almost by necessity! No one’s looking for an accurate physics lesson in Fantastic Four; you just want some family feels and spaceborne high adventure. Still, there’s one corner in comics that’s almost inextricably tied to a particular field of real-world science. AIPT has spilled a lot of pixels diving deep into the evolution and genetics of the next step (but not really) of human evolution, the mighty mutants of Marvel’s X-Men.

Much the same way that science is basically “high tech magic,” scientists also tend to get aggrandized in comics. Isaac Newton was indeed one of history’s most brilliant polymaths, but contrary to reports from Jonathan Hickman and Dustin Weaver, he was not also the mystical founder of a worldwide spy organization.

Listen to the latest episode of our weekly comics podcast!

But just like the science of the X-Men is a little more grounded (if you squint hard enough), so is Marvel’s depiction of the man who made the lore possible — Charles Darwin. The founder of the theory of evolution has appeared in comics and even in the beloved X-Men: The Animated Series. On both occasions, though, the gentleman naturalist was juxtaposed with a decidedly less disciplined counterpart.

The 1996 mini-series The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix sounds like it would be a callback to the Scott Lobdell and Gene Ha story that fleshed out Cable’s future backstory, but it’s really more connected  to Terry Kavanagh and Adam Pollina’s Rise of Apocalypse, which detailed the childhood and maturation of the world’s first major proponent of “survival of the fittest.” In Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix, by Peter Milligan and John Paul Leon, Apocalypse wakes from his suspended animation in 1859 London to find ongoing discussions in the Royal Society that are germane to his interests.

That’s where Nathaniel Essex, the father of a recently deceased child, is praising Darwin’s nascent theory of evolution in one breathe, while decrying its incompleteness in the next.

Charles Darwin in X-Men comics, and the animated series

Marvel Comics

And he’s right! At least somewhat. Humans (and every other living thing) do contain parcels of hereditary information. Today, we call them genes. But such things were indeed unknown to Darwin — microscopy and molecular science wouldn’t advance far enough for another century to identify the structure of DNA. This lack of a mechanism for evolution was a sticking point to Darwin’s contemporaries, perhaps rightfully so.

Essex’s first point could almost be seen as a description of punctuated equilibrium, which is on a little less solid theoretical ground. Formally proposed by Niles Eldredge and Stephen Jay Gould in 1972, punctuated equilibrium suggests that evolution is characterized by long periods of “stasis” with short bursts of change, in contrast to the “gradualism” that experts had taken for granted. Most evolutionary biologists agree that isolated populations can (and almost have to) evolve rapidly to compete, but some like Richard Dawkins argue that punctuated equilibrium has been “oversold” to the public, thanks to Gould’s popular science writing, and that most evolution really is incremental.

But Essex would also take things too far, with an abominable act that would draw due condemnation from Darwin himself, in perhaps the turning point that would eventually cause Essex to allow his apocalyptic transformation into the evil, centuries-spanning geneticist named Mr. Sinister.

Charles Darwin in X-Men comics, and the animated series

Marvel Comics

Charles Darwin in 'Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix'

Marvel Comics

Despite being revolutionary, Darwin actually could be rather conservative, too. A very religious man, he hesitated in putting forth a theory that would seemingly dethrone humans from their privileged position in nature, and only introduced evolution to his peers when it seemed like Alfred Russel Wallace was about to beat him to the punch.

The episode of X-Men: The Animated Series that adapted this story, titled “Descent,” digs even deeper, starting with a namedrop of Darwin’s landmark tome On the Origin of Species itself, and the direct quote, “I am convinced that Natural Selection has been the main but not exclusive means of modification.”

Here, Essex insists to Darwin that modern humans are no longer subject to natural selection, but Darwin shoots him down, saying, “man is still in direct competition with his fellows.” That might have been true in the mid-1800s, but in today’s industrialized world, anyone who wants children is typically able to have them, and barring tragedy, they all survive to adulthood. So to us, natural selection doesn’t really act anymore, but that doesn’t mean human evolution has stopped — there are plenty of other mechanisms, like genetic drift, that still continue.

“Descent” also plays up the religious reaction to evolution, with Darwin telling Essex “these are dangerous times for free-thinking men of science,” and asking James Xavier, the ancestor of Professor X, if he considered Darwin a “heretic or merely a madman.” In reality, religious thought at the time was mixed, with many institutions choosing to just ignore On the Origin of Species. The Anglican church officially opposed it and its implications, but many within the church didn’t immediately see what the big deal was.

It was really anatomist Thomas Huxley who pushed the issue between scripture and evolution, and championed the theory in general, earning him the nickname “Darwin’s bulldog.” A famous (possibly apocryphal) story holds that when Bishop Samuel Wilberforce cuttingly asked Huxley which side of his family lineage had all the monkeys, Huxley responded that he would not be ashamed to have a monkey as an ancestor, but he would be ashamed to be connected with a man who used his great gifts to obscure the truth.

Charles Darwin in X-Men comics, and the animated series

Essex, Xavier, and Darwin

Huxley took up the cause of evolution in part due to Darwin’s flagging health, which is also surprisingly depicted in “Descent.” Darwin fell prey to repeated bouts of illness throughout his life, with no real diagnosis ever emerging. He even hid chest pain and heart palpitations before his legendary trip to the Galapagos Islands on the HMS Beagle. After working tirelessly to release On the Origin of Species, Darwin’s health declined more regularly until his death in 1882.

Every February, to help celebrate Darwin Day, the Science section of AIPT cranks up the critical thinking for SKEPTICISM MONTH! Skepticism is an approach to evaluating claims that emphasizes evidence and applies the tools of science. All month we’ll be highlighting skepticism in pop culture, and skepticism *OF* pop culture. 

AIPT Science is co-presented by AIPT and the New York City Skeptics.

Join the AIPT Patreon

Want to take our relationship to the next level? Become a patron today to gain access to exclusive perks, such as:

  • ❌ Remove all ads on the website
  • 💬 Join our Discord community, where we chat about the latest news and releases from everything we cover on AIPT
  • 📗 Access to our monthly book club
  • 📦 Get a physical trade paperback shipped to you every month
  • 💥 And more!
Sign up today
Comments

In Case You Missed It

WWE SmackDown preview, full card: March 1, 2024 WWE SmackDown preview, full card: March 1, 2024

WWE SmackDown preview, full card: March 1, 2024

Pro Wrestling

AEW Dynamite preview, full card: February 28, 2024 AEW Dynamite preview, full card: February 28, 2024

AEW Dynamite preview, full card: February 28, 2024

Pro Wrestling

AEW Rampage preview, full card: March 1, 2024 AEW Rampage preview, full card: March 1, 2024

AEW Rampage preview, full card: March 1, 2024

Pro Wrestling

Marvel unveils the new villains Bloodcoven appearing in 'Blood Hunt' Marvel unveils the new villains Bloodcoven appearing in 'Blood Hunt'

Marvel unveils the new villains Bloodcoven appearing in ‘Blood Hunt’

Comic Books

Connect
Newsletter Signup