2099: World of Tomorrow
Encyclopedia
2099: World of Tomorrow was a comic book
series published by Marvel Comics
. The series continued incomplete storylines after all the other Marvel 2099
titles had been cancelled. This included X-Men 2099
, Spider-Man 2099
, X-Nation 2099
, Hulk 2099
, Doom 2099
and the Fantastic Four 2099
.
, Latveria
, or on boats. The Thing
leads an expedition to Mars
, with members of X-Nation, to assess the chances of evacuating Earth. The Sorceress Supreme, Mlle Strange, battles Garokk
the Petrified Man deep beneath the Savage Land
. Uproar
and Wulff
are forced to battle in gladiatorial combat in a collosseum aboard a pirate ship owned by The Vulture
. The X-Men 2099
struggle to build a community uniting humans and mutants. The Fantastic Four
are torn between the desire to help save and rebuild this world, and their quest to return to their own time. There is an invasion by the Phalanx
, the alien adversaries of the X-Men
. Spider-Man forms an uneasy alliance with Dr. Doom
to prevent Earth from being converted by the Transmode Virus. All the storylines except for Strange's converge in the climax of The Phalanx War. Eventually, Dr. Doom sacrifices his life to destroy the Phalanx on Earth, while Twilight
brings reinforcements of aboriginal Martians to destroy the Phalanx in orbit. Nostromo
(of X-Nation) becomes the new heir to Latveria
, and Spider-Man goes searching for his missing brother Gabe. The series ends after only 8 issues.
The most obviously dangling plot-thread is that the Thing
is never seen again after issue 1. In issue 2, the rest of the Fantastic Four
return to their own time without him. His crash-landing on Mars could certainly be seen as a death scene, but if so it's one of the lowest key exits for a major hero that Marvel have ever done.
Bizarrely, the final page of the final issue, rather than tying up any of the many dangling stories (such as the battle between Strange and Garokk) chooses instead to start another mystery surrounding the resurrection of Ghost Rider 2099
. This suggests that the cancellation was quite sudden and unexpected, even to the creative team. It was followed by the 2099: Manifest Destiny one-shot in March 1998.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
series published by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
. The series continued incomplete storylines after all the other Marvel 2099
Marvel 2099
Marvel 2099 is a Marvel Comics imprint, started in 1992, that explores one possible future of the Marvel Universe. It was originally announced by Stan Lee in his "Stan's Soapbox" column as a single series entitled The Marvel World of Tomorrow, which was being developed by Lee and John Byrne...
titles had been cancelled. This included X-Men 2099
X-Men 2099
X-Men 2099 was a comic book series published by Marvel Comics from 1993 to 1996 that chronicled the adventures of an X-Men team in the year 2099. It extends the Marvel 2099 imprint, which features other future versions of popular Marvel characters, such as Spider-Man 2099 and Hulk 2099...
, Spider-Man 2099
Spider-Man 2099
Spider-Man 2099 is a fictional comic book superhero, created by Peter David and Rick Leonardi in 1992 for Marvel Comics' Marvel 2099 line. His secret alter ego is Miguel O'Hara, a brilliant geneticist living in New York in the year 2099 A.D...
, X-Nation 2099
X-Nation 2099
X-Nation 2099 was a comic book series created by Marvel Comics for their Marvel 2099 imprint. It depicts the course of events in a team of young mutants' lives. The series only lasted six issues.-Fictional team biography:...
, Hulk 2099
Hulk 2099
Hulk 2099 is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Gerard Jones and Dwayne Turner and first appeared in 2099 Unlimited #1...
, Doom 2099
Doom 2099
Doom is a Marvel Comics anti-hero featured in the Marvel 2099 comic book series Doom 2099. The character is based on Doctor Doom, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
and the Fantastic Four 2099
Fantastic Four 2099
Fantastic Four 2099 was a comic book series published by Marvel Comics, featuring the adventures of the Fantastic Four in the alternate future of Marvel 2099...
.
Plot
There are several interweaving plot threads. The world has been devastated by global flooding after the polar ice-caps melted, and 90% of the world's population died. The remaining heroes and humans gather in the Savage LandSavage Land
The Savage Land is a hidden prehistoric land within the fictional Marvel Comics Universe. It is a tropical preserve hidden in Antarctica. It was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in X-Men #10...
, Latveria
Latveria
Latveria is a nation in the . It is an isolated European country ruled by the supervillain Doctor Doom, supposedly located in the Banat region. It is surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains, and also borders the Symkaria to the south. Its capital is Doomstadt.-Publication history:Latveria first...
, or on boats. The Thing
Thing (comics)
The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
leads an expedition to Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
, with members of X-Nation, to assess the chances of evacuating Earth. The Sorceress Supreme, Mlle Strange, battles Garokk
Garokk
Garokk, also known as the Petrified Man, is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Astonishing Tales vol. 1 #2 and was created by Roy Thomas and Jack Kirby....
the Petrified Man deep beneath the Savage Land
Savage Land
The Savage Land is a hidden prehistoric land within the fictional Marvel Comics Universe. It is a tropical preserve hidden in Antarctica. It was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in X-Men #10...
. Uproar
Uproar
Uproar is a fictional mutant character created by Marvel Comics for their Marvel 2099 run X-Men 2099 but later migrated into the pages of X-Nation 2099...
and Wulff
Wulff (comics)
Wulff is a fictional mutant character created by Marvel Comics for their Marvel 2099 run X-Men 2099 but later migrated into the pages of X-Nation 2099...
are forced to battle in gladiatorial combat in a collosseum aboard a pirate ship owned by The Vulture
Vulture (comics)
The Vulture is the name of six comic book supervillains in the Marvel Comics universe. The best known Vulture in the Marvel Universe is Adrian Toomes, an elderly enemy of Spider-Man created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko in The Amazing Spider-Man #2 .-Golden Age Vulture:In Young Men #26, a scientist...
. The X-Men 2099
X-Men 2099
X-Men 2099 was a comic book series published by Marvel Comics from 1993 to 1996 that chronicled the adventures of an X-Men team in the year 2099. It extends the Marvel 2099 imprint, which features other future versions of popular Marvel characters, such as Spider-Man 2099 and Hulk 2099...
struggle to build a community uniting humans and mutants. The Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
are torn between the desire to help save and rebuild this world, and their quest to return to their own time. There is an invasion by the Phalanx
Phalanx (comics)
The Phalanx are a fictional cybernetic species in the Marvel Comics universe. They have come in conflict with the X-Men and related groups on several occasions. They form a hive mind, linking each member by a telepathy-like system....
, the alien adversaries of the X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
. Spider-Man forms an uneasy alliance with Dr. Doom
Doom 2099
Doom is a Marvel Comics anti-hero featured in the Marvel 2099 comic book series Doom 2099. The character is based on Doctor Doom, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
to prevent Earth from being converted by the Transmode Virus. All the storylines except for Strange's converge in the climax of The Phalanx War. Eventually, Dr. Doom sacrifices his life to destroy the Phalanx on Earth, while Twilight
Twilight
Twilight is the time between dawn and sunrise or between sunset and dusk, during which sunlight scattering in the upper atmosphere illuminates the lower atmosphere, and the surface of the earth is neither completely lit nor completely dark. The sun itself is not directly visible because it is below...
brings reinforcements of aboriginal Martians to destroy the Phalanx in orbit. Nostromo
Nostromo (comics)
Nostromo is a fictional mutant character created by Marvel Comics for their Marvel 2099 run X-Nation 2099. This short-lived series only lasted six issues before being terminated.-Fictional character biography:...
(of X-Nation) becomes the new heir to Latveria
Latveria
Latveria is a nation in the . It is an isolated European country ruled by the supervillain Doctor Doom, supposedly located in the Banat region. It is surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains, and also borders the Symkaria to the south. Its capital is Doomstadt.-Publication history:Latveria first...
, and Spider-Man goes searching for his missing brother Gabe. The series ends after only 8 issues.
The most obviously dangling plot-thread is that the Thing
Thing (comics)
The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
is never seen again after issue 1. In issue 2, the rest of the Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
return to their own time without him. His crash-landing on Mars could certainly be seen as a death scene, but if so it's one of the lowest key exits for a major hero that Marvel have ever done.
Bizarrely, the final page of the final issue, rather than tying up any of the many dangling stories (such as the battle between Strange and Garokk) chooses instead to start another mystery surrounding the resurrection of Ghost Rider 2099
Ghost Rider 2099
Ghost Rider 2099 is a comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics, under the Marvel 2099 imprint, from 1994 to 1996.The series is set in the year 2099, in a dystopian possible future of the Marvel Universe, and features Kenshiro "Zero" Cochrane, a hacker who was killed but resurrected as...
. This suggests that the cancellation was quite sudden and unexpected, even to the creative team. It was followed by the 2099: Manifest Destiny one-shot in March 1998.