Apocalypse: The Twelve
Encyclopedia
The Twelve is a comic book
crossover
storyline published by Marvel Comics
in March 2000.
, who would later become Madame Sanctity. Adrift in the timestream, Tanya was rescued by Rachel Summers
, in her guise of Mother Askani, who took her to the future and there healed her mind. This future, under the rule of Apocalypse, was somber and grim, and Tanya sought to change it. She traveled back in time, three years before the formation of the X-Men, despite Mother Askani's warnings not to do so, and attempted to contact her father, Bolivar Trask
. Rachel followed her and stopped her from revealing herself to her father, but not before Tanya could tamper with her father's creation, Master Mold
, and upload a program called "The Twelve".
Years later, as Cyclops pondered his relationship with Madelyne Pryor
in Alaska, he was attacked by Master Mold, who claimed Cyclops was one of the Twelve and had to be killed. Master Mold was stopped, but not before revealing several other possible members of the Twelve, such as Charles Xavier
, Apocalypse
, Storm, Jean Grey
and Franklin Richards
among others.
Master Mold survived the encounter and later faced Power Pack
in an attempt to kill Franklin Richards. As the youngsters fought the demented robot, he revealed the nature of the Twelve: "The dozen mutant humans who will one day rise up and lead all of mutantkind in war against homo sapiens in the twilight of Earth." He was stopped, but not before revealing several other possible candidates, including Danielle Moonstar
, Cannonball
and Psylocke
.
The subsequent mention of the Twelve came from Apocalypse himself, claiming that not only he was one of the "fabled Twelve", but so too were all five original X-Men, Charles Xavier, Storm, Cannonball and Cable.
As the new millennium approached, a series of events led to the return of Apocalypse. Cable was witness to said events — the darkening of New York City, the arrival of the Harbinger of Apocalypse, and several other signs. Mother Askani's astral form revealed herself to Cable, implanting the knowledge of who the Twelve were. Sadly, he never had the opportunity to find them.
With the death of Wolverine's imposter, the X-Men reunited at the mansion, only to discover it wasn't truly Wolverine who had died, but a Skrull. The infiltrator had been found. To save Polaris from abduction, Cyclops took her place using an image inducer, and the X-Men followed him to the Skrulls' lair, where they were attacked by Death, Apocalypse's most lethal and fiercest Horseman, the same person responsible for the death of the fake Wolverine. After a heavy battle, Death was unmasked by Colossus. The X-Men were surprised to see their newest enemy was in truth the real Wolverine. Death escaped, leaving the X-Men with half-truths and enigmas that needed solving.
Soon after, Xavier revealed the "List of Twelve", written in Destiny's Diary. The Twelve were:
The Horsemen of Apocalypse kidnapped Cable, Mikhail Rasputin, Iceman, Sunfire and the Living Monolith. The X-Men, with Magneto's help, rushed to Egypt, to Apocalypse's lair. They were soon attacked by an army of Skrulls and followers of Apocalypse. Amidst the battle, Bishop, who had been trapped in an alternate future reality, appeared out of thin air, furthering the confusion. Thanks to illusions and lies, the agents of Apocalypse were able to kidnap all remaining members of the Twelve. Their true role was then explained at last. Placing the Twelve inside containment cells, part of an ages-old Celestial machine, Apocalypse revealed his plan was to siphon the energies of the "Eleven of Power" through the Living Monolith to start the machine, which would grant him omnipotence. Apocalypse explained the role of each mutant: Polaris and Magneto were opposing magnetic poles; Storm, Iceman and Sunfire were extreme forces of nature; Cyclops, Jean, and Cable represented the unity of family; Bishop and Mikhail provided control over time and space; and Xavier provided the power of pure thought. However, Apocalypse knew his frail, centuries-old body would not be able to withstand such power. And that's when he revealed the thirteenth mutant, the X-Man, Nate Grey. He intended to transfer his consciousness into Nate's young body and then use the energies of the Twelve to evolve.
He began the process, but Magneto's then-recent power loss was something Apocalypse had not counted, and soon his energies were depleted, creating a break in the chain of power. Apocalypse increased the flow of energies, attempting to bypass the break, but this drove the Living Monolith insane, destroying his containment unit and starting a rampage that unwillingly released the X-Men. While half of the team battled the Monolith, the other half attempted to stop Apocalypse. Jean Grey exposed the true nature of Apocalypse, showing his rotting body inside his armor. As he tried to enter Nate Grey's body, Cyclops took his place, sacrificing himself to save Nate. Jean attempted to contact her husband's mind, but Xavier claimed there was nothing of Cyclops left inside Apocalypse. Using the energies of the Twelve, Apocalypse re-made reality twice, attempting to re-create the process once more and finish his transformation. He was unable to do so, for the X-Men fought him both times, in the past and the future. His energies spent, he and the Living Monolith escaped. The X-Men had prevented Apocalypse from becoming a god, at the seeming expense of Cyclops' life. Heartbroken over her husband's death, Jean took a leave of absence from the X-Men.
The story carries on into the Ages of Apocalypse
arc.
Cable
, Nate Grey
, Mikhail Rasputin
, Living Monolith
and Magneto
were all also primary characters.
, Moira MacTaggert
, Irene Merryweather
, Stacey Kramer (Cable’s girlfriend), Kenny Kramer (brother to Stacey Kramer), Franklin Richards
, Abraham Kieros
, Mister Sinister
, Madelyne Pryor
and Fantastic Four
members: Mister Fantastic
, Invisible Woman
, Human Torch
and Thing
were all secondary characters in the story. The Eternals
were also involved, appearing in a story which revealed their encounters with Apocalypse over the years.
The Apocalypse: The Twelve crossover proper was contained in the following comic books:
The crossover also led directly into the Ages of Apocalypse
.
:
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...
crossover
Fictional crossover
A fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
storyline 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...
in March 2000.
Background
The story of the Twelve begins with a young mutant by the name of Tanya TraskMadame Sanctity
Madame Sanctity is a Marvel Comics character created by Scott Lobdell, Jeph Loeb and Gene Ha. She first appeared in Askani'Son #1, though her true identity was revealed in Uncanny X-Men # -1...
, who would later become Madame Sanctity. Adrift in the timestream, Tanya was rescued by Rachel Summers
Rachel Summers
Rachel Anne Summers is a fictional character, a comic book superheroine created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne for Marvel Comics....
, in her guise of Mother Askani, who took her to the future and there healed her mind. This future, under the rule of Apocalypse, was somber and grim, and Tanya sought to change it. She traveled back in time, three years before the formation of the X-Men, despite Mother Askani's warnings not to do so, and attempted to contact her father, Bolivar Trask
Bolivar Trask
Bolivar Trask is a fictional character and a military scientist in the Marvel Comics universe. He first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #14 . He is the creator of the Sentinels.-Fictional character biography:...
. Rachel followed her and stopped her from revealing herself to her father, but not before Tanya could tamper with her father's creation, Master Mold
Master Mold
Master Mold is a fictional character, a robot supervillain in the Marvel Universe. Since his primary purpose was to act as a portable Sentinel-creating factory, and the Sentinel robots were primarily used to hunt mutants, Master Mold has almost exclusively appeared in the X-Men and related,...
, and upload a program called "The Twelve".
Years later, as Cyclops pondered his relationship with Madelyne Pryor
Madelyne Pryor
Madelyne Pryor is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. As the love interest and first wife of X-Men leader Cyclops , she became a long-standing member of the X-Men supporting cast, until a series of traumas — being abandoned by her husband, losing her infant son, and...
in Alaska, he was attacked by Master Mold, who claimed Cyclops was one of the Twelve and had to be killed. Master Mold was stopped, but not before revealing several other possible members of the Twelve, such as Charles Xavier
Professor X
Professor Charles Francis Xavier, also known as Professor X, is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero known as the leader and founder of the X-Men....
, Apocalypse
Apocalypse (comics)
Apocalypse is a fictional character who is an ancient mutant that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Factor #5 , created by writer Louise Simonson and designed by artist Walter Simonson...
, Storm, Jean Grey
Jean Grey
Jean Grey-Summers is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix, and Dark Phoenix and is best known as one of five original members of the X-Men, for her relationship with Cyclops, and for her...
and Franklin Richards
Franklin Richards
Franklin Richards is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, usually as a supporting character in Fantastic Four.Franklin is an Omega-Level mutant with vast psionic and reality-manipulating powers...
among others.
Master Mold survived the encounter and later faced Power Pack
Power Pack
Power Pack is a fictional team of comic book superheroes consisting of four young siblings who appear in books published by Marvel Comics. They were created by writer Louise Simonson and artist June Brigman and first appeared in their own series in 1984. The series lasted 62 issues...
in an attempt to kill Franklin Richards. As the youngsters fought the demented robot, he revealed the nature of the Twelve: "The dozen mutant humans who will one day rise up and lead all of mutantkind in war against homo sapiens in the twilight of Earth." He was stopped, but not before revealing several other possible candidates, including Danielle Moonstar
Danielle Moonstar
Danielle "Dani" Moonstar, originally codenamed Psyche and later Mirage, is a fictional Marvel Comics superheroine associated with the X-Men....
, Cannonball
Cannonball (comics)
Cannonball is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero, associated with the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Bob McLeod, Cannonball first appeared in Marvel Graphic Novel #4: The New Mutants ....
and Psylocke
Psylocke
Psylocke is a fictional character depicted in comic books published by Marvel Comics, most notably those comics featuring the superhero team the X-Men. The character has also appeared in licensed adaptations. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Herb Trimpe, she first appeared in the UK...
.
The subsequent mention of the Twelve came from Apocalypse himself, claiming that not only he was one of the "fabled Twelve", but so too were all five original X-Men, Charles Xavier, Storm, Cannonball and Cable.
As the new millennium approached, a series of events led to the return of Apocalypse. Cable was witness to said events — the darkening of New York City, the arrival of the Harbinger of Apocalypse, and several other signs. Mother Askani's astral form revealed herself to Cable, implanting the knowledge of who the Twelve were. Sadly, he never had the opportunity to find them.
Plot synopsis
Apocalypse began his attack by planting a fake Wolverine among the ranks of the X-Men. This led Xavier, who suspected the infiltration, to disband the X-Men. The X-Men parted ways, and soon after, Rogue and Shadowcat found themselves protecting Mystique from Japan's military, the Yakiba. As Rogue fought Sunfire and his men, Kitty watched over Mystique and found, unwillingly, Destiny's diary. The diary itself had a very cryptic description of a "thirteenth" and told that the Twelve would be involved in the destruction of the world.With the death of Wolverine's imposter, the X-Men reunited at the mansion, only to discover it wasn't truly Wolverine who had died, but a Skrull. The infiltrator had been found. To save Polaris from abduction, Cyclops took her place using an image inducer, and the X-Men followed him to the Skrulls' lair, where they were attacked by Death, Apocalypse's most lethal and fiercest Horseman, the same person responsible for the death of the fake Wolverine. After a heavy battle, Death was unmasked by Colossus. The X-Men were surprised to see their newest enemy was in truth the real Wolverine. Death escaped, leaving the X-Men with half-truths and enigmas that needed solving.
Soon after, Xavier revealed the "List of Twelve", written in Destiny's Diary. The Twelve were:
- MagnetoMagneto (comics)Magneto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is the central villain of the X-Men comic, as well as the TV show and the films. The character first appears in X-Men #1 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby...
and PolarisPolaris (comics)Polaris is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular the X-Men family of books. Created by Arnold Drake, Don Heck, Werner Roth and Jim Steranko, Polaris first appeared in The X-Men #49...
, representing opposing magnetic poles. - Storm, Sunfire and IcemanIceman (comics)Iceman is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero, a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, he first appeared in X-Men vol. 1 #1, ....
, representing the elements (with Storm evolving into a primal elemental force). - CyclopsCyclops (comics)Cyclops is a fictional character, the leader of the X-Men superhero team in the . A mutant, Cyclops emits a powerful energy beam from his eyes...
, PhoenixJean GreyJean Grey-Summers is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix, and Dark Phoenix and is best known as one of five original members of the X-Men, for her relationship with Cyclops, and for her...
and CableCable (comics)Cable is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared as an infant in Uncanny X-Men #201...
, representing family (Father, Mother, Child), and chosen for the power of the Summers-Grey bloodline. - BishopBishop (comics)Bishop is a fictional comic book superhero, appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular the X-Men family of books...
and Mikhail RasputinMikhail RasputinMikhail Nikolaievitch Rasputin is a Marvel Comics supervillain, older brother of Colossus of the X-Men and Magik of the New Mutants. Created by Jim Lee and John Byrne, he first appeared in Uncanny X-Men ....
, representing time and space, respectively. - Professor XProfessor XProfessor Charles Francis Xavier, also known as Professor X, is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero known as the leader and founder of the X-Men....
, representing the mind. - The Living MonolithLiving MonolithThe Living Monolith is a fictional character, a supervillain in the . He first appeared in X-Men #54 .Abdol was the Living Pharaoh while in his normal appearance, but once he obtained enough cosmic energy, he would increase in mass, size, and power, thus becoming the Living Monolith.Abdol has...
as the core.
The Horsemen of Apocalypse kidnapped Cable, Mikhail Rasputin, Iceman, Sunfire and the Living Monolith. The X-Men, with Magneto's help, rushed to Egypt, to Apocalypse's lair. They were soon attacked by an army of Skrulls and followers of Apocalypse. Amidst the battle, Bishop, who had been trapped in an alternate future reality, appeared out of thin air, furthering the confusion. Thanks to illusions and lies, the agents of Apocalypse were able to kidnap all remaining members of the Twelve. Their true role was then explained at last. Placing the Twelve inside containment cells, part of an ages-old Celestial machine, Apocalypse revealed his plan was to siphon the energies of the "Eleven of Power" through the Living Monolith to start the machine, which would grant him omnipotence. Apocalypse explained the role of each mutant: Polaris and Magneto were opposing magnetic poles; Storm, Iceman and Sunfire were extreme forces of nature; Cyclops, Jean, and Cable represented the unity of family; Bishop and Mikhail provided control over time and space; and Xavier provided the power of pure thought. However, Apocalypse knew his frail, centuries-old body would not be able to withstand such power. And that's when he revealed the thirteenth mutant, the X-Man, Nate Grey. He intended to transfer his consciousness into Nate's young body and then use the energies of the Twelve to evolve.
He began the process, but Magneto's then-recent power loss was something Apocalypse had not counted, and soon his energies were depleted, creating a break in the chain of power. Apocalypse increased the flow of energies, attempting to bypass the break, but this drove the Living Monolith insane, destroying his containment unit and starting a rampage that unwillingly released the X-Men. While half of the team battled the Monolith, the other half attempted to stop Apocalypse. Jean Grey exposed the true nature of Apocalypse, showing his rotting body inside his armor. As he tried to enter Nate Grey's body, Cyclops took his place, sacrificing himself to save Nate. Jean attempted to contact her husband's mind, but Xavier claimed there was nothing of Cyclops left inside Apocalypse. Using the energies of the Twelve, Apocalypse re-made reality twice, attempting to re-create the process once more and finish his transformation. He was unable to do so, for the X-Men fought him both times, in the past and the future. His energies spent, he and the Living Monolith escaped. The X-Men had prevented Apocalypse from becoming a god, at the seeming expense of Cyclops' life. Heartbroken over her husband's death, Jean took a leave of absence from the X-Men.
The story carries on into the Ages of Apocalypse
Ages of Apocalypse
"The Ages of Apocalypse" is a series of sub-chapters to Marvel Comics' "The Twelve" saga, wherein En Sabah Nur finds himself trapped in the body of Scott Summers after a failed attempt to possess Nate Grey. Using his newfound powers, Apocalypse warps reality several times, trying to get the...
arc.
Primary characters
| Team | Leader | Members | Notes |
| 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... |
Professor X Professor X Professor Charles Francis Xavier, also known as Professor X, is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero known as the leader and founder of the X-Men.... avier |
Archangel, Beast Beast (comics) Beast , Dr. Henry Philip "Hank" McCoy, is a comic book character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the mutant team of superheroes known as the X-Men... , Colossus Colossus (comics) Colossus is a fictional character, a superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Len Wein and illustrator Dave Cockrum, he first appeared in Giant-Size X-Men #1... , Cyclops Cyclops (comics) Cyclops is a fictional character, the leader of the X-Men superhero team in the . A mutant, Cyclops emits a powerful energy beam from his eyes... , Gambit Gambit (comics) Gambit is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero that has been a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Jim Lee, the character first appeared briefly in Uncanny X-Men Annual #14 , weeks before a more comprehensive appearance in Uncanny X-Men #266... , Iceman Iceman (comics) Iceman is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero, a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, he first appeared in X-Men vol. 1 #1, .... , Marrow Marrow (comics) Marrow , is a Marvel Comics character, associated with the X-Men. She is a mutant whose bones grow out of her skin and can be removed from her body, providing her with potential knives and clubs as well as body armor.... , Nightcrawler Nightcrawler (comics) Nightcrawler is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the Marvel Universe. He has been associated with both the X-Men and Excalibur, originally appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Len Wein and artist Dave Cockrum, he debuted in Giant-Size X-Men #1... , Phoenix Jean Grey Jean Grey-Summers is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix, and Dark Phoenix and is best known as one of five original members of the X-Men, for her relationship with Cyclops, and for her... , Polaris Polaris (comics) Polaris is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular the X-Men family of books. Created by Arnold Drake, Don Heck, Werner Roth and Jim Steranko, Polaris first appeared in The X-Men #49... , Psylocke Psylocke Psylocke is a fictional character depicted in comic books published by Marvel Comics, most notably those comics featuring the superhero team the X-Men. The character has also appeared in licensed adaptations. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Herb Trimpe, she first appeared in the UK... , Rogue Rogue (comics) Rogue was first slated to appear in Ms. Marvel #25 , but the book's abrupt cancellation left her original introduction story unpublished for over a decade, before seeing print in Marvel Super Heroes #11 in 1992. Rogue's first published appearance was in Avengers Annual #10... , Shadowcat, Storm, Wolverine Wolverine (comics) Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing... Former Members: Bishop Bishop (comics) Bishop is a fictional comic book superhero, appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular the X-Men family of books... , Sunfire |
|
| X-Force X-Force X-Force is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero team, one of several spin-offs of the popular X-Men franchise. Conceived by writer/illustrator Rob Liefeld, the team was formed in New Mutants, vol. 1 #100 and soon afterwards was featured in its own series.The group was a new incarnation of the 1980s... |
Cannonball Cannonball (comics) Cannonball is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero, associated with the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Bob McLeod, Cannonball first appeared in Marvel Graphic Novel #4: The New Mutants .... , Domino Domino (comics) Domino is a Marvel Comics character, best known as a member of the X-Men offshoot X-Force. Created by writer Fabian Nicieza and artist/co-writer Rob Liefeld, she first fully appeared in X-Force, vol... , Warpath Warpath (comics) James Proudstar, previously known as the second Thunderbird but also known as Warpath, is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero associated with the X-Men.... |
||
| Generation X Generation X (comics) Generation X is a fictional comic book superhero team, a spin-off of the X-Men franchise published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Scott Lobdell and artist Chris Bachalo, the team formed during the 1994 "Phalanx Covenant" storyline, and appeared in their own monthly series in September 1994... |
Jubilee | ||
| Horseman of Apocalypse | Apocalypse Apocalypse (comics) Apocalypse is a fictional character who is an ancient mutant that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Factor #5 , created by writer Louise Simonson and designed by artist Walter Simonson... |
Death Wolverine (comics) Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing... (Wolverine), War Deathbird Deathbird is a fictional character. She is a Marvel Comics supervillainess, an adversary of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Dave Cockrum, she first appeared in Ms. Marvel #9.... (Deathbird), Famine Ahab (comics) Ahab , a fictional character who is a cyborg supervillain from the future in the Marvel Comics universe. He is a native of the "Days of Future Past" timeline that first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #141... (Ahab), Pestilence Caliban (comics) Caliban is a mutant character in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:Caliban's first appearance was in Uncanny X-Men #148 , written by Chris Claremont and illustrated by Dave Cockrum.-Fictional character biography:... (Caliban) |
|
| Cadre K | Z'Cann | Fiz | Cadre K are a group of mutant Skrull Skrull The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The Skrulls first appeared in Fantastic Four #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.... , they were originally founded by Professor Xavier. |
Cable
Cable (comics)
Cable is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared as an infant in Uncanny X-Men #201...
, Nate Grey
Nate Grey
Nathaniel "Nate" Grey is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular those related to the X-Men franchise...
, Mikhail Rasputin
Mikhail Rasputin
Mikhail Nikolaievitch Rasputin is a Marvel Comics supervillain, older brother of Colossus of the X-Men and Magik of the New Mutants. Created by Jim Lee and John Byrne, he first appeared in Uncanny X-Men ....
, Living Monolith
Living Monolith
The Living Monolith is a fictional character, a supervillain in the . He first appeared in X-Men #54 .Abdol was the Living Pharaoh while in his normal appearance, but once he obtained enough cosmic energy, he would increase in mass, size, and power, thus becoming the Living Monolith.Abdol has...
and Magneto
Magneto (comics)
Magneto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is the central villain of the X-Men comic, as well as the TV show and the films. The character first appears in X-Men #1 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby...
were all also primary characters.
Secondary characters
Fabian CortezFabian Cortez
Fabian Cortez is a fictional character, a mutant comic book supervillain from the Marvel Comics universe and an adversary of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and writer/illustrator Jim Lee, he first appeared in X-Men #1 ....
, Moira MacTaggert
Moira MacTaggert
Dr. Moira Kinross MacTaggert is a fictional character appearing in X-Men stories in the Marvel Comics universe. She works as a geneticist and is an expert in mutant affairs. Olivia Williams played a minor role of Dr. Moira MacTaggert in X-Men: The Last Stand...
, Irene Merryweather
Irene Merryweather
Irene Merryweather, also known as the Chronicler, is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. A former reporter, she now acts as a friend and confidante of Cable and was formerly his Chief of Staff at Providence before its destruction.-Fictional character biography:Irene...
, Stacey Kramer (Cable’s girlfriend), Kenny Kramer (brother to Stacey Kramer), Franklin Richards
Franklin Richards
Franklin Richards is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, usually as a supporting character in Fantastic Four.Franklin is an Omega-Level mutant with vast psionic and reality-manipulating powers...
, Abraham Kieros
War (comics)
War is the name of three fictional characters, who are Marvel Comics supervillains. Two are discussed here: both members of the Four Horsemen of Apocalypse. the first War and Abraham Kieros...
, Mister Sinister
Mister Sinister
Mister Sinister is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #221 and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Marc Silvestri....
, Madelyne Pryor
Madelyne Pryor
Madelyne Pryor is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. As the love interest and first wife of X-Men leader Cyclops , she became a long-standing member of the X-Men supporting cast, until a series of traumas — being abandoned by her husband, losing her infant son, and...
and 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...
members: Mister Fantastic
Mister Fantastic
Mr. Fantastic is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the Fantastic Four. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 ....
, Invisible Woman
Invisible Woman
Susan "Sue" Storm Richards is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superheroine created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby. The character first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 in November 1961, and was the first female superhero created by Marvel in the Silver Age of Comics...
, Human Torch
Human Torch
The Human Torch is a fictional character and superhero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, he is a member of the superhero team the Fantastic Four, debuting in The Fantastic Four #1...
and 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...
were all secondary characters in the story. The Eternals
Eternals (comics)
The Eternals are a fictional race of superhumans in the Marvel Comics universe. They are described as an offshoot of the evolutionary process that created sentient life on Earth. The original instigators of this process, the alien Celestials, intended the Eternals to be the defenders of Earth which...
were also involved, appearing in a story which revealed their encounters with Apocalypse over the years.
Crossover issues
The lead-in to the series, including the Wolverine impostor and the disbanding of the team, occurred in the following issues:- Uncanny X-Men #370-375
- X-Men (vol. 2) #91-95
- Astonishing X-MenAstonishing X-MenAstonishing X-Men is the name of three X-Men comic book series from Marvel Comics, the first two of which were limited series. The ongoing series began in 2004, with its first run written by Joss Whedon and art by John Cassaday. It was then written by Warren Ellis with art by Phil Jimenez. Daniel...
(vol. 2) #1-3
The Apocalypse: The Twelve crossover proper was contained in the following comic books:
- Uncanny X-Men #376
- Cable (vol. 1) #75
- X-Man #59
- X-Men (vol. 2) #96
- Wolverine (vol. 1) #146
- Wolverine (vol. 1) #147
- X-Man #60
- Uncanny X-Men #377
- Cable (vol. 1) #76
- X-Men (vol. 2) #97
The crossover also led directly into the Ages of Apocalypse
Ages of Apocalypse
"The Ages of Apocalypse" is a series of sub-chapters to Marvel Comics' "The Twelve" saga, wherein En Sabah Nur finds himself trapped in the body of Scott Summers after a failed attempt to possess Nate Grey. Using his newfound powers, Apocalypse warps reality several times, trying to get the...
.
Collected editions
The main stories have been collected into a number of trade paperbacksTrade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
:
- X-Men vs. Apocalypse: Volume 1: The Twelve (collects Cable (1993) #73-76, The Uncanny X-Men #376-377, Wolverine #145-147 and X-Men (vol. 2) #96-97, 312 pages, March 2007, ISBN 0-7851-2263-X)