The-X-Species-Graphic-Novel-Sample

The X Species
SARAH
WESTERN UNIVERSITY, PRESENT DAY
“Long considered brutish cave dwellers,” Dr. Sarah
Parker surmised as she strode confidently across the
dimly lit stage. A slide of a life-like Neanderthal
with piercing eyes is projected on the screen behind
her.
Oft regarded as a faculty outcast, Sarah revels
in the euphoria of holding center stage as the packed
room of her fellow Archaeologists, and most abhorrent
critics, hang on to her every word.
Sarah pauses mid-step and turns examining the
Neanderthal on the screen to her rear. Briefly, her
eyes trace the primitive features of this early
hominid that has brought her much publicized academic
accolades as well as professional condemnation.
She turns back to the audience, an illustration
of a cartoon Neanderthal dragging his mate by her hair
appears next. Sarah offers the audience a slight
smile. “...and evolutionary challenged step-cousins.”
Slight laughter from the audience. Again she turns her
attention back to the slide. “We've come a long ways
girls.” More laughter.
A third slide materializes, this one depicting an
illustrated evolutionary time lapse from Ape to
Neanderthal to Modern Man. “Neanderthals were believed
to be bred out of existence by modern Homo Sapiens,”
Sarah continues in a tone that conveys her skepticism.
“In 1921, influential Geneticist and Military
Strategist, Colonel Nikalov Sarkowsky, chronicled his
team's experience while on an Everest Reconnaissance
Expedition for the Russian government,” An aged black
and white photo of Sarkowsky and his team from atop a
snowy ridge on Mt. Everest emerges on screen.
“In his writings, Sarkowsky maintained his team
was attacked by, and I quote, 'An unknown hominid,
Neko Sparks 14