BOOK

Real Name: Annika (last name unrevealed)

Identity/Class: Human (Genoshan) mutant

Group Membership: "Excalibur" (Broadband, Callisto, Dark Beast/Hank McCoy of Earth-295, Freakshow/Kevin, Shola Inkosi, Magneto/Max Eisenhardt, Omega Sentinel/Karima Shapandar, Professor X/Charles Xavier, Wicked)

Affiliations: Hack, Hub, Purge

Enemies: Chimere, Genoshan Magistrates, Unus' gang (Caiman, Glamour, Hub, Lightning Rod, Shocker/Randall Darby, Toad/Mortimer Toynbee, Toad-In-Waiting, Unus the Untouchable/Gunther Bain)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
                                  formerly Genosha 

First Appearance: Excalibur III#8 (February, 2005)

Powers/Abilities: Book's mutant powers make her "a living repository of human knowledge" which apparently makes her able to recall anything she ever read, suggesting the width of her knowledge borders on omniscience. Book has shown the ability to competently assist in complex surgery despite the fact she lacked any formal medical training. The speed with which she can absorb and process data has not been revealed.

Height: 5'8" (by approximation)
Weight: 180 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Blonde

History:

(Excalibur III#8 (fb) - BTS) - Through unrevealed ways, Annika came to live on Genosha, possibly some time after Cassandra Nova's Sentinels devastated the island. When Charles Xavier moved to Genosha to help rebuild the struggling nation, she joined Xavier's organization as Book, along with the young teenage mutant Broadcast, who was capable of hacking into and displaying any and all forms of electronic transmissions.

(Excalibur III#8) - Magneto planned to officially introduce Book and Broadcast to Xavier just as Charles was busy with the first serious steps to rebuild Genosha's infrastructure. While they waited for Charles to have a free moment, Broadband decided to go fishing, with Book looking on. Moments after he got a bite, only to find it was a mutated, inedible fish, Charles appeared in his astral form to meet him and Book. A little while later, Book watched as Broadband picked up a live news report about the destruction of Avengers Mansion and replayed it for his newfound allies. Magneto, busy constructing new settlements, heard the news and was so concerned for the fate of his children Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch that he used his magnetic powers to generate a wormhole that took him directly to New York City to investigate matters. Some time later, when everyone was asleep, Magneto returned with the unconscious Scarlet Witch.

(Excalibur III#10) - Book watched from a distance as Callisto and Karima got into an argument over Callisto's decision to send Dark Beast, Wicked and her spirit forms out on reconnaissance. A mission that ended with a severely injured Beast and a traumatized Wicked, suffering because her spirit forms were shred by the Sugar Man and his allies. Callisto and Karima decided to go out into the field themselves, while Book agreed to assist McCoy in operating on himself.

(Excalibur III#11) - On Genosha, Broadband picked up scraps of encrypted transmissions emanating from the nation of Zanzibar. He displayed the footage to his allies Book, Callisto, Karima and Shola Inkosi who recognized the people involved: Viper was fighting Husk and the local hero Ansari. Callisto and Karima decided to travel to Zanzibar and help stop Viper. Book was left in charge until they returned.

Comments: Created by Chris Claremont (writer), Aaron Lopresti (pencils), Greg Adams (inks).

Book's fate post M-day has not been revealed.

Profile by Norvo.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Book should not be confused with

• Book of Earth-928 ca. 2099 AD, mutant, former prisoner of Javier Belize @ X-Men 2099#31
• Book of Ultraverse, Quattro @ Solution#1
• Or any actual book