Read Online X-Men and the Mutant Metaphor by Joseph J.; Darowski - Free Book Online
Authors: Joseph J.; Darowski
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reaction the reader would expect after they have been warned that humans will not trust mutants. Oddly, this trend of characters describing prejudice but not encountering any discrimination continues for several more issues.
In the second issue, we see several unexpected displays from normal humans, especially considering how often we were warned that normal humans will fear mutants. After a threat appears in the form of the villainous mutant the Vanisher, the X-Men are called by Professor X to gather for battle. The X-Men had been out in New York City, and Angel and Marvel Girl must fly to meet the rest of the team. The narration explains that Angel stopped briefly to rest his wings when he “suffers a temporary setback” 4 (34). The setback is in the form of a mob of adoring women who, apparently unable to control themselves, throw themselves at him to get autographs and kisses. This behavior is as far from discriminatory as it is possible to get. A mob has formed not for the purpose of lynching a mutant, but because of loving him. A couple pages later, Cyclops is also stopped by a pair of construction workers he has saved from danger. One wants to shake Cyclops’s hand. He exclaims, “Say! You’re Cyclops aren’t you? One of the X-Men! I never thought you jokers were for real! Put it there, pal!” The other thanks Cyclops and asks how his powers work (36).
The most discriminatory behavior comes from the Vanisher toward normal humans. After publicity about his crime wave, perpetrated by using his ability to teleport from one location to another, has spread, “Every denizen of the underworld who isn’t in jail flocks to the side of the seemingly invincible Vanisher” (43). The criminals beg for the Vanisher to let them serve him, and he replies that “[i]t is only fitting that homo superior should be served by the inferior homo sapiens. Therefore I shall allow you to become my lackeys,” which prompts jubilant cheering from the just-insulted crowd (43).
The X-Men #5 (May 1964) features a fascinating moment, one that delves into many of the issues surrounding the perception of African American athletes from the white fan’s perspective. This is the first instance in the series where we see a mutant facing the same type of prejudice an African American in the United States may have faced. In the story, Magneto hopes to have the X-Men recruit the Toad, a member of his recently formed Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. To draw the X-Men’s attention, the Toad enters a track meet where he uses his mutant powers, leaping ability and greater agility, to perform feats no normal human could. His ploy works, and as the X-Men watch the track meet on television they conlude that he must be a mutant. However, the people in the crowd also react to the feats of the Toad, and rather than cheering the great performance they’ve just witnessed, they begin to yell and boo. In the end, the crowd is surrounding the Toad and threatening to attack him when the X-Men arrive to rescue him (114–115).
What is particularly interesting about this episode is the analysis of the crowd’s reaction provided by one of the X-Men: “They’re calling him ‘fake!’ They feel it must be a trick of some sort—they want to believe that—it makes them feel less inferior!” This argument reflects many interpretations of how white society has reacted to the rise and dominance of African American athletes in many professional sports.
When African Americans began to succeeed in sports, white commentators would often excuse a white athlete’s loss by explaining that African Americans were born with more innate talent. Thus, if a white athlete won, it was an example of David beating Goliath, whereas if an African American athlete won, it meant he was the benefit of a quirk of nature. One example of this concept is the persistent urban legend that African Americans have an extra muscle in their legs that allows them to run faster and jump higher
In the second issue, we see several unexpected displays from normal humans, especially considering how often we were warned that normal humans will fear mutants. After a threat appears in the form of the villainous mutant the Vanisher, the X-Men are called by Professor X to gather for battle. The X-Men had been out in New York City, and Angel and Marvel Girl must fly to meet the rest of the team. The narration explains that Angel stopped briefly to rest his wings when he “suffers a temporary setback” 4 (34). The setback is in the form of a mob of adoring women who, apparently unable to control themselves, throw themselves at him to get autographs and kisses. This behavior is as far from discriminatory as it is possible to get. A mob has formed not for the purpose of lynching a mutant, but because of loving him. A couple pages later, Cyclops is also stopped by a pair of construction workers he has saved from danger. One wants to shake Cyclops’s hand. He exclaims, “Say! You’re Cyclops aren’t you? One of the X-Men! I never thought you jokers were for real! Put it there, pal!” The other thanks Cyclops and asks how his powers work (36).
The most discriminatory behavior comes from the Vanisher toward normal humans. After publicity about his crime wave, perpetrated by using his ability to teleport from one location to another, has spread, “Every denizen of the underworld who isn’t in jail flocks to the side of the seemingly invincible Vanisher” (43). The criminals beg for the Vanisher to let them serve him, and he replies that “[i]t is only fitting that homo superior should be served by the inferior homo sapiens. Therefore I shall allow you to become my lackeys,” which prompts jubilant cheering from the just-insulted crowd (43).
The X-Men #5 (May 1964) features a fascinating moment, one that delves into many of the issues surrounding the perception of African American athletes from the white fan’s perspective. This is the first instance in the series where we see a mutant facing the same type of prejudice an African American in the United States may have faced. In the story, Magneto hopes to have the X-Men recruit the Toad, a member of his recently formed Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. To draw the X-Men’s attention, the Toad enters a track meet where he uses his mutant powers, leaping ability and greater agility, to perform feats no normal human could. His ploy works, and as the X-Men watch the track meet on television they conlude that he must be a mutant. However, the people in the crowd also react to the feats of the Toad, and rather than cheering the great performance they’ve just witnessed, they begin to yell and boo. In the end, the crowd is surrounding the Toad and threatening to attack him when the X-Men arrive to rescue him (114–115).
What is particularly interesting about this episode is the analysis of the crowd’s reaction provided by one of the X-Men: “They’re calling him ‘fake!’ They feel it must be a trick of some sort—they want to believe that—it makes them feel less inferior!” This argument reflects many interpretations of how white society has reacted to the rise and dominance of African American athletes in many professional sports.
When African Americans began to succeeed in sports, white commentators would often excuse a white athlete’s loss by explaining that African Americans were born with more innate talent. Thus, if a white athlete won, it was an example of David beating Goliath, whereas if an African American athlete won, it meant he was the benefit of a quirk of nature. One example of this concept is the persistent urban legend that African Americans have an extra muscle in their legs that allows them to run faster and jump higher
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