# If you lived in the Marvel Universe, would you be pro-mutant? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 3, 2003, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-lived-in-the-marvel-universe-would-you-be-pro-mutant/205273 "2003-10-03T05:07:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ResIpsaLoquitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b3f665/32.png) [@ResIpsaLoquitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ResIpsaLoquitor)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-lived-in-the-marvel-universe-would-you-be-pro-mutant/205273/1 "2003-10-03T05:07:45Z")
I was rereading JLA/Avengers #1 today and struck by the scene where the angry mob is chasing the young mutant. A number of the people chasing him were apparently the guy’s friends, teachers and neighbors. It strikes me that the Marvel Universe doesn’t seem very “enlightened” if it can still have public pogroms, even if the victims _are_ very scary looking. On the other hand, the Marvel U is in many ways meant to be an approximation of the real world…just with super-beings, aliens, and Galactus. (I say this a bit tounge-in-cheek…in theory, the Marvel Universe should be a VASTLY different place than our world. I can only imagine how different religion, politics, the economy and any number of things would be if we lived in a superhero world.) I realize that our society still has plenty of discrimination, but the prevailing view you sense from our culture, based on TV programs, the media, and academics is that we’re more enlightened. Non-caucasian races are more accepted, women can climb the social ladder and not be expected to be married mothers, and even homosexuality has made social leaps and bounds in the last decade.1 Still, mutants continue to get the shaft. I realize that it’s hard to blame the Marvel universe–your neighbor might shoot lasers out of his eyes, and Magneto has killed how many people? I’m still amazed that there isn’t a more prevailing sense of tolerance. When 9/11 happened, people continually said “Muslims aren’t bad people–it’s only _these_ people who are nuts.” Why can’t the same be said for mutants? So my question is not directed at anyone’s personal views–I presume that everyone here wouldn’t give anyone stigma based on race, gender, or in this case, cosmic genetic disposition. My question is whether you think that, based on the prevailing culture of the Marvel Universe, you–the average person–would be suckered in by the anti-mutant bias. 1 I was rereading _Action Comics_ #600 today, which has a scene where Lex Luthor threatens to blackmail Maggie Sawyer by making public the fact that she’s a homosexual. This part struck me as almost funny–this scene may have been believable in 1988, but by today’s standards, Maggie would probably be “out” and the threat likely wouldn’t carry as much weight. ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-lived-in-the-marvel-universe-would-you-be-pro-mutant/205273/2 "2003-10-03T05:23:37Z")
Actually, I’d probably BE a mutant. In fact, I think I already am… ---
**Author:** ![Vlad\_Dracul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/50afbb/32.png) [@Vlad\_Dracul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vlad_Dracul)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-lived-in-the-marvel-universe-would-you-be-pro-mutant/205273/3 "2003-10-03T05:33:18Z")
I get the impression that, while the unwashed masses tend to hate mutants, thinking people do not. The “X-Men” version of bigotry has always seemed a bit over-the-top to me, in any case. My personal view would probably be what it has always been toward everybody in this world: if they’re not hurting me or people I care about, I have no problem with them. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-lived-in-the-marvel-universe-would-you-be-pro-mutant/205273/4 "2003-10-03T05:44:37Z")
Well, remember that many mutants have what would be considered physical deformities. Add that to the undercurrent of danger that would be associated with the term (frome verything from eyebeams to invasive telepathy), and I wouldn’t be surprised if that hatred WAS widespread, though I really don’t know how over it would be, whether it’d be frequent mobs like the comics, or more institutional… ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-lived-in-the-marvel-universe-would-you-be-pro-mutant/205273/5 "2003-10-03T05:49:26Z")
In some cases the fear could be justified, too. What if the kid who sits next to you was a mutant whose power was to explode and his powers just happened to awaken during math? What if that guy’s optic blasts get too strong for his dinky little glasses all the sudden? What if someone’s already controlling your every thought and you don’t even know it? So mutants would be a little different from other minorities. Plus, even the good ones in the Marvel Universe engage in widespread vigilante activity, although that’s not nearly as strange there as it would be here. ---
**Author:** ![Daniel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Daniel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daniel)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-lived-in-the-marvel-universe-would-you-be-pro-mutant/205273/6 "2003-10-03T11:56:09Z")
And don’t forget they also have airplanes that come out of basketball courts. Seriously though, don’t forget how effective propaganda can be. You hear the same anti-mutant drivel every day, it’s no wonder you wind up calling the police when your brother turns out to be Iceman. ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-lived-in-the-marvel-universe-would-you-be-pro-mutant/205273/7 "2003-10-03T12:05:01Z")
I’d be pro-mutant, in theory. Mutants are people too, and thus deserve all the rights and priviliges blah blah blah. However, I’d also want mutants to be registered and closely monitored. Mutants that can’t/won’t control their powers or refrain from using them in public get comitted to training facilities, then special jails, then (if possible) surgery to nullify their powers. All after their day in court, of course. As for hiring practices, I’d be ambivalent. Someone like Quicksilver or Colosuss could replace a large crew of men. Do the rights of other workers trump the rights of these super-workers? ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-lived-in-the-marvel-universe-would-you-be-pro-mutant/205273/8 "2003-10-03T12:28:34Z")
> [@](#): > > However, I’d also want mutants to be registered and closely monitored. Mutants that can’t/won’t control their powers or refrain from using them in public get comitted to training facilities, then special jails, then (if possible) surgery to nullify their powers. All after their day in court, of course. Da. The problem is, in Marvel, there are endless supplies of super villains causing death, destruction, and chaos. This is not a good thing, and no, the heroes are not sufficient protection. All superpowered beings would have to register: some of them are just too dangerous. Professor X is, to me, the scariest man on the planet. Granted, its not really logical, and yes, its way over the top. ---
**Author:** ![ResIpsaLoquitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b3f665/32.png) [@ResIpsaLoquitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ResIpsaLoquitor)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-lived-in-the-marvel-universe-would-you-be-pro-mutant/205273/9 "2003-10-03T15:09:15Z")
> [@](#): > > Da. The problem is, in Marvel, there are endless supplies of super villains causing death, destruction, and chaos. This is not a good thing, and no, the heroes are not sufficient protection. They actually have superhero insurance in the Marvel U. It’s called “Damage Control,” and IMHO, it was one of the funniest Marvel books published. ---
**Author:** ![criminalcatalog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e68b1a/32.png) [@criminalcatalog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/criminalcatalog)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-lived-in-the-marvel-universe-would-you-be-pro-mutant/205273/10 "2003-10-03T15:45:19Z")
I would whine and whine that I didn’t have powers of my own. Many healthy normals might feel violated by the mutant population due to the inferiority they see themselves holding when compared to an overly-capable being. That element alone would generate a whole new genre of hate. ---
**Author:** ![Headcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6bbea6/32.png) [@Headcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Headcoat)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-lived-in-the-marvel-universe-would-you-be-pro-mutant/205273/11 "2003-10-03T17:54:28Z")
Why are mutants discriminated against whereas non-mutant superheroes are celebrated and beloved? Look at the way the public treats the Avengers or Fantastic Four and compare with the bigotry aimed at mutant counterparts. All things considered, is the Beast really any freakier than The Thing? How would people discern whether a super power is genetically endowed or accidentally granted (via magic, radiation, etc)? ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-lived-in-the-marvel-universe-would-you-be-pro-mutant/205273/12 "2003-10-03T18:01:28Z")
I’d be insanely jealous, myself. Has Marvel ever dealt with how superbeings affect sporting events, especially the Olympics? ---
**Author:** ![Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aslan_of_Narnia)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-lived-in-the-marvel-universe-would-you-be-pro-mutant/205273/13 "2003-10-03T18:11:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Menocchio \* > \*\* > > As for hiring practices, I’d be ambivalent. Someone like Quicksilver or Colosuss could replace a large crew of men. Do the rights of other workers trump the rights of these super-workers? \*\* You’d actually save money, by having super-powered workers replace the jobs of expensive machines. Why have a machine that costs hundreds of thousands(and will eventually need to be replaced or repaired) lift something heavy when you have a guy working at a worker’s wage to do it? Thus, the other workers still have a job. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-lived-in-the-marvel-universe-would-you-be-pro-mutant/205273/14 "2003-10-03T18:48:37Z")
Aslan, that super-worker would demand a wage equivalent of the price of those machines. He wouldn’t settle for a normal worker’s wage. All that is moot, because puny humans like us would be run out of business by vastly more intelligent mutants who would drive us out of the marketplace. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-lived-in-the-marvel-universe-would-you-be-pro-mutant/205273/15 "2003-10-03T19:02:27Z")
Why would someone who could do the work of ten men be willing to work for standard wages? ---
**Author:** ![FlyingDragonFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c89c15/32.png) [@FlyingDragonFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingDragonFan)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-lived-in-the-marvel-universe-would-you-be-pro-mutant/205273/16 "2003-10-03T19:26:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Aesiron \* > Has Marvel ever dealt with how superbeings affect sporting events, especially the Olympics? I’m pulling this from wayyyy back in my memory, so feel free to correct me, but I’m pretty sure Northstar was a champion downhill skier before he came out as a mutant. He swore he didn’t use his powers, but I think even he wasn’t really sure, and I believe they stripped him of any medals he’d won. ---
**Author:** ![ResIpsaLoquitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b3f665/32.png) [@ResIpsaLoquitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ResIpsaLoquitor)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-lived-in-the-marvel-universe-would-you-be-pro-mutant/205273/17 "2003-10-03T21:20:16Z")
I remember an episode of the _X-Men_ cartoon where Colossus demolished a whole building for a contractor. The union boys were NOT happy with it. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-lived-in-the-marvel-universe-would-you-be-pro-mutant/205273/18 "2003-10-03T21:44:02Z")
The chaos created by mutant juvenile delinquents alone might make me anti-mutant. Remember–a young person, hopped on hormones & frustration, often can be very destructive _without_ mutant powers. Remember Colombine? Then, think about the movie _Carrie_. In the Marvel Universe, it’s a documentary. Granted, they treated her cruelly. But nobody deserves to die that way. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-lived-in-the-marvel-universe-would-you-be-pro-mutant/205273/19 "2003-10-03T22:12:01Z")
Being mutant isn’t a choice or a lifestyle. One simply _is_. I am a mutant, so I would be pro-mutant. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-lived-in-the-marvel-universe-would-you-be-pro-mutant/205273/20 "2003-10-03T22:18:13Z")
> [@](#): > > but I’m pretty sure Northstar was a champion downhill skier before he came out as a mutant. He swore he didn’t use his powers This part is absolutely true. I don’t recall if they stripped him of his medals. > [@](#): > > I am a mutant, so I would be pro-mutant. Yes, but in the context of the legal need to control superbeings, where do you stand? Its no use clinging to sunshine theories if people are being slaughtered (and they do get killed in superhero universes. They get killed in large numbers. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-lived-in-the-marvel-universe-would-you-be-pro-mutant/205273.md?page=2)