# Oh noes! Wolverine is selling beer to children! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** beer\ **Created:** [July 22, 2013, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-wolverine-is-selling-beer-to-children/664251 "2013-07-22T21:10:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-wolverine-is-selling-beer-to-children/664251/21 "2013-07-23T19:52:32Z")
[soapbox] If we weren’t so screwed up in our relationship to both alcohol and to celebrity, this would be a non-issue. People need to get a grip and parent better, if they’re truly that worried about this. [/soapbox] ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-wolverine-is-selling-beer-to-children/664251/22 "2013-07-23T20:49:20Z")
strictly speaking - Wolverine is not selling anything to anyone - he may be ‘promoting’ its usage (not that there is not enought of that already to be found) - but he is not actively ‘selling it to children’ Thats the job of the liquor store. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-wolverine-is-selling-beer-to-children/664251/23 "2013-07-23T21:08:13Z")
Well I, for one, am outraged and I will definitely, definitely never ever ever drink a Coors again. Never! [SIZE=“1”]Unless I absolutely have to.[/SIZE] ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-wolverine-is-selling-beer-to-children/664251/24 "2013-07-23T22:02:10Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > He stopped smoking only because Joe Quesadilla’s father died of lung cancer. I’m pretty sure Wolverine doesn’t actually know the Quesadas, so that couldn’t possibly have been his reasoning. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-wolverine-is-selling-beer-to-children/664251/25 "2013-07-23T22:15:19Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > He stopped smoking only because Joe Quesadilla’s father died of lung cancer. Ditto for Nick Fury, the Thing, pretty much any Marvel character. Except, of course, for the hard-edged Garth Ennis “Nick Fury: My War Gone By” series, where damn near everybody smokes heavily. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-wolverine-is-selling-beer-to-children/664251/26 "2013-07-23T22:25:27Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > He can get drunk…he just gets over it a lot faster than anybody else. > > I don’t see him drinking Coors! He’d use Coors to rinse out his worst injuries. Yeah, if he wants to feel the effect of one beer, he pretty much has to pound a six or 12 pack like a raging alcoholic which kinda makes him look like a raging alcoholic. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-wolverine-is-selling-beer-to-children/664251/27 "2013-07-23T22:36:21Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Yeah, if he wants to feel the effect of one beer, he pretty much has to pound a six or 12 pack like a raging alcoholic which kinda makes him look like a raging alcoholic. Isn’t that what they already had Steve Rogers notice in the CAPTAIN AMERICA movie, when trying to drown his sorrows at the bar after a mission? (Which is a neat double whammy for the kids: _“Boy, these steroids work great – apart from making it hard to get drunk!”_) ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-wolverine-is-selling-beer-to-children/664251/28 "2013-07-26T22:54:54Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > I’m pretty sure Wolverine doesn’t actually know the Quesadas, so that couldn’t possibly have been his reasoning. Editorial edict. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-wolverine-is-selling-beer-to-children/664251/29 "2013-07-26T23:29:10Z")
Since you missed my point, I’ll state it outright, this time: I wasn’t talking about Joe Quesada. Or the writers. Or even the artists. I was talking about _Wolverine._ Wolverine’s reasoning has nothing at all to do with anything going on in the real world. He’s not Deadpool, the fourth wall is perfectly intact for him. Quesada’s personal tragedies, Quesada’s choices for the line’s direction…they mean nothing to him, because he knows nothing of them. His reasoning can only be based on what’s going on in-universe. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-wolverine-is-selling-beer-to-children/664251/30 "2013-07-26T23:56:07Z")
The article makes a big deal out of pointing out the PG-13 rating. And yet even an NC-17 movie connected with beer marketing would be (by the same “reasoning”) promoting underage drinking, since the age limit is 17, not 21. ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Hartwick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@Dave\_Hartwick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Hartwick)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-wolverine-is-selling-beer-to-children/664251/31 "2013-07-27T00:00:45Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > Since you missed my point, I’ll state it outright, this time: > > I wasn’t talking about Joe Quesada. Or the writers. Or even the artists. > > I was talking about _Wolverine._ Wolverine’s reasoning has nothing at all to do with anything going on in the real world. He’s not Deadpool, the fourth wall is perfectly intact for him. Quesada’s personal tragedies, Quesada’s choices for the line’s direction…they mean nothing to him, because he knows nothing of them. His reasoning can only be based on what’s going on in-universe. Best I could find for in universe reasons is that Wolverine developed smokers cough in 1993. > **[Wolverine Vol 2 75](https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Wolverine_Vol_2_75)** > > Featured Characters: Wolverine (Logan) (Leaves the X-Men) Supporting Characters: X-Men Jubilee (Jubilation Lee) Jean Grey Rogue Professor X (Charles Xavier) Bishop Gambit (Remy LeBeau) ⏴ Beast (Hank McCoy) ⏵ Cyclops (Scott Summers) Iceman... ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-wolverine-is-selling-beer-to-children/664251/32 "2013-07-29T21:22:05Z")
An excellent point, Dr. Strangelove. One might make the counterargument that it’s not just promotion of underaged drinking, which marketing to an NC-17 crowd still does, but rather promotion of alcohol and drinking to significantly underaged children. Like the Joe Camel argument, where the claim is the cartoon camel advertises to preteens rather than adults, the idea is that there are many preteens interested in Wolverine, buying comics and action figures. This movie being PG-13 just means parents are encouraged to screen for their children, not that 10 year olds won’t be seeing this movie. The underlying premise seems to be that younger children are more susceptible to the product placement and hero-promotion aspects of marketing than the older teens and young adults. I’m not sure this is true, or if it is true, that doesn’t mean those marketing aspects are trivial for the older audience. But there’s that “protecting the children” aspect that most adults can take less seriously for 17 to 20 year olds. They are essentially adults or almost practically adults (18 year olds are treated as adults except for silly things like alcohol purchase), whereas 13 year olds are still regarded as mostly little children. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-wolverine-is-selling-beer-to-children/664251/33 "2013-07-29T22:04:09Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > One might make the counterargument that it’s not just promotion of underaged drinking, which marketing to an NC-17 crowd still does, but rather promotion of alcohol and drinking to significantly underaged children. A good point. I’ll make the counter-counter-argument that 17+ year olds, despite being more adult, are more susceptible to alcohol-related advertising. In my limited experience, 13 year olds mostly don’t like beer or wine, don’t have much peer pressure for drinking, and don’t have much access to alcohol. 17 year olds, however, likely have 21 year old acquaintances able to supply beer, have friends who drink regularly, have unsupervised parties, etc. In other words, while a 13 year old might be more easily influenced, it takes much more of a push to actually get them to start drinking beer. The 17 year old doesn’t need much of a push at all (if any), and so even if the advertising is less effective, it has stronger results. That’s just a hypothesis, of course. I don’t have any data for it. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-wolverine-is-selling-beer-to-children/664251/34 "2013-07-29T22:25:47Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > He stopped smoking only because **Joe Quesadilla’s** father died of lung cancer. Ditto for Nick Fury, the Thing, pretty much any Marvel character. I laughed. ---
**Author:** ![Gerald\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Gerald\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gerald_II)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-wolverine-is-selling-beer-to-children/664251/35 "2013-07-30T08:04:51Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > There is a mindset that comic books are for children and that’s that. [There was a case about ten years ago](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castillo_v._Texas) where a comic book retailer was convicted of selling an adult comic, market as adult and kept in a section that said “Adults only.” The prosecution said “comics are for children” and argued that the comics were to entice kids to read the obscenity. I agree. Comics in general shouldn’t be looked at as merely for kids. However, Marvel Comics superheroes are regularly advertised as kids entertainment. When Joe Quesada himself was in charge of Marvel as Editor in Chief he stopped the character of Wolverine from being depicted smoking cigarettes or cigars because he didn’t want to promote smoking to kids. If Joe Camel had an effect on kids picking up cigarettes I don’t see why superhero characters that sell toy lines, pajamas, costumes, binders, etc, wouldn’t play a part in that. Although why focus on the beer and not the violence? ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-wolverine-is-selling-beer-to-children/664251/36 "2013-07-30T17:48:08Z")
> [@Gerald\_II](#): > > However, Marvel Comics superheroes are regularly advertised as kids entertainment. This. It would be one thing if the characters were considered Adult content, say Sin City or so. But X-men and Wolverine are regularly packaged as children’s entertainment, and do heavy marketing to children for branding of toys, etc. So sticking Wolverine in a movie is bound to get children’s attention even if the movie is rated NC-17. Because it’s difficult to isolate this element of the franchise and say “No, this is only for adults” while simultaneously running toys of the character. Kids just don’t get that kind of nuance. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-wolverine-is-selling-beer-to-children/664251/37 "2013-07-30T18:58:27Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > There is a mindset that comic books are for children and that’s that. [There was a case about ten years ago](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castillo_v._Texas) where a comic book retailer was convicted of selling an adult comic, market as adult and kept in a section that said “Adults only.” The prosecution said “comics are for children” and argued that the comics were to entice kids to read the obscenity. That’s why my comic store guy doesn’t keep “adult” comics in stock. If a particular customer wants a particular title, he’ll order it for him, but it goes directly into that customer’s box, not onto the shelves. Smoking: Anybody else remember when Mark Trail stopped smoking? ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-wolverine-is-selling-beer-to-children/664251/38 "2013-07-30T19:52:50Z")
Marvel’s has a new Editor in Chief since 2011. Do any of the old cast of characters chomp cigars again these days? ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-wolverine-is-selling-beer-to-children/664251/39 "2013-07-30T20:09:34Z")
> [@Gerald\_II](#): > > If Joe Camel had an effect on kids picking up cigarettes I don’t see why superhero characters that sell toy lines, pajamas, costumes, binders, etc, wouldn’t play a part in that. Although why focus on the beer and not the violence? Well since they do not use guns, thats ok. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-wolverine-is-selling-beer-to-children/664251.md?page=1)