X-Men and the Mutant Metaphor (14 page)

Image 10. Taking on another role, Jean Grey was the seamstress who redesigned the X-Men’s uniforms (with permission from Professor X). The roles of cook, nurse, and seamstress are all stereotypes from the 1950s ideal of femininity.
The X-Men #39
(Dec. 1967), “The Fateful Finale!” Roy Thomas (w) and Don Heck (a).

Image 11. The back-up stories explaining the origin of the male members of the X-Men introduced imagery that more explicitly identified the mutant metaphor with racial prejudice, even while the team was entirely composed of White Americans.
The X-Men #46
(Jul. 1968), “The End of the X-Men!” Gary Friedrich (w) and Don Heck and Werner Roth (a).

Image 12. Besides the more revealing Cosmo-Girl inspired costume (seen in Image 10), Jean Grey took a job as a swimsuit model, which allows her to bare far more skin than her initial modest costume. While her twisting pose invites the reader to objectify her, the commentary from the background characters explicitly objectifies Jean Grey.
The X-Men #48
(Sep. 1968), “Beware Computo, Commander of the Robot Hive!” Arnold Drake (w) and Don Heck and Werner Roth (a).

Image 13. In
Giant-Size X-Men #1
, a new team of X-Men were introduced. The new heroes were much more international and more diverse, though the team still included just one female.
Giant-Size X-Men #1
(May 1975), “Second Genesis!” Len Wein (w) and Dave Cockrum (a).

Image 14. Ororo Munroe, or Storm, is the only female of the new group of X-Men. While it is explained as a cultural difference, she frequently disrobes with only hair or wind lines keeping the X-Men comic within the guidelines of the Comics Code Authority.
Giant-Size X-Men #1
(May 1975), “Second Genesis!” Len Wein (w) and Dave Cockrum (a).

Image 15. In one of the new team’s first adventures, John Proudstar dies. This, coupled with the Japanese mutant Sunfire’s departure from the team, made the group much less diverse than in its first appearance in
Giant-Size X-Men #1
.
X-Men #95
(Oct. 1975), “Warhunt!” Chris Claremont and Len Wein (w) and Dave Cockrum (a).

Image 16. Other than occasionally using Russian words, Colossus’s Russian heritage was not often on display in the X-Men series. One exception came when Colossus was brainwashed and appeared as the Proletariat, complete with Lenin’s face on his costume and a hammer and sickle.
The Uncanny X-Men #123
(Jul. 1979), “Listen—Stop Me if You’ve Heard It—But This One Wil Kill You!!” Chris Claremont and John Byrne (w) and John Byrne (a).

Image 17. Dark Phoenix’s longing for “rapture” is but one aspect that links her transformation into a villain with her heightened sexuality.
The Uncanny X-Men #136
(Aug. 1980), “Child of Light and Darkness.” Chris Claremont and John Byrne (w) and John Byrne (a).

Image 18. This controversial panel, depicting Kitty Pryde confronting an anti-mutant bigot, clearly equates an anti-mutant slur with a racial slur.
The Uncanny X-Men #196
(Aug. 1985), “What Was That?!!” Chris Claremont (w) and John Romita Jr. (a)

Image 19. Chris Claremont added much more depth to the character of Magneto, giving the character a backstory as a survivor of the Holocaust. This issue also features the U.S. government sponsoring an attempt to capture Magneto while he is attending a Holocaust memorial, linking that historic atrocity with the fictional prejudice mutants face in the Marvel universe.
The Uncanny X-Men #199
(Nov. 1985), “The Spiral Path.” Chris Claremont (w) and John Romita Jr. (a).

Image 20. During the Claremont era, the gender balance on the team hit its peak. There were even stretches when there were more women than men on the team, though consistently throughout its run the title featured far more male X-Men than female team members.
The Uncanny X-Men #218
(Jun. 1987), “Charge of the Light Brigade.” Chris Claremont (w) and Marc Silvestri (a).