The most sensitive topic of theX-Menfranchise was always handled perfectly by one key writer. Chris Claremont is essentially the Godfather of the X-Men franchise. Having spent sixteen years onUncanny X-Men, much of his approach to characters and storytelling is still used as the blueprint for X-Men storylines, especially when it comes to handling mutant oppression as an allegory for real-world hatred and struggle.
In aPopverserecap of a panel from CCXP 2024 featuringX-Menalum Claremont, the panel discussion shifts largely to talking about the relationships that mutants have in-universe with society and how they should be written, especially given how Marvel society views mutantkind. When speaking on the matter, Claremont initially begins by saying:
The challenge is to see themselves at the school as minorities, That’s Charlie’s job. That’s Magneto’s job. From my perception what they are is a half-dozen, maybe a dozen kids, young people living together, but looking on themselves as ordinary people.
Mutants have long served as an allegory for civil rightsand other issues that real-life marginalized people have faced. This theme is a delicate subject that not every writer can handle perfectly, but Claremont digs into exactly why he was the perfect man to do so for sixteen years.
How Do X-Men Creators See Marvel’s Mutants?
Understanding the Allegory
It’s rare to see mutants in X-Men lore referred to explicitly as minorities in their universe, but essentially,mutants are exactly that. They have always served as Marvel’s stand-in for marginalized communities, which include those facing racial discrimination (though the theory suggesting Professor X and Magneto are stand-ins forMLK and Malcolm X is not true), sexual discrimination, homophobia, sexism, and more. Mutants are depicted as characters who suffer prejudice because of what they are capable of, not unlike a person of color oppressed because of the color of their skin or a queer person because of their sexual orientation.
Like with mutants, not all “minorities” may see themselves as different from the average person, but society may fear or hate them because some hyper-focus on a minority’s differences, not unlike in real life.
Sometimes, the “mutant metaphor” becomes overt in storylines concerning mutants of color, queer mutants, and mutants of other marginalized identities. Intersectionality often comes into play, which is when someone faces oppression for not just one but two aspects of their identity. Intersectionality and prejudice can be complicated to talk about in the real-world, and fictional depictions especially demand nuance.
These ideas are further complicated when the self is considered. Like with mutants, not all “minorities” may see themselves as different from the average person, but society may fear or hate them because some hyper-focus on a minority’s differences, not unlike in real life.
The X-Men and Marvel’s Mutant Population Are More Than Their Abilities
Creators Must See Them as People, Not Just Superheroes
Claremont understands the need for such nuance better than most X-Men creators. As he expresses, a mutant may not necessarily view themselves as a mutant as Magneto and Charles Xavier do when recruitingmembers for their mutant teams. Marvel society at large often also sees mutants as just that: mutants (which, in turn, means much of society in the Marvel Universe will see mutants as monsters because of their mutanthood). But the same may not be true for a mutant’s individual view of themselves. At the same panel, Claremont expands on his sentiment:
They have abilities, yeah. Leonard Bernstein had abilities. From their perspective, it’s not much different. He composed and played brilliant music. They save the world. You know, A and B. The key is to think of them as people, not as heroes. Not, ‘Yes, I am a minority.’ No, you’re a person who is trying to live a normal life. Other people may see you as a minority. You may react to them as a minority. You may look at yourself objectively as a minority, but as a person, you’re a person.
Writing for a fictional marginalized character is tricky. While Claremont isn’t wrong to say that a marginalized person wouldn’t view themselves as a minority, but when keeping real-life equivalences in mind (in cases like racism or homophobia, for example),Claremont’s assessment becomes an oversimplification. The average marginalized person sees themselves as a full person first and wants society to view them as a person, but it’s society’s opposite perspective that infers not only the marginalized person’s outlook but how they go about life. A marginalized person is always aware of their “otherness” in the eyes of the majority.
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For safety’s sake, a marginalized person can’t simply view themselves as solely a person. The hate seen in society makes that person painfully aware of their perceived otherness. Claremont’s heart is certainly in the right place, and a person is a person at the end of the day, but society’s perspective can often shift one’s opinion ofone’s self and so how one moves through the world. Again, these are complicated ideas, but to his point, there are nuances that writers need to be aware of to truly portray the X-Men’s plight as a stand-in for real-life oppression - and the struggle against it. That’s what makes Claremont’s writing feel true and honest.
How Otherness Strengthens a Minority’s Sense of Self
As Claremont’s panel discussion continues, he adds:
Nightcrawler is the most dynamic non-human physicality in the team. But his attitude is, ‘I am the person God made. Who am I to argue with God? I’m just going to live my life like a normal guy and see what happens next.’ Yes, he used to hide the way he looked, because he’s not stupid. Blue skin, two fingers, two toes, and a tail definitely make you stand out from the crowd. It took Logan to challenge him to take off the mask and be a normal person and see if anybody else notices to get him to do it. But other than that, he just tried to live a normal cool life as someone who loves acting, who is a theater performer, and who is a stuntman.
And so Claremont’s assessment of a marginalized person’s view of self comes full circle and starts to feel true to lived experiences. In Nightcrawler’s case, he is a mutant who can’t hide who he is and risks ostracization because of how he looks. However, despite the hardships he faces because of how he looks, his awareness of his oppression hasstrengthened his sense of self,thanks largely to his belief in God. He doesn’t hate who he is just because the rest of the world might.
Much like in real life, marginalized people (and specifically people of color) must accept their personhood inwardly and outwardly because they can’t change the skin they’re in. They must learn to love and accept it, as Nightcrawler does.
Claremont acknowledges thatNightcrawler used to use disguises"because he’s not stupid.“That statement itself acknowledges the hyper-awareness of otherness. It shows how a minority canacknowledge their otherness without being discouragedby it or how others see it. Much like in real life, marginalized people (and specifically people of color) must accept their personhood inwardly and outwardly because they can’t change the skin they’re in. They must learn to love and accept it, as Nightcrawler does. Claremont expressed his understanding of this nuanced topic best inGod Loves, Man Kills, one of the best X-Men storylines.
They’re Not Just Mutants or Superheroes
Lastly, Claremont ends his panel with this stance:
That is the way you should look at these characters. Not as characters, not as objective concepts, but as ordinary normal really cool people. The rest of it falls into place, but you can look around this room at the people around this table. Oh look, that’s an X-Person! How do you know? Well, it looks sort of like Colossus. How do you know? Well, doesn’t he? It may be Peter Rasputin, but who knows. You just see him as a person. Not as Colossus.
Claremont is speaking about the multi-layered facets of not only characters, but people themselves. It’s easy to lump the X-Men together with other standard superheroes, because that’s exactly what they are, but like with marginalized people (both in-story and in real life),they are so much more than that. As Claremont said, Leonard Bernstein was a phenomenal composer, but he was also far more than that, because people are far more than their abilities. He was an author, an educator, and, beyond his abilities, a son and a father. Another example:Nightcrawler is blue with demon-like physical qualities, but he’s also a seductive Catholic.
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Colossus is a uniquely strong hero, but he is a father and a lover with multiple intricacies to his character that writers have to understand in order to provide him with nuance. By proxy, readers understanding the nuance of the characters is just as important. Understanding the nuance of the mutants as minorities and people who want to be accepted brings into perspective years’ worth of messages beneath the surface of X-stories. For readers to understand theX-Men,writers must write about them and their societal struggles with great nuance.
Claremont’s long run on theX-Mentitles is available now from Marvel Comics.
Source:Popverse
X-Men
The X-Men franchise, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, centers on mutants with extraordinary abilities. Led by the powerful telepath Professor Charles Xavier, they battle discrimination and villainous mutants threatening humanity. The series explores themes of diversity and acceptance through a blend of action, drama, and complex characters, spanning comics, animated series, and blockbuster films.
