Do comic fans prefer monarchies to stay monarchies?

[Anthony W]

Wakanda. Latveria. Atlantis. Attilan. If a monarchy is in a superhero universe it will eventually flirt with democracy before reverting back to a monarchy. So much so that when it happens it doesn't even register with me. Has any comic monarchy in a superhero universe been made better by being made into a democracy? Maybe because democracy isn't that interesting in a superhero world? Or could it be the original creators got it right the first time and the new guys need to create their own kingdoms so it will feel more natural?

[DragonsChi]

The monarchies need to stay monarchies. It gives variety to the overall Marvel Universe.

[XPac]

Just to say ... a monarchy can still have varying degrees of democracy. In Black Panther for example, he's still a monarch even if there's a more modernized governmemt. So one necessarily conflict with the other.

But if a super hero is a king as status quo, for better or for worse they will typically return to that sooner or later.

The reverse also being true ... Thor is king for short periods of time but typically hands the job off to someone else sooner or later.

For better or for worse, status quo almost always retutns.

[UltimateTy]

I voted yes by mistake but let fictional monarchies be monarchies

In real life I would be against them but these are comics where kings and queens are usually cool.

[Tiamatty]

I oppose absolute monarchies. No one person should have absolute say. So I prefer when monarchies move towards democratic reforms. I'm fine with monarchs in a ceremonial role. I'll even accept them as generals in times of war. But I have never liked monarchies, whether real or fictional.

[Noek]

No, recently a number of Monarchies became democracies that being Latveria which tore it self apart, Attilan well New Attilan which was conquered by Hydra like it was nothing, and Wakanda which I haven't read much into its new political system so can't say how it is going but I believe ok. With 2/3 turning out worse it seems staying as a Monarchy would be better for them.

[Anthony W]

I voted yes by mistake but let fictional monarchies be monarchies

In real life I would be against them but these are comics where kings and queens are usually cool.

Don't feel bad I made the poll and I voted yes by accident as well. So me and you voted yes by accident and I am going to assume that Tiamatty actually meant to vote yes.

[jackolover]

No, recently a number of Monarchies became democracies that being Latveria which tore it self apart, Attilan well New Attilan which was conquered by Hydra like it was nothing, and Wakanda which I haven't read much into its new political system so can't say how it is going but I believe ok. With 2/3 turning out worse it seems staying as a Monarchy would be better for them.

What’s interesting is the evolution of Wakanda from Time Runs Out. If everyone recalls, as the Cabal was destroying Incursion Earths, their one stipulation for doing so was that they can claim Wakanda. Now, we never see the reaction of Black Panther about Wakanda being bartered for in this way before. T’Challa was on the lam because he was being hunted down by Old Man Steve Rogers of SHIELD, so T’Challa didn’t have room to defend his country, which was illegally handed over to the Cabal by the whole U.N. This must have infuriated T’Challa no end.

So then we come to Battleworld, and T’Challa gets the opportunity to make the new world into something he needs for his country. What’s he going do to protect his country from ever being bartered out from under his feet ever again? He makes Wakanda into a Super Galactic Empire with one of the Infinity Gems he possesses. This will show those Earth-bound countries what happens when you trade Wakanda for their own selfish needs. Now Earth doesn’t have to just worry about the Skrulls and the Kree. Now the Earth has to worry about Wakanda taking over the Earth.

There is a price to pay for flippantly sacrificing someone so casually as Wakanda was. Black Panther’s memory stretches back enough to include what happens to those who destroy Wakanda culture. Namor was stabbed by T’Challa for doing it, but Namor was beheaded later for destroying their planet by the Great Society Heroes. Earth, though, gets its own payback now that T’Challa got the Wakanda Empire ball rolling.

So, Empires? If they have remained an Empire for 1000 years, then they aren’t going to just discard it for Democracy. Empires are self-sustaining. The people have been brought up in a culture of Empire and expect it as the system they aspire to. As Xpac says, Empires do evolve some sort of democracy anyway, so it’s not like an absolute dictatorship.

[Iron Maiden]

I oppose absolute monarchies. No one person should have absolute say. So I prefer when monarchies move towards democratic reforms. I'm fine with monarchs in a ceremonial role. I'll even accept them as generals in times of war. But I have never liked monarchies, whether real or fictional.

In the real world the most well known monarch is limited by the constitution. And many people buy into the romance of it all. You may not but millions watched the recent royal weddings and pulls in a hefty amount of $$$$ via tourism.

In the fictional world of comics, it's easier to deal with a single head of state that represents the country. I loved the scene in Priest's Black Panther story Sturm and Drang where all of Marvel's monarchs got together; Namor, T'Challa, Magneto (when he was the leader of Genosha) and Doom to discuss the politics of a situation with a Lemurian child found in Wakanda. It was fun and clever to see these men of power talk politics and alliances and not merely try to clobber each other.

As to the poll, I guess you could say Latveria and probably Atlantis are the only absolute monarchies. We rarely see anyone offer counsel to Doom and the few government officials we have seen have very little control over things. The difference is Namor has had the love of his people and we've seen him accept counsel from other Atlanteans. You can't really say that is consistent with Doom. It can depend of the era and the writer. Writers always make it so that Latveria is worse without Doom so you can't really say things got better. Prince Zorba started out well then he reverted to the same patterns as his father.

[Johnrevenge]

From what we've seen Atlantis wasn't a monarchy during the time it was destroyed and Namor died in Squadron Supreme as the suriviing atlanteans ended scrambled.But after his return, it seemed to quickly become a monarchy again (in the end of Squadron Supreme it was rebuilt again and it had been seen in X-men Red with Namor sitting on a throne in all his fanserviceness lmao).
I haven't followed the last Black Panther series, but from what I've seen the Royal Family still hold some kind of power in Wakanda, right? So would it count as some kind of Monarchy? And solicits of Shuri mentions that in Panther's absence she will have to take the throne (maybe they are trying to do some synergy with the movies, where there was a council, but the king still has the last word, idk)
It will depend what will happen with Attilan if it will return to Monarchy status post Death of Inhumans (it would be nice if it returned as one)
And honestly I never saw Latveria as a monarchy, more like a dictatorship cosplayed as monarchy xd.

[chamber-music]

The problem is Marvel have a history of writing what are essentially constitutional monarchies as absolute monarchies.

This is most likely down to writers/audiences liking the idea of royal superheroes and villains actually calling the shots and not just being figureheads of state like almost every remaining monarchy is in the real world. It is probably a hell of a lot less interesting seeing people battle for the throne to be a glorified diplomat/figurehead who doesn't actually run the country.

The Genetic council used to be the government of Attilan and the legislative, judicial and executive body of the Inhumans. King Agon had a seat on the Council but could be out voted.

The Wakandan government was based on a psuedo tribal system with council of elders handling the day to day running of the country and advising the king who is commander in-chief, religious leader and monarch. Any Wakandan can challenge for the mantle of king if I recall directly. Physically fighting to be leader of the country is pretty silly but by their culture it is seen as fair.

[Iron Maiden]

From what we've seen Atlantis wasn't a monarchy during the time it was destroyed and Namor died in Squadron Supreme as the suriviing atlanteans ended scrambled.But after his return, it seemed to quickly become a monarchy again (in the end of Squadron Supreme it was rebuilt again and it had been seen in X-men Red with Namor sitting on a throne in all his fanserviceness lmao).
I haven't followed the last Black Panther series, but from what I've seen the Royal Family still hold some kind of power in Wakanda, right? So would it count as some kind of Monarchy? And solicits of Shuri mentions that in Panther's absence she will have to take the throne (maybe they are trying to do some synergy with the movies, where there was a council, but the king still has the last word, idk)
It will depend what will happen with Attilan if it will return to Monarchy status post Death of Inhumans (it would be nice if it returned as one)
And honestly I never saw Latveria as a monarchy, more like a dictatorship cosplayed as monarchy xd.

So what exactly is the difference between a dictatorship and an absolute monarchy? I really see no significant difference. One person has total power. The only thing with Latveria is that up to Doom's takeover, it was a hereditary monarchy. But the power was strictly at the top of the chain.

[Johnrevenge]

So what exactly is the difference between a dictatorship and an absolute monarchy? I really see no significant difference. One person has total power. The only thing with Latveria is that up to Doom's takeover, it was a hereditary monarchy. But the power was strictly at the top of the chain.

I'm just expressing my opinion. I'll always see Latveria more as a dictatorship than a monarchy (especially with all the doombots patrolling the streets, etc.)

[Frontier]

I think if a monarchy or being a king or ruler is an important part of a character, then it should probably be kept as a monarchy, give or take a few status-quo shakeups that will inevitably be undone.

[Noek]

The problem is Marvel have a history of writing what are essentially constitutional monarchies as absolute monarchies.

This is most likely down to writers/audiences liking the idea of royal superheroes and villains actually calling the shots and not just being figureheads of state like almost every remaining monarchy is in the real world. It is probably a hell of a lot less interesting seeing people battle for the throne to be a glorified diplomat/figurehead who doesn't actually run the country.

The Genetic council used to be the government of Attilan and the legislative, judicial and executive body of the Inhumans. King Agon had a seat on the Council but could be out voted.

The Wakandan government was based on a psuedo tribal system with council of elders handling the day to day running of the country and advising the king who is commander in-chief, religious leader and monarch. Any Wakandan can challenge for the mantle of king if I recall directly. Physically fighting to be leader of the country is pretty silly but by their culture it is seen as fair.

Well for the Inhumans the genetic council was disbanded by Maximus in Secret Invasion, and for New Attilan we don't know fully but I dout Medusa gave the people/group who told her she had to abort her child, then kidnapped that child then (depending on which members) trade that child to some human group for something or steal his powers, and finally then new group before disbanding lobotomize the child their power back.