Should The X Men Be... Uglier ?

[Timothy Hunter]

As everyone knows, the X Men are mutants. A large factor in what makes them diverge from the run of the mill super hero team, is that, in-universe they are typically portrayed as being despised by the civilian populace, because of them being mutants. They are called freaks, monsters, but for some reason the main X Men team (Uncanny, New, Astonishing, Gold & Blue etc.), don't really reflect this most of the time. Sure you have your exceptions, such as Beast, but the majority of the main X Men cast resemble supermodels rather than what one could refer to as a mutant.

So should the X Men as whole look less human and more other worldly, and more a lack of a better term... mutated?

[Personamanx]

I would like to see more physically abnormal X-Men characters for sure. There are already quite a few within the franchise that already fit the bill, but many of the more popular X-Men don't really look any different from the typical superhero.

You don't even have to go too crazy with it. Horns, oddly coloured eyes, and scales can go a long way. Glob Herman is one of the more visually interesting characters being used nowadays, but they don't have to all be Glob Hermans. Hell, just with a pair of antlers Nature Girl stands out in a crowd. Which to me is what it's more about than mutants being hated in the narrative. Just make them look unique, it's a visual medium.

EDIT: Just adding that another reason I appreciate more abnormal looking X-Men characters is that the X-Books often have characters wearing very similar uniforms. Even with solid artists if you put too many average looking characters together things can get confusing. I don't think it's possible to mistake Pixie for Armor even if their outfits are identical, the same cannot be said for Cannonball, and Cypher.

[Silver Fang]

It's not about looks. It's about the powers they have. Regular humans don't have powers. If a reg human gets an arm cut off, they don't have a healing factor where it can be pasted back on. They're seen as freaks because they're seen as threats due to the immense power they possess over humans. Hence their name Homo-Superior.

Far as ulginess, we have the Morlocks who are very alien-looking, which is why they live underground. because they can't pass for human enough to fit into society. Domino isn't ugly, but she doesn't look normal, given her Dalmatian coloring. Same for Blink.

And speaking outside of the books, attractive sells better. So making a book about a bunch of ugly characters simply won't sell as well as a book with an aesthetically pleasing cast. Even some characters who are supposed to be ugly may be drawn as attractive.

Deadpool for example. He's supposed to be disfigured. It's the major point of him. But there's been times where he's unmasked & looks pretty handsome.
Attachment 74995

And on a cover by Rahzzah, he's downright hot & puts Ryan Reynolds to shame, imo.
Attachment 74994

[salarta]

No.

Making the X-Men "uglier" suggests prejudice is only based on how attractive someone is, when that's not at all the case. Prejudice can be based on appearance, but more often it's based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and a whole host of other reasons. Look at the blue eyes, brown eyes lesson. Humans don't need their targets to be "ugly" to have unreasonable hatred toward them. All they need is an excuse to 'other' someone. In this case, using the fact the X-Men have powers as that excuse.

[Tycon]

100% with Silver Fang. The whole point of "homo superior" is that they are evolutions of humankind, and are better equipped with powers to handle problems that regular humans can't. In fact, they are textbook "mutants" in the loosest way possible, so while Skin, Eye Boy, Glob, and Ugly Joihn are all interesting designs, I don't think it's essential to the franchise. Definitely not as essential as intersecting the mutant metaphor with real world diversity.

[Tazirai]

I kind of agree with you. But I also understand comics fandom.

I'll give you an Example. In the Legion of Superheroes that had two characters that they made Inhuman, but had humanoid like characteristics.
One was Princess Projectra
The other was Monstress.

Projectra is the Mistress of Illusion and in Original timeline, she was s straight white female.
In the next timeline, she was a straight white female with slightly altered powers.
In yet another timeline, she was a Snake with Illusion powers.

In Monstress' case, she was just a VERY large nonsexy humanoid alien female with the powers of She-Hulk.
She was fine with most fans, but other fans despised her because of how she looked. She was a body type they weren't used to.
What pushed many fans over the edge was, she had the AUDACITY to fall in love with a white human male who turns out was gay.

So DC Killed Monstress, and Turned Princess Projectra into a Gorgeous half snake half woman trope.

Fans of the Legion ASKED for a variety of different characters and looks, got them, then hated what they got.

I would love for the X-men to have a variety of looks, not the standard, but Marvel thinks marketing before the story.

Monstress
http://legionofsuperbloggers.blogspo...monstress.html

Projectra/Sensor.

In a Nutshell Fans rarely truly ever know specifically what they want in reality. They have a SPECIFIC, but Vague idea, but when something close is implemented, it makes them more upset.
Because they didn't get their VAGUELY Specific thing.

[Magnusilver]

I think, at the very first, existing "uglier" X-men should have more opportunity.

[Shadowcat]

Bring back Gene Nation/The Morlocks. Make them more militant, using their outward mutations as a branding against society and the social norms that permeates beauty standards.

[Hypestyle]

well, Grant Morrison tried to address this, years ago, but I dont think other writers were really all that concerned.. especially after the "no more mutants" edict which wiped out so many folks. Oh well..

[Snoop Dogg]

Most important X-Men looking like attractive humans in a series about mutation is the same contradiction as them being a minority allegory that's mostly white. It's just the range of their own concept being limited in another way. Beast looks adorable and his condition didn't come from mutation, and the internet thinks Nightcrawler is hot when he used to be the best example of a freak. But more X-Teams could really use at least one freakish character that even the readers could have a reason to fear, and it would make for more unique team aesthetics. Hail Herman.

[Tycon]

Most important X-Men looking like attractive humans in a series about mutation is the same contradiction as them being a minority allegory that's mostly white. It's just the range of their own concept being limited in another way. Beast looks adorable and his condition didn't come from mutation, and the internet thinks Nightcrawler is hot when he used to be the best example of a freak. But more X-Teams could really use at least one freakish character that even the readers could have a reason to fear, and it would make for more unique team aesthetics. Hail Herman.

I think physical mutations vs more subtle ones is a much stronger allegory for topics like 'straight-passing v. femme/butch' and 'colorism' than more broader discussions on race, class, and gender.

[From The Shadows]

I mean you got the more freakish X-Men like Nightcrawler, Pixie, Marrow... but are they really ugly? Nightcrawler looks like a greek statue that was painted blue when he's drawn by most artists. Pixie started out more small/funny looking and then she became beautiful and veluptious. Marrow... well she isn't really pretty but she does have this sexy/tough woman thing going on like an Ellen Ripley/Sarah Connor. Domino is also beautiful. Even way back Rogue, though sexy, really wasn't beautiful. That came later. Same with Rachel, that didn't come until Davis. There used to be a joke that Kitty was flat-chested and geekish but so many writers idealize Kitty as the perfect girlfriend.

I would like to see a new version of the Morlocks, actually. Callisto was a great character but was made beautiful later, er then got turned into octopus lady which was just ridiculous. Lol. it's funny when Callisto was ugly she to me had that sexy beat-up rocker look. And I thought Chamber was attractive even with part of his face blown off. I'm weird. I think its inevitable that most X-characters will eventually turn into sex symbols. It seems to happen a lot with the X-Men. Its that dangerous to society, forbidden thing going on.

well, Grant Morrison tried to address this, years ago, but I dont think other writers were really all that concerned.. especially after the "no more mutants" edict which wiped out so many folks. Oh well..

Yeah, Beak, Angel etc. But he sort of made them jokes. As these characters are usually treated now. Like with the later creators who created Eyeboy and Shark Girl. We had Chamber and Skin but Lobdell took them seriously then Skin was slaughtered by Chuck Austen in the most degrading way. He even got his name wrong. Sigh.

[Killerbee911]

I think Morlocks are enough.They present different argument than true coexistent with humans. They just want to be left alone and live in their society were they feel comfortable in peace. I like having the more aggressive Gene Nation as part of them as way to push drama tho.

[comeatmebro]

make X-Men cuter

[SpiderClops]

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