The Marvel Events: What's The Conspiracy Theory?

[DrNewGod]

By now, the average denizen of Marvel Comics' version of Earth should be suicidal, psycho-chemically zombified, or both. They been thru Some Real Stuff. Atlantis Attacked. M Housed. Skrulls Secretly Invaded. Superheroes Civil Warred. Captain America Secret Empired.

That's a bit much for your average grocer or accountant. They need some way to normalize all this.

Now, as the last 1/2 decade has taught us, the way people handle unacceptable realities is by embracing conspiracy theories, however ludicrous.

So, what's the Marvel event, and what's the conspiracy theory that's used to make it more manageable?

Mine: Galactus is Hank Pym's victim.

We can't deal with the idea that there's a space god that's going to eat our planet. But there's this guy, who's kind of a jerk, that can grow big, and who invented a buncha wild stuff.

So, clearly, this "Galactus" guy is one of Pym's size-changing test subjects, who escaped with some of Pym's other inventions. The FF put him down and hid the facts because Mr. Fantastic was in on it. He was Pym's research partner, to whom the poor "Galactus" fled for help, only to get slapped down to protect the FF and Pym.

That's why Galactus never ate the planet (he can't) and why the Heroes keep letting him go (they can't let anyone hear his story).

Of course, that leaves the Silver Surfer dangling. Anybody want a go at that?

So what's your answer to how Marvel's citizens explain their world away?

[Huntsman Spider]

My answer, generally speaking, is that the general citizenry and public don't trust the "heroes" anymore than they would trust the "villains," seeing them --- rightly or wrongly --- as two sides of the same coin, superhumans who flout human authorities, laws, and rules out of an ingrained belief (conscious or subconscious) in their innate superiority to regular humans, whether it's the "heroes" acting as "protectors" or the "villains" acting more overtly as "conquerors." Stuff like the X-Men f***ing off to Krakoa and making it clear that humanity gets nothing from them anymore unless it's willing to recognize and respect mutants' right to exist, HYDRA-Cap and the Secret Empire (a lot of people in-universe still think the "real" Captain America and HYDRA-Cap are one and the same), and even the Civil Wars, as far as the public is concerned, is just superhumans taking off the proverbial mask and showing what they really think and feel about humanity at large. In retrospect, it's why Norman Osborn got so much support in Dark Reign; he might be a murderous s***heel, but at least with him, it's all out in the open, unlike the "heroes" who repeatedly exploit, manipulate, and even betray the public's trust for the sake of protecting their own status and position and sweeping their own bad history and actions under the proverbial rug.

[charliehustle415]

By now, the average denizen of Marvel Comics' version of Earth should be suicidal, psycho-chemically zombified, or both. They been thru Some Real Stuff. Atlantis Attacked. M Housed. Skrulls Secretly Invaded. Superheroes Civil Warred. Captain America Secret Empired.

That's a bit much for your average grocer or accountant. They need some way to normalize all this.

Now, as the last 1/2 decade has taught us, the way people handle unacceptable realities is by embracing conspiracy theories, however ludicrous.

So, what's the Marvel event, and what's the conspiracy theory that's used to make it more manageable?

Mine: Galactus is Hank Pym's victim.

We can't deal with the idea that there's a space god that's going to eat our planet. But there's this guy, who's kind of a jerk, that can grow big, and who invented a buncha wild stuff.

So, clearly, this "Galactus" guy is one of Pym's size-changing test subjects, who escaped with some of Pym's other inventions. The FF put him down and hid the facts because Mr. Fantastic was in on it. He was Pym's research partner, to whom the poor "Galactus" fled for help, only to get slapped down to protect the FF and Pym.

That's why Galactus never ate the planet (he can't) and why the Heroes keep letting him go (they can't let anyone hear his story).

Of course, that leaves the Silver Surfer dangling. Anybody want a go at that?

So what's your answer to how Marvel's citizens explain their world away?

LOL, that's pretty good.

Okay I'll take Silver Surfer.

Silver Surfer is actually Tony Stark trapped in a prototype Iron Man suit and he kept following Galactus to see if he can find Hank Pym who has gone into hiding because everyone thinks he's been replaced by a Ultron unit even though Pym has gone through a myriad of tests.

Once Galactus was killed Tony went mad and took on the persona of a Norrin Rad (I mean only Stark would choose "Rad" as a last name)

So that leaves us with the "Iron Man" who is with the Avengers any takers

[Solid Snake]

Events of Ultimate Universe that show most super human activities are originated from the further researches of the super soldier program and everything is connected might be a popular conspiracy theory in the Earth-616.

[Sutekh]

Events of Ultimate Universe that show most super human activities are originated from the further researches of the super soldier program and everything is connected might be a popular conspiracy theory in the Earth-616.

Ooh, that would be neat.

The Hulk? A failed super-soldier. C'mon, he was created *in a government weapons testing site,* for Pete's sake! The army (and a General Ross?) has entire Hulkbusters initiative to *get him back under their control?*

These mutant X-Men? All escapees from military testing programs called 'weapon X' or something. Some the records have snuck out, like with Wolverine, but the government tries and tries to cover it up, hence the big purple robots occasionally sent *by other government-funded contractors* to round them up (or kill them) to sanitize them / cow them into submission, before the government has to admit creating them. And the ones you know about? Just the ones that got away. There are more of them, still working for the government, that you don't... Why do they appear all over the country, and not just in labs? Well, it's not just flouride they've been putting in the water. That's why I only drink well water.

The Fantastic Four? Oh look, some other scientist who worked for the government and *claims* that they wouldn't fun his research and went into space on his own nickel. Sure... I'll just crap a *space rocket* out of spare parts I have lying around the house. Totally government funded, and their completely unprecedented (compared to the X-Men and even Avengers) level of 'getting away with stuff' they get from the US govt only *proves* that they are *still working for the government, in secret!* The FF are the 'show team,' unlike the 'mutants' who were primarily meant for overseas operations and covert works, while the camera-ready friendly 'family' of celebrity supers at 'Four Freedoms Plaza' are a big PR thing, meant to normalize and get out ahead of the whole super-soldiers thing.

It's all a cover up, man! And you, with the Human Torch coffee cup? You're being programmed to accept it! Those people aren't family! In reality, when the cameras are off, they can't stand each other, and I read there's a restraining order that neither 'Johnny' or 'Reed' (not their real names!) are allowed within 50 ft. of 'Sue,' and they've got a stand-in for her that shows up to public events!

[DrNewGod]

Iron Man isn't real, and neither are most of his enemies. They're all actors performing carefully choreographed, FX-heavy scenes to amaze crowds and drive demand for Starks other, actual inventions. That's why Stark doesn't sell the Iron Man armor the anybody; it doesn't actually work! No, he wants them buying his other stuff and just uses all these stunt shows to promote his rep as the most awesome inventor in the world.

Justin Hammer has known this for years, and been trying to out it, but SHIELD keeps a lid on it. SHIELD's stake in the game is that if Stark's scheme keeps ginning up "super threats," SHIELD's budgets stay nice and fat.

[PlatinumThorns]

honestly, the average Marvel citizen is probably doing alright living at more "boring" places on the planet like Utah or Italy. Of course those places still probably have their fair share of common street-level capes, but it's highly unlikely you'll have a chemical warfare or a Hulk taking place in your backyard.

[Will Evans]

If my child turns out to be a mutant, it’s because my wife had an affair.


I bet this happens a lot.

[Huntsman Spider]

Events of Ultimate Universe that show most super human activities are originated from the further researches of the super soldier program and everything is connected might be a popular conspiracy theory in the Earth-616.

This was also addressed in Marvel Knights Spider-Man #1-12 by Mark Millar, where it was revealed that "supervillains" started off as super-mercenaries armed, equipped, and empowered by a consortium of corrupt government and military officials and corrupt businessmen to distract the then-nascent superhero population from using their powers to meaningfully change society, let alone address the greater crimes against that society and humanity at large committed by members of said consortium.

[your_name_here]

You know, I think that Iron-Man fellow isn’t actually a security guard for Tony Stark at all...what if it is Stark himself?

[coveredinbees]

After Inferno X-Factor and Reed Richards put out a lie.




Maybe there were Marvel conspiracy theorists who believed it was actually demons.

[Cowtools]

Is that the Blues Brothers?!?

[coveredinbees]

Nitro didn't blow up that school. The government blew it up and used Nitro as a scapegoat. We saw in New Mutants v1 #83 Nitro is given an unconstitutional trial. In his canister, he can neither defend himself, nor see his accuser. The government has screwed him before!

But why did they blow it up? Underneath the school, the US government ran a drug trying to convert the dangerous drug Sleet into a beserker drug for their soldiers. They used the children as test subjects. Sleet is unpredictable and the plan was a failure. They had to destroy the school to cover up their crimes.

I forget the issue, but it's NM.

Is that the Blues Brothers?!?

Yah!

[The Cool Thatguy]

You know, I think that Iron-Man fellow isn’t actually a security guard for Tony Stark at all...what if it is Stark himself?

I'd think that the theory would be the opposite. Tony Stark isn't Iron Man, he just pretends to be to hog all the glory. Th real guy is some security guard making minimum wage...

Though when you get down to it, a secret ID for Iron Man is kinda pointless. You know who pays his bills, where his armor is made, etc.

[DrNewGod]

You know, I think that Iron-Man fellow isn’t actually a security guard for Tony Stark at all...what if it is Stark himself?

I'd think that the theory would be the opposite. Tony Stark isn't Iron Man, he just pretends to be to hog all the glory. Th real guy is some security guard making minimum wage...

Though when you get down to it, a secret ID for Iron Man is kinda pointless. You know who pays his bills, where his armor is made, etc.

Or, Stark isn't Iron Man after all, he's hogging the glory from a long list of Iron Man pilots, who get killed. A Lot. He keeps Iron Man's real ID under wraps so he doesn't have to pay benefits to his (legions of) deceased lackies' families (they're told it was a car crash or something), and so he doesn't have to admit that Iron Man is not as "Invincible" as Stark's press machines like to make out.