The elephant in the room: when powers meet stereotypes

[JB]

Wolverine and Sabretooth are Canadians whose superpowers are basically free Health Care

That took me OUT goodbye.

[Cyclone_Ablaze]

Current times are challenging writers beyond the obvious, but for decades comic books creators had no problem in exploring lazy stereotypes from the merely stupid to the most dangerous ones. Let’s make a list of characters whose powers have a not-so-imaginative connection to their origins?

Jubilee: a chinese mutant that throws fireworks
Dust: a muslin afghan that turns into sand
Sunfire: a japanese from the hiroshima area with radioactive fire powers
Slipstream: an australian blonde dude that surfes warp waves.

None of this has ever crossed my Mind until today.

[Psy-lock]

Banshee has like one of the most stereotypically Irish powers and names you could possibly think of.

[crimsontt]

Wolverine and Sabretooth are Canadians whose superpowers are basically free Health Care

God that was just inappropriate. How come it had never crossed my mind ?

[crimsontt]

Ouch I hope you don’t get traumatized

[Psy-lock]

Also, Meggan and Pixie have this whole fairy thing going. Very British. And Betsy is a literal knight with a sword now. Is that more stereotypical than appropriating Asian culture?

[Zelena]

Comics are full of stereotypes: Xavier, who is bald and paraplegic has psychic powers… Angel who is beautiful like an angel has wings and so on…

Writers play with stereotypes to bring us quicker into the story… Today is less the case but in the past most blonde women were good and brunette women were evil.

It’s just author’s privilege to play with ideas to create something: Nightcrawler who looked like a devil was a perfect gentleman, Wolverine who looked like a… not a refined man was actually a learned man.

Anyway it’s not obvious to know if it is conscious or not…

[Uncanny X-Man]

Banshee has like one of the most stereotypically Irish powers and names you could possibly think of.

This 100%. And how could we forget Julio Richter with seismic powers LOL

[Alan2099]

Xavier is an old white guy that gets to control what other people think.

[Chris0013]

Wolverine and Sabretooth are Canadians whose superpowers are basically free Health Care

That wins the internets.

[Frobisher]

Also, Meggan and Pixie have this whole fairy thing going. Very British. And Betsy is a literal knight with a sword now. Is that more stereotypical than appropriating Asian culture?

Only if their powers were getting drunk and fighting outside football matches.

[shooshoomanjoe]

Wanda: a gypsy woman with the power to jinx people and later a straight-up witch.

One thing that confused me about the Maximoff twins is how are they Roma? Is Magneto (when he was still their dad) also Roma?

[Odd Rödney]

Um, Rictor, of course. Bloke with earthquake powers whose surname is Richter? Gimme a break!

LMAO, you sir are the winner

Mate, you've destroyed . Truly brilliant. Top notch comment right here folks.

[Rift]

One thing that confused me about the Maximoff twins is how are they Roma? Is Magneto (when he was still their dad) also Roma?

IIRC Magda was at least part Romani. Idk if their new, post-retcon mom is Romani tho.

[Chris0013]

Also, Meggan and Pixie have this whole fairy thing going. Very British. And Betsy is a literal knight with a sword now. Is that more stereotypical than appropriating Asian culture?

Isn't Pixie actually 1/2 fairy?