KARMA – Mạnh Cao Xuân Appreciation 2023

[Devaishwarya]

I loved Karma's hair in the New Mutants Special/UXM Annual 09 Asgard story. We could go back to that.

[Will Evans]

It's simple. It says all the characters experienced in their lives matters. That doing what you and others want is to basically say that it really doesn't matter and it simply can and should be erased like it never happened at all.

It worked for Sunfire. He had both of his legs cut off before he became a Horsemen of Apocalypse.

[marhawkman]

I mean, there are lots of mutants who have physical aspects that some would interpret as "not ideal", but continue to "own" despite the potential "editing" that resurrection affords.
Off the top of my head we have:
Forge maintains HIS cybernetic leg, in place of the leg he was born with & lost in the Vietnam war.
Cyclops hasn't had his visor-dependent-vision adjusted.
Surge seems to continue relying on the regulatory gauntlets created for her by Forge.
Hellion may or may not still have prosthetic hands (I'm sincerely uncertain on this one)
Wolverine, arguably had his skeleton altered without consent right? And yet it remains.

We, as readers and unofficial/informal-bastions of this particular brand of fiction (as fans) recognize that an AESTHETIC or VISUAL BRAND can overrule logic, in some of these cases, but a savvy writer can noodle an appropriate narrative around just about anything. Will that narrative make sense to everyone? No. But that's the tricky thing about identity politics. They're very delicate and personal, and we don't always understand them. Like, WHY did Cerebella (Martha) decide to keep her brain exposed when she acquired a new body? I don't understand it but, sure -- you do you, Bella.

Karma's history is fraught with trauma and "body horror" experiences. I've yet to lose any of my limbs or have any of my motor or sensory functions impeded or discontinued, but I don't reject Karma's decision simply because I believe I would make a different one. I don't know that. I haven't been through what she's been through, or processed her level of grief, pain, loss, etc.

Now, Hellion on the other hand (too soon?) -- his emotional journey with HIS prosthetics feels very different, and I could absolutely understand if HE were to request biological-hand restoration upon resurrecting, but again, we come back to the AESTHETIC / BRANDING conundrum and the arguments of "But he stands out now!"

Yeah, like you say, a lot of this seems to be out-of-universe reasons for the characters to not change. the "no-girl" thing makes no sense whatsoever in-universe. living as a disembodied brain in a jar? Least logical thing ever. keeping the bubble look when getting a body... is.. weird, but... enh. It's at least believable someone would make the choice.

At any rate, there needs to be an in-universe logic. Presumably the characters are making that choice, why? Wolvie's motive was that having the Adamantium skeleton is useful. what of the others? why does Karma choose that?

It worked for Sunfire. He had both of his legs cut off before he became a Horsemen of Apocalypse.

Yeah, Shiro hated not having legs and wanted to go back to having legs.

[davetvs]

I mean, there are lots of mutants who have physical aspects that some would interpret as "not ideal", but continue to "own" despite the potential "editing" that resurrection affords.
Off the top of my head we have:
Forge maintains HIS cybernetic leg, in place of the leg he was born with & lost in the Vietnam war.
Cyclops hasn't had his visor-dependent-vision adjusted.
Surge seems to continue relying on the regulatory gauntlets created for her by Forge.
Hellion may or may not still have prosthetic hands (I'm sincerely uncertain on this one)
Wolverine, arguably had his skeleton altered without consent right? And yet it remains.

We, as readers and unofficial/informal-bastions of this particular brand of fiction (as fans) recognize that an AESTHETIC or VISUAL BRAND can overrule logic, in some of these cases, but a savvy writer can noodle an appropriate narrative around just about anything. Will that narrative make sense to everyone? No. But that's the tricky thing about identity politics. They're very delicate and personal, and we don't always understand them. Like, WHY did Cerebella (Martha) decide to keep her brain exposed when she acquired a new body? I don't understand it but, sure -- you do you, Bella.

Karma's history is fraught with trauma and "body horror" experiences. I've yet to lose any of my limbs or have any of my motor or sensory functions impeded or discontinued, but I don't reject Karma's decision simply because I believe I would make a different one. I don't know that. I haven't been through what she's been through, or processed her level of grief, pain, loss, etc.

Now, Hellion on the other hand (too soon?) -- his emotional journey with HIS prosthetics feels very different, and I could absolutely understand if HE were to request biological-hand restoration upon resurrecting, but again, we come back to the AESTHETIC / BRANDING conundrum and the arguments of "But he stands out now!"

I don't have a problem with the choice itself, I have a problem with the nonsensical way it was handled. Ewing gave Wiz Kid a perfectly understandable reasoning for not wanting to go through the protocols, and it helped us to understand the character better. Duggan (I think?) gave Cyclops a reason for keeping his brain damage, and even though I didn't personally think the explanation landed, it exists; we read it. With Karma, the situation has been "Why did she stay amputated? Why wouldn't she! Shut up, ableist."

[Fokken]

I don't have a problem with the choice itself, I have a problem with the nonsensical way it was handled. Ewing gave Wiz Kid a perfectly understandable reasoning for not wanting to go through the protocols, and it helped us to understand the character better. Duggan (I think?) gave Cyclops a reason for keeping his brain damage, and even though I didn't personally think the explanation landed, it exists; we read it. With Karma, the situation has been "Why did she stay amputated? Why wouldn't she! Shut up, ableist."

Ohhhhhh. My bad. My blunders.
Nothing but love, davetvs

[H-E-D]

I think with Xuân, there was already enough going on in that book about Trân and everything, and only so many pages in an issue, that something would need to get left out.

[marhawkman]

I think with Xuân, there was already enough going on in that book about Trân and everything, and only so many pages in an issue, that something would need to get left out.

a one-liner might be disappointing, but, it'd be something you could put in without much page space.

[Thirteen]

Because everyone decided Karma is the most important representation for disabled characters in all of comics, even though she is perpetually C-List and lost her leg like 40 years into her publication history. Vita Ayala literally wrote Karma going through the resurrection process and choosing to be resurrected as an amputee, because apparently, she's extremely emotionally attached to her own maiming. I find it ridiculous, a transparently nonsensical attempt at inclusion, and largely insulting since this is the same era where Professor X is walking around in a skintight bodysuit and nobody has a problem with it. If you point out the...suspension of disbelief one must have to think Karma would have the chance to come back in a new body and say "maim it first," someone will call you ableist with no perception of your own disability status. lol

I'm always surprised to see how much fan art that uses Karma to satisfy another underserved area of representation: Obesity. Interesting that that has never stuck...
Bill Sienkiewicz


Karen Charm and others from REDESIGNING KARMA feature on Comicsxf.com

[Chris0013]

I'm always surprised to see how much fan art that uses Karma to satisfy another underserved area of representation: Obesity. Interesting that that has never stuck...
Bill Sienkiewicz


Karen Charm and others from REDESIGNING KARMA feature on Comicsxf.com

The obesity was never Karma's choice. Shadow King did that to her when he possessed her body. She was disgusted by it.

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/New_M...dition_Vol_1_1

There is trouble, since Karma is in a depressive, near-suicidal state thanks to all the weight put on her body from the excessive indulgences of the Shadow King when he possessed her body.

[Thirteen]

The obesity was never Karma's choice. Shadow King did that to her when he possessed her body. She was disgusted by it.

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/New_M...dition_Vol_1_1

Aware. Still could be a compelling story about body image, acceptance, dysmorphia, showing the journey to reclaim her body etc., rather than the "magical" cure she got wandering the Asgardian desert with a care package from the Norns making Karma thin again.

[Chris0013]

Aware. Still could be a compelling story about body image, acceptance, dysmorphia, showing the journey to reclaim her body etc., rather than the "magical" cure she got wandering the Asgardian desert with a care package from the Norns making Karma thin again.

I can see most of that...but is should be told from the perspective of someone who did not have it forced on them by someone else. And I get the "magical" cure may seen not quite right...but even though it took place in one issue I do think it was implied that it took place over a significant amount of time.

[norj]

I can see most of that...but is should be told from the perspective of someone who did not have it forced on them by someone else. And I get the "magical" cure may seen not quite right...but even though it took place in one issue I do think it was implied that it took place over a significant amount of time.

Illyana had accidentally dumped the New Mutants in different realms at different times Karma got sent several months into the past.

[Rift]

This panel lives rent-free in my head. It's so cool and I'm not fully sure why.

[emfrst]

I mean, there are lots of mutants who have physical aspects that some would interpret as "not ideal", but continue to "own" despite the potential "editing" that resurrection affords.
Off the top of my head we have:
Forge maintains HIS cybernetic leg, in place of the leg he was born with & lost in the Vietnam war.
Cyclops hasn't had his visor-dependent-vision adjusted.
Surge seems to continue relying on the regulatory gauntlets created for her by Forge.
Hellion may or may not still have prosthetic hands (I'm sincerely uncertain on this one)
Wolverine, arguably had his skeleton altered without consent right? And yet it remains.

We, as readers and unofficial/informal-bastions of this particular brand of fiction (as fans) recognize that an AESTHETIC or VISUAL BRAND can overrule logic, in some of these cases, but a savvy writer can noodle an appropriate narrative around just about anything. Will that narrative make sense to everyone? No. But that's the tricky thing about identity politics. They're very delicate and personal, and we don't always understand them. Like, WHY did Cerebella (Martha) decide to keep her brain exposed when she acquired a new body? I don't understand it but, sure -- you do you, Bella.

Karma's history is fraught with trauma and "body horror" experiences. I've yet to lose any of my limbs or have any of my motor or sensory functions impeded or discontinued, but I don't reject Karma's decision simply because I believe I would make a different one. I don't know that. I haven't been through what she's been through, or processed her level of grief, pain, loss, etc.

Now, Hellion on the other hand (too soon?) -- his emotional journey with HIS prosthetics feels very different, and I could absolutely understand if HE were to request biological-hand restoration upon resurrecting, but again, we come back to the AESTHETIC / BRANDING conundrum and the arguments of "But he stands out now!"

Forge- A cybernetic leg is way more modifiable considering his power
Cyclops - He is a leader, so having this impediment mentally keeps him on guard, & not be reckless with his eyes or his leadership
Surge- Well, obvi her power is way 2 omega 4 her 2 ctrl yet
Hellion - Im sure he is thrilled 2 have war wounds 2 show that he is no richie mama's boy, Im sure he feeds off the coolness
Wolverine- Have u seen the fight he gets into? Adamantium skeleton is def a survival must

[Chris0013]

Forge- A cybernetic leg is way more modifiable considering his power
Cyclops - He is a leader, so having this impediment mentally keeps him on guard, & not be reckless with his eyes or his leadership
Surge- Well, obvi her power is way 2 omega 4 her 2 ctrl yet
Hellion - Im sure he is thrilled 2 have war wounds 2 show that he is no richie mama's boy, Im sure he feeds off the coolness
Wolverine- Have u seen the fight he gets into? Adamantium skeleton is def a survival must

Now do the benefits of Face keeping his disability...

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Face_...by)_(Earth-616)

Face is not immune to his own power. After using it for the first time, his eyes, nose, mouth, tongue, and eardrums were all destroyed leaving him blind, deaf, and mute. He can be communicated with telepathically or by tapping on him with Morse code