X-men vs. Inhumans Discussion

[Daska]

I used to love the inhumans, they were my favourite thing about marvel. I made an effort to try to read every comic an inhuman character had ever appeared in. I don't know what I loved about them so much. I think I just loved how their whole society was run by eugenics, and how Attilan seemed like a horrible dystopia society. It was an interesting concept.

Then the inhumans released the terrigen mists on the world. Despite the fact that it was already well established that the terrigen mists give humans cancer.
Now I don't every recognize any of the characters anymore. I mean they're there but they are acting so out of character it is ridiculous. What happened to their society run by eugenics? What happened to the Alpha Primatives? What happened to the idea that the terrigen mists restored the powers of de powered mutants?

The inhumans were never met to be super heroes. They were supposed to represent a horrible dystopian society were eugenics had gotten out of hand. But marvel is trying to force the inhumans on people make them 'likeable' for the majority of people. But in order to do this marvel has destroyed everything that made the inhumans unique and interesting.

I am aware the majority of people believe the inhumans are trying to be made more like the x-men. I understand a lot of people feel the x-men are being ignored and ruined. But as a former inhuman fan I must say the inhumans have been treated far worse. Never again can they ever go back to being what they used to be.

[AcesX1X]

I used to love the inhumans, they were my favourite thing about marvel. I made an effort to try to read every comic an inhuman character had ever appeared in. I don't know what I loved about them so much. I think I just loved how their whole society was run by eugenics, and how Attilan seemed like a horrible dystopia society. It was an interesting concept.

Then the inhumans released the terrigen mists on the world. Despite the fact that it was already well established that the terrigen mists give humans cancer.
Now I don't every recognize any of the characters anymore. I mean they're there but they are acting so out of character it is ridiculous. What happened to their society run by eugenics? What happened to the Alpha Primatives? What happened to the idea that the terrigen mists restored the powers of de powered mutants?

The inhumans were never met to be super heroes. They were supposed to represent a horrible dystopian society were eugenics had gotten out of hand. But marvel is trying to force the inhumans on people make them 'likeable' for the majority of people. But in order to do this marvel has destroyed everything that made the inhumans unique and interesting.

I am aware the majority of people believe the inhumans are trying to be made more like the x-men. I understand a lot of people feel the x-men are being ignored and ruined. But as a former inhuman fan I must say the inhumans have been treated far worse. Never again can they ever go back to being what they used to be.

i am sorry for your loss. indeed it does seem marvel will end up ruining two beloved franchises before this is over with.

[Sardorim]

Sadly that's because Marvel didn't think those types of Inhumans would sell while they think Inhumans essentially becoming X-Men Lite would sell.

[redrunner97]

^ Except that's STILL not what they are. No matter how many times you say it.

[Prisoner 6655321]

t's really early for me to guess how things will turn out but I kinda dig all this. Obviously, I cheer for the mutants but if they're not facing massive doom frequently then there's not as much to cheer for.

There's been a lot of talk about the similarities between the Inhumans and Mutants (and honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if there were a deeper connection). I think it's well worth mentioning that things aren't all great for the Inhumans with the t-mists either, some folks don't survive the cocoons, some turn into monsters, no one asked for it… Perhaps most importantly, it highlights the failings and hubris of the Inhumans of Attilan. While they lived in their little cloistered utopia, countless generations of their cousins, descended from dissidents wandered the earth, most of which were unaware of their heritage. If anything, I think the "political" similarities between the Inhumans and X-Men make the situation more interesting than any power-related similarities.

Since Utopia the X-Men seem to have been traveling a similar path as the Inhumans of Attilan. While the Jean Grey School provided a little philosophical dissidence, and I'm not trying to vilify Cyclops or the Utopians but essentially all the X-Men , for a while now, have existed more as a sort of shadow-government for mutants than a group of idealistic young mutants trying to figure out a way to make the world better for humans and mutants together. The X-men leadership have largely become jaded and forced by circumstance to be more practical than idealistic and just as full of hubris as their Inhuman royal counterparts.

To be clear, I haven't disliked the stories since Utopia or House or M or whatever point where the pendulum started to shift. I've just noted some fundamental changes in what the X-men represent as time has passed.

I think that the current story line leaves a lot of room for what could be interesting stories.

Do Cyclops, Blackbolt, Beast, Medusa or any others really have the right to make decisions which effect all mutants, inhumans, or both? Sure, they've felt as if they've had to and maybe that is the case at times but in general, what gives them the right to act as king, president, whatever?

I really don't have any expectations for this happening but I'd love to see a sort of “revolutionary unity squad” with some mutants / inhumans working together on a version of Xavier's dream expanded to include Inhumans (and maybe others) that is also adverse to turning mutant / inhuman kind into underground nations and making choices for other people. I could dream of a team with Hope, Kid Omega and maybe Karnak as the core of that movement.

In short, I don't view this as an X-Men vs. Inhumans situation as much as a bunch of problems being faced by both groups.

[MYCMTSC]

What happened to the idea that the terrigen mists restored the powers of de powered mutants?

That was never really a viable option. That story is probably a good (and maybe accidental) precursor to what's happening now. Those depowered mutants suffered severe reactions to the mists, with many of them ending up dead.

[Iron Fist]

lol WatXM was the highest rated show in Nicktoons' history. X-Men Evolution had a huge female fanbase. Those are some foul lies you're spreading.

But those aren't exactly achievements enough to keep shows on the air. They did pretty well for X-Men cartoons but there were still plenty of other shows getting much higher viewerships that made them non viable to continue. Evolution might be the exception because it did run for quite a while before trailing off.

I used to love the inhumans, they were my favourite thing about marvel. I made an effort to try to read every comic an inhuman character had ever appeared in. I don't know what I loved about them so much. I think I just loved how their whole society was run by eugenics, and how Attilan seemed like a horrible dystopia society. It was an interesting concept.

Then the inhumans released the terrigen mists on the world. Despite the fact that it was already well established that the terrigen mists give humans cancer.
Now I don't every recognize any of the characters anymore. I mean they're there but they are acting so out of character it is ridiculous. What happened to their society run by eugenics? What happened to the Alpha Primatives? What happened to the idea that the terrigen mists restored the powers of de powered mutants?

The inhumans were never met to be super heroes. They were supposed to represent a horrible dystopian society were eugenics had gotten out of hand. But marvel is trying to force the inhumans on people make them 'likeable' for the majority of people. But in order to do this marvel has destroyed everything that made the inhumans unique and interesting.

I am aware the majority of people believe the inhumans are trying to be made more like the x-men. I understand a lot of people feel the x-men are being ignored and ruined. But as a former inhuman fan I must say the inhumans have been treated far worse. Never again can they ever go back to being what they used to be.

I agree with a lot of this but I also think that the inhumans getting some change isn't all bad. i do wish the new books would address some of the problems from the old Inhumans titles like you said, alpha primitives and such, but apart from that the Inhumans are being used for different stories than just a isolationist dystopia/utopia plot rehashed again and again, kinda wish the X-Men would get this kind of radical change instead of doing House of M for the 3rd time.

As for the mists, Marvel keeps retconning what they do. They harm mutants, they don't have mutants, they evolve humans, oh no they don't, they give mutants extreme reactions and possibly kill them, oh no they dont, they sterilise mutants now. I know the Inhumans stories are few and far between but Marvel should make an attempt to clear up the continuity a bit even if it's some cop out answer like the mists being tweaked several times.

[Shadowbrat]

"Wolverine and the X-Men was the highest rated show in the network's history along with a remastered DBZ series, but.... other cartooons did better somehow... so it had to be cancelled" Yeah, makes total sense! Not to mention that USM, AA and the Hulk show all have very poor viewership and keep getting renewed.

[autbey]

WatXM was cancelled right after Disney bought Marvel.

[Daska]

I agree with a lot of this but I also think that the inhumans getting some change isn't all bad. i do wish the new books would address some of the problems from the old Inhumans titles like you said, alpha primitives and such, but apart from that the Inhumans are being used for different stories than just a isolationist dystopia/utopia plot rehashed again and again, kinda wish the X-Men would get this kind of radical change instead of doing House of M for the 3rd time.

I don't mind change if it is gradual. The change that has happened to the inhumans is massive and happening way too fast. I would have been fine with the whole Nuhumans plot if the original inhuman concept hadn't immediately been forgotten. The reaction of the inhumans to the Nuhumans is "everyone is welcome in our society, and we are accepting of their former beliefs". But based on prior inhuman culture I feel the response should have been more of initially welcoming the Nuhumans and then trying to integrate them into their eugenics society. I just think it would have made for a more interesting plot if the story went something like this:

-Nuhumans emerge from their cocoon. To discover they have powers.
-No longer fit into society
-Nuhumans are welcomed to Attilan
-At first it seems great, but nuhumans slowly start to realize how wrong the inhuman society is. Nuhumans have to decide if they went to stay in a corrupted society that 'accepts' them, or return to the world that no longer accepts them.
-Those that decide to leave go to the X-men for protection.
-X-men welcome in the Nuhumans and do not blame them for the mess the inhumans caused. However, the inhumans feel the x-men are 'brainwashing their people'.
-X-men furious at Attilan inhumans for releasing the mists that are killing mutants.
-Eventually war breaks out between x-men and the inhumans. However, it ends when the inhumans remember that Maximus can do pretty much anything. (Is Maximus even still alive?) Maximus and Beast team up and find a way to clean the atmosphere of the terrigen mists. This results in peace between x-men and inhumans.
-The inhumans begin to realize their society is corrupt and decide to try to change.

I don't know. This is full of plot holes. But I just think it would be much better then what is happening now.

Also does anyone else hate the word Nuhuman, or the fact that inhumans go into cocoons now for no reason when they are exposed to the mists? They are inhumans, not Adam Warlock.

[ChronoRogue]

"Wolverine and the X-Men was the highest rated show in the network's history along with a remastered DBZ series, but.... other cartooons did better somehow... so it had to be cancelled" Yeah, makes total sense! Not to mention that USM, AA and the Hulk show all have very poor viewership and keep getting renewed.

Yes. Wolverine and the X-Men was actually greenlit for a second season, with concept designs and storyboard all planned out, before Disney pulled the plug. http://henchman4hire.com/2012/06/13/...-men-season-2/

Evolution did very well for itself; with four season and fifty-two episodes. I don't think the public had a disinterest in animated X-Men cartoons.

The only X-Men animation that might've been a flop was the X-Men anime, but I'm not really sure any of the marvel anime's were successful. Poor story, characterization, and bad channel station placement I think were what killed that series.

[redrunner97]

Also does anyone else hate the word Nuhuman, or the fact that inhumans go into cocoons now for no reason when they are exposed to the mists? They are inhumans, not Adam Warlock.

I don't hate the term but I don't love it either; it's just an easy way to differentiate between a native Inhuman of Attilan vs one who was not a part of any previous Inhumans civilization.

One of the coolest ideas to come out of this whole Inhumans push was that there are even more specific Inhuman societies other than Attilan all around the world, like Orrolan in Greenland, and the MCU's Afterlife located somewhere in what looked like Asia. They kinda needed another word to describe people who are not from these societies, and NuHuman just fit the bill I guess.

[Wolverine12]

I don't mind change if it is gradual. The change that has happened to the inhumans is massive and happening way too fast. I would have been fine with the whole Nuhumans plot if the original inhuman concept hadn't immediately been forgotten. The reaction of the inhumans to the Nuhumans is "everyone is welcome in our society, and we are accepting of their former beliefs". But based on prior inhuman culture I feel the response should have been more of initially welcoming the Nuhumans and then trying to integrate them into their eugenics society. I just think it would have made for a more interesting plot if the story went something like this:

-Nuhumans emerge from their cocoon. To discover they have powers.
-No longer fit into society
-Nuhumans are welcomed to Attilan
-At first it seems great, but nuhumans slowly start to realize how wrong the inhuman society is. Nuhumans have to decide if they went to stay in a corrupted society that 'accepts' them, or return to the world that no longer accepts them.
-Those that decide to leave go to the X-men for protection.
-X-men welcome in the Nuhumans and do not blame them for the mess the inhumans caused. However, the inhumans feel the x-men are 'brainwashing their people'.
-X-men furious at Attilan inhumans for releasing the mists that are killing mutants.
-Eventually war breaks out between x-men and the inhumans. However, it ends when the inhumans remember that Maximus can do pretty much anything. (Is Maximus even still alive?) Maximus and Beast team up and find a way to clean the atmosphere of the terrigen mists. This results in peace between x-men and inhumans.
-The inhumans begin to realize their society is corrupt and decide to try to change.

I don't know. This is full of plot holes. But I just think it would be much better then what is happening now.

I don't really have any knowledge of the Inhumans outside of the Ultimate Universe, but I did pick up the #1's of Uncanny and All New Inhuman's and I think your post is a good summation of how I felt reading those books. I didn't read anything prior to these books, my understanding is that the MU is supposed to be a clean slate after SW and that since these books take place post SW I assumed it would be a little bit of a background on how we got here. Instead I feel like I was dropped into the middle of a story that has been going on for at least 6 issues. I don't really know any of the new characters that Gorgon is training, I have a mild understanding of the "big" characters because the showed up in the Ultimate Universe, although how similar they are in terms of powers and characterization could be complete opposite for all I know. I just felt like this was all being force fed to me, I picked up the #1's because I wanted to give the books a shot on their own but I can't really enjoy them if I don't know what is happening. It reminded me of the story that brought in Marcus Fury aka Movie Nick Fury.

Also does anyone else hate the word Nuhuman, or the fact that inhumans go into cocoons now for no reason when they are exposed to the mists? They are inhumans, not Adam Warlock.

I do not care for the term Nuhuman. You don't call new X-Men NuX-Men or new Avengers, Nuvengers. Call them Inhumans, it's what they are. The cocoons don't bother me.

[MarvelMaster616]

I used to love the inhumans, they were my favourite thing about marvel. I made an effort to try to read every comic an inhuman character had ever appeared in. I don't know what I loved about them so much. I think I just loved how their whole society was run by eugenics, and how Attilan seemed like a horrible dystopia society. It was an interesting concept.

Then the inhumans released the terrigen mists on the world. Despite the fact that it was already well established that the terrigen mists give humans cancer.
Now I don't every recognize any of the characters anymore. I mean they're there but they are acting so out of character it is ridiculous. What happened to their society run by eugenics? What happened to the Alpha Primatives? What happened to the idea that the terrigen mists restored the powers of de powered mutants?

The inhumans were never met to be super heroes. They were supposed to represent a horrible dystopian society were eugenics had gotten out of hand. But marvel is trying to force the inhumans on people make them 'likeable' for the majority of people. But in order to do this marvel has destroyed everything that made the inhumans unique and interesting.

I am aware the majority of people believe the inhumans are trying to be made more like the x-men. I understand a lot of people feel the x-men are being ignored and ruined. But as a former inhuman fan I must say the inhumans have been treated far worse. Never again can they ever go back to being what they used to be.

I can appreciate your comments because you're right. The Inhumans were never meant to be public heroes like the X-men. They are, at their core, a Game of Thrones style secret society built on rigid stratification and eugenics. That's not to say they can't change or evolve into a more prominent heroes. The problem is that this transition was so blatantly forced to the point of undermining the very concept of the Inhumans. Now they're walking around like celebrities, facing few protests and little discrimination. Nobody has sent killer robots to attack them. Nobody has proposed an Inhumans Registration Act. Nobody has sterilized them either. If mutants didn't exist in the Marvel Universe, then I don't think this would be a problem. But the fact remains that mutants do exist. In EXM #1, Jean couldn't even tell the difference between a mutant and an Inhuman. That alone is a testament to just how contrived the current plot for mutants and Inhumans is.

I can understand why Marvel wants the Inhumans to have a higher role in the Marvel Universe. They own the movie rights. They'll make a lot of money if they can make them more popular. But forcing it rarely works in the long run.

[redrunner97]

I can appreciate your comments because you're right. The Inhumans were never meant to be public heroes like the X-men. They are, at their core, a Game of Thrones style secret society built on rigid stratification and eugenics. That's not to say they can't change or evolve into a more prominent heroes. The problem is that this transition was so blatantly forced to the point of undermining the very concept of the Inhumans. Now they're walking around like celebrities, facing few protests and little discrimination. Nobody has sent killer robots to attack them. Nobody has proposed an Inhumans Registration Act. Nobody has sterilized them either. If mutants didn't exist in the Marvel Universe, then I don't think this would be a problem. But the fact remains that mutants do exist. In EXM #1, Jean couldn't even tell the difference between a mutant and an Inhuman. That alone is a testament to just how contrived the current plot for mutants and Inhumans is..

Why? You just said the Inhumans are essentially the opposite of mutants; but that Inhumans shouldn't be as prominent because mutants already exists?

I don't mind the Inhumans having a public-presence on Earth is because they've been in seclusion for 50 years in the comics -I like the side of them that's come out when being FORCED to interact with the world they've tried so hard to avoid, especially when they realize these people actually are a lot more open to them than they anticipated. And even see the Royal Family as celebrities! It's an extremely cool story that Soule has crafted!

The Inhumans' story is not the same one of mutants; they're already accepted by society, they're already equal to humans.
At this point in time, the Inhumans are what the X-Men would be if they ever got the equality they've so long strived for; not knock-offs or replacements.

Don't get me wrong though, I'm glad you guys are starting to realize that the Inhumans aren't actually treading over the X-Men's territory!
I've seen more and more post like this lately and it's making me happy because we're getting down to the root of this Inhumans-backlash: X-fans don't trust Marvel (and rightly so), but clearly they're not interested in making the Inhumans the new X-Men... Just read the Inhumans books and you'll see that.