Action Comics #900 Discussion
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It would somewhat depend upon the trigger for the mutations. The "leap in evolution" might have been working its way through the human genetic pool for a while but been triggered by some factor usually found in white suburban areas... [There are also various controversial theories about genetic clusters of abnormalities being found in specific races from particular geographic areas, but I wouldn't touch that subject without a PHd in genetics.]
That's about the best rationalization you're going to come up with...The real-world answer probably has more to do with the comics being written by white guys.
That's about the best rationalization you're going to come up with...The real-world answer probably has more to do with the comics being written by white guys.
Yeah, I guess that might be the case, but applying any sort of real-world genetics to the X-Men is, y'know, a pretty bad idea. Like, the next step in evolution has no actual grounding in any sort of actual evolutionary science. Yes, a guy who can control metal is probably pretty damn reproductively fit, but what does an unrelated guy who was born with mindreading powers have to do with him? Not much.
I'm pretty sure the genes which make somebody a big blue furry wet dream and the genes which give a guy the power to shoot punches from the punch dimension out his eyes aren't the same, but for some reason it's treated as such.
Homo sapiens superior? That's Brotherhood propaganda.
I'm sort of surprised they never said it was an genetically engineered Shiar/Kree/Shrull/etc. virus released over North Am that made germline changes, or something along those lines. Effects are still totally implausible, but it explains all these "random" yet somehow highly beneficial changes. Or maybe they did say that once, and realized it was a terrible idea.
Now the Atlanteans? That's a speciation event. A profoundly stupid and probably magic speciation event, but there you go.
I'd still like to see a good excuse for why all the GLs are American. Only Americans have the willpower to fight blood vomit people? And Kyle Rayner's Mexican dad doesn't count!
I'm pretty sure the genes which make somebody a big blue furry wet dream and the genes which give a guy the power to shoot punches from the punch dimension out his eyes aren't the same, but for some reason it's treated as such.
Homo sapiens superior? That's Brotherhood propaganda.
I'm sort of surprised they never said it was an genetically engineered Shiar/Kree/Shrull/etc. virus released over North Am that made germline changes, or something along those lines. Effects are still totally implausible, but it explains all these "random" yet somehow highly beneficial changes. Or maybe they did say that once, and realized it was a terrible idea.
Now the Atlanteans? That's a speciation event. A profoundly stupid and probably magic speciation event, but there you go.
I'd still like to see a good excuse for why all the GLs are American. Only Americans have the willpower to fight blood vomit people? And Kyle Rayner's Mexican dad doesn't count!
Well, there is a technological element to how Green Lanterns are chosen. The first American GL (ignoring Alan Scott--as he crafted that magic ring on his own) was a result of a random space crash (a dying Abin Sur). The rings probably just decided to start from the same (successful) location and work outward in a pre-designed search pattern. Also, keep in mind that we're only talking about four people (Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, Jon Stewart, and Kyle Rayner), so the sample size may not be large enough to draw any conclusions.
I always thought the only way to explain the marvel mutants in a near-plausible way was to make them all have the same mutation, namely an advanced brain that has the potential to grant any mutant god-like powers, but that ends up effecting a singular self-recreation event during puberty, which alters their genes even further in response to some subconscious desire/fear or urgent need.
How the hell did we get to talking about the Marvel U? SUPERMAN. DC Comics. #900 issue of Action Comics!!! 
Genetics are a funny thing. We all know that certain genes can be race linked, such as susceptibility to certain ailments.
Maybe the gene that creates x-mutations is more readily triggered in caucasians? Or there's something in the water here? Maybe secret CIA experiments that got in the general population back in the 1950s?
But, seriously, like I said, people tend to write what they know. People also tend to read about characters more like themselves. Superhero comics are basically an American genre. So most superheroes tend to be Americans.
I think this is basically the premise of Valiant's old X-Men ripoff/homage/improvement Harbinger.
Snaploud said:
I have similar questions about how the third Korugarian Lantern happens to be Sinestro's daughter. Will we eventually see one of the rings of Space Sector 2814 search out one of Hal Jordan's many illegitimate offspring?
About John Stewart, I don't get that costume either. Why doesn't he just have an indigo variant? To me there is an overemphasis on his past as a soldier, and not enough on him as an architect, or as a human being, a fully three-dimensional character. Perhaps we have the JL/JLU to thank for that, however, that cartoon developed him more as a 3-D character (not just a hardass/badass soldier) and gave him actual storylines as opposed to what has been done to him in the recent comics.
I don't think Geoff Johns has a feel for Stewart, so they just put him in the soldier/Marine box, with whatever assumptions might go along with that and let his character stagnate. I got a feeling if any the human Lanterns die during the War of the Lanterns, it will be Stewart.
[quote-DarKush]I don't think Geoff Johns has a feel for Stewart, so they just put him in the soldier/Marine box, with whatever assumptions might go along with that and let his character stagnate. I got a feeling if any the human Lanterns die during the War of the Lanterns, it will be Stewart. [/quote]
Probably, because DC comics doesn't care about black people.
I never minded the Marine background for Stewart, it was fine. But there's just no excuse for an aesthetic that bad. It's not just the color, which is awful, but the design. Headband and BDUs? Lord.
But speaking of the color: I realize that traditional CMYK coloring cannot represent violet or indigo any more than my monitor can (maybe they make super-science monitors which could, or monitors which tan you while you watch people do stupid things on YouTube), but indigo still isn't "purple."
Trying to portray the Indigo Tribe, or the Star Sapphires, is kind of like trying to portray music--the medium isn't capable of it, and the result is a design disaster. As above, so below...
Probably, because DC comics doesn't care about black people.
I never minded the Marine background for Stewart, it was fine. But there's just no excuse for an aesthetic that bad. It's not just the color, which is awful, but the design. Headband and BDUs? Lord.
But speaking of the color: I realize that traditional CMYK coloring cannot represent violet or indigo any more than my monitor can (maybe they make super-science monitors which could, or monitors which tan you while you watch people do stupid things on YouTube), but indigo still isn't "purple."
Trying to portray the Indigo Tribe, or the Star Sapphires, is kind of like trying to portray music--the medium isn't capable of it, and the result is a design disaster. As above, so below...
Yeah, I remember some of the stories back when he first showed up and John's experience as a soldier was waaay far in the background (to the point I didn't even remember it). The architect thing was much more prevalent, and actually informed some of his actions as GL (see the JLA story "the Man Who Murdered Santa Claus" from the early 70s.)
That John was, to me, much more interesting than the one we have now. His humanist take on being a GL was different than Hal's more straitlaced "space cop" style. Now they're both ex-military guys and the book suffers from the lack of contrast.
I sort of liked Longshot, anyhow. The Mojoverse was about as tangential to the X-Men concept as the Shi'ar, but it was always fun.
^ I liked the Longshot and Mojoverse adaption they did for X-Men: Animated series.
All my favorite X-Men stories are the crazy sci-fi cosmic ones, not the "humans hate and fear us" ones. That's why I'm not terribly happy with the whole Decimation / Purifier story that's been running for the past what seven years? That's why I loved Joss Whedon's X-Men run. He got it 
^ Morrison got it as well, that's why I loved both of their runs.
All my favorite X-Men stories are the crazy sci-fi cosmic ones, not the "humans hate and fear us" ones. That's why I'm not terribly happy with the whole Decimation / Purifier story that's been running for the past what seven years? That's why I loved Joss Whedon's X-Men run. He got it
Funny, but I find the hatred more stories compelling, for the most part. I've enjoyed Messiah Complex, Messiah War, and Second Coming. Those have been some pretty good reads. Though I also liked the Rise and Fall of the Shi'ar Empire, though I'm not as big on the X-Men's cosmic events.
^ I don't like the X-Men in space stories much either but I did enjoy The Rise and Fall of the Shi'Ar Empire! This thread has somehow morphed into an X-Men thread!!! LOL!
It mutated.
^ Indeed. We must have decimation!!