Comics A Content Analysis of X-Men...need help and input.

[usagicassidy]

So for my research class I'm studying the X-Men comic books, specifically about how the X-Men are a symbol and metaphor for people who are different, of different races or religion or gender or sexual prefrencece, yet the comics still implement much more white, straight, males and females than at first glance.









The X-Men may appear to be culturally diverse...but these are the stats of my research thus far:

X-Men (by approx. join date): Professor Xavier
Cyclops Jean Grey Iceman Beast Angel Wolverine
Rogue Nightcrawler Colossus Storm Banshee Sunfire
Thunderbird Havok Polaris Shadowcat X-Man Psylocke
Bishop Cable Dazzler Longshot Rachel Forge
Gambit Marrow Maggot Cecilia Reyes Thunderbird2 Slipstream
Lifeguard Sage Northstar Stacy X Darwin

Villans (by approx. apperance):
Magneto Mystique The Blob Pyro Avalanche Quicksilver
ScarletWitch Toad Sabretooth Emma Frost Destiny Sinister

New Mutants (by approx. group):
MultipleMan Karma Moonstar Cannonball Wolfsbane Siryn
Magma Sunspot StrongGuy Magik Rictor Warpath
Husk Skin M Synch Jubilee Shard
Surge Dust Tag Hellion Wallflower Pixie
Anole Elixir Mercury Rockslide X-23 Wither
WindDancer Chamber Layla Miller Armor Namor Juggernaut
Total: 84

Stats for total X-Men, Villans, and new Mutants:

American - white: 43
American - black: 7
Hispanic: 4
Russian: 2
UK: 4
Asian: 9
Australian: 3
Native American: 4
African: 3
Italian: 1
Spanish: 2
South American: 2
Middle-Eastern: 1
German: 1

Straight: 75
Gay: 9
Bi: 1

Male: 47
Female: 37







X-Men or Important Mutants for less than 2 years, in the background for the rest, and ending in Death or Depowerment or Deactivation:
Banshee Sunfire Thunderbird Dazzler Longshot Maggot
Cecilia Reyes Thunderbird2 Slipstream Lifeguard Northstar Changeling
Frenzy LMastermind Mimic Paulie Revanche Sunpyre
Xorn Petra Sway Rictor Pyro Chamber
Destiny Wind Dancer Shard Magik Karma
Sunspot Skin Synch Tag Wallflower
Total: 34

Stats for Deceased, Depowered, or Deactivated (within 5 years of their first apperance) X-characters:

American - white: 6
American - black: 4
Hispanic: 4
Russian: 1
UK: 2
Asian: 6
Australian: 3
Native American: 3
African: 1
Italian: 1
Spanish: 1
South American: 2

Straight: 26
Gay: 8

Male: 19
Female: 16








So there is my data. I know some of it is a bit off, but I thought it might be interesting to discuss some of this. And also, if anyone has specific characters and/or scenarios, where they feel that a character is being stereotyped or having stereotypical traits for their race/sexuality, could you post? I'm having a hard time thinking of things.

 

[Teh m0nk3y]

Monet's mother was from Algeria while her father was, I believe, originally white and French. M was also born in Sarajevo. She might classify herself as ethnically Berber. Not quite sure where that places Monet on your list.

 

[Harlekin]

Namor?

 

[Manic]

Yeah, what's Namor doing on the list? Sure, he classifies as a mutant Atlantean, but he was never an X-man.

By the way, you said there's only one bi character. There are two. Mystique and Rictor.

Add Apocalypse to your list. He's African.

 

[Valechan]

Sage is the first X-Man technically, no Summers

Stats for Deceased, Depowered, or Deactivated (within 5 years of their first apperance) X-characters:

American - white: 6
American - black: 4
Hispanic: 4
Russian: 1
UK: 2
Asian: 6
Australian: 3
Native American: 3
African: 1
Italian: 1
Spanish: 1
South American: 2

Straight: 26
Gay: 8

Male: 19
Female: 16

8 gay??? Who? I only see Jean Paul and Karma...

 

[usagicassidy]

I just threw Namor in randomly at the end. I will definitely take him out though...I don't know what I was thinking.

So Rictor is bi? Was this explained when he "came out?" Was this in the new X-Factor?


I even have Juggernaut in there...even though he's not a mutant at all.

So now I need two influential characters. I'll add Apoc...hmm who else...

 

[Teh m0nk3y]

I just threw Namor in randomly at the end. I will definitely take him out though...I don't know what I was thinking.

So Rictor is bi? Was this explained when he "came out?" Was this in the new X-Factor?


I even have Juggernaut in there...even though he's not a mutant at all.

So now I need two influential characters. I'll add Apoc...hmm who else...

Rictor hasn't come out per say. The character has had an obvious relationship with Shatterstar. Old panels confirm that they had pretty much an unconfirmed something. Since he's also had a thing with Rahne, the guy is obviously Bi. People have said that PAD have confirmed this in forums, but the guy has left it vague on purpose... Leaving it up to the reader to decide.

 

[Manic]

To be exact, there was an issue of the new X-Factor where Jamie and Rictor were talking about Rictor spending so much time with Quicksilver. Rictor then joked "It's not like I'm sleeping with him... anymore." After Jamie asked Ric if he was serious, he said he's never slept with Quicksilver, but "the guy/guy thing" has happened.

And then a few issues later, he started sleeping with Wolfsbane. Bi.

 

[OutcryX]

Monet's mother was from Algeria while her father was, I believe, originally white and French. M was also born in Sarajevo. She might classify herself as ethnically Berber. Not quite sure where that places Monet on your list.

her father was actually originally black/ethnic algerian/french. not white. his cultural appearance ahs changed from artist to artist

oh and where is Risque in the list of dead/depowered...she was half Cuban half native american

 

[Teh m0nk3y]

her father was actually originally black/ethnic algerian/french. not white. his cultural appearance ahs changed from artist to artist

oh and where is Risque in the list of dead/depowered...she was half Cuban half native american

OK.

To be exact, there was an issue of the new X-Factor where Jamie and Rictor were talking about Rictor spending so much time with Quicksilver. Rictor then joked "It's not like I'm sleeping with him... anymore." After Jamie asked Ric if he was serious, he said he's never slept with Quicksilver, but "the guy/guy thing" has happened.

And then a few issues later, he started sleeping with Wolfsbane. Bi.

Not exactly how it happened. That scene was written in a neutral way. It was written in such a way that Rictor didn't just blurt out that he had slept with men. It was done vaguely leaving the reader to decide if Rictor had. This has even been said by PAD in an old interview. He wants people to form their own opinion. Besides, I've read the issue as well. I can even write the conversation down and it won't come out as you've described it.

Interview from livewireworld.net:

I have much more fun tweaking the fans than actually spelling anything out. If I definitely ... I certainly don't think we could say at this point that Rictor is definitively gay. I think we could make the argument that he's bi, but I don't see the point at this juncture in spelling it out – not because of any sense of homophobia or anything like that but out of a sense that I think it's more entertaining and more thought-provoking if we keep it ambiguous.


Rictor made this passing comment in #14 where he talks about gayness and then he says ‘not that I have any problem with it myself' and there are some people who interpreted it as a Seinfield ‘not that there's anything wrong with that' kind of thing and there are some people, including Rich Johnson (who reported that this exchange definitely made clear that Rictor was gay) ... I think it's much more interesting to have Rictor's comments be a litmus test for the agenda of the readers than if you just show him involved in some sort of bisexual relationship.