According to at least one article, Marvel is considering eliminating the word "mutant" from its vocabulary in what that article's writer hails as a huge step forward for all mankind. I disagree; it's fucking stupid.
We already have enough terms that provide the same separation and "mutie" was originally the "slur" for "mutant." Using this structure, Chris Claremont and other writers directly confronted issues such as apartheid and racism - issues that are almost never even hinted at in today's ultra-Liberal, politically correct world. How will those issues ever be discussed in a comic book in which the word cannot even be used?
Of course, given Marvel's editorial approach over the last five years or so, this is probably just another gimmick that will come and go in a matter of issues. The only reason I bring it up is because it's yet another example of what amounts to censorship by social contract. There are already plenty of racial slurs Marvel, and other publishers, do not use, so why add yet another - why create a fake slur word then refuse to use it? Even better, why create now two fake slur words for the same thing?
And, moreover, it isn't like Marvel is ever going to actually confront any of the issues for which it is ostensibly instituting this self-censorship - I can't imagine the company ever tackling racism or separatism in any shape, form, or fashion these days except as a gimmick.
© C Harris Lynn, 2013
A rambling melange of pop-culture.
2 comments:
-_- .......................... *sigh* ...... Why marvel?
Honestly! That's basically all Marvel is these days: One big gimmick.
I truly love their characters and grew up wanting to work on their titles but I haven't read anything from them in years that was anything more than a thinly-veiled attempt to get readers to buy more comics. Daredevil was an exception up to about 2-3 years ago; since then, he's had at least 3-4 mini-series in addition to the regular series.
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