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Opinion

Krakin’ Krakoa #86: Why Does Sexuality in X-Men Comics Matter?

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Following my review of 2020’s X-Factor #1, I saw a fair amount of commentary from listeners and readers wondering why there’s all this focus on character sexuality in the book, specifically with queer X-Men. Hot on the heels of Marauders #12 and Kate Pryde’s same-sex kiss, the question is of course resurfacing, making it a good time to really dig into the relevance and importance of sexuality in the world of Marvel’s X-Men.

Up front, I’ll admit this is a sensitive issue and I don’t pretend to have all the answers. This is my own attempt to wrestle with these recurring questions, and dissect them in the context of X-Men comics. While I think it would be nice, I don’t anticipate this conversation will change hearts and minds regarding perceptions of sexuality and gender in our world, but I do hope it will specifically address how these issues are integrated into Marvel’s X-Men comics, and why, at the end of the day, it makes sense and is a substantial net positive.

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Krakin’ Krakoa #73: Did Hickman Actually Retcon Mister Sinister?

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The word retcon gets thrown around – sometimes wildly, sometimes recklessly – a lot in comic book circles to describe an act of rewriting a character’s history, changing seemingly fundamental details long thought to be that character’s truth. Spelled out, it’s “retro continuity,” or a sort of revisionist history that upends a status quo. For me it effectively boils down to one question: Does this irrevocably change the way we read the character’s previous appearances in comics?

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Are the X-Men Villains Now? | Krakin’ Krakoa #68

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Even during the promotional build to Jonathan Hickman’s takeover as the “Head of X,” there was theorizing that Charles Xavier – if that even was our once and future Professor X, adorned in his Maker-esque Cerebro helmet at all times – and the X-Men would be taking on a more sinister, antagonistic role in the Marvel Universe.

Through House of X / Powers of X, the establishing of Krakoa as a sovereign mutant nation, and now one year into the Dawn of X the question has persisted: Are the X-Men villains now?

I see this thinking and question pop up with virtually every new episode of Krakin’ Krakoa and given the persistence – and the degree to which this progression clearly bothers some readers – I think it’s worth laying out the case for why readers would think this, and why I ultimately wholeheartedly disagree with the assertion.

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Spoilers for comics in the Dawn of X may follow!

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Previously On #115: Comic Book TV Shows Better Than The Comics

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It’s an absolute rarity that a movie based on a book is actually better than the book. Generally speaking, I feel this way about comics and comic book TV, although I’ve realized recently there are a surprising amount of shows that actually surpass or improve on the formula established on page. [Read more…] about Previously On #115: Comic Book TV Shows Better Than The Comics

Previously On #114: What’s the Best Decade-Long Stretch of Marvel Comics History?

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This question comes courtesy of The Cerebros Podcast, who asked what you’d pick as the best 10 year run in Marvel’s history. I find this appealing because it moves us outside the arbitrary constraints of Marvel’s “Best Decade,” and allows you to spread the wealth!

Here are the contenders, based on my review of the My Marvelous Year reading lists, and obviously my own rarely debated tastes. Take a look, and then let me know what ten years of Marvel you’d pick for your collection! [Read more…] about Previously On #114: What’s the Best Decade-Long Stretch of Marvel Comics History?