Is Omega Level Mutant the worst X-men concept to be introduced?
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Is Omega Level Mutant the worst X-men concept to be introduced?
Is Omega Level Mutant the worst X-men concept to be introduced?
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No, "mutants are a metaphor" was the worst X-Men concept to be introduced. Omega Level is definitely up there, along with "what if the mutant villains were actually the heroes?"
>No, "mutants are a metaphor" was the worst X-Men concept to be introduced.
We supposed to pretend that wasn’t how it’s been since literally issue #1, as per the decades of interviews with the creators over the years?
This like one of those “I hope they don’t make Metal Gear or Gundam political” things???
>We supposed to pretend that wasn’t how it’s been since literally issue #1, as per the decades of interviews with the creators over the years?
Jack Kirby never claimed it was, and Stan Lee only tried to claim credit for it after Claremont made it a main theme of the book in the 80s. People like to cherry-pick a few brief scenes that fit the narrative, but most of the book pre-80s doesn't fit it, and Lee and Kirby were on the record as having come up with the idea of mutants just to avoid having to think up origin stories for superheroes.
>X-Men
>The X is for "X-tra power"
Literally how Xavier justified the name in the very first issue.
It's bad in the sense that it became a power level thing. I think the idea that some mutants basically don't have a limit on their power is fine. It wasn't meant to represent that a mutant actually was a powerhouse, it was a theoretical thing. Iceman is an Omega-level mutant because he's essentially controlling fundamental forces. Jean is Omega because her psionic powers are cosmic level. Elixir is omega level because he essentially could have complete mastery over life and death and the biological functions of organisms. Quentin was not an Omega level, Storm controlled the weather but so what?
But eventually it just turned into "guy is powerful make him an Omega."
The Metaphor didn't come about until God Loves, Man Kills which wasn't even supposed to be canon. But it was so well received and an entrylevel story that it colored what the X-Men were about from then on.
>Storm controlled the weather but so what?
Storm can control ocean currents and solar winds, who’s to say she couldn’t control a sun with enough time?
i always love this take. igonring the fact that there were plenty of examples of the analogy, why do people need to pretend that both Stan Lee and Kirby would never do this kind of stuff? Just look at the stuff with Black Panther in the FF book. I mean Stan lee literally had a column where he would push for civil rights.
Different creative intentions.
The Gundam uses its politics to define the setting for Mech battles. Since it generally targets an older demographic to buy model kits, a la 40k, this is appropriate for the audience.
The X-Men are a young male action/adventure series. The purpose in having the mutants bring hated is to simplify the origins and provide external conflict. Anything more, from gay metaphors, threatens diminish the premise.
There was no intent to X-Men beyond "make another group of superpowered individuals"
Stan "the lazy frick" Lee only decided to make them mutants because he was too lazy to create origins for them. His words, not mine.
I don't dislike mutant as a metaphor but the problem is that the metaphor doesn't really work when black people now have de jure equal rights and the overwhelming majority of Americans aren't racist and now that gay people (who they pivoted to being the target of the metaphor) also have de jure equal rights and I don't even know the last time I've heard a mainstream Republican politician say they want to repeal gay marriage.
Secondly, the way the audience reacts to the metaphor sucks. You have so many black power and gay pride types that uncritically push for whatever mutants do even if it's bat shit crazy and attack every other marvel superhero as secretly racist; this is probably why krakoa really wasn't undone by it's blatant moral bankruptcy but orchis just somehow finally taking over.
Also, in regards to the original post, I didn't use to have a problem with the omega level but it just seems like a dick measuring concept where omega mutents can do whatever and they just constantly bring up how they're omegas
Yes
secondary mutations are just as moronic
All of Onslaught was kind of bad.
Iceman is on this list, and Mr. Immortal isn't? He's the fricking homosexual Supreme.
I think it's just an overview or "top priority" thing.
he not a mutant he a homosexual Supreme
Though tangentially related, I despite the Phoenix Force
That would be the Phoenix Force or the constant "Xavier has been keeping a major frick-up a secret" reveals.
Better than power levels.
thats nice
No, its awesome.
Considering it seems like everyone qualifies for Omega Level Mutant that isn't a total secondary or isn't someone with an intentionally shitty power, yes.
It seemed cool and interesting when it was Mr M and they were actually figuring out a way to kill him (depower him first with Leech)
But it's long past the point of seeming special
The problem with Mister M is the fricker should be around more using his near-omnipotent powers to save the world now and then, y'know?
b***h thinks he's Tom Bombadil or something
>Franklin Richards
Franklin has an X-gene? I thought his powers were the result of the cosmic radiation that gave Reed and Susan their powers. Doesn't that make him a mutate and not a mutant?
What does that mean for any of Spider-man's daughters?
Omega Level is just a symptom of Power Creep. None of the OL mutants outside the outright reality warpers were originally conceived as such. It's just that their capabilities increased to absurd levels over the decades because it's easier to write them overpowered than just having them use their powers in creative ways.
TL,DR: Power Creep was the mistake.
>taking a really basic/simple power and stretching it as far as it'll go
This is how powers SHOULD work, but the ground rules need to be laid out from the start with how far they can take it, like with Jojo.
That and secondary mutations.
>the definition is a power that cannot be surpassed
>there are two omega-level telepaths
Uh, shouldn't only one be unsurpassed?
It was the worst handled one by not being a solid classification and getting tossed out like candy to every stronk mutant
Guys kinda offtopic but this was the only x thread I could find. Why the frick does Jean make out with Warren here? Was this considered normal in the late 70s to start kissing an old friend after meeting up with him again? I know she's going bad but this seems unrelated to the black queen stuff.