X-Men should be more like Doom Patrol.
What I mean by this is that a lot of people make the argument that the X-Men as a metaphor for marginalized people discriminated against by systems of oppression, racism, sexism, homophobia, and misogyny don't work with the fundamental premise of the X-Men, that being that our oppressed community has actual superpowers.
Now not every mutant has good powers; think Three-Face John from the beginning of Morrison's run or Beak. There is certainly a case to be made that mutants like these would be more widely discriminated against than, say, your X-Men or even your Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.
There is also a strong case to be made and an entirely different treatise to be written on the fact that at least to some extent the fear of mutants is justified. By the virtue of how mutants come into existence, and while it is a metaphor for puberty, making it literal Some mutant kids, well... explode or turn into mist or any number of things. Some of them potentially very dangerous.
This is something that people would very naturally be afraid of; it would be very hard not to, and something I genuinely want to see more of in X-Men books is X-Men kind of just helping out young mutants powers, which is, let's say, troublesome at the very least, and helping them acclimate. I digress.
The point of this post is to say Doom Patrol gets one thing right that X-Men sometimes gets right, and it is that the metaphor for discrimination Works up to a point when you have someone like Magneto, who can just control metal at long range with incredible precision, or Xavier, who is stated to be strong enough psychically that he could just make everyone in the world kill themselves, and it would take him 10 years; yet he could do it—not even to mention the Omega levels.
With things like this in play, it hurts the metaphor overall. Doom Patrol's one point is the fact that the Doom Patrol uses a similar metaphor, but it does so in a way that feels more grounded and cohesive. The discrimination faced by the Doom Patrol isn’t because of their powers themselves—it’s because of who they are and how their powers have affected them.
For example Larry Trainor, at least in the show, is a gay man whose primary conflict revolves around his struggles with his sexuality, not just the fact that he’s radioactive and bonded with a Negative Spirit. The Negative Spirit even works as a metaphor for Larry’s internal conflict—a part of himself that he initially resents but learns to accept.
Jane’s dissociative identity disorder, which manifests in her multiple personalities with unique powers, is directly linked to her trauma. Her arc is about coming to terms with her identities and the abuse that shaped them.
Cliff, a brain in a metal body who cannot feel anything, serves as a metaphor for his physical and emotional disconnection. His predicament is tied to his past mistakes, his accident, and the guilt he carries for alienating his family.
What makes Doom Patrol work is its focus on personal and tangible struggles. It uses powers and their consequences as metaphors for trauma, disability, and internalized marginalization. Society doesn’t hate the Doom Patrol because they’re superpowered; it fears them for who they are and what they represent.
In contrast, the X-Men’s metaphor could be strengthened by rooting their struggles more directly in the physiological and emotional changes caused by their mutations. Instead of focusing solely on societal fear of mutants, instead going balls deep into how specific powers fundamentally alter a person’s life and alienate them from society and themselves. For example, mutations that cause visible, uncontrollable changes—like Beak’s bird-like appearance or Rogue’s inability to touch others— young Cyclops the best X-Men is a perfect example of this serving as more poignant metaphors for trauma, disability, or other forms of marginalization.
In short, while the X-Men's broad metaphor for systemic discrimination works up to a point, it lacks the personal, trauma-informed depth that Doom Patrol achieves. Am I saying this would make X-Men books better? No, but what I am saying is it's something to think about. By exploring the specific ways that mutations change and isolate individuals, the X-Men could create a more compelling and relatable narrative about oppression and identity.
What I mean by this is that a lot of people make the argument that the X-Men as a metaphor for marginalized people discriminated against by systems of oppression, racism, sexism, homophobia, and misogyny don't work with the fundamental premise of the X-Men, that being that our oppressed community has actual superpowers.
Now not every mutant has good powers; think Three-Face John from the beginning of Morrison's run or Beak. There is certainly a case to be made that mutants like these would be more widely discriminated against than, say, your X-Men or even your Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.
There is also a strong case to be made and an entirely different treatise to be written on the fact that at least to some extent the fear of mutants is justified. By the virtue of how mutants come into existence, and while it is a metaphor for puberty, making it literal Some mutant kids, well... explode or turn into mist or any number of things. Some of them potentially very dangerous.
This is something that people would very naturally be afraid of; it would be very hard not to, and something I genuinely want to see more of in X-Men books is X-Men kind of just helping out young mutants powers, which is, let's say, troublesome at the very least, and helping them acclimate. I digress.
The point of this post is to say Doom Patrol gets one thing right that X-Men sometimes gets right, and it is that the metaphor for discrimination Works up to a point when you have someone like Magneto, who can just control metal at long range with incredible precision, or Xavier, who is stated to be strong enough psychically that he could just make everyone in the world kill themselves, and it would take him 10 years; yet he could do it—not even to mention the Omega levels.
With things like this in play, it hurts the metaphor overall. Doom Patrol's one point is the fact that the Doom Patrol uses a similar metaphor, but it does so in a way that feels more grounded and cohesive. The discrimination faced by the Doom Patrol isn’t because of their powers themselves—it’s because of who they are and how their powers have affected them.
For example Larry Trainor, at least in the show, is a gay man whose primary conflict revolves around his struggles with his sexuality, not just the fact that he’s radioactive and bonded with a Negative Spirit. The Negative Spirit even works as a metaphor for Larry’s internal conflict—a part of himself that he initially resents but learns to accept.
Jane’s dissociative identity disorder, which manifests in her multiple personalities with unique powers, is directly linked to her trauma. Her arc is about coming to terms with her identities and the abuse that shaped them.
Cliff, a brain in a metal body who cannot feel anything, serves as a metaphor for his physical and emotional disconnection. His predicament is tied to his past mistakes, his accident, and the guilt he carries for alienating his family.
What makes Doom Patrol work is its focus on personal and tangible struggles. It uses powers and their consequences as metaphors for trauma, disability, and internalized marginalization. Society doesn’t hate the Doom Patrol because they’re superpowered; it fears them for who they are and what they represent.
In contrast, the X-Men’s metaphor could be strengthened by rooting their struggles more directly in the physiological and emotional changes caused by their mutations. Instead of focusing solely on societal fear of mutants, instead going balls deep into how specific powers fundamentally alter a person’s life and alienate them from society and themselves. For example, mutations that cause visible, uncontrollable changes—like Beak’s bird-like appearance or Rogue’s inability to touch others— young Cyclops the best X-Men is a perfect example of this serving as more poignant metaphors for trauma, disability, or other forms of marginalization.
In short, while the X-Men's broad metaphor for systemic discrimination works up to a point, it lacks the personal, trauma-informed depth that Doom Patrol achieves. Am I saying this would make X-Men books better? No, but what I am saying is it's something to think about. By exploring the specific ways that mutations change and isolate individuals, the X-Men could create a more compelling and relatable narrative about oppression and identity.