The X-Men comics are known for being a civil rights movement metaphor. With the first issue coming out in 1963, this focus made Xavier’s mutant team and Magento’s brotherhood exceptionally relevant. In the decades since, readers’ perceptions of the X-Men’s past symbolism have evolved. As readers’ interpretations have changed over time, so too have the writers’ narrative goals.

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Different X-titles have tackled a variety of issues including addiction, fake news, and HIV/AIDS, and more either directly or through metaphor. In more recent years, the X-Men have become arguably more symbolic of the LGBT struggle for equal rights and freedom from oppression, which many consider more in alignment with the comic’s overall narrative. No matter the time period, X-Men comics consistently reflect relevant issues back to readers in insightful and thought-provoking narratives.

10 Parallels Can Be Seen Between Giant-Size X-Men #1 And The Vietnam War

two comic panels from giant x-men

Included in Len Wein's 1975 Giant-Size X-Men #1 was a thinly veiled allegory for the Vietnam War. Though the war had formally concluded in 1973 (an event addressed in X-Men: Days of Future Past), American involvement in Vietnam continued until days before the publication of this issue. In the story, the original X-Men were trapped on Krakoa, a sentient Pacific Ocean island that was feeding off of them. Krakoa allowed Cyclops to escape knowing he would bring more mutants to feed on.

This was not unlike the Vietnam War itself, which took place in a tropical country on the Pacific and was sustained by thousands of lives provided by the U.S. government in addition to Vietnamese losses.

9 The Legacy Virus Provided Commentary On HIV/AIDS

A comic panel depicting a character dying of the legacy virus

In 1993’s X-Force #18 “Ghosts in the Machine (X-Cutioner's Song, Pt. 12)” by Fabian Nicieza, the world’s mutants found themselves faced with a deadly new enemy, the Legacy Virus. Brought from the future by the X-Men villain Stryfe, this airborne pathogen was quickly recognized as Marvel’s iteration of HIV/AIDS. The virus targeted the X-Gene, thus making mutants analogous to the gay men disproportionately affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

The Legacy Virus functioned similarly to HIV/AIDS, rendering mutant bodies incapable of creating healthy blood cells. The virus itself mutated and began mimicking other aspects of HIV/AIDS, such as clinical latency, which Pyro experienced. The Legacy Virus plagued the mutant world until a cure was developed several years later.

8 The Mutant Cure Put A Spotlight On Conversion Therapy

Astonishing X-Men Mutant Cure

Many X-Men storylines can be seen as tackling the legal, political, social, and health issues faced by the LGBT community. Astonishing X-Men’s 2004 “Gifted” arc, written by Joss Whedon, continued this trend. In “Gifted,” Dr. Kavita Rao created a mutant cure, which eliminated mutation by suppressing the X-Gene. The cure is analogous to conversion therapy, a pseudoscientific practice used in attempts to “cure” members of the LGBT community.

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This story was adapted in X-Men: The Last Stand, where, as in reality, some voluntarily tried the cure while others had it forced upon them. The debate and implementation of bans on conversion therapy around the world continue, especially relating to minors.

7 The Island Nation Of Genosha Reflected South African Apartheid

X-Men Wolverine And Rogue Are Captured By Genosha Military Forces

When the island nation of Genosha first appeared in 1988’s Uncanny X-Men #235, it was nothing like the mutant safe haven it would one day become. In Chris Claremont's “Welcome to Genosha,” readers discovered the wealthy and prosperous island was the Marvel equivalent to South African apartheid.

As the X-Men would learn, the nation’s wealth and stability were built on the backs of its mutant population, which was essentially enslaved. Mutants on Genosha were considered property of the state and underwent a process by the local government that removed their free will. The longer story arc sees the X-Men topple the government and free the mutant captives. Eventually, the United Nations gave the island to Magneto and it became a mutant homeland.

6 X-Men Red Addressed The Issue Of Fake News

Jean Grey and X-Men Red Team

In 2018, Jean Grey assembled her own team in writer Tom Taylor's X-Men Red, a title that addressed several contemporary issues, including fake news. As Jean began working with the U.N. to improve relations with mutants, Cassandra Nova began using Sentinites to program mutant hatred in the minds of others. Soon websites, news channel personalities, and blogs spewing disinformation about mutants began reaching a fever pitch.

Anti-mutant groups with torches gathered. Pro-mutant groups clashed with these hate groups. Hate crimes and murder rose. Nova incited violent division through legitimizing dehumanization and speciesism.

5 Reverend William Stryker Shows The Ways People Can Use Their Own Agendas To Hurt Others

X-Men and Reverend Stryker in Marvel Comics

Chris Claremont’s 1982 graphic novel God Loves, Man Kills is almost 40 years old, but it is still relevant today. Claremont’s narrative, which was heavily adapted in X2: X-Men United, sees the X-Men face Reverend William Stryker, a popular religious figure with an anti-mutant agenda.

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Through the lens of his beliefs, Stryker wholeheartedly believed that it was his duty to secure the extinction of the mutant race. A popular televangelist, Stryker easily whipped people into anti-mutant frenzies with his rhetoric and justifications. Luckily, his plans to wipe out mutants failed.

4 Uncanny X-Men Touched On The Coming Out Experience

Ice Man sitting at the table with his family

Iceman’s coming out in 2015 is one more example of Marvel moving away from mutant-as-metaphors for the LGBT community to actually having LGBT characters. Though there was some upset over this, longtime readers will recall that Bobby arguably metaphorically embraced coming out in 1994’s Uncanny X-Men #319 by Scott Lobdell. Here, Bobby visits his parents, a tough endeavor given his father’s penchant for emotional abuse.

Inwardly, Bobby is also struggling to embrace his full potential. In a situation many can relate to, Bobby, seeking acceptance and love, faced strongly negative reactions from his father about both his romantic life and his mutation.

3 Cassandra Nova Was A Vehicle For Exploring Terrorism

Cassa Nova plotting in a bunker

In its mission to examine difficult and contemporary issues facing readers, Tom Taylor's X-Men Red explored what can sometimes result from fake news, fringe groups, and radicalization: terrorism. After implanting Sentinites in global leaders and stoking mutant-human tensions the world over, Nova embraced terrorism. When she learned mutants were seeking refuge with Jean Grey’s team in Atlantis, Nova sent a single brainwashed mutant, Teen Abomination, to act essentially as a suicide bomber.

After that failed, Nova hijacked a dozen commercial airliners, holding the passengers' hostage while convincing them mutants were responsible. Thanks to Iron Man and a team-up with the X-Men and Avengers, Nova’s plans to influence governments through terrorism failed.

2 The Dark Phoenix Saga Tackled Addiction

Jean Grey beside a pink silhouette of the phoenix

Writer Chris Claremont's The Dark Phoenix Saga is full of symbolism, but one aspect that is widely visible to readers is its take on addiction. After finding her powers greatly enhanced by the Phoenix Force, which bonded with her to save her life, Jean Grey was riding a cosmic high. This was writer Claremont’s intent with introducing the Phoenix: to make Jean more interesting, useful, and powerful.

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However, Jean’s journey culminated in a downward spiral that parallels the dark side of addiction. From hurting friends and family to a complete loss of control and even death, Jean’s story is truly a poignant reflection on a difficult issue that continues to plague many. This reading of the narrative is even more clearly relied on in the 2019 Dark Phoenix film.

1 In X-Men #1, The X-Men Took On The Cold War

Magneto vs the original X-Men

Though the X-Men comics were born out of the civil rights movement, they also tackled the Cold War early on. After characters were established in Stan Lee's X-Men #1, Xavier's team battles Magneto, who acts as a mutant metaphor for aggression against democracy. The Master of Magnetism is outwardly anti-Homosapien but also reads as a symbol of the nuclear threat that permeated the American consciousness.

At Cape Citadel, Magneto--wearing red, a color associated with communism-- threatened members of the U.S. military, controlling and crashing missiles and trying to conquer the base. The X-Men defeated him and, in a rare occurrence, were celebrated by the military as heroes.

NEXT: 10 Ways The X-Men Could Be Brought Into The MCU