COMICS BLEND

The most important soldier in the mutant vs. human conflict may have been revealed in Uncanny X-Men #14 this week.

 

While I love the action packed, game-changing crossover Battle of the Atom, along comes an issue like this focused on character development with great humor and heart that makes you remember what the X-Men are truly all about.

 

Tempus, Triage, Hijack and the comically nicknamed Goldballs are the new generation of mutants created by Brian Michael Bendis. They all have code-names and cool powers but this issue is all about Benjamin Deeds.

 

Benjamin’s mutant power seems to be subtle and passive in nature. He can morph to look like someone he’s close to. Doesn’t seem like a powerful mutant to have on your side when you’re fighting Sentinels and villains like Sabretooth?

 

Emma Frost takes Benjamin under her wing. The telepath has a track record as a teacher, mentor and sometimes cruel mistress with her students. By the end of the story we learn Benjamin may have the potential to be one of the most powerful and strategic mutants of all the new kids.

 

Benjamin doesn’t just come out as a powerhouse mutant but comes out…as a young gay man.

 

It’s brilliant how Bendis uses Deeds’ learning to figure out his mutant abilities and super hero identity while sharing with readers his identity as a young man who is gay.  The X-Men have always been about young people figuring out who they are. If only ever young gay man could have Emma Frost as their mentor!

 

Ironic that I just wrote this editorial on the state of gay characters in the All-New Marvel Now and on the very next new comic book Wednesday Benjamin comes out. What makes Deeds different is just a facet of who is and what he brings to this new generation of X-Men.

 

Benjamin’s coming out is anti-climatic in the comic book. His mentor Emma Frost doesn’t care about his sexual orientation only that he reach his potential. This X-Man’s revelation is important for readers and continues the tradition that X marks diversity.

 

Now about that code-name…Morph?

 

By Editor