The Comic X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills is about a Christian evangelical movement led by William Stryker that claims that Mutants are a perversion of god’s creation. He inspires violence from the public towards mutants as well as creating his own violent militia known as the purifiers. He uses these purifiers to kill and brutalize mutants across the country. The breaking point and inciting incident of the story is the brutal murder of two mutant children at a public park. The children are strung up with chains in the middle of a school yard playground. A sign across their chest says in dark red writing “Mutie.” It’s hard not to immediately think of the imagery of a lynching in the south. The brutality of it all is hard to come to terms with. The dead children are found by Magneto who swears revenge on those who did this.

Spoilers will follow this next paragraph.

This is one of the best premises for a comic. Mutants have always been used as a metaphor especially by Claremont, but this is some of the most direct references he has ever made. The comic’s focus on how bigotry can often come from corrupted beliefs. The dark intentions of a few can often lead many astray. This comic does and excellent job of creating a meaningful story, discussing most importantly how do we deal with bigotry. During this story, Magneto become an unexpected ally of the X-Men. Magneto is a holocaust survivor who when noticing the similar treatment of mutants, such as mutant registration, he vows to protect mutant kind by any means necessary. Professor X, the leader of the X-Men, is captured along with two other X-Men by Stryker. He is then psychologically tortured and shown visions of his family, the X-Men, insulting him and beating him. There is a panel in which he is crucified showing the clear religious imagery. Professor X acts as more of a martyr. He wishes to work within the system no matter how much pain that causes him or other mutants. He is often seen as a “good mutant” but still faces bigotry. However, Magneto will kill and violently protect the oppressed. He truly believes that he is the protector of mutant kind. By the end of the comic, Stryker has found a way to force Professor X to kill all mutants. At the same time, he makes a speech about how mutants are a danger to society and are an afront to God and God shall dispose of them. The machine making Professor X do this activates and suddenly the X-Men start to bleed from their noses and get a painful headache. Magneto, however, has a helmet that protects him from this, and he enters and helps stop Stryker. In the end, there is a reunion where Magneto offers for Professor X to join him, but he refuses due to something Cyclops says. Cyclopes explains that fighting a losing battle is worth it if it means you don’t compromise your morals.