Marvel’s Latest X-Men Controversy Sees a Disturbing Trope Return

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The X-Men comics have faced difficulties recently. The ambitious ‘Krakoa Era’ began to decline after writer Jonathan Hickman departed. The ‘Fall of X’ event severely impacted sales, exposing long-standing issues that arose after Hickman’s exit. While ‘From the Ashes’ initially showed promise – with strong early sales despite mixed reviews – it has since struggled. Currently, only a few core titles like X-Men, Uncanny X-Men, Exceptional X-Men, and Wolverine are maintaining consistent readership.

The current X-Men storyline, “Age of Revelation,” presents an alternate future that’s received a mixed reaction from fans – a pattern that’s become common since Tom Brevoort took the helm. Set ten years ahead, the story features significant changes for many characters. Notably, Magik, previously a key ally to Cyclops in the main X-Men series, has reverted to her Darkchylde persona. An explanation of this transformation was provided in a digital comic exclusive to the Marvel Unlimited app, but it sparked considerable controversy, bringing back a troubling trend within Marvel that needs to be addressed.

TRIGGER WARNING for Sexual Assault

Marvel’s Latest Magik Controversy Isn’t the First Time the Publisher has Done This

The fourth issue of Marvel Infinity’s X-Men: Age of Revelation depicted the aftermath of Magik’s death, revealing she was returned to Limbo. There, her former demonic masters reclaimed her, intending to use her as a weapon once more. The story details that she was subjected to sexual assault and forced back into servitude. While not graphically shown, the narrative explicitly states these events occurred. This storyline is particularly unsettling given Magik’s increased popularity in recent years, and many readers find the depiction of her abuse deeply problematic.

Those familiar with Magik’s backstory won’t be surprised by recent developments. It was previously established in the 1980s New Mutants comics that Illyana Rasputin was sexually assaulted by demons while a child in the dimension of Limbo. While Limbo is depicted as a horrific place, and this isn’t entirely new information, the recent portrayal feels unnecessary. The editorial team could have reintroduced Magik as the Darkchylde without resorting to such a disturbing and exploitative plot device. There was no justifiable reason to include sexual assault in her storyline.

I first saw the fan reaction on Reddit, and honestly, people were furious! It quickly became clear that a lot of the blame was falling on writer Tim Seeley, and things got really intense – he even had to leave Twitter and his family received death threats. But honestly, it’s not fair to put all the responsibility on him. This whole “Age of Revelation” storyline feels like something created by Jed MacKay and Tom Brevoort, and it was approved by the editors too. If people are going to be upset, they need to look at the entire X-office – this is a problem that goes way beyond just one writer, and it brings back something truly awful from Marvel’s past.

While Marvel is often praised for diversity today, a look back reveals a troubling history of mistreating its female superheroes. Characters like Invisible Woman were reduced to stereotypes by creators like Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Disturbingly, Marvel has frequently depicted sexual assault, most notably in Avengers #200 with Carol Danvers, and even had characters fall in love with their attackers. Scarlet Witch, repeatedly portrayed as unstable due to her emotions, is another example. Tom Brevoort, who oversaw some of these stories, played a role in turning Scarlet Witch into a villain, echoing a harmful pattern within Marvel’s long history.

Marvel Needs to Walk the Walk and Not Just Talk the Talk

Magik has become a major success story for the X-Men over the past two decades. After being killed off in the early 1990s, she was brought back to life in the 2008 relaunch of New Mutants. Her popularity has steadily grown, boosted by appearances in titles like Midnight Sons and Marvel Rivals. Currently a co-leader of the X-Men, the recent decision to turn her evil through sexual assault is deeply disturbing and unnecessary. Stories like this are harmful and don’t need to be told.

For a long time, Marvel has struggled to create compelling female characters, but it felt like they were finally improving. However, a recent comic book completely undoes that progress. There wasn’t a good reason for this story, and while it’s okay to criticize those involved, blame shouldn’t fall on just one person. The issue lies with the editors who approved it and the company as a whole, as they allowed a damaging story to be released.

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2025-11-29 18:41