Professor X And Magneto
Image Source: Spiritual Musclehead (left), Wikimedia Commons (right)
Regarded as campy, goofy, and colorful, comic books weren’t always given their due as the thoughtful, expressive, politically aware form of literature that they can occasionally be today. That being said, comics legends Stan Lee and Jack Kirby took inspiration for two of their most famous creations from some of the most serious issues of the day.
In the X-Men universe, where “normal” humans are typically fearful, bigoted, and even violent towards mutants, there stand two leaders with wildly opposing views. Professor X fought injustice with kindness and selfless sacrifice, preaching a message of peaceful coexistence. On the other end of the spectrum, Magneto felt he had to fight the hate directed towards his own kind with power, non-conformity, and intimidation. These two characters’ opposing methods were inspired by civil rights leaders Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (the inspiration for Professor X) and Malcolm X (the inspiration for Magneto).
Though Magneto is sometimes portrayed as a force of destructive evil, it is worth noting, in light of his real-life inspiration, that his creators never interpreted him as a villain. They simply saw a man who sought to protect his people from bigotry and violence, albeit through less savory means.
