Alex Dobson
MA Illustration: Authorial Practice
MAI130
2021
This Essay will discuss how superpowers function as a metaphor for disability focusing on the work of Stan Lee and Grant Morrison, specifically Stan Lee’s X-men, and Grant Morrison’s period as writer of Doom Patrol.
While physical disability is obvious in both publications in the form of a wheelchair bound leader, the psychological disability is less obvious. However, the characters are all alienated from society because of their difference; a difference they did not ask for or desire.
In superhero comics there is a sacrifice – the loss of a ‘normal’ existence, but this is not a willing sacrifice
Stan Lee (originally Stanley Martin Lieber) was an American comic book writer born in December 1922.
In 1963 he along with artist Jack Kirby created the X-men.
Grant Morrison is a Scottish writer, artist and magician born, January 31st, 1960, in Glasgow.
In 1989 he began writing for Doom Patrol with Richard Case as the artist.
X-men is a Marvel comic that follows a superhero team comprised of mutants, people who gain superpowers at puberty due to them being the next stage of evolution to humanity.
As a result of them gaining these powers they are ostracised from society.
The team is led by Professor Charles Xavier, a bald man in a wheelchair with psychic powers.
Publicly Xavier works as the principal of The Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters with the rest of the x-men being the school’s teachers and students.
Doom Patrol is a Detective Comics (DC) comic book originally created in 1963 by writers Arnold Blake and Bob Haney, with Bruno Premiani as the artist. In 1989 Grant Morrison took over as writer for Doom Patrol.
The Doom Patrol is a team of superheroes whose powers have them labelled as freaks by society, as well as causing them a significant amount of trauma.
The team is led by Niles Caulder, a wheelchair bound super-genius.
One reason this essay will be comparing Morrison and Lee is because of the different time periods in which they worked. While both comics were created in 1963, Grant Morrison began writing on Doom Patrol in 1989.
One reason these dates are relevant is The Comics Code Authority (CCA) in 1954 psychologist Dr. Frederic Wertham wrote Seduction of the Innocent a book providing supposed proof as to the link between juvenile delinquency and comic books.
This book was a part of a larger anti-comics movement, which led to the comics industry needing to self-regulate, so the CCA was created.
The creation of the CCA led to American comics being heavily censored, so it was difficult for comics to portray difficult topics.
Over time the influence of the CCA died down and censorship over comics lessened.
So, when both Doom Patrol and X-Men were created in 1963 comics were being heavily censored, but when Grant Morrison was writing for Doom Patrol in 1989, the influence of the CCA would have lessened.