Customer Reviews

X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills (Marvel Graphic Novels, No. 5)

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One of the original batch of Marvel graphic novels, and well done. Some of this was of course adapted for the X-Men 2 movie in a somewhat different format. Graphic novels of this type were new and innovative then. A somewhat more adult and tragic look at racism and the tensions and violence between humans and mutants.

God loves, Man Kills sums up many of Chris Claremont's ongoing concerns from his more than a decade long stint on Marvel's X-Men series of comic-books. Using as the central point, the character of Magneto- a tortured , complex individual who suffered through the Nazi Holocaust and later became a bitter self-appointed aggressive advocate for superhuman 'mutants' like himself, this story explores the horrors of rascism and the difficulty that people have in trying to change their behaviour and outlook. In this story, powerfully and sensitively written by Claremont and expressively illustrated by the veteran artist Brent Anderson, the rage of Magneto at the sheer hatred behind racist groups and the hypocrisy of the far right religious groups is compelling. This graphic novel gave Claremont the chance to expand his usual monthly storylines into a feature length tale- aimed more at an older readership than the usual target audience and worked wonderfully as a strong, vital a! ! nd affecting story. If you haven't read comics since you were young- start with this.

This was one of the best X-Men stories, Claremont, shows that he just may be a mutant himself with his insight into the mutant phenomenon. This story may also be the basis for the sequel to the X-Men movie, if internet rumors can be trusted. If so, I can't wait to see the movie.

"God Loves, Man Kills" is Marvel Graphic Novel Number 5. Written by Chris Claremont and Brent Eric Anderson, the book is lettered by Tom Orzechowski and colored by Steve Oliff. In this science fiction adventure, the superheroic mutants known as the X-Men face a complex struggle against William Stryker, a powerful televangelist who is masterminding an ominous plot. Complicating this conflict is the presence of Magneto, the mutant whose own agenda is at odds with those of both Stryker and the X-Men.

This X-Men adventure features Professor X, Wolverine, Cyclops, Storm, Colossus, Ariel, and Nightcrawler. This is an excellent story which, in my opinion, captures the essence of the X-men mythos. "God Loves" is a thrilling mix of action, interpersonal drama, and philosophy. The authors effectively develop the core idea of the mutants as a misunderstood and persecuted minority. There are some really heart-tugging scenes--these are characters you can really care about. The artists deliver some unforgettable visuals.

Stryker is a truly monstrous, horrifying figure. But his effectiveness is a character lies in the fact that he is so similar to many real-live Religious Right figures. Stryker is a Bible-quoting preacher who uses his vast wealth and political influence to wage a campaign of hate against a particular minority group. With a copyright date of 1982, "God Loves" strikes me as eerily prophetic, and still chillingly relevant.

The plot of "God Loves" is similar in certain aspects to that of the 2003 film "X2"--I don't think it's any accident that the mutant-hating villains in these stories have the same name. But despite the parallels "God Loves" still stands on its own as a powerful, well-written X-Men story. I consider it one of the essential masterpieces in the graphic novel genre.