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Opinion

The Mutant Problem

Published: July 19, 2015


 

Sunfire

 

Japan is fiercely proud of their national superhero. Sunfire doesn't have a secret identity; his family and friends are protected by a volunteer section of the police force. He uses his codename not out of a sense of secrecy but because of honor.

"The emperor bestowed the title upon me," he told me during our interview. "I only hope to be worthy of such a name."

Because of his society's attitudes, I first found Sunfire kind of arrogant. The way he walked and held himself threw me. Then I realized he was the first costumed mutant I'd ever seen who didn't hunch over. So far, all the mutants I met who wore a costume did so almost shamefully, even mutant supremacists like The Brotherhood. They hunched over.

Sunfire walked straight and tall all the time and felt comfortable doing so. And why shouldn't he? He's Japan's own Superman. I was just having a gut-reaction to his stance because I've been living in a world where mutants have to apologize for existing. The realization left a bad taste in my mouth.

 

Introduction: The Mutant Problem

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