Pieces of Me: God Loves Man Kills

In the mid 90's I was in my comic book phase real heavy. The stories and characters have a huge spot in the person I've grown up to be. Many have long lasting effects on a wide range of my thoughts and views but one stands out above them all. X-Men: God Loves Man Kills was my real introduction to the X-men. I knew of them prior to this but I became a fan through this book.

This wasn't a bunch of guys in tights running around trashing giant robots or destroying an intergalactic foe. Originally released in the early 80's this book was a comics take on blatant racism and overall race relations. In the role of villian is Preacher William Stryker, the same Stryker that was a Military figure in the Xmen movies. Taking a very literal biblical stance of Mutants being an abomination on mankind, the fiery sermons of Stryker rile up many a "faithful follower" and results in attacks and even murders of innocent mutants.


I wish I could better convey the feelings I had reading this comic. In fact the first time I saw it at my aunt house (it belonged to her husband) he told me I was too young to read it. Anyway, I hadn't fully formed my views on the world yet but I knew a few things without a doubt. I was a black male and for some reason that didnt sit well with some people. So reading the hateful words that were directed at the Xmen the real world correlation hit me immediately. I wanted Wolverine and Colossus to kill those hate mongers in the same way I want(ed) KKK members wiped out.

To hate over differences that you can't control is wrong and that simple view was presented to me just as effectively through comic expression as any thing Black History month had taught me thus for.