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A British Medical Journal recently explored the aging trajectories of MCU superheroes, anticipating their health outcomes. This has opened up the interesting topic of the maturing of Marvel superheroes. In many cases, the growth and maturity of these characters have not been handled properly by their writers and creators.
Some Marvel superheroes have been handled improperly as they grow older. On the other hand, there are those who have not aged much in comparison to their contemporaries, in which case, the difference in their ages becomes confusing. Some parallel stories have not kept up with the change in timelines.
Often comic book characters do not age as quickly as in real-time. The sliding timeline affects the time frame in a way such that lots of adventures occur within a short span. With an average ratio of about 4 real years:1 comic year, a 60-year span would be reduced to about 15 years in comic books.
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Ten superheroes whose age was mishandled
The aging of superheroes always comes as a mystery to fans who grow up reading about them. There are various explanations for the same, including Franklin Richards shifting reality to Doctor Strange controlling the time factor.
Here, we take a look at some superheroes who did not age well, whether it is in terms of becoming less relevant with changing times or losing their glory due to changing moralities.
1) Professor X
Charles Xavier has become practically a villain for the X-Men over the years. He persisted in using the Danger Room, though it was discovered to be perceptive of extracting emotions.
He kept too many secrets, and his methods of creating a team and saving the world have turned questionable. He almost seems like a shady character now, coming alive after every gruesome death.
2) The Punisher
The Punisher has not aged in his looks and appearance, but in the basic concept of social issues. The tragic antihero did draw a lot of sympathy in the '80s when he was introduced. In those times, the idea of going about taking revenge in the most violent way was acceptable.
That is not the case now when violence and the single-minded idea of payback is very much condoned in society. The updated version of this antihero who survived beyond the targets of his revenge raises issues of vengeance, war, mental health, and the dated concept of masculinity.
3) Big Bertha
Originally Ashley Crawford, this character eventually changed her name to Bertha Crawford, and ranks high in this list of superheroes who did not age well, because of the concept of “looks matter.” Bertha is capable of changing her fat cells, giving herself extra bulk for extra strength.
This is fine but when she needs to get back to a slimmed-down Bertha, she does so by inducing vomiting. This is a clear case of endorsing bulimia – a serious issue in today’s world.
4) Hank Pym
Here is an example of how a brilliant mind gets tarnished with age. The narrative of Hank Pym transformed this role model into a semi-villain.
Pym started out as a scientist-turned-superhero, whose Ant-Man role gave him a place among the Avengers. But, eventually, he developed a split personality where he partly became Yellow-Jacket. Then, two wrongs – kidnapping his wife to propose to her, and hitting her in a fit of anger – clinched his expulsion from the Avengers team. This is not a great way to age.
5) Starfox
Also known by the name Eros, Starfox is from Titan. He is Thanos’ brother who was once an Avenger. Endowed with a great combination of powers, this Eternal had one power that the writers focused heavily – using pheromones for emotional manipulation.
This caused the superhero to make many Avengers stand down, though he was ineffective against The Hulk. Starfox was tried for assault on Earth as well. In the current politically correct scenario, his ability to take away one’s free will is condoned.
6) Whitewash Jones
Washington Jones was nicknamed “Whitewash” Jones and was part of the Bucky Barnes team. This black American was featured in the Young Allies comics and started his journey in 1941.
On their 70th anniversary, Young Allies claimed that Whitewash Jones was not meant to be accurate and was only propaganda. This was an excuse for the hugely racist representation of this character. The character aged so badly with changing times that Marvel needed to address the issue with an explanation and planned to retcon it.
7) The Vision
This synthezoid superhero was only “born” in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Within three years, he inherited all his wisdom from The Mind Stone and J.A.R.V.I.S.
With a quick exit, this character perished in Infinity Wars, making it the fastest aging character in the MCU. This almost feels like the death of a 3-year-old infant. Fans can compare this demise with that of Baby Groot turning to dust in the same movie.
8) The Molecule Man
Another entry in this list of superheroes who did not age well is Molecule Man. When an accident leaves lab technician Owen Reece with unique superhuman powers, he thinks he can parallel the power of the Fantastic Four.
But his defeat sees him flung far away from Earth by an alien. He aged rapidly on that planet. This forced him to create an artificial offspring to transfer all his acquired superpowers in the hope that this new Molecule Man will find his way back to Earth.
9) Mystique
Mystique makes it to this list not because she has aged a lot but because she hasn’t aged as much as is reasonable. Born around 1934, this X-Men member turns 90 in 2024.
Fans who have been following the stories for ages may find the young Mystique difficult to relate to. But comic creators have tried to explain this away by the logic that Raven’s cells age at less than half the normal rate of human cells. In her 40s, Raven would still have the cells of a teenager. But by 90, she should look middle-aged, which is not the case.
10) Wolverine
There are multiple stories that have depicted an ageing Wolverine.
Of these, Old Man Logan and Days of the Future Past Wolverine are the most popular. The mutant Logan fights till his last breath. And then he gets resurrected in another story. He serves along with the X-Men and creates a different version of the Marvel universe.
Wolverine has super healing powers and refuses to retire from this universe. But all the crisscrossing stories end up creating confusion about this elderly fighter.
