New Brevoort Formspring

>RAGE OF ULTRON was amazing. This may be my soapbox, but the story made me realize how much I would value a character with mental illness, like Hank Pym, as maybe not a seminal character in Marvel’s lineup, but at least as part of Marvel’s diversity representation in a more consistent capacity.

Racial and sexual diversification are “in” now. That’s not to say that it’s not important, but mental illness is still very taboo in American culture. I say this as one who has lost friends and family to suicide, and suffers from works hard to battle depression on a daily basis. I say this as someone who knows how many Americans are diagnosed with some form of mental illness, and many others who are undiagnosed. Mental illness is not mental retardation. Mental illness is not looney-tunes crazy. People with mental illness are your family, your friends, your neighbors, and your peers. And yet, in a time where acceptance is reaching an all-time high, I’ve seen little focus on the acceptance of mental illness, which spans all races, all genders, and all sexual preferences.

I read today from Axel that this isn’t the last time we will see Hank/Ultron. Even if it was their last appearance, thank you for the representation, and how well it was put together. It was a raw, real representation of how crippling depression can be, and with all due respect, one of the most powerful comics I’ve read from Marvel in a long time. I think Remender had a real great grasp on how to portray mental illness in a realistic manner and would be happy if someone picked it up half as well. >

Glad you enjoyed it.