Marvel Officially Acknowledges Its Incredibly Sexist History with 1 Specific Superpower (From X-Men to Scarlet Witch)

Warning: Spoilers for Negasonic Teenage Warhead #1!Not only is Negasonic Teenage Warhead back, but she's unraveling a bit of sexism in Marvel's comics. In her newest title, she takes her moment in the spotlight, but the very extent of her powers has yet to be fully reached. Understandably, she's a little worried about going down the road of extreme power, considering how Marvel has treated female characters like Jean Grey and Scarlet Witch through the years.

In a preview for Negasonic Teenage Warhead #1 by Andrew Wheeler, Eleonora Carlini, Carola Barelli, Brittany Peer, Ruth Redmond, and Joe Sabino - which collects and adds a new story to 2023's Marvel's Voice Infinity Comic arc starring the character - Ellie Phimister is wanted by the Time Variance Authority, who accuse Negasonic Teenage Warhead of a future crime she has yet to commit. It's up to her to save herself and her own future. Dramatic power dynamics are at play, and Ellie is no stranger to understanding how these dynamics have played out for women before her.

Thanks to changing timelines, Negasonic Teenage Warhead received reality warping powers, but she clearly says that she doesn't want them, alluding to what happens to women who change the world with their great power. Marvel's sexist history is finally catching up to its characters.

Negasonic Teenage Warhead Alludes to Marvel's Fraught History of Punishing Powerful Female Characters

Negasonic Teenage Warhead #1 Variant Cover by Audrey Mok

Created by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, Negasonic Teenage Warhead first appeared in New X-Men #115, named after the Monster Magnet song. While she hasn't been in comics for all too long, like some other characters, she's made waves among the X-Men as well as in the iconic Deadpool movies. As a precognitive mutant, she's no stranger to seeing possible futures where she has the potential to be one of the most powerful heroes.

But she doesn't need precognition to know the history of what's behind her. From Jean Grey's famous Dark Phoenix arc to Scarlet Witch's turns at madness and villainhood, it seems as if Marvel has a habit of pulling its women into madness. Every powerful woman from the X-Men to the Avengers has to deal with their powers in ways that men don't; most often, it involves them delving into madness where their own powers destroy them. Negasonic Teenage Warhead has no need to glimpse into the future. This tragedy is the way the world works for powerful women, and it's been a staple of Marvel's comics for an unfortunately long time.

Negasonic Teenage Warhead Is Here to Change the Marvel Narrative

The Deevolution of Heroes Like Scarlet Witch Is No More

Marvel needs to let powerful women be powerful without major negative, punishing consequences. This sexist history of female characters brought low by their own power is a relic of a misogynistic past where primarily male comic writers unconsciously echo their own un-examined beliefs: women should remain "in the kitchen" and leave the danger to men. In this way, Marvel's history reveals more about the psyche of male writers than about its female characters. Negasonic Teenage Warhead is here to bring light to this very issue.

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Ellie's powers could put her on a god-tier level similar to Scarlet Witch, and as loved as she is, fans would only love to see her succeed. The sexist history of Marvel's female characters is fading into the past, and Negasonic Teenage Warhead is here to usher comics into a new era - where women are powerful and don't suffer for it.

Negasonic Teenage Warhead #1 is available November 6th, 2024 from Marvel Comics!

Scarlet Witch

Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the Scarlet Witch debuted, along with her twin brother, Quicksilver in X-Men #4 (March 1964). Also known as Wanda Maximoff, she first appears as a member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, before she eventually became a member of the Avengers. In the comics, she is a mutant who uses chaos magic to alter reality. 

Scarlet Witch is played by Elizabeth Olsen in the MCU, having debuted in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

First Appearance The X-Men (1963)

Alliance Avengers, A-Force, Brotherhood of Mutants, Defenders, Force Works, Lady Liberators, Uncanny Avengers, West Coast Avengers

Race Human

POWERS Chaos magic, reality manipulation

Died Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness