The Mutant Land

How the Island Krakoa Dictates the Mutant Society in House of X

Abstract

From an ecocritical standpoint, the House of X is original in how Krakoa (the environment) and mutants (the population) interact. This story challenges popular ecocritical theory by creating an environment that dictates the materials and resources available to the mutants rather than existing as a passive backdrop that the population can conserve or ravage as it sees fit. Although House of X focuses on how mutants in Marvel Comics establish their own society and become recognized as a sovereign nation, their success in doing so is completely reliant on Krakoa, the island where they establish their statehood. Moreover, the mutants who work to establish this new society defy traditional gender associations both as a part of and apart from nature. These factors make House of X stand out among other superhero comics as far as the relationship between Krakoa and its population and the representations of gender within this environment.