Tater V World

Author notes

Super Human Registration Act

Tater V World

on Aug. 20, 2006

If you haven't heard about the Marvel Civil War series, here's a brief summary. The series centers around a newly enacted Super-human Registration Act, which, when passed into law, would require all persons in the United States with superhuman abilities who wish to use those abilities to fight crime to register with the federal government and receive proper training as law enforcement officials. Such persons would not only be subject to U.S. law (including the prohibition of minors from participating in such activities), but would, according to the law, reap the full benefits of civil servants, including pensions, and so forth. Because the forced registration of persons would spark a civil liberties controversy, the Act splits notable superheroes within the Marvel Universe, resulting in two super-powered factions forming, one advocating registration as the responsible obligation of the super-powered living in society, and the other opposed to the law on the grounds that it violates civil rights and that it would turn all superhumans into agents of the government. This conflict builds into the titular Civil War, into which themes from current events will be woven. Writer Mark Millar has noted "The political allegory is only for those that are politically aware. Kids are going to read it and just see a big superhero fight." Some see this as a reflection of real world views on such things as Gun Control or the Patriot Act.


Personally, I am pro registration of the super humans. But it's a comic book. So it really doesn't matter. A very good story though.