During the 1980’s in Shreveport, Louisiana, I was often called truly hateful things, simply because I looked and acted differently. I joined a group of artists that treated me as an equal. I was accepted and showed kindness. I learned so much about acceptance within myself and how to show it to others.

Punk

“He’s not afraid and you kinda gotta be punk – You just gotta be punk once and a while.” - Neal Adams (describing Frank Miller)*

Alexander Summers the brother of X-Man leader, Scott Summers, aka Cyclops. Has the ability to absorb energy and create energy blasts. He needs to wear a special apparatus to help him expend his energies or he will lose control – creating havoc in his wake. The Summers family was on a trip in Alaska when their plane was attacked by the Shi’ar (an alien race of warriors). The boys’ father (Christopher), and mother (Katherine) were captured by the Shi’ar, while Scott and Alex were left in Alaska. The two boys were placed in an orphanage. Alex was adopted Scott was not. Eventually Alex’s mutant abilities manifested and gained the attention of the X-Men and their arch villain Mister Sinister. Alex soon joined the X-Men, taking the name Havok, but found it difficult to follow in his older brother’s path. He was often the bad boy of the X-Men.

We see all types of people walking down the street. What do we call people that look different? Should we list these names? Nah – we don’t need the hate. But those of us that look really different and “strange” or “weird” aren’t weird at all. They are just doing something different – looking different, acting different or speaking different. What we need to remember is that these people have the same feelings – Let’s rephrase that…WE ALL HAVE THE SAME FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS! Just because we want a different way of life does not make us “bad” people. Sometimes to get the job done you have to do the one thing that is different. Think for a moment…Grandparents badmouthed Elvis Presley and mothers fell in love with him. He dressed differently, he sang differently and he danced differently – He was called a “punk”. Funny the “punk” became the King of Rock & Roll.

Havok (Alex Summers)
First Appearance: Uncanny X-Men No.54 (March, 1969)

Creators: Adam Drake & Don Heck (writers) and Neal Adams (art)

* “Secret Origin: the Story of DC Comics, Warner Bros, release date November 09, 2010