Posted in: Comics, Marvel Comics | Tagged: Edison, tesla, x-men

The X-Men, Thomas Edison And The Teslelephant

Teslelephant time! In 1903, Topsy the elephant died of electrocution on Coney Island. Topsy had killed a man, and after being proved to be unmanageable, Topsy was ordered to be executed. Originally they had planned to hang Topsy, but the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals objected, and it was decided that electrocution would be a more humane way to kill Topsy. During the War of the Currents, the previous century, Thomas Edison supporters had executed a number of animals, in an attempt to prove that alternating current was much more dangerous than direct current. And as a result, Topsy's feet were placed in conductive copper sandals to be electrocuted, while her food was laced with cyanide, and she was strangled with large ropes tied to a steam-powered winch to be safe. I mean, not safe for Topsy, obviously. Topsy's electrocution was filmed and, yes, that means it is available to view on YouTube, and it became part of the legend of the War Of Currents, even though it took place long after that matter had been resolved, and neither Thomas Edison nor Nikolai Tesla were involved with the death of Topsy. However Topsy's graphic death (which was filmed and is available on Youtube) was filmed by the Edison Manufacturing Movie Company, and in popular culture the merging of Topsy's death and the War Of Currents has merged.

Anyway, this brings us all to tomorrow's X-Men #3 by Gerry Duggan and Pepe Larraz. As Gerry Duggan, tweeted "ENTER THE TESLELEPHANT in X-Men 3." Bleeding Cool understands that this character is part of the High Evolutionary's new Evolutionary Guard, and indeed has a bone to pick with humanity over Edison's treatment of elephants – and of Tesla – even if it is based on a pop-cultural piece of misinformation. Clearly, the Counter-Earth gets a lot of fake news…

X-MEN #3
MARVEL COMICS
JUL210646
(W) Gerry Duggan (A/CA) Pepe Larraz
EVOLUTION IS THE ENEMY!
The X-Men are no strangers to being targeted for their genes…but when the High Evolutionary returns with his brand of unnatural selection, the survival of the whole planet is at stake! Rated T+In Shops: Sep 22, 2021 SRP: $3.99

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