History ComicBook / GodLovesManKills

* UglyHeroGoodLookingVillain: After watching Xavier's debate with Stryker, Cyclops is disturbed by the fact that Xavier looks severe and almost scary, while Stryker is handsome and personable. Stryker actually banks on this, using Nightcrawler's demonic appearance to justify his crimes and hatred but Kitty [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech shoots him down]] with an [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming epic speech citing Kurt's kindness and nobility]], while Stryker is a murderous psychopath.

* LastWords: Invoked by Stryker to Kitty as he points a gun at her when she choose her friendship to Nightcrawler over Stryker's God ("Let those blasphemous words, child, be your epitaph"), just before the cop shoots him.

Taking on issues such as prejudice, religion and the growing Christian fundamentalism of the time, the story proved to be a hit and was one of the primary influences for the second ''Film/XMen'' movie.

* DarkerAndEdgier: This story is pretty heavy stuff even by [[TheEighties '80s]] [[Creator/MarvelComics Marvel comic]] standards, and it's definitely a bit darker than the regular ''COmicBook/XMen'' title was at the time.

* EnemyMine: William Stryker's crusade against Mutants provides the need for Magneto to team up with the X-Men to confront him. This was the first instance of an alliance between Magneto and the team, which would later lead to bigger repercussions down the road, including becoming a regular event on [[WesternAnimation/XMen X-Men: The Animated Series]] in the 1990s.

* MonumentalDamage: In a DreamSequence created by Stryker, Prof. X is crucified atop World Trade Center Tower 1. Madison Square Garden also gets its roof shattered by Magneto in his BigEntrance.

* AdultFear: The story opens with two young children being hunted down and murdered for an accident of birth. Their parents were unable to protect them; having been murdered themselves, possibly in an attempt at HeroicSacrifice.

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: The police watching over Stryker's rally comment on their disbelief over his message and later step in to help the X-Men. Another is the unnamed senator in the audience. [[spoiler:Said senator also turns out to be a mutant unbeknownst to himself or others.]]

* ColdBloodedTorture: Magneto does... something to the Purifiers to make them tell the X-Men of Stryker's plans. Only [[AllLovingHero Nightcrawler]] provides objection to it. Also a case of BadGuysDoTheDirtyWork. Nightcrawler averts this when he takes his own prisoner (Stryker's brainwashing expert), preferring instead to use threats and his own demonic looks to intimidate the man.
** Magneto appeared to be using his powers to manipulate the Purifiers' armor to stretch them out, as if on a rack.

* BaitAndSwitchGunshot: Stryker is aiming a gun at Kitty Pryde, his words indicating he intends to kill her. A whole panel is filled with the sound effect "Bang!" [[spoiler: Next, we see a policeman holding a smoking gun, and a bystander yells: "That cop shot the reverend!"]]

* DarkerAndEdgier: This story is pretty heavy stuff even by [[TheEighties '80s]] [[MarvelComics Marvel comic]] standards, and it's definitely a bit darker than the regular ''COmicBook/XMen'' title was at the time.

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: The police watching over Stryker's rally comment on their disbelief over his message and later step in to help the X-Men. Another is the unnamed senator in the audience.

A GraphicNovel first published in 1982, ''God Loves, Man Kills'' is one of the most famous ''Comicbook/{{X-Men}}'' stories from the Claremont period. Writing in the midst of the rise of televangelists of the 1980s, Creator/ChrisClaremont and artist Brent Anderson presented a story with a new foe for the X-Men who stood out from previous villains: the Reverend William Stryker, a SinisterMinister who believes mutants are demons from hell that must be completely eradicated.

Taking on issues such as prejudice, religion and the growing Christian fundamentalism of the time, the story proved to be a hit and was one of the primary influences for the second ''Film/{{X-Men}}'' movie.

* EnemyMine: William Stryker's crusade against Mutants provides the need for Magneto to team up with the X-Men to confront him. This was the first instance of an alliance between Magneto and the team, which would later lead to bigger repercussions down the road, including becoming a regular event on [[WesternAnimation/{{X-Men}} X-Men: The Animated Series]] in the 1990s.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Neal Adams did about ten pages worth of pencil art, then was replaced for reasons.

->~ '''Magneto'''

* ArmorPiercingQuestion: Happens early on in the novel, with Kitty punching out a fellow student for coming down on the side of Stryker's crusade. When [[CoolBigSis Stevie Hunter]], her African-American dance instructor, tells her his rhetoric was "just words," Kitty responds with an enraged:
-->'''Kitty''': "What if he'd called me a '''nigger'''-lover, Stevie? Would you have been so damn tolerant '''then?!'''"

-->Magneto: Sheath your claws, Wolverine. Magneto is here as a friend...and, if you'll have me, an ally.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: NealAdams did about ten pages worth of pencil art, then was replaced for reasons.

A story first published in 1982, ''God Loves, Man Kills'' is one of the most famous ''Comicbook/{{X-Men}}'' stories from the Claremont period. Writing in the midst of the rise of televangelists of the 1980s, Creator/ChrisClaremont and artist Brent Anderson presented a story with a new foe for the X-Men who stood out from previous villains: the Reverend William Stryker, a SinisterMinister who believes mutants are demons from hell that must be completely eradicated.

* ColdBloodedTorture: Magneto does... something to the Purifiers to make them tell the X-Men of Stryker's plans. Only [[TheMessiah Nightcrawler]] provides objection to it. Also a case of BadGuysDoTheDirtyWork. Nightcrawler averts this when he takes his own prisoner (Stryker's brainwashing expert), preferring instead to use threats and his own demonic looks to intimidate the man.

A story first published in 1982, ''God Loves, Man Kills'' is one of the most famous ''Comicbook/{{X-Men}}'' stories from the Claremont period. Writing in the midst of the rise of televangelists of the 1980s, ChrisClaremont and artist Brent Anderson presented a story with a new foe for the X-Men who stood out from previous villains: the Reverend William Stryker, a SinisterMinister who believes mutants are demons from hell that must be completely eradicated.

* DarkerAndEdgier: This story is pretty heavy stuff, even by [[TheEighties '80s]] [[MarvelComics Marvel comic]] standards, and it's definitely a bit darker than the regular ''COmicBook/XMen'' title was at the time.

* DarkerAndEdgier: This story is pretty heavy stuff, even by [[TheEighties '80s]] [[MarvelComics Marvel comic]] standards.

* DarkerAndEdgier: This story is pretty heavy stuff, even by [[TheEighties '80s]] XMen comic standards.

* BadassBystander: In the book's climax, Stryker aims a gun at Kitty when they confront him at Madison Square Garden. A shot is fired. [[spoiler: But it turns out to be a random police officer working security. He shoots and arrests Stryke, believing the Reverend has gone too far if he's willing to kill an unarmed teenage girl]].

* CategoryTraitor: Watching Purifiers consider Stevie Hunter a traitor to the human race, as "she treats those mutie scum like real human beings."
* ColdBloodedTorture: Magneto does... something to the Purifiers to make them tell the X-Men of Stryker's plans. Only [[TheMessiah Nightcrawler]] provides objection to it. Also a case of BadGuysDoTheDirtyWork.
** Nightcrawler averts this when he takes his own prisoner (Stryker's brainwashing expert), preferring instead to use threats and his own demonic looks to intimidate the man.

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: The police watching over Stryker's rally comment on their disbelief over his message and later step in to help the X-Men.
** Another is the unnamed senator in the audience.

* UglyHeroGoodLookingVillain: After watching Xavier's debate with Stryker, Cyclops is disturbed by the fact that Xavier looks severe and almost scary, while Stryker is handsome and personable.
** Stryker actually banks on this, using Nightcrawler's demonic appearance to justify his crimes and hatred but Kitty [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech shoots him down]] with an [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming epic speech citing Kurt's kindness and nobility]], while Stryker is a murderous psychopath.

* VillainousValor: To escape Magneto and the X-Men, and report their doings to her mentor, Stryker's [[TheDragon dragon]] Anne pries open the doors of a runaway elevator and leaps a perilous distance down to a roof.
** Stryker himself displays a surprising amount of courage, charisma, and commitment to his cause.