Skin (Marvel Comics) had a greyish tone and, because of the extra amount, gave him the appearance of a melted candle. At one point, along with compressing his skin tighter against his body, Skin was learning to manipulate the pigment melanin in his epidermis in order to appear normal. However, performing these two stunts together caused him to have migraines and he soon gave up on the idea of being normal. In the alternate timeline of the Age of Apocalypse, Skin was featured in "Generation Next" as one of the protégés tapped by Colossus and Shadowcat to rescue Illyana Rasputin from enslavement at
Human skin color colors today are not as confined to geographical location as they were previously. According to classical scholar Frank Snowden, skin color did not determine social status in ancient Egypt, Greece or Rome. These ancient civilizations viewed relations between the major power and the subordinate state as more significant in a person's status than their skin colors. Nevertheless, some social groups favor specific skin coloring. The preferred skin tone varies by culture and has varied over time. A number of indigenous African groups, such as the Maasai, associated pale skin with being cursed or caused by evil spirits associated with witchcraft.