Lorna Dane: Polaris Appreciation 2018

[salarta]

I'm prepping another one of my Tumblr posts about found tweets. Found some cosplay along the way.



Tweet by Cosplay by Tess




Just a couple of the four some person found on Twitter. One cosplayer is Hidory_Hope from Russia. Don't know who the other is.

IMO, both cosplay pics show the continuing importance of her iconic costume.

[AbnormallyNormal]

Is anyone else feeling upset or depressed about how our girl is being big time ignored in the new big comic plans and releases so far?

I swear she needs to be in a fking book

Marvel get on it

I don't even care what the book is well I do. I want her on something like BLUE where she can co-lead a squad and they are more morally grey. So in that sense her being absolutely excluded from all the Uncanny hype is a blessing in disguise.

There already is that Weapon X book though which is pretty rockin' lately it even has Monet now.

In a way, the Jamie Maddrox solo book might be the current "version of X-Factor". Or maybe Astonishing is.... with Havok and Dazzler.

I would love for both Polaris, Emma Frost, and some others to be grouped up together soon.

Guys give your ideas for a good Lorna book please, since obviously Marvel couldn't possibly give less of a ****. So it's up to us

Also salarta: thanks for the song ideas.

I disagree re: "Iconic" costume though. Casual fans identify with it but there is no reason they couldn't move on to something more modern looking and functional, you can make new things "Iconic" if you use them well and they get enough attention. Being frozen in one particular version is silly IMO, it's like saying only the Jim Lee era X-Men look "Iconic" or something. For my money, when I saw Lorna in that pure green stuff in the distant side background in the group shot for the new comic event, I knew right away it meant character regression and there wouldn't really be the type of storytelling for Lorna she needs. Contrast it with the super updated look for Betsy Braddock and you know it couldn't just be simple ignorance on the part of the artist, well maybe it could, after all Cypher has his beard and Eyeboy is... alive. But still the all green number is bleh. The one saving grace about her original costume are those skulls. But the all green even takes away that aspect and just makes it so simplistic and boring. I really prefer her Shi'ar costume over it. The purple/green/black is so much cooler. Although that too is not very functional and modern looking. The BLUE costume was a bit TOO standardized and stripped down but on the other hand, it allows for a focus on Lorna *as a character* and not like a prop or a doll where people only focus on her for her look and her apparel.

[Heroine Addict]

Is anyone else feeling upset or depressed about how our girl is being big time ignored in the new big comic plans and releases so far?...

... So in that sense her being absolutely excluded from all the Uncanny hype is a blessing in disguise. ...

A lil', but it's too early to tell, for sure.

But she's not, and I personally hope, that she won't be. I want her included, and to contribute something.

[Heroine Addict]

Something old(er):

RainyGami@DeviantArt.com, Wolverine y Polaris

And something new:

MikeMaihack@DeviantArt.com, 80s Polaris

[juan678]

new Florka

[Soulsword323]

Yaoi-Bear@DeviantArt.com, X-Men: Gold Team

Love this lineup! Polaris, Jean, Storm and Scarlet Witch? I'd be over the moon. Like the guys here too!

I think its too soon to be frustrated. We don't know enough about what's going on with Uncanny, and if Lorna will play a role in that or not. This disassembled even is clearly leading up to the new status quo for the X-Men, and I'm hopeful that Polaris will show up somewhere. If she doesn't, then I'll get frustrated.

I personally would love to see Polaris leading an X-Men: Legacy book. My roster would be:

Polaris (Leader)
Bishop (Co-leader)
Husk
Rachel Summers
Shard
Daken
Warpath
Cable

All these characters have connections to other figures in the X-Men world, and are often the daughter, sister, brother, or son, of someone and this would give them a chance to break free, and get explored as individuals. Not to be too bogged down by the legacy of who they're related to. Bishop and Shard (who would be revived and sent to this world) would represent the legacy of the X-Men themselves, coming from the future. They are brother and sister, but seeing how I think their relationship is underdeveloped, I think it could serve them well to be on the same team for a bit.

[salarta]

Is anyone else feeling upset or depressed about how our girl is being big time ignored in the new big comic plans and releases so far?

Oh absolutely. We're not the only ones either. The requests/demands for Lorna to get a solo book, or at least be on a team, are really picking up pace a lot more lately than any other time in the past 9 years. If Marvel doesn't announce something for her, I consider that to be pretty damning of the company and how they're clearly letting their own biases against her dictate whether or not she gets anything.

Years ago, I was able to dismiss lack of Lorna as "I hate how little Marvel does with her, but I get that I can't get what I want most like a solo cause she doesn't have a big following and isn't in anything like a show." But now? I see no acceptable excuses. Marvel has no problem with giving Lockjaw or Multiple Man dedicated books when one is a dog from a show that failed, and the other isn't even in anything like a TV show or film. Marvel also had no problem letting the Scarlet Witch solo run for 20 issues with heavy promotion despite sales being at "cancellation" levels starting with issue #2. Nothing can justify leaving her out right now.

Guys give your ideas for a good Lorna book please, since obviously Marvel couldn't possibly give less of a ****. So it's up to us

I talked with Kurt Busiek like a month or two ago about this. I don't think I'd reach out to him or anyone at Marvel to really chat about these things anymore because I've gotten more abrasive out of necessity, but the convo with Busiek did lead to him saying he'd want some deeper driving force in the character than simply "supports mutant rights."

Several days after that convo, I came up with just one possible driving force for a comic: Lorna on a journey of self-discovery.

Every time Lorna's actually gone off on her own (or as close to it as she could) was a period where she was trying to figure out who she was and where she fit in the world. When she left the X-Men, it was to try to find herself in a civilian life (albeit the setup and all with Havok sucked). When Havok appeared to die, a while after the awful "locked in her apartment" phase, she went to Genosha and tried to find herself there. When she lost her powers after M-Day, she decided to go tour the world to try to find an answer and her place. And after her time as Pestilence, she left the X-Men to try to find herself yet again.

In the current framework of the X-Men books, Lorna could be traveling the world to find a place in it because she "doesn't fit" with the rest of the X-Men. She could travel the whole world this way. Run into Shamrock perhaps (she's not a mutant but I just like what I've seen of her) in Ireland, or return to where the anti-Apocalypse cult was trying to kill her and deal with them while saving mutants from said cult. Visit the old Weapon X facility (assuming it's still there; I don't know where it stands in comics) where she can understand what happened to Logan, a different kind of torment from what she endured on Genosha. Visit one of the Holocaust death camps. Along the way, Lorna could build connections she never had before. And theoretically, the solo run could end with Lorna leading a new Genosha as the Queen of Mutants she was claimed to be back in her original storyline, using all the connections she made during her solo to know how to lead the nation better than her father did. And then post-solo, she could factor into major events or a few stories here and there, but wouldn't be expected to be a regular on a book (she has a nation to run, after all).

I disagree re: "Iconic" costume though.

I think a new costume could work as long as it's very, very close to her iconic costume. I like the Kris Anka design, that mixes grey metal details in and looks like battle armor (only detail I didn't like was the bubbles on the chest, because they were clearly a callback to Magneto and so implied she's just an extension of him).

I think its too soon to be frustrated. We don't know enough about what's going on with Uncanny, and if Lorna will play a role in that or not. This disassembled even is clearly leading up to the new status quo for the X-Men, and I'm hopeful that Polaris will show up somewhere. If she doesn't, then I'll get frustrated.

I agree for the average person as a general rule, it's too soon. But I'm frustrated as hell, and I've lost almost all my faith in Marvel at this point. So for me, I expect nothing and I'm behaving as if she's getting either nothing or something awful because of it.

All these characters have connections to other figures in the X-Men world, and are often the daughter, sister, brother, or son, of someone and this would give them a chance to break free, and get explored as individuals. Not to be too bogged down by the legacy of who they're related to. Bishop and Shard (who would be revived and sent to this world) would represent the legacy of the X-Men themselves, coming from the future. They are brother and sister, but seeing how I think their relationship is underdeveloped, I think it could serve them well to be on the same team for a bit.

This is a good idea. I support this. I've been kind of avoidant of talking up what would be nice if it could happen, but I'm seeing the value in talking about that with convo here.

And yeah, the "Gold Team" in Heroine's pic would be a good group for Lorna. Jean, Wanda and Bobby are all people Lorna has (or should have) close ties with, and Ororo is a relationship that could do with a 21st century positive progressive revision from how Claremont chose to write it.

[Heroine Addict]

I love that XMG lineup, too, Soulsword! Those 4 ladies together + Bobby, would make them undoubtedly OP. So it seems like their stories would have to be fairly epic & far-reaching, in nature. They're pretty balanced also, with magic, tech, tank, psionics, & energy absorption, all covered. As well as having not one, but THREE elemental specialists, on tap.

Yeah, I agree on Uncanny. Probably best not to jump to conclusions, and wait to learn more about everything that'll be involved. Hopefully the teaser rings true, and she'll play a part. I have to keep believing that. If it turns out it's all for naught, in the end, then I'll air my grievances.

Cool Legacy concept, with a hook that's both REALLY interesting, and marketable IMO. The Bishop & Shard relationship in particular, would seem new & fresh, with lots of potential for being eXplored.

[Heroine Addict]

This seems at least encouraging, for Polaris & characters like her, which are many. Those that appeared in the teaser, but not in any of the subsequent covers released, or specifically referenced in creator interviews yet:

Marvel.com, Ed Brisson Guarantees "Absolute Chaos" Ahead...

... Brisson also highlights that despite working with the X-Men as a team before on EXTERMINATION, UNCANNY X-MEN features more characters. "It's been incredibly interesting to juggle that. I have charts next to my computer tracking which character is where and what they're doing at all times." ...

[Heroine Addict]

... Guys give your ideas for a good Lorna book please, since obviously Marvel couldn't possibly give less of a ****. So it's up to us...

I'll have to think more on it, but did briefly mention this when it was being discussed, earlier in the thread:

I believe both, could be doable, though. Think the end of Gifted S1's last episode, where she lured Andy+ away, and her mentorship not being officially sanctioned by the X-men's school (of thought). She'd be more of a maverick, in a sense, with her guidance being more revolutionary in style.

I'll try to come up with something different, though, and more detailed. In the meantime, I think both Salarta & Soulsword have suggested some thought-provoking possibilities.

[Heroine Addict]

Revisiting some MAJOR Polaris love, from the AMAZing Kevin Wada:

[Heroine Addict]

https://twitter.com/kevinwada/status/973995237604409344?lang=en

@Tor_Odinson did a rendition of my Polaris redesign and it is gorgeous. Check out his page for more of his awesome work.

[AbnormallyNormal]

That is a great costume the only thing I dislike is the flowery flowy like coat. But yeah that looks awesome.

[Heroine Addict]

Glad you like, AN. Here's some favorite fan art, inspired by Emma Dumont's Polaris, from:

SteevInLove@DeviantArt.com, Lorna is Gifted






By Romir Sucaldito

[salarta]

I'm probably opening up a can of worms by posting this here, but what the hell. I'll go for it.

I was listening to "Killing Ourselves to Live" by Halestorm tonight (getting lots of Lorna feels from it). In the process, I realized that a "Lorna redeems Havok" storyline COULD have been good if it had followed an "Orpheus descending into the underworld to save Eurydice" style of story with Lorna as Orpheus.

What I mean is this. Lorna is faced with the challenge of rescuing Havok from a very dark place. She faces myriad obstacles in her journey to redeem him, that are particular to her character and who she is. Touch on her issues, her weaknesses, her fears and concerns. Like, for example, a fear that one day she could lose control of herself and go all Wanda or Phoenix Jean. Or how she was a vessel for evil via Malice and how she had to deal with what people thought of her afterward. Through such a story, we could have seen Lorna vow to never let another person go through the same kind of hell she's gone through - extending it from just her own insular concerns ("I'll never let anyone control ME again"), to wanting to help others too ("I won't let this happen to anyone else if I can help it"). And all throughout, there would be a question of whether or not Havok is even worth descending into that kind of darkness that she's been in far too many times to count.

Such a storyline could have made actual good use of their connection in ways that built Lorna up and let her develop. But instead, Blue went the route of essentially using her as an object. Lorna takes no active role, she's the passive container of memories that are copied and transferred to Havok to "redeem" him.

And that's why I say Lorna needs to be kept away from Havok for another 10 years. What could have been on Blue vs what actually happened on Blue thoroughly illustrates the underlying problem Marvel writers have. Lorna hasn't been properly used and explored as herself well and long enough for writers to think of stuff like this. They keep defaulting to old toxic ideas of how their relationship should be, and losing potentially great stories in the process.