Polaris: Lorna Dane Appreciation 2019

[salarta]

Maybe Lorna will be utilized here like she was in Disassembled. We didn’t expect to see her bc she wasn’t on any covers but she was very well apart of the team, got some good moments and was used more than anyone actually expected

True that she got more use than expected, but she did appear on the teaser image, whereas she hasn't appeared on anything here.



In other, better news, this cosplay was posted by YHASYME on Tumblr.




Four years since Marvel actually let these two be within a country of each other in official work, and fans are still cosplaying the sisters together. Cause Marvel doesn't want to give people what they want, only try to force them to accept what Marvel wants them to want.

[LoganAlpha30X33]

Last I knew that X-Men roster was only going to last for a short time, and most of his time leading he was portrayed as nobody but his team wanted anything to do with him, so after that who knows...so no big push...unless Corsair and Vulcan are getting a big push as well...

[salarta]

Before anyone says it, know that I'm aware the quality on this sucks. I'm a terrible graphic designer. I did what I could with my lack of abilities.

The idea behind this came from E3 bingo cards about a month ago. On Twitter, I posed either this or a drinking game, but I still wanted to go for this instead. I worked on this over the past few days. Put the criteria in random spots, didn't put any thought into placement.

Idea for its use is for the card to run from start of one event, to that event's end and beginning of the next event.

Criteria can and probably will change. This is what came to mind from what I've seen. There were some things that didn't become criteria simply because I couldn't figure out how to describe it well and differently from another criteria already on here.

The E3 bingo cards had a "sudden death" box too. That box, if it happened, it was considered big enough to be an instant bingo. I didn't include it on this card, but my thought for it would be Lorna not involved at all.

With that, we'll see what comes of HoX/PoX and DoX.

[salarta]

I'm just gonna leave this here! Make of it what you will~

[Soulsword323]

After reading today's issue, I'm hoping that we'll get to see Lorna involved at some point.

spoilers:

There is a section of the Island called House of M, and my guess is that perhaps Polaris is involved with whatever that is? No way to be sure, but it' be a missed opportunity not to have Lorna involved in that section, seeing as how I doubt Hickman will use Wanda or Pietro.

end of spoilers

[salarta]

After reading today's issue, I'm hoping that we'll get to see Lorna involved at some point.

spoilers:

There is a section of the Island called House of M, and my guess is that perhaps Polaris is involved with whatever that is? No way to be sure, but it' be a missed opportunity not to have Lorna involved in that section, seeing as how I doubt Hickman will use Wanda or Pietro.

end of spoilers

I couldn't dedicate time to a post like I wanted to until now.

spoilers:

What people said about the Genoshan genocide coming into play in today's issue is why I posted the pictures I did. If Marvel is going to make big waves about that genocide, and what Lorna went through in experiencing it and afterward does not lead to her involvement, then that is just more straight up BS. As others have already said, Lorna ignored in this with Krakoa being such a big part would be a huge missed opportunity. The more things involved where Lorna either had a pivotal role or was majorly involved/affected, the more BS it is if she doesn't show up at all - on top of not being highly visible like many other characters are.

end of spoilers

[salarta]

Yesterday, I realized that while last year was Polaris' 50th anniversary, this year is my 10th anniversary of finding out Polaris exists.

And she's in the same basic situation with Marvel as she was 10 years ago.

As I've said many times, I discovered Polaris by randomly link-hopping around the Marvel wikia site. I had to find her for myself. It amazed me that I hadn't heard about an awesome character like her for 20 years, and at the time, it made me wonder what other great things might be at Marvel that I didn't know existed. I was eager to dig in.

... But this was a period of Marvel killing her opportunities. This was about when Disney bought Marvel, and subsequently, when they started the process of tearing down the X-Men franchise in their spat with Fox. Lorna was collateral damage.

Wolverine and the X-Men, which gave Lorna a significant role (without Havok and with her family, no less), was canceled after only one season despite plans going into season 3. Exiles volume 2, written by Jeff Parker and featuring AU Lornas with AU Wandas (including a House of M alt reality), was canceled after only 6 issues despite him having already written the script for issue 7.

All that remained of Lorna was... being stuck in space. With Havok. Mainly as his girlfriend, with only rare moments of cool feats or dynamics with Crystal and Luna. Then she got sent into space limbo for about a year, alongside Rachel and Havok.

I'm not going to go into every single part of the past 10 years. There were lows and highs. Origin story told, but Marvel never really supported or promoted it. Led All-New X-Factor, but Marvel never really supported or promoted it. Popular live-action version of the character on Gifted, but Marvel's acted like that popularity either didn't matter, or should be exploited only to promote Havok rather than actually use and support Lorna herself for a change.

In 2009, everything Lorna could have been was killed off with a Disney merger. Marvel mainly used her for Havok's benefit. Then they sent her into limbo.

In 2019, everything Lorna could have been was killed off with a Disney merger. Marvel mainly used her for Havok's benefit. And now, she appears to be in limbo again.

There is a reason I'm jaded and pessimistic about Marvel. In ten years, Marvel has not changed. They show no signs that they plan to, or even want to, improve unless they're forced to do so. Lorna is vivid proof that Marvel is cyclical and regressive at its core. At least, that's what they've taught me. That any appearance of progress will not last. They'll undo or ignore it in less than 10 years.

My first 10 years were spent thinking Marvel could improve. My next 10 years will be spent knowing they cannot, and aggressively will not. And that the only place I will see good things happen is from fandom outside Marvel.

[salarta]

I found out today that a black Polaris fan cosplayed as Lorna at a convention, only to get attacked for it by a racist. Because "Polaris isn't black." The racist went on to call the cosplayer the n-word.

So to make this clear here, if any such people check around here: racists can f*** off. Lorna can be any race.

I would post pictures of fanart and cosplay of Lorna as black. But I'm leaving it to fans who have made such things to decide if it should get posted around - I don't have a right to decide if their work should be presented in this manner. If fans who have made such work want to post it here, please do so. Or if they want me to do so, reach out to me and ask.

[salarta]

I'm feeling less lazy today, so you get these images from a tweet by a Japanese Polaris fan.




Another testament to diverse interest in Lorna that someone in Japan has walls occupied with framed art of her.

[Mitteloss]

After reading today's issue, I'm hoping that we'll get to see Lorna involved at some point.

spoilers:

There is a section of the Island called House of M, and my guess is that perhaps Polaris is involved with whatever that is? No way to be sure, but it' be a missed opportunity not to have Lorna involved in that section, seeing as how I doubt Hickman will use Wanda or Pietro.

end of spoilers

That sounds intriguing!

Was really pleased with her appearance in Omega, I'm still so pleased she's back with the X-Men in the comics and even if her appearance in Uncanny #22 was a bit too brief it means a lot. For so long after Decimation she was making appearances, but was in the periphery.

[jmc247]

The first vision of in a Jordan White video of something yet not explained we saw on a variant cover already.

[Havok83]

[salarta]

I just feel like adding that from a mix of talking to Polaris fans and seeing what others say, most either aren't reading HoX/PoX or dropped it after the first issue. Their reason being no Lorna. For some (myself included), no Lorna means not buying any comics.

Marvel's attempts at hype don't really mean anything when there's nothing to be hyped about. I'd normally post screenshots, but in this case I don't really need to.

What I will post, though, is below. I don't post everything I see or that gets sent to me these days. I tend to focus on what catches my interest strongly, or serves a purpose.



Artist credit in the image, but I got it from her Twitter account.



By miguel on Twitter



Cosplayer in the process of making the wedding dress from Austen's run.

[salarta]

A case of how far-reaching interest in Lorna has spread. This tweet undoubtedly could have had a comparison for any number of characters out there, given the abundance of superhero live action fiction. They went with Lorna.



I'm presuming the podcast hosts aren't MAGA types, since they say in another tweet that they only used the "Make America" line to joke.

First, this does make me imagine Lorna as a "third party" contender in the tussle between traditional Xavier and Magneto philosophies. The two old parties, and here's an in-between young firebrand eager to forge a different path.

Second, it does demonstrate further how very much her absence is noticed, and people want to see her. But that's a point already made, and clear to anyone paying enough attention.



And this, right here on the second point, is one of the big reasons I push so hard on Lorna.

Fiction isn't just fiction. It counts for more than entertainment. It can change lives for the better. This goes along with another Lorna fan who previously said she has a Polaris figurine on her desk at work for some emotional support. Even one life positively impacted through her makes all the difference.

Marvel has forgotten this. Or perhaps the people running things now never knew it in the first place. Too focused on the wrong things.

[juan678]

art by Magickmarker Lorna Pokemon 2019