Laura Kinney: X-23 Appreciation 2019

[Triniking1234]

Laura wasn't a main focused character in Extermination (although she was on the same team with them and boned Warren but w/e) like she was in that Cable arc. So she suffered by getting throw away lines and jobbed.

[Dthirds3]

She had lines in cabel ?

[Jumpyshark]

I really enjoyed the Weapon Hex Annual, and the overall storyline is really impressively fun and compelling, considering Ewing seems to have built the framework around event title portmanteaus. Al Ewing is great though, so not surprising. I would read a Weapon Hex mini or series, for sure.

https://twitter.com/NeoArtCoRe/statu...34006520881152

[Evil Means]

I haven't really liked any version of X-23 since her X-force days. The NYX and X-Force X23 is who I prefer. Childhood prostitute assassin manifesting into an adult with a kind of dissociative disorder who's really only good at murder stumbling through a normal existence (and constantly failing at it). I don't really get this suburban version of X23. Half the time I'm expecting her to start talking about stock market trends and the new paper towels they have on sale at Walmart.

[Tycon]

Laura wasn't a main focused character in Extermination (although she was on the same team with them and boned Warren but w/e) like she was in that Cable arc. So she suffered by getting throw away lines and jobbed.

I wonder who forced Brisson to give her lines. He could’ve just.....not had her say anything. Or at least say bye to Angel then peace out.

[Beaubier]

I haven't really liked any version of X-23 since her X-force days. The NYX and X-Force X23 is who I prefer. Childhood prostitute assassin manifesting into an adult with a kind of dissociative disorder who's really only good at murder stumbling through a normal existence (and constantly failing at it). I don't really get this suburban version of X23. Half the time I'm expecting her to start talking about stock market trends and the new paper towels they have on sale at Walmart.

The Liu and Gage versions had their flaws, but at least they stuck to the framework K/Y established. Hopeless even did fine with her in Arena, although I’d rather forget about that whole book honestly. From Bendis onward, though, totally with you. Haven’t really liked any version of X-23 post Gage. This version of Laura that fluctuates between suburban mom and obnoxious tough talking teen is really grating.

[WebLurker]

I haven't really liked any version of X-23 since her X-force days. The NYX and X-Force X23 is who I prefer. Childhood prostitute assassin manifesting into an adult with a kind of dissociative disorder who's really only good at murder stumbling through a normal existence (and constantly failing at it). I don't really get this suburban version of X23. Half the time I'm expecting her to start talking about stock market trends and the new paper towels they have on sale at Walmart.

Fair enough, although one could argue that her finding a sense of normalcy was the logical outcome. I mean, it's all but promised that she could get better from day one and, while comics are built on change being an illusion, you do want some kind of payoff. (Mileage may vary, and it may be the writer in me, but I really like that she's not the same character she was when first introduced.)

[The Big G]

The Liu and Gage versions had their flaws, but at least they stuck to the framework K/Y established. Hopeless even did fine with her in Arena, although I’d rather forget about that whole book honestly. From Bendis onward, though, totally with you. Haven’t really liked any version of X-23 post Gage. This version of Laura that fluctuates between suburban mom and obnoxious tough talking teen is really grating.

I thought Tamaki and Taylor's Laura was decent enough. Like despite how mundane Tamaki's run was, I actually though her "voice" for Laura was actually well done. I thought she was able to inject some of the Pre-Bendis Laura into the After-Bendis Laura. Because i agree with WebLurker in that you have to have some kind of development. Despite Marvel's love for stagnation. Hell I thought her argument with Gabby was one of the best Laura moments we've had in a long time. It felt like a genuine burst of emotion, from a character was was very serious and methodical. It felt earned that Gabby had pushed her buttons to the point where in her frustration with herself and Gabby she lashed out verbally. It felt very human. At least too me.

But on the flip side, she was written horribly in Dissembled. She's been kinda of a non-entity in Age of X-Man(she should have been a co-lead in the Nightcrawler mini) with her main thing being A) Hey I live in Bishop's house and B) I dress like i'm in DBZ.

I'm sure she'll probably get another series post Powers/House of X. That or she'll be put on another Team.

[Dthirds3]

Her losing some of her early traits makes sense, with her actual undergoing character development and handling her past traumas, something logan really hasn't done or only could do temporally. Love it or hate it adding gabby and loosing triger scent, made it so marvel cant reset her like they do with Logan. Her Disabled mess is a result of Rosenberg and brisson having no ideas of how to handle the character. Thompson sould have done the event herself, at least it would have been consistent.

[Beaubier]

I agree that character development is important, but not all of Laura’s development has been to her benefit as a reader. Taylor went too far in normalizing her in my opinion. It has made her a far less compelling character to read about. While at this point I agree that she shouldn’t be constantly wallowing in self hate and depression and cutting herself, frankly I think we should still be seeing her struggling. With the level of trauma she endured for over half her life, that’s a recipe for a lifelong struggle with some good days and some bad. Taylor minimized that and Tamaki didn’t really address it much. One of Laura’s most interesting traits was her desire to be good and struggling against her conditioning, and that’s all but gone. Also her taciturn personality, which I found unique and endearing, is now all growls and wisecracks most of the time. That’s not good development. At least Tamaki and Taylor tried to find a bridge between the two versions. But Taylor’s perfect Laura who does no wrong is for me the most boring version we’ve seen out of all her solo stories.

So while I’m glad she’s not still cutting herself and the trigger scent is gone, and those are important developments, Laura’s just been “developed” into a bland generic character for the past several years.

[Fokken]

I agree that character development is important, but not all of Laura’s development has been to her benefit as a reader. Taylor went too far in normalizing her in my opinion. It has made her a far less compelling character to read about. While at this point I agree that she shouldn’t be constantly wallowing in self hate and depression and cutting herself, frankly I think we should still be seeing her struggling. With the level of trauma she endured for over half her life, that’s a recipe for a lifelong struggle with some good days and some bad. Taylor minimized that and Tamaki didn’t really address it much. One of Laura’s most interesting traits was her desire to be good and struggling against her conditioning, and that’s all but gone. Also her taciturn personality, which I found unique and endearing, is now all growls and wisecracks most of the time. That’s not good development. At least Tamaki and Taylor tried to find a bridge between the two versions. But Taylor’s perfect Laura who does no wrong is for me the most boring version we’ve seen out of all her solo stories.

So while I’m glad she’s not still cutting herself and the trigger scent is gone, and those are important developments, Laura’s just been “developed” into a bland generic character for the past several years.

I agree.
Although Orphans of X is easily one of my favorite Laura stories in existence, I DO heartily agree that Laura's .....Regular-ization.... dulled the shine that drew me in. And I am ALL ABOUT THAT EVOLUTION LIFE and just like you, I'm not saying she needs to fall into the self harm or self hate etc etc but there is a charm to the unique and somewhat alien manner to how she spoke that separated her from her peers and I'm not saying NO CONTRACTIONS EVAHRRRRR or that she can't find joy in the majesty of a mermaid (Hello X-Men Red) and I'm honestly quite enamored by her violence-avoidance-stance, truly, but if that's where she's at and that's her EM-OH then I'd like to see some legit trauma triggering here and there when her hand (claw?) is forced otherwise.

I dunno.
We hurt the ones we love, and all that, I guess.

[XCE]

Sadly, Marvel's writers have all but ruined Laura as a character at this point.

She used to be quite unique and interesting, she wasn't like other "superheroes", and she had a distinct voice and way of speaking. The fact that her life had been a shitshow but she still kept fighting, and trying to do better, while still being a socially awkward outsider, made her endearing and made you want to root for her. You wanted to see her overcome all her troubles and be safe and happy. And if this was a movie, you would absolutely make that her arc and the payoff at the end. The problem is that this isn't a movie with a finite story to tell, it's an ongoing, never-ending comic book story that has to leave room for more stories to come. If you actually go through with it and make everything better, you remove all the tension and what actually made the character fun and interesting in the first place. It's like The Lord of the Rings trilogy, except you then have to make 20 more movies afterwards of the hobbits pottering about in their gardens, eating second breakfasts and smoking pipe weed all day. Sure, you wanted the happy ending, but if you want more compelling stories after that, then you have a problem.

Taylor either didn't realize this, or more likely, didn't care. He just wanted to be the guy to finish the character arc and get the plaudits for giving Laura a happy ending, and then where to go from there was someone else's problem.

X-23 after Taylor is basically like a cat that's been declawed. And that's not good when the claws and the snikting to go with them is much of the appeal of the character. And the way he did it makes it hard to roll back or modify without complaints about "undoing her character progression" from the clueless part of fandom that doesn't really care about good comic book stories and just like to write domestic fanfiction on Tumblr about Laura, Gabby and Daken getting scones for lunch and arguing about what to watch on TV. (Yes, I'm a little bitter, and if you actually write fanfiction like that, then I'm sorry, I didn't mean to single you out). But, yeah, it's really hamstrung other writers, I feel.

Tamaki did an admirable job all things considered, she did well writing the character. But at this point I'm kinda hoping that Laura gets a rest and doesn't star in any books for a while. A bit of distance to the recent poor characterisations might allow the next writer to bring back more of the classic Laura.

[PsychoEFrost]

Sadly, Marvel's writers have all but ruined Laura as a character at this point.

She used to be quite unique and interesting, she wasn't like other "superheroes", and she had a distinct voice and way of speaking. The fact that her life had been a shitshow but she still kept fighting, and trying to do better, while still being a socially awkward outsider, made her endearing and made you want to root for her. You wanted to see her overcome all her troubles and be safe and happy. And if this was a movie, you would absolutely make that her arc and the payoff at the end. The problem is that this isn't a movie with a finite story to tell, it's an ongoing, never-ending comic book story that has to leave room for more stories to come. If you actually go through with it and make everything better, you remove all the tension and what actually made the character fun and interesting in the first place. It's like The Lord of the Rings trilogy, except you then have to make 20 more movies afterwards of the hobbits pottering about in their gardens, eating second breakfasts and smoking pipe weed all day. Sure, you wanted the happy ending, but if you want more compelling stories after that, then you have a problem.

Taylor either didn't realize this, or more likely, didn't care. He just wanted to be the guy to finish the character arc and get the plaudits for giving Laura a happy ending, and then where to go from there was someone else's problem.

X-23 after Taylor is basically like a cat that's been declawed. And that's not good when the claws and the snikting to go with them is much of the appeal of the character. And the way he did it makes it hard to roll back or modify without complaints about "undoing her character progression" from the clueless part of fandom that doesn't really care about good comic book stories and just like to write domestic fanfiction on Tumblr about Laura, Gabby and Daken getting scones for lunch and arguing about what to watch on TV. (Yes, I'm a little bitter, and if you actually write fanfiction like that, then I'm sorry, I didn't mean to single you out). But, yeah, it's really hamstrung other writers, I feel.

Tamaki did an admirable job all things considered, she did well writing the character. But at this point I'm kinda hoping that Laura gets a rest and doesn't star in any books for a while. A bit of distance to the recent poor characterisations might allow the next writer to bring back more of the classic Laura.

I find it hard to disagree with this.

[Beaubier]

Sadly, Marvel's writers have all but ruined Laura as a character at this point.

She used to be quite unique and interesting, she wasn't like other "superheroes", and she had a distinct voice and way of speaking. The fact that her life had been a shitshow but she still kept fighting, and trying to do better, while still being a socially awkward outsider, made her endearing and made you want to root for her. You wanted to see her overcome all her troubles and be safe and happy. And if this was a movie, you would absolutely make that her arc and the payoff at the end. The problem is that this isn't a movie with a finite story to tell, it's an ongoing, never-ending comic book story that has to leave room for more stories to come. If you actually go through with it and make everything better, you remove all the tension and what actually made the character fun and interesting in the first place. It's like The Lord of the Rings trilogy, except you then have to make 20 more movies afterwards of the hobbits pottering about in their gardens, eating second breakfasts and smoking pipe weed all day. Sure, you wanted the happy ending, but if you want more compelling stories after that, then you have a problem.

Taylor either didn't realize this, or more likely, didn't care. He just wanted to be the guy to finish the character arc and get the plaudits for giving Laura a happy ending, and then where to go from there was someone else's problem.

X-23 after Taylor is basically like a cat that's been declawed. And that's not good when the claws and the snikting to go with them is much of the appeal of the character. And the way he did it makes it hard to roll back or modify without complaints about "undoing her character progression" from the clueless part of fandom that doesn't really care about good comic book stories and just like to write domestic fanfiction on Tumblr about Laura, Gabby and Daken getting scones for lunch and arguing about what to watch on TV. (Yes, I'm a little bitter, and if you actually write fanfiction like that, then I'm sorry, I didn't mean to single you out). But, yeah, it's really hamstrung other writers, I feel.

Tamaki did an admirable job all things considered, she did well writing the character. But at this point I'm kinda hoping that Laura gets a rest and doesn't star in any books for a while. A bit of distance to the recent poor characterisations might allow the next writer to bring back more of the classic Laura.

Well said. At this point I believe some of her “character progression” *needs* to get undone to give us good, satisfying Laura stories again. And maybe you’re right, she needs a break from the current staff of writers and events. Some distance from the current status quo can only be a good thing. I’d rather not read her at all instead of read her written poorly.

[Mr Abductor]

May i suggest a mind wi..