Rachel Summers/Grey Appreciation 2019

[PsychoEFrost]

I know this has come up before in previous threads, but with the solicitation for #10 revealing that she is still a hound for Stryfe it bares further examination and discussion:

Why is it ok for writers (male in particular) to continually assault one specific female character for stories? Why is it ok to have a strong woman raped (mentally, physically, etc) 3 times in 4 months in 3 different books? Why is it ok to make her a perpetual victim that requires saving? Why is she not allowed to be out of this cycle?

In the light of recent events around the US, and in particular a institution of higher ed I used to work for, I find it extremely offensive that Marvel condones this story line for any character. Are they that tone deaf that they don't see that people are upset that Rachel is forced to be people's slave? To be doing unthinkable acts for a "master" that goes against what they stand for? Do they think people are enjoying watching her act this way? That people want her to be a slave?

I'm done. For this point forward every week I am going to write to the X-Men Mondays, to Jordan White, to Cebulski, and to Brisson that this needs to be finished. It's disrespectful and hurtful to victims of abuse and sends a bad message that you will never stop being a victim.

I may sound dramatic but I'm upset and this just put me over the edge. /soapbox

I'm in complete agreement with you on this. The comic industry has certainly progressed over the years, but a lot of very hurtful things are still used as common writing tropes just because. The optics of it look awful

[ClanAskani]

The X-Office and writers like Brisson don't care about a few fans who are angry. Especially female fans. I used to think that going to conventions and X-Panels and asking questions or talking to writers was the best way to get messages to the writers and editors. But after how I was treated by Ed Brubaker, I realized that it was better if they thought "Ashley" was a guy online then seeing me in person and knowing that I'm female.

But they care about their public images. That's why we need them getting roasted about this on sites like TheMarySue.

[Havok83]

The X-Office and writers like Brisson don't care about a few fans who are angry. Especially female fans. I used to think that going to conventions and X-Panels and asking questions or talking to writers was the best way to get messages to the writers and editors. But after how I was treated by Ed Brubaker, I realized that it was better if they thought "Ashley" was a guy online then seeing me in person and knowing that I'm female.

But they care about their public images. That's why we need them getting roasted about this on sites like TheMarySue.

what did Bru do to you?

[ClanAskani]

what did Bru do to you?

I was in line for autographs at Wizard World. Ahead of me, a guy was getting the issue of Uncanny X-Men signed that had a large panel of Hepzibah pole dancing. Ed was flipping through the issue, stopped on the page and said something along the line of female fans got their panties in a wad over that and laughed. Then he looked over and saw me and he looked like a kid with his hand in the cookie jar. I let him have it about the panel and he rolled his eyes. The attitude I got was the female characters were simply there to be sex objects. That's it. And the female fans were ruining the fun of comics for the intended audience.

I also asked if he would address anything with Rachel's Askani memories and he said "What's that?" I explained and he said a very short "no" and went on to the next person acting like that was the stupidest thing he had ever heard.

[PsychoEFrost]

I was in line for autographs at Wizard World. Ahead of me, a guy was getting the issue of Uncanny X-Men signed that had a large panel of Hepzibah pole dancing. Ed was flipping through the issue, stopped on the page and said something along the line of female fans got their panties in a wad over that and laughed. Then he looked over and saw me and he looked like a kid with his hand in the cookie jar. I let him have it about the panel and he rolled his eyes. The attitude I got was the female characters were simply there to be sex objects. That's it. And the female fans were ruining the fun of comics for the intended audience.

That's A) Horrible and B) Not terribly shocking unfortunately. For all the progress, comics are still a good ole' boys club.

[Havok83]

I was in line for autographs at Wizard World. Ahead of me, a guy was getting the issue of Uncanny X-Men signed that had a large panel of Hepzibah pole dancing. Ed was flipping through the issue, stopped on the page and said something along the line of female fans got their panties in a wad over that and laughed. Then he looked over and saw me and he looked like a kid with his hand in the cookie jar. I let him have it about the panel and he rolled his eyes. The attitude I got was the female characters were simply there to be sex objects. That's it. And the female fans were ruining the fun of comics for the intended audience.

I also asked if he would address anything with Rachel's Askani memories and he said "What's that?" I explained and he said a very short "no" and went on to the next person acting like that was the stupidest thing he had ever heard.

Oh wow, sorry you had to endure that

[ClanAskani]

Oh wow, sorry you had to endure that

It didn't really surprise me. And that's pretty normal for female comic readers - if you try to say something negative, you're ignored because you're the targeted audience.

I went to a Guggenheim signing for the wedding issue in Westlake Village CA and Guggenheim said over and over about how people online loved the issue and his entire run and how almost all of the comments were positive except a few people "who hate everything and don't actually buy the issue, but just complain outline" or something like that.

Any negative comments get lumped into a group of people whose opinions can be ignored.

[Daedra]

It didn't really surprise me. And that's pretty normal for female comic readers - if you try to say something negative, you're ignored because you're the targeted audience.

I went to a Guggenheim signing for the wedding issue in Westlake Village CA and Guggenheim said over and over about how people online loved the issue and his entire run and how almost all of the comments were positive except a few people "who hate everything and don't actually buy the issue, but just complain outline" or something like that.

Any negative comments get lumped into a group of people whose opinions can be ignored.

I wouldn't expect anything else from the writer of that awful run

[spirit2011]

I was in line for autographs at Wizard World. Ahead of me, a guy was getting the issue of Uncanny X-Men signed that had a large panel of Hepzibah pole dancing. Ed was flipping through the issue, stopped on the page and said something along the line of female fans got their panties in a wad over that and laughed. Then he looked over and saw me and he looked like a kid with his hand in the cookie jar. I let him have it about the panel and he rolled his eyes. The attitude I got was the female characters were simply there to be sex objects. That's it. And the female fans were ruining the fun of comics for the intended audience.

I also asked if he would address anything with Rachel's Askani memories and he said "What's that?" I explained and he said a very short "no" and went on to the next person acting like that was the stupidest thing he had ever heard.

That was really crappy. I bet a lot of people who buy his books today are women.

[PsychoEFrost]

I wouldn't expect anything else from the writer of that awful run

Or he lives in a massive echo chamber. Twitter can definitely create that where you block anyone who says anything remotely negative, so all the comments you see are fans that wouldn't dare criticize.

[RachelGrey]

Or he lives in a massive echo chamber. Twitter can definitely create that where you block anyone who says anything remotely negative, so all the comments you see are fans that wouldn't dare criticize.

All you really need to do to understand the mentality is look at "One More Day". The editors and the writers all towed the line on that stupid story right to the bitter end. Just because the new editorial management didn't like the idea of Peter Parker being married to MJ.

A lot of them even write stories like little boys. Look at Uncanny with Rahne dying off panel. It seems to be a lot of female characters getting killed off in Uncanny.

Then in X-Force we get slave Rachel right to the very last issue. It feels like they are deliberately writing a story where the only option for Rachel is for Cable to execute her. Oh well, I guess that helps to clear up the Summers/Grey family history, no more older Cable, and no more Rachel. Little Cable stays in the future, and Jean and Scott never have to act like they had children at all.

[PsychoEFrost]

All you really need to do to understand the mentality is look at "One More Day". The editors and the writers all towed the line on that stupid story right to the bitter end. Just because the new editorial management didn't like the idea of Peter Parker being married to MJ.

A lot of them even write stories like little boys. Look at Uncanny with Rahne dying off panel. It seems to be a lot of female characters getting killed off in Uncanny.

Then in X-Force we get slave Rachel right to the very last issue. It feels like they are deliberately writing a story where the only option for Rachel is for Cable to execute her. Oh well, I guess that helps to clear up the Summers/Grey family history, no more older Cable, and no more Rachel. Little Cable stays in the future, and Jean and Scott never have to act like they had children at all.

Right after Nate Grey dies of power induced cancer, or whatever excuse they're gonna give him for the whole Age of X-Man thing.

[RachelGrey]

Right after Nate Grey dies of power induced cancer, or whatever excuse they're gonna give him for the whole Age of X-Man thing.

Exactly. I think Rachel and Cable may only appear in HoX/PoX in flashbacks. Or if they end X-Force with Rachel still a slave, then Cable goes with that depower weapon and uses it on her and then she is written out that way.

[Tunasammiches]

Wait... force ends at 10?

[Snoop Dogg]

Wait... force ends at 10?

Cable (2018) #10 - SERIES FINALE!!!