Better Than Human: Northstar Appreciation 2019

[Anduinel]

The place to discuss the complexities of the X-Men's snarky, gay, issue-ridden speedster in the far-flung year of 2019.

For those curious about Northstar and wanting to pick up some of his appearances, there's a handy reading list here, updated up through the current Marvel line-up (and, thanks to the solits, a little beyond).

[Anduinel]

For reference purposes, the old thread is here. I will be re-indexing some of the essays and posting wiki links and such here as a sort of a Northstar 101 deal.

[Anduinel]

Current Appearances: Northstar isn't currently slated to be part of any spotlight teams post HoX/PoX, but is supposed to be part of Hickman's rotating roster in the main X-Men title.

[gifted]

Thanks for making the thread, girl!

I'm still taken aback by how underused Northstar is. He has A-List potential, but none of the higher-up writers tend to want to use him. I'm really hoping Leah Williams makes good use of him and I'm almost positive that she'll be writing an X-Men book post-Age of X-Man. The writers during an event that leads to a relaunch often gets a book.

If so, I can see the book having both Northstar and Psylocke in it easily. I'm sure they can relate to each other because they both have their inner demons and they're both twins... Haha?

[Anduinel]

Thanks for making the thread, girl!

I'm still taken aback by how underused Northstar is. He has A-List potential, but none of the higher-up writers tend to want to use him. I'm really hoping Leah Williams makes good use of him and I'm almost positive that she'll be writing an X-Men book post-Age of X-Man. The writers during an event that leads to a relaunch often gets a book.

If so, I can see the book having both Northstar and Psylocke in it easily. I'm sure they can relate to each other because they both have their inner demons and they're both twins... Haha?

Yeah, for writers who don't bother to read up on backstory, Northstar is just the gay guy. Not a multiple-times-over self-made man, not a former terrorist, not the guy who put himself at risk to look out for family he never knew, not someone who adopted a kid even knowing all he could do for her was give a name to be buried with, etc. And that's really unfortunate.

I am really, really curious to see where the X-Men in general wind up post-AoXM. If they remember everything that happened to them in what appears to be a loveless world, that could give them a hell of a POV shake-up when returning to to "reality".

[gifted]

Yeah, for writers who don't bother to read up on backstory, Northstar is just the gay guy. Not a multiple-times-over self-made man, not a former terrorist, not the guy who put himself at risk to look out for family he never knew, not someone who adopted a kid even knowing all he could do for her was give a name to be buried with, etc. And that's really unfortunate.

I am really, really curious to see where the X-Men in general wind up post-AoXM. If they remember everything that happened to them in what appears to be a loveless world, that could give them a hell of a POV shake-up when returning to to "reality".

Definitely! I'm super interested as that won't be until Summer 2019. The year just started, so that seems like so far away. If Age of X-Man is ending around May/June, then June/July should be around the time new books are launching. Which means we should get news around March/April when solicits for those months hit.

I wonder if the X-Tremists team has their love stripped? If they feel any remorse, according to issue #2's solicit, then maybe not?

[Anduinel]

Definitely! I'm super interested as that won't be until Summer 2019. The year just started, so that seems like so far away. If Age of X-Man is ending around May/June, then June/July should be around the time new books are launching. Which means we should get news around March/April when solicits for those months hit.

I wonder if the X-Tremists team has their love stripped? If they feel any remorse, according to issue #2's solicit, then maybe not?

That's something I'm hoping gets clarified sooner rather than later. From the solits on various books, we're given the impression that love is somehow illegal in AoXM. Does that mean relationships between "normals" and mutants? Does it mean the expression of romantic love in general? The emotion itself? And, yes, does that mean a Section 31 team like The X-Tremists have had extra steps taken to make sure they're above reproach? Lots of interesting possibilities here.