Ororo Munroe: Storm Appreciation 2020

[Micabe]

I'd rather marvel make a new black love interest for Storm than try to revive T'challa/Storm. They're just too much melodrama and have crossed each others lines too many times.

Unlike a good deal of normal couples, huh?

[Devaishwarya]

Storm may have been born in America but she's lived all of her formative years as an African.
T'Challa is an African King.

So...your definition Mekk80s...is it that their relationship has been co-opted to represent something that's not truly indicative of it?

Black American is not Black African.

[Mekk80s]

Storm may have been born in America but she's lived all of her formative years as an African.
T'Challa is an African King.

So...your definition Mekk80s...is it that their relationship has been co-opted to represent something that's not truly indicative of it?

Black American is not Black African.

My "definition" isn't definitive if anything i was giving an example, so unless you can give a better example I ain't trynna hear nothin. I never said "black American" is "black African" yeah no sh!t, Jwatson asked a question and i answered the best of my ability.

[chief12d]

Why is this such a hard concept for some to understand lol? Black love is just love between two (or more if you wanna be really inclusive lol) black people. It means a lot in modern nerd culture, especially sci-fantasy fiction, because it’s not all that common to see two black people involved with each other in a consistent, positive relationship. Most major black superheroes are primarily involved with non-black lovers and obviously there’s nothing wrong with that, but the vast majority of black folks (male and female) are involved with partners of their own race so it’s no surprise some black folks who consume comics or any kind of sci-fantasy would like to see more black-black romances.

Like with anything involving black people, black love is not a monolith. Some fictional black romances are loving and completely healthy, others are wrought with tension and misunderstanding, while for many it’s a spur of the moment thing. Love is always different for everyone and black love is no different, the unifying factor is that the people involved are exclusively black. The longing romance between Blue Marvel and Spectrum is as much black love as the tumultuous black love between Bronze Tiger and Vixen. That’s why for many BP-Storm had a special place in their hearts, because it was black love with the addition of the whole power couple dynamic.

[Marvell2100]

Why is this such a hard concept for some to understand lol? Black love is just love between two (or more if you wanna be really inclusive lol) black people. It means a lot in modern nerd culture, especially sci-fantasy fiction, because it’s not all that common to see two black people involved with each other in a consistent, positive relationship. Most major black superheroes are primarily involved with non-black lovers and obviously there’s nothing wrong with that, but the vast majority of black folks (male and female) are involved with partners of their own race so it’s no surprise some black folks who consume comics or any kind of sci-fantasy would like to see more black-black romances.

Like with anything involving black people, black love is not a monolith. Some fictional black romances are loving and completely healthy, others are wrought with tension and misunderstanding, while for many it’s a spur of the moment thing. Love is always different for everyone and black love is no different, the unifying factor is that the people involved are exclusively black. The longing romance between Blue Marvel and Spectrum is as much black love as the tumultuous black love between Bronze Tiger and Vixen. That’s why for many BP-Storm had a special place in their hearts, because it was black love with the addition of the whole power couple dynamic.

Bravo.

[jwatson]

Why is this such a hard concept for some to understand lol? Black love is just love between two (or more if you wanna be really inclusive lol) black people. It means a lot in modern nerd culture, especially sci-fantasy fiction, because it’s not all that common to see two black people involved with each other in a consistent, positive relationship. Most major black superheroes are primarily involved with non-black lovers and obviously there’s nothing wrong with that, but the vast majority of black folks (male and female) are involved with partners of their own race so it’s no surprise some black folks who consume comics or any kind of sci-fantasy would like to see more black-black romances.

Like with anything involving black people, black love is not a monolith. Some fictional black romances are loving and completely healthy, others are wrought with tension and misunderstanding, while for many it’s a spur of the moment thing. Love is always different for everyone and black love is no different, the unifying factor is that the people involved are exclusively black. The longing romance between Blue Marvel and Spectrum is as much black love as the tumultuous black love between Bronze Tiger and Vixen. That’s why for many BP-Storm had a special place in their hearts, because it was black love with the addition of the whole power couple dynamic.

Thank you, now this i understand. It's love between exclusively black people. That i get. Most times people mention it they act like it's some deep thing or has some sort of direct context of expected behavior outside of two black people in a loving relationship however that is portrayed. I can see people want to see that, for me, i lived it so i never really gave it much thought.

[Devaishwarya]

This concept of Black Love as explained by Chief is perfectly understandable. If we look to the idealised, romaticised, potential of that love as exemplified (and marketed) in this instance of two Black People of Royal lineage coming together. A lovely vision but, as is with LOVE in general, not perfect.

A pity, the writers tended focus on the not so perfect elements.

[chief12d]

Thank you, now this i understand. It's love between exclusively black people. That i get. Most times people mention it they act like it's some deep thing or has some sort of direct context of expected behavior outside of two black people in a loving relationship however that is portrayed. I can see people want to see that, for me, i lived it so i never really gave it much thought.

Yea, I agree that some people fetishize black love to an unnecessary degree and that we need to understand that black love does not and should not mean that all the characters involved have to offer is their romance. Black love is just one of many aspects that I feel should flesh out a character. It's honestly not different for those who want queer relationships or those that want to see more interracial relationships.

People like to see experiences in the media they consume that reflect what they've seen and lived themselves. Like you, I saw black love growing up through my own parents. Mom is black American and dad is Sierra Leonean/Nigerian. I've also lived black love myself and am currently living it, so I think I approached my appreciation for it differently.

I saw that despite seeing black love all my life it was hard to find in a lot of the major franchises I was watching/reading. That's how the whole idea of black love became part of the lexicon of black fans, it's a reaction to the lack of it in comics and sci-fantasy at large. Which is why I always encourage those who want to see more black love (or just positive representation of black folks period) to explore other mediums and search for writers (black or otherwise) that incorporate it in their works.

This concept of Black Love as explained by Chief is perfectly understandable. If we look to the idealised, romaticised, potential of that love as exemplified (and marketed) in this instance of two Black People of Royal lineage coming together. A lovely vision but, as is with LOVE in general, not perfect.

A pity, the writers tended focus on the not so perfect elements.

Exactly, the appeal of BP-Storm to black fans and casuals becomes immediately understandable if you consider the romanticized potential of their union in the comic landscape. A black power couple, one that had a Romeo and Juliet star-crossed lovers quality that black fans rarely get to experience.

Marvel knew what they were doing when they put them together. All the elements were there to make it a top-tier couple but it wasn't meant to be, unfortunately. But the great thing about comics is that things can change, so while T'Challa may not be the black man for Storm who's to say Death (who I think we can comfortably say is a black man) can't? Black love, like any love, is partially about accepting it doesn't always work out.

[KLY360]

A little to muscular for my taste but I can actually she her playing Joanna "Frenzy" Cargill...pun intended.

But Storm was actually built like this when she wore the costume

[Thirteen]

Lol what is it? And where does it come from? LOL

From: https://womenwriteaboutcomics.com/20...ansformations/
"X-Termination #2 cover by Mike Deodato and Rain Beredo
The Jean Grey from the Age of Apocalypse had a strange life. Married to Weapon X and genetic mother to Nate Grey, she becomes Phoenix, but later loses her powers. During the X-Termination event, the Nightcrawler of her world rips a hole between the Age of Apocalypse and Earth-616, threatening the entire multiverse. Jean takes the power of the Apocalypse Seed to fight the inter-dimensional monsters attacking her world, gaining not only Apocalypse’s power but also his blue and grey makeup palette. She takes the transformation surprisingly well given her previous experience with ultra-destructive cosmic power, noting, “Other than feeling intensely arrogant, I’m pretty much me."

[Devaishwarya]

The more I think on it the more I can see Storm with Death...if they actually go in that direction for her character.
Maybe not as an outright relationship at first but as a romantic interest that could eventually become something serious and lasting. I think it's time that Storm has a significant upgrade, not necessarily in power, but status and certainly influence.

[Thirteen]

But Storm was actually built like this when she wore the costume

I haven't seen Storm that ripped unless she was depicted by Julie Bell or Boris Vallejo (who are bodybuilding enthusiasts so use that body type as a template for a heroic physique)

[chief12d]

The more I think on it the more I can see Storm with Death...if they actually go in that direction for her character.
Maybe not as an outright relationship at first but as a romantic interest that could eventually become something serious and lasting. I think it's time that Storm has a significant upgrade, not necessarily in power, but status and certainly influence.

I think with Death it all comes down to just how evil they want to make the Horsemen. It seems like they committed genocide of the people of Dryador so at first look he seems pretty irredeemable. But who knows what layers can be added to their characters during this event and in the future.

I don't think Marvel would let all the Arakkii we've been introduced to be permanently killed off so like you said maybe there's some attraction there but he still gets defeated/banished to Amenth by Storm. Then he returns with a change of heart/redemption story like Apocalypse and becomes her lover, there've been more contrived romances. It's certainly the kinda of quasi-mystical upgrade she'd benefit from and if that gives her some status on Arrako then that's a plus too. Death brings a lot to the table tbh.

[Devaishwarya]

Exactatiously.

I don't see them as out-right evil, just guided ad shaped by their circumstance and their world. Who knows....Genesis might be a better person, without the Annihilation Mask.

[Marvell2100]

I think with Death it all comes down to just how evil they want to make the Horsemen. It seems like they committed genocide of the people of Dryador so at first look he seems pretty irredeemable. But who knows what layers can be added to their characters during this event and in the future.

I don't think Marvel would let all the Arakkii we've been introduced to be permanently killed off so like you said maybe there's some attraction there but he still gets defeated/banished to Amenth by Storm. Then he returns with a change of heart/redemption story like Apocalypse and becomes her lover, there've been more contrived romances. It's certainly the kinda of quasi-mystical upgrade she'd benefit from and if that gives her some status on Arrako then that's a plus too. Death brings a lot to the table tbh.

I agree, I don't think that Death is coming across as evil, probably the rest of Arrako aren't either. If they were, they would probably just attack instead of waiting for a tournament. We could have a situation where we see mutants from Krakoa trading places with some of the Arakko denizens.

I'm certain that some of them will end up living on Krakoa.