Lorna Dane: Polaris Appreciation 2020

[LoganAlpha30X33]

I talk about ships but I am FAR from frothing at the mouth about it as I admit freely that Alex has made mistakes, I hope for A/L but then again I had hope when the wedding was first announced and look how that turned out, maybe the new light thing was just to write them both fairly to get them out of their relations shadows...as I'm not sure who would be Lorna's best friend, or Alex's...outside of each other...

[Devaishwarya]

Is it so very difficult to just let the writer do her thing without pre-supposing and pre-judging and actually waiting until the book is published so that an informed opinion can be made? ...Is it?

[Tycon]

It just seems so weird to dismiss a book featuring a favorite character finally having a space in a book based off ONE offhand comment. There has to be a little ‘give’ when it comes to that stuff. Like I’m not 100% expecting Prodigy’s character in X-Factor to be full of allusions to New X-Men/Academy X but that’s okay. I’m sure Leah will focus more on Polaris’ depth as a character with a history of mental illness rather than her relationships to men.

[jmc247]

I am still gonna need to find out why Lorna is on this team, she doesn't strike me as a "detective" sort especially. My headcanon is going to continue to be she is there to almost keep watch on the rest of them and ensure their work takes place "in accordance with the will of Krakoa" or some such

The big questions I have...

Why did she choose this job?

Why she decided to punt on a leadership position?

How does Lorna's view on humanity and past history weigh on her dealing with finding murdered mutants? Lorna based on her history had never taken well to people who kill innocents. How well does she put up with not punishing those responsible?

In terms of shipper questions. Leah might do well with them or not, its not my personal focus. I obviously hope she does well there and can think of ways she might end up doing so.

[CRaymond]

Wait, did LW say Lorna WASN'T in a lead position? She makes the most sense as the Mariska.

[jmc247]

Wait, did LW say Lorna WASN'T in a lead position? She makes the most sense as the Mariska.

Northstar is leading. The answer why will be explained in the book according to LW. I am fine with that as long as it has a reason behind it and Lorna isn’t the generic voice of reason character. I hated her historical appearances in that role.

[salarta]

Kathy Bates is Misery WAS NOT a life goal. Perspective. Frothing at the mouth over a ship is just a fast way not to take your point or yourselves real seriously.

Star Wars fans = cautionary tale.

Kathy Bates was trying to dictate what a writer does with his own creation. Nobody working at Marvel right now created Lorna.

The segment of Star Wars fans you're referring to are/were a bunch of tools whose complaints boiled down to "I hate diversity, change, and anything even remotely resembling progress." Marvel has more in common with them given their treatment of Lorna to date.

Fiction and what's done to it matters. If it didn't, it wouldn't be a huge industry worth billions that's spawned conventions and whole new subindustries like professional cosplayers. People wouldn't decide they want to spend the rest of their lives in forensics because they loved what they saw on CSI, or working for NASA cause they loved Star Trek. People wouldn't look at little kids excitedly cosplaying as Rey or Kamala Khan and talk about how representation matters.

Now obviously a person shouldn't be murdered over a fictional character, but neither should poor treatment of a character (or the risk of it following recent and repeated poor treatment) be shrugged off like it doesn't matter.

Is it so very difficult to just let the writer do her thing without pre-supposing and pre-judging and actually waiting until the book is published so that an informed opinion can be made? ...Is it?

It is when Marvel's spent the past 2-3 years bending over backwards to force the relationship in multiple products, especially while acting like far more important things about Lorna (Genosha) don't exist or never happened. And then the writer echoes the exact same sentiment by 1) only talking to a pro-pairing fan about the pairing, and 2) not bringing up anything else about Lorna. Red flags are red flags no matter how early they go up, and I don't feel like pretending they don't exist.

It just seems so weird to dismiss a book featuring a favorite character finally having a space in a book based off ONE offhand comment. There has to be a little ‘give’ when it comes to that stuff. Like I’m not 100% expecting Prodigy’s character in X-Factor to be full of allusions to New X-Men/Academy X but that’s okay. I’m sure Leah will focus more on Polaris’ depth as a character with a history of mental illness rather than her relationships to men.

It's not one offhand comment. It's a comment made within multiple broader contexts.

The context of what she could have said but didn't. The context of what kind and how long of a conversation she had if she thinks that's the one thing worth mentioning. The context of what Marvel has been doing to Lorna since X-Men Blue, and how the comment fits within that trend. The even broader context of how disrespectful Marvel's been toward the character across decades, including this past decade where Brevoort went out of his way to try to claim Lorna couldn't be Magneto's daughter and cut her out of the family because he clearly didn't have any respect for her - and recent Magnus family products that are once again treating her like she's not part of the family.

Things aren't said and done in a void. They come from somewhere, and they have some kind of impact.

Wait, did LW say Lorna WASN'T in a lead position? She makes the most sense as the Mariska.

She said Lorna isn't the leader, but there's an "in-story reason" that supposedly justifies it.

Before the Havok remark, I said this was a wait and see. Now I think it's just an excuse for why she's here and not leading the team while Marvel refuses to have her lead a team book or give her a solo, mini or oneshot.

[JB]

How does Lorna's view on humanity and past history weigh on her dealing with finding murdered mutants? Lorna based on her history had never taken well to people who kill innocents. How well does she put up with not punishing those responsible?

I'm very interested in this as well. This kind of mission could be triggering for her but also have her develop some major breakthroughs.

[spirit2011]

Seeing how JDW loves toxic relationships, lorna/alex is very possible

[DAHX]

Seeing how JDW loves toxic relationships, lorna/alex is very possible

Leah is the one who's writing Lorna, not JDW. and she already said Alex isn't in X-Factor

[spirit2011]

Leah is the one who's writing Lorna, not JDW. and she already said Alex isn't in X-Factor

JDW still the editor and Havok can still do guest star on the book.

People are worrying about it for a really good reason

[AbnormallyNormal]

Leah made a tweet about "bisexual disasters" and I wonder if it could apply to the entirety of this squad. Like she'll turn Lorna bi and maybe EyeBoy as well.

Since 4/6 are already non-straight might just go for all of them?

What do you all think?

Me personally I'm fine with Lorna having any sexuality but I'd hope it's a slight bit better evolved or introduced compared to e.g. Iceman

And having a romance outside Havok would be good since as far as I know that has never happened beyond her original flirting with.... Iceman. So yeah it could help her "move on" more since it seems she's either with Havok or "pining for" Havok and there's nothing else.

I do want her to be an "edgy" dangerous more militant character though and a romantic relationship COULD be a damper on that but then again it may not, and it could go with it... just have to find out.

[salarta]

Leah is the one who's writing Lorna, not JDW. and she already said Alex isn't in X-Factor

Okay, so there are two lists for me to make here as a response.

List #1.

1. Editors can still say that writers should or shouldn't have certain content via their position of power.
2. Writers have a built-in incentive to please editors/execs anyway, as a means of being considered for future gigs (the guy who compliments your hat leaves a better personal impression than someone who doesn't notice it).
3. Editors, being people, can still influence a writer's perspective - but they have greater access and "standing" due to their position than anyone else.

I've seen a certain editor have a House of M portrait redrawn to replace Lorna, and ignore her as part of the Magnus family on multiple projects (Children's Crusade, Magneto: Not a Hero, No More Humans, Avengers vs X-Men, Axis). That right there tells us how much power editors have over writers, whether by direct order or by influence.

List #2.

1. Saying Alex isn't in X-Factor doesn't mean he couldn't show up for a story arc, or for cameos, or get talked about repeatedly throughout the book (see also X-Men Blue putting the focus on him during Lorna's return, or ANXF bringing Havok on for multiple cameos to question her leadership and have Pietro spy on her).
2. Even if he wasn't explicitly mentioned by name, he could be hinted at, or Lorna could be written in a way that implies an impact he has on her ("This guy I used to date let me tag along to see other galaxies," blah blah blah).
3. Leah saying today that he isn't on X-Factor doesn't mean the situation won't change tomorrow. The studio behind the Wolverine and the X-Men cartoon thought they would get to keep making it out to season 3, then Disney bought Marvel and the show got canceled.
4. Or even this: what if it's technically true in that Leah won't write it, but she's off the book after 12 issues and a different writer is set to take over that will immediately put Havok on the book.

I've learned over the past 10 years that you can't really trust what's said out of Marvel. In general, Marvel loves to toy with technicalities. In specific, writers can't control if, say, they turn in a script with no Havok in it and the editor tells the artist to throw in Lorna humping his suit in the background for one panel (which is also a good example of a Marvel style technicality - Havok wouldn't be in it, only his suit).

In case it's not obvious, I've been burned enough by Marvel to know better than to simply go with what they claim is the plan. I need real evidence to back it up. Covers, pages, panels, etc.

[Domino_Dare-Doll]

Okay, so there are two lists for me to make here as a response.

List #1.

1. Editors can still say that writers should or shouldn't have certain content via their position of power.
2. Writers have a built-in incentive to please editors/execs anyway, as a means of being considered for future gigs (the guy who compliments your hat leaves a better personal impression than someone who doesn't notice it).
3. Editors, being people, can still influence a writer's perspective - but they have greater access and "standing" due to their position than anyone else.

I've seen a certain editor have a House of M portrait redrawn to replace Lorna, and ignore her as part of the Magnus family on multiple projects (Children's Crusade, Magneto: Not a Hero, No More Humans, Avengers vs X-Men, Axis). That right there tells us how much power editors have over writers, whether by direct order or by influence.

List #2.

1. Saying Alex isn't in X-Factor doesn't mean he couldn't show up for a story arc, or for cameos, or get talked about repeatedly throughout the book (see also X-Men Blue putting the focus on him during Lorna's return, or ANXF bringing Havok on for multiple cameos to question her leadership and have Pietro spy on her).
2. Even if he wasn't explicitly mentioned by name, he could be hinted at, or Lorna could be written in a way that implies an impact he has on her ("This guy I used to date let me tag along to see other galaxies," blah blah blah).
3. Leah saying today that he isn't on X-Factor doesn't mean the situation won't change tomorrow. The studio behind the Wolverine and the X-Men cartoon thought they would get to keep making it out to season 3, then Disney bought Marvel and the show got canceled.
4. Or even this: what if it's technically true in that Leah won't write it, but she's off the book after 12 issues and a different writer is set to take over that will immediately put Havok on the book.

I've learned over the past 10 years that you can't really trust what's said out of Marvel. In general, Marvel loves to toy with technicalities. In specific, writers can't control if, say, they turn in a script with no Havok in it and the editor tells the artist to throw in Lorna humping his suit in the background for one panel (which is also a good example of a Marvel style technicality - Havok wouldn't be in it, only his suit).

In case it's not obvious, I've been burned enough by Marvel to know better than to simply go with what they claim is the plan. I need real evidence to back it up. Covers, pages, panels, etc.

Off topic, but I hope you don't mind me saying I feel this pain...and I feel like we should start a support group.

[Soulsword323]

I'm beyond the point of caring about Alex tbh. If he was part of the book full time, I'd be worried, but he isn't. He's doing his thing in Hellions, Polaris is doing her thing in X-Factor.

The only thing I want from Lorna in terms of romance, is to live her best life enjoying the hot men and women on Krakoa. After being dedicated to the same dude for fifty years, she's earned it.