Lorna Dane: Polaris Appreciation 2020

[rhaenylis]

At least Lorna will be back next week in X-Factor #2

[Billyonthesheets]

At the start of Empyre, I was willing to wait to see if she showed up later. I even had a possible reason for her not being there at the start of "maybe Magneto ignorantly (though well-intentioned) thought he was sparing her a revisit of her trauma," but that reason only really works if Lorna eventually finds out and gets to take part. I had no delusions of that being how it would actually go down, I've had enough experiences with Marvel to know better, but I still kept quiet in case it would turn out different for once.

I'm fully expecting Marvel's idea of "fixing" this, if they try at all, will be to do something on X-Factor that doesn't have anywhere near the level of promotion, character/franchise interaction (especially with Scarlet Wanda involved), or narrative gravity that X-Men: Empyre did, then acting like that's good enough. That's their typical modus operandi with Lorna. Release work that technically fulfills the need but keep it so small, isolated and quiet that the work is insignificant and doesn't actually amount to anything.

And my saying that isn't a knock on Leah Williams. But Lorna's experiences with Genosha aren't like her origin story. They're not the sort of thing where it's "okay" for Marvel to quickly tell it in a single issue or story arc of a book like X-Factor with no promotion and then move on like it never happened and doesn't mean anything. Marvel had Jean fight Cassandra Nova on Genosha's ruins 2 years ago on X-Men Red where Jean was actually leading the book. They had Red Skull exploit the Genoshan dead for their big Axis event in 2014. Neither Jean nor Red Skull had a direct personal stake in Genosha like Lorna does, so for Marvel to have these other characters make such big dramatic use of Genosha and the genocide only for Lorna to have her experience relegated to something much smaller in scope after 15 years of nothing would be insulting.

This is the sort of thing where "better than nothing" isn't good enough.

Seriously, how many times are you going to post the same tired complaints? Why are you so obsessed with this topic?

[jmc247]

I'll save you time. Lorna isnt in Empyre

Disappointing, but not surprising. It still makes for the best trade cover for Lorna in the past half decade.



One last Empyre tie in for me and that is X-Men 11 which from the look of it will be Magneto heavy so perhaps a chance of Lorna cameo. Hickman has the best writing of Magneto (and Lorna for that matter) of the past decade in my eyes at the moment and hope he gets another crack at it.

[salarta]

I'll save you time. Lorna isnt in Empyre

Thanks for confirmation. I'm not surprised, it's typical Marvel, but confirmation always helps.

At least that issue from which Lorna was excluded didn't show the other mutants confronting Wanda or talking about the genocide
It's a very small consolation, but it's better than an issue where everyone talks about Wanda's spell except Lorna

True. It would've been worse if we saw a lot of talk about the genocide itself.

Seriously, how many times are you going to post the same tired complaints? Why are you so obsessed with this topic?

1) As many times as I want.
2) Because it means a lot to me, and people tend to post about things that matter to them.
3) You can scroll past or go to my profile and use the "Add to Ignore List" function if it bothers you so much.

Alternately, you can help put an end to my complaints by joining in pushing for Marvel to do things they should be doing but aren't.

[Project Initiative Cascada]

I forgot to ask but after reading DP #6, it seemed like Deadpool and Lorna know each other personally. I mean I am sure they Know of each other’s existence but have they interacted with each other before on panel? I must be forgetful cause I’m drawing a blank.

[salarta]

The only time I can think of is Deadpool and the Mercs for Money that Bunn wrote in 2017. But that depiction was an alternate future Lorna, not 616 Lorna.

From how she was depicted in Deadpool #6, I'd be for Lorna as she was there appearing in more issues and fleshing out how they've known each other. It did definitely give off the impression that they know each other between Lorna calling him Wade, and Deadpool saying he liked Jeff biting her.

[Dipter]

If there is anything positive to draw from the Empyre situation, it’s that Lorna was at least considered prominent enough to serve as cover bait.

[Magnetic]

If there is anything positive to draw from the Empyre situation, it’s that Lorna was at least considered prominent enough to serve as cover bait.

I like that. Her rise is happening. Good time to be a Polaris fan.

[Havok83]

I dont know. I feel its better to not be on the cover and actually used then to be on the cover and not show up. As annoyed as I was by her lack of cover presence in Disassembled and Hickman's run, I did appreciate her showing up in a small supporting capacity.

[salarta]

If there is anything positive to draw from the Empyre situation, it’s that Lorna was at least considered prominent enough to serve as cover bait.

True, but I also suspect they're thinking "We put her on a cover of something about Genosha, that's good enough, we're free to ignore her for anything involving Genosha from here on out." It hasn't really been a secret what people at Marvel think of her.

I dont know. I feel its better to not be on the cover and actually used then to be on the cover and not show up. As annoyed as I was by her lack of cover presence in Disassembled and Hickman's run, I did appreciate her showing up in a small supporting capacity.

I know this is an "if I was forced to choose one or the other then this is my pick even though I'd rather see both" sort of comment, but for me, I'm not even willing to entertain one without the other under current conditions. Marvel's the sort of company that would see the choice and run with only that choice (if even that much), never anything more.

[AbnormallyNormal]

At this point... In Leah we trust

[salarta]

X-Men: Empyre meets the conditions of "History gets ignored," "Excluded from character-relevant scene," "Character development ignored or undone," and "Bait and switch promo."

I'm not counting it as "Excluded from Magnus family" for a few reasons where circumstances and context could make it apply in another case. First, Wanda and Magneto didn't directly interact (afaik). Second, Wanda's currently not considered one of Magneto's daughters, so "family" may not quite apply. Third, Pietro as well as Luna, Wiccan, Speed, etc aren't here either.

I made this image last year, around the time of HoX/PoX if I remember correctly. Marvel's met criteria for 4 boxes twice since then, but arrangement meant no bingo. I may make a new version with a different arrangement.

Empyre's also a good reminder that stuff like this image doesn't really take severity of problem into account.

[jmc247]

November solicits from Marvel.

Its the second month in a row there is no X-Factor solicitations. October has none and November has none. Also the first X-Factor trade has been reduced to 4 issues from 5 issues. It could be a number of things, first on my mind was Bleeding Cool has been talking this Summer about Marvel cutting back the line due to fallout from COVID.

[Havok83]

I think its about pacing. The X books are full swing in the middle of XOS and considering X-Factor wont really be a part of it outside of that issue that was promoted, they are holding off on it. Thats just my take

[salarta]

I agree with the suggestion that it is likely a matter of pacing. It is certainly possible that Marvel is cutting back on X-Factor as a result of COVID, and it is worth knowing of that possibility and bearing it in mind, but I think it is more likely that Marvel is adjusting their schedule for X-Factor in light of needing to adjust their schedule everywhere else.