X-Factor #6 Preview

[Fokken]

On the first part, it's shoehorning when a) stories work in ways to bring it up that aren't needed (especially repeatedly, as Marvel has done these past several years), and b) there are plenty of other things that have a greater need of being brought up but never are. It's blatant that Marvel's taking an angle that the most important thing Lorna's ever done and will ever do in her entire character history is date Havok, and they refuse to acknowledge her as having any greater historical worth than that.

On the second part, thanks for the reminder. I forgot about that scene.

I've listened to some interviews from Leah, for what its worth, about her hesitation to USE Lorna at first, in the book, because she was unsure of a direction and had a similar experience to a lot of readers about inadvertently associating with Alex so heavily and it wasn't until a friend of hers really gave her the low down on how awesome Lorna is that she finally found a voice and a direction to take. I found that very comforting. I think there's a lot more to come.

Forgive the uneducated (raises hand sheepishly) but who ARE Lorna's romances, vs. Alex's?
I know Alex has been with Maddie, Lorna, & the Wasp for sure. Oh Nurse Annie for a minute, kinda?
Lorna had.... Alex and Bobby (and does that reeeeeally count given what she says about that relationship or lack thereof?)

[Harpsikord]

Oh was that the Morrigan? I thought it was another character lol.

It's the original Morrigan specifically!

[ChronoRogue]

It's the original Morrigan specifically!

Yea I see it more now. Thanks! I'm glad Leah will be addressing the mystery then.

[Krakoa]

Yea I see it more now. Thanks! I'm glad Leah will be addressing the mystery then.

I'm curious if this will involve the fact that Siryn became Morrigan basically to help Lorna's mental health.

[Soulsword323]

That scene in Hellions was between Magneto and Sinister. It didn't include Alex if I remember correctly. So I don't think that's a good comparison IMO.

I'm still down for seeing where Leah is taking Polaris, but I don't think this line was necessary. Maybe the rest of the issue will shed a different light on this moment.

[ChronoRogue]

I'm curious if this will involve the fact that Siryn became Morrigan basically to help Lorna's mental health.

Ohhh that's a good point. o.o

[salarta]

I've listened to some interviews from Leah, for what its worth, about her hesitation to USE Lorna at first, in the book, because she was unsure of a direction and had a similar experience to a lot of readers about inadvertently associating with Alex so heavily and it wasn't until a friend of hers really gave her the low down on how awesome Lorna is that she finally found a voice and a direction to take. I found that very comforting. I think there's a lot more to come.

Forgive the uneducated (raises hand sheepishly) but who ARE Lorna's romances, vs. Alex's?
I know Alex has been with Maddie, Lorna, & the Wasp for sure. Oh Nurse Annie for a minute, kinda?
Lorna had.... Alex and Bobby (and does that reeeeeally count given what she says about that relationship or lack thereof?)

The last time I read interviews from Leah was when they announced X-Factor. If there are others since, I haven't seen them or what she's said in them.

The interviews I saw, all she managed to say about Lorna amounted to "Havok is her ex and Magneto is her dad." With Havok, Leah said she talked to a Twitter friend she has who's a big Havok fan (I used to say Lorna x Havok fan, but I have since seen they talk way more about Havok than Lorna) and that "shed new light" on their relationship for Leah. Overall, Leah talked to only two people she knows (as per her interview comments) rather than looking deeper into Lorna's fandom for herself.

In general, I don't mind a writer coming to Lorna not really knowing her yet, and having to figure her out. That can be a net positive from the right angle, if someone's so fresh to Lorna that they aren't weighed down by the nostalgia of past poor treatment of her. I can even be accommodating to "growing pains" where they need issues to get it figured out. But I haven't seen anything to suggest efforts are being made to truly understand Lorna, her history, and what she's been through. And I've grown very jaded after the past 5 years of limbo followed by increasingly worse misuse.

On the question, which other Lorna fans may have more or other things to say.

Lorna doesn't really have other romances in her history. That's part of the problem. Whereas Havok's had a different woman each decade, Lorna's never really been allowed to have relationships outside of Havok. Iceman was closest before his coming out. Gambit's second closest due to ANXF and the Gambit stripper at her bachelorette party, but it never really went anywhere. They didn't date, they just had some sexual tension scenes and a moment where Gambit kissed her and she slapped him for it. Random was interested in Lorna but that was one-sided, and after that, if we're really stretching the definition, we could include Hulk because Hulk mistook Lorna for another woman one time.

Yeah, Havok's had Goblin Queen, Nurse Annie, and Wasp. Technically Wolfsbane, but that was one-sided against Wolfsbane's will, though more prolonged than Random. May be more I forgot.

Lorna's history with Iceman is something that should've been brought up in a big way at least once since he came out. I think Lorna can do a great deal to support his sexuality - and as I said before, because Marvel hasn't let them interact, I've seen people on Twitter use Lorna to argue against Iceman being gay.

In general on the relationship front, I have pairings I would prefer to see (Lorna x Jean, Lorna x Emma), but I'm also perfectly fine with her not dating anyone right now and love life never coming up with her, as other fans have said. She has decades worth of mistreatment to clear up. It's a fair point that Lorna in any relationship right now could risk undermining any work she needs done for herself.

[superjosh]

Well thats Salart's point. Alex has another relationship that got explored. With Lorna, they almost always default to going back to him for her, but its not necessarily the case vice versa. Lorna didnt come up in Astonishing X-men or Bendis' X-men. I didnt read all of Uncanny Avengers so someone can clarify if she popped up there for him. He came up for her in ANXF, Blue and now X-Factor

Exactly right. Writers that have tackled Lorna usually always fail the Bechdel test. They only know two things: Lorna's relationship with Alex or Magneto and that she's kind of crazy. And both of those depictions play into the unstable woman trope.

My problem with X-Factor under William's pen is that she's given every character these very underbaked, "CW"-esque personalities. I want to see more than just run-of-the-mill sitcom level banter. Combine that with the cartoony art, and it's just not hitting the right chord for me. It's too Buffy the Vampire Slayer for me.

[Fokken]

I'd like to see Lorna have a "I am MORE than the MEN in my life" moment.

[Krakoa]

Lorna's history with Iceman is something that should've been brought up in a big way at least once since he came out. I think Lorna can do a great deal to support his sexuality - and as I said before, because Marvel hasn't let them interact, I've seen people on Twitter use Lorna to argue against Iceman being gay.

Nah his coming out journey didn't really need to be about a woman he dated once.

[MarvelMaster616]

Daken alone make this series worth following.

[superjosh]

Nah his coming out journey didn't really need to be about a woman he dated once.

But a good, devoted, and forgiving beard often becomes the supportive lifelong BFF. At least that's what I've seen on TV!

(I do actually know some real life families like this and it's amazing!)

[Kingdom X]

On the first part, it's shoehorning when a) stories work in ways to bring it up that aren't needed (especially repeatedly, as Marvel has done these past several years), and b) there are plenty of other things that have a greater need of being brought up but never are. It's blatant that Marvel's taking an angle that the most important thing Lorna's ever done and will ever do in her entire character history is date Havok, and they refuse to acknowledge her as having any greater historical worth than that.

On the second part, thanks for the reminder. I forgot about that scene.

Do you want their relationship to NEVER be mentioned again? They were together for a long ass time and I feel like making a joke about it is a good way of acknowledging it but also firmly cementing it in the past.

[Havok83]

Do you want their relationship to NEVER be mentioned again? They were together for a long ass time and I feel like making a joke about it is a good way of acknowledging it but also firmly cementing it in the past.

LOL....I think Salarta would be perfectly fine with just that. They were together or a long time and it should be mentioned but I will agree with not liking how it was brought up here. It makes Lorna look pathetic making a call to an ex she hasnt been with in years bc she is lonely. Like get it together girl. Im getting second hand embarrassment for her bc he didnt even think enough about her to respond back (assuming he wasnt out on Hellions business). This puts her in a position to look weak waiting around for him instead of keeping her in charge when it comes to whatever dynamic they have. She tends to be subordinate to whatever is going on in his life

[ChronoRogue]

I mean Havok has his own problems. I actually think Lorna is far more well-adjusted than he is right now and in a better spot in her life.