Lorna Dane: Polaris Appreciation 2021

[salarta]

You know you're doing your job right when you don't even need to say anything to get a mention.


I've said before that there's a lot of unexplored territory in Lorna and Magneto's relationship. It's only recently been restored, there's decades worth of possibilities we haven't seen pursued yet. All of this remains true. However, it's not a blank slate either. They have history. They have a foundation to work from. That history and foundation should matter in any attempt to explore their relationship. Unfortunately, Marvel has been ignoring both for most of the past decade.

My semi-joke post of a few days ago has layers. Compare the original page in my first post on this thread to what was cut in the joke post. Lorna in her origin story was presented as a tangible threat in her own right. Even as what appeared to be a newly awakened mutant, she commanded respect and fear before her turn to fight alongside the X-Men. Much of that was, yes, because Magneto is her father. But not because she could run to him for help. Not because Magneto "owned" her personhood. She commanded respect and fear from the perception that she inherited his magnificence and awesome power.

In her very first appearance, she was not presented as daddy's weak little girl who needs to be pampered, spoiled and protected by her father, and who can't handle the idea of conflict - despite late 60s standards of how to treat women. Her first appearance presented her as a queen of mutants who could pose a serious threat to all the X-Men combined if she chose to be their enemy.

Much of Marvel has forgotten that Lorna, as their image of her has been that of a woman whose chief value is to be constantly used and abused for the benefit of other characters, whether they be villains, so-called allies, or the one (1) boyfriend she's ever been allowed to have. Without any catharsis. No second half where Lorna gets to stand for herself and redeem any damage done to her image. Just a lot of misuse. Unfortunately, we've seen Lorna's dynamics with her father tainted by this attitude as well.

Thankfully, there's still plenty of time to fix it and do better going forward. It will just take Marvel spending some time to look at what their own writers have done in the past and moving forward from there. And I don't mean "This one writer I liked did this thing so I'll just copy him and leave it at that, bam, give me money." I mean putting real thought into what she's been through from her perspective, all the way back to the original core conception of her and what sensibly builds off that conception.

People don't write Batman as a goofy funnyman type that does weird things, following the vein of how the 60s TV show and comics around the time presented him that way. Writers eventually recognized the core concept of him from when he was created, and honored and built off of it, leading to the popularly known Batman of today. Same should apply to any other character.

[LoganAlpha30X33]

Oh ok I would not blame Alex at all, Lorna and Magneto have their own issues and he has more than enough having to deal with Sinister on his own, if I were him I would not have so much patience with him



lol you know, I personally don´t like them together not so much because I don´t think they would not work, it´s more like my first experience with them as a couple was their failed wedding and sometimes I get the sense Lorna does what Alex ask of her to help him while he doesn´t seem too ready to do the same for her and also given Alex already had a marriage with Wasp and a romantic relationship with Maddie, I believe is only fair for Lorna to have some different relationship´s as well.

I guess what I am saying is that if they are going to end up together at some point, I would not like to see those issues been left behind and ignored but addressed properly in a way that helps to develop both of their characters and helps us see them as a couple in a positive way imo.

Well for Alex both of those relationships that you mentioned are all but over and done with and in the way of Wasp iirc it's since been written out of existence. Now while I want them together I admit that there are things that both need to work on first, just saying that I know it won't happen tomorrow or anytime soon...really besides Lorna Alex hasn't really had many if any longterm big relationships and thrown from one writer loved pairing to another that is over the second that writer leaves, I'd rather Lorna not be treated the same...sometimes not having relationships is better than having them, like with that Catwoman movie that was so terrible, yeah she had her own movie but...

[Lucyinthesky]

Well for Alex both of those relationships that you mentioned are all but over and done with and in the way of Wasp iirc it's since been written out of existence. Now while I want them together I admit that there are things that both need to work on first, just saying that I know it won't happen tomorrow or anytime soon...really besides Lorna Alex hasn't really had many if any longterm big relationships and thrown from one writer loved pairing to another that is over the second that writer leaves, I'd rather Lorna not be treated the same...sometimes not having relationships is better than having them, like with that Catwoman movie that was so terrible, yeah she had her own movie but...

I didn´t see Catwoman her movie with Halle Berry but I really liked her role on "The Dark Knight Returns" like yes, she was one of Batman´s love interest but she had her own initiative and I liked this about her character

I agree with you that having a relationship is not neccesary a good thing, especially in comics when it´s very hard to keep them without much drama, or something out of left field like an "inversion" but sometimes, even short relationships can help to explore the characters, for example I liked that Wasp sort of helped Alex be a little more easy going and sure of himself, I never thought it was going to last but I liked him to see him show this difference and with Maddie, well, it´s a bad relationship, whether you look at it given the circunstances but it´s nice to him being so worried for her and her right to be seen as a person. I would like to see the same for Lorna, to let the writers explore her character with different people and show different sides of herself, that later other writers could built from there.

I also agree both of them need to work on things but for this to happen they first need to admit there are things to work over between them and if at some point it happens that they are together again, I hope the writer in question remembers this.

[Lucyinthesky]

You know you're doing your job right when you don't even need to say anything to get a mention.


I've said before that there's a lot of unexplored territory in Lorna and Magneto's relationship. It's only recently been restored, there's decades worth of possibilities we haven't seen pursued yet. All of this remains true. However, it's not a blank slate either. They have history. They have a foundation to work from. That history and foundation should matter in any attempt to explore their relationship. Unfortunately, Marvel has been ignoring both for most of the past decade.

My semi-joke post of a few days ago has layers. Compare the original page in my first post on this thread to what was cut in the joke post. Lorna in her origin story was presented as a tangible threat in her own right. Even as what appeared to be a newly awakened mutant, she commanded respect and fear before her turn to fight alongside the X-Men. Much of that was, yes, because Magneto is her father. But not because she could run to him for help. Not because Magneto "owned" her personhood. She commanded respect and fear from the perception that she inherited his magnificence and awesome power.

In her very first appearance, she was not presented as daddy's weak little girl who needs to be pampered, spoiled and protected by her father, and who can't handle the idea of conflict - despite late 60s standards of how to treat women. Her first appearance presented her as a queen of mutants who could pose a serious threat to all the X-Men combined if she chose to be their enemy.

Much of Marvel has forgotten that Lorna, as their image of her has been that of a woman whose chief value is to be constantly used and abused for the benefit of other characters, whether they be villains, so-called allies, or the one (1) boyfriend she's ever been allowed to have. Without any catharsis. No second half where Lorna gets to stand for herself and redeem any damage done to her image. Just a lot of misuse. Unfortunately, we've seen Lorna's dynamics with her father tainted by this attitude as well.

Thankfully, there's still plenty of time to fix it and do better going forward. It will just take Marvel spending some time to look at what their own writers have done in the past and moving forward from there. And I don't mean "This one writer I liked did this thing so I'll just copy him and leave it at that, bam, give me money." I mean putting real thought into what she's been through from her perspective, all the way back to the original core conception of her and what sensibly builds off that conception.

People don't write Batman as a goofy funnyman type that does weird things, following the vein of how the 60s TV show and comics around the time presented him that way. Writers eventually recognized the core concept of him from when he was created, and honored and built off of it, leading to the popularly known Batman of today. Same should apply to any other character.

I agree with all this Salarta, very well said, especially the the part about there being much to explore between Lorna and her father and how neccesary it´s for her to leave behind the role of the abused woman and character for others benefit, imo, I think part of the reason Lorna got so many fans from the Gifted it was because she was presented as pretty much the opposite of this and I think this is another template writers at marvel could look to and inform their writting of Lorna, not to copy it but to introduce it into their whole charactertization of her in the comics.

So far I have liked to see what Duggan has done and I am hopping to see more from her and her interaction with the other members of her team.

[LoganAlpha30X33]

Though the problem is that any future writer will write Alex however they want, no matter what happened with Wasp, many here see them both as having things to work on but in reality all that it would take is for a writer to want them together again and it could happen, though I'm not going to hold my breath, no matter how much some here would hope that I would...

[jmc247]

I agree with all this Salarta, very well said, especially the the part about there being much to explore between Lorna and her father and how neccesary it´s for her to leave behind the role of the abused woman and character for others benefit, imo, I think part of the reason Lorna got so many fans from the Gifted it was because she was presented as pretty much the opposite of this and I think this is another template writers at marvel could look to and inform their writting of Lorna, not to copy it but to introduce it into their whole charactertization of her in the comics.

So far I have liked to see what Duggan has done and I am hopping to see more from her and her interaction with the other members of her team.

Lorna cared deeply about the plight of mutants in The Gifted and that story drove her other relationships be them with Esme, Eclipse or Trask industries. That was the success of Lorna, mainly in the shows first season.

The biggest problem comic Lorna has had for many years is best described with four words… ‘what is her motivation?’. It’s a problem that certainly hasn’t gone away even if one very much likes Lorna’s current persona under Duggan.

[Soulsword323]

No matter what happens in Trial of Magneto, I know Duggan isn't going to let us down in X-Men. I continue to be thankful that his Lorna will probably be a great counter to whatever Williams does.

Also, taking this moment to speak a Polaris/Sunfire pairing into existence.

[Lucyinthesky]

Though the problem is that any future writer will write Alex however they want, no matter what happened with Wasp, many here see them both as having things to work on but in reality all that it would take is for a writer to want them together again and it could happen, though I'm not going to hold my breath, no matter how much some here would hope that I would...

When we are talking about comics drama is always there to inform the story and him having a past marriage with Wasp could always come back to Alex, just like his relationship with Maddie is now part of his present story, if you asked me before Krakoa I would have never thought to see Alex with Maddie again in any kind of scenario, yet here we are but I don´t mind it, the way Zeb Wells has been writting Alex and Maddie has worked for them and that´s not a bad thing.

I agree all it would be needed was for a writer to want Lorna and Alex together but imo those other relationships will be showing themselves at one point or another, just look at Reed and Sue, there´s no older couple at marvel and still sometimes we get calls back from Namor to Sue because comics are dramatic, I just want to get a good story out of this drama that services the characters development

Lorna cared deeply about the plight of mutants in The Gifted and that story drove her other relationships be them with Esme, Eclipse or Trask industries. That was the success of Lorna, mainly in the shows first season.

Agreed completely and I would love to see a little more of this from here on the X-men or on Krakoa, to have her own thoughts and projects for mutants, just like she had at the beggining of Leah´s X-factor

The biggest problem comic Lorna has had for many years is best described with four words… ‘what is her motivation?’. It’s a problem that certainly hasn’t gone away even if one very much likes Lorna’s current persona under Duggan.

Agreed, I guess we as fans should just talk a little more about her main motivations and ask questions about them to the writers.

No matter what happens in Trial of Magneto, I know Duggan isn't going to let us down in X-Men. I continue to be thankful that his Lorna will probably be a great counter to whatever Williams does.

Duggan said he had a plan and I guess he´s already aware of what´s going to happen on ToM, so I trust he will keep writting Lorna well and I would like to see him write Lorna with her father, he has done a very good job with them separate now we just need them interacting together.

Also, taking this moment to speak a Polaris/Sunfire pairing into existence.

I am actually curious to see them interact again and see where are them at this moment

[Mercury]

I just read some of The Trial of Magneto #1... Jean and Lorna fans need to unite against the constant slander flung at our girls. I'm pissed off.

[jmc247]

Rumored though unconfirmed Polaris funko pop for NYCC.

[salarta]

I just read some of The Trial of Magneto #1... Jean and Lorna fans need to unite against the constant slander flung at our girls. I'm pissed off.

Agreed, both ladies need better as a whole. You also have to wonder if there's a common root given they're the first two women to join the X-Men, both created in the 60s.

Rumored though unconfirmed Polaris funko pop for NYCC.

If true, and it's a Funko of either current run or some version of her iconic costume, then I'll be buying it. It'll be the first time I buy a Funko for myself (I've bought a few as gifts for other people).

[Mercury]

Agreed, both ladies need better as a whole. You also have to wonder if there's a common root given they're the first two women to join the X-Men, both created in the 60s.

And really, this is all that matters. History is truly on our side. I firmly believe that the new series is going to do wonders for both of them. I have faith in Duggan.

[jmc247]

[Lucyinthesky]

Great preview jmc247 I really like Lorna´s eyes here and she and Rogue finally seem to be going to interact again.

[Soulsword323]

Williams' Lorna really is not good. My goodness.