Polaris: The Mistress of Magnetism Appreciation 2022

[PolarIceFire]

... As for PolarIceFan hyping X-Men 97 I would say Lorna sticking with her 90s team is not a good proposition for the character in the new animated series. A comic line can juggle several protagonist teams like X-Men and X-Factor. For an animated series its vastly harder and even with TAS at the high point of X-Factor's popularity and with alot of episodes of TAS to blow over many years the X-Factor team only managed one major guest appearance in one episode and a minor one in one or two others.

The new series like all streaming shows will have much more compact seasons that means less time to be charitable to characters whose story doesn't directly impact the core cast significantly. That said the new series might enable a decent role for Lorna at least equal to that of Wolverine and the X-Men if she and the X-Men are on opposite sides of the line. If not it will be as it was in 90s TAS for Lorna only with reduced screen time given there will be less to go around for all characters.

If Polaris appears in X-Men '97, I'm pretty sure I'll be grateful no matter what. It's just hard for me to see how that level of exposure could hurt in any way. The comic line didn't start out that way, it was just one book and grew from there, and I can see Disney+ co-opting the same strategy. That 'Cold Comfort' appearance was better than nothing, and easily the ep I watched more than any other, not just for the content but because it was simply... one of the best.

The first season of TAS was 13 episodes at 22 minutes each.
The same for '97 will be 10 episodes at 30-37 minutes each... If 'What If...?' is anything to go by. If you do the math, that's roughly 4.5 hours vs. a potential 5-6+, in the new show's favor. But TBH, I think any arbitrary comparisons between the two at this point are little more than folly, as we don't know much yet beyond them likely being quite different.

[jmc247]

Sales are out for Trial of Magneto 1-5 and the rest of the years sales from Dimond though I think this is wrong as Trial of Magneto 3 dropped too far to 21K from 60K.

https://icv2.com/print/article/50385

Perhaps its registering a level of the publisher switch?

https://www.comicbookrevolution.com/...email&msg=fail

An early report on January's numbers.

[salarta]

Gonna be grateful for Lorna appearing in the MCU for the coveted role of slug woman from the booger pits whose fatal weakness is getting repeatedly kicked in the crotch.

Simply appearing in something isn't in and of itself a good thing. It can be a good thing if treatment is neutral or good. If treatment is bad, it can lead to a downward spiral where eventually the character is never used at all because writers and fans look on her with disgust as someone they think is a waste of space. If it's neutral, then an appearance can be good because it gives them more exposure that leads to better future use. Some writers may not like being questioned and criticized, but it's necessary for improving the craft in general (and if they're open-minded, improving their own abilities for future work).

[Krakoa]

Sales are out for Trial of Magneto 1-5 and the rest of the years sales from Dimond though I think this is wrong as Trial of Magneto 3 dropped too far to 21K from 60K.

https://icv2.com/print/article/50385

Perhaps its registering a level of the publisher switch?



An early report on January's numbers.

Think it's the publisher switch. A lot of other series have the same kind of weird giant drop.

[PolarIceFire]

Polaris is a former antagonist who’s become a superhero of the X-Men. The Genosha survivor and daughter of Magneto has similar mastery of magnetic powers and a pro-mutant attitude but would rather be enjoying her own life and protecting than attempting to take over. Don’t mistake her chill attitude and defender spirit for weakness and piss her off because it’ll be the last thing you do!

That’s how I’d describe Lorna without going to all her backstory. What do you all think?

This is pretty perfect, I think. I also liked your suggestion of a (earth) science-y, pioneering adventurer aspect, too.

There's been some great & highly accurate answers already given, which *miraculously* enough, are pretty much in line with how Marvel "officially" sees & pitched her as recently as this time last year:



There's something else that I have that will be *very familiar* to many here, that have been around for some years. ...

From over 5 yrs. ago now, before it was even known she would be in 'The Gifted', back in late 2016 in her then appreciation thread on here...
a composite created from contributions by multiple fans over time, profiling Polaris, to answer that age-old question just who is Lorna Dane?! (Jubes in TAS, lol)



That's just the first part & a teaser, with the rest to follow.

... I’ve been thinking recently about Krakoa, how it’s the new status quo and what that means for Lorna. I think she should become a War Captain and that should be her status quo role on Krakoa. I think it fits her “defender of mutants” personality and would cement her place on Krakoa. She can’t be on the X-Men, but I think making her a war captain would better fit her story. It would also be a way to make her important without preventing her from doing anything else. What do you guys think/want to see happen to Polaris?

I don’t think a lot of old history is going to be touched on going forward. I think Krakoa was a soft reboot and new things are being added or reestablished. I think it’s safe for us to assume that Lorna is very pro-mutant without being anti-human (she’s still not their biggest fans imo)

Most characters who are important have defined roles that will be their status quo going forward. Cyclops and Jean have the X-Men, Storm is Regent, Shadowcat has marauders and the council etc. I think these roles will be what they cycle through on Krakoa until theirs another reboot. With the X-Men now defined more like traditional superheroes and anyone can join via the vote, Lorna can’t be on it forever. She needs an important role that writers can always go back to when she’s not a superhero. As a war captain, she could appear in any book but would always be included in the major stories

I agree that the Captains don’t do much but I think that’s more of a writing/pitch issue. Bishop should be doing WAY more but writers seem almost intimidated to do anything. Regardless of how much they are used, you still know who the captains are. It’s well past time for a Polaris to be seen as important to the X-Men franchise and I think giving her a title like Captain would do that and show more of her mutant protector side. Not sure if I would want her to take Cyclops a spot (the X-Men are his thing now imo) or just added to the group of others

So it sounds like we're trying to figure on a permanent role for her, beyond the X-Men gig, with a formal title.

[PolarIceFire]

Some things are different obviously, but much to most of it still holds true, I think. In fact, I could apply a few or more of these traits, to her nuclear meltdown containment scene in X-Men #5.

[PolarIceFire]

Gonna be grateful for Lorna appearing in the MCU for the coveted role of slug woman from the booger pits whose fatal weakness is getting repeatedly kicked in the crotch.

Simply appearing in something isn't in and of itself a good thing. It can be a good thing if treatment is neutral or good. If treatment is bad, it can lead to a downward spiral where eventually the character is never used at all because writers and fans look on her with disgust as someone they think is a waste of space. If it's neutral, then an appearance can be good because it gives them more exposure that leads to better future use. Some writers may not like being questioned and criticized, but it's necessary for improving the craft in general (and if they're open-minded, improving their own abilities for future work).

Thank you for pointing out the obvious and making a moot point. Her appearance in TAS has no relation to anything you're going on about. And once again, IF it happens, I highly doubt it'll be a downgrade.

[jmc247]

Think it's the publisher switch. A lot of other series have the same kind of weird giant drop.

I am pretty sure as well. It's Penguin Random House for comic sales now though some sales probably still happen through Dimond.

ToM if anything showed there is a great deal of interest out there in the House of M. Though I somewhat suspect Marvel already knew there was which was why the series happened in the first place. Though it seems Wandavision fast tracked the story.

[salarta]

Thank you for pointing out the obvious and making a moot point. Her appearance in TAS has no relation to anything you're going on about. And once again, IF it happens, I highly doubt it'll be a downgrade.

I'm glad you said it was obvious, because too often it's not. I've had a lot of interactions with people online that take their fandoms to a point where a company could do anything and they would speak highly of it. I've seen some fans defend creative decisions by pretending the writers were bound by rules that those writers themselves set in the very thing being criticized. To give an anecdote closer to home for this topic, I once had a run-in with a Tumblr account that pretended fan-made creations of Polaris for video games (e.g. the Create-a-Soul feature in Soul Calibur games) were official appearances fully licensed and endorsed by Marvel. When I pointed out the obvious, they insisted I was lying and hated Lorna.

Sometimes, things that should seem obvious really aren't, and it can be necessary to draw attention to things even if it seems like it shouldn't be needed.

[jmc247]

I'm glad you said it was obvious, because too often it's not. I've had a lot of interactions with people online that take their fandoms to a point where a company could do anything and they would speak highly of it. I've seen some fans defend creative decisions by pretending the writers were bound by rules that those writers themselves set in the very thing being criticized. To give an anecdote closer to home for this topic, I once had a run-in with a Tumblr account that pretended fan-made creations of Polaris for video games (e.g. the Create-a-Soul feature in Soul Calibur games) were official appearances fully licensed and endorsed by Marvel. When I pointed out the obvious, they insisted I was lying and hated Lorna.

Sometimes, things that should seem obvious really aren't, and it can be necessary to draw attention to things even if it seems like it shouldn't be needed.

I have had long debates with people who argued that first run Claremont's Lorna was empowered.

There is nothing wrong with pointing out the obvious that Lorna in the 90s (where TAS left her) was a less shall we say evolved state as a character then versions of Lorna who have a family and some semblance of an identity outside being a love interest.

On the issue of 90s X-Factor post JM Dematteis Howard Mackie picked up the torch. His run is less discussed. Lorna articulated in JM's X-Factor what she was fighting for. Mackie's Lorna was in some ways darker, but didn't at all articulate what she wanted. Mackie's Lorna couldn't really have fun like JM's either.

It was the most Sabertooth - Lorna interaction since the 80s.







The answer is just being kind of tough and broody isn't a winner. You need a kind of balance in depiction. Duggan's Lorna is hitting a pretty good balance. I probably would like her more goal oriented and certainly to know what that goal/motivation is, but she is a balance between brutal uncompromising warrior and urban princess.

Fans who don't give their input on where a character needs work and where they think they can best function are not helping the creators themselves. Fans that are uncompromisingly negative when its unearned aren't helping the creators either.

[PolarIceFire]

... An early report on January's numbers.

Nice try, lol, but this knee-jerk narrative is wanting when it comes to context. The disparity between the X-Men issues is a common, well-documented occurrence, for singular titles that have 2 issues released in the same month. Not only do I have confidence #8 will bounce back in February, but given how good #7 hit, that it'll get some more life with reorders & maybe even get a reprint. And if there were actually any issues that went to press before they inked in Cyclops' naked crotch, then those could become collectors' items.

I'm glad you said it was obvious, because too often it's not. I've had a lot of interactions with people online that take their fandoms to a point where a company could do anything and they would speak highly of it. I've seen some fans defend creative decisions by pretending the writers were bound by rules that those writers themselves set in the very thing being criticized. To give an anecdote closer to home for this topic, I once had a run-in with a Tumblr account that pretended fan-made creations of Polaris for video games (e.g. the Create-a-Soul feature in Soul Calibur games) were official appearances fully licensed and endorsed by Marvel. When I pointed out the obvious, they insisted I was lying and hated Lorna.

Sometimes, things that should seem obvious really aren't, and it can be necessary to draw attention to things even if it seems like it shouldn't be needed.

Why bother, lol, AGAIN... with these arbitrary comparisons? (That stem from apparent mental blocks?) *smh, sigh* I'm sorry, I'm just not into making up absurd things to argue about, as it's a completely pointless and RIDICULOUS endeavor. It's a practice I've seen couples who've been together too long engage in, that I don't have any interest in being privy to.

I will agree, though, that the seemingly increasing deficit in comprehensive skills is alarming. More mindful observation & less immediate (over)reaction is what's needed, despite the fact that people love to bitch & complain, they need to ya know... grow (up), and stop jumping to conclusions that reek of...
BAD FAITH!! Fandoms acting more & more entitled as they have been, is becoming toxic and quite frankly, alienating.

[jmc247]

Nice try, lol, but this knee-jerk narrative is wanting when it comes to context. The disparity between the X-Men issues is a common, well-documented occurrence, for singular titles that have 2 issues released in the same month. Not only do I have confidence #8 will bounce back in February, but given how good #7 hit, that it'll get some more life with reorders & maybe even get a reprint. And if there were actually any issues that went to press before they inked in Cyclops' naked crotch, then those could become collectors' items.

Nice try?

Sales ratings can take a hit for a month for reasons that range from snowstorms to shipping issues. In terms of X-Men #7 it was released very early by accident and alot of fans may have already read it before it came out and thus didn't buy floppies. The number only matters if sales rankings don't jump back up for #8.

Its rarely about the quality of an issue as people have made up their minds to pick up issues before they know what is in them. It takes about 3 issues of sales declines before something can be called a real trend.

People who discuss comic sales on blogs have a habit of overselling increases and declines for any given month to keep fans coming back for clicks.

[PolarIceFire]

Nice try?

Sales ratings can take a hit for a month for reasons that range from snowstorms to shipping issues. In terms of X-Men #7 it was released very early by accident and alot of fans may have already read it before it came out and thus didn't buy floppies. The number only matters if sales rankings don't jump back up for #8.

Its rarely about the quality of an issue as people have made up their minds to pick up issues before they know what is in them. It takes about 3 issues of sales declines before something can be called a real trend.

My bad, I was thinking shop orders. However, with this being based on ICv's limited sales samplings, then #7 is only showing one week's worth (compared to #6's four). X-Men #5 was released the last week of Nov. and only managed the #31 spot, but stayed at 32nd for all of Dec. It's disappointing the "analyst" in the link you provided, didn't know this.

[juan678]

[salarta]

From those preview pages, I have a feeling this is gonna be an issue that definitely needs reading.