Is Storm able to carry her own solo ongoing for multiple years? Why not before?

[skyvolt2000]

Oh nonsense. People have been giving real reason why she is hard to write as a solo character and your are dismissing them all out of hand with "she just needs a good writer" bull and If they thought she could carry a solo they would move heaven and earth to do so. Why do you think they keep giving Captain Marvel book after failed book?

The majority of Carol's restarts are due to MARVEL doing some sort of restart with EVERYONE. Be it due to event or a rebranding.

When left alone and not derailed by events or said restarts she has reached 50 issues twice. Now if you said Moon Knight in the earlier days-you would have a point.

Marvel has had many many many good writers over the years and they are desperate for a flagship female character.

And aside from Carol, She Hulk and Elektra and even Jessica Drew for a time-how many times have they actually TRIED? Tried in did not stop after say volume 2 or 3?

Part of the reason they struggled is because SOMEONE finds a reason to give up be it due to movie rights or editorial being sexist or lazy.

Catwoman is 70 issues away from 300. Harley is near 200 as is Supergirl-guess what they NEVER stop doing with those three? They NEVER stopped using them. Even when OG Supergirl got killed they got a replacement who went 80 solo issues.

the old "it sexism" excuse.

If your editorial acts like they don't want to do the work-it's not sexist. Because someone is going to ask what is the issue? We can give 500 shots to the likes of Moon Knight or Cable. Yet with most females ESPECIALLY those of color there is an issue.

There is NO excuse Moon Girl is the most successful black female in terms of solo with over 50 and she's only been around 9 years.

Part of the issue is you got writers but how many have TRIED to pitch and got ignored? Redjack is on X-Force-that was his LAST pitch to Marvel. He had about 10 of them that included Blue Marvel and editorial wouldn't even LISTEN.

He is not the only one-Vita, Leah Williams, Brandon Thomas, Brandon Eaton and even Gail Simone will tell you how many times their pitches were not even listened to.

Some of those pitches are now at Image and other companies OUTSELLING Marvel and DC books.

[skyvolt2000]

No they aren't limiting they are reality. Storm's race and gender had nothing to do for why she was buried, it was always her movie rights. They started to bury her (and all the other X-Men) right around when the Avenger movies started to become huge hits. Why else would Marvel waste time pushing other female leads when you can just use the women from the X-Franchise?

What burying??? Burying is what was done to Wallace West, Stephanie Brown and Cassandra Cain. Who were all ERASED from DC for 10 years. Burying is what was done to Spectrum after she was removed as leader of the Avengers. Same with Luke Cage after Power Man and Ironfist ended.

The X-Men still had books out. We can debated that horrible storyline but they were in BOOKS.


Part of the reason you can't use females from this franchise NOT named Laura is for some of the reasons Devaishwarya has pointed out.

NOTHING and I mean NOTHING has stopped this office from giving its females shots. This is an editorial issue.

Spider-Man Office has NO issue giving Gwen and the spider divas shot after shot after shot or variant after variant. Same with Bat Office. Almost every female at Batman has sniffed a one shot or mini or ongoing or story arc in Batman whatever family book.

If Storm is too powerful-Supergirl, Carol and Superwoman shouldn't have sniffed books. Yet they account for almost 400 solo issues.
If Storm has no stories-Lois Lane shouldn't have anything yet she had a long running series and was at ONE POINT outselling SUPERMAN and BATMAN in the 70s.

We hear all these excuses (I might be guilty of it too) for Storm yet I can go down the LINE of guys who shouldn't have last beyond issue 1 yet had decent runs.

Squirrel Girl-there are 50 issues of her. Let that sink in.

Jimmy Olsen had a long run. Let that SINK in. JIMMY OLSEN.

[Devaishwarya]

Storm is Marvel's top-leading Black female character.

All that's needed is an editor, writer and artist team who is 100% invested in her and her story...past, present and future. Everything else is just bull-excrement excuses as to why we think she shouldn't be given the same opportunities as other not as popular female, and male characters.

[Zoks]

I never made any such claims. I know, as much as anyone else has speculated, why her popularity waned back then. We're not taking about then. We're talking about now, 2024. Where Lord Ewing has actually written her exceptionally well over the past few years and with depth and as three-dimensional as Claremont did back in the day. So there really is no excuse that she cannot carry a solo book given a good writer and art team with a solid premise.

So far every argument against it overlooks those factors in lieu of: "She's too powerful" "She works better in a team/leader setting" "She needs new Rogues" all quite limiting excuses...and ignoring everything that she's done recently.

I get some readers don't like her...for whatever reason (that yes, may or may not include inherent sexism)...and that's okies. There is no rule book that says we have to love or even like every X-character. I certainly don't. But don't act as though she isn't worthy of the opportunity.

Not all criticisms are trying to downplay her as a character. Did you not read the original post?

If you feel she CAN'T carry her own book long-term, what changes do you feel need to be made to the character in order for her to be able to do so?

Some of us are answering changes we think she'll need to hold a series that runs longer than 10 issues. This isn't just a rejection of a solo, it's what we think is needed to establish a good solo.

Now let's look at the "excuses" you are dismissing. The "she's too powerful" excuse isn't a criticism, but pointing out she cannot just go fight random HYDRA grunts (or the equivalent) as a monthly book. The people who say this are not saying she needs a power nerf, but a legitimate reason to play on a global/cosmic scale.

The "she works better in a team/leader setting" is not an argument against her having a solo book, it's an argument for what she should have in her solo book. We don't want her running around alone fighting bad guys, burying her leadership skills and incredible charisma to inspire her allies. I specifically want her to have her own mini-team so that she can keep these traits without being tied to the rest of the X-Men because her story and development should be coming from her own book, and not tied to the whims of whatever is happening in the rest of the X-Franchise. The solo should carry the same weight as a flagship book.

The "she needs new Rogues" is just people tired of seeing her fight the Shadow King nearly every time she does get a solo event.

So how do we move on for a Storm solo in the future with these in mind? You build off of Ewing's work. We haven't seen what will happen to Arrako after the current event, but if it's still standing just keep Storm there. Play up the non-Mutant aspects of Arrako so it's no longer an X-Book but a Marvel wide book. A fan should be able to pick up a Storm solo and not care what's going on with the X-Men. Does she need to burn all her bridges and no longer be friends with the rest of the X-Men? Obviously not, but her development should be coming from outside the X-books. Iron Man's story isn't told in the Avengers, it's told in Iron Man. That's what I want to see for a Storm solo.

[Ra-El]

Power level don't make it impossible to write good stories, my fav is Superman, but extremely powerful characters certainly make it more complicate to come up with credible threats.

Wolverine, Daredevil, Gambit and the likes, all the writer need is some ninjas, maybe some really skilled ninja guy, an artist that can deliver good action and they have an good comic issue, maybe even an story arc.

Characters like Storm need a little bit more of creativity and attention to details and explanations for why she isn't using her powers to their fullest.

Having her entering in a H2H fight with a bunch of ninjas because she feels like it, miss the action or want to keep her skills on point is pretty easy to do, what isn't easy is having the situation represent an actual threat, and if she ever start to lose the fight to the ninja leader it would be pretty hard to explain why she just doesn't zap him with lightining.

The best scenario, imo, would be to remove her from Earth and have her stationed someplace where she would be dealing with enemies as powerful as she is. Thor is coming up a lot here, so we should remember he works best when he is outside Midgard dealing with elder gods, ancient aliens and demons and titans.

[Sdawg]

I think these criticisms come off as excuses because for every one offered there is a legitimate male counterpart that has the exact same issues and is still successful mainly because there have been resources dedicated to ensure that despite these same issues they are.

Power - If Thor, and Superman can carry solos for eons, why suddenly is this such an issue for Storm? Why can't she fight Hydra? Superman has Kryptonite that limits him. The Marvel Universe is full of power dampening things. I mean, it just isn't that hard. Whether she's doing something cosmic or not, all it takes is imagination and good writing for it to make sense. Writers who are interested have been doing this for their characters for years.

Team/Solo - Does it matter? Why does she have to do one or the other? Why can't she do both? Captain America is synonymous with leadership but he still pulls off a solo and does his own thing. Again, why is this all of a sudden a huge issue with Storm? Can't some stories involve her working with others across the Marvel Universe while others be more personally driven and she feels is better to deal with alone? I don't see what the big issue is here.

Rogues Gallery - Orchis didn't exist that long ago, yet are currently the XMen's primary threat. Arrako didn't exist a few years ago. Look at all of the characters that have come out of it since, some of whom have been rivals for Storm. This is like the easiest issue to fix. Just make new well thought out characters. Every solo comic has had to develop a rogues gallery for their hero and it happens over time.

Again, because most of these criticisms have already been overcome by countless other solos and they all can be solved with professional and creative writing, they can come across as just excuses.

[Devaishwarya]

At this point we're going around in circles just reiterating what was said before just using different words.

If it seems I am dismissive of the reasons given as to why she cannot carry a solo its simply because it's been proven those very same reasons never stopped other characters from having successful solos. So then my only questions would be: Why? What Makes Storm so very different from those other characters?
That is what we're really discussing here. Because as have been mentioned multiple times...Other powerful characters have solos. Other characters who are leaders in a team setting have solos. Other characters with extensive back histories have solos. Other popular characters have solos.

Using the same metrics...What makes it possible for those characters but seemingly impossible for Storm? What is the differing factor/s?

A writer(s)/ Editorial who is invested in her the same way they are invested in Wolverine. And Captain Marvel. And Thor. And Moon Knight. And Spider Woman. And Iron-Man. And Black Panther.

Exactatiously, Sdawg.

[Mister Mets]

What do long running solo series have in common?

-ability to tell varied stories that don't just turn on the power set of the character

-a strong supporting cast that is not just powered individuals to ground the character in the world they inhabit

-interpersonal relationships that don't rely on their powers to be the basis of the relationship (which helps to get stories that qualify for the first point)

-a strong rogues gallery unique to that character that can also lead to stories about the relationship between the protagonist and the antagonists to help build and define the character of the protagonist

-the ability to act and have stories that are independent of other characters in the shared universe i.e. stories that are uniquely about the protagonist and not about their group affiliations, to be able to carve out a space intendent of the shared universe they inhabit so that the stories feel uniquely theirs, and so when the protagonist does interact with the shared universe it feels like a natural progression but not a necessity for the character to be interesting. A character that cannot stand by itself outside its shred milieu cannot support a long running solo book. Shorter series that tell a particular story with its beginning, middle and end, sure but not a prolonged, sustained series of stories about that character.

Storm is a strong character, but for as long as she has been around, she has not developed some of those key components all long running solo books have in common. Could a writer do that? Sure, But, especially with X-characters who are so tightly and intricately woven win the weave of the X-universe, it's hard to to pull them out of that without unravelling what makes the character unique. It's a coincidence that when Wolverine got his first solo mini and in the early issues of his ongoing, that the stories being told were separate from the larger X-universe of the time. Some ties to it, sure, but separate enough that they were able to carve out a unique place to tell stories about Logan that weren't dependent on the X-universe or the large X-cast. Once that had been established, it was possible to weave in those X-elements more without eroding the foundation Logan needed to be able to stand on his own. No one has really been able to do that with any of the other X-characters, and thus none of them have had successful long-running solo series. Some have done well telling particular stories featuring a character solo, but few have achieved that first bullet point which is necessary for sustainability.

-M

Well said. A series needs some kind of hook. Spider-Man balances being a superhero with being a student. Daredevil is a blind lawyer by day, ninja vigilante by night. Etc.

And a Storm series may be able to work, but it needs the stuff other successful solo series required.

[ARkadelphia]

That this is even a question kings pusses me off. Of course Storm can carry her own ongoing solo for multiple years. The character is rife with so much history and potential storylines it’s ridiculous.

Why hasn’t it worked before? Well I don’t know. Maybe it wasn’t the right creative team or the right time or the right market conditions weren’t in play.

I can’t guarantee success, but Storm has a better chance than any Marvel character I can think of that doesn’t already have a long history with long running ongoing solo series.

Let’s see what we got here and give the book a chance.

Goddess
Be
Praised
!

[Mister Mets]

IMO, all sorts of books should work that way. Writers usually only have a set story they want to tell with a character, a specific beat they want to explore, and fairly often it seems that they get roped into contracts that last longer than they had ideas for, and then the run starts to get a little wobbly as the writer, stuck writing for a character they no longer have a concrete plan for, starts throwing stuff at the wall...

This seems like a major issue for a Storm solo series.

Where does it go after the initial arc is over?

Does Storm have a twelve issue mission, and then what's over, she goes on a completely different twelve issue mission?

Power level don't make it impossible to write good stories, my fav is Superman, but extremely powerful characters certainly make it more complicate to come up with credible threats.

Wolverine, Daredevil, Gambit and the likes, all the writer need is some ninjas, maybe some really skilled ninja guy, an artist that can deliver good action and they have an good comic issue, maybe even an story arc.

Characters like Storm need a little bit more of creativity and attention to details and explanations for why she isn't using her powers to their fullest.

Having her entering in a H2H fight with a bunch of ninjas because she feels like it, miss the action or want to keep her skills on point is pretty easy to do, what isn't easy is having the situation represent an actual threat, and if she ever start to lose the fight to the ninja leader it would be pretty hard to explain why she just doesn't zap him with lightining.

The best scenario, imo, would be to remove her from Earth and have her stationed someplace where she would be dealing with enemies as powerful as she is. Thor is coming up a lot here, so we should remember he works best when he is outside Midgard dealing with elder gods, ancient aliens and demons and titans.

This may get to another problem with a Storm series. Different people may have their own expectations about what it'll be. You think it's better to go cosmic. Others think an Arakko focus works best. Someone else may be looking for a status quo that allows for stories involving different aspects of Storm's history (Forge, Wakanda, The Shadow King, Regent of Mars, Gambit, Morlocks, etc.)

She needs a decent rogues gallery. She shares a lot of foes with the X-Men, but not too many personal rivalries that she hasn't become buddy-buddy with (and a lot of the general X-Men foes have also become heroes anyways. Magneto, Juggernaut, etc.)

Her Omega status mutant powers are also pretty nebulous. If she was just "controls Earth weather," it would be fine (tosses lighting bolts, can make it rain, snow etc.) But then they go and give her cosmic powers so she can control solar winds and storms, electromagnetic fields, control the air in people's lungs, breathe underwater, etc. She also has the potential to wield magic because, why not? She's simply too powerful to be challenged by most of the popular Marvel villains (Doc Ock, Sabertooth, Red Skull, Kingpin, etc.) So that just leaves cosmic level villains, and how many times has Silver Surfer been cancelled now?

There's definitely enough antagonists for a 24 issue arc, with a mix of villains with existing connections, new villains, X-Men villains who don't yet have a major connection to Storm and regular Marvel bad guys.

Count Nefaria could be an interesting big bad. First time he met Storm, an X-Man died.

Because we need a villain that Storm HAS to fight up close, is durable enough to take multiple lighting strikes, and is so weak they can't do any real damage to a woman with normal human durability. I'm having a hard time thinking of anyone like that.

A bad guy who gets stronger when exposed to electricity. That seems like a solid two-parter.

Power level don't make it impossible to write good stories, my fav is Superman, but extremely powerful characters certainly make it more complicate to come up with credible threats.

Wolverine, Daredevil, Gambit and the likes, all the writer need is some ninjas, maybe some really skilled ninja guy, an artist that can deliver good action and they have an good comic issue, maybe even an story arc.

Characters like Storm need a little bit more of creativity and attention to details and explanations for why she isn't using her powers to their fullest.

Having her entering in a H2H fight with a bunch of ninjas because she feels like it, miss the action or want to keep her skills on point is pretty easy to do, what isn't easy is having the situation represent an actual threat, and if she ever start to lose the fight to the ninja leader it would be pretty hard to explain why she just doesn't zap him with lightining.

The best scenario, imo, would be to remove her from Earth and have her stationed someplace where she would be dealing with enemies as powerful as she is. Thor is coming up a lot here, so we should remember he works best when he is outside Midgard dealing with elder gods, ancient aliens and demons and titans.

Some characters come with automatic story engines.

Deadpool's a wacky mercenary.
Wolverine has enough connections within the Marvel Universe that he could be sought for a dangerous mission, targeted by former enemies or just get pissed off about a local news story.
Daredevil's not about ninjas, but it's basically a legal procedural with a vigilante.
Gambit's away from the X-Men enough that if you're doing a 12 issue story where he's targeted by old enemies or trying to protect an associate from is Thieves Guild days.
Going with other examples, Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane are reporters out to prove themselves in a world with aliens and super-crime.

There are different potential story engines for Storm, but these lead to different material. If she's protecting a new mutant on the run, it's a different thing than if she's forming a counter-organization to the X-Men or leading an initiative in Wakanda. And we don't know for sure what will fit the "From the Ashes" status quo.

[Shadowcat]

It's kinda funny. Did anyone ever think that Wanda would ever get a solo? Not only that they are re-launching her solo.

So if Wanda can get a solo, no knock against her because she's one of my favorite Avengers, then it should be possible for Storm.

They are quite similar.

Immensely powerful.
Always linked to one team.
Pose and strike powers.
A few minis here and there.

The difference is that they found a niche with Wanda and used that to open other doors for her. The used her(once) mutant power and turned more towards mysticism. This in turned put her into the orbit of Dr Strange(while still being an Avenger mind you) and gave her the opportunity to play in another sandbox.

Storm has the same opportunity. Why not do more cosmic stories(that's what they did in X-Men Red)? Why can't Storm be an Avenger? Sometimes I wonder if Storms status on the X-Men is holding her back. She's an omega, one of the big guns, they need her to take on the big threats.

Can't she be a big gun on an Avengers team? Wouldn't it be great if Thor decided that he needs to take some time away from the Avengers and recommends Storm take his place on the team? Not that she needed his endorsement but it would be a great endorsement.

If Storm is ever going to get a solo, they gotta start thinking outside the box a little.

I want all of this. I want a creator who is Claremont level of quality when it comes to Storm. I want a deep dive into her primordial human lineage. I want a deep dive into her magical history. She’s from a sorceress supreme, give us what we deserve.

[skyvolt2000]

I want all of this. I want a creator who is Claremont level of quality when it comes to Storm. I want a deep dive into her primordial human lineage. I want a deep dive into her magical history. She’s from a sorceress supreme, give us what we deserve.

With all RESPECT to Al Ewing-that person is probably NEVER going to be at Marvel.

In order to get that person FANS have to stop this hostile behavior towards writers.

Gotta give folks a chance and that includes more than one chance.


Or else we are going to keep getting the good ole boy network that kept guys like Scott Lobdell employed with a huge pile of books while others get dismissed.

[Devaishwarya]

Exactatiously. Claremont is Claremont. Lord Ewing is Lord Ewing. Thorne is Thorne. Simone is Simone. Eve Ewing is Eve Ewing. MacKay is MacKay. All very distinct writers with very distinct styles and intentions with their stories. Mileage varies of course with respect to what we're looking for as readers but they're bringing their quality A-game even if it's not to some liking. (Gillenister is lauded but everyone knows how I feel about his writing)

I don't expect the writer to be on the same level/quality as Claremont or Lord Ewing that is a rarity in the industry...but I would hope they are experienced and have the same deep invested interest and respect for Storm and her story, first and foremost.

[Mister Mets]

I’m still curious how you folks would like to see a Storm monthly. What would be a similar run? If you were an editor, what would you be looking for?

Would it be something like Priest’s Black Panther, bringing an outsider’s perspective. Would it be something like All-Star Superman, where she’s pushed to the limit and we explore different facets? Or Brian Azarello and Cliff Chiang’s Wonder Woman, where she has to protect a vulnerable civilian? Or Moore and Totlebon’s Swamp Thing, with a ripped from the headlines horror bent?

Storm is in an awkward spot of limited precedent for what a monthly series would be like, but she’s too famous for anything too off-brand.

The most talented creative team still benefits from direction.

[Devaishwarya]

I would say all of the above? The heroic protector on the outside, pushed to her limits and rising victorious...These stories are already part of her character/hero journey.

As I said in the Storm thread...some exploration into her mystical magical heritage would be nice.

Of course, showcasing her mutant heroism is a must regardless of the opponent be they street thugs or a Herald of Galactus. She can do horror, mysticism, cosmic, street-fighter, straight up heroics, she could interact with other heroes outside of the X-Men, she could do a "quiet day in the life of...". These are all aspects of her published history that paint a very three-dimensional character, the writer doesn't have to stick to just one genre.

Define "off-brand". I don't think she's too famous for anything different, really. This is fiction/fantasy. I think a little different and off beat as a 1-2 issue story-arc could be interesting, if done well.

If they go the route of Mutant Diplomat, engendering Peace and Co-existence across the globe and even off-world, within that over-arching plot it's actually very easy to incorporate different stories where Storm encounters many different persons and attitudes and power-levels and organisations across many different landscapes in the course of her duties. And I can see those arcs interspersed with quiet, more personal moments that speak to Storm as a woman learning more about her heritage and identity.

The only limit here really is the writer's imagination and Editorial's edict.