Longshot Appreciation 2018

[Ricochet Rita]

Once upon a time, once upon a place... A boy with no name, no past, no future --only present. Like a blank paper, people reflected their hopes, fears, desires and prejudices over him, so he was called saviour, fool, slave, alien, star, rebel, clown, messiah, freak, hero, mutant, slut... His existence was a never-ending loop of rise, fall and oblivion with only one thing for sure: he was lucky --was he?

Nickname:

Longshot

Real Name: Unknown

First Appearance: Longshot #1 (September, 1985)

Creators: Ann Nocenti & Arthur Adams

Height: 6'2''

Weight: 80 lbs.

Hair: Blond

Eyes: Blue

Powers, Characteristics & Abilities:

Longshot was created through genetic engineering, so he was never "born". He has only three fingers and an opposable thumb on each hand. He also has leather-like skin, hollow bones, pointed fangs and two hearts. Longshot's left eye glows brightly when he uses his superhuman powers.

He was genetically engineered and augmented by magical means to have certain abilities. He is superhumanly acrobatic (speed, agility, dexterity, flexibility, reflexes/reactions, coordination and balance) and has advanced healing abilities. The mystical augmentation gave him the ability to affect probability fields through psionic means in order to give himself "good luck" in his activities. This allows incredibly unlikely events to happen in Longshot's favor, even when Longshot does not consciously will it to do so. This luck, however, is fickle, and can backfire if he overuses it, creating an equal and opposite "bad luck" effect elsewhere, that can affect others or even Longshot himself.

Longshot can read "psychic imprints" that people leave on objects that they have handled, and thereby learn the thoughts that an individual had while handling the object (or his/her future), a phenomenon known as psychometry. He can also telepathically "read" the recent memories of a person by making physical contact with him or her.

Longshot carries cleaver-like blades, stored in a bandoleer, which he hurls with inhuman accuracy or in some cases, completely dependent upon his luck powers. He is also shown as proficient in other types of bladed weaponry.

http://marvel.wikia.com/Longshot_(Mojoverse)

[Ricochet Rita]

The Pure Heart Terrorist (Part I)

Listen, I've got a theory about Longshot and I'd like to summarize it here. I call it "The Pure Heart Terrorist", and I hope it will not seem too academicist nor confusing due to my poor English :P .

I believe there is a fictional stock character, an stereotype typical from The West (although it could be found too in eastern figures as the "sacred fool"), who is defined by its very raw traits: full-kindness in a not-trained-at-all spirit. It spans from the "nobel savage" of the Age of Enlightenment and Rousseau to the dumb-and-sincere (but finally winner) brother in many tales of Grimm. They are born without original sin, and therefore without science...and they are always males (when they're females, this stereotype changes significantly to a more mystical and wiser figure, e.g.: Momo).

But I think that in USA this stock character has been developed to his extreme, probably because of the more closeness to naivety and optimism of this young and enterprising country (and I hope I'm not offending anyone). There are plenty of examples in fiction of this "honest man", this "John Doe" if you wish: Edward Scissorhands, Forrest Gump, Harpo, the keatonian Sam of 'Benny & Joon', Midnight Cowboy...and Longshot.

All of them are characterized more by their ingenuosness than by their innocence, but they turn out to be deadly: they're embarrasing as children because of their inconvenient questions and actions, always on the right track to truth, which finally make the fragile surface of civilization blow to pieces. That's what's great about them, and why I call them "terrorists" in some way (or anarchists, if you wish).

To be continued...
(For more info, you could read the brief essay by Julio Cortázar "How to reach Lezama Lima")

[skyjumpermike]

Anyone know where Longshot will pop up in Secret Wars?

[Rogue Star]

Crud, I knew I should have uploaded a particularly funny frame from Uncanny X-Men of Longshot, Rogue, and Dazzler celebrating a battle won just in case I felt like sharing. I decided against it last night and what do you know, this perfect opportunity to share it pops up. I'll have to do it when I get home now. Lol

[skyjumpermike]

Crud, I knew I should have uploaded a particularly funny frame from Uncanny X-Men of Longshot, Rogue, and Dazzler celebrating a battle won just in case I felt like sharing. I decided against it last night and what do you know, this perfect opportunity to share it pops up. I'll have to do it when I get home now. Lol

that would be great

[Rogue Star]

Correction: It was Psylocke, not Dazzler. My memory was fail.

Anyway, I thought this was a pretty funny panel. xD