Who should headline ANANXF?

[Xargukon]

For the record, while I'd say my "hate" of Doug is warranted, I'll likewise admit that he has potential. The writers just need to stop trying to make him something that he isn't (a fighter, a hacker, etc) and focus on using his power over languages -- and subsequently speech -- more effectively. Put him in a good relationship with someone (that isn't Warlock) who helps him build up his self-esteem and let him focus on his strengths instead of sitting around complaining all of the time about everything under the sun.

I don't read stories to see characters constantly whine about what they can't do -- Spiderman (for example) usually has all kinds of problems in his life, but he takes them on like a true hero and usually makes jokes about them in the process. Maybe PAD was going in this direction, maybe not.

But the fact remains that obviously something about this book -- and this cast -- didn't "click" despite all the protests to the contrary.

Doug's first appearance had him as a hacker, sharing it as an early bond with Kitty pryde and was the first manifestation of his ability.
I'm not sure if you read New mutants V3 or any of the comics since his Resurrection in Necrosha, but he hasn't been the complaining and low self-esteemed person he was in his original run at all.
I can only really think of one time he's been somewhat like that since his return and that was when he was annoyed at Gambit and QS for getting all the credit for saving Georgia. An act he later rectified and apologized to Georgia for.

The whole repetitive flaws for each New mutant (Being the 'weak whining one for Doug) was one of Claremont's low points imho with and future writers have pretty much abandoned these flaws in most of the new mutants. You don't really hear Cannonball whinging about not being able to turn every three issues anymore or Dani questioning her leadership ability.

Having power to read not only verbal language, but other forms of communication is much more interesting than reducing him to being a babelfish. Doug has always been able to read body language as seen in the original run. But he hasn't really been portrayed as a 'fighter' any more than any other of the intelligentsia of the X-men.
In New mutants Volume three Doug applied his power in a variety of interesting and different ways: reading magical languages to cast spells, deciphering Asgardian texts with Loki, communicating with alien beings etc.

I don't follow the logic of reducing a character to their basic power and stripping away parts of their personality such as his interest in computers, failure to succeed in relationships ( seriously, he's had so many love interests) and his symbiotic friendship with Warlock .
To me it'd be like saying that writers should stop writing Emma with her Diamond skin and remove her snarky stuck up personality and focus on her telepathy as her main character point?

Doug was originally killed off because the artists found him annoying to draw as had nothing cool or interesting to do in the background of fight scenes. You turn him back into Google Translate and it'll just happen again.

Sorry if this came across as ranty?
But I do agree that something obviously didn't click, I just don't think Doug was the responsible party as he wasn't really in it very much at all.

[Zero Hunter]

I'd keep Polaris, Gambit, Quicksilver and Danger and add Sabretooth, Frenzy and Forge. I'd have them be run by S.H.I.E.L.D. as a sort of mutant "Suicide Squad". Outlaws working for the government against their will, except the team's existence would be VERY publicised. Maria Hill would want them to be a simbol that humans and the government can control mutants, even wildcards like Sabretooth.

So you want the 90's version of X-Factor back more or less?

[Heroine Addict]

... If the book relaunches again...

I propose another all-female team, since X-Factor is actually a, "Term that geneticists use to describe the female X chromosome..." anyway. Either keep the corporate angle, and just switch out Harrison Snow for Linda Kwan as the main liaison, or go with the SHIELD/Maria Hill idea somebody else mentioned. Hell, even the old Val Cooper government-sponsored shtick could be used. The premise would be that in the first mission, they face someone or something that men are more susceptible to, making them vulnerable & not very effective in combating it. Whereas women show some natural resistance, hence the need for an estrogen-only strike force. Of course, they're eventually successful & decide that because they worked so well together, they should just keep it goin'. As for members:

Leader & Headliner



Anna Marie, a.k.a. ROGUE


Her Immediate Council & Co-Stars



Lorna Dane, a.k.a. POLARIS...



... Alison Blaire, a.k.a. DAZZLER...

[aja_christopher]

Doug was originally killed off because the artists found him annoying to draw as had nothing cool or interesting to do in the background of fight scenes. You turn him back into Google Translate and it'll just happen again.

Sorry if this came across as ranty?

No, not at all -- I have no problem with people supporting characters that they believe in and to be fair I haven't read every book that Doug has been, just most of the ones involving the New Mutants, in which he whined about his powers (under Claremont) and then later whined about Nate and Dani becoming a couple.

With regards to his powers, I just think they should move in a different direction with them. The ability to speak is also the ability to influence others and a good command of language is a big part of this. They used to portray Gambit as having the power to influence people with his words and I think that would make a much more interesting "evolution" for Doug than having him fight (and defeat) trained combatants simply by reading body language.

Maybe with years of training he could be far more skilled than your average (non-powered) fighter, but I just didn't buy him suddenly taking people down just by "reading" their movements. Regardless, this just seems like an unimaginative take on his abilities, since pretty much every character in Marvel is depicted as a top-level fighter. Even Bruce Lee pointed out that the "art of fighting without fighting" was the highest martial achievement and Doug -- with his language skills -- would be perfect for perfecting said art.

And the guy had women basically falling all over him, whether as friends or as romantic interests (Illyana, Kitty, Betsy, Catseye, Roulette, Rahne) -- that could have easily been developed as an evolution of his power as well. That is why I said earlier that I thought his encounter with Roulette could have been a major turning point in his life. If he had just accepted her help instead of getting all defensive -- and violent -- in response, he'd probably be a billionaire by now. Combine that with the ability to influence others through language, along with his computer skills, and he'd probably be more rich and powerful than Zuckerberg, if not Bill Gates.

Then throw in his relationship with Warlock (the influence over whom might have also been an evolution of his ability with computers) and one could see where he might even surpass Tony Stark in terms of developing new technologies, battle armor, and the like.

Again, I can't say the blame lies completely on Doug as a character -- he has just been written so poorly in the past that I tend to want to avoid seeing him in any book that I am reading.

That said, it's not really his fault -- it's the fault of the writers for not being more creative with his abilities.

[Heroine Addict]

... and Danielle "Dani" Moonstar, a.k.a. MOONSTAR


Their Squad



Tessa, a.k.a. SAGE...



... Joanna Cargill, a.k.a. FRENZY...

[Heroine Addict]

... Megan Gwynn, a.k.a. PIXIE...



... Noriko "Nori" Ashida, a.k.a. SURGE...



... and Cecilia Reyes

[aja_christopher]

I'd buy every issue of that book, Hero Worship, and probably quite a few variants as well.

[Heroine Addict]

I'd buy every issue of that book, Hero Worship, and probably quite a few variants as well.

Thanks, aja_christopher. I hear ya, if it were to ever happen, I'd be beyond psyched - I'd be out of control with excitement & anticipation! For me... it'd be PURE GOLD.

Granted, I didn't put much thought into the concept, to make it original and/or very plausible. As for the character choices though, I was aiming for a more unique and... eclectic cast. I wanted DIVERSITY, not just in personality, powers, & visuals, but in background too. Both professionally & culturally, as well as history-wise, where they come from & what they've done/been through. I figured once Rogue was approached & secured as leader, and her 3-member council was suggested & agreed upon, each of the four of them personally selected a member(s) of the squad. Rogue choosing Frenzy made sense, and so did Dazz picking Sage. I'm not sure if canon supports Polaris opting for CeCe and Dani for Pixie & Surge, but that's what I settled on nonetheless. Having Lorna be the one who chose Megan & Nori did cross my mind first though, just because of their similarly unusual hair color. I thought it'd be a signature act, and pretty funny for her do something like that, with such randomly whimsical reasoning & being so cavalier about it all... but then I changed my mind, lol.

[Zero Hunter]

Diversity ......... and yet the whole team is women. Oh the irony.

[Factor]

So you want the 90's version of X-Factor back more or less?

Yeah, similar concept and characters, but better written