RicStar: The Rictor/Shatterstar Appreciation Thread

[NewMutant]

I was surprised Rictor was gay after all the Wolfsbane arc but at least they reflected on that as well.

I enjoy them as a couple and are equal in my affection as Hulkling/Wiccian. Northstar's union not so much

Northstar's was forced and the marriage was clearly a publicity stunt. Kyle still isn't really developed.

[LoganAlpha30X33]

Yeah Northstar's marriage was a forced publicity stunt, just like when DC made Green Lantern gay and gave him a boyfriend...but not the main Green Lantern, an obscure one that resided in a parallel universe that meant nothing, then once the fuss died down they killed off the boyfriend...odd when said character had a gay adopted son...they could have just used him if they wanted a gay character...but they wanted the name recognition...

As for Rictor and Shatterstar, Nicieza admitted that had he stayed on the book longer that he would have had Rictor explain to Shatterstar the different types of love and how the latter was getting them confused, but then he left and things started to move a bit towards them being together...then PAD came along and had them go from zero to a million miles an hour in like one panel, then about the time that the fuss died down the pairing went away and faded into obscurity.

[NewMutant]

Like you said, Nicieza didn't plan/intend it. The larger hints were dropped starting with Loeb and onward. But it still felt organic to me and you can see where writers and fanboys picked up on it even in Nicieza's run. In previous readings I'd agree more with you, but after binge reading it...

Shatterstar's story parallels that of a gay guy not understanding why he doesn't fit in, on top of the homophobic pretty boy comments he is constantly called, and Rictor the only one he gets close with. They have couple type fights, Shatterstar learns Spanish just for Rictor, etc. That's why Shatterstar seemed "potentially" more gay than bi or fluid at during that period. Meanwhile Rictor had love triangle stuff with Boom Boom and Wolfsbane. I was actually surprised in the X-Factor: Nation X one shot that Boom Boom was so excited to see Shatterstar, when Rictor and her are long time friends and she once crushed on him. The other writers took over and gave more direct hints When they left X-Force together, with a few reappearances, it left room (and more hints) for PAD to imply that is had been going on for awhile even though we didn't see it.

The relationship did feel organic to me - that's why it is a favorite of mine (and why I'm not a fan of Northstar and Kyle). PAD even hinted at RicStar type jokes before Shatterstar even appeared in the series. But I am biased.

X-Factor ran for like 60+ issues after they got together, so the fuss died down well before the series ended if I recall. And the fuss was less about THEM as it was about it was the first gay kiss in a Marvel or DC comic. (I could be wrong - its been awhile). I hope they come back soon. I'm still surprised Marvel doesn't have a gay solo series with this diversity kick they are on.

[MYCMTSC]

I LOVED them together (and individually, Rictor has low-key been a favorite since he was X-Terminator), but...PAD shouldn't have touched on the Shatterstar/Longshot thing. Too 90's. I've always preferred the moments PAD gave his characters as opposed to the storylines themselves and this was no exception.

[LoganAlpha30X33]

I always took Shatterstar as not really having any romantic feelings for anyone as it was in a sense bred out of him, but his body was a different story, though there was that one story where Rictor took him dancing and a lady got a little too frisky for Star, just not sure if he go shocked more because his body reacted/how forward she was or because he seemed to like it but not understand why. Yeah Nicieza never had anything between the two beside friendship then later writers built on that to one degree or another, I just thought that PAD rushed it pretty quickly and now both are pretty much known simply because of their relationship outside of diehard fans of the characters that were fans before it all happened.

[MYCMTSC]

I think this CBR article is a good resource for what was intended.

Either way, I'm glad this was done. His relationship with Shatterstar in X-Factor brought out another layer to Rictor that just wasn't present before and Shatterstar was just plain awful prior. Props to the costume designer for a radical, but faithful redesign.

[NewMutant]

I LOVED them together (and individually, Rictor has low-key been a favorite since he was X-Terminator), but...PAD shouldn't have touched on the Shatterstar/Longshot thing. Too 90's. I've always preferred the moments PAD gave his characters as opposed to the storylines themselves and this was no exception.

Well I think comics are always convoluted - not just the 90s. But PAD is one of the only writers I'm not frustrated with this relationship reveal because he is mocking it. It is very what those characters are and instead of figuring it out (which I would have preferred) he paid tribute to it.

I always took Shatterstar as not really having any romantic feelings for anyone as it was in a sense bred out of him, but his body was a different story, though there was that one story where Rictor took him dancing and a lady got a little too frisky for Star, just not sure if he go shocked more because his body reacted/how forward she was or because he seemed to like it but not understand why. Yeah Nicieza never had anything between the two beside friendship then later writers built on that to one degree or another, I just thought that PAD rushed it pretty quickly and now both are pretty much known simply because of their relationship outside of diehard fans of the characters that were fans before it all happened.

I felt like Shatterstar had no emotions but through Rictor was learning not only how to emote, but feel for another person. So I can see where it goes both way, but it goes BOTH ways.

The dance scene to me came across like Shatterstar was miserable there. Rictor leaves him and is dancing with women which makes him jealous (which is the emotion they talk about in the rain) and then get uncomfortable when this girl dances on him so he leaves. Then Ric tells him he's never slept with a woman and that they'll figure out his emotions together.

[Drakeon]

Well I think comics are always convoluted - not just the 90s. But PAD is one of the only writers I'm not frustrated with this relationship reveal because he is mocking it. It is very what those characters are and instead of figuring it out (which I would have preferred) he paid tribute to it.



I felt like Shatterstar had no emotions but through Rictor was learning not only how to emote, but feel for another person. So I can see where it goes both way, but it goes BOTH ways.

The dance scene to me came across like Shatterstar was miserable there. Rictor leaves him and is dancing with women which makes him jealous (which is the emotion they talk about in the rain) and then get uncomfortable when this girl dances on him so he leaves. Then Ric tells him he's never slept with a woman and that they'll figure out his emotions together.

In that scene I read it as Star not understanding what he was feeling and he basically tells Star hes never done anything sexual or ever felt like that before. Rictor wanted to get him laid.

In Xfactor he sees Rictor and greets him with a kiss. He does this with Tabitha as well. Hes shown as sexually open. Which I can see happening given how he was bred. Rictor on the otherhand I dont buy.

I also had a problem with his changed powerset. He can suddenly teleport. Headcannon says that its Ben Russels mutant ability.

[genki_desu]

They never came accross as gay in my opinion. Star didnt understand sex or love as first shown in Xforce #43. Rictor was his first and best friend who began to introduce him to the world. And Rictor himself was not gay in the slightest back then. They were close friends. And left together after Operation Zero Tolerance. They didnt see each other again until Xfactor where Peter David made the two a gay couple and they now come accross as two very different characters. It always felt forced imo.

I think the problem was that it started being hinted at by Jeph Loeb and Loeb's quite a bad writer. If had been developed by Fabian Nicieza or Peter David without having Loeb in the middle, it might have felt more organic, but Loeb's X-Force was so ham-fisted that nothing felt particularly plausible.

As a result it seemed to go from Shatterstar as a battle-hungry gladiator under Nicieza to emo-Shatterstar under Loeb to gay love interest under David. Like the character was being re-cast rather than develop organically.

[Silvermoth]

I like them! I like them so much I want them to appear in deadpool 2. Maybe being played by domnhall Gleeson and Diego Luna?

[Psycwave]

Been going back through PAD's X-Factor today and it made me realize how much I miss RicStar. It was so fun and the development for them as a couple was real and heartwarming. It's a shame no one has wanted to pick up on them since dropping baby Star off in the future. A mini of them doing so and seeing the tribulations they had to go through to get them to Star's handlers would've been great. Here's hoping after Death of X the x-books get shaken up again and they come back.

[NewMutant]

Been going back through PAD's X-Factor today and it made me realize how much I miss RicStar. It was so fun and the development for them as a couple was real and heartwarming. It's a shame no one has wanted to pick up on them since dropping baby Star off in the future. A mini of them doing so and seeing the tribulations they had to go through to get them to Star's handlers would've been great. Here's hoping after Death of X the x-books get shaken up again and they come back.

I was so happy to see this thread on the main page! This is my favorite couple. They grew as individuals into a couple and don't have a perfect relationship; that's realistic and relatable. I miss these guys and wish PAD could get a mini or something with just these two.

[Tarqon]

My favorite marvel couple, at least until/unless they give Iceman a love interest I enjoy as a self contained character. As fond as I am of Hulkling and Wiccan, we basically came in to their relationship at the end of the movie. ie. The fun part of the characters realizing how they feel and getting together was pretty much done as soon as we met them. Then with Northstar and Kyle I honestly couldn't care less about an undeveloped human character. Rictor and Shatterstar are not only established characters in their own rights but they have a history and seeing that culminate was really enjoyable. I thought it was especially tasteful how they managed to remain in character whilst simultaneously evolving in a very different way from their earlier depictions.

Every few weeks I check to see if there's any news on them coming back. I should really stop doing that! I have a feeling Billy and Teddy have been benched for the next round of NOW!1! and with all the crap going on with the X-Men I don't even want to speculate what''s going to happen with Bobby.

[NewMutant]

[Arya]

I love this couple. PAD did an amazing job portraying a sex positive, mature couple.