Betsy Braddock: Psylocke Appreciation 2018

[Tazirai]

The biggest tragedy of this new status quo is that it wasn’t helmed by Alan Davis.

Alan Davis is my "Jim Lee" When it comes to Iconic Psylocke looks. Would have been nice to see him bring her back full circle.

[CGAR]

Gorg. So we know she can pull of the look everyone wants.

tumblr_oncd5kVbAh1te7m6lo1_1280.jpg

[Tazirai]

I’d be curious to see what OG Elizabeth looks like in Anka’s ninja bodysuit, wavey violet hair, and... maybe change the sash belt into a capelet or something.

I always wanted to see her in something akin to this.

I would keep the sash belt, but yes I would love to see her in something like that.

IThe sash has grown on me.

I want her to put on her thongkini so everyone can STFU...or can only asian betsy wear a thongkini...jk love you all

we already know what the sequel mini should be.

the first one was the hand destroyed my body revenge time.

the second one can be where'd my body go that I left on the couch.

Lol, I'd pay to see those reactions.

[slacker]

She'd probably look like this in the thongkini:





She'd be hot, honestly. But I'm SO glad for the costume change! AND that we haven't seen her in the current timeline in the comics in that costume for quite some time now. (Aside from random flashbacks)

[Psyknight]

She'd probably look like this in the thongkini:





She'd be hot, honestly. But I'm SO glad for the costume change! AND that we haven't seen her in the current timeline in the comics in that costume for quite some time now. (Aside from random flashbacks)

I still don’t care much for the way the face looks, but the hair and body look great. Never noticed before, but the costume has an interesting texture.

[SJNeal]

The biggest tragedy of this new status quo is that it wasn’t helmed by Alan Davis.

This. Followed by the fact that the whole thing happened in a horrible throw away mini series centered on a guy who remains overexposed even in death.

Assuming the whole thing sticks for more than 5 minutes, this was a big deal for the character (and her fans) and Marvel couldn't even be bothered to hire a decent artist.

[TurboTaj]

This specific podcast was recommended to me today and I think it is an excellent listen if you have the time. Sarah Kuhn does a really nice job walking us through the problematic aspects of Psylocke's origin story, explaining how Psylocke (perhaps unintentionally) is representative of the mixed/asian-american experience, detailing how Betsy walks through the world as an asian woman and how that would undoubtedly inform her experience, how important the visual representation is, how returning Psylocke to being white is troublesome, the storytelling potential to explore for an asian Psylocke, etc.

https://www.xplainthexmen.com/2016/1...at-sarah-kuhn/

Also, during the podcast Kuhn alluded to an article (copied below) written by another mixed asian with a similar connection to Psylocke:

http://jenniferdeguzman.com/blog/201...ly-problematic

I wanted to share these to promote other asian voices on this topic who may be more articulate than I am at explaining some of the more contentious points of discussion that have arisen recently.

[crimsontt]

I still don’t care much for the way the face looks, but the hair and body look great. Never noticed before, but the costume has an interesting texture.

OMG THIS IS PERFECT! I need this what is this?

[Uncanny X-Man]

A very nice reference guide to Mystery in Madripoor 4 was posted on the excellent Like a Butterfly site: http://psylocke-butterfly.blogspot.c...or_24.html?m=1

I didn't realize how similar to her Captain Britain costume Betsy's new look is. Really nice homage there.

[Psy]

The concept isn't about you. Some people who read comics don't understand that sometimes a 1-year story arc can take place in one night comic time, or over the course of a few days. It doesn't move in real time.

So yes YOU spent 27-30 years with her in that body. But to Psylocke, it's only been like 3-4.

So yes, people can get caught up in their feelings about she's been Asian for decades, but in the Marvel Universe of 616, it's been less than 5 years. So she won't feel the same about the way some others do.

She is a fictional character and would only feel what she is written to feel. This isnt a scientific america article. We grew up with her as Eurasian and this doesn't matter to anyone really. I mean when you think about it. Obviously she was English longer. Since she was that from birth. This is a stupid PR move to pacify a few sensitive millenials who wouldn't know culture appropriation if it bit them on the hand.

[CrystaliaArmadia]

Long time lurker and first time poster, however, I did want to chime in on this topic.

This specific podcast was recommended to me today and I think it is an excellent listen if you have the time. Sarah Kuhn does a really nice job walking us through the problematic aspects of Psylocke's origin story, explaining how Psylocke (perhaps unintentionally) is representative of the mixed/asian-american experience, detailing how Betsy walks through the world as an asian woman and how that would undoubtedly inform her experience, how important the visual representation is, how returning Psylocke to being white is troublesome, the storytelling potential to explore for an asian Psylocke, etc.

https://www.xplainthexmen.com/2016/1...at-sarah-kuhn/

Also, during the podcast Kuhn alluded to an article (copied below) written by another mixed asian with a similar connection to Psylocke:

http://jenniferdeguzman.com/blog/201...ly-problematic

I wanted to share these to promote other asian voices on this topic who may be more articulate than I am at explaining some of the more contentious points of discussion that have arisen recently.

I think at the end of the day, no decision is going to please everyone because of how complex the character has become with. There are obviously like yourself who feel that she is representative of an Asian character so a descision like this is dissapointing and cuts down the amount of Asian superheroes and then there are also people who feel like she is a faux-Asian and the faster she is removed from the body the better. And then there are also people who look at it from a female-centric point of view and don't like the idea of a female character living in a body she doesn't like (which can symbolize a loss of agency which happens to be something common for female characters in the comic book world). Basically my main point is that people look at it from different point of views so I don't think there is a right or wrong descision in terms of how Psylocke will be portrayed in the future. There is always going to be one group of people offended and another group not.

[Havok83]

I wonder if we are going to get any explanation for why Betsy didnt go back in the Japanese body? Considering Kwannon is alive and running around, it wasnt completely dead and Styxx misdiagnosed it. Creating a whole new body out of soul power isnt anything Betsy's ever done so not sure how/why she would even think that were an option. In her situation, I would think her main goal would be to be back in the physical world and her body that she just left would be the most simplest route. There's a massive jump in logic to make sense of what just happened that now that Ive had time to process, is bothering me

[CRaymond]

Having read MOM #4, and noting the artist change, I get the sense that Marvel changed the script halfway through. I have no proof. I feel like someone stepped in halfway through the process and said Betsy needed to get into her own body. So the writer and artist scrambled to do the fill-in pages between the Kirk pages and the Kwannon reveal bumper at the end. "Soul Power" funding the instinctive use of molecular telekinesis is well beyond the expectations of the reader.

I think Zub originally wanted to migrate Psylocke into Styx --like we were all afraid of-- but Marvel hit the brakes.

[CGAR]

That podcast kind of cemented more for me the mess that was the body swap. An the more I think about it the more I'm annoyed that Marvel and editorial did this big change in an off-shoot mini of Woverines Return. Which will in fact be forgettable unless your a Psylocke fan. It should have been its own mini and it should have been a Betsy spotlight.

[CRaymond]

It should have been its own mini and it should have been a Betsy spotlight.

I agree. Coulda and shoulda been Psylocke and Jubilee on their own, investigating a lead from their time in Madripoor.