Dani Moonstar: Mirage Appreciation 2018

[CRaymond]

I for one would love to see costume redesign concepts that don’t bank on stereotypical Native American tropes. No stupid feathers, no silly beaded jewelry, and for God’s sake, no fringe. I can live with a headband cause we live in a Wonder Woman and Storm world, but spare me the ethnic signifiers.

[Havok83]

I for one would love to see costume redesign concepts that don’t bank on stereotypical Native American tropes. No stupid feathers, no silly beaded jewelry, and for God’s sake, no fringe. I can live with a headband cause we live in a Wonder Woman and Storm world, but spare me the ethnic signifiers.

I dont mind them as they are apart of Dani's heritage that hse is proud of. The initial reason she even had that stuff in the first place was to hold onto her cultural and not be whitewashed in Xavier's generic image for the group. Like you I do feel the headband needs to stay. If there is one thing, that is part of her signature look

Speaking of costumes, I dont know what the hell they were thinking with this one. She was still supposed to be a 17, maybe 18 year old girl. She was oversexualized for no reason and this was completely out of character for her

[yogaflame]

I think even they realized that pretty quickly and recolored that costume so there wasn't so much bare skin.

[CRaymond]

I dont mind them as they are apart of Dani's heritage that hse is proud of.

I'm old enough to assume that the costume designer didn't do appropriate research into Cheyenne traditional and modern dress when making choices about what cultural artifacts Dani would wear in order to set herself apart. Is there even a significant Cheyenne minority population in Colorado's urban centers?

[Heroine Addict]

VERY much agree on the headband, and from Lorna's thread:

A rough, VERY rudimentary idea of what I'm aiming/goin' for:

[Dementia5]

I dont mind them as they are apart of Dani's heritage that hse is proud of. The initial reason she even had that stuff in the first place was to hold onto her cultural and not be whitewashed in Xavier's generic image for the group. Like you I do feel the headband needs to stay. If there is one thing, that is part of her signature look

Agreed, the Native American imagery is important to her as a reflection of her cultural heritage, but it’s also important that it not be over the top. It should be an homage, not a caricature.

Speaking of costumes, I dont know what the hell they were thinking with this one. She was still supposed to be a 17, maybe 18 year old girl. She was oversexualized for no reason and this was completely out of character for her

Again, agreed. Unfortunately this seems to be pretty standard with Marvel.

[yogaflame]

I'm old enough to assume that the costume designer didn't do appropriate research into Cheyenne traditional and modern dress when making choices about what cultural artifacts Dani would wear in order to set herself apart. Is there even a significant Cheyenne minority population in Colorado's urban centers?

No, Colorado is pretty white, with just a touch of Mexican/Latinos, and even less Blacks or Native Americans(less than 1% of the population, each, in Boulder). The closest Cheyenne concentration is in the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, in southern Montana, or the Cheyenne and Arapaho Indian Reservation in Oklahoma. There's about 23,000 in total Cheyenne, but only about half that number or less actually live in the reservations. Of course, Dani was presented as living in the rural Medicine Bow mountains(almost on the border of Wyoming) with her grandfather initially who was decidedly old school, and her parents seemed to have a sprawling ranch.

Cheyenne culture does include fringe, and beaded jewelry, and are very much the prototypical plain's "Indians" one would imagine.







Of course, such dress is usually reserved for pow wows these days, but it's not to say Dani might not be an especially old-school kinda girl and want to show her culture off more, especially when you consider such regalia would be appropriate for a war party, which superhero teams basically are.

I think some artists might go overboard with it, but I like that Dani is proud of her heritage and show's those "whites" what's up!

[Havok83]

I'm old enough to assume that the costume designer didn't do appropriate research into Cheyenne traditional and modern dress when making choices about what cultural artifacts Dani would wear in order to set herself apart. Is there even a significant Cheyenne minority population in Colorado's urban centers?

I dont know where McLeod's head was at when he designed her. I didnt think she was over the top or a caricature but then again Im not Native American

[Dementia5]

I dont know where McLeod's head was at when he designed her. I didnt think she was over the top or a caricature but then again Im not Native American

I was actually referring to her costumes on a go-forward basis.

Angry, contorted-faced old man Xavier is my favourite Xavier.

[CRaymond]

stuff

Oh hell yes, thank you yogaflame!

I'm glad you didn't Google shame me for not doing my own quick research, but instead taught us all about the Cheyenne people. I can get with some fringe now :-) I was afraid people might find themselves in an airport gift shop and use that to define her costuming. We'd end up with tans and turquoise, there's a lot more primarily palette in the images you shared.

Makes me want to draw a tasteful blend of supersuit and traditional elements.

[yogaflame]

Oh hell yes, thank you yogaflame!

I'm glad you didn't Google shame me for not doing my own quick research, but instead taught us all about the Cheyenne people. I can get with some fringe now :-) I was afraid people might find themselves in an airport gift shop and use that to define her costuming. We'd end up with tans and turquoise, there's a lot more primarily palette in the images you shared.

Makes me want to draw a tasteful blend of supersuit and traditional elements.

I've looked into Cheyenne culture before; it is my pleasure to share what anyone can find if they search.

[CRaymond]

I've looked into Cheyenne culture before; it is my pleasure to share what anyone can find if they search.

Can you tell me what the Cheyenne people might think of the word "Brave", if used as a person descriptor? I worry it's too offensive to be co-opted as a codename for a young Fearless Defender with fear- and death-based mutant powers.

image

So Dani is clearly Storm at Kitty's age. That's a ridiculous recipe for success. What happened?

[yogaflame]

Can you tell me what the Cheyenne people might think of the word "Brave", if used as a person descriptor? I worry it's too offensive to be co-opted as a codename for a young Fearless Defender with fear- and death-based mutant powers.

So Dani is clearly Storm at Kitty's age. That's a ridiculous recipe for success. What happened?

I'm not Cheyenne, you'd have to ask them. I'm sure you could find multiple answers from multiple individuals, at that.

Dani was clearly Storm's successor, she even took care of Ororo's plants while the X-Men were in space. Dani, like Ororo, lost their great benefactor when Claremont was no longer writing them. Rare is the writer since who can make them shine. Tis sad indeed. The world could use more indigenous women of power like them in media.

[MYCMTSC]

Dani was one of the few good things about the last New Mutants series and was arguably the headliner throughout the 50 issue run. Idk why she hasn’t stuck in the way that Illyana has.

[baltiroo]

Dani was one of the few good things about the last New Mutants series and was arguably the headliner throughout the 50 issue run. Idk why she hasn’t stuck in the way that Illyana has.

Absolutely true. Dani is one of my favorite characters and the last NM series clearly put her in the spotlight for the most part. It was a gift. Unfortunately we haven't seen much her since that series ended. A little in Fearless Defenders then scattered appearances after. It's a shame because she is so (seemingly) integral to the X-Men operations that you would think they would use her more. And I don't know why Illyana stuck more than Dani - perhaps it's the teleporting part or maybe the fact that Magik has actual super powers - not discounting Dani's Valkyrie powers but I'm not sure if those are still around anymore.