Shadowcat vs. Kitty Pride

[nervmeister]

Which name would you rather keep? Or if you want, come up with a new name for her. (eg. Kat Pride or Pussy Pride)

[StoneGold]

Well, Kitty Pryde is her name. It would be kind of odd having Shadowcat on your driver's license.

[bert]

I'm just as annoyed at Marvel calling her "Kitty Pryde". . when Shadowcat is her name (and put her back in the blue costume dammit), as I am by DC refering to Gar Logan as "Beast Boy" instead of "Changeling"

(yeah yeah. . I know. . he was Beast Boy first. . but Changeling is the name I like better).


oh. . . and why isn't this on the X-men board?

[howyadoin]

What, no "Sprite" option?

[Shellhead]

Shadowcat is such a precious name. I hate it. It sounds too cute and pretentious for the level-headed adult that Kitty managed to become. While her own name, Kitty Pryde, is a bit a of lame joke, there are real parents who have given kids equally lame names. As for Sprite, I suspect the Coca-Cola Corporation (they also make Sprite) would have some objection.

[nervmeister]

Shadowcat is such a precious name. I hate it. It sounds too cute and pretentious for the level-headed adult that Kitty managed to become. While her own name, Kitty Pryde, is a bit a of lame joke, there are real parents who have given kids equally lame names. As for Sprite, I suspect the Coca-Cola Corporation (they also make Sprite) would have some objection.Or they could use her to endorse their products.

[Shellhead]

Or they could use her to endorse their products.

I can see it now: "Pepsi-Cola is a jerk!"

[howyadoin]

I can see it now: "Pepsi-Cola is a jerk!"Probably just a phase she's going through.

[Valmore]

Or they could use her to endorse their products.

Not in THAT outift.

[Devon C.]

Well, Kitty Pryde is her name. It would be kind of odd having Shadowcat on your driver's license.
In a world where people name their kids "Apple", it shouldn't be too shocking.

[howyadoin]

Nobody liked the "phase" joke, huh?






Fuckers.

[Amokitty]

Anybody know why they got rid of "Ariel"? The name's not bad really. I actually like it better than Shadowcat.

[Ed Cunard]

Kitty Pryde.

I named my first dog after her when I was nine or so. She was like a furry Johnny Cash song, that dog.

[Typo Lad]

Anybody know why they got rid of "Ariel"? The name's not bad really. I actually like it better than Shadowcat.

Too Jewish.

[Smarty Jones]

"Shadowcat is such a precious name. I hate it. It sounds too cute and pretentious for the level-headed adult that Kitty managed to become."

I thought I was the only one who did not like that name. It sounds the name for a pet, like a dark, long-haired Persian or Maine coon.

Marvel should have a contest for readers to come up with a codename for Kitty Pryde.

[nervmeister]

Nobody liked the "phase" joke, huh?






Fuckers.I thought it was..... um'..... okay.

[Dr. Hfuhruhurr]

Nobody liked the "phase" joke, huh?






Fuckers.

I didn't get it.

[Dreadstar]

As for Sprite, I suspect the Coca-Cola Corporation (they also make Sprite) would have some objection.

I know I'm being pedantic in asking this but:

How would Coca-Cola have a valid objection?

I mean "sprite" is, after all, a widely used noun predating thier lemon-lime product.

[Lawrence]

Am I missing something? I've always thought her name was Katherine, just Kitty for short?

[Titan76]

Marvel should have a contest for readers to come up with a codename for Kitty Pryde.
I would worry about her costume first. Kitty has had the worst costumes then any other X-men characters that I can think of.

But topic wise, I like both names and Kitty Pride's name was copy from a girl that Byrne kinda of knew, not some animal.

[Simon Garth]

I thought I was the only one who did not like that name. It sounds the name for a pet, like a dark, long-haired Persian or Maine coon.

Marvel should have a contest for readers to come up with a codename for Kitty Pryde.

No, you're not - I've always utterly loathed "Shadowcat" - it's a terrible name that sounds like it should mean something, but actually doesn't.

[Smarty Jones]

"I would worry about her costume first. Kitty has had the worst costumes then any other X-men characters that I can think of.

But topic wise, I like both names and Kitty Pride's name was copy from a girl that Byrne kinda of knew, not some animal."

Yeah, but Kitty Pryde has been wearing that old-school X-Man standard uniform for so long she has adopted it as her own.

She may be taken more seriously by me if she didn't have a codename that reminds you of a Pokemon.

[The Lucky One]

No, you're not - I've always utterly loathed "Shadowcat" - it's a terrible name that sounds like it should mean something, but actually doesn't.

Dude, totally. If only she'd gone with a name that does mean something, like Nightcrawler or Thunderbird or Cerise or Meggan or Kylun or Prosh or Warlock or Karma or Shatterstar or X-Man or Cable. Freakin' lame.
;)

-D

[Crimson]

I always call her Kitty... its one of those characters I can't help but call their name kind of like Sue Richards instead of Invisible Woman.

Shadowcat's a cool name though. One of her better ones.

[Kirayoshi]

Too Jewish.Actually Ariel was a Shakespearean reference. In The Tempest, the sorcerer Prospero kept two servants, the ethereal Arial and the monstrous Caliban. Given the weird friendship between Kitty and the Morlock Caliban, I always thought that was what Claremont was going at.

Oddly enough, I only remember two times the name Arial was used. Once when they started writing letter columns from the POVs of various X-Men, and once in Marvel Team-Up when Spider-Man recognized Kitty as Ariel when she phased through an attacking Morlock.

Shadowcat was her attempt to toughen her image post-Ogun. And yes, her all-blue costume was the best one she ever had. Actually I remember one design that Arthur Adams was working with that had sort of an aviator jacket top and a pale blue silk scarf. I always liked that one.

But Kitty Pryde works for now. She's the one X-Man who wants a normal life most and hasn't yet figured out why she came back(despite her little scene with Piotr at the end of "Gifted").

[AceOfSpades]

I actually like her going by Kitty Pride, she's always been one of my favorite X-men and it makes it seem more personal instead of a code name.

[The Sword Is Drawn]

I like both Shadowcat and Kitty Pryde. But what do I know... I actually liked her old blue costume from her late first X-Men spell/early Excalibur days...

[bakla]

I thought that Shadowcat was a perfectly good name, but I never really liked it. 'Cat' for Kitty, 'Shadow' to describe how her abilities make her as ephemeral as a shadow, especially with the whole ninja toughing-up deal at the time of the mini. But it just never seemed right to me. And yeah, the lack of a really iconic costume never helped. But I think that because they referred to her character more than her codename, it stuck, and people will always think of her as Kitty Pryde first and foremost.

[Amokitty]

Actually Ariel was a Shakespearean reference. In The Tempest, the sorcerer Prospero kept two servants, the ethereal Arial and the monstrous Caliban. Given the weird friendship between Kitty and the Morlock Caliban, I always thought that was what Claremont was going at.

I always thought the reason Claremont picked the name Ariel was because it was Jewish. In Hebrew, Ariel means 'Lion of God'. (No doubt Ariel Sharon's mother thought it was the perfect name for a future Israeli leader. ;) )

Also, in an X-Treme X-Men backup story, Kitty is chatting on the Purity website, and her screen name is Lion. I thought it was meant to be a direct reference to her former code-name, and not a just coincidence.

Mind you, I'm only speculating here. :)

[Flight]

I'd rename her...

Mashup69!

[Ant-Man]

I'd rename her...

Mashup69!

I like Flight's new name for Kitty a lot.

[Babylon23]

I like Shadowcat. I don't think it's any sillier than Nightcrawler, and a lot better than meaningless names like Cable and Bishop.

I do agree that her current costume has to go. I'm a big fan of the blue costume myself, especially when rendered by Alan Davis or Arthur Adams.

[Loestal]

I like Shadowcat. I don't think it's any sillier than Nightcrawler, and a lot better than meaningless names like Cable and Bishop.

I do agree that her current costume has to go. I'm a big fan of the blue costume myself, especially when rendered by Alan Davis or Arthur Adams.

Bishop's last name is Bishop....soooo it's not really silly.

[Babylon23]

Bishop's last name is Bishop....soooo it's not really silly.

True, but as a code-name, it's pretty meaningless. Still, Cable's probably a better example of what I was trying to say.

[Smarty Jones]

"True, but as a code-name, it's pretty meaningless. Still, Cable's probably a better example of what I was trying to say."

It's the man's name. It's no more meaningless than "Jean Grey" or "Kitty Pryde" being codenames.

[Loestal]

Plus, I bet Cable does mean something...I just don't know what.

[xakko]

I like "Shadowcat". And the blue uniform.

Calling her "Kitty" in battle conditions diminishes her, I feel. She's as competent as they, no longer the 13 year old kid she once was. And outed or not, splashing her name all over does endanger her mother, at least.

If she's part of the team, and the team uses codenames, then she should too. Otherwise, it's like she's the kid sister that they're just allowing to tag along.

[Smarty Jones]

"Plus, I bet Cable does mean something...I just don't know what."

I think it's one of those names that was inspired by Rob Liefeld's addiction to television and a sedentary lifestyle.

[bakla]

I always thought the reason Claremont picked the name Ariel was because it was Jewish. In Hebrew, Ariel means 'Lion of God'. (No doubt Ariel Sharon's mother thought it was the perfect name for a future Israeli leader. ;) )

Also, in an X-Treme X-Men backup story, Kitty is chatting on the Purity website, and her screen name is Lion. I thought it was meant to be a direct reference to her former code-name, and not a just coincidence.

Mind you, I'm only speculating here. :)
IIRC, the Ariel reference was more to The Tempest than anything else - John Byrne specifically stated it in an interview in one of the X-men Companion books from the 80s. That's why Kitty was involved in the storyline with Caliban - it was a direct reference to Shakespeare. Plus the whole aspect of Ariel as a spirit being conjured something ephemeral and light, although the fact that it was a male character's name made it seem a less than perfect codename to me.

[Kirayoshi]

I always thought the reason Claremont picked the name Ariel was because it was Jewish. In Hebrew, Ariel means 'Lion of God'.
I thought that was "Aslan". :D (Oh, unsolicited plug, the Narnia movie is good, go see it.)

Ariel was a codename that could be taken a number of ways, I suppose. It just didn't sound badass, espcially compared to the other X-Men. Seriously, where's the threat level? Colossus! Storm! Cyclops! Wolverine! Ariel! Doesn't quite work, does it? Now, try "Shadowcat!" Closer but still, meh.

[xgeek52]

first off hey amokitty...the wife says hi...

as for ariel...kitty rejected it and chose shadowcat as a right of passage after her japanese encounter...frankly i always thought it was a better fit...

as for kitty -- by the time the day of future past came around it was katherine.. :cool:

[dazzler_slave]

Bishop's last name is Bishop....soooo it's not really silly.
It's only been his last name since X-Teme X-Men. Before that his name wasn't revealed and still he was called Bishop, which was a pretty dumb name for a character like him.

[dazzler_slave]

Plus, I bet Cable does mean something...I just don't know what.
I think it was just an empty flashy sounding (at the time) name that Leifeld cooked up. Later they tried to justify it as a real cable serving as a link in communication just as Nathan served as a link to the present and future...or some garbage like that.

[dazzler_slave]

Personally, I like the name Shadowcat. Call me a superhero purist, but I really don't like it when heroes go by their real names. I hated when Jean Grey wasn't being called either Marvel Girl or Phoenix, and I still refer to Emma as the White Queen, not Emma Frost. Shadowcat is a perfectly good code name and in my mind it fits her personality.

As to the costume, I don't understand why everyone always puts Shadowcat in the standard X uniform (I have always disliked their standard Blue and Yellow - a color scheme that does NOT work). I liked her blue costume from the early excalibur days and would love to see her back in it. Heck, I would even prefer the outfit from Revolutions to this current look.

[Neolucifer]

I like both name personally . I also think that the X characters refers to her as Kitty because they always see her as that cute teenage girl . Anyway it also seems that lately X men dont even bother calling themselves by their codenames .

[Babylon23]

It's the man's name. It's no more meaningless than "Jean Grey" or "Kitty Pryde" being codenames.

This wasn't meant as an attack on Bishop. I actually grown to really like the character since Claremont began writing him. But he appeared at a time when creators were giving characters "kewl" code-names without really thinking about how the name applies to the character (Cable, Bishop, X-Treme, etc.). The later revelation that Lucas Bishop was his real name is a good idea, since it explained an otherwise arbitrary application of a meaningless code-name.

Also, I never liked the use of Kitty Pryde or Jean Grey as code-names.

[steve2275]

we will just call her KATYA
peter does :cool:

[venuscameback]

I like "Shadowcat". And the blue uniform.

I was beginning to think I was the only one who liked the codename Shadowcat, reading this thread. I think it's always sounded cool and right for her.

venus

[Shellhead]

Personally, I like the name Shadowcat. Call me a superhero purist, but I really don't like it when heroes go by their real names. I hated when Jean Grey wasn't being called either Marvel Girl or Phoenix, and I still refer to Emma as the White Queen, not Emma Frost. Shadowcat is a perfectly good code name and in my mind it fits her personality.

As to the costume, I don't understand why everyone always puts Shadowcat in the standard X uniform (I have always disliked their standard Blue and Yellow - a color scheme that does NOT work). I liked her blue costume from the early excalibur days and would love to see her back in it. Heck, I would even prefer the outfit from Revolutions to this current look.

I used to be more of a purist myself, so I understand the distaste for using real names, especially in battle. But I actually think it's wrong to refer to Emma as the White Queen these days. I believe that "White Queen" is a title specific to a certain level of power and prestige in the Hellfire Club, and that Emma is no longer entitled to use that name.

[dazzler_slave]

I used to be more of a purist myself, so I understand the distaste for using real names, especially in battle. But I actually think it's wrong to refer to Emma as the White Queen these days. I believe that "White Queen" is a title specific to a certain level of power and prestige in the Hellfire Club, and that Emma is no longer entitled to use that name.
Oh, I totally agree, White Queen is a Hellfire Club name (tho, who knows, she may be back there after Astonishing X-Men) but until they give her a new codename, that's what I'll keep calling her. :)

[Tre Styles]

Let's see....

"Ghost" ...nope, been there done that....

"Phaze"?....done and besides I have a character named that ...lol...

"Phantom Girl"? ...been there too...

"Walkthrough"....naw....

"Slip"---uh...probably not....

"Peek-A-Boo"?-----no, that's really Pokemonish.....

"Specter X"?---lol, sorta silly....(but I sorta like it... ;) )

"Gossamer"?----no someone has that too.....

"Ethereal"?---naw....

*sigh* I don't know...let's just stick with "ShadowCat". ;) :cool: