Polaris Appreciation III

[jmc247]

Peter David interview.

Nrama: Looking even further into the future, we know that X-Factor is going to be tying in with Schism and "Regenesis" as of issue #230 in January. So while the book has interacted more with the Marvel Universe as a whole in recent months (as seen by Thor, Spider-Man, Black Cat and others all showing up), can we assume that, beyond the marketing teasers, we'll see a closer association between X-Factor and the rest of the X-books going forward?

David: I think that's fair to say. Schism is a natural fit to impact on the team because Madrox was taking issue months ago with the way Scott was running things: the separation between mutants and humanity; the perpetual siege mentality. Now that there are major developments in the status quo, it makes sense that X-Factor would get involved with some of the blowback.

Nrama: And though it's obviously too far away to get into specifics, the aforementioned teaser has revealed that Havok will be coming to the book. Without getting into any of the details, how excited are you to be back working with the character? Was it something you had planned on for a while, or did it organically manifest itself while planning the fallout of Schism?

David: Actually it was a suggestion from editorial, from the office of Daniel and Jordan. They said that Havok was in play and would I be interested in bringing him into X-Factor. The timing of it was ideal; it fit perfectly with other developments in the series. So I jumped at the opportunity.

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/x-fa...is-110907.html

[salarta]

Peter David interview.

Thanks jmc.

So now we know it was editorial's idea to force Lorna there.

[jmc247]

Thanks jmc.

So now we know it was editorial's idea to force Lorna there.

In PADs 1991 run they dropped Lorna and Alex on him when he was expecting to write the original X-Factor team, here editorial offered them to him so there is a difference.

You want to change the mindset they are a package deal and wherever he goes Lorna follows you are in for a long game measured in years not months.

[The_Greatest_Username]

I'm glad that Lorna's going to be in an ongoing series again. Though only thing that concerns me is that Alex and Lorna are both a lot more powerful that the rest of the cast. It just seems like a bit of an odd fit.

[salarta]

In PADs 1991 run they dropped Lorna and Alex on him when he was expecting to write the original X-Factor team, here editorial offered them to him so there is a difference.

You want to change the mindset they are a package deal and wherever he goes Lorna follows you are in for a long game measured in years not months.

Hmm, that's a good way to think about it. That Peter David wanted them, not that he was required to take them. That makes me feel a bit better about the situation.

I could be impatient toward the medium. I'm just used to seeing very quick and major changes, and I keep thinking about cases like Songbird who seemed to come out of absolutely nowhere (from my perspective at least) and was allowed to be a playable character in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 while Lorna's never been allowed even so much as a notable NPC role.

I didn't expect to react the way I have toward the possibility of Lorna in Alex's shadow again as Alex leads X-Factor, it just happened, primarily due to the way they're handling the reveals of characters.

[jmc247]

Hmm, that's a good way to think about it. That Peter David wanted them, not that he was required to take them. That makes me feel a bit better about the situation.

I could be impatient toward the medium. I'm just used to seeing very quick and major changes, and I keep thinking about cases like Songbird who seemed to come out of absolutely nowhere (from my perspective at least) and was allowed to be a playable character in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 while Lorna's never been allowed even so much as a notable NPC role.

I didn't expect to react the way I have toward the possibility of Lorna in Alex's shadow again as Alex leads X-Factor, it just happened, primarily due to the way they're handling the reveals of characters.

The game medium is one where game makers and players have a really bad habit of seeing characters as interesting or not by looking at their powers and seeing if the are unique or not.

[The_Greatest_Username]

Another important thing to note about PAD's Lorna is that when he received the character the first time she was coming off of Claremont's pen, meaning he didn't have much of a character to work with. Now that it seems he has the character again, he might look at her differently considering all that she's been through and how much her personality has progessed.

Another reason I'm saying this is because IIRC when Chuck Austen received the character, he just planned on marrying her off to Alex. What changed was the tragedy that Grant Morrison introduced to the character, which made him see her completely different. So if certain things hadn't happened to the character, she probably wouldn't be in the current position happens now. We just have to wait and see where PAD's going to take the character given her current state.

[jmc247]

Another important thing to note about PAD's Lorna is that when he received the character the first time she was coming off of Claremont's pen, meaning he didn't have much of a character to work with. Now that it seems he has the character again, he might look at her differently considering all that she's been through and how much her personality has progessed.

Another reason I'm saying this is because IIRC when Chuck Austen received the character, he just planned on marrying her off to Alex. What changed was the tragedy that Grant Morrison introduced to the character, which made him see her completely different. So if certain things hadn't happened to the character, she probably wouldn't be in the current position happens now. We just have to wait and see where PAD's going to take the character given her current state.

That is a big question.

Lorna has never been written in the 616 by a writer that had her before in a very different era for the character other then Claremont. So, it's remains to be seen if it will feel like a continuation from early 90s Lorna or a continuation from last decades Lorna.

Austen did plan on writing Lorna like she was in the X-Factor era until he read New X-Men 132. But, I suspect he didn't have a deep emotional attachment to any era with the character. PAD might be different given he wrote the character in a certain era, but it remains to be seen. Anyone not working at Marvel who 'knows' how she will be depicted is full of it.

[The_Greatest_Username]

That is a big question.

Lorna has never been written in the 616 by a writer that had her before in a very different era for the character other then Claremont. So, it's remains to be seen if it will feel like a continuation from early 90s Lorna or a continuation from last decades Lorna.

Austen did plan on writing Lorna like she was in the X-Factor era until he read New X-Men 132. But, I suspect he didn't have a deep emotional attachment to any era with the character. PAD might be different given he wrote the character in a certain era, but it remains to be seen. Anyone not working at Marvel who 'knows' how she will be depicted is full of it.

That's just something we'll have to wait and see, I guess.

[jmc247]

That's just something we'll have to wait and see, I guess.

Yes, unless PAD says something in an interview about what he thinks about Lorna's character and her evolution over the years and how he sees her today we really don't have a clue until early next year.

Opinions on Lorna, who she is as a character and how she should be depicted are far far from uniform as I am sure you know and they are as variable for writers as they are for fans.

Heck, we are one issue into FMSOTU and have preview art for the next issue or two and we haven't the foggiest idea how non-mind controlled Lorna and Magneto will get along or much else.

[blanchett]

You take one posters opinion and decide to paint the entire thread with the same brush as if we all hold the same views as one of the more then a dozen regular or semi regular posters here. That seems more than a bit dramatic to me.

Well maybe that was unfair. But for a fan appreciation thread there does seem to be a lot of negativity surrounding Polaris.

salarta, I agree with you completely. PAD's Polaris is overrated.

No she's not. She was witty, fragile had a lot of depth. PAD actually gave her a voice. I wouldn't be happy with exactly the same portrayal now, because too much has happened but I think don't we'll see that. He's definately moved Rahne, Madrox and Strong Guy into more "adult" storylines since getting control of them again. Just because she's in X-Factor again doesn't mean she's taking ten steps back. She is closer to all those characters than she is the cast to the cast WATXM or Uncanny. I think if you think about where she would go, as opposed to where you'd like her to go this makes the most sense.

[alf_to_the_rescue]

If she is on X-Factor, it will be the first time I've picked it up in a long time.

[The_Greatest_Username]

Well maybe that was unfair. But for a fan appreciation thread there does seem to be a lot of negativity surrounding Polaris.

I'm certainly not echoing the negativity. I'm happy about Lorna's inclusion in the book, it wouldn't be the book I would've chosen for her, but it's still a good choice.
Another positive thing is that Lorna's one of the "biggest names" in that book, so hypothetically...won't she be receiving more panel time that most of the cast? lol

[zulu]

All the characters nobody wanted ended up on X-Factor. Still hoping Polaris is not part of the reject crew.

[zulu]

But for a fan appreciation thread there does seem to be a lot of negativity surrounding Polaris.

JMO. Well, this is a discussion board with a variety of opinions. I'm certainly not going to withhold commenting just because my views happen to be on the negative side. Or people bothered by it could put us negative people on ignore.