salarta

Back when Peter David started writing Lorna again on X-Factor, I was immediately opposed. I saw it as a step backward and hated it. I expected him to be set in his ways on perception of who she is and try to undo character development she made since Peter David last wrote her. The way Marvel announced it did no favors. It was a cover that reinforced every bad thing I expected – Havok front and center, Lorna positioned in a manner to emphasize the idea of her as his arm candy girlfriend.

I had complaints along the way, all of which I felt were entirely legitimate. But, in retrospect I also felt that I was too quick to judge with Peter David. I didn’t give him a fair chance.

So, when Cullen Bunn and Gifted came along, I decided to be better. I decided to trust both. I supported Cullen Bunn’s use of Lorna through the end of the Magneto solo and in Deadpool and the Mercs for Money. I supported Gifted even though I loathed the pregnancy idea and felt the show completely wasted what could have been done with her time in prison.

I got burned for it by both.

Bunn burned me by reducing Lorna into a lesser supporting character for Havok and Magneto. Gifted burned me by giving Dreamer the worst death I have ever seen on a TV show, after building my interest in a future of Lorna and Dreamer doing amazing things together.

Here’s the lesson I learned from these experiences: I was right the first time in how I behaved with Peter David. I never should have trusted Bunn or Gifted. I should have been railing them for problems I saw right away.

Peter David responded to complaints by actually trying to do better by Lorna. He got her mostly away from Havok. When writing Gambit around Lorna took on toxic Havok traits, he flipped it by ANXF #7. He started writing Lorna more as her own woman. Let her interact with her family.

Bunn reacted to complaints initially by “hitting back.” Then, by doing less with Lorna while playing up Havok more. Gifted, meanwhile, doesn’t even listen at all. They don’t care about what they’re doing wrong and have no interest in fixing any of it.

If I had complained a lot immediately, Bunn back in the Magneto solo and Gifted in its first episodes, maybe they would have bothered to listen and do better.

I tried being more positive, more accepting, more willing to let things I didn’t like pass, and all I got for it was a ton of frustration and losses for the things I care about.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot. I said it myself long ago. When it comes to Polaris, being soft-spoken and friendly about companies and creative teams using her appears to get you nowhere. That approach was tried for decades and failed.

It was only when I came along and started being a bit of a hard ass earlier that she finally got her origin story, led her own team, got playable video game appearances, etc. When I stopped being a hardass, she got reduced to minor supporting character for Havok and Magneto on Blue. She lost her closest friend on Gifted so the show could hype up the Cuckoos.

Apparently, I need to be more of the hardass I used to be.