Originally, I was going to make a post within the next few days about how terrible and obvious it is that Marvel’s been trying to bury the X-Men and Fantastic Four, citing recent articles like this and this. However, news that came out today that I’d much rather talk about: Mark Paniccia is now senior editor of the X-Men, joined by Daniel Ketchum.

Note #1: I am NOT what I consider a “hardcore” comics fan. I know a lot specifically about Polaris’ history and treatment and stuff that’s happened related to her, but I don’t know tons and tons outside that. I don’t really know much about editors pre-2009.

Note #2: This post will be Polaris-centric, because she’s what I care about most.

Follow the jump if you still want to read on!

So! Paniccia. Recently, he was the one in charge of Savage Hulk during the arc that included Lorna.

Lorna didn’t have a very big role on the arc, but she DID have a meaningful one, and she was on it. That’s extremely important. In the past, Marvel’s ignored her history with the franchise and acted like she was created in the 90s as an obscure character. In Savage Hulk, we see Marvel acknowledge that she’s been around since 1968, and I think it was a really good smaller role showing for her.

(For anyone that might be concerned about the second image, it’s all mental hallucination even with the implication that Hulked up Jean is mind-controlling everyone)

However, there’s something far more important he worked on: Jeff Parker’s Exiles in 2009.

This is just a sample, there are a lot of great moments between Lorna and Wanda. Exiles provided us with these AU versions of the sisters, and even sent the Exiles to a whole House of M style universe. We got two sets of AU sister awesomeness, and the storyline itself made heavy use of that. Parker’s Exiles is honestly THE version of their relationship I point to any time I want people to know what’s possible.

On the flipside, Paniccia was the editor on Ultimates for the event that killed off Ultimate Lorna. Personally, that one doesn’t bother me; it might’ve been decided without him, and regardless, it might have been for the best. Ultimate Lorna was devoid of most of what made other versions of Lorna, especially 616 Lorna, so great.

This means that in Paniccia, we’ve got someone that knows how important Lorna is as part of X-Men franchise history, and who knows of the potential of Lorna both separately and with her sister Wanda.

Next, Ketchum. Recently, he’s been the main editor to the amazing Magneto solo written by Cullen Bunn. It’s the only X-Men book I’ve been reading that didn’t have Lorna on it, who only just recently got involved on Magneto #18 with great moments like these.

Magneto’s considered one of the best X-Men books currently getting published, and Bunn’s written some great work that’s really addressed Magneto’s character with brutal honesty. I haven’t said much about editors in that regard, but bad editors could really screw up good writing, and I think what we’ve seen in Magneto shows Ketchum’s a good editor.

Ketchum was also editor on X-Factor, most importantly for X-Factor #243, THE big issue (in my opinion) of the run in which we finally got Lorna’s origin story after she went 40 years without one.

At the time, I was very negative about Lorna on X-Factor under Peter David’s pen, and X-Factor #243 was a shining moment that I think helped change my view to a more open mind for All-New X-Factor. Obviously nearly all the credit for that goes to Peter David himself, but like with the Magneto solo, I’m sure Ketchum deserves at least some credit.

It should be noted that Ketchum’s been editor for Axis and the more recent post-Axis Uncanny Avengers, but from what I’ve seen about each, he’s not the editor in charge, just an assistant editor.

So, in Ketchum we have an editor that also knows Lorna’s long history with the franchise, knows the importance of her ties to her father, and who was on board for one of the most important issues of her recent character development.

Between Paniccia and Ketchum, we have two editors that are aware of Lorna’s history with the franchise and key parts of her character development and potential. They’ve each been editors on some of the best depictions and uses of her in recent history.

I don’t know everything about either of them, and even thinking the best of each, there are people above them at Marvel who could overrule them on anything and everything. Still, right now I’m optimistic about the future, both for Lorna and the X-Men franchise as a whole.

Purely text post time.

I’ve been thinking about Secret Wars, the underlying intent, and what’s likely to happen when it’s all over. My expectation is that Secret Wars will act as a means to drastically cut down the X-Men franchise, likely reduce the number of active X-Men comics to somewhere between 1-5 books. It’s why a lot of the X-books talent is shifting over to other franchises.

Of course, as I realize this, I’m thinking about Polaris.

Marvel has a very, very long history of not really valuing or respecting Lorna, her background, or her potential. She started off as very much a feminist character for her time, with much the same role Storm later took. It was when Claremont took over with Storm that Lorna got increasingly diminished and sidelined.

Yet even with Claremont diminishing her, he still worked her into some of his major storylines that involved the core cast. She played a major role while possessed by Malice, even if it wasn’t really her, and when Zaladane came along, Zaladane stealing Lorna’s powers and later fighting Magneto meant Lorna was still a major focus.

Then, in the 90s, she was spun off into X-Factor alongside Havok (as has happened with most of her history). Regardless of any positive or negative opinions about X-Factor, X-Factor was away from the “core” franchise, and it’s been that way since the 90s. This means she was left out of anything major.

She started to make a comeback in the late 90s and early 00s with Genosha and House of M, and she was even a major character again on the core X-Men book of the time. She was back to participating in major X-Men storylines like becoming one of Apocalypse’s horsemen. Lorna was getting included in spinoff content too, such as Exiles, or the Wolverine and the X-Men cartoon.

Then, when Disney took over, they shoved her off into nowhere land again. She got sent out into space back before Marvel was out promoting Guardians of the Galaxy, and only got to return to Earth after all the major X-Men-focused events took place… without her.

That’s where she’s been ever since. She was only in Avengers vs X-Men as a nameless cameo, one that even resulted in Magneto acting horribly out of character. Outside that, she’s been relegated exclusively to X-Factor, with fleeting cameos in Liu’s Astonishing X-Men (still written awesome, but it was fleeting), a Hulk book, and it’s looking like the same will be true for the Magneto book judging by how we’ve seen no solicits or covers that focus on her.

I’m expecting that Cullen Bunn’s been told by higher-ups to either not use Polaris anymore, or drastically reduce her role from what he wants/wanted it to be.

Where am I going with this?

That’s the big question. Here’s my answer.

I think if Secret Wars is going to drastically diminish the X-Men franchise like I think it will, Marvel won’t use Polaris anymore at all.

Marvel doesn’t consider Lorna to be a “real” originating member of the X-Men. They don’t care about her enough to let her take part in events solely focused on the X-Men, such as Battle of the Atom. The opportunities she gets to interact with core X-Men characters are rare; if we don’t count Magneto, the last time was Five Miles South of the Universe, one of the last X-Men Legacy arcs Carey wrote.

This means if they have to pick and choose who to use, they’re not going to keep Polaris. She has a massive amount of potential, she’s an amazing character that many people love once they find out she exists, but it’s rare for Marvel to think she’s even worth letting people in on that. They did very little to promote All-New X-Factor. They did absolutely nothing to promote ANXF #14, an issue that allowed Polaris and Scarlet Witch to spend sister time together for the first time in a decade. And when we got Lorna’s origin story in X-Factor #243, after she went 40 years without one, the only promotion they gave it was a brief article on the Marvel website that didn’t even stay up for half a day… and the issue itself wasn’t even stocked well enough for all the people that wound up wanting a copy when they went to stores.

Important disclaimer. I did a lot of griping above. I think it is VERY important to point out, alongside all the complaining above, that Marvel HAS done a lot of good things with and for Polaris that I greatly appreciate.

Through Peter David, she got her origin story after 40 years and got to be the leader of her own team, rather than filling in for Havok or Magneto.

They brought her back to Earth, where she belongs.

They confirmed her to be a mutant again, crucial because it’s core to who she is as a character.

She got to be playable in a video game for the very first time in 2013, when she was always left out.

All of these great things Marvel has done over the past 5 years are why I really, really want to be wrong about my expectations on Secret Wars. I want to see Marvel make great use of her. My real dream situation would be for Lorna to have a solo ongoing or miniseries, but as a realistic and reasonable fan, I understand why that wouldn’t happen and I’m okay with that.

But I want her to be able to take meaningful part in events where applicable. I want to see her interact with other X-Men, and get acknowledgment, use and respect for how long she’s been with the franchise. Other fans really are demanding solo books, or for their favorites to star in more books even when they’re starring in four at once. I just want Lorna to get the same opportunities as all the other characters made when she was. It doesn’t have to be a solo book or making her the central focus of an X-Men franchise wide event, it just needs to be letting her get and stay involved.

Magneto’s the only Marvel book I’m reading right now. I’d probably be reading female Thor if not for Marvel retconning Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver out of being Magneto’s kids purely over a film rights spat with Fox. I would be reading All-New X-Factor if it was still going. When/if Magneto ends, if Lorna is nowhere to be found, then I won’t be reading any Marvel comics anymore.

So that’s my thinking. Again, I’m hoping I’m all wrong about what I expect from Secret Wars. I’ve had lots and lots of experience with companies disappointing me thanks to Square-Enix, Capcom, DC, Sega and Konami. I am hoping that, like Nintendo, Marvel proves to be an exception to that rule.