X-Factor: Rictor and Shatterstar...

[fajrdrako]

Among the many comics I have been reading lately, one that I'm particularly enjoying is Peter David's X-Factor. That was a comic that never meant much to me till he started writing it; it used to be "a book to feature leftover X-Men characters no one knows what to do with." And David has made it his own. Full of personality.

Especially now he's outed Rictor and Shatterstar.

Back in the 1990s, I fell in love with Shatterstar as soon as he appeared - regardless of how Rictor might have felt, and regardless of how the creator, Rob Liefeld, felt. Statterstar fell into the world of X-Force from another dimension, the Mojoverse, and everyone on the team, male or female, commented on how beautiful he was. His creator, Rob Liefeld, says he intended Star to be asexual, but that wasn't the impression the story gave.

Like Longshot in X-Men,Shatterstar was a media star gladiator in his homeworld, a cloned warrior who was bemused by our world, a stranger in a strange land. Rictor - a cute Mexican member of the X-Force team - started helping him out, and Star started depending on Rictor to understand American culture. He even learned Spanish so he could talk privately with Rictor. Of course we were slashing them - how could be not? Statterstar was gorgeous, with his red pony tail, his flashing double swords, swordsman's regalia, and his facial tattoo. A delicious combination of courage and innocnece. Perhaps I should confess that at the time, I was slashing Shatterstar not with Rictor, like everyone else, but with Cable. Showing my taste for the mentor/acolyte dynamic, or maybe the older guy/younger guy thing - or just because I loved them both. In the comic, it was definitely Rictor and Shatterstar who were a team within the team - if not explicitly a couple. In the pages of Cable, they were beautifully drawn by Ian Churchill. When Rictor left the team to go back to Mexico - leaving Shatterstar - and breaking Statterstar's heart.

So now they're both in the comic X-Factor. Statterstar came back in issue #45 a few months ago, possessed by an enemy named Cortex who forced him to fight Rictor. Rictor knew Star wouldn't ever hurt him, and when Star returned to his senses, they kissed. Fandom - well, my segment of fandom - cheered.

We didn't return to their story until issue #49, when Guido, who is driving the car with Rictor beside him in the front seat and Shatterstar asleep in the back. Guido, who doesn't know Star, doesn't trust him. Dialogue ensues:

Guido: How do we know his right mind won't go wrong again and he shoves those pig stickers through us while our backs
are turned?
Rictor: We -
Guido: How?
Rictor: Fine. I'm watching. Happy?
Guido: Thrilled. Not, y'know, thrilled like you were, obviously...
Rictor: What's that supposed to mean?
Guido: Nothin'.
Rictor: No. You've got something to say. Say it.
Guido: Ain't none of my business.
Rictor: You're skeeved 'cause Star kissed me.
Guido: And you were kissin' back.
Rictor: What if I was?
Guido: I just... I didn't know. I mean, I thought... Madrox said that you and Rahne were...
Rictor: We were.
Guido: And now ya switched sides just 'cause she took off?
Rictor: It didn't happen overnight, Guido. Besides, Shatterstar and I were involved long before Rahne and I.
Guido: So you always been - ?
Rictor: You have a problem with it, Guido?
Guido: No! No problem. Absolutely no problem. No problem at all - Okay, a small problem. Happy? I mean, it's just... ya never said.
Rictor: You never asked.

After a bit more conversation and action, Shatterstar wakes up. He explains why he came back to our world: "I was on my way back here because... Well, honestly, because of you, Rictor. I just... My thoguhts kept returning to you. To our friendship. It meant a great deal to me."

That picture I linked to above, that showed the whole X-Factor team? That's Rictor, with his arms around Shatterstar. It looks as if Longshot, the blond with the bandolier, may be Statterstar's clone. Cool. I always loved Longshot, too.

I am a happy fan. And thank you, Peter David, for that.