Marvel Legends “60th Anniversary” Rogue was a disappointment because it was based off a J. Scott Campbell variant cover from 2019 instead of actual 80’s artwork. It should’ve been so easy to get right. While Rogue often wears dark green, the hue should’ve been closer to lime. It’s only this deeper shade on one contemporary trading card & the modern cover. Her noggin also doesn’t feature the glam-punk haircut Mark Silvestri gave her. The are custom heads on eBay from Australia that rectify this, but she should’ve included one from the start. So only the black areas are really Outback era accurate. Between needing to replace the head & repaint 3/4 of the costume, it felt like Hasbro owes us a complete re-do. They could also give her Scarlet Witch’s upper torso to show she’s wearing a bathing suit over a leotard.
While searching AliExpress for an Invisible Woman to transform into Killer Frost, I stumbled upon a new pair of custom The Gifted heads on existing Marvel Legends bodies. The black outfit with silver accents evokes her season two battle gear while getting the details all wrong. I was more intrigued with the one on the Rogue body since she didn’t wear a similar supersuit on the show. (Toy Biz’s original Polaris was a repaint of Rogue, so this is somewhat apt if you like oblique references to things that were incorrect.) I definitely know this isn’t how Hasbro would make TV’s Lorna Dane. Since I skipped Outback Rogue for being inaccurate, I bought this Polaris for its higher degree of inaccuracy. At least this way I don’t have two nearly identical figures. It does, however, have the same shade of green as the Meggan I do have.
This is my third custom of The Mistress Of Magnetism. (I need an intervention?) Marvel Legends is slacking on Polaris. I hope to see more Lorna Dane wardrobe variations announced. This figure didn’t really lend itself to any of her existing costumes aside from maybe Lucas Werneck’s new Polaris costume from Fall Of The House Of X. I still hope Hasbro will make an official version since it’d be a lot of work to customize. So instead I tried merging her TV & comics looks without replicating either. Click below for too many photos!
“This isn’t even my final form!”
Evey day is leg day when you wear steel-toed platform boots.
Unlike the hard plastic of the first The Gifted Polaris I got from AliExpress, this one’s head is cast in a softer rubber so it’s easy to pop off so I can do headswaps. The paint was also improved, but I still repainted her anyway because she wasn’t pale enough. In addition to her kohl-rimmed eyes, I gave her purple lipstick to compliment her green. Now she looks like she wants to read your fortune. Had I repainted her hair differently, she could’ve been X-Men Evolution’s Rogue. (Do I need to buy another for this purpose?)
“Did you raid my wardrobe?”
Outback Rogue uses the Shriek body, so this Polaris is ripped without being hulked out. Although her arms could be be bigger, this is the body Hasbro should use to make 90’s X-Factor era Polarises. (Or is it Polarisi?) Since live action figures are slightly smaller than comics figures to confound scale purists, this head makes Lorna look extra swole. This is how to get a buff Polaris without subjecting Emma Dumont to a grueling workout regimen. Her limbs are still long enough that the body doesn’t look completely wrong for her.
One of my first steps to making her look less like Rogue was giving her a collar. Aside from Malice, Lorna wore a choker in The Gifted’s first season finale when she joins The Hellfire Club after killing Dr. Rory “not quite Ahab” Campbell. I didn’t want it to look like the control collar she wore in prison. It’s made of scrap leather with silver dry brushing to bring out the texture. Finding spikes fit for Titania would be nothing compared to getting them sized for this choker. This wouldn’t have been an issue if I got the more expensive version on Callisto’s body. I was going attach the leftover bead chains from Killer Frost, but both her combative hair & her vest collar nixed this. (The pointy hair scrapes the paint off the tight vest collar while it tries to pop the head off its peg.) They could’ve worked on a studded gorget like she wears now, but I’d already affixed the necklace. So she got impasto studs & a cardboard brooch.
Lorna Dane’s back is jacked!
To make the costume feel more personalized, I gave her a necklace. It was originally a bracelet of phalanges (Now I can’t use the “necklace of teeth” tag again.) I snipped off Leatherface to make Professor Pyg. I like to think it’s a necklace of assorted bits or barbed wire she can use as shrapnel.
“These are the chains I forged in life. They were super easy, barely an inconvenience.”
One key way to distinguish her from Rogue is to give her exposed fingers. Now it’s technically a green bodysuit with cutouts. I gave her purple fingernails because she already has enough green. My attempts to make her rings like the last Lorna were unsuccessful, but I felt she needed some metal at her fingertips. I affixed metal strips (made of cardboard) across her knuckles as if she’d permanently bent spoons around them for pugilism. This makes her look more martial. Taking inspiration from Wakanda Forever Nakia (who I still need to finish repainting), I used the leftover bead chain to make a bracelet for Lorna. Then I had to cut another to match a pair.
“But my shillelagh shenanigans were foolproof! FOOLPROOF!!!”
The utility belt she came with was cast in very brittle plastic. Not only did it refuse to sit naturally on her hips, It snapped apart easily. Taking inspiration from my X-Factor Polaris custom, I decided to replace it with a belt she could magnetically manipulate. I glued the plastic disc-release button from an old CD case onto the clasp of a third beaded keychain. I thought it’d be nifty if the belt itself was X-shaped, so I glued on the remainder of the keychain used to make her second bracelet. This required much trial & error to keep the belt functional. The X is off-center because I couldn’t get it to close otherwise if it was glued symmetrically. Now she’s wearing a fashionable chainwhip. (It cannot actually be disconnected into a chainwhip thanks to adhesive.)
Giving Polaris a utility belt full of magnetic fodder in case she wound up somewhere made exclusively of ceramic tiles & plastic was a cool idea. I felt bad about not using the included belt. Then I had the idea to break it up further into two sets of pouches strapped to her thighs. If it’s good enough for Deadpool…. Now I have a big square buckle remaining. The straps are made from the laminated excess surrounding a membership card.
“Knife to meet you!”
Since each thigh bandolier had a gap between pouches, I made her a pair of throwing stilettos from the same material as the straps. Their handles were bulked up with superglue. I initially just made mini-straps to hold them in place snipped from a rubber NECA twist tie. (When you’re wearing unstable molecule armor in addition to natural magnetism, you don’t need to worry about accidentally stabbing yourself.) They kept scraping paint off the blades, however, so I replaced them with sheaths. These knife holsters were made from a quilted Chinese restaurant napkin so they have a leathery texture. There are cardboard patches beneath them so there’d be more surface area to anchor them to than just the narrow belt. They stick out even farther, but they’re sturdier. She’s subconsciously repelling her thigh cutlery from her quads for extra safety.
Muties are stealing jobs from human knife jugglers!
In The Gifted, Polaris was known for her steel-capped boots with high heels. These heels are four layers of cardboard glued together & spackled over. (This would’ve been so much easier if I had enough craft foam to use instead.) I didn’t adjust the incline of her feet, so these platform boots may be somewhat more comfortable than the boots worn on the show. It’s not really an issue if she’s mag-levitating herself. Then her enemies won’t hear her clomping. Maybe her legs are so chiseled because she’s been marching everywhere with enormous heels?
Lorna Dane wears steel-capped boots to give herself magnet-toes.
Like last time, the only power effects Lorna includes are a pair of energy fists. (These photos feature the previous pair since their shade of rubber looks better.) This is frustrating since it’s neither the energy swirls nor concentric rings that evoke the warlike Dane’s powers more. Why couldn’t anyone have borrowed the molds for those? Why do these two varieties cast in green have to be so damn expensive on the secondary market now? Let us buy spare accessories from you, Hasbro!
“I’m not Shego!”
This didn’t include a pair of gripping hand to hold the knives I made for her. Luckily the TV show carried over her distinctive power signature. I made her a pair of magnetic energy effects from twist ties covered in hot glue. I included slots specifically for the stilettos so she can stab without getting fingerprints over her weapons. These pieces are bendy so she can pick up other accessories too.
“Welcome to the gun show!”
Now she has a total of seventeen interchangeable or removable accessories. (Twenty-one if you count the effects pieces borrowed from her predecessors.) The vest, belt, bracelets, & bandoliers are removable. That makes her akin to a Masters Of The Universe figure. Taking the thigh-belts off scuffs her shoes, so those will probably stay on. The vest & belt are also a hassle to get off & on. I’d rather not lose her bracelets. So in practice this gear will stay on more often than not. Can you tell these photos were taken out of order?
“To me, my Power Sword!”
I painted X’s on her shoulders so she still has team branding even if her belt is off. It’s a relatively simple costume that could see working on a TV budget. I can imagine Lorna wearing the just the glossy bichromatic bodysuit most of the time & magnetically summoning the accoutrements for action scenes. It could be a magical girl transformation!
“Wanna see me crush my deadbeat dad’s helmet into a pog slammer?”
Lorna looks incomplete without her anti-telepathy tiara. As I explained in the last The Gifted custom, her hair is molded in the wrong position for me to affix one without removing a huge chunk. I’d tried making a half-headband, but it didn’t look right. I didn’t want to risk ruining her forehead since there’d be no way to fasten it without direct gluing. I considered substituting a 90’s headsock before opting to leave well enough alone. So just imagine her neck medallion or belt buckle are doing all the telepathy-blocking. There’s nothing that says your anti-psychic metal must be worn on your noggin to be effective. The TV tiara makes her look too much like palette-swap Scarlet Witch anyway.
“Do you even lift, sis?”
Emma’s X-23 cosplay is the the closet we got to her starring in Razor, which got cancelled.
Usually these gray market bootlegs just remix existing parts like putting unmasked heads on a suit body. Even something kooky like Iron Man with a Ghost Rider head is all reuse. These Polarises are strange because Hasbro hasn’t made any toys of The Gifted’s version of her so there is no official headculpt to duplicate. While this TV series may be considered obscure (Stream it on Hulu!), I’ve come across five different variations of this so far from a variety of sellers. It’s not simply that they made too many of this head years ago & are still trying to get rid of them. This one was cast differently than the last with improved paint apps. So Emma Dumont’s portrayl of Lorna Dane must be popular enough if they made a new production run.
Jace Turner should’ve become X-Cutioner in The Gifted season 3!
So extrapolating from this trend, I’d say it’d be worthwhile for Hasbro to produce at least one The Gifted Polaris. Since they’re only likely to do one, if at all, they should prioritize her season two server farm attack ensemble over one of her more mundane outfits. (They’d probably rather make X-Men: Blue Polaris so they don’t have to make an all new sculpt.) They could sell her in a set with Eclipse, season two Thunderbird, & series finale Blink if they really need defray the cost of tooling that much. Including one Stepford Cuckoo would be a nefarious way to make people buy multiple multi-packs. You could make your own Caitlin Strucker from Angel’s Fred Burkle. Of course Agents Of SHIELD was the more popular Marvel series on network TV, & Hasbro still hasn’t even made an MCU Quake.
Lorna Dane was Clayface’s first victim. Now she’s back for vengeance!
This was supposed to be a simple custom. Then the work on it kept expanding. It became an If You Give a Mouse A Cookie situation where one modification begat another. Even the simple bits took longer than they should’ve. Sounds like a skills issue.
“This vest was a jacket until I flexed.”
“I must break you!”
I used to think the closest we’d get to seeing Polaris in live action was when Joey King played Magenta in an episode of The Flash. (The color was available but not Magneta?) Aside from having a role in Oppenheimer, Emma Dumont had a terrible 2023. Hopefully she bounces back. Unless they get the original voice actress back, it’d be cool if they cast Emma Dumont as Polaris in X-Men ’97 season two. Can Dumont reprise Dane when Marvel Studios makes its next X-Men movie? They can give her her own spinoff, Lorna Dane: Fashion Commando!
“This for not giving a role in Deadpool & Wolverine!“
You can’t use the same methods to defeat Polaris as Magneto, however, because her hair is green. Sometimes I think Lorna Dane should reside in polar regions & wear green furs. Polaris wears Psylocke’s armor. I failed to photograph The Powerpuff Siblings!
The Justice League Of Green Pyro Punchers
Polaris has been too passive in Mark Russell’s X-Statix X-Factor. The solicit for #2 was much better than the issue itself. Rusell Dauterman’s variant cover to #3 boasts lots of Lorna lewks only for her to be completely absent inside. Within weeping Havok keeps asking “Where’s Polaris?” I fear Jenny Frison’s variant cover for #5 will be a ruse too. Marvel waited until she’s barely in book to capitalize on her popularity? They can’t keep getting away with this! They better not pull the same nonsense with its Joanna Cargill covers! Dr. Dane & the rest of the cast deserve a better book. How dare they confirm Feral died in letters page image!
Lorna Dane brings the pain if you call her insane!
~
This is the third time I’ve done distracted boyfriend Havok. Is it getting more amusing or less?
RIP John Cassaday, artist of Astonishing X-Men & Planetary.
Lenore Zann cosplayed Hellfire Gala Rogue at The Emmys! It’s too bad X-Men ’97 lost to Blue Eye Samurai, but the team had a good time. Has Disney already ruined it? (Link contains spoilers for things that may not happen?) Was Beau DeMayo just inventing things to increase subscriptions to his OnlyFans, or does he not know how NDA’s work? Even if he’s right, he’s gonna get sued.
Pre-order a giant animated Sentinel with battle-damaged teeth but no tentacles.
Even with the wrong color trenchcoat, X-Cutioner is the best of the X-Men ’97 toys thus far.
Crop top Gambit is back … in plush form!
Kurt Wagner does a Fox Mulder.
Gonzo Nightcrawler is perfect.
Fright Night came out three years later so it was pulling an Uncanny X-Men Annual #159. Did these rules apply to Jubilee?
I guess I need to customize Jubilee wearing Venom’s symbiote & wielding Captain America’s shield now. If Gail Simone would just make that spread 616 canon in Uncanny X-Men ( She already introduced an arsonist horse mutant!), it might get an official Marvel Legends. Or I can kitbash my own once Hasbro makes She-Venom. With all the obscure symbiotes & Venom variations that’ve been made, I’m surprised there isn’t a Marvel Legends Bride Of Venom. She’s even been in movies!
Gail Simone writes canon not ships!
Remy LeBeau is best catdad to Oliver, Lucifer, & Figaro.
When will we meet Mystique’s brother, Mycroft Darkhölme?
Defeated by Malibu Stacy’s new hat!
There’s a Dr. Squatch who isn’t Walter Langkowski?
The X-movies never even adapted Acanti!
Adam Savages examines an DAW Wolverine costume.
Deadpool & Wolverine has brought in over a billion box office bucks, formerly impoverished Disney can now afford to fund seasons 2 & 3 of Willow, right? If it earned that much from just Gambit, imagine how much it’d be raking in if it had Rogue too! Gambit worked in the movie because it embraced the character rather than the previous Fox vibe of being embarrassed by comic books. (Gambit might’ve actually been the highlight of the excerable X-Men Origins: Wolverine.) That’s the ethos they need to bring forward for the MCU X-Men. They need to fix his eyes though.
The next director that complains about superhero movies not having sex should be forced to watch Wonder Woman 1984 & Eternals. If they recant, they can see Deadpool.
Which headswap is more attractive?
~
“Hell yeah, I’m in my Spawn era!”
Superman & Lois will continue until morale improves, but next week’s Halloween installment will be about Agatha All Along!
“Do you even lift, sis?”
Matt The Catania 
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