So I tend to get bored on slow news days, no new comics to read, and I'm procastinating retro reviews. Over the past several months of nothing new mentioned in MU relating to X-23, I've decided to start making customs of her.
Months later, now I've got 6 different custom figures of her that I thought I'd share.
X-Men Evolution Covert Ops Suit from the intro.
X-Men Evolution (Cat Girl anime stylized) X-23
Academy X (Fox Movie-Universe stylized) Graduation Costume.
X-Force
Plain Clothes with cowboy hat.
DarkHawk Armor X-23 (A 'What if X-23 found an Order of the Raptors Amulet' Variant.)
Okay, something new for me to harp on.
Casting an X-23 movie. The problems, drawbacks and issues to it, as well as the perks.
Okay people let's be honest here. Everyone, and I do mean almost EVERYONE wants Summer Glau or Eliza Dushku to do it, per their previous roles in Firefly, and Doll House respectively.
No. Just NO.
Oh, I'd agree if this were to be casting an X-Force movie, either one would be perfect. Laura deserves more than that though.
Her origin story, is a story of genetics, fertility treatments, stem cell research and child abuse. A movie about modern science gone awry creating the perfect weapon, or an emotionless child growing up with years of Verbal, Mental, and Physical abuse. For that, we need an actress who can convey the ages of 11-15, and no higher. This is something neither Glau, nor Dushku could do. Hollywood would have to cast an unknown, or an actress of similiar stature and appeal. Dushku and Glau are both at this point, too old to convey a tormented 13 year old girl. Dushku said it herself back in Tru Calling years back, that she's a 'mature' Highschool senior, and that was years ago. Summer Glau sadly has the same issue, her last appearance as a Highschool girl being years back in The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Even then, they had to use film tricks to convey her age as a senior in highschool, even then the believability was marginal but passable. For this, it'd be impossible. They would be perfect for Dr. Sarah Kinney though.
So we'll leave them for a potential X-Force flick or as her mother, but not an origins piece. They don't have much time left for an origins piece(if they still do even), nor do they have anytime left age-wise to convey Laura for sequels as she's growing up to their age to be conveyed. Therein lies the problem.
We need an actress who's still young to convey youth for awhile without the need of cinematic trickery to make a 30 something year old, look like she's 12-14.
An Origins Movie of X-23 would need to cover the various aspects of her two mini-series, preferably with dead on accuracy, as these issues were incredibly well written for Movie usage. Giving throwbacks to classic cinema that makes you think, and ponder the possibilities, and how far would science really go in pursuit of money or for the DoD.
For that, we need an actress who can convey Laura in her younger days. After all she's only 16 even in X-Force. We need a Laura that can convey innocence, and purity while still playing off of the dichotomy of the killer inside of her.
For this we need an unknown, or an actress of similiar stature. An actress who could use this role to not only parallel the treatment of young starlets by the mass media, but also play into the dichotomy of the character herself.
So, in the spirit of this, and expanding on the licenses Fox have already presented.
I suggest we need an actress who could do both, and then play into a series by Disney themselves of Academy X.
We need a movie that could shock and awe the audience in a scifi suspense thriller of intrigue, that leaves them wanting more, but also thinking about what this character has gone through.
So I suggest this:
Let Fox handle the movie. Call it X-Men Origins: X-23. Make it verbatum what her first two self titled mini-series are back to back. Then, leave off at her and Megan parting ways. Leaving the door open for sequels, and spin-offs which could then tap the potential of Academy X itself in a Mutant Degrassi High School like fashion. Scott Summers is dead you say? Well this is exactly why a spin off would have to be on TV. In TV Land you can skate by on certain aspects comedicly, like throwing out how he was brought back via cloning by Mr. Sinister. Emma Frost herself could parallel the parent reactions of X-23 being in an Academy X series, as she had attempted to make Laura leave in the comics too for being something made only for killing, even though she had done nothing wrong.
We don't need anymore reboots, or new spins, when the current Fox X-Universe could still be salvaged to better market both a new series, and sequels and spinoffs.
For a film like X-23 though, to tap the most potential, drawing power, and story to best convey the pain, and trials she went through, we'd need a star of young stature.
Someone ready to break the boundaries of Academy Nominations like American Beauty did. A transformation piece, on top of the suspense thrill ride that has been Laura's life. If done correctly, I have no doubt in my mind it could be up for a nomination as opposed to Wolverine, X-23 has a better self contained parallels, symbolism and real world nuance as opposed to the question of man or beast. Wolverine is classic yes, but his story is not Oscar potential as fun as it is. X-23's is.
X-23 is a throwback to films like Metropolis, American Beauty, among many other oscar winners and contenders. It'd be nice to see her handled appropriately as such.
The modern day fertility treatments and stemcell research in her origin alone could garnish some interesting responses. Another day, I'll go into the science behind X-23's origin, and how the word 'clone' is a misnomer for her, used by her creators to dehumanize her, and then also the repercussions of what Dr. Kinney has done, in creating a reconstituted wolverine gene, whether for cloning, or fertility methods.
For now, I leave you to ponder the possibilities of this:
Yes, I'd pick Selena Gomez for now. This is solely based on the age requirements though, considering her talent she could be more than capable, and would have the drawing power to make it a success for both fans and audiences alike. Otherwise, until another young star rises from nowhere, not many others are capable for an Origins piece. Unknowns not withstanding. It also adds another layer or parallel to growing up in the child star system. It could play out like a positive role model for girls. One who's not just looking to get laid. One who kicks butt and brings a family together. A touching story of loss, sisterhood, and sacrifice.
So far with as new of a character as she is, Laura Kinney has already garnished several outlets into 3D immortality. Of course I'm speaking of Merchandised Goods. For an updated rundown on all merchandise to current date, please turn to our Merchandise Section.
Marvel Minimates wave 32
A two pack that features X-23 in her X-Force Outfit, alongside a retro Cable figure.
Review coming soon!
Marvel Legends BAF Apocalypse series.
X-23 from her Innocence lost miniseries, and X-Men Evolution appearances was immortalized in plastic by Toy Biz while they had the master marvel license.
She came in two flavors. Black Suit, and Purple Suit. Review to come soon.
Statues or Inaction Figures.
She has received five statues so far.
One diorama from Sideshow collectibles that depicts her fight with Lady Deathstrike during messiah complex. A normal and collectors version exists.
Another is available from Sideshow collectibles as an entry into their Comiquette line of statues. A normal and collector's version exists. The difference being the collector's version has her locket from the end of Target X.
A statue/bust of her in the Wolverine Fang Costume (thanks to Threeclawseach for finding this).
She also has a mini-statue available with a magazine.
There's also the Sideshow X-Force Dio Statue. (Thanks to Threeclawseach for the heads up.)
If you're looking for more in print form, X-Force V3, NYX, and her two self-titled Minis are all available in TPB form Including a hardcover that has her two miniseries, followed by her first appearance in NYX.
Another blog for me to carry on and on about another character I've had to do much research on... X-23. I hope to carry information few have bothered to realize or even research as this rising star in marvel continues to take spotlight after spotlight. Soon to follow are reviews of ALL her appearances, her origin, the psychology and science behind it.
So let's get this party started with an interview with her one of her contributors from X-Men Evolution.
Interview about her inception provided by Sideshow Collectibles.
