When I started playing Marvel Heroes I didn't really get what having a "main" meant. Hell, I didn't get it even after a year. But somehow, unbeknownst to me, Laura became my main. I guess it's a melee thing. Rather than mages who are cool or complex universal heroes like Rogue I always end up with those who are simple to play and have good survivability. At any rate, X-23 is now my girl. The only one who made it past the trial and the only one I took to raids.
So I decided I might as well do my research and read the actual comic books. After all, I even translated 2 of them. The series had 22 issues and looked weirdly contrasting with several artists working on different issues. However, my favourite was definitely Sana Takeda, a Japanese female. It looks very manga-like stylistically. I also found out that the it was written by Marjorie Liu, Marvel's only major female writer. Danni Shinya Luo who made the Issue#1 cover is also female. But anyway, I quite enjoyed them. Sure, the plots were quite lame and crazy, but the main ideas and the relationships, those were really good. I finished the main series and followed Laura to Avengers Academy which I also happened to translate although they were early issues. I guess I might as well finish it even though as many fans say, she's too good for it.
But that's all just details. The thing is, I like Laura. A lot. I identify with her. Which might be creepy since she's a clone designed to be an assasin. And yet... her struggle is not just that of confirming her humanity, it's a journey of self-discovery. Of finding her own path, no matter where it takes her. I like her personality. She's quiet and very rational but she's not exactly withdrawn. She doesn't shy out of human interaction, she just doesn't need much of it. And, most importantly, she is very strong and mature. She has many issues obviously but she's working on them. She makes decisions and takes full responsibility for them. I also like her relationships, especially with Gambit and Wolverine. And the way she shut this brat Helion was epic.
Also I've been rewatching Dark Angel. I wasn't planning to but all the ones I'm watching now are lagging and I don't want to pick Agents of Shield yet since it's just mid-season. Not again. Anyway, once again I feel a little smug about my good taste. The main plot is good, the mini-plots are good, the characters are good and the dialogues are good. The only thing that bugs me a little is Max. (Well, also Logan but he's perfectly realistic as the rich whiny self-indulgent white dude ) Jessica is charming as fuck but that is exactly the problem. Her personality is that of a normal girl who grew up in the suburbs, not someone who spent all of their childhood trained to be a professional assassin. Her super-intellect also looks very off. She looks more like a well-trained spy, like Black Widow, not a soldier. I mean sure, X-23 spent longer in the facility, but still 9 years is very long.
The reason I'm linking these two characters is as follows. X-23 was created in 2003, a year after Dark Angel was closed. I can't help thinking this is not a coincidence. The character origin is strikingly similar though X-23's is much grimer, and their struggle to find their humanity is similar too. But Laura's personality is much more consistent. She's very rational and very interdependent. She doesn't hesitate to kill when needed, very unlike Max. Whether there is a link or not, in my eyes, she's almost like an improved version.