15 Reasons Storm Deserves Her Own Franchise

You've probably been obsessed with her since X-Men the Animated series. You thought Halle Berry was cool as her until she dropped that "what happens to a frog struck by lightning" line. Hell, you probably have a white wig and call yourself Storm when you wear it. We've all been there. We love her. Now let's get her a franchise already!

15 Reasons Storm Deserves Her Own Franchise

Marvel Comics

When Fox Studio’s began releasing X-Men movies in 2001, fans new and old couldn’t get enough of the iconic team of super-powered outcasts. From Wolverine’s unbreakable adamantium claws to Professor Xavier’s mind-bending telepathy, the series offered a little something for everyone. The franchise had gained enough popularity to fill Fox with enough ego to last for over a decade. So despite multiple box-office blunders under their belt (ahem, X-Men: The Last Stand and Wolverine: Origins), they muscled through to produce several solo-character films. Of which, Deadpool has seen the most success and has reinvigorated Fox’s error-prone X-Men efforts. So they’re not even close to done. This March, Fox is releasing The Last of Us: The Movie, err, I mean Logan. Sorry Fox, had to go there. But despite Fox’s many missteps, fans are still excited to see Joel – ugh, Logan! – on the big screen this Spring!

Audiences have seen plenty of Wolverine, but what about our ebony goddess from the urban cities of Africa? She’s the only character in the X-Men series who is actually a literal Queen. And I’m not talking Beyoncé (though I’m convinced Queen-B is X-Men’s Dazzler in disguise). I’m talking about Storm: the first black female superhero to ever grace a comic book’s page. And I’m talking about her on-again-off-again romantic stints with Black Panther and Wolverine. I’m talking about our own weather-controlling, cool-headed, occasional mohawk-rocking Storm. She’s kick-ass ladies, gentlemen, and everyone in between. And we’ve barely gotten a glimpse at her. So here’s my list of 15 Reasons Storm Deserves Her Own (movie) Franchise.

1. She's the first black female superhero

Marvel Comics

Yes, Storm made headlines and history, as our very first black female superhero who also happened to be a major role in a series! She’s a kickass black woman, who shatters stereotypes and she’s one of the must trusted advisors and closest friends to Charles Xavier. Considering that just recently people are starting to realize that black super heroes exist, (Luke Cage and Black Panther ring a bell?), it’s high time we move straight onto a black, FEMALE, hero. Wonder Woman blew critics and the patriarchy out the window, so let's keep hitting them where it hurts! In their wallets!

From a financing point of view, Storm opens up a huge market that production companies are skipping right over. Black people. Seriously. If there was a Storm graphic tee or dress, I’d drop my laptop like a hot potato and hop on my tablet and buy that gear immediately. She’d rake in millions of extra viewers and give a voice to a community that’s overlooked in the fantasy, super hero, and action hero genre.

2. Her Origin Story is Badass!

Marvel Comics

If people loved DisHonored and Assassins Creed, they’ll get a kick out of Ororo (that’s her real name) Monroe’s backstory. She, like most superheroes, was born in New York, except her mom was a Kenyan Mutant Princess. Stay with me it gets cooler. Then, as a baby, her family moved to Cairo, Egypt and were then – you guessed it – killed by a rogue jet that destroyed their home. Ororo was caught under the rubble (developed claustrophobia), survived, and like a gangster, adapted to street life and became a sick thief.

After she gets bored of this, she wanders into the Serengeti, meets young T’Challa (Black Panther) and a Witch Priestess who trains her in her mutant abilities. All while she’s a teenager! Eventually at one point she runs into Professor X while trying to pickpocket him, but let’s not worry about that. Let’s focus on the fact that Storm is a badass mutant rogue who was trained by an African Witch Priestess. Are you still with me? Good. Because it only gets better from here.

3. Think of the Cameos

Marvel Comics

There are so many mutants in the X-Men universe you can’t even count them all. Literally try. As soon as you hit fifteen, Marvel comes up with a new character that you fall in love with and have to add to your list of mutants that you really care about (and then they kill them!). Sorry...Anyway, my point is, there’s an endless amount of possibilities of characters who could make cameos and characters you can throw in to be her sidekick.

If most of Storm’s story takes place in Africa and the Middle East, we can already count in Dust, our awesome Afghanistan hero of sand storms who stays true to her people’s beliefs. Dust is first introduced when she’s attacked by slave traders, and I can already see Queen Storm having none of that happening in her territory, so a team-up would be awesome. Then we’ve got another African Mutant, Maggot, who has two crazy huge slugs that live inside his body and dissolve things—it’s a little gross, I’d maybe get rid of that but keep his second power. He can see imprints of the past in any area he comes into. That could truly come in handy for a take charge woman like Storm who doesn't wait around to be told what to do next.

4. Storm already has an awesome season 1 (or 1st movie) Villain

Nickelodeon Animation/Marvel Studios

The Shadow King may not be well known to fans who haven’t read the comics or didn't watch the animated series. To those who do know about him, he’s definitely bad news bears. The Shadow King is an ancient spirit that chooses to possess the bodies of powerful psychics. He can posses anyone he wants, but chooses them because of their strength and power. And of course, it would take an extremely powerful psychic to dispel him. Cue Professor X making his way to Africa once he hears about this guy running a gang in Cairo.

In one of my favorite episodes of Nickelodeon’s "Wolverine and the X-Men" (RIP), we see a flashback of when Ororo was living in Cairo as a thief and working for the Shadow King. At one point, Professor X banishes him from his current host but he possesses Storm, makes her see Cairo burning to the ground and she tries to flood it in the hopes of putting out the fake fire. Storm over came this (because duh) and then he was banished to Astral Plane of Existence. And if you're as big of an X-Men as I am, then you also know that a certain blue skinned (sometimes furred) demon looking, kickass swordsman by the name of Nightcrawler, also happens to briefly visit the astral plane when he teleports!

If that isn’t great motivation for the return of an evil doer in Season 2, I don’t know what is!

5. The Audience

HeirofGlee (youtube) / Via youtube.com

I can’t emphasize enough…as a black woman…how much I would like to see a black female superhero on the screen. Storm has been my idol since I was a wee tot of five years. It’s hard out here for a black nerdy girl. I’m two contradictions. A black nerd and a nerdy girl! We don’t get much representation. I mean, thanks Disney for Tiana and Doc McStuffins, but help a sistah out and give me just this one thing!

Black men have Black Panther and Luke Cage who have made their way—finally to the big screen. Don’t get me wrong, I love those guys. Represent, black power, BLM, all that jazz. But I’d like to have a black woman on the screen who isn’t a lawyer or super successful business woman. Props to breaking stereotypes but my kinda woman is breaking walls, literal walls, with the earthquakes she creates and the lightning she calls down to strike fear into her enemies. There’s an untapped market in black women who also enjoy fantasy and science fiction.

6. Casting

Harper's Bazaar Staff / Via harpersbazaar.com

There are hundreds of young women out there who would die to play Storm. Even better, dark-skinned, actual African women who could play her. I mean hello! Lupita Nyong’o and Danai Gurira are my top two choices to play this beautiful woman. Or literally any of the amazing women in the Black Panther movie cast. Gugu Mbatha Raw is also another excellent actress I'd like to see play Storm.

It would also help instill confidence in young dark-skinned girls as well. All I had was Storm’s cartoon character and Halle Berry, who really didn’t look a thing like Storm. As studies have shown us, television really does leave an impression on kids, especially with how they see their bodies. Slap a beautiful, chocolate, Queen on the screen and we’d be making progress in the right direction.

7. Romance!

Fox Entertainment

Now, just because I’m a nerdy girl, doesn’t mean I don’t like my fair share of romance. I wouldn’t say I love romance movies, but if there’s a plot in an action series or horror movie, you bet your ass I’ll be rooting for my OTP. And my OTP is Storm/Wolverine. Storverine? Worm? Whatever that ship name may be, it’s a well known fact that Storm is constantly at odds with her love for Wolverine and for that oh-so-charming Panther Prince of Africa.

It would give me life to see episodes of Wolverine and Storm working together. But even more life to see her dedication to Wakanda and to T’Challa coming into conflict with her contract with the X-Men. Not that Storm needs romance to make her story fantastic. It would just be an added bonus to watch her make a King and an Immortal man lay down at her feet.

8. Wonder Storm

DC Comics/Marvel Comics

This one is just for fun because I honestly doubt that DC would partner with Marvel studios to reboot an amazing storyline from 1996. What I’m talking about is Ororo of Themyscira, the DC/Marvel crossover event called Amalgam which featured several of both series’ top characters joining sides with or living in the other comic book universe.

These characters included “Dark Claw” where Wolverine is Batman, Dr. Strangefate, which was DC’s Doctor Fate with Marvel’s Doctor Strange and Professor X combined, and last but not least Spider-Boy, which was Superboy and Spider-Man put together.

Though all storylines were fantastically written and just plain fun to read, the one that stuck out the most was Wonder Storm, a term I coined while fan-girling over the discovery a few years ago. Just think about how cool it would be to see Ororo’s backstory end with her being raised by the Amazons. It’d make for a fun “What if” episode, but as I said before, quite unlikely seeing as DC and Marvel are now frenemies with benefits.

9. Creative Talent

Hollywood Reporter

Once again, we go back to my biggest reason to give Storm her own franchise. Black people. As a writer of color, I want there to be POC in space and in the future like in Mass Effect. I want POC to have main roles in fantasy series without being called, “tribal”. Also to survive horror movies. I mean…where my black vampires at?

The only way to get to where we need to be is to start employing more people of color in the industry. The only people who can truly know how it feels to be a particular race, are people of that race. Cue talented black directors and writers like Ava DuVernay and Shonda Rhimes. We need to start making “up and coming black writers” a common thing. We shouldn’t be surprised when the next big show or film is controversial because it was created for and by people of color. Race is a huge issue in Hollywood and in literature, and we always think it’s shocking and relevant and new when someone with a shade darker than frosted snow steps onto the scene and declares themselves the hero! Let the people write!

10. Social Issues

Marvel Comics

Thanks for staying with me this far everyone!

While I’m still on my soap box, let’s talk about something else that may come off as controversial. Not all black people are from the ghetto. I know, I know, you’re shocked! I was raised in Washington State which is basically one giant suburb with lots of well maintained trees. Storm clearly doesn’t live in the slums (anymore) but that was also a very important part of her story. You’re always told don’t forget your roots, and it would be quite a sight to see a successful black character in something other than drugs or scandals (no shade Kerry Washington, you still my girl).

Storm’s life with Professor Xavier is never questioned. Because it’s normal. In the world of X-Men, skin tone isn’t what defines these people, it’s their powers. Yes, mutation is an allegory for racism and homophobia—which is beautiful because we need to talk about these things openly. What’s better is that all these characters are suffering together, not because of pigmented shades, but because of a different DNA strand. If there was ever a chance to shove as much metaphors and allegories down a viewer’s throat, it would be through the eyes of a female mutant who made something of herself. Storm was an orphan turned thief, turned witch, turned Queen, turned mutant, turned Upstate New York head of a school for gifted children. That’s one hell of a story.

11. Revamp her solo comic career

Marvel Comics

Marvel hasn’t had a problem selling Storm via comics or film, but a TV series could literally flood their business with new revenue. They’d get a new, updated way of telling her story without her having to share it with Wolverine or Professor X via flashbacks. Alongside the show we could have web comics, games, a feature film, and so much more. I’d kill for a complete volume of Storm’s origins. No joke, I would fight someone to get into the book store to get it. But honestly I hate leaving the house so I’d pre-order it on Amazon or through Marvel’s site. But back to the issue which is Marvel would have a magic popularity button and get so much money.

12. Merchandise!

Hot Topic/Her Universe

Speaking of money—I could go on and on about what type of merchandise would sell like hotcakes, but I’ll only rant about a few.

First, dresses. Hottopic has been killing it lately with HerUniverse as far as geeky girl clothes go. Their Doctor Who, Star Wars, Studio Ghibli, and Marvel dresses are to die for. I have quite a collection of them in my closet and wear them proudly. I can only imagine the cool African-inspired clothing that would come from a Storm series. Not to mention there’d be so many women wearing her iconic white dress from the 90s animated series—or a sexy leather version with that badass tiara we all know.

Next would come posters which is every nerds favorite thing to decorate their homestead with. A vinyl, glass, or wood printed poster of Storm in mass stock would be a good investment for Marvel. We nerds spend too much money on collectibles, posters, and blu-ray combo packs. There are Wolverine busts that sell for $400 and higher. Power and bankruptcy to the geeks! The nerds shall inherit eBay. Nothing boosts sales like relevancy and Storm’s series would break the internet.

13. She is literally one of the most powerful mutants in the Universe

Marvel Comics

Storm is an Omega classified mutant. For those who don’t know what that is, it basically means that Storm is so powerful she can destroy the Earth. She has unlimited capabilities as far as her powers go but her only limitation is her mortal body. Now, I don’t know about you, but that in itself is cause for a great season finale to see Storm lose her calm, cool, demeanor and go apocalyptic on everyone.

This could have a great many potential plot points that would lead up to this development of Storm. She’s always come off as the advisor to the X-Men. She’s good at calming Wolverine down and getting him focused. She’s helped Charles and Cyclops make many big decisions. But we haven’t gotten enough of her having enough. Storm is just like everyone else, she’s just better at hiding it. This series could really delve into her psyche to dig deep and root up the issues she never really talks about. Like her parents’ death and her brief possession by the Shadow King. That has to be cause for some PTSD and much needed therapy.

When a good guy goes bad, ratings go up!

14. She's a freaking Queen!

Marvel Comics

Storm’s story has so many amazing arcs and one I would focus on the most in the later seasons would be Storm becoming the Queen of Wakanda. Why you may ask? Because it’ll trigger that oh so cliché love triangle that fan-girls love so much.

Wolverine would feel conflicted about his feelings for her and go and do his moping, IDGAF attitude. Meanwhile, Storm would quickly get bored of staying in and ruling over people because that’s just not her thing. T’Challa is a great character who cares deeply about his Kingdom and feels more passionate about being a diplomat and protecting his land. Storm is like a shark, if she stops moving, she’ll die. Sooner or later she’ll rebel against the norm and will want to get back into action.

That isn’t to say she’ll drop the Queen act. Oh no, in the comics, Storm has made it very clear on many occasions that she is both a Queen and an X-Man, and she’ll keep it that way. Let the drama roll...

15. Historic Significance

Marvel Comics

Last, but certainly not least, Storm’s significance to history. Storm arrived in 1975 during the height of the Black Panther movement. She was created at the same time as the great Blaxploitation film scene in the 1970s. Storm fought the battle on the pages at the same time that Pam Grier, who was one of the first African American action heroines, was fighting crime on the big screen.

Storm paved the way for other successful female heroes of color. She gives young women confidence and a fictional character to look up to. If Michelle Obama were an actress, I’d recommend her to play the role. This could be the show of a lifetime that could change how women of color are seen in fiction. She’s already there. Let’s use her.