Longshot (Marvel Comics)

Template:Infobox comics character Longshot is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. Created by writer Ann Nocenti and artist Art Adams, he first appeared in Longshot #1 (September 1985), the first issue of a six-issue miniseries that represents the first major work of both Nocenti and Adams.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The Longshot series established Longshot as an amnesiac fugitive from another dimension who discovers that he has a "good luck" power that protects him from harm when his motives are pure. He also discovers that he was a slave who led a rebellion on his dystopian world against his former master and enemy, Mojo.

The character subsequently becomes a recurring fixture in the various X-Men related books, which see him as a member of the X-Men from 1986 to 1989, a member of Tony Bedard and Chris Claremont's Exiles teams, and a member of the third incarnation of X-Factor from 2008–2013, as well as in his own solo adventures. Later stories establish he is a paradoxical genetically engineered clone of his future son, Shatterstar. Versions of the character have also appeared in the Ultimate Marvel line of books, and television and video games.

Publication history

Whilce Portacio, Ann Nocenti and Arthur Adams at the 2015 East Coast Comicon, during the 30th anniversary year of their collaboration on Longshot. This was the first time they had appeared in public together since publication of that miniseries.

Ann Nocenti wrote the story for the Longshot limited series. After most of Marvel's artists declined to take on the project, it was offered to aspiring artist Arthur Adams, whose samples had been given to editor Carl Potts and Nocenti, his assistant editor, by editor Al Milgrom.<ref name="CBA#17"/>

Explaining the concept of the character, which Nocenti borrowed from existentialist writers, she states, "Longshot is the idea of stripping someone of everything that they are. I never read comics, so the idea of a hero to me was different. I couldn't think of it in terms of a 'super hero' hero. I thought of it more as a conceptual hero. Not having a comic book background, I tend to come up with the metaphysics before I come up with the characters. I knew that I wanted to deal with the metaphysics of luck. It was a concept that interested me...what luck is, what probability is, how you could shift probabilities towards yourself. What are the repercussions of that? So, I did a character centered around that idea." Nocenti describes Longshot's state at the beginning of the miniseries by referring to him as "a clean slate. He has no memories, no past, no name, no nothing...In a sense, what I was trying to do was strip someone down to where he had none of the crutches that we normally have. Memory, in a way, is a crutch, or your name, or what you believe you are. So, Longshot's odyssey begins with some very basic questions: Who is he? Why is he here? Ultimately, he goes on a quest for his past and finds it in search of him."<ref name=MarvelAge>Ringgenberg, Steve (August 1985). Marvel Age #29. p. 13-15.</ref>

A design for the character of Longshot was put forward by Carl Potts, who outfitted the character in a jumpsuit that Adams thought to be reminiscent of the Starfleet uniforms from Star Trek: The Motion Picture.<ref name="CBA#17">Cooke, Jon B. "The Art of Arthur Adams", Reprinted from Comic Book Artist No. 17, 15 November 2001</ref> Nocenti suggested that Longshot look distinct from other superheroes. She prescribed that he be an alien, have only four fingers on each hand, and has an unusual spine, though this last trait was not mentioned in the comics.<ref name=MarvelAge71>"Art Adams interview". "The Mutant Report". Volume 3. Marvel Age #71 (February 1989). Marvel Comics. pp. 12 - 15.</ref> Adams created his own design, and wanting to distinguish the character visually, based his mullet haircut on that of musician Limahl, as no other major Marvel character had such a haircut.<ref name="CBA#17"/> Adams, who disliked the practice of having characters produce weapons and other devices from their boots or secret pockets that had never before been established, decided to include some pouches on the character's belt, a practice that influenced the artwork of the founders of Image Comics.<ref name=ModernMasters>Template:Cite book</ref> Nocenti came up with the idea of having Longshot's left eye glow when he uses his power for noble causes: "I was living in a loft on 26th and Sixth and we had a one-eyed cat. I'd go out at night and I'd see this one eye [glowing in the dark]."<ref name="back29">Template:Cite journal</ref>

Longshot debuted in a six-issue, eponymous 1985–1986 mini-series. The series established the "Mojoverse", an alien dimension whose residents are addicted to televised gladiator-like entertainment and ruled by the tyrannical network head Mojo. Longshot possesses probability-altering or "luck" powers, and is an action star who escapes enslavement by Mojo. With no memory of who he is, he embarks on a series of adventures with the people he encounters, among them Ricochet Rita, who Adams modeled after Nocenti.<ref name="back29"/> A Longshot ongoing series with Nocenti and Adams as the creative team was announced in 1988. According to Nocenti, "every issue is going to throw him into a completely different universe. So one issue, he's going to enter the world of the dead, and one issue he's going to go into a future world where he meets ageing heroes..."<ref name="MAge4">Template:Cite news</ref> However, the series never materialized. Mephisto was to be the central villain;<ref name="MAge4"/> shortly after the series was cancelled, Nocenti began using Mephisto as a major villain in Daredevil.

After the miniseries, Longshot joined the X-Men in Uncanny X-Men Annual #10 in 1986, and remained with them until Uncanny X-Men #248 (September 1989). He subsequently made occasional appearances in various Marvel books, such as Exiles, the 1997 one-shot Fools, and X-Factor (vol. 3), a book whose cast he joined in issue #35 (November 2008). He remained a part of that cast until that book's cancellation in 2013.

In November 2013, Marvel premiered Longshot Saves the Marvel Universe, a four-issue miniseries written by Christopher Hastings and illustrated by Jacopo Camagni.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Fictional character biography

Origins

Longshot is an artificially created humanoid life-form, with the ability to defy probability. He is from an alternate dimension known as "Mojoworld" or the "Mojoverse". He is one of many slaves created by genetic engineers in the employ of Mojoworld's masters, the grossly obese, virtually immobile Spineless Ones, who are ruled by the media-obsessed delusional maniac Mojo. The head geneticist, Arize, gave Longshot and his other creations (such as the ram-headed Quark) free will and a conscience, hoping that one day they would rise up against their masters. Longshot and many of his fellow slaves rebel against the slave-masters. They undergo a mystical ritual that gives them the power to create good luck for themselves. Despite this power, their masters win the war due to their superior weaponry and the limits of the slaves' luck. Longshot is rendered amnesiac by the Spineless Ones, but he manages to flee from Mojoworld to Earth. A number of Mojo's servants, led by the hound-like Gog and Magog, pursue him, but are stuck between Longshot's world and Earth. Unable to remember his real name, Longshot becomes an adventurer, taking his name after several humans call him Longshot due to his incredible good luck. While recovering, Longshot befriends the human stunt-woman named Ricochet Rita and works as a movie stuntman himself. He also adopts the docile Magog, who he renames "Pup". Finally, Mojo and his assistant Spiral follow Longshot to Earth. Longshot battles Spiral and defeats Mojo with the aid of Ricochet Rita, Quark, and Doctor Strange, who then send Mojo and his minions back to the Mojoverse. Longshot, Quark, and Rita return to the Mojoverse to free the other slaves where they form the Freeman branch.<ref name=Longshot22>Template:Cite comic</ref>

Member of the X-Men

After an unsuccessful rebellion, a once-again amnesiac Longshot is sent back to Earth by Mojo, where he joins the X-Men.<ref>Claremont, Chris (w), Adams, Arthur (p). Uncanny X-Men Annual #10. Marvel Comics.</ref> With the X-Men, he battles the Juggernaut and the Marauders.<ref>Claremont, Chris (w), Silvestri, Marc (p). Uncanny X-Men #218. Marvel Comics.</ref><ref>Uncanny X-Men #221–222. Marvel Comics.</ref> Longshot dies with the rest of the X-Men while defeating the Adversary, but is resurrected by Roma soon afterward.<ref>Uncanny X-Men #225–227. Marvel Comics.</ref> Longshot and the X-Men fight the Reavers in Australia for the first time.<ref>Claremont, Chris (w), Silvestri, Marc (p). Uncanny X-Men #229. Marvel Comics.</ref> He battles the Brood.<ref>Claremont, Chris (w), Silvestri, Marc (p), Green, Dan (i). Uncanny X-Men #232–234. Marvel Comics.</ref> With the X-Men, he rescues his captured teammates from the island nation of Genosha, which uses mutants as a slave caste.<ref>Claremont, Chris (w), Silvestri, Marc (p), Green, Dan (i). Uncanny X-Men #238. Marvel Comics.</ref> He soon becomes Dazzler's lover.<ref>Claremont, Chris (w), Silvestri, Marc (p), Green, Dan (i). Uncanny X-Men #242. Marvel Comics.</ref> However, he suffers a severe identity crisis, and eventually leaves the X-Men.<ref>Claremont, Chris (w), Lee, Jim (p), Green, Dan (i). Uncanny X-Men #248. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Before long, Longshot is reunited with Dazzler, and is teleported with her to Mojoworld. For a short time, they live in Mojoworld, until they are captured by Mojo.<ref>Lee, Jim; Lobdell, Scott; Byrne, John (w), Lee, Jim (p), Various (i). X-Men Vol. 2 #5–7. Marvel Comics.</ref> They, with the X-Men and Mojo's temporary successor, "Mojo II: The Sequel", lead a revolt against Mojo. Longshot and Dazzler also learn that Dazzler is pregnant with their child, who was hinted to be Shatterstar, the member of X-Force.<ref>Lee, Jim; Lobdell, Scott; (w), Lee, Jim (p), Various (i). X-Men Vol. 2 #10–11. Marvel Comics.</ref> The pair also care for the X-Babies, a group of Mojo-manufactured child clones of the X-Men. One of the many X-Babies created is a young version of Longshot.<ref>Template:Cite comic</ref> Dazzler's pregnancy was initially suggested to have resulted in a miscarriage.<ref>Lobdell, Scott (w), Kubert, Andy Delperdang, Jesse; Smith, Cam (p), (i). X-Men vol. 2 #47. "Big Trouble in Little Italy!" Marvel Comics.</ref> The outcome of Dazzler's pregnancy was resolved many years later in the storyline "The End of X-Factor". Dazzler returned to Earth separately from Longshot suffering from memory loss, believing that Longshot, the X-Babies, and everyone in the rebellion had been killed by Mojo and his followers.Template:Volume needed

Longshot: Fools

After being "killed" by the Thingy and denied entrance into Heaven, Longshot realizes he has lost his innocence, the main source of his luck power. Ejected from Heaven and the Mojoverse, Longshot is stranded between Baum and Barrie, Kansas, pursued by the vengeful Thingy. When a child who has befriended the broken hero is damaged by the monster, Longshot, helped by a group of mental patients, rediscovers his faith in himself and his own purity despite the suffering of his wife to restore her to health. In the end, the unlikely group sets out for the big city, searching for adventure, secure in their luck and their innocence.<ref>Longshot: Fools. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Exiles

Again suffering from memory loss, Longshot is recruited for the Exiles by Heather Hudson to help against Proteus. Mojo claims that he and all the other inhabitants of Mojoworld are "unique" in that there is no parallel counterpart to his realm.<ref>Exiles #18-19. Marvel Comics.</ref> This would extend to Longshot, though his status as a unique entity does not affect his membership in the Exiles. Morph reveals that Longshot's abilities cancel Proteus' reality warping powers, making him a perfect candidate for the team. He is brought aboard to replace the dead Mimic. Longshot saves Blink from Proteus in 2099, and saves Blink, Morph, Sabretooth, Star Brand, Lenore Fenzl, and Nightmask from Proteus in the New Universe Approximation. When the Exiles visit the future, Longshot tries to stop Maestro's rampage and stop Proteus from taking over Maestro's body. The Exiles finally corner Proteus at the Heroes Reborn world, and trap Proteus in Morph's body. With the hunt for Proteus at an end, Longshot remains an Exile to continue fixing damaged realities. During their last mission, Longshot is seemingly brainwashed into attacking Blink by Madame Hydra and the Hand. Afterwards, Longshot leaves the Exiles during a mission on Earth-616 where he is re-introduced to Dazzler, whom he has no memory of their time together in Mojoworld.<ref>X-Men: Die by the Sword. Marvel Comics.</ref>

X-Factor

After failing to rekindle his relationship with Dazzler due to the loss of his memories, Longshot shows up in Detroit after reading an article about his supposed appearance there during the events of "Secret Invasion", thanks to a Skrull impostor. After a small fight with Strong Guy, he helps X-Factor find out what happened to Darwin and his father, leading them to the Karma Project. During that time, he is seen commenting that women are too friendly towards him, and reveals that his memory losses are so severe that he no longer understands his powers.<ref name="X-FactorV3#35">David, Peter. X-Factor (vol. 3) #35 (November 2008), Marvel Comics.</ref>

In X-Factor #47, it is once more hinted that Longshot and Shatterstar are related.<ref>David, Peter. X-Factor (vol. 3) #47 (October 2009). Marvel Comics.</ref> It is not until a one-shot issue during the final X-Factor story arc, "The End of X-Factor", that their connection is explained. After Rictor and Shatterstar are transported into Mojoworld's past, they and the audience learn that Shatterstar is the only Mojoworld rebel who was not created by Arize the Creator, as he in fact mysteriously appeared from the sky one day. Arize used Shatterstar's genetic material to create Longshot, making Shatterstar the father of Longshot genetically. Mojo later attacks Arize's sanctuary, so Shatterstar time-teleports himself and Rictor to a time in Mojoworld's history when Dazzler and Longshot are married and fighting a war against Mojo. Dazzler, pregnant with Longshot's child, goes into labor, and gives birth to a young Shatterstar, who Shatterstar explains to Rictor he will deliver to the future of Mojoworld to be raised by the people that raised him, but not before he erases Dazzler and Longshot's memories of their having a child.<ref>David, Peter. X-Factor #259 (July 2013). Marvel Comics.</ref>

During the "Age of Revelation" storyline, Mojo was displeased with the titular storyline being behind the cancellation of some shows. In need of a new show, Major Domo called Longshot's agent Spiral if Longshot will star in a new Mojoverse show. Spiral tells Major Domo that Longshot will only take the offer if he has a pay increase. This leads to Mojo, Major Domo, and the X-Babies creating a new show called Longshots with the Age of Revelation versions of Bishop, Hellcat, Kraven the Hunter, Rhino, and Wonder Man. Mojo was unaware that Longshot and Spiral were in the audience.<ref>Longshots #1 (October 2025). Marvel Comics.</ref> With Longshot displeased that Longshots is a hit, Spiral tells him that they will have to wait for the Longshots to screw up or guide them into the right direction. After Hellcat and Wonder Man were the only survivors in fighting the Technarchy to get into a power plant and find a Celestial inside, Mojo has Major Domo call up Spiral to tell her that they will accept Longhorn's pay increase.<ref>Longshots #2 (November 2025). Marvel Comics.</ref>

Powers and abilities

Longshot was created through genetic engineering by Arize. Longshot has hollow bones and each of his hands has three fingers with an opposable thumb. His skin is like leather,<ref name=Longshot2>Template:Cite comic</ref> and he has two hearts.<ref name=Longshot1>Template:Cite comic</ref> He is acrobatic at a superhuman level (including his speed, agility, dexterity, flexibility, reflexes/reactions, coordination, and balance), being able to evade blows by Spider-Man.<ref name=Longshot4>Template:Cite comic</ref><ref>Claremont, Chris (w), Bogdanove, Jon (p), Austin, Terry (i). "Are You Sure?!" Fantastic Four vs. The X-Men #1 (February 1987), Marvel Comics.</ref> He also has advanced healing abilities. In Longshot #3, these abilities automatically healed him following several hits with high-powered laser beams and falling out of the sky and impacting a barn when his jetpack malfunctioned.<ref name=Longshot2/><ref name="Longshot3">Template:Cite comic</ref>

Ann Nocenti, who co-created Longshot, says of his primary superhuman trait, "Longshot has access to probabilities and luck. He's lucky, he's miraculous in a way...he was born with this talent to have access to being lucky, and the problem is that he finds out that there's a flip side to luck. There are repercussions. If you pull probabilities towards yourself, you're probably taking them away from other people, so it's actually something that he shouldn't even be doing."<ref name=MarvelAge/> His genetic engineering was augmented using magic to give him superhuman abilities including the ability to alter probability fields using psionic means to bolster his activities with "good luck", meaning extremely unlikely events happen in his favor. This power operates even without Longshot consciously willing it, and is tied into the positive aspects of his personality: should he attempt to use his powers for a selfish or evil act, or should lose hope, his powers will fail to function or even backfire, giving him bad luck.<ref name=Longshot2/> Echoing Nocenti's words on the adverse side effects of his powers, Longshot's luck is fickle by nature, and can backfire when he overuses it, causing an equal and opposite effect of "bad luck" which can affect himself or others.<ref name=Longshot5>Template:Cite comic</ref><ref name=Longshot6>Template:Cite comic</ref>

Longshot is able to read "psychic imprints" when people leave them on objects they handle, allowing him to read the thoughts that individual experienced while in contact with the object, which is a phenomenon called psychometry.<ref name=Longshot1/> He is also able to read a person's future in this manner.<ref name=Longshot5/> Longshot is also able to telepathically "read" recent memories of people through physical contact with them.<ref name=Longshot3/> Nocenti elaborates on the psychometry thus: "If you picked up a hammer and used it to bang nails every day and Longshot went to read it, he may not read much of it, but if it was used to kill somebody, that would leave a bigger psychic imprint, even if somebody held an object and cried over it, he would feel that too. If someone's emotional or intense enough around an object, they'll imprint it stronger, so he can read that."<ref name=MarvelAge/>

A recurring aspect of stories he appeared in was the strong, spontaneous attraction that women exhibited to him, a trait with which he was genetically engineered.<ref name="X-FactorV3#35"/>

Equipment

Longshot carries several small, cleaver-like blades that he stores in a bandolier, which he can throw with superhuman accuracy or just using his luck powers in some cases. He is highly skilled in using other types of weaponry that are bladed. During his X-Men years, Longshot also carried a folding grappling hook and rope either carried looped around one shoulder or stored in his shoulder bag, and a set of throwing spikes which produced net-like wires between them to restrain a target.

Longshot is proficient in the use of jetpacks for flight, the use of handheld directed-energy weapons,<ref name=Longshot2/> and hang gliders.<ref name=Longshot6/>

Reception

In 2014, Darren Franich of Entertainment Weekly ranked Longshot 31st in his "Let's rank every X-Man ever" list. Franich praised the concept of Longshot, comparing the Mojoverse to Running Man and Mad Max; however, he believed that Longshot became less interesting as a character after joining the X-Men.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Other versions

"Shattershot"

In the alternate reality future seen at the end of the 1992 "Shattershot" storyline (which ran through the 1992 annuals of the X-Men-related titles), a mysterious hooded figure appears in the background when the former slaves and the Spineless Ones finally make peace, and observes the events of the story. At the end of the story, this individual is revealed to be an older version of Longshot.<ref>X-Force Annual #1 (May 1992)</ref>

Ultimate Marvel

An alternate universe version of Longshot from Earth-1610 appears in the Ultimate Marvel imprint. This version is a mutant named Arthur Centino and a resident of Genosha. Centino is accused of murdering Lord Joseph Scheele, a Genoshan politician; as punishment, he is sentenced to forced participation in a reality show on Krakoa where he will be hunted for sport. The show is run by Mojo Adams and Longshot's latest opponent is Arcade. The X-Men journey to the island Longshot is on, assuming he is innocent and was framed and thus offer to help him. During the course of their time together, Longshot spends time charming Colossus.<ref>Ultimate X-Men #56. Marvel Comics.</ref>

It is later discovered that Longshot is guilty. He had stumbled upon his girlfriend Spiral with Scheele and killed him in a fit of rage. Later, Longshot is in the Savage Land foraging for food when he runs into the Ultimates' Scarlet Witch, who captures him and has him imprisoned in their Triskelion base. Longshot later successfully escapes from the Triskelion. During the escape, he seemingly kills Lady Deathstrike, saving the lives of two of the X-Men who had freed him before. One of the others who escaped is Magneto, who admits that he had tipped the authorities onto Longshot's location in the first place, as part of Magneto's own escape plan; Magneto wanted Longshot and his luck power present as an "edge" to guarantee success as a member of the Brotherhood of Mutant Supremacy.<ref>Ultimate X-Men #62-65. Marvel Comics.</ref>

When Longshot is last seen, the death of Charles Xavier is announced, the news reaches "Somewhere Else," apparently Magneto's latest stronghold. Longshot is seen, still bearded from his time on the run, seated at Magneto's right hand side, suggesting that he holds special favor with him.<ref>Ultimate X-Men #79. Marvel Comics.</ref>

During the Ultimatum storyline, it is revealed that Longshot was killed under orders from Magneto.<ref>Loeb, Jeph. Ultimatum #3. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Ultimate Universe

An alternate universe version of Longshot from Earth-6160 makes a minor appearance in Ultimate Spider-Man: Incursion as a prisoner of Emmanuel da Costa.<ref>Ultimate Spider-Man: Incursion #4. Marvel Comics.</ref>

In other media

Television

Longshot appears in X-Men: The Animated Series, voiced by Rod Wilson.<ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref>

Video games

• Longshot appears as a playable character in Marvel: Contest of Champions.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Longshot appears as a playable character in Marvel Strike Force.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Collected editions

Title	Material collected	Published date	ISBN
X-Men: Longshot	Longshot #1-6	November 2008	Template:ISBNT
Longshot Saves the Marvel Universe	Longshot Saves The Marvel Universe #1-4	June 2014	Template:ISBNT

External links

• Template:Marvelwiki
• Template:Marvelwiki
• Template:Comicbookdb
• UncannyXmen.net Spotlight on Longshot
• Template:Gcdb