Shatterstar - Sexual Orientation

Sexual Orientation

Although Shatterstar was revealed to have a designated "genetic bond mate," Windsong (whom he never met and is now deceased), in the Mojoverse, he later claimed that even though he was fully capable physically, he had never felt any sexual stirrings or romantic love—indicating a form of asexuality—and has long felt "lacking", even in his native dimension. Since then his emotional state has been fluctuating. While in X-Force he displayed emotion, having developed a close—and somewhat ambiguous—friendship with Rictor. X-Force writer Jeph Loeb hinted that Shatterstar had romantic feelings for Rictor and was planning on making the two a couple, but he left the title before he could make this happen.

Writer Peter David reflects that being the subject of "prolonged exposure to Earth" and around Rictor changed things for the warrior, and he began to develop a real romantic capacity. In X-Factor (volume 3) #45 (August 2009), Shatterstar and Rictor kiss. Shortly after the issue was published, Peter David confirmed Rictor and Shatterstar's bisexuality in his blog and expressed his desire to develop the relationship between Rictor and Shatterstar further.

One of Shatterstar's creators, Rob Liefeld, expressed his disapproval with Shatterstar being non-heterosexual, saying he was meant to be "asexual, and struggling to understand human behavior." Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada defended the development, and stated that if Rob Liefeld wanted it changed, he would have to "take it up with the next editor-in-chief". Similarly, Peter David also defended the storyline, citing the work of other writers after Rob Liefield's tenure on the character, who hinted at the attraction between the two characters. David explained in an interview that he took inspiration from Torchwood character Captain Jack Harkness, whom David describes as "swashbuckling, enthusiastic and sexually curious about anything with a pulse." As such, David's X-Factor sees Shatterstar want to have a sexually open relationship on account of having been (as in Liefeld's stories) sexually and romantically closed off to the world all his life. In the lettercol to issue 232, a fan criticized David for conflating bisexuality with polyamory, to which David responded that Shatterstar is in fact both bisexual and polyamorous.