Shatterstar (Gaveedra-Seven; Earth name: Benjamin Russell) is a mutant superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Fabian Nicieza and artist Rob Liefeld, the character first appeared in The New Mutants #99 (March 1991), after which he became a member of the superhero team X-Force. He later became an employee of X-Factor Investigations, a private detective firm starring in the series X-Factor.
Shatterstar is an unusual character among Marvel's mutant superheroes in X-Men books in that, although a human mutant, he was raised in an alternate dimension known as Mojoworld with no knowledge of his origins. When he arrives on Earth he has little understanding of Earth relationships, customs, and culture. At the time of his introduction, he largely conformed to 1990s comics trends: an emotionally closed off, brutal, macho warrior. Subsequent writers, such as Jeph Loeb, later attempted to show the character's adjustment to human norms and his development of close friendships on Earth, and in particular with his teammate Rictor. An early mystery about the character concerned his similarities to the mutant hero Longshot, which was later resolved in a 2010s storyline that explained Shatterstar is the son of Longshot and Dazzler, sent a century back in time by his future self. Paradoxically, his DNA was then used to create Longshot.
Since 2007, the character has been portrayed as an outgoing queer superhero in an on-off relationship with his superhero colleague Rictor and in 2009, shared the first same-sex kiss in a mainstream Marvel Comics publication. One of his creators, Liefeld, criticized the development, having previously depicted the character as asexual. His other creator, Nicieza, stated his intention was to use Shatterstar as a blank slate to explore sexual identity. X-Factor writer Peter David introduced the romantic pairing with Rictor, building off of fan desire to see the characters together in a gay relationship. The character has since been prominently featured by Marvel as an example of LGBTQIA representation, portrayed by writers as a "swashbuckling, enthusiastic" figure, in contrast to his earlier stern and taciturn appearances.
Shatterstar, also known as Rusty, appears in Deadpool 2 (2018) and the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), portrayed by Lewis Tan.
Creation Liefeld spoke on the character's creation: "I went into my files and found the original source of my inspiration for SHATTERSTAR. original sketch for Longshot had the white costume and the Eye Tattoo - Art Adams played with a version of this himself back in 1984. Knowing that Shatterstar was from Longshot’s reality, I fashioned this first look after the original un-used design, albeit with longer hair. This is why you listen to the experts, not wannabe revisionists."
Publication history
Shatterstar first appeared in The New Mutants #99 (March 1991), and was created by Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld. He also appeared on a pin-up bonus cover in The New Mutants Annual #6 (July 1990) as part of a 'Vision to Come', predating his appearance in The New Mutants #99.
Since his debut, Shatterstar has mainly appeared in the original X-Force title, with some issues devoted solely to him. In 2005, the character was featured in his own limited series, X-Force: Shatterstar. Shatterstar became a member of X-Factor in X-Factor #45 (August 2009).
Shatterstar also starred in a self-titled five-issue miniseries in 2018.
Fictional character biography Shatterstar is an artificial human from Mojo's planet Mojoworld a century in the future who was genetically engineered to serve as a gladiator. Eventually, he escaped and joined the Cadre Alliance, the rebel group that sought to overthrow Mojo's dictatorship. From there, he learned the Cadre's language and began taking part in missions.
On one of these missions, Arize sends Shatterstar back in time to Earth to find the X-Men and get their assistance in defeating and overthrowing Mojo. However, he does not find the X-Men. Shatterstar was either teleported or traveled back in time to Earth at the point just before Cable reorganized the New Mutants into X-Force. At first, he battles Cable, Domino, and the New Mutants, but after they talked with him, the group aids him against the Imperial Protectorate. With Cable's assurance that they would help him defeat Mojo (though with the use of time travel it was not urgent that they leave anytime soon), Shatterstar becomes a founding member of the new team, X-Force.New Mutants #99-100 (March - April 1991)
Later Shatterstar discovers, to his bewilderment, that he possesses the memories of the human Benjamin Russell.X-Force #56 (July 1996) Soon afterwards, Mojo imprisons Cable and Shatterstar and transforms them into digital images for one of his television programs. In the course of the show, Shatterstar is mortally wounded in combat. Spiral teleports Cable and Shatterstar back into reality, where they regain their true forms. Spiral brings Cable, Shatterstar, Longshot, and Siryn to the Weisman Institute for the Criminally Insane in Rutland, Vermont. There, Spiral directs them to the bedside of one of its patients, a mutant named Benjamin Russell who has been in a coma since his powers had emerged and appears identical to Shatterstar. Longshot transfers Shatterstar's soul into Russell's body, causing it to take on his appearance. Restored to peak health and full consciousness and feeling "whole" for the first time in his life, Shatterstar resumes his work as a member of X-Force.X-Force #61 (December 1996)
Dazzler reveals that she is pregnant with Longshot's child and Longshot suggests the name "Shatterstar" for the unborn child.X-Men (vol. 2) #11 (August 1992) Longshot and Dazzler return to Mojoworld to free Longshot's people, and Dazzler later appears without Longshot and without a child. It was speculated that Dazzler miscarried,X-Men (vol. 2) #47 (December 1995) though it was not established until a 2013 comic by Peter David what became of the infant. The child's future self, Shatterstar, wiped his parents' memories of his birth and arranged for him to be transported to the future.X-Factor #259 (September 2013)
Shatterstar is later seen in Madripoor, earning his money by fighting in arenas. He is sought out by Spiral, who has one of her agents make Shatterstar believe she wants to kill him.X-Force: Shatterstar #1-4 (April - July 2005) However, Spiral had previously admitted, in an emotional confession to Cable, when he demanded that she reveal all that she knew about the answers behind the mysteries of Shatterstar's origin immediately after Shatterstar and Benjamin Russell had been merged, that both young men "meant more than life itself to her" before teleporting away. With a fake quest, Spiral lures Shatterstar to an alternate universe that she had conquered, killing its version of Shatterstar and many other heroes. Upon returning to the mainstream Earth, Shatterstar is contacted by Cable and requested to join him on a mission to defeat the Skornn.X-Force (vol. 2) #1-6 (October 2004 - March 2005) Shatterstar agrees, but Cable wants him to train with the monks on Mount Xixabangma first. After the monks are killed by Skornn's worshipers, Shatterstar is reunited with his old team, who eventually kill the Skornn.
Following M-Day and the passing of the Superhuman Registration Act, Shatterstar works with Domino and Caliban to break The 198 out of the encampment set up for mutants on the grounds of the Xavier Institute. They take the escapees to a secret base provided to them by Captain America via Nick Fury. While fighting forces of the Office of National Emergency, Shatterstar nearly kills Micromax, claiming that while there is no such thing as murder during war, he had only meant to disable him.Civil War: X-Men #1 - 4 (September - December 2006)
X-Factor In a 2009 X-Factor story, Shatterstar, whose mind is being controlled by the villain Cortex, attacks Strong Guy and Rictor.X-Factor (vol. 3) #43 (July 2009) Shatterstar is broken out of his trance-like state when Cortex's control over him is interrupted. Upon recognizing Rictor, he kisses him passionately.X-Factor (vol. 3) #45 (August 2009) Journeying to Detroit, Cortex confronts Longshot and the two fight. As Cortex attempts to gain control over Longshot, he is startled that Longshot, like Shatterstar, is extradimensional (limiting his degree of control) and that the two men are somehow related.X-Factor (vol. 3) #47 (October 2009)
Rictor and Shatterstar's relationship experiences conflict because Shatterstar—who now feels romantic and sexual potential within him for the first time—wishes to explore this whole new aspect of his life, desiring an open relationship. Rictor, more fully committed to maintaining theirs as a monogamous relationship, feels hurt by Shatterstar's need for sexual exploration. Things are complicated further when Wolfsbane walks in on them during an intimate moment, which leads to a brief fight between Shatterstar and Wolfsbane.X-Factor (vol. 3) #208 (October 2010) Rictor stays to take care of a pregnant Wolfsbane, who attempts to mislead him into thinking the baby is his, while Shatterstar goes off on a mission for X-Factor. On mission, he encounters the child's real father, Hrimhari, which he is able to report back to Rictor.X-Factor #213 (March 2011)
During the "Hell on Earth War" storyline, Shatterstar and Rictor are blasted by the god of Hell, Mephisto, and appear to die, but are in fact sent into Mojoworld's relative past—to the era of Shatterstar's arrival in Mojoworld, as shown in the final X-Factor story arc, "The End of X-Factor". Rictor and the audience learn that Shatterstar is the only Mojoworld rebel who was not created by Arize the Creator, as he mysteriously appeared from the sky one day. Arize then used Shatterstar's genetic material to create Longshot, making Shatterstar Longshot's genetic father. Mojo later attacks Arize's sanctuary, leading Shatterstar to time-teleport him and Rictor. They arrive later in Mojoworld's history, when Dazzler and Longshot are married and fighting a war against Mojo. Dazzler 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.
New Tian During "Secret Empire", it is revealed that Shatterstar and Rictor returned to the present. He is part of the New Tian residents, along with Rictor and many other mutants.Secret Warriors #3 (August 2017) After New Tian is dismantled, Rictor tells Iceman that he and Shatterstar are now on a break.Iceman (vol. 3) #9 (March 2018)
Landlord of Manor Crossing Feeling unsure about himself and his relationship with Rictor, Shatterstar ends things between them.Shatterstar #2 (January 2019) Newly single, Shatterstar buys a property using the earnings he had made and names it Manor Crossing. He offers the rooms to multi-dimensional refugees like himself and serves as both landlord and protector to his tenants. When Shatterstar's tenants are kidnapped by the Mojoworld mercenary group the Death Sponsors and their leader, former ally Gringrave, Shatterstar vows to bring them home.Shatterstar #1 (December 2018)
With help from Rictor, Shatterstar follows the group to the world of Horus IV, which is ruled by the Grandmaster. Grandmaster tasks Gringrave with the kidnapping, hoping to use a gladiatorial battle between the enemies to satisfy the Horuvians' lust for bloody conflict.