@time: The problem with the X-Men, male or female, is that they're so intrinsically tied to being X-Men that I think the fan base has a hard time seeing them separated out from the team. I think the reason Dazzler managed to stay in publication for as long as she did, is because she sidestepped that problem by only being introduced in the X-Men. She didn't become a member of the team until her series ended.
To give a solo X-Man book a fighting chance, i think you'd have to take whichever character and treat them like they're brand new. The first story arc would need to be about that character, and that character only, to establish their adventures as separate to their time with the team. The book would need to exist in a new setting, which would allow for the creation of a supporting cast unique to that character. This is exactly what was done when Wolverine received his first solo title. His solo adventures, for better or worse, took place in faraway Madripoor, which helped to isolate him from the X-Men.
The character is also going to have to have their own individual rogues' gallery. They can't just crib from the existing X-Man adversaries. I wouldn't have any X-Men guest stars in that first year. I'd actually try to keep references to the X-Men to a minimum. When an X-Man does, inevitably, show up, it might be interesting to play it as purely a character building moment, instead of a team-up for a brawl.
Any character, X-Man or not, could succeed in a solo series. All you need is the right creative team, and the support of the publisher. If you want readers, open big. Find an "A" list writer or an "A" list artist to attract their pre-existing fan base. If you can get both, so much the better. Try to keep them on the title for a couple of years, to give the series time to build an audience. Market it. Hard. If it starts to falter, there are a number of tried and true methods that can be employed to boost sales. Unfortunately, these days, Marvel,and especially DC, are more inclined to just cut their losses and cancel a book, rather than invest a little effort in trying to save it.
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