From: kbos@carina.unm.edu (Kurt Bose "of Biscayzee")
Subject: Re: Bishop:Too good For Xmen?
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 92 05:33:42 GMT
Organization: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

In article <79768@ut-emx.uucp> nova@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Jennifer Baughman) writes:
>Basically, the reason the X-Men treat Bishop like a psychopath is that he
>has a tendency to act like one.  That is, he overreacts _way_ too much.  I 
>mean, how many times do you see an X-Man threaten to blow his own head off
>in a DANGER ROOM SCENARIO?????  Bishop hasn't yet learned to temper his 
>actions in this time, and so he is a danger to the group.  Not to mention, of
>course, his firm belief that Gambit's gonna betray the X-Men, which doesn't do
>much for team unity.  Bishop as he is is a danger to the X-Men.  At least they
>have the sense to recognize this.
>
>Arguments, anyone???  E-mail or post 'em--I love a good debate...
>

Actually, I, for one, feel that Bishop has shown an extremely keen sense of
field tactics, and in better hands, I think the character has good potential,
much more so than Old Cajun Eyes, Longshot, or any of the other "cool"
characters...at the very least, I think it isn't so much psychopathic tendencies
he's shown as much as unpredictability, and his teammates haven't reacted very
favorably yet due to unfamiliarity.

*Item--the Danger Room sequence:  I believe he was holding a laser weapon to his
 head, was he not?  Or at least some sort of energy weapon?  For a man who can
 absorb energy blasts, holding a weapon to your yead isn't such a dangerous idea
 at all...It certainly threw the Apocalypse simalcrum off balance.

*Item--Same Issue, the battle scene:  Hell, it was about time somebody thought
 to take out a teleporter...how many times in the last year alone have villians
 managed to get away in the X-books using a 'porter?? At least six, by my count.
 Finally, someone stops the trend!

*Item--Destroying a cop car, Morlock issue:  Made quite clear in context that
 Bishop intended only to warn, not to hurt anyone.  Storm misunderstood.

*Item--Bishop goes after the last prisoner from his time:  Necessary to set up
 the realization that the methods of his time are not acceptable in the X-Men
 of this time.

Are the X-Men worried by Bishop?  Of course.  He plays for keeps, he's an 
unknown, and his methods are...were...not those of this generation of X-Men.
I think the Big Gun image of Bishop is purely done for the covers and splash
page lovers.  Looking past the obviously Punisher-driven superficial image he
has been handed, I see the makings of an excellent, and yes, noble, character.
Original??  Not completely so, but the truly innovative characters out there are
few and far between these days.  I think someone with a good eye for character
development could do a hell of a lot with Bishop, as is.  Marvel may be (is)
trying to create another fanboy poster child here, but I think they may have 
shot themselves in the foot here.  Bishop has potential...maybe if I paid 
Connie Hirsch enough...not that she'd go for it, of course.  :)

-- 
Kurt Bose (as in Daisy, not Rose) *  kbos@carina.unm.edu * Make outs, not walks!
Keeper of the R.S.BB FAQ, and Junior Stathead {tm} * Yay!  Gary Blickhan's back!
Be kind...don't disillusion the RBI-lovers. * Net.Agent, "Doublin" David Rossing
Not as much of a clubhouse leader as Alfredo Griffin, but better than nothing...