From: msr@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (Michael Rosenberg)
Subject: Re: X-Problems?
Organization: Northwestern University, Evanston Illinois.
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 04:26:52 GMT

In article <1992Aug25.085657.2014@wkuvx1.bitnet> barnejd@wkuvx1.bitnet writes:
>C'mon, the X-books aren't all that bad now.
>  X-MEN - maybe the best of the bunch.  Fabian N. (won't even try to
>write it) is one of Marvel's best writers.  Art Thibert and Andy
>Kubert are great artists with good storytelling techniques.

I disagree...the last issue was one of the worst yet.  While the art is fine
(perhaps the best of the xbooks) the story was the worst.  While I have no
problem with the concept of Prof X's father having a 'black' background and
the search for the truth...NOTHING HAPPENED IN THIS BOOK!!!!!!!  It was a
pointless excuse to draw a stupid fight scene.  The hilight of the book in my
mind was the conversation between Rogue and Wolvering, and I didn't think it
was done all that well.  I think they could have made the story interesting
and worthwhile, but instead they created a fight for no other reason than to
have one.  What happened to the good old days????

>  UNCANNY - OK, this book is pitifully written (Scott Lobdell never
>could write) and drawn even worse (Tom Raney-ugh!).  Our only hope is
>for Lobdell to go to Image, or at least for Joe Queseda's art to make
>up for his (numerous) shortcomings.

Total agreement here.

>  EXCALIBUR - man, can Alan Davis draw or what!

Yes...and his scripting is better than has been for most of the other books. 
While some of his stories have had major problems, at least he's been
consistant, and quite often amusing and entertaining.  I'm curious to see what
direction the book is going to travel in now that he's tied up most of the
dangling plots and gotten rid of Phoenix.  

>  X-FORCE - must be the art that makes this one as bad as it is. 
>Pacella just cannot draw; he started out like a mediocre Liefield and
>has just gotten worse from there.  Hope Capullo is better (won't be 
>hard).

I don't think X-Force is going to last much longer...it's probably going to
end somewhere soon after the upcoming x-over, to make way for New Mutants II.

>  X-FACTOR - I like this book, especially the first few issues under
>David and Stroman.  Now, if they could just keep him on every issue as
>artist, and if some of the original humor can be brought back...

I think PAD is by far the best X-writer right now, although some times his
stories are almost too slow.  This is infinitely better than the lack of
stories in the other books, though.  The art has a tendancy to get on my
nerves, but isn't really bad...just an acquired taste.

>  WOLVERINE - I love it!  Hama is bad on GI JOE, but great here.  Tex
>is awesome.  But, there's really bad news - Pacella is coming! ARGH!

I refuse to read this because Wolverine (like most of the x-characters) is a
character who has been ruined by becoming too popular.  When he first appeared
(or at least from X-Men #129 on which I have read) he was a good character (I
don't mean good in the good/evil sense).  Because of his huge popularity
they've completely torn him apart (how many origins now?) and removed any of
the qualities that made his characterization interesting.  It's the same thing
that's happening to Gambit, although he didn't have as long to develop before
happened to him (On a side note, does anyone else remember that he originally
had a 'persuasion' power, which has been completely forgotten by the writers)

The moment the Marvel management gets a whiff of large popularity for one of
their characters they immediately try to overcapitalize on it, and immediately
destroy any value that charater had (other than monetary, I suppose :) (Cable
doesn't count...he was destined for garbage from day 1).

Well, enough meandering for now....