New Excalibur #22
I don't know why I expected anything else, but this issue was CRAP. Apparently Albion and the "Shadow Captains" have taken over Britain by negating all technology. So what? It's not as if this hasn't been done elsewhere. Or has it? Well, it seems like it has. It seems tired.
Quick! Somebody tell Claremont that Blair isn't Prime Minister any more!
Then a big fight with the "Shadow Captains" versus the Excalibur team and "Shadow-X" - is it just me, or are there too many Shadows here? - Shadow Beast dies, but takes a whole GODDAMN page to do it. See if I care. I can't even see his face! That said, the inker, whoever it was - this issue has four of them! - does a pretty good job with what he's given.
The dialogue is hackneyed, the plot is worn-out, I can't wait until Cornell takes over this title, and we can finally get some good storytelling out of it. Until then, this is just CRAP.
Showing posts with label Excalibur. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Excalibur. Show all posts
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Excalibur #18
Excalibur #18
EH. It's almost okay, going back to the tried-and-true formula of the Captain Britain Corps, but then it takes a psychotic turn. What a waste of a promising premise.
EH. It's almost okay, going back to the tried-and-true formula of the Captain Britain Corps, but then it takes a psychotic turn. What a waste of a promising premise.
Friday, August 04, 2006
New Excalibur #9
New Excalibur #9
Now that Claremont is gone for the time being (it's about damn time), Frank Tieri takes over as the regular writer on New Excalibur. You may remember Tieri from the Weapon X series, which most people either hated or loved, but very few were in the middle. I actually didn't much like it...I only read it because it had some characters I liked, especially Chamber. And whaddaya know, Tieri does what many new writers often do when taking over a title, and brings him back (in a way that only makes sense if you're delusional)! I guess he liked Chamber too.
Tieri's dialogue in this issue isn't as good as Yost's was last time around. Take, for example this exchange between Jono's "shrink" and Pete Wisdom:"Jonothan Starsmore...you have options./I don't know about you, doc...but the BOY certainly does." Ummm Pete, that's what he just said...he wasn't talking about himself. That's why it's rude to interrupt in the middle of a conversation. Plus, you make an ass of yourself. Perhaps Tieri was writing it like this because he already knew that the Doc was a bad guy, but since we didn't, why ruin it for us? These types of problems plagued Weapon X. Often, the dialogue therein made one feel as if he was missing half of the conversation. And that's just not good writing. Maybe Tieri can partner with Yost for dialogue in the future.
Here's a massive retcon, where Tieri makes Chamber a descendant of Apocalypse! The character soooo didn't need that. If I were Jono, I'd sue Frank Tieri. Yet another problem which plagued the Weapon X book. Massive retcons for no comprehensible reason. Tieri just doesn't understand how to slowly develop a plotline so that by the time the retcon is fully revealed it doesn't feel like a betrayal of the character, but rather a logical progression. And I really liked Jono better when he didn't have any face at all! Maybe he'll go back to wearing a scarf. What an awful editorial decision to let this slide. The editors need to stop pandering to Tieri. He's not so good that he can't take a bit of constructive criticism every so often, or just a flat-out "no". But maybe he's a real prima donna. I don't know. I'm sure plenty of other writers are yearning for the chance to write an X book, even one so far afield as this. Why Tieri? Marvel should really have gotten the message when they were forced to cancel Weapon X before Tieri had reached his planned conclusion, due to low - and constantly dropping - sales figures on the book. I really won't be too sorry if the same thing ends up happening here, but maybe Marvel will, so they had better start pairing Tieri with a real editor!
Why does Pete Wisdom need a search warrant? He and his team were willing to go in guns blazing when Chamber came out, so why not do so anyways as soon as he left? And still, another example of one of the problems with Tieri's writing - rationality and logical thought are utterly and completely sacrificed for the purposes of furthering his desired plotlines. If he can't think of a logical way to get to where he wants to go, then he doesn't even bother himself trying. It's like saying that I would want to get from Chicago to New York, but had no car, nor money to pay for the trip, so I found a scientist building a transporter beam and let him experiment on me to send me there. Sure, it's not as ridiculous an example as Tieri's, but let's face it, I'm more creative than he is. Whatever. I had originally pegged this issue at good, but really it's more of an EH. I love Chamber and I wish this book did him justice, but it doesn't even come close.
[Edit: Upon rereading this post, I really, really want to change the rating to ASS, but I just can't bring myself to do so...maybe you can?]
Previous issue
Now that Claremont is gone for the time being (it's about damn time), Frank Tieri takes over as the regular writer on New Excalibur. You may remember Tieri from the Weapon X series, which most people either hated or loved, but very few were in the middle. I actually didn't much like it...I only read it because it had some characters I liked, especially Chamber. And whaddaya know, Tieri does what many new writers often do when taking over a title, and brings him back (in a way that only makes sense if you're delusional)! I guess he liked Chamber too.
Tieri's dialogue in this issue isn't as good as Yost's was last time around. Take, for example this exchange between Jono's "shrink" and Pete Wisdom:"Jonothan Starsmore...you have options./I don't know about you, doc...but the BOY certainly does." Ummm Pete, that's what he just said...he wasn't talking about himself. That's why it's rude to interrupt in the middle of a conversation. Plus, you make an ass of yourself. Perhaps Tieri was writing it like this because he already knew that the Doc was a bad guy, but since we didn't, why ruin it for us? These types of problems plagued Weapon X. Often, the dialogue therein made one feel as if he was missing half of the conversation. And that's just not good writing. Maybe Tieri can partner with Yost for dialogue in the future.
Here's a massive retcon, where Tieri makes Chamber a descendant of Apocalypse! The character soooo didn't need that. If I were Jono, I'd sue Frank Tieri. Yet another problem which plagued the Weapon X book. Massive retcons for no comprehensible reason. Tieri just doesn't understand how to slowly develop a plotline so that by the time the retcon is fully revealed it doesn't feel like a betrayal of the character, but rather a logical progression. And I really liked Jono better when he didn't have any face at all! Maybe he'll go back to wearing a scarf. What an awful editorial decision to let this slide. The editors need to stop pandering to Tieri. He's not so good that he can't take a bit of constructive criticism every so often, or just a flat-out "no". But maybe he's a real prima donna. I don't know. I'm sure plenty of other writers are yearning for the chance to write an X book, even one so far afield as this. Why Tieri? Marvel should really have gotten the message when they were forced to cancel Weapon X before Tieri had reached his planned conclusion, due to low - and constantly dropping - sales figures on the book. I really won't be too sorry if the same thing ends up happening here, but maybe Marvel will, so they had better start pairing Tieri with a real editor!
Why does Pete Wisdom need a search warrant? He and his team were willing to go in guns blazing when Chamber came out, so why not do so anyways as soon as he left? And still, another example of one of the problems with Tieri's writing - rationality and logical thought are utterly and completely sacrificed for the purposes of furthering his desired plotlines. If he can't think of a logical way to get to where he wants to go, then he doesn't even bother himself trying. It's like saying that I would want to get from Chicago to New York, but had no car, nor money to pay for the trip, so I found a scientist building a transporter beam and let him experiment on me to send me there. Sure, it's not as ridiculous an example as Tieri's, but let's face it, I'm more creative than he is. Whatever. I had originally pegged this issue at good, but really it's more of an EH. I love Chamber and I wish this book did him justice, but it doesn't even come close.
[Edit: Upon rereading this post, I really, really want to change the rating to ASS, but I just can't bring myself to do so...maybe you can?]
Previous issue
New Excalibur #8
New Excalibur #8
People don't stare at TJ because she's blue, they probably stare at her because she's so frickin' hot! This art is lovely! But explaining her blueness with a skin condition? I've never heard of a skin condition which is accompanied by only having THREE FINGERS! It sounds to me like her internal monologue is revealing the surface of a social disfunction, or a case of low self-esteem. TJ, repeat after me: "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and, doggone it, people like me." Feel better now? I knew you would.
What does it mean that this issue was written by Claremont and Michael Ryan? Who is Michael Ryan?
Oh my god, Juggy has a crush on Dazzler? Really? Sarcasm aside, it'd be nice to give him somebody he could get close to (like She-Hulk), so that he could finally unburden himself of his guilt over Sammy Pare's death.
Yost's dialogue is very good here, too bad he's not sticking around. Example: Brian to Psylocke: "I'm the champion of the forces of reason. I suppose I'll just have to thump his head until I win."
Pete Wisdom calls Betsy a fake, a phony. Since when is she not real?? I thought Jamie had just manipulated quantum strings to bring her back from the dead! Has it been said otherwise anywhere? That implies that she is real...as real as this reality gets!
I understand Allison wearing a wig onstage - it's part of her glamourous image. But why need this glamour be just an image? Why does she wear close cut pink hair the rest of the time? It looks like somebody else is having self-esteem issues. Maybe it's Claremont. When he's better he should go see a shrink.
Important revelation in this issue: In all the realities...there is only ONE shadow King.
[Edit: I was just rereading this post, and I realized: that was going to be the focus of Claremont's tenure on Exiles. The major villain was supposed to be the Shadow King, across all realities! Let's hope it never happens. Really, can you see anybody pulling that off? Ugh.]
It had been rumoured that Betsy was going to be joining the Exiles, thus explaining her disappearance at the end of this issue after she lobotomizes evil Charley! It must have been Claremont's plan to do so, but now that he's not going to Exiles, Betsy's going to be lost in limbo again. Anyways, this was a VERY GOOD issue. Although it sort of rushed to get to a new page by the end, in order to clear up any lingering plots from Claremont, it did a very adequate job. The same cannot be said for Uncanny on which Claremont also received a helping hand at the end.
Next issue
People don't stare at TJ because she's blue, they probably stare at her because she's so frickin' hot! This art is lovely! But explaining her blueness with a skin condition? I've never heard of a skin condition which is accompanied by only having THREE FINGERS! It sounds to me like her internal monologue is revealing the surface of a social disfunction, or a case of low self-esteem. TJ, repeat after me: "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and, doggone it, people like me." Feel better now? I knew you would.
What does it mean that this issue was written by Claremont and Michael Ryan? Who is Michael Ryan?
Oh my god, Juggy has a crush on Dazzler? Really? Sarcasm aside, it'd be nice to give him somebody he could get close to (like She-Hulk), so that he could finally unburden himself of his guilt over Sammy Pare's death.
Yost's dialogue is very good here, too bad he's not sticking around. Example: Brian to Psylocke: "I'm the champion of the forces of reason. I suppose I'll just have to thump his head until I win."
Pete Wisdom calls Betsy a fake, a phony. Since when is she not real?? I thought Jamie had just manipulated quantum strings to bring her back from the dead! Has it been said otherwise anywhere? That implies that she is real...as real as this reality gets!
I understand Allison wearing a wig onstage - it's part of her glamourous image. But why need this glamour be just an image? Why does she wear close cut pink hair the rest of the time? It looks like somebody else is having self-esteem issues. Maybe it's Claremont. When he's better he should go see a shrink.
Important revelation in this issue: In all the realities...there is only ONE shadow King.
[Edit: I was just rereading this post, and I realized: that was going to be the focus of Claremont's tenure on Exiles. The major villain was supposed to be the Shadow King, across all realities! Let's hope it never happens. Really, can you see anybody pulling that off? Ugh.]
It had been rumoured that Betsy was going to be joining the Exiles, thus explaining her disappearance at the end of this issue after she lobotomizes evil Charley! It must have been Claremont's plan to do so, but now that he's not going to Exiles, Betsy's going to be lost in limbo again. Anyways, this was a VERY GOOD issue. Although it sort of rushed to get to a new page by the end, in order to clear up any lingering plots from Claremont, it did a very adequate job. The same cannot be said for Uncanny on which Claremont also received a helping hand at the end.
Next issue
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
