Where did the X-Men I remember go?

The X-Men! Spider-Man, Iron Man, the Hulk, the Fantastic Four, Thor, Captain America, and more!
Post Reply
Slarti
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 5846
Joined: Thu Jun 27, 2002 2:25 pm
Title: Damn Not Given
Nightscrawlearth Character: :icey :phoenix

Where did the X-Men I remember go?

Post by Slarti »

I’ll say up front this is just me being way ranty. :P

See….this is why I stopped reading the X books a couple years ago. My blood pressure simply can’t handle it. ;) We went to a book show yesterday, and I spent quite a while perusing the newer X books and talking to some fellow geeks. I’ve decided whoever is in charge of most of those titles nowadays must be off his effing rocker.

I’ve been reading through a lot of old (I’m talking 70’s, 80’s even some 90’s) X books lately and remembering why exactly I fell in love with some of my favorite characters. Sure they’re sometimes dated and cheesy, and I know I’m looking at them through the rose-colored glasses of nostalgia… but the characters were cool, and you actually cared about them enough to boo or cheer. The thing is, I don’t see the same characters in the books I looked at this weekend. They more or less look the same, but most of them sure don’t act like their previous incarnations.

Admittedly, I’m talking from the expert experience of skimming the last three or so issues of New, Uncanny and adjectiveless, but I had an immediate urge to facepalm. (I still read Astonishing as it’s apparently happening off in its own little world.) I have a few pet characters, as I’m sure everyone does, and I immediately looked for them and what they were up to in the books I skimmed…. It was kinda hard to tell, as it seems just about everybody now has the same imperious, overwrought attitude and is yelling interchangeable lines.

Yes, I get that the writers are trying to do different things (sort of) and are doing what they think is cool to develop and continue the characters and series. However, you would think if they liked the source material they wouldn’t try to turn the characters into different people – or more accurately, all the same person with different names and powers. Also, 90 percent of what I saw was action. And not just action, but crazy action that never seemed to slow down, like every issue was trying to reinvent the wheel.

Okay, so, to be fair I’m aware I missed all the House of M and Civil War stuff….which I’m sure has had an effect (angst) on the characters and their outlooks. But here’s the question: Should I care? Do I want to even try to figure out what’s going on? Am I nuts to think the books have become hopelessly tangled? Or jumping to conclusions? I’d love to know.
User avatar
NachtcGleiskette
Dread Pirate
Dread Pirate
Posts: 3173
Joined: Tue Jan 14, 2003 6:45 am
Title: The Ragin' Cajun
Location: NY

Where did the X-Men I remember go?

Post by NachtcGleiskette »

I dunno man. I don't know. I'm feeling a general "blah" on the Xbooks of late, but it's mostly stemming from a few of my favs being written god awfully. The things that really get me pumped are books like Target X, which is GOLDEN, and the promise of Gambit's return in Xmen 200. I've heard nothing but greatness about Carey and abjectiveless, so I'm gonna give it a try plus: GAMBIT! And Northstar (I think...he's sticking around yes? I like him :))!

What really depresses me the most is that the characters and books that MADE me an Xmen reader are being hopelessly mishandled at the moment. Big reveal: I only started reading comics in 2001(ish). I was a fan far before that with the cartoons and all, but Exiles made me pick up my first comic, which was issue 16, and my love was born. For that, I've always had a special place in my heart for that book, even if I stopped reading shortly after Winick and Nocturne left. And...GAH. Not to mention Nocturne's being written so OOC she may as well not BE Nocturne. It's frustrating...but I digress :P.

Alot of crazy shit is definately going on in the books, stemming from HoM and Civil War. I read HoM, but not the latter, so I'm in on a bit, but not all. But then, I don't really read too many Xbooks anymore anyway. I am, though, looking forward to the upcoming Xevent. It seems like it'll be neat :).
"If you live your life to please everyone else, you will continue to feel frustrated and powerless. This is because what others want may not be good for you. You are not being mean when you say NO to unreasonable demands or when you express your ideas, feelings, and opinions, even if they differ from those of others.â€
Slarti
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 5846
Joined: Thu Jun 27, 2002 2:25 pm
Title: Damn Not Given
Nightscrawlearth Character: :icey :phoenix

Where did the X-Men I remember go?

Post by Slarti »

I’ve honestly only been reading regularly since the mid to late 90s, so we’re not too far off of each other. ;) I’ve just had the advantage of Hubby, who had been reading the X-Men since the mid 80s and has a buttload of books, so I’ve read a big variety. I started reading his collection at around the time of the mutant massacre when the books had split off, and liked Excalibur and X-Factor. Obviously I liked Kurt immediately, and to this day most of my favorite characters are from those books – Kurt, Rachel, Kitty, Warren, Bobby and Hank.

I always liked Gambit too – what girl doesn’t? – and asked Pawsie about him last night, so now I know he’s coming back (though who knows how he’ll be), but I haven’t heard of Target X. I just…. kinda stopped reading after Austen’s run. I was pretty happy about his team at the start, obviously, and then not so happy afterward. Now that I finally got curious about what was going on and looked at the current books I just went WTF!? Maybe I’ll bite the bullet and start getting some to figure out what’s up. :shifty :P
Feuerstein
Deck Swabber
Deck Swabber
Posts: 538
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2007 10:07 pm
Location: Something doesn't make sense here....
Contact:

Where did the X-Men I remember go?

Post by Feuerstein »

I'm literally brand spanking new to X-men - and to comic books in general - but in the short time I've been a fan, I've read everything I could get my hands on, and some that I couldn't ;) And to be honest, I agree with you - I love the early comics a lot more than the comics of today. But I don't think it has anything to do with the creative staff not knowing their stuff. The mindframe of the fandom has simply shifted. The earlier comics were much more obvious about the characters inner emotions, which made it easier for readers to connect with them, plus everything was a novelty. Nowadays, with such a huge slew of mutants (even in spite of so many being now depowered), it's hard to focus on any one character enough to really showcase their souls.

Personally, I'd rather read a story about a few characters that really gets into how they think and interact than a large-scale story with multiple characters and a controversial plotline. But that's the road Marvel has taken with the X-men, and it's not a bad choice. Most of what goes on in X-men lately is plot-driven, especially Uncanny, I think, and the plots are for the most part very good. But in order to focus so heavily on such mind-blowing plots, something has to be sacrificed. In this case that ends up being those short, simple scenes that used to bring us closer to the characters. It's more work to find them now, but they are still there. I think the general consensus is that boys tend to prefer plot-driven stories and girls prefer character-driven stories (though these are vast generalizations, and anyone whose read James Joyce or Tolstoy knows just have vast they are). Since X-men is largely a male fandom, they cater more to them. (I don't care for most of the female characters because I find most of their personalities fake, but mostly because I can't stand their jump-right-at-cha bust!) And boys like explosions and people getting their arms ripped off. They really do.

But don't be too hard on the current fads in X-men! They're not bad, just different. I prefer it the other way too, but there are still fun things to pick out, and if you can get into the plot, then you can imagine what little side-stories are going on yourself! Really, canon is overrated. Fanfiction is the way to go!
Steyn: Oh sweety, no, the elvis boys are across the street at the wolverine forum
Tessa: LMAO
Steyn: here we do Paul Young
The Drastic Spastic
Swashbuckler
Swashbuckler
Posts: 1846
Joined: Wed Oct 09, 2002 3:01 am
Location: ROK

Where did the X-Men I remember go?

Post by The Drastic Spastic »

Originally posted by NachtcGleiskette
And Northstar (I think...he's sticking around yes? I like him :))!
Isn't he dead? I must have missed when they brought him back. He did die, right? I was sure he died. :?

I blame all my current malaise on the accursed space story. Goddamn you, outer space, and your tedious alien culture. Goddamn you. I'm starting to get excited again now that this thing is almost over.
Und die Sonne spricht zu mir
Feuerstein
Deck Swabber
Deck Swabber
Posts: 538
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2007 10:07 pm
Location: Something doesn't make sense here....
Contact:

Where did the X-Men I remember go?

Post by Feuerstein »

Hear, hear, Spastic. Though as a Trekkie, I like tedious alien culture. But enough already. Let's see something interesting. That Trekkies haven't already gobbled up.
Steyn: Oh sweety, no, the elvis boys are across the street at the wolverine forum
Tessa: LMAO
Steyn: here we do Paul Young
Post Reply