Reload: One year later

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Reload: One year later

 
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Northstars Love
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Reload: One year later

Post by Northstars Love »

A year has passed and I'm curious to hear what everyone thought of the Reload. For me it has been mixed. I've enjoyed Astonishing while I have not been too keen on X-Men or Uncanny. New X-Men (formally New Mutants) is far much better book IMO since Reload, and District X has totally surprised me by the good writing and Bishop is not one of my favorite X-Men! But still a good read! I still enjoy Ultimate X-men as well. Unfortunately, Claremont hasn't delivered what I expected either in Excalibur. I don't like what he has written so far.

Seriously though, I have considered dropping Uncanny and X-Men since late last November seeing as I roughly buy at least 16 titles a month and two of those are non-Marvel books. Gets quite expensive.

Non X Books I have picked up and enjoyed are New Avengers and Strange. I would like Strange to continue just as I would have loved to have seen Madrox continue beyond the mini-series. Nightcrawler has been great and Gambit too but I lost interert in Rogue since the end of the first arc.

So as you can see I get quite a few books, but most of Reload has been ho-hum for me. Yes, its good to see Psylocke back and X-23 make it into Uncanny but that still doesn't stop the fact that IMO most of Reload did not happen for me.
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Reload: One year later

Post by Saint Kurt »

I'm not too happy with the post reload Uncanny either. Not to open an ancient can of worms, but I really never understood why people hated Austen with the passion they did. To me he wrote "modern" superhero stories - they took place in a modern context which made them a bit soap opera-y, but at least I can relate to them. The stories, characters, and situations were all memorable to me.

The current run of Uncanny Xmen has me completely baffled. I have every issue of the post reload Uncanny and I still can't figure out what's going on. Claremont and Davis may have worked their magic on Excalibur, but it's just not happening for me here. Davis' art is still wonderful, but without a plot it's just pretty pictures. I actually bought the same issue twice once because I was so lost in the story that I didn't realize I was reading something I'd already read. If this was James Joyce or Chaucer or something, I could see that happening, but it's a comic book.

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Reload: One year later

Post by CurlyyHairGirl »

For me it's the complete opposite on Uncanny. I'm really happy to see Claremont on the books, because I enjoy his complex plot line and the inabilty to predict what happens next. Sure it may take issues to get certain clues, but at the end they add up and it's rewarding to me.

As for the Austen's run with the soap opera-y plots, that was the whole reason I couldn't enjoy the series. I'm a teenager. I have enough to deal with in real life, and I don't like to be reminded of it while I'm trying to escape everyday life and relax a litte. To me, the reload on Uncanny is great...please don't flog me.

As for the other titles...
Excaliber was dissapointing. For some reason while I'm reading it, it just doesn't seem that there's very much love behind the story, it's flat, and IMO bloody boring...what I would give for the oldies back.

Astonishing X-Men was pretty good. The art is great, the story is...ok too, but I don't think I will be subscribing to it again. I seem to have lost interest with the latest issue where everybody supposedly dies:rolleyes.

Besides those, the only other book I read is Nightcrawler, and I have no problem with it.
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Reload: One year later

Post by Bamfette »

Only one i stuck with was Astonishing. I like Astonishing a lot, but the others... no.

actually, wait, District X, yes, i liked that. didn't really count it as a 'reload' thing, though.

what little i have read of Nightcrawler, it seems pretty decent, but i am waiting on the trade for that. (for everything, switched to trades)
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Reload: One year later

Post by Shadow_Dancer »

I know that many will not agree with me, but I like Uncanny now better than earlier. It’s no secret that I didn’t care for Austen. I found some of his plots ponderous and his humor juvenile. I like the escapism in the more classic style of comic book writing. I can see where Claremont can be confusing, especially to younger readers, because he draws on prior knowledge of decades of X-Men history. And Davis’s art is so superior I don’t see how anyone can find fault with it.

I found Excalibur disappointing, and canceled my subscription when it came due. I expected the rebuilding of Genosia, which I never really saw happening. I agree with CurlyyHairGirl, the stories bored me.

I switched my Excalibur subscrition to Astonishing, which I enjoyed until the last release. The one thing that irks me the most is that type of shock value story telling. Of course we know that they aren’t all dead, but why torture the reader with that needless gore in the first place.
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Reload: One year later

Post by Saint Kurt »

I guess it goes to show you that you can't please everyone when it comes to Uncanny. I've had this same disscussion with many many people.
what little i have read of Nightcrawler, it seems pretty decent, but i am waiting on the trade for that. (for everything, switched to trades)
Nightcrawler is decent. More than decent. It really is very good.

But might I suggest not waiting on the trade for future issues of that particular book - to everyone.

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Reload: One year later

Post by Crawler »

Wow...a year already. I remember discussing this "big shake up" (which, I think, was not as big as it was made out to be) like it was yesterday.

Uncanny - I was enjoying about 60% of what Chuck was writing there before Reload...which is a pretty good score in my book. What can I say? I'm picky, especially when it comes to writing. When I heard the CC and Alan Davis were taking it in Reload, it made sense to me. Give the flagship book to the flagship guys. Make the book with the high issue number the one that you have to have read a large number of issues to truly enjoy.

I have a general quarrel with stories being inaccessable to new readers, but that's a side bit.

Anyway, I've not read an issue of Uncanny since Reload. I picked up the first issue and never finished it. I never hated Claremont and never will, so don't accuse me of that, but he's simply no longer my cup of tea. As far as I am concerned, comics as a medium is vastly different from when CC wrote the classic X-Men stories...and I guess I am now of the "New School" of comic writing. I just can't get nostalgic for new issues...it just doesn't work that way in my brain.

New/"Adjectiveless" - I read off and on until Chuck left. Money constraints and a general mental movement toward other comics left me not picking it up on a regular basis (though since then I've read most of it in trades...and I really liked a lot of it) When Chuck left, I dropped it, in favor of eventually picking the new Milligan stuff up in trades...so really no straightforward opinion on this one.

Nightcrawler - It's fantastic. I have loved every single issue and that's a total surprise to me, because of the aforementioned pickiness. Even with Darick on art, I could have not liked it. (And this is the guy that actually launched my comics fandom with an old Wolverine issue...and I've loved his work ever since) I really like the tone of the book in whole and I really love how accessable it is while still including little continuity nods. (Night Nurse, anyone?)

Astonishing - I've also really liked every issue of this series. I know it's not some people's cup of tea, and that's fine...but to me, this is what an X-Book should be. There's banter, there's in-fighting, there's REAL PEOPLE STUFF...mixed in with the usual (and enjoyable) superheroics. Things make sense in this book and you really get the feeling that Joss has thought everything through. It's beleivable...and I like that.
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Reload: One year later

Post by taekwondodo »

I have, sadly enough, been very disappointed since the re-load. This fact actually surprises me, because I was not and never will be a fan of Austen's work on Uncanny, but where his stories irritated me, Claremont's just bore me. And as for the art...Davis is very clean and crisp, but honestly, everyone looks like a very athletic and fit 40-something, which does nothing for me. I have every issue of Uncanny since the reload and I just haven't bothered finishing a lot of them. I really need to drop it and stop wasting the money, I suppose. It's sad to buy it just for Nightcrawler's presence when I don't even read it.

Ultimate has been okay, but I've found it's never really lived up to what I'd hoped for it. The characterization and stories have been too hit and miss, really.

Had high hopes for the new Excalibur as well that have not been realized. Dropping it.

Astonishing has had its moments, but I'm not sure I'll continue with it either, honestly.

Nightcrawler has been the one unalloyed bright spot in Marvel's line-up for me. The stories have been interesting and well written and While Darick's art has the occasional weak spot, over all he does the best Nightcrawler I've seen anywhere in a very long time...possibly anywhere, period.
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Reload: One year later

Post by Bamfette »

Zam - I would switch to single issues, but well, i can read C's if i really want to, and i know it's to 'support the series' so it will continue, but... I am just so tired of the clutter. the extra money spent. fanboy store owners. I just prefer trades, that's all. i think publishers have to realize that more and more people ARE NOT reading the single isues anymore, and just deal. they created this 'problem' themselves by putting the trades out so quickly. and the 'Marvel Age' trades? 8 bucks for 6 or 7 issues? woo! not buying the singles when that's available. trades = the future and the industry has to adapt to reflect that. you have to remember, i was (until recently) living in Canada, and it can cost up to FIVE DOLLARS PER ISSUE. i am not going to waste that kind of money to support series when the trades are sooooo much cheaper.


In Canada:
5 issues of Fables at 3.85 each = $19.25. the trade of the first 5 issues is $15.25 it is now at issue 35. so though some of the trades have been longer than 5, lets assume they were all 5 issues and cost the same. 3.85x35=$134.75 assuming 7 trades at 15.25 = 106.75 and you usualy get bonus material in a trade. Fables had a whole extra story.

then consider i don't get only one series, and it adds up.

jeez... i just looked. Nightcrawler is 4.25 per issue. ack...

lets see what the trade is priced at, shall we? and since i can't find the Canadian price for the trade, we'll do this with the American cover price.... $2.99 per 6 issues =$17.94. or $14.99 for the trade. the difference is usually markedly bigger in Canadian funds. i HIGHLY doubt the trade is more than the $25.50 it would have to be to be as expensive as the single issues. at most, i'd say it was about $20.00.

and I don't have any of the Marvel Age books for comparison, but I think they are around the $4.00 mark, each trade typically contains 6 issus, so like 16-18 dollars for the single issues, and 8 for the trade? I'm gettin the trade, not the singles, no question.

I can't afford both, it's either or.

and you know. they make less in advertising, true, but per page, it costs far less to print a trade than single issues, and there is typically less waste, (when looking into printers for HS, the printer Marvel uses for many of it's top selling books has a minimum print run of over 100,000, because their machines print SO fast they can't actually print less than that. that's what it spits out when they start the machine up, let it get up to full speed, then immediately shut down. how many series sell that? THOUSANDS of extra issues printed. which yes, i know, contributes to the whole 'not profitable' threshhold. but on the other hand, maybe they just have to look at a less wasteful printer for the singles. maybe more per issue, but less in the long run when you account for waste. and they do, actually. they use Quebecor for their lower selling titles, and their trades are printed there too (anything that says 'printed in Canada' = Quebecor) (and some of the higher selling ones, if they're after really slick printing). Quebecor deals in quality over quantity, so theirs are nicer looking, especially when you go for their heavier glossy paperstock, but a bit more expensive per issue to print. but Vertigo uses them, and they're doing quite nicely dealing *primarily* in trades, with the single issues acting as a *secondary*.) which means more profit for them. and hell, i'd be cool with a couple advertising pages in trades to offset any lost advertising revenue.
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Reload: One year later

Post by Diablo »

Well, I'm happy the big guns (a.k.a. Crawler and Bamfette) are finally reading the Nightcrawler solo series ! It's about time, guys !!
Yeah, I understand... The TPB just got out. ;)
Now go and support Darick's work, you all, if you want it to last !!

Back on topic : I'm quite pleased with Reload.

Uncanny I liked the Claremont/Davis team very much. But I admit it was mostly because of the art. Davis's Crawler rocks !

Astonishing Joss Whedon is good. Really good. Colossus's return was a little easy, but the Dangerous story-arc is... well, astonishing !

Nightcrawler My favourite title ! The darkness surrounds Kurt Wagner on his path to the magical world. Yeah baby ! I just hope he'll face his greatest battles alone.

X-Men I miss Chuck a lot. Milligan's stories aren't really interesting.
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Reload: One year later

Post by Winged Outlaw »

I went from loving the X-Men to hating them. Considering there isn't a "The Reload was a mistake" option, I'll just leave that blank.

Astonishing: My thoughts on this title are that basically, true X-Men fans will love it, and that's cool. The stories aren't my cup of tea, but I thoroughly understand why many X-Men fans enjoy them. Personally, I miss the more progressive stance Grant Morrison was taking, and by the second issue it was clear that Whedon was undoing a great deal of what Grant had tried to accomplish. In fact, the hive-mind scene in the first issue was the direct opposite of the one in the first issue of the original New X-men. So, while the stories are well written, and Cassaday's art is great, I decided to go after stories I'd enjoy rather than let this title irritate me.

X-Men: Well it's no secret I hated Austen's work, though ironically, his final story arc was rather good. I slammed the first issue in my Comixfan review, but the three issues following that all good fairly good reviews from me as I tried to look at things objectively. Sure, it wasn't great or particularly memorable, but in the face of what had come before I honestly don't know how Chuck could have done much better. Milligan is a disappointment. His X-Statix was the most brilliant X-Book I've ever read, looking back on things (though Agent-X was probably just as good, only shorter). However, as many have stated, he is best when working on fringe or lesser-known characters. When he dives into the realm of big franchises, his work tends to fall apart, and ultimately lead me to stop reading. Hell, I'll say it because its true. Austen's first story arc when he came on board was quite a bit better than Milligan's first story, if for no other reason than I could actually tell what was going on.

Uncanny: Probably my favorite while I was reading it. However, money and time concerns caused me to drop it. There wasn't anything terribly bad, but nothing I was interested in either. If anyone cares, I'm gonna pitch a column over at Comixfan pretty soon that details why, despite being (somewhat arguably) the best writer the X-Men have ever had, Claremont's stories will never grab me the way they do most fans.

Ultimately, I've stopped reading X-Men entirely, and this House of M stuff isn't going to bring me back. I actually liked that, before the Reload, there was a movement away from huge sweeping crossovers where you had to buy twenty issues a month in order to understand what was going on. Now, Marvel is acting like DC Jr., desperately trying to stay afloat in the wave that will soon be created by Infinite Crisis.

I'll stick with my quality Wildstorm titles and just watch the upcoming storm from afar. If I do hear good things, I'll get trades, but I doubt I'll be buying monthly X-titles again any time soon.
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Reload: One year later

Post by B A M F ! »

Greetings and Salutations everyone!
Post-Reload i'd have to say that i'm extremely happy with the X-universe mainly because of 3 reasons.

1.) The pleasent surprise that is the NIGHTCRAWLER solo series. For just about ALL of the reasons you guys mentioned I am really enjoying this book!

2.) ASTONISHING X-MEN. Month after month this title is just consistently a fantastic read. WHEDON has an (pardon the pun) uncanny grasp on the characters and the mix of personalities on this team. Of ALL the books WOLVERINE is appearing in right now JOSS is writing the best Logan hands down. He's got KITTY nailed as well. Not to mentioned HE BROUGHT BACK COLOSSUS!! Oh and how could I forget CASSADY's artwork...! This is always the first book i'm looking for when I get my weekly stack. As said before always a great read.


3.) UNCANNY X-MEN. Simply put my favorite Marvel title since CLAREMONT and DAVIS took over.
I pretty much grew up weened on CLAREMONT/COCKRUM and CLAREMONT/ BYRNE/AUSTIN X-Men so whenever CC's on this book I feel like i'm 'home' again.
YES he almost always seems to take for granted that youre already familiar with ALL of his previous X-work, whether it be EXTREME X-MEN, EXCALBUR vol.1 or even his old CAPTAIN BRITAIN stuff etc. Quite often there's backstory, characters and plot threads being picked up from stories that havent seen the light of day for years. (ie: Selene's connection to Rachel, The Fury, Jamie Braddock etc.) I feel that Claremont's basic strength is the fact that he knows these characters like they were his own children. In many ways they are. Anyone else on UNCANNY and it seems like i'm just reading about the misadventures of a team of Mutant Superheroes. With CC I feel like i'm not just reading about a team of mutant heroes, but about a group of friends and comrades that are SO close and have gone through SO much together through the years that they are in many ways even closer than family. These are people that have literally and would literally DIE for each other without giving it a second thought. Claremont conveys this better than any other X-writer.
Put him together with the incomparable Alan Davis and I forget that i'm reading a comic book. Instead it feels like i'm peering through some supernatural window... eavesdropping on the lives of a group of amazing people who i've known for most of my life. I love this run not because of the over-all plots and stories, which admittedly are sometimes hard to follow, but for moments like these...

PSYLOCKE and NIGHTCRAWLER have a quiet moment before going into a battle that could force them to choose between the fate of the world or the life of two teammates...

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ORORO consoles a distraught KURT after the death of a young mutant he and LOGAN had failed to save...
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Nightcrawler's gut-wrenching reaction after seeing a seemingly mortally wounded Storm...(Davis' art is, as always, amazing)

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Typical KURT and LOGAN moment before a confrontaion with the HELLFIRE CLUB...( gotta luv how the girl slips the non-image induced Kurt her number...:) )

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Something all of us die-hard elfaholics know and a lot of writers besides Claremont and Davis seem to forget. YES Nightcrawler is a charming, compassionate, flirtatious, sometimes insecure, spiritual, all around nice guy and gentleman. He is also fiercely protective and his convictions run as deep as any X-man. You DO NOT want to piss him off...

Just ask BISHOP...
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...Or the idiot stupid enough to throw a chair at STORM during a 'Purity' rally....

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Brainchild wants NO part of a peeved Fuzzy Elf...

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Talk about role reversal! Logan is the voice of reason as Kurt gets so mad he loses his cool....

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...And if youre talking about action, Claremont and Davis' NIGHTCRAWLER / SAGE fight kicks ass...

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ALAN DAVIS RAWKS!

Just a small snippet of the many reasons why I think Claremont/Davis UNCANNY is kicking all types of ass right now!



Overall I feel like i'm pretty happy with the directions of the books since the reload...:) 'House of M' makes me nervous though because it just seems like a forced attempt to re-capture the 'lightning in a bottle' they had with the classic 'Age of Appocalypse' storyline.


BAMF!
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