Yesterday I was reading some old Spider-man stories (Amazin Spider-man #90-100)
And found to my suprize that they're actually a lot better than the new stories printed.
Of course the new stories have a lot better art and colors, but the actual plot is not as good, more action but less depth.
In the old days, they just tried to cram in as much plot as possible, to justify your 35 cents. Now, the general movement is multi-part stories with lighter plotting and more room for character.
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"I'm not smart so much as I am not dumb." - Harlan Ellison
Stories are paced for the TPB's these days. Silver age stories were designed to get kids- actual children read comics back then, unlike today- hooked on the concept. They moved lightening fast; you'd get all of the exposition and backstory you needed in three panels, and the rest would be sheer awesome.
I have no clue how anyone could possibly have liked House of M. The only- only- good part was seeing Stark running around with that giant-ass gun when all the heroes attack Magneto. I mean, it was a sweet concept too- how did it go so horribly wrong?
Well, I guess we got Layla Miller out of it, which is a plus. and the House of M- Avengers by Christos Gage is damn good. Number one just came out last Wednesday and I couldn't have been more down. Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Hawkeye, Moon Knight, Mockingbird, Tigra, and pretty soon Punisher and Misty Knight? That's my Avengers dream team right there.
Have you never heard of Claremont Logic? Any Claremontized character(A character long enough under CC's pen) is capable of punking another Claremontized character. Logic has no place in comics. That's why Storm and Psylocke are the business. Damn I forgot Sage...Sage >> Storm and Psylocke put together.
Anyway they got him off one comic already. All that's left is his New Exiles and that Future X-Men series/maxi series left and that's bound to fail so I expect to see him out of Marvel by the end of next year.
I do think characterization has gotten much better, though. I've read Claremont's early work on X-Men with Dave Cockrum - cringeworthy lines and hokey stories. I think the release of Star Wars in 1977 changed so much of the Sci-Fi & Fantasy medium. Stories became more serious and the look of the hardware got WAY better. The Shi'ar Empire owes a lot to the look of Star Wars. Cerebral writing in the pre-Alan Moore days, you'd have to look at Doug Moench's MASTER OF KUNG FU or Roy Thomas on CONAN.
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"I'm not smart so much as I am not dumb." - Harlan Ellison
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Nov 19th, 2007 05:26 AM
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