tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post4767789000435832375..comments2024-03-28T10:18:00.370-05:00Comments on Gentlemen of Leisure: X-amining Uncanny X-Men #320Austin Gortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-48044920211220307742019-03-01T16:04:52.001-06:002019-03-01T16:04:52.001-06:00Next issue we get Ron Garney attempting his very b...Next issue we get Ron Garney attempting his very best Andy Kubert impression. Just you wait...Kajicatnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-56931128080417152752019-02-20T12:44:27.012-06:002019-02-20T12:44:27.012-06:00I've always wondered if the reason Joe Mad was...I've always wondered if the reason Joe Mad was rushed to be the "full time" artist on Uncanny was because of the worry that, without that, Image would have snatched him up the way they got just about anyone who made an impression. "Stick around and you'll stay on Uncanny" would be a hell of an incentive for someone as young as he was. <br /><br />There's also the fact that we're still *near* the bubble-the collapse had begun by now, it took going bankrupt for Marvel to really notice-and the industry was still in the area where the mindset was "people will wait months to see the hot artist" because of Image and their casual relationship to deadlines. Marvel had it good: they could trot out Joe Mad for big events and had a stable of artists that could step in so their books weren't months late.<br /><br />While by now Image's terminal tardiness was becoming a factor-Deathmate Red, anyone?-Marvel did have the option of having their red hot artists do work surrounded by months off without their books going away.<br /><br />The post bubble years were weird, though, I will give you that.Jackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00605826105741513741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-46676973539328794022019-02-18T05:28:36.525-06:002019-02-18T05:28:36.525-06:00My own introduction to Jahf and the M'Kraan wa...My own introduction to Jahf and the M'Kraan was the less glamorous UXM #203. But an upcoming issue of the Legion Quest has a callback to that issue too, so...Teemunoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-16579303224213406522019-02-18T00:56:05.381-06:002019-02-18T00:56:05.381-06:00This may have been my first exposure to Legion, as...This may have been my first exposure to Legion, aside from the few cameos leading up to the crossover. As I've noted many times, I never read NEW MUTANTS back issues when I was younger.<br /><br />I've never been entirely certain at what point I read the Claremont/Cockrum/Byrne stuff in relation to the ongoing titles, but I can now say with certainty that I had read it all by this point, because 16 year-old me was really excited by the appearance of Jahf and the mention of the M'Krann crystal! I loved the "Where No X-Man Has Gone Before" storyline, and seeing direct references to it in a then-current issue was a great thrill.Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14580725636327122073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-36496291610414385272019-02-18T00:51:19.516-06:002019-02-18T00:51:19.516-06:00I suspect Marvel knew just how slow Joe Mad was, a...I suspect Marvel knew just how slow Joe Mad was, and they wanted him to draw all four AoA issues, so they gave him this extended break on UNCANNY to allow enough lead time for him to get all four ASTONISHING X-MEN chapters in the can. In retrospect, I'd say that was the right strategy.<br /><br />(Plus, as a teen reading this stuff, I loved Roger Cruz quite a bit, so while I did like Mad better, it didn't feel like a huge loss if Cruz was covering for him.)Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14580725636327122073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-54432022319741331532019-02-18T00:48:30.567-06:002019-02-18T00:48:30.567-06:00I had the same reaction. Knowing Xavier was going ...I had the same reaction. Knowing Xavier was going to die didn't feel like a spoiler, for whatever reason. It was sort of a case of, "I know where we're going, but I still want to see how we get there" or something.Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14580725636327122073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-83746311223478104282019-02-17T23:07:25.231-06:002019-02-17T23:07:25.231-06:00I'm somewhat sympathetic to Joe Mad - what tee...I'm somewhat sympathetic to Joe Mad - what teenager, when offered UNCANNY, is going to turn it down - but at the same time, it's not like he got any better with deadlines as he got older. And I'm really more irritated with editorial for trotting him out as the series' regular artist, knowing full well he couldn't keep to that schedule. <br /><br />Cruz does make for a pretty decent replacement/co-artist, though humorously enough, I don't think he was much older that Madureira at the time. Between his mimicry and his speed, it's easy to see why he got so much work at this time. Austin Gortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-39511539420364865782019-02-17T23:03:11.775-06:002019-02-17T23:03:11.775-06:00For what it's worth, I did read this (and Age ...For what it's worth, I did read this (and Age of Apocalypse) as it was released and I never once batted an eye at knowing the end of the story. It never even occurred to me to be mad that I knew Xavier was going to die and kick of AoA before I cracked open this issue. I was just happy to know what was happening, and excited to see how it all played out (for example, while I knew the general thrust of "Legion Quest" months before it started, I didn't know the details, like how the M'Kraan Crystal played into it. Discovering that, which was a genuine surprise, around the same time I was reading the original Phoenix Saga via CLASSIC X-MEN back issues, was enough to blow me away). Austin Gortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-31868372707986351612019-02-16T05:52:58.895-06:002019-02-16T05:52:58.895-06:00There's also the thing that the Claremontian &...There's also the thing that the Claremontian "elsewheres" usually built up the plot for the upcoming issues, but now there is no need as we are fast approaching the end of time.Teemunoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-65695811816322951542019-02-16T05:48:42.439-06:002019-02-16T05:48:42.439-06:00I don't know, it's unsensible now that you...I don't know, it's unsensible now that you point it our, but having Jahf do the announcement harks back (as noted) to the Phoenix Saga and the high stakes of M'Kraan kind, whereas if it was merely Gladiator who did the informing it would feel like the time when he came to tell Lilandra that Galactus ate the Skrulls, a much more meh case that got settled in court.<br /><br />I don't know if Age of Apocalypse ultimately came to be the greatest thing ever done with the X-Men, but at least they got their ambitions set to the right level (and also delivered some) to justify calling back to the more important moments in the X-history.Teemunoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-3743433091563788042019-02-16T05:34:14.317-06:002019-02-16T05:34:14.317-06:00You are Legion, for you are many.You are Legion, for you are many.Teemunoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-42727390786750112892019-02-15T05:23:13.568-06:002019-02-15T05:23:13.568-06:00I was looking at some Concrete literally just a co...<br>I was looking at some <i>Concrete</i> literally just a couple of days ago, wishing for more. Paul Chadwick’s apparently working on some but it’s been too long.<br /><br>Blamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07342343767763035991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-11226386349936887802019-02-15T05:21:52.642-06:002019-02-15T05:21:52.642-06:00// the lack of cutaways help reinforce the threat:...<br><i>// the lack of cutaways help reinforce the threat: Legion is such a big deal, the X-Men's efforts to stop him deserve our undivided attention //</i><br /><br />I don’t know if that was intentional in the way you describe, versus being a default effect of the writers simply feeling that the action demanded the full page count, but I like the observation.<br /><br>Blamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07342343767763035991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-60810969429134832092019-02-14T13:48:21.084-06:002019-02-14T13:48:21.084-06:00This must have been where I dropped X-men, because...This must have been where I dropped X-men, because I remember this issue, but I am certain I never read 'Age if Apocalypse'.<br /><br />By this period, I couldn't follow the story, and couldn't remember who any of the bad guys were. The art was messy and confusing, and the stories were incomprehensible.<br /><br />After this, it was Concrete, Madman and Vertigo, until Grant Morrison came aboard in 2001 (I did give Claremont's comeback a try, but gave up after 2 months).Mike-ELhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02840254150021796923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-52955987887761349852019-02-14T13:41:57.769-06:002019-02-14T13:41:57.769-06:00Yes. I remember reading this comic when it was rel...Yes. I remember reading this comic when it was released, and thinking that the ad gave away the ending. It was maddening.<br />I don't know what Marvel was thinking.<br />They surely could have advertised the "Age of Apocalypse" event without spoiling the ending of the "Legion Quest" story.<br /><br />I am not the same Anonymous, by the way. I'm not answering myself.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-38738870778282319592019-02-13T23:43:44.761-06:002019-02-13T23:43:44.761-06:00I believe Jo Mad was around 17-20 at this time, st...I believe Jo Mad was around 17-20 at this time, still really young and for the most part, self taught. I'm not shocked that he needed so much time to finish books. He became the next IT artist upon landing Uncanny and only having done an internship at Marvel, it's amazing the raw talent he had. It's like when LeBron was playing basketball in high school against NBA guys and winning. He was so talented that as a teenager he was better than adult grown men that had been doing it their whole life. Or like Weezer where Rivers Cuomo was still in high school when the Blue album released. Amazing these guys that have so much talent at such a young age. <br /><br />Cruz is a great replacement for him, he has the ability to mimic a Manga or Lee style and from what I hear, was known as a quick penciller and that goes a long ways. I'm friends with artist Tyler Kirkham and he told me early on that he was popular with a lot of editors because he was fast and that got him a lot of jobs.Scott Churchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16795112175606617848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-70570106963325523932019-02-13T22:39:20.824-06:002019-02-13T22:39:20.824-06:00"Joe Madureira provides the cover, but unoffi..."Joe Madureira provides the cover, but unoffical series co-artist Roger Cruz handles the interior art, because apparently drawing two consecutive issues means Madureira needs four issues off to catch up."<br /><br />"via the return of Jahf"<br /><br />That scene reflects one of Lobdell's more annoying tics, wherein 2 characters just act really stupid around each other (or at least, one of them does). I mean, other than to heighten the drama, I guess, why wouldn't Gladiator have just woken up Lilandra to see him? And why couldn't Jahf wait a minute or 2 for Gladiator to have woken her up?<br /><br />"And for the most part, it accomplishes those goals"<br /><br />A perfectly cromulent first issue of the lead-in story to a major crossover. <br /><br />wwk5d<br />Say what you will about his abilities as an artist, but he seemed to be a faster artist than Madureira. <br /><br />"There’s an ad for Star Trek: Generations, the first film featuring the Next Generation crew, in this issue."<br /><br />The movie itself was ok, but I love that ad.<br /><br />"including the use of “The Mutants” as a unifying title for the two X-Men replacement books that is ultimately dropped"<br /><br />Also for the Gen X replacement book as well.<br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-85313355499711184952019-02-13T19:52:32.961-06:002019-02-13T19:52:32.961-06:00I imagine is was quite frustrating reading this at...I imagine is was quite frustrating reading this at the time, as the storyline is just starting and the ETM/Wizard stuff has already spoiled the ending (Prof X dies instead of Magneto).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com