tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post1289543466908415281..comments2024-03-28T10:18:00.370-05:00Comments on Gentlemen of Leisure: X-amining Uncanny X-Men #340Austin Gortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-34034667852338979222021-12-02T14:47:19.031-06:002021-12-02T14:47:19.031-06:00The whole Creed campaign storyline feels like such...The whole Creed campaign storyline feels like such a waste. If it had been the purview/responsibility of one writer on one title, I feel like they could've done some interesting stuff with it. But as it is, it jumps from book to book, no writer seems to have a firm idea of where to take it, and then it just ends abruptly with a mystery that dangles for something like five years until its lackluster resolution.<br /><br />That said, this issue itself is very good. Though I find it odd that Creed apparently learned an X-Man is on his campaign and then did nothing with that knowledge other than beat up said X-Man's dad. I feel like he could've been a bit more subtle about the whole thing and maybe gotten some valuable intel on the X-Men somehow? But then, I suppose with his assassination literally just around the corner, there was no room left on the runway for such a sub-plot to go anywhere.<br /><br />A few years back, I read some interview with Joe Madureira where he said part of the reason he left UNCANNY X-MEN was because the stories were getting too dark for him. We're still about a year away from his final issue (and it appears, surprisingly, that he penciled or co-penciled eight of the 11 remaining installments), but I wonder if stuff like this is what he meant? Regardless, I suppose, he turns in an amazing job on Iceman finding his dad in the woods, Creed's pure evil expressions, and Mr. Drake in the hospital.Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14580725636327122073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-33679483482053574082021-12-01T07:44:20.670-06:002021-12-01T07:44:20.670-06:00I like that Lobdell didn't completely reverse ...I like that Lobdell didn't completely reverse Mr. Drake's stance and I had forgotten that that had even been addressed in this issue. It's was still a jarring turn of events but appreciated nonetheless.<br /><br />One of the best aspects of Madureira's art is that the exaggerated faces are great for conveying emotion in quieter scenes. A little cartoonishly? Sure. But a lesser artist (Matsuda) likely wouldn't have been able to pull it off.<br /><br />Uncanny X-Men remains fairly solid in this time frame and I would have a hard time picking a favorite between this title and X-Force at the time, but that's just a personal preference, not a statement on quality. Drewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10082589040664926667noreply@blogger.com