|
And so, with one issue, Grant Morrison completely changes
my opinion of his work on New X-Men. Admittedly, it had
been wavering for a few months, and the bad far outweighed the
good. Really, its more of a solidification of an opinion based
around growing concerns for the direction Grant is taking the
book in.
Now, overall, I rather like the direction Morrison is taking
the book. After all these years, Xavier is finally revealed to the
world, and taking the X-Men in what could be new and exciting
directions. Instead, we get another public response team. Part
of the charm of the X-Men were that they were outlaws.
Theyre still hated, but theyre also becoming more accepted.
This really leads to a good summation of why Morrisons run
just isnt working. This isnt the X-Men.
Morrison has been hailed as doing new and innovative
things, when almost every single plot hes done is just a retread,
mostly from the Claremont/Byrne era. I somehow suspect this is
where he stopped reading, since any advancement the
characters have made since then is gone.
Lets see: An evil incarnation of Xavier? Check. Jean
exhibiting new and mysterious powers that are off the charts?
Check. Imperial Guard under control of a bad person to stomp
on the mutant populace? Check. Mutants going public? Well,
happened in X-Factor, but check. Dead Magneto? Check.
Heck, that happened just two months previous. Increased
emphasis on the school and new students? Check. I cant find
one single idea here thats new or innovative, as folks are saying.
I mean, isnt this supposed to be NEW X-Men?
Wolverine is back to acting like a psycho bad-ass moron,
and ditching the whole honourable samurai. Hes back to being
more animal than man, with less personality. Beast is about the
only character that is spot on, aside from declaring hes gay out
of the blue. This may be a joke, but we dont know, it was just
suddenly tossed out there for no reason other than shock value.
Which is another problem of Morrisons writing. He tosses out
something, then doesnt follow up on it for a long time, if ever.
Cyclops is confiding in Emma Frost, someone who was an
enemy for much of her existence, over the problems hes having
with Jean. Not someone like, oh I dont know, a friend, such as
Beast, Warren, Logan, the Professor. Almost anyone around
besides Emma.
Jean is back to being a strong female character again, at least.
Although, there are other problems with Jean. Well, not with
Jean, but with the Phoenix. Note for future X-Writers: dont
mess with the Phoenix. In the latest issue, Morrison has Jean
and Charles discuss her growing powers and occasional
manifestations of a big ol firebird. Charles then proceeds to
explain whats up, and destroys around 20 or so years of
continuity thats been built up.
"Telekinetic sensitivity this extreme is known as "The
Manifestation of the Phoenix" by neuro-mystical surgeons of the
Shiar Empire. The X-Men underwent great trials and loss
during a previous rogue phoenix manifestation on this planet."
So, the Phoenix Force is now gone as a concept, even
though its been well established, and any telekinetic can come
along and start showing off big firebirds. And reducing the Dark
Phoenix, an apocalyptic being of myth and legend, a dark god
and harbinger of destruction for the Shiar Empire is now just a
rogue manifestation?
Nope, Im sorry. You lose. This screws over quite a bit of
stuff, including some whole characters. Ive heard folks say that
it fits fine with everything, until the dumb retcon that brought
about the Phoenix Force in the first place. Yeah, maybe so, but
that retcon is already there, and ignoring it completely just makes
the entire situation worse, especially for something this big.
If a writer cant be bothered to know what hes writing
about, from characterisation through to the history of the
characters, and just writes whatever he wants to with them,
fitting them haphazardly into whatever characterisation and plots
suit his purposes, irregardless if they suit the character, then its a
clear sign that the writer is on the wrong book. Or, maybe I am.
Yes, thats right. Morrison has done that which only one
other writer has been able to do, make me seriously consider
dropping a core X-Title. He may yet cause me to drop it, in
fact, Im quite close as it is. Im just a glutton for punishment.
And where would everyone out there be if I dropped it and
couldnt rant about it?
Whos that one other writer? Scott Lobdell. Yes, Morrison
and Scott Lobdell, exhibit similar quality writing on the X-
Books. In fact, Id rather be reading Lobdells X-Men. At
least they were recognisable, for the most part.
Dont get me wrong, normally, I like Morrisons work, but
almost nothing is clicking here, and hes not writing the X-Men.
His big funky ideas are too big to work in an already established
universe, it could be said. Leave him to his creator-owned
projects for that stuff, its less offensive.
For now, Im sticking with the comic, see if things clear up.
If he continues the way hes going though, I wont be keeping an
eye on my old friends for long. Id wish for a consistent artist,
but we know that will never happen.
|
