Knights of X reveal

[CGAR]

Oh if your point is that the line as a whole has been substandard for a while now. Yes I agree. I was commenting on the specific complaint regarding Gambit's treatment.

Frenzy had one focus issue. So no she's not really been treated much better then say, Synch. But Storm completely derailed SWXRD.

So you think Al Ewings pacing, cast juggling, and dialogue is comparable to Excalibur?

[FluffyCyclopsRLZ]

Okay, here's how we can still win this:

After losing the Citadel to Merlyn and Arthur, Excalibur goes into hiding. They see that Merlyn is a horrible ruler, and he rules all of Otherworld like he did his realm. (There was an old info page that said he was a rule-crazed dictator once his daughter left him.) The inhabitants of all realms are miserable and miss Saturnyne, though they're glad Excalibur is thought to be dead. Excalibur decides to try and stop Merlin's forces, freeing Otherworld and hopefully earning the trust of the people they previously let down. What follows is each member of Excalibur getting their own arc, where they fight Merlyn's forces to free each realm, inspire people to stand up, and gather armies to march on the Starlight Citadel. Along the way, they learn of Merlyn's weaknesses, Arthur's struggles, and more secrets related to Mordred. Everyone gets a piece of the puzzle, and once they're all together, the greatest mysteries of Otherworld will be solved.

Could it be good?

In theory, sure. In practice, we'll get half the issue devoted to the non-Betsy cast and the rest is going to be a continuation of the last two years' passive-aggressive whinefest over how tough it is to get away with stealing another sentient being's body/life and being white again and how dare folks *still* not be stoked on Betsy, she'll show them all, I tell'ya, she'll show them.

On a slightly more serious note, why on Earth would anyone feel *bad* about the cast being hated and feared in Otherworld? Excalibur was basically the worst diplomatic mission ever, lol. The pitchfork and torch-carrying pissed off mobs would kinda be justified on this one.

[king of hybrids]

Actually, expanding a bit, this run has always had this undercurrent of wanting to make some kind of commentary on the UK, various little bits and pieces and also the huge hammer it’s been readying to hit the Arthur Mythos, why would you not make Jaspers the center of that? Sir Jim Jaspers was a Tory politician and knight of the realm who ran on a campaign of hating an “other”, in that case superpowered individuals, outlawed superheroes, set up concentration camps and death squads for anyone even slightly meta human, and even designed what is probably the most successful Sentinel ever created. Why is he running around some fair market putting Gambit into a maid’s dress?!

Because then we can’t use use Arthuriana as a metaphor for brexit.

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So you think Al Ewings pacing, cast juggling, and dialogue is comparable to Excalibur?

Ummm, each book has its own strengths and flaws. I would 1rgue that since the gala, Excalibur has been better plot and character wise then SWXRD which actually turned into a solo with no progression whatsoever since every issue repeats the same beat of Storm showing up and solving the issue at hand effortlessly.

I sound crazy because I'm really not much of a fan of Excalibur but credit where it's due.

[Outburstz]

Youre kind of proving my point.

These writers have been critiqued for not giving these characters something substantial to do.

Also Frenzy has had more shine and spotlight by Ewing compared to the others.

Frenzy has been doing the exact same thing Gambit has helping the main character which in Sword is Brand

[CGAR]

I agree the last arcs were better. But TH still has a habit of having the story go from here to here to here with some things left out.

Last issue Betsy/Saturnyne were on the boat. Now they are teleporting to the Avalon.

So hopefully she proves me wrong and has some connective tissue between the issues.

[CGAR]

Frenzy has been doing the exact same thing Gambit has helping the main character which in Sword is Brand

Well then its just my opinion then that Frenzy is being used better than Gambit. She gets to do more with other characters and has better dialogue moments.

Gambit has stolen a red gem, been a maid, bonded with Rictor, and whined about Rogue being in a coma.

I'm not a hardcore fan of either Gambit or Frenzy. But I still think Frenzy has had a better showing.

Im moving on now.

[Reiko]

I thoroughly enjoyed Excalibur, even with my boy Gambit being underused. The world building of Otherworld was so beautiful that I want an additional book based there. I loved Apocalypse's run, X of Swords, all the might and magic, the Game of Thrones like drama, etc. I'll definitely be tuned into KoX.

[Hekabolos]

I agree the last arcs were better. But TH still has a habit of having the story go from here to here to here with some things left out.

Last issue Betsy/Saturnyne were on the boat. Now they are teleporting to the Avalon.

So hopefully she proves me wrong and has some connective tissue between the issues.

Last month's preview pages also appeared to show a time jump, but turned out to have been pulled from halfway through the book. There is no reason to think the same isn't happening here.

[CGAR]

Yeah but its definitely happened.

Anyways if you like TH as a writer thats great. Im just saying she should take the genuine critiques and do something about it.

[Kingdom X]

Ummm, each book has its own strengths and flaws. I would 1rgue that since the gala, Excalibur has been better plot and character wise then SWXRD which actually turned into a solo with no progression whatsoever since every issue repeats the same beat of Storm showing up and solving the issue at hand effortlessly.

I sound crazy because I'm really not much of a fan of Excalibur but credit where it's due.

Storm has been in that book for like 4 issues and in one of them she was eating dinner. Frenzy, Manifold, and Whiz Kid each got focus issues/ spotlight moments. Old Man Cable even got a focus issue in his Annihilation tie-in. Brand has consistently been the driving force in that book AND it also has a much wider supporting cast with the larger crew. And this is all with having less than half of the issues Excalibur has.

[CGAR]

Storm has been in that book for like 4 issues and in one of them she was eating dinner. Frenzy, Manifold, and Whiz Kid each got focus issues/ spotlight moments. Old Man Cable even got a focus issue in his Annihilation tie-in. Brand has consistently been the driving force in that book AND it also has a much wider supporting cast with the larger crew. And this is all with having less than half of the issues Excalibur has.

Yeah I dont think they are taking that into account. Al Ewings intro arc which was hounded by tie-ins did more than Excaliburs first arc did. But its different writers. Moving on.

[Outburstz]

Storm has been in that book for like 4 issues and in one of them she was eating dinner. Frenzy, Manifold, and Whiz Kid each got focus issues/ spotlight moments. Old Man Cable even got a focus issue in his Annihilation tie-in. Brand has consistently been the driving force in that book AND it also has a much wider supporting cast with the larger crew. And this is all with having less than half of the issues Excalibur has.

Bro stop Frenzy talked about how she used to idolized Magneto and doesn't anymore other then that she has been strong girl punch something

Manifold and Whiz kid this past issue you have a point but the rest come on now.

[Romy134]

Starting to think all these cross overs and tie-in are really messing up the pacing in some of these books. We had X of swords, hellfire gala, now it seems some books are slugging along till Inferno and x lives wolverine thing. You can defiantly see it with X-Men. I wonder how these books would have turned out with out all the interference.

I'm defiantly going to pick up Knight of X, but I hope to see some changes.

[Hekabolos]

Yeah but its definitely happened.

Anyways if you like TH as a writer thats great. Im just saying she should take the genuine critiques and do something about it.

I think Howard is a fine writer. Not the best I've ever read but far from the worst and yes, there are valid criticisms to be made about her writing. But, as many have acknowledged, Excalibur has been getting stronger lately so...maybe she is addressing them?