Fraction Fan Rising

[AJpyro]

Once more, my library pulled through and I got my hands on Fractions Uncanny collection vol 1-3.

I give them an 7.5 out of 10. They did feel like Cyke-centric stories but certain characters got the spotlight. Pixie and Emma's stories did make me want to know more about them. Magneto's return and retrieval of SHadowcat was a favorite of mine. So awesome.

I didn't care for the Sublime story though. Nor for the Sisterhood. Maybe if I read up on Maddie but I didn't care.

I did not like Greg Lands art. Rubbed me the wrong way.

So I'll try to find the other vols of Utopia and Fraction.

PS: I finally saw Beast's torture. I still can't help but give it a so what? All xmen get tortured at some point or another.

[Mr. Brightside]

Once more, my library pulled through and I got my hands on Fractions Uncanny collection vol 1-3.

I give them an 7.5 out of 10. They did feel like Cyke-centric stories but certain characters got the spotlight. Pixie and Emma's stories did make me want to know more about them. Magneto's return and retrieval of SHadowcat was a favorite of mine. So awesome.

I didn't care for the Sublime story though. Nor for the Sisterhood. Maybe if I read up on Maddie but I didn't care.

I did not like Greg Lands art. Rubbed me the wrong way.

So I'll try to find the other vols of Utopia and Fraction.

PS: I finally saw Beast's torture. I still can't help but give it a so what? All xmen get tortured at some point or another.

He was a complete and total whiner. Hell, Charles was there for longer than Beast, and he handled better. Charles, the man with the recent brain injury, and years older than Beast, and the one who had just gone through soul searching drama, had just purged Sinister from his DNA, etc.
That's where the true fall of Beast started.

[weezer17]

Once more, my library pulled through and I got my hands on Fractions Uncanny collection vol 1-3.

I give them an 7.5 out of 10. They did feel like Cyke-centric stories but certain characters got the spotlight. Pixie and Emma's stories did make me want to know more about them. Magneto's return and retrieval of SHadowcat was a favorite of mine. So awesome.

I didn't care for the Sublime story though. Nor for the Sisterhood. Maybe if I read up on Maddie but I didn't care.

I did not like Greg Lands art. Rubbed me the wrong way.

So I'll try to find the other vols of Utopia and Fraction.

PS: I finally saw Beast's torture. I still can't help but give it a so what? All xmen get tortured at some point or another.

Good analysis, I agree for the most part. He did a pretty good job! Not a legendary X-run, but well worth my time looking back.

[Sea Hound]

I wonder would Fraction's writing be better regarded with a better artist? I found that Land (who was at his worst) killed off a lot of the emotions Fraction was going for, when his art was often such a mismatch with the writing.

Like here where a teenage girl is being beaten by thugs. Should be sad. But all I can see is the blow job face.

image.jpg

I find the Fraction and Gillen issues pencilled by Land really annoying to look at.

[Goddess]

In retrospect, I actually enjoyed this run much more than I remember enjoying it. Was nowhere near as good as Carey's run on Legacy at the time (especially Carey's Necrosha tie-in) but I was glad to see the X-characters brought back. I enjoyed his Sisterhood much more than Wood's (plus it brought Psylocke back into the main team even though she was simply butt shots until Remender and Gillen took hold of her character).

Other than the dudebro machismo lead focus as well as the irrelevance of every female X-Character (even the important ones like the Big 4) minus Emma (who was nothing more than Scott's handbag at this time), the (recycled) Land art was a huge blight on this run.

I actually enjoyed Land's art during Gillen's run. I'm not sure how the art differed but it didn't turn me away at all (plus Gillen is just a better writer when it comes to the X).

[sprior93]

I wonder would Fraction's writing be better regarded with a better artist? I found that Land (who was at his worst) killed off a lot of the emotions Fraction was going for, when his art was often such a mismatch with the writing.

Like here where a teenage girl is being beaten by thugs. Should be sad. But all I can see is the blow job face.

I find the Fraction and Gillen issues pencilled by Land really annoying to look at.

Right? Every female he drew looked like they were posing for the cover of glamour. That can work sometimes for characters like Emma, but not when the story requires them to actually emote.

[gambitxremy]

Dr nemesis was the greatest thing fraction did

Second is Namor becoming a x - man

[weezer17]

Dr nemesis was the greatest thing fraction did

Second is Namor becoming a x - man

Agreed and definitely agreed!

[weezer17]

I wonder would Fraction's writing be better regarded with a better artist? I found that Land (who was at his worst) killed off a lot of the emotions Fraction was going for, when his art was often such a mismatch with the writing.

This is a very valid point, and a thought I've had myself. I would've liked to see an art team like the Dodson's pencil/ink Fraction's writing.

[Park Slope Pixie]

Fraction's run was fucking brilliant.

I was the ONLY one supporting his run here.

[Goddess]

Second is Namor becoming a x - man

Yes. It pains me that he's no longer associated with the X.

[AJpyro]

Fraction's run was fucking brilliant.

I was the ONLY one supporting his run here.

I am with you now.

[Sea Hound]

This is a very valid point, and a thought I've had myself. I would've liked to see an art team like the Dodson's pencil/ink Fraction's writing.

Fraction is actually really good at working with an artist and letting the images talk and tell the story. In Hawkeye he and Aja tell the story together; even to the point where a whole issue is told from the dog's point of view, using mostly just graphics. So he's clearly a writer who knows where to stand back and let the image do the talking.

Land draws shiny beautiful people, but doesn't really contribute anything when it comes to narration. In fact his panels often contradict the writing.

[AJpyro]

Fraction is actually really good at working with an artist and letting the images talk and tell the story. In Hawkeye he and Aja tell the story together; even to the point where a whole issue is told from the dog's point of view, using mostly just graphics. So he's clearly a writer who knows where to stand back and let the image do the talking.

Land draws shiny beautiful people, but doesn't really contribute anything when it comes to narration. In fact his panels often contradict the writing.

Pretty much my whole experience with Land. I preferred Dodson's more cartoony style.

Also bonus points for you for mentioning Hawkeye. Love that series. Can't wait to read vol 3 at library.

[Sea Hound]

Pretty much my whole experience with Land. I preferred Dodson's more cartoony style.

Also bonus points for you for mentioning Hawkeye. Love that series. Can't wait to read vol 3 at library.

It's good isn't it.

My strong points about Fraction's X-Men:
His Uncanny worked really well as the focal point of the X-Line, and gave the other books a centre to work off. The New Mutants, X-Force, X-Men Legacy all linked together well. I took it for granted at the time, but now, when the books are mostly unrelated I appreciate how much tighter the line plotting was.

I find his jokes funny. Particularly Dr Nemesis. Humour is subjective I know, but i did crack a laugh at Fraction's jokes, whereas Bendis's ones leave me cold.

Aside from the kneeling scene, (hate it) I really liked having Magneto on Utopia, as the team member who everyone was scared of. In fact I liked having all the X-Men around and no one in complete limbo. It made the big fight scenes a lot of fun.

Namor as X-Man.

The negatives for me was the sisterhood arc, Greg Land, (not really Fraction's fault) and sometimes I think the size of his cast got way from him. I actually like ScEmma, but there was a bit too much focus on him, with her as arm candy at times.