How do you feel about the way X-books are written?

[Rnap22]

I kind of miss the old days of Claremont on his first run of the books. He delivered character development, subplots that ran through arcs and it was just overall great writing. Obviously he did go down hill for the most part when he came back, but how do you feel about today's writers? I feel like I kinda hate 3 issue story arcs that don't much develop anything else. Some writers still can juggle multiple plots and subplots without making the book a mess, but not many.

Thoughts on the writers and their styles?

[DanMad1977]

I thought about that, too. My problem is with many books that introduce new or lesser known, or not known to me characters that i never learn much about them, or that there is no chance for me to actually care for them.

The new Generation X book for example: I tried the first two issues and am completely lost with the characters. I stopped at issue 2, i just cannot enjoy it.

With Giant size X-Men 1 i had the feeling i know every character in that short time.

[Ambaryerno]

I feel like I kinda hate 3 issue story arcs that don't much develop anything else.

That's still longer than Days of Future Past (2 issues).

My experience is that defined story arcs today are LONGER than the individual arcs of 20-30 years ago. Back in the 90s I collected DC's second volume of Star Trek, and for the most part, everything was over and done with in a single issue. The first 12 issues were sort of like DS9 where there was an overarching subplot, but otherwise each story was ultimately self-contained. Almost everything was a single issue, with a couple two or three-parters here and there, but only one six-issue story (which is the standard for today because of trades).

[XCE]

That's still longer than Days of Future Past (2 issues).

My experience is that defined story arcs today are LONGER than the individual arcs of 20-30 years ago.

A lot of that is due to how different comic book storytelling today is to back then. In today's books, the storytelling is more visual, which naturally spreads a story out over more pages. Back then, pages were denser. Smaller panels, more words. Just check out these two early pages from the story you mentioned, Days of Future Past:




In today's comic books, I'm sure that last panel alone could have easily filled an entire page.

I'm not saying the old style was superior, but there's no denying a book from that era feels "meatier". It takes a lot less time to finish reading a modern book.

Anyway, that was a bit of a tangent. To answer the question, I'm not impressed at all by the current writing. I feel like all the top talent prefers other publishers.

[DanMad1977]

Comic Books today feel light, for lack of a better term.

Read Spider-Man, not a bad book, but it takes 4 Minutes to get through.

Recently i read a lot of 70´or 80´Marvel´s, it takes a while before the last page. Buuuut, its annoying to read caption boxes, or the thought baloon of a character that is trying to explain everything he does at the moment. I mean, can see what is happening. Worse, characters that are always talking to themselves, instead of word ballons....

[Magneto]

It feels like there's no real direction behind the X-Men. Passion and creativity seems to be gone. They're writing X-Men books because they have to do it.

[Knives]

Well if I were one of the writers certainly would not want to see my story being interrupted by events every two or three months. Readers today are impatient in two or three issues already want a development and a deep plot otherwise give up.

In the past art was not as valued as it is today. Now some readers give up a comic or decide which to buy based on the art or who will be the artist.Regardless of whether the story is good or bad.

I do not know if it is relevant or not for the discussion but I miss the graphic novels. They're a great way to tell closed stories without disrupting the development and schedule of other comics.

I think the current problem is what to do with the X-mens when they are not telling stories involving extinction. Writers and marvel not seem to have yet figure out the answer to that but believe some are trying.

[DanMad1977]

Maybe every good X-Men story is told?

[Sin Nick]

It all reads like fan fiction to me and I only care to stay updated(courtesy of these forums)out of habit of being an X-Men fan. Back when I was actually collecting comics, these current books aren't something I would've paid money for(the prices being a main reason) and I collected some pretty bad stuff over the years. Current Marvel kinda reminds me of the days of early Image comics except without the flashy art... edgy and no substance.

[WhiteQueenEmmaFrost]

Back in the day comics used to be BOOKS and you had to read them. Now you can go three or four pages without any words at all.

[Sin Nick]

It feels like there's no real direction behind the X-Men. Passion and creativity seems to be gone. They're writing X-Men books because they have to do it.

This I agree with too. X-Men probably just looks good on some of these current writers/artists resume before they land their next gig or work on their own independent project. Gain that fan base then bail...

[Master of Sound]

I think the sad thing is that they change creative teams almost every year. So, when a writer want to have multiple red threads in the book, they have to make sure it gets finalised before they depart again. I really liked they slow build up of stories, while other stories took place.

So you would know some mysterious (or known) villain is plotting something for about some months before you did find out what they were up to.

Or those stories that would take a half year or more to come to an end without ever getting boring, like Supernovas, or the Rise and Fall of the Shi'ar empire.

Now it seems there are short stories for 5 or 6 issues (to fit a paperback) and then on to the next story. I liked the plotting ahead a lot.

So, personally I wish they would get creative teams on the book for a longer time

[Weather]

I, personally, don't like issues I can read in 4 minutes. If it is like that, I don't feel like it is worth my money. Although, in the X-franchise, this seems to be getting a little better. But I'd prefer they would put even more story and dialogue, so that in just one issue, you can get more stuff and more work on characters.

I'm glad that 6 issues arcs are being less common now in the X-franchise. Blue, Gold, Generation X, All-New Wolverine... the arcs are getting smaller, which forces every issue to have more content.

Besides that, the problem continues to be, like always, if the writer has an interesting and fun story to tell. I'm really liking Bunn and Tom Taylor pacing and criativity, I am hopefull for Christina Strain and Pak (it' is not great, but getting better) and very disappointed by Guggenheim. The latter has GREAT characters but we don't see their personalities, why they are on the book, why they couldn't be exchanged by any other character... I believe that, if you peek a character, you MUST have a story to tell with them and we have to see the progression during all the issues, because if we don't, it's pointless and we don't care about them.

Good and bad stories will always exist, and I believe the editors should make the writers who can't write good enough stories to find their way, unfortunately.

[Maestroneto]

The current X-books are driven entirely by nostalgia. We have 10 X-books and not a single one has an original idea or concept in it. But as long as the X-Men dress like circus clowns and play baseball the vast majority of the fanbase will be satisfied.

[Cykewasright]

I hate it I am at a point where I am not following X-Men I am following Cullen Bunn he is the only good X-Writer we have had since Kierron Gillen imo. Bendis ruined Kierron Gillens run and the X-Men books and now Marvel are forcing his time displaced original 5 down our throats. Admittedly I am enjoying Cullen Bunns X-Men: Blue but I rather he would get to write a X-Men book he wants and not one that is editorially mandated to exist.