Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site reed.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!reed!ellen
From: ellen@reed.UUCP (Ellen Eades)
Newsgroups: net.comics
Subject: Re: Why buy garbage?
Message-ID: <1995@reed.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 11-Oct-85 15:30:32 EDT
Article-I.D.: reed.1995
Posted: Fri Oct 11 15:30:32 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 14-Oct-85 03:49:21 EDT
References: <306@pedsgd.UUCP> <590@k.cs.cmu.edu.ARPA>
Organization: Reed College, Portland, Oregon
Lines: 43

> Look, it was obvious from the start that this whole sequence was going to
> be cretinous.  The premise makes that obvious.  So why do you people, who I
> assume are somewhat above average in intelligence, buy it? ...
> What factors cause someone to buy a comic book that they realize from the
> start is going to be awful?
> Don't you realize that if you continue to suffer these Pavlovian reactions
> to comic books, they will continue to be rotten?  If you are guaranteed to
> buy something that has Jean Grey on the cover, then why should they bother
> putting a good story?  If the floor beneath you becomes covered with drool
> when you hear the name Byrne, then why shouldn't he become somewhat less
> careful in his artwork (as we've all seen)?

> Tim Maroney, CMU Center for Art and Technology

I, for one (and admittedly I'm not sure whether anyone will back
me up) think that Tim is going too far here.  Several folks (I
believe Jayembee was among them, maybe Jeff as well) have said
that the writing in FF 286 was good enough to make them *almost*
ignore the bad premise (Jean is back).  I don't agree that
Byrne's art has gone downhill recently;  I think he has the ups
and downs that anyone would, and I remain quite fond of his
work, particularly with the FF.

As to why anyone would want to buy something obviously
"cretinous," again: I don't think it is that stupid.  Marvel has
committed faux pas like this before.  I think it interesting
that Jean Grey's rebirth seems to incite the most
Shooter-baiting of all; it's probably indicative of the respect
in which we hold her character.  Now, I agree that the omens are
bad; but I LIKE JEAN, I'm glad she's back, and I plan to keep right 
on buying anything with her on the cover!

I respect Tim's right to his own opinions; but he's coming
pretty close to calling me a brainless consumer of mass-produced
opiates, and I resent that slur on *my* opinions.

Ellen Eades
-- 
-    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -
	"Who's been repeating all that hard stuff to you?"
	"I read it in a book," said Alice.
-    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -
	tektronix!reed!ellen