Exiles #94 *Spoilers*

[mimic_616]

Kinda going off topic here people, let's stick to Exiles not spell check.

So getting back on topic, what's everyone think of Morph's various costume changes during this arc? I personally like the idea of his "clothes" changing all the time during a battle.

[DDM]

Of course we've already been told that the bugs made up those consiquences to ensure that the specific chosen individuals would serve their purpose. So even that hanging over their heads has been wiped away.

So much for "severe consequences." I would like their decisions to personally affect them--not so much the reality they screw up. Isn't the Exiles knotting up the sidereal strings with each jaunt to another reality? I would think the Exiles are doing more harm than good. Why are the Exiles taking those bugs at their word anyway? I would expect Roma has far more authority--given she is Guardian of the Omniverse--than bugs. Perhaps the bugs do Roma's bidding, but I'm not seeing it since they appear to fear Roma in the first place.

[ImpulseUCF]

So much for "severe consequences." I would like their decisions to personally affect them--not so much the reality they screw up. Isn't the Exiles knotting up the sidereal strings with each jaunt to another reality? I would think the Exiles are doing more harm than good. Why are the Exiles taking those bugs at their word anyway? I would expect Roma has far more authority--given she is Guardian of the Omniverse--than bugs. Perhaps the bugs do Roma's bidding, but I'm not seeing it since they appear to fear Roma in the first place.Don't you mean the lizards? ;)

I think this book jumped the shark with the bugs/Crystal Palace reveal. While not terrible, it has certainly not been as good ever since. Ah, well.

[Nachturne]

Don't you mean the lizards? ;)

I think this book jumped the shark with the bugs/Crystal Palace reveal. While not terrible, it has certainly not been as good ever since. Ah, well.

Whatever. It'll be canceled soon. We have Winick's trades to look back fondly on!!!

[Ice_Cold_Emma_Frost]

<activates Sage filter>

http://vs.tcgplayer.com/db/cards/2545.jpg

PROGRAM SAGE
TRANSLATION:

"Elite Internet language codes? I do not know what you are talking about."

</end Sage filter>

LMFAO *cries and wipes away tear*

[ImpulseUCF]

To keep things in perspective, sure, the majority of the mistakes and inconsistencies CC has made in his Exiles run have been relatively small in the grand scheme. Not all, but most. However, the problem for me is that while a single, isolated glitch is easy to flinch at and then ignore, it is not so easy when the book is peppered with inconsistencies.

A single character acting a little off here, whatever. Different speech patterns? Well, kind of obvious, but no biggie. Half the team acting out of character, talking differently, drastic changes in terminology with no basis within the story, blatant errors (calling the bugs lizards when they are clearly, clearly bugs), radically shifting the focus to a different character, repetitive clunky dialogue (how many times did Heather say "What the devil?!", characters being out of character or like different people (Sabre-Logan?), jump-the-shark moments like uber-Elektra the ninja killing super evil Ton Stark, all of these accumulate to really lessen the overall effectiveness of the story.

1 small mistake? No big deal. 10 small mistakes? That was the difference between an A and a C- back in high school.

That's where people are coming from with their complaints. Sure, most of these can be overlooked after the initial jarring reaction if taken individually, but together they snowball too quickly, and it's too much to simply ignore.

My complaints have never been about his personal style, and I would just like him to be consistent with this established mythos without drastically changing it it around, and if he is going to change things, at least explain it. That's all.

[Nachturne]

Heh. The best way to silence these threads is to make valid points.

http://vh1.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/05/21/cs_6_39.jpg

[Faded]

Don't you mean the lizards? ;)

I think this book jumped the shark with the bugs/Crystal Palace reveal. While not terrible, it has certainly not been as good ever since. Ah, well.

Definitely. The mystery was taken away and the personal stakes were lowered IMO.

[Faded]

LoL, I Love Charm School.

[Dagger]

LoL, I Love Charm School.
That show, and I <3 New York are like my two favorite reality shows on t.v.!

[Flameworthy]

LoL, I Love Charm School.

Me too! Damn, Larissa is a bitch.

[Nachturne]

Me too! Damn, Larissa is a bitch.

http://vh1.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/05/21/cs_6_54.jpg

[ImpulseUCF]

Definitely. The mystery was taken away and the personal stakes were lowered IMO.See, the bugs thing would have worked had they just ended the series right there. Something that off-the-wall, a game-changer that large, that kind of thing can only really work for an ending or a total re imagining. It completely changed their motivations, consequences, and understanding of the situation. Maybe if they retired the original team and switched to a mercenaries/recruits kind of situation the book would have worked better.

In any case, the entire dynamic of the series was fundamentally changed with that reveal, and the rest of the series should have been changed just as much to succeed.

Let Winnick's fantastic run rest in peace.

[Phil Hunn]

See, the bugs thing would have worked had they just ended the series right there. Something that off-the-wall, a game-changer that large, that kind of thing can only really work for an ending or a total re imagining.

On the other hand, the whole "bald guy shows up to give the Exiles their mission" was a bit too Quantum Leap. At least when they've got one of their own in charge it's a little less like they're being puppeteered by some creepy sentient insects.

[ImpulseUCF]

On the other hand, the whole "bald guy shows up to give the Exiles their mission" was a bit too Quantum Leap. At least when they've got one of their own in charge it's a little less like they're being puppeteered by some creepy sentient insects.Well, fair enough, but that wasn't really meant to be taken at face value, was it? :p It was also delightfully absurd, and the characters acknowledged as much. The unknown factor of whether this was some manipulative being, some manifestation of the immune system of the multiverse, or just really some figment of their collective unconsciousness was pretty damn fascinating.

It also furthered the real point of the book, which was doing unspeakable things to this group of realistic, sympathetic characters to see how they respond. Being forced into this absurd, strenuous role of saving all existence or face dire consequences for yourself and all reality is going to make a person twitch. In addition to the mortal peril, you had this entire psychological aspect as well in how they reacted to their situation, and then you had the sociological aspect with how they dealt with each other, how they formed relationships, etc.

It really was an energetic dynamic, and I thought it was a shame when that was taken away and replaced with something as off-the-wall and static as passive-aggressive, whiney, nerdy bugs hanging out in a multiversal security monitoring station. I don't mean off-the-wall as in wacky or exciting, either. It's just....weird. And dull. And anticlimactic. Don't get me wrong; the crystal palace introduced some interesting possibilities, such as who built the crystal palace, where are they now, what did they use it for, etc. They could have made it very interesting as long it was revealed anyone but Roma was in charge, but there was never any follow through.

I was willing to overlook the reveal at the time, to suspend my sense of disbelief that was boiling to get free with the potential promise of a great new direction, but it never came. They removed the status quo and driving premise and replaced it with.....nothing. A watered-down version of the original premise without any of the mystery or doubt that made it interesting.

Exiles has never just been about a group of heroes saving the multiverse. It is about a group of people, first and foremost, reacting how people would react to such a situation, or at least anyone's best guess. I can't speak from experience to the best tactics for saving the multiverse. :)

Anyway, I never meant to ramble on so long. My point is that Exiles had a driving premise and specific status quo. The bug reveal completely removed that, which would be fine, except we were never given an adequate replacement. Thus, the book has been treading water at best ever since.

[jarrod]

As for CC's Sabretooth... I flipped through the latest issue today, and I had to look twice to check whether Sabretooth was actually a muscle suit with Logan nestled inside.
*mumble mumble* Brubaker's Warpath *mumble mumble*