Comic: The Uncanny X-men #299
Published: 1993
Writer: Scott Lobdell
Penciler: Brandon Peterson
Inker: Dan Panosian
Story Synopsis
The issue begins with a 4 page interlude following the X-man Forge as he investigates the ruins of a an orbital space station that has crash landed in the Kuwait desert. The space station belonged to the mutant Magento who is believed to be dead, but evidence of his demise is inconclusive. The comic then segues into Professor Xavier engaging in a televised debate about the state of human/mutant affairs with Graydon Creed and Senator Kelly. Various x-men and villains are shown reacting to the debate which concludes with a mini debate between Beast and Graydon Creed.
The Art & Writing
Normally I would analyze the artwork and writing separately, but for this issue, I think both need to be addressed simultaneously. This comic is probably one of the most difficult assignments that a writer could have handed to an superhero artist. The entire story is dialogue driven. There isn't a single action scene. All the superheroes are in civilian clothing. There are limited scene changes. The writer creates an interesting visual hook for the artist to utilize, using television screens in various locations to cross back and forth between the actual debate and characters reacting to the debate, but that hook isn't enough to make the story visually interesting. The visual heavy lifting has to be done by the artist to make the hook effective and I feel that Brandon Peterson wimped out on this issue.
I get the impression that the penciler was bored with this issue, so he turned in passable, but bored artwork. The end result is a bored reader. Once the debate gets going, most of the issue's panels feature head and shoulder shots of various characters (all with the same chin line and pursed lips) talking in profile or head on views. Backgrounds are pretty minimal. Brandon's art style seems very similar to Rob Liefeld's drawing style. Imagine if Rob drew a comic without a single action scene and you probably have a good idea of what this comic reads like.
It's a shame that it came out the way it did, because a character on one of the final pages states that the televised debate was supposed to have been a very significant water-shed moment in the world of the X-men. Instead of coming across as being a momentous event, it came across as being a forgettable, "very-special episode" of your favorite 90's comedy sitcom. If the artist had been willing to spend a little more time and effort to change up his flat shots, add some dynamic lighting, or design some unusual page layouts, he may have been able to make this a visually dramatic issue. As it is, he just made an issue a reader thumbs through and places back on the shelf due to the walls of dialogue and flat story telling.
Bland!
As a reader, I look at this page and see reading it as a chore. The visuals are simple and bland so I have nothing compelling me to read the wall of text on the page. When I see this type of page layout, my brain starts to skim read by default.
Visual Hook
Here's an example of the visual hook of the television screens being used to show the debate and people's reactions to the debate. In concept, this is a solid hook. In execution, it just feels like an excuse to draw more squares with heads in them.
Look kids! More heads and shoulders (with the same chins and pursed lips) and minimal backgrounds!!!
Comics are awesome!
Archangel's Scene
The only scene that I found visually compelling in the entire comic was the two page sequence showing Archangel's interaction with a nun while the debate plays in the back ground.
The scene used dynamic lighting, shifting camera angles, and strong establishing/ending panels to create en engrossing scene. I love the last panel. It's beautiful.
Beast's Mini Debate (with man making painful bowel movement)
The only other scene in the comic that left a lasting impression showed a sarcastic Beast blowing a raspberry at Graydon Creed (who appears to be passing a rather painful bowel movement) on live television. Beast's facial expressions match his dialogue and it's funny to see a serious character act against type.
