Readthrough: Classic X-Men 6
10 Feb 2019 11:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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x_men_classicFor me, Classic X-Men's quiet stories were always its strong point; this one is quieter than most. Chris Claremont called it a story without words; it's not quite that, but it's a story told primarily through the art, without dialogue or narrative captions.
I really love the art in this issue. Which is a very good thing, under the circumstances! But I particularly like the atmosphere of this page--the snow, the busyness of it, the gradual focus on Jean and her smile at the end.
A detail I like: Jean holds her bags in her arms until she's inside. Once she's alone, she does what comes naturally, holding them with her powers while she locks the door behind her. When she climbs the stairs, her bags follow behind her, bobbing in the air. I love how the art shows the difference between public and private life, here, and how casually Jean uses her powers when she's alone.
... Not that she doesn't also have a sense of humor about them! (This is what I meant about this issue still having words. Claremont snuck them in, here and there.)
The bulk of the short story follows Jean through her evening, getting ready for her date with Scott. Her roommate Misty Knight has left a note promising that she's gone for the weekend and urging Jean to go for broke. (She's very encouraging about it.) Jean takes a picture of herself with her parents from her bedside table and puts it away in a drawer, stares at the Phoenix and the Carpet poster over her bed. (It seems like an odd choice for her to have in her bedroom, but maybe she's just predisposed to like firebirds...) There's an odd little scene where she dances with some of Scott's spare clothes. She chooses between two dresses, and decides on black rather than white.
Eventually, the clock strikes the hour she's waiting for.
I love that set of panels--it does a great job of conveying Jean's anticipation.
And the short sequence of Scott and Jean together works very well; even without dialogue, you get the tone of what they're saying to each other.
And I like the touch with the candle flames as they walk away together.
Alas, we already knew that this date was doomed. On the last page, there's a sonic boom, and we just see the Sentinel that created it in the window...
What did you think of this issue? Would you like to see other X-Men stories told without dialogue? Is there an artist you'd like to see draw one?
(Also, how much do you think Jean and Misty know about each other at this point?)
Next Thursday: The X-Men mount a rescue mission in space!
Next Sunday: Skullduggery at the Hellfire Club.
I really love the art in this issue. Which is a very good thing, under the circumstances! But I particularly like the atmosphere of this page--the snow, the busyness of it, the gradual focus on Jean and her smile at the end.
A detail I like: Jean holds her bags in her arms until she's inside. Once she's alone, she does what comes naturally, holding them with her powers while she locks the door behind her. When she climbs the stairs, her bags follow behind her, bobbing in the air. I love how the art shows the difference between public and private life, here, and how casually Jean uses her powers when she's alone.
... Not that she doesn't also have a sense of humor about them! (This is what I meant about this issue still having words. Claremont snuck them in, here and there.)
The bulk of the short story follows Jean through her evening, getting ready for her date with Scott. Her roommate Misty Knight has left a note promising that she's gone for the weekend and urging Jean to go for broke. (She's very encouraging about it.) Jean takes a picture of herself with her parents from her bedside table and puts it away in a drawer, stares at the Phoenix and the Carpet poster over her bed. (It seems like an odd choice for her to have in her bedroom, but maybe she's just predisposed to like firebirds...) There's an odd little scene where she dances with some of Scott's spare clothes. She chooses between two dresses, and decides on black rather than white.
Eventually, the clock strikes the hour she's waiting for.
I love that set of panels--it does a great job of conveying Jean's anticipation.
And the short sequence of Scott and Jean together works very well; even without dialogue, you get the tone of what they're saying to each other.
And I like the touch with the candle flames as they walk away together.
Alas, we already knew that this date was doomed. On the last page, there's a sonic boom, and we just see the Sentinel that created it in the window...
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 10
Does this count as a story without words?
View Answers
Yes, the lack of dialogue, thought balloons and captions is enough.
5 (50.0%)
No, the notes and poster disqualify it.
0 (0.0%)
No, but for Claremont it's close enough.
5 (50.0%)
What did you think of this issue? Would you like to see other X-Men stories told without dialogue? Is there an artist you'd like to see draw one?
(Also, how much do you think Jean and Misty know about each other at this point?)
Next Thursday: The X-Men mount a rescue mission in space!
Next Sunday: Skullduggery at the Hellfire Club.
no subject
Date: 2019-02-11 07:11 am (UTC)I'd love to see a whole set of stories without dialogue. I feel like long stretches of several Wolverine-centric stories do that - the Frank Miller miniseries, IIRC, and the one where Katie Power comes across a wounded and mute Wolverine.
I'd like to see one of Nightcrawler done like a silent movie, with him doing his swashbuckler thing.
no subject
Date: 2019-02-11 08:34 am (UTC)A silent movie Nightcrawler story would be perfect.
no subject
Date: 2019-02-11 05:04 pm (UTC)Yes. So much.
no subject
Date: 2019-02-11 07:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-02-11 07:28 pm (UTC)