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From: moriarty@fluke.UUCP (Henry Vogel)
Newsgroups: net.comics
Subject: X-Men Sneak Preview & General comments (by Henry Vogel)
Message-ID: <754@vax2.fluke.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 27-Jun-85 04:43:35 EDT
Article-I.D.: vax2.754
Posted: Thu Jun 27 04:43:35 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 28-Jun-85 01:39:30 EDT
Distribution: net
Organization: Remotely, via MoriartyVision
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I'm posting this for Henry Vogel, the writer and former publisher for
SOUTHERN KNIGHTS, who has been following net.comics via Jerry and I for the
last couple of weeks.  And now, without any further delay, here's Henry:

[What?  No stupid signiture line?]

*******************************************************************************
This is my first posting on the net so I'll be touching on a bunch of different
things.

First of all, the rumor mill has been churning with all sorts of speculation
concerning X-Factor. I can safely tell you one of the rumors is now a fact.
Jean Grey will return - NOT as Phoenix. This is straight from Marvel's
publicity director Steve Saffel. Steve called my publisher - David Kraft. 
Kraft publishes Comics Interview (and the Southern Knights - am I allowed to
plug my own book here?). Anyway, Marvel asked Kraft if he would do an issue
on X-Factor to be released after all the exciting revelations have been
revealed. Kraft - who wishes he could put X-Men on the cover of CI every
issue since sales soar - allowed them to twist his arm and said he would.
Saffel then filled him in of some of what will be happening and the Jean Grey
tidbit was part of it. I'm going to be interviewing (I hope) Jackson (Butch)
Guice - the penciller for X-Factor (and former Southern Knights artist - oops,
there I go again) in the near future and will get the whole story which, of
course, I'll have posted on the net for me (I have to go through Jerry Boyagian
and/or Jeff Meyer since I don't have direct access to the comics.net).

A quick note to Ellen Eades. I know several people who can draw comics but
don't have their addresses, etc. with me. If you want to, you can write me
at the following address and I'll send you what info I have.

Henry Vogel
P.O.Box 1603
Clemson, SC   29631

On to X-Men controveries! First of all, Ray Chen credited Clairmont and Byrne
with "a courageous decision by allowing Jean Grey to kill herself" and then
flames Jim Shitter (I like that nick name) for wanting to bring her back. I
don't know whether Shitter is behind her return, but he was definately behind
her death! Clairmont and Byrne were going to have her powers stripped away from
her - leaving her as a normal human. However, Shitter stepped in and forbade it.
His reasoning was Phoenix had murdered millions of beings and therefore must
die. C&B were not pleased in the least - especially because the order didn't
come down from on high until after the pages were pencilled and scripted! I
hate to burst your bubble, Ray, but if you liked the death of Phoenix, you
have only Shitter to thank!

As several people have mentioned recently, the X-Men are definately not what
they used to be. I suppose everyone has their opinions as to what has caused
this - you'd be surprised how many people blame the fall on Byrne - and I'd
like to give mine. I think Clairmont is burning out. He seems to desperately
(in my opinion, one of the best extended comic book stories ever). The problem
is he seems to have forgotten what made the team special. The X-Men no longer
laugh or seem to get any enjoyment from life. Everything they do is cosmic
in scope. Somehow, I don't think the present Clairmont could write many of the
old stories. Do you remember the issue where Kitty told a fairy tale to Illiana
(before Illiana went to Hell)? That was fun. It didn't involve saving the world.
That kind of story, I'm afraid, is no more. Maybe he'll break out of it soon -
I certainly hope so. I used to dread the idea of Clairmont leaving the book -
now I think it may be the only way to save it... By the way, are the rest of
you out there as tired of anti-mutant hatred as I am? Personally, if super-
powered mutants existed, I think they would organize a congressional lobby,
vote as a block, and suddenly begin to receive federal aid for development of
their mutations. The Xavier School for Gifted Youngster (a name that should
have been changed years ago) would apply for and receive massive federal
grants. I doubt they would be treated as they are in the X-Men. (How can the
populace of the nation hate/fear mutants and embrace Captain America as a 
hero at the same time?)

Well, I've certainly rabled long enough. More next time!

Henry Vogel