I've waited for what seems like weeks to get some "Power of X-Men" content and you hit me with this powerhouse of an interview! How are you not the most popular channel on TH-cam right now?
What a great interview. If my dad was alive he would have loved to hear it too. I remember Emma kicking Leech. That whole issue was hilarious. Was that the one where Jubilee buys an apple? Really interesting to hear about the editorial behind the scenes. ‘You have to write out Emma now’ lol
Emma never did anything evil?? How quick Scott is to forget: she sent Firestar's horse to the glue factory! #JusticeforButterRum lol Anyway, this whole run is disproportionately influential for me as well given how young I was and excited to read the books in real time. In fact, Scott Lobdell (along with Fabian Nicieza) may have been the first writer's name to become ingrained in my head, simply through sheer repetition. It was part of my slow realization that these funnybooks were created by living, breathing human beings - and thus why I had preferences for some over others. Lobdell in particular had a great knack for those "downtime between big events" issues. Nobody could write a quiet, character-focused drama that tugged at the heartstrings quite like him. I never considered it at the time, but from this interview I gather he had a great eye for new artists as well. With Joe Mad, Chris Bachalo, Gene Ha, and Carlos Pacheco all getting shout-outs... that's a crazy diverse murderers' row of incredible talent. No one else from that era came close to matching such a cool complement of illustrators. Even Nicieza, despite his lengthy run, was pretty much limited to Greg Capullo, Tony Daniel, and Andy Kubert - all great artists, and there's a lot to be said for consistency, but they weren't the game-changers of their day. Speaking of Nicieza, interesting to hear he "coordinated" the major crossovers that he was present for. I guess it makes sense, given his... penchant for details, and the fact that he'd been around since the Muir Island Saga days. He fully took over the writing duties on X-Force and X-Men just in time for the Image exodus, and again was tasked with cobbling the scraps of a major crossover together into something relatively coherent in X-Cutioner's Song (of which he wrote half). I get why the office would've leaned on him in this capacity. Taking a vastly different structural approach with AoA obviously paid off, but Nicieza's absence was felt for events like Onslaught (which I still love), and O:ZT (trash). But man... I think I'd walk back A LOT of my misgivings towards the latter had we gotten the Magneto Kills Everyone ending described. We were robbed! Finally, all the love heaped on Adventures of Cyclops & Phoenix. Swoon... such a gorgeous, breathtaking saga. It's a fucking masterpiece that does not get talked about enough, and I so appreciate you guys for highlighting that. 🥰
Lobdell wrote numerous downtime issues that I loved. I used to say Grant Morrison's X Men will make you think, Lobdell's will make you feel. I'd rather have the latter.
Great show. I could listen to this guy for days. Thanks
Something tells me we'll have him on again. barely scratch the surface of all the stories he told!
I've waited for what seems like weeks to get some "Power of X-Men" content and you hit me with this powerhouse of an interview! How are you not the most popular channel on TH-cam right now?
Hahahah you are so so so kind! Thank YOU!
BEST X-Men podcast by a mile! Also I fucking love your username. 😍
What a great interview. If my dad was alive he would have loved to hear it too.
I remember Emma kicking Leech. That whole issue was hilarious. Was that the one where Jubilee buys an apple? Really interesting to hear about the editorial behind the scenes. ‘You have to write out Emma now’ lol
OMG YAYAYYYYYY!!!!
He was my first x-men writer. Uncanny X-Men 300.
Emma never did anything evil?? How quick Scott is to forget: she sent Firestar's horse to the glue factory! #JusticeforButterRum
lol Anyway, this whole run is disproportionately influential for me as well given how young I was and excited to read the books in real time. In fact, Scott Lobdell (along with Fabian Nicieza) may have been the first writer's name to become ingrained in my head, simply through sheer repetition. It was part of my slow realization that these funnybooks were created by living, breathing human beings - and thus why I had preferences for some over others. Lobdell in particular had a great knack for those "downtime between big events" issues. Nobody could write a quiet, character-focused drama that tugged at the heartstrings quite like him. I never considered it at the time, but from this interview I gather he had a great eye for new artists as well. With Joe Mad, Chris Bachalo, Gene Ha, and Carlos Pacheco all getting shout-outs... that's a crazy diverse murderers' row of incredible talent. No one else from that era came close to matching such a cool complement of illustrators. Even Nicieza, despite his lengthy run, was pretty much limited to Greg Capullo, Tony Daniel, and Andy Kubert - all great artists, and there's a lot to be said for consistency, but they weren't the game-changers of their day.
Speaking of Nicieza, interesting to hear he "coordinated" the major crossovers that he was present for. I guess it makes sense, given his... penchant for details, and the fact that he'd been around since the Muir Island Saga days. He fully took over the writing duties on X-Force and X-Men just in time for the Image exodus, and again was tasked with cobbling the scraps of a major crossover together into something relatively coherent in X-Cutioner's Song (of which he wrote half). I get why the office would've leaned on him in this capacity. Taking a vastly different structural approach with AoA obviously paid off, but Nicieza's absence was felt for events like Onslaught (which I still love), and O:ZT (trash). But man... I think I'd walk back A LOT of my misgivings towards the latter had we gotten the Magneto Kills Everyone ending described. We were robbed!
Finally, all the love heaped on Adventures of Cyclops & Phoenix. Swoon... such a gorgeous, breathtaking saga. It's a fucking masterpiece that does not get talked about enough, and I so appreciate you guys for highlighting that. 🥰
BUTTER RUM!!!!!!
Lobdell wrote numerous downtime issues that I loved. I used to say Grant Morrison's X Men will make you think, Lobdell's will make you feel. I'd rather have the latter.