AUGH!!!!! Not *another* new writer! The biggest problem I have with Marvel
these days is not the artwork (though it is deteriorating) or the
storylines (which are stagnating) or the prices (which are escalating). I'm
simply fed up with the inability to keep a permanent creative team on
the books for more than three issues in a row.

The Dr. Strange teams are a perfect example. First we had Quinn/Rubi/Harper,
which was excellent and IMHO the perfect team for the book. Rubi did maybe
five issues before Fred Harper left and Peter Gross replaced Rubi/Harper.
I liked Gross' work, but he also didn't do issues on a regular basis, making
it difficult for me to evaluate it. Issue #75 had astounding artwork
by Mark Buckingham and Gross, but soon afterward we found out David Quinn
was going to leave the book, as was Gross. Marie told us that Warren
Ellis would be writing Doc and that Mark Buckingham would be the new regular
penciller with issue #80, but then _Marie_ left _her_ job as well.

Now Evan tells us J.M. DeMatteis will be writing Doc. Evan, what happened
to Warren Ellis? How many issues did (or will) he write before he leaves
(or left)? And do you know if Buckingham will be staying on as penciller?
If so the series may yet be salvageable.

Perhaps Warren's departure was influenced by Marie's leaving her editorial
position. I understand Marie helped choose Warren as new writer. Mayhap
Warren didn't like the idea of being supervised by Bobbie Chase (surprise,
surprise) without someone else to help intercede.

"Tear it down." A very good description of what was poised to become one of
the premier comics out there. A shaky foundation and poor builders, however,
are attempting to topple the monolith before it could even be built.

*sigh* Come back, Evan! We need you...

Cheers,
Phil

--
Phil Carter -- car...@phoenix.cs.uga.edu            
"Atheism's a clean place, Agachak, a flat, gray, empty place where man
 makes his own destiny, and let the Gods go hang. I didn't make them; they
 didn't make me; and we're quits on all of that."  -- Urgit, King of the Murgos