CSBG Archive
Cronin Theory of Comics – “Keith Giffen As Plotting God – Scripting Devil.”
As many of you do, I’m sure, I have a few certain theories that I personally view as truths about comic books.
I understand that, for the most part, they are specific to me, but I am egotistical enough to believe that some of them are, in fact, universal theories.
The first one that I will share is “Keith Giffen As Plotting God – Scripting Devil.”
I am a very big fan of the comic book creator Keith Giffen.
I think he’s the bee’s knees.
However, there is one rather large deficit in his comic abilities.
He is not a very good scripter.
If you look back at Giffen’s triumphs and failures as a comic book creator, invariably, the triumphs will be when Giffen is working with a separate scripter, and the failures will be when he is only scripting a book.
Justice League – Only plotted – It was good.
Trencher – Plotted and Scripted – It was not good.
Legion of Superheroes – Only plotted – It was good.
Thanos – Plotted and Scripted – It was not good.
Ambush Bug – Only plotted – It was good.
Suicide Squad – Plotted and Scripted – It was not good..
Heckler – Only plotted – It was good.
Reign of the Zodiac – Plotted and Scripted – It was not good..
Lobo – Only plotted – It was good.
Book of Fate – Plotted and Scripted – It was not good..
L.E.G.I.O.N. – Only plotted – It was good.
Magnus: Robot Fighter – Plotted and Scripted – It…well, it wasn’t that bad, but it wasn’t that good.
Freak Force – Only plotted – It was good.
Legend of Supreme – Only plotted – It was good.
Superpatriot – Only plotted – It was good.
Ragman – Only plotted – It was good.
So there you go….”Keith Giffen as Plotting God/Scripting Devil”, a Cronin Theory of Comics.
One Comment
Bill K
November 8, 2011 at 1:15 pm
First comment, really?
I think everything you say was good, was good.
But so was his Suicide Squad, in my opinion.
In terms of sales, I grant you it was not a success. But in terms of entertainment, it was good.
I don’t think one outlier on the graph necessarily disproves your theory, though.