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I think if they really wanted to avoid eternal hellfire, they’d have put Emma behind Scott. But, one for two isn’t bad.

Yeah, it was kinda odd how Emma actually got sluttier in the second drawing – maybe Marvel knew they had to give a little to get a little?

Actually, it’s pretty much the same cover, except with Wolverine now being brought forward — actually, almost separate from the team — gives off a Wolverine and the X-Men vibe. Coincidence? I think not. All that really says to me is “Greg! Don’t forget our most popular character”, not “Greg! Less hoochie!”

Too bad they couldn’t cover some of the Pixie pictures that actually made it into the book

I don’t know if being turned around in the first place suggests something, but there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with the original cover, it’s really not sexual. But I guess you figure they’d do to Pixie what they’d done to Emma for the second pic.

That’s… closer to Pixie. Still looks like a hooker cosplayer.

Doesn’t the sketch of Emma in the first pic remind you of the first time you got your hands on tracing paper and decided to trace from a picture, only to find out that tracing a picture usually ends up on some pretty atrocious art?

Wolverine looks like a cardboard cut-out – what with Pixie’s left forearm in front of his shoulder, even though she’s standing behind him…

Some last minute Photoshop cut’n'paste?

I’m with Izzy on this. Barring some serious sexing up (which is possible, as with Emma Frost in the second image), I don’t think that the fact that a character is seen from behind makes it inappropriate, much less a butt shot. It’s not as if head-on is the only acceptable way to show an underage character.

That’s probably the most un-erotic ass shot I’ve ever seen- why did they get cold feet about that original cover again?

Does Greg Land get tax benefits for recycling?

People criticize Liefeld, but his stuff had energy and he had a good sense of storytelling. I don’t get the Land appeal by the editors at all. Maybe he puts stuff out on a schedule.

Land is this decade’s Liefeld.

Constantly recycling poses and tracing pictures from magazines his work is far from dyanmic. Too often it is static, posed, and devoid of life. His super realism gets him his followers and his speed gets him his jobs. I have no doubt he will be reviled in 10 years time.

If Marvel were REALLY paying attention to Land, they’d require him to do his own work or be bounced to the curb.

Of course, when scads of fans — including CBR columnists — basically consent to be Quesda & company’s accomplices in paying for stolen goods, it’s not very likely anything will change.

Ron says:
“Does Greg Land get tax benefits for recycling?”

…and that, friends, is the best comment I’ve seen in a looooong time. Hilarious!!!

Wow. Just look at that “rough sketch” of the cover. If anyone didn’t already realize that Land was a terrible artist and shameless tracer, that “sketch” should be damning evidence. Why do i keep saying sketch in quotation marks? Because that’s something that Land has obviously never learned to do and probably never will as long as lightboxes exist.

I don’t think the first cover is sexual.

I honestly think the reason they changed it was too make the more famous X-Men more prominently featured.

This gives me new hope that I Can work as an artist in the industry, because I CAN do better than that.

Add me to the group who think the original isn’t that bad in terms of the adolescent sex object. Yeah it’s a sleazy pose but based on the end results it would look more like an ass shot of a teen in jeans in that a nearly naked underage girl.

Emma on the new cover on the other hand…

The original sketch doesn’t look sexual to me, but you can easily see someone looking at it and thinking the final version would feature a Pixie super wedgie butt-shot, because why would Land have posed her that facing away from the “camera” if he wasn’t going to go that way, and you just know the original image he based that pose off of was nude or in a thong.

Also, why does Pixie need such complicated boots and bracers? If they think her “trainee” uniform is boring, why not just give her a unique costume? What they have there is just a few belt pouches away from ’90s Image-esque silliness.

Yeah, it was kinda odd how Emma actually got sluttier in the second drawing – maybe Marvel knew they had to give a little to get a little?

Well they couldn’t risk not slutting up the cover of the comic they’re giving away for FREE… what if nobody took it?
A genuine concern I’m sure.

@ Brian
“Yeah, it was kinda odd how Emma actually got sluttier in the second drawing…”

I think it’s actually a case of Land not yet finding the ‘appropriate’ reference shot yet from his apparent wealth of ‘adult entertainment’. Classy stuff…

All that really says to me is “Greg! Don’t forget our most popular character”, not “Greg! Less hoochie!”

That was my immediate thought

From a design standpoint, they probably asked Land to change the cover so Pixie looked like she was a part of the team (which was the premise of the story). The original concept looks like a cover to “The Amazing Pixie” guest starring the X-men.

Also, I agree with the other posters that there was nothing sexual about the original sketch. Although I’m sure Land would have sexed it up for the final.

Actually, I think having her being rubbed up against by the creepy old guy who always seem to have really young female sidekicks is worse.

Gods, that’s just terribly bland art.

I don’t know how much experience you basement boys here have had with real life hookers, but I can assure you that NONE have ever looked like Land’s Pixie.

So stop. You’re embarassing yourselves. Hearing you chuckleheads talk about whores is like hearing the Pope discuss Depro-Provera.

Geez, I know Emma’s never been flat-chested, but those… yowza.

Anyway, I maintain that Land wasn’t as awful as he is today when he was doing his DC stuff. I mean, sure, there were obviously some characters that he was into full-on trace mode, but it’s not like you can say “oh, that’s tom Cruise” when looking at his Dick Grayson like you can with his Cyclops.

@Agent_Torpor

Is NOT having experience with real-life hookers really an insult?

@Preston: Actually, he used to draw things. If you look at his old work on Nightwing it was clearly drawn. Only recently has he started tracing.
@Lawrence: Lolz.

Damn, I really hoped this headline meant they had come to their senses and pulled him from Uncanny…

@Lawrence

Not when you grow up, son.

I actually didn’t mind Greg Land’s artwork until I read so many complaints in blogs… now that all these things have been pointed out to me it bothers me. It’s like when someone hears a noise and they tell you about it and you didn’t notice… but now it’s driving you nuts.

Yeah, it was kinda odd how Emma actually got sluttier in the second drawing – maybe Marvel knew they had to give a little to get a little?

Or maybe you are operating off a false premise in thinking the change had anything to do with toning down any toning down Pixie’s “sluttiness” in the first place. I saw nothing slutty in the first Pixie pose. In fact, I think her rubbing the old guys chest with her butt against the back of his head is sluttier than Land’s original sketch. Marvel probably just wanted the “stars” featured more prominently.

Yeah, it was a smart decision of them to cover up Pixie’s ass on the published cover.

Totally agreed.

Yeah, it was a smart decision of them to cover up Pixie’s ass on the published cover.

Totally agreed.

For the purpose of highlighting Wolverine’s presence to increase sales, yes, I agree, it was smart to cover up Pixie’s ass on the published cover. For the purpose of downplaying sluttiness, well, I don’t buy it seeing as how they made Emma’s big boob cleavage and slutty come-hither stare even larger in the published cover than it was in the sketch. It wasn’t like Pixie was wearing a thong or giving a slutty expression or thrusting her butt out at the camera, she was just standing with her back to the reader.

I liked Land’s artwork at DC. I liked it when he started Sojourn at CrossGen. A few issues in, however, the tracing became really obvious. At Marvel, he’s been worse. He can draw freehand; I watched him do somer excellent sketchs at a convention, including a gorgeous drawing of Oracle. I think people respond to the surface prettiness he brings to his work, and the semi-painted look his art has. Once you get past that, his shortcomings become very noticable.

. For the purpose of downplaying sluttiness, well, I don’t buy it seeing as how they made Emma’s big boob cleavage and slutty come-hither stare even larger in the published cover than it was in the sketch.

Emma being a woman in her thirties, and not a teenager like Pixie, whose arse shot they covered…