I actually don't find his Iron Man to be too universally loved. Iron Man just went though a period of being written poorly overall in Marvel comics (or interestingly for a lot of people) and poorly for the life long and dedicated Iron Man diehards), and also having a popular movie out and otherwise (not for that necessarily) picking up a lot of new readers. What I mean is, I know a lot of Iron Man fans who don't like Fractions work, a lot that find it average, and a lot of people who have picked up the book while Fraction was writing it and liked it. I like it myself too, I like Ellis Iron Man more though that being said, and I have not read every single Iron Man book.
Uncanny X-Men and Thor I have read every issue. I also get this really, really strong impression that Fraction hasn't. Hasn't read any issue of either lol, well not as much as I think one would need to in order to be a great Thor or X-Writer. At least for those who read deeper into characterizations and to a degree continuity. Nothing heavy handed, but it really takes you out of the story to see characters act inorganically just to move a plot along or reposition a character into being 'I'm the king of the world ma!' in Thor, the title character actually told a recently revealed half brother by blood (by another writer, and carried on by another wrtier), one who was still coming to grips with this revelation, and fact such fact was hidden from him, he was told by Thor that Thor missed his brother. His Real brother, speaking of the same guy that stole the body of his girlfriend to wear like a coat? LOL
Fraction is a good plot and story writer. Characters can be used as tools for those things, but stories can also be written, so that the story and plot is there to serve and best highlight the characters. In comics, the characters are usually the high point and selling feature really? Do you buy Hulk to read a good story, or do you buy Hulk to read a good Hulk story? The two are not exclusive, you can have both, and stories that use each other as tools to aid both, after all X-Men themselves often aid and are used for stories about racism, and intolerance etc, but for me its telling that Fractions best works, Casanova and Iron Fist don't rely on continuity or characterization. One is original, and the other the character was being redefined after a period of neglect.
@kingoftheworld said:
" Ive always enjoyed Matt Fractions writing on anything hes done. ive loved his X-Men run the most. I dont understand why everyone hates it? "
You might just be a reader who appreciates the plot and story mechanics more than the aspects that us people who criticize him do. I loved Fraction's writing of Thor in a few one shots, a few years back, the narrative technique employed was that of third person for a few as well, Fraction writes a terrific Thor in that mode. Those stories were also set in the past. Thor did not utter shut up, and he was meant to come off as a bully jerk type of character, sleeping around and devastating Frost Giants because he didn't hold back. However his recent ongoing run, he has made one of my favorite characters sound like ignorant bully hipster lol, its a weird combination, and could make for an interesting story... just not for fans of Thor. Likewise, he made my other favorite character Emma, sound like insecure snobby defensive fan girl her views Cyclops as a quarterback she hopes will ask her to prom. (The tricky thing is, Emma is snobby, and she can be insecure and she can be defensive, but in much more complicated and interesting ways than presented by Fraction. Anyway, I hope that helps shed some understanding at least as to why some don't enjoy his work?
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