Meanwhile, back at the ranch: Let's see, what happened yesterday while I was busy with other things?

Oh, yeah. The comics sites caught wind of the "official announcement" that Chris Claremont and Alan Davis will take over "Uncanny X-Men." Davis broke the news last weekend during Mid-Ohio Con, which I attended. However, I didn't make it to any of the panels because, frankly, they looked dull as hell.

Rich Johnston, of course, gleefully points out that he had the scoop on Claremont and Davis more than a month ago.

I always enjoy Davis' art, but Claremont's body of work can be a bit ... uneven. His run with John Byrne on "Uncanny X-Men" is, jusifiably, considered "classic," despite criticisms that the dialogue was verbose and melodramatic (even by early '80s standards), and the plots often were meandering and undefined. Two decades later, his efforts on "X-Treme X-Men" are plagued by many of the same problems.

As we all know, I'm not immune to the effects of nostalgia (witness the many entries devoted to Wolfman/Perez's upcoming "Games"). But the other, more logical part of my brain wonders whether Marvel wouldn't be better off looking forward instead of trying to recapture the "glory days" of the '80s and '90s (the latter, of course, weren't all that glorious).

Claremont and Davis on "Uncanny X-Men." Nicieza on "Thunderbolts." Liefeld on "Cable and Deadpool" covers. Who hit the reset button at Marvel?

I'm not suggesting these creators be put out to pasture, by any means. But wouldn't Marvel, and the industry in general, be better served by putting talented creators on new or different titles instead of trying futilely to rebottle a formula that worked at a specific time (specifically, 10 or 20 years ago)?

Put Claremont on, say, "Elektra" (he likes to write "strong" women). Or let Davis launch a new series that might, just might appeal to Davis devotees and newer fans alike. I'd throw out more vague suggestions, but you already get the point.

I don't mean to pick on Marvel, because DC can be guilty of the same thing. It's just that the most recent spate of Marvel announcements makes me feel as if I've just stepped out of the Wayback Machine.

And that's a pretty queasy feeling.