Hey PoJo!  I've been thinking about the new Rocket series lately, and I
Wanna Rant about it!
About every magazine I've read lately says the new Rocket series is
great.  But why?  I think it stinks.  Here are some of the real losers.
Vileplume
In my estimation, possibly the worst card in the set.  60HP is far too
low to make this card playable.  Its attack is better in terms of
confusion, but it deals as much as 30 damage less than the original.
But its Pokemon Power is the worst thing--even though most people think
it's great.  Who wants to keep himself from playing trainers?  I mean,
it makes sense with Aerodactyl-just make a deck with all basics.  Or
Muk-make a deck without Pokemon Powers.  But a deck without trainers?
Come on.
Dragonite
PoJo seems to think this card is great, but it isn't.  70HP is too low
for a stage-two, (although it's par for the course in the Rocket
Series,) its attack is worse than Fossil Dragonite's Slam, and even its
Power is near useless.  Sure, it sounds great, but with a Stage-two,
either your going to have an evelution deck, in which case it's better
to find the evolutions, since you'll have fewer of those, or use it in a
Haymaker, except in those the cards are easy enough to find, since you
have so many of them.  But this card takes up too many slots too be good
in any deck, at least for a low-HP with a weak attack.
Charizard
WORSE THAN THE ORIGINAL!!!  For 100 damage with this loser, you still
have to discard 2 energies, but you also have to flip coins!  Plus it
has 40 fewer HPs, and it lacks the awsome Power that makes Charizard
halfway-useable in base.  AAAARRGH!
Blastiose
I love the character, but this card stinks.  70HP AGAIN, but at least
it attacks well.  It would be great to use with its Base set cousin,
until you realize they evolve from the same basic, so you would have to
reduce the number of each 'Toise.
Electrode
Hit Points low, attacks too weak.  Sure, it's second attack would be
cool if you could choose if you wanted to switch, but then it still
wouldn't be worth taking up a turn attacking.  This is nothing more than
Seaking with lower HP and a chance of discarding.
Wheezing.  Hit Points MUCH too low, second attack is weak on a
stage-one.  But its first attack is the worst.  Sure it would be great
if going up against a deck full of Koffings.  But considering how all
Koffing lineups stink, how likely is that?
That's it for now.  I hope you enjoyed the article.

Master Ketchum
(Pojo, please post this, but please DON'T post my address!)