Thanks to the blurb in #28 it wasn't a surprise but when the issue came it was such a disheartening read...

It paled so badly to the previous 28 issues...the art style was just too different and I have never seen a comic with word balloons that were as crammed as this one. The coloring was no longer vibrant and seemed bleached out.

In the following issues things did not improve...gone was the mini-team concept that allowed for richer characterization in favor of a "Team Book"...it was a drastic let down after Byrne's superior work.

It wasn't all bad...there were a few gems like the creation of Wanda Langkowski to get Sasquatch back and the use of the Franklin expedition to create a memorable villian in Pesitlance.

But after around #50 when they tried to pass Aurora and Northstar off as elf twins the wheels completly came off the wagon...at best there were maybe one or two readable issues between 50 and the cancellation of Volume One.

Just wondering how others felt about seeing one of the best series ever completly implode.

While they obviously don't hold a candle to the JB run; issues Twenty-Nine through Fifty-Six (or so) have a special place in my comic reading history.  My older brother had a subscription and I would sneak into his room and read them while he was out doing whatever teenagers did.  Plus that run gave us some great artwork from Mike Mignola, Dave Ross and Jim Lee's first Marvel work.

I would agree with you though that the wheels came completely off the bus when Northstar and Aurora were revealed to be elves.  That was one of the most out of left-field twists.  Though issue 50 had some great art too from June Brigman and Whilce Portacio.  See I can't help but try to find some positives.  Damn nostalgia!

#29 was so bad that I'm glad I got it as a back issue.  After that, I think Mantlo tended to be hit and miss.  The problem was that when he missed (Puck, elves, etc.), he MISSED.  Oy!  I did like #51 up, though. 

Fortunately, James Hudnall came on board and did a lot to redeem the series.  His 20 issues or so were quite good, telling interesting stories while finding ways to "fix" certain characters that actually worked in the context of the series.  Unfortunately, an editorial shift bumped him off the book.

Nicieza's run was mostly decent, although tainted because of the bad decision to bring back Guardian (which seemed even more silly to me after they went and killed him off again a year later). 

Lobdell did okay, aside from the "outing Northstar" issue, but he was way too obsessed with the "Weapon Omega" idea and the new costumes were pretty bad.

Furman's run was a lot more hit and miss, and mostly forgettable to be honest.  (And then he closed the run by bringing back Guardian AGAIN... (sigh))