While I fully admit to only buying comics with artwork I like, I'll agree with John and say that many are woefully short on good story nowadays. There's nothing worse to me than plunking down my cash and feeling like all I got was a bunch of pretty pictures. A good story would still be a good story with stick figures and scratchy backgrounds. All the beautiful illustrations in the universe won't cover up a stinker of a story. The same goes for TV or film. Story doesn't (usually) cost nearly as much to produce as drawings or footage, so why it doesn't get more attention never ceases to amaze me.