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Whatever Happened To "Helium"?

Started by Andy Lambert, 09 April, 2017, 12:44:20 PM

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Andy Lambert

"Helium" left us on a bit of a cliffhanger, but that was a couple of years ago. We've had several chapters of "The Order" since then. "Helium" doesn't even seem to get talked about from what I can see... was it that bad?

NapalmKev

Quote from: Andy Lambert on 09 April, 2017, 12:44:20 PM
"Helium" left us on a bit of a cliffhanger... was it that bad?

I wouldn't say it was bad, just not very exciting, IMO. A few people (at the time) suggested that it was too much like another story in the Prog (Brass Sun - which is well overdue for a return).

I wouldn't mind seeing it return - I prefer it to Brink, which clearly has its fans but I find it relentlessly dull.

Cheers
"Where once you fought to stop the trap from closing...Now you lay the bait!"

Andy Lambert

I'm with you on "Brink" - I know it's popular but it doesn't light my fire...
Didn't we have "Brass Sun" last year?
"Helium" may not have been very exciting, but it just seems odd for it to be left hanging and not even mentioned, unless I've missed any chat about it...

Dark Jimbo

Quote from: NapalmKev on 09 April, 2017, 01:21:16 PM
Quote from: Andy Lambert on 09 April, 2017, 12:44:20 PM
"Helium" left us on a bit of a cliffhanger... was it that bad?

I wouldn't say it was bad, just not very exciting, IMO. A few people (at the time) suggested that it was too much like another story in the Prog (Brass Sun - which is well overdue for a return).

I wouldn't mind seeing it return - I prefer it to Brink, which clearly has its fans but I find it relentlessly dull.

And yet I'd rather have more Helium - it's Brass Sun that I find incredibly dull!
@jamesfeistdraws

Dark Jimbo

Edginton's now got terrible form in this area - we're currently mid-cliffhanger on Stickleback, Brass Sun, Ampney Crucis and Helium... Rather than concluding at least one of those, he instead revives Scarlet Traces and begins Kingmaker!
@jamesfeistdraws

Andy Lambert

I've only ever read the most recent "Brass Sun" strip, but it didn't grab me either... I had put that down to coming into the story at a later stage.

I'd LOVE a return for "Ampney Crucis", and I really enjoyed "Kingmaker".
I'm not entirely won over by "Scarlet Traces", but again - I missed the beginning.

Spikes

Quote from: Andy Lambert on 09 April, 2017, 12:44:20 PM
"Helium" left us on a bit of a cliffhanger... was it that bad?

I thought Helium was fantastic, and I eagerly await it's return. Was a no-brainer for me to ask D'Israeli for a sketch at TB a few years ago.

Constable Foundling Hodge, and Deputy Solace Grimsby


I may be misremembering, but I seem to recall Helium would return, but with a different artist, as D'Israeli would be too busy with his other duties? As I say, this might not be correct, so don't place too much emphasis  on it.

Andy Lambert

That's a great sketch, Spikes :)

"Helium" must've done something right for me because I'm been wondering about it's failure to return or be discussed for some time now. I'd rather read a new chapter of it than say,"Scarlet Traces".

Lobo Baggins

No more Helium any more.

Whatever happened to... Sancho Panzer?




I'm so sorry, I resisted the urge for as long as I could...
The wages of sin are death, but the hours are good and the perks are fantastic.

Colin YNWA

Quote from: Dark Jimbo on 09 April, 2017, 02:13:17 PM
Edginton's now got terrible form in this area - we're currently mid-cliffhanger on Stickleback, Brass Sun, Ampney Crucis and Helium... Rather than concluding at least one of those, he instead revives Scarlet Traces and begins Kingmaker!

Yeah I really enjoyed Helium and its great that Ian Edginton is throwing so many cool ideas Tharg's way but it might be time for some focus on the existing stories. I hope he hasn't drifted from some of the strips that he's developed and he plans to return to them at some point soon.

This was discussed in one of the Prog review threads recently and its come up here. Its becoming a theme. A number of these strips 'belong' to artists who have another strip at least in the house of Tharg, so specifically D'Israeli is working on Scarlet Traces (which seems to be a focus at this time), Helium, Stickleback and we might get some more Lowlife if we're lucky at some point.

INJ Culbard has Brass Sun (please come back soon) and Brink. Both artist may well have other work outside the Galaxoies Greatest. So its entirely possible the issue lays there and Ian Edginton's stories are victim to artists just being too busy. After all an artist is able to produce far fewer pages in a given period of time.

If (and I don't know but IF) this is the case would people like to see some of the strips back without their original artists just to see them progress?

NapalmKev

Quote from: Colin YNWA on 09 April, 2017, 03:36:28 PM

If (and I don't know but IF) this is the case would people like to see some of the strips back without their original artists just to see them progress?


If they are finite tales in their own right I would prefer the original Artists stay on until complete closure although I appreciate that could be difficult even if it was desired.

Dredd's going to run forever so I expect a lot of different artists, for stylistic reasons and to keep it coming every week.

Slaine runs in arcs so a different artist every couple of "books" keeps things interesting enough that I still read the strip.

Just some rambling thoughts.

Cheers
"Where once you fought to stop the trap from closing...Now you lay the bait!"

Colin YNWA

I think the original idea for Brass Sun was to have the stories rota between INJ Culbard and .... well D'Israeli.... so while that might not have helped in this case, its a story that seems ideally suited to having rotaing artists as new worlds are created and explored. This might well have been the perfect story for this, alas now I think Culbard has laid such a stamp on the series it might not work quite so well now.




The Adventurer

I'll bet we see Helium again before the year is out. Year end Prog at the latest.

Just a feeling I have. Nothing actually to base this on.

THIS SPACE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

Tjm86

Quote from: Lobo Baggins on 09 April, 2017, 03:21:40 PM
No more Helium any more.

Whatever happened to... Sancho Panzer?




I'm so sorry, I resisted the urge for as long as I could...

Hey, some of us have waited over thirty years for the end of the last Dan Dare strip!    ::)

Taryn Tailz

Quote from: Dark Jimbo on 09 April, 2017, 02:13:17 PM
Edginton's now got terrible form in this area - we're currently mid-cliffhanger on Stickleback, Brass Sun, Ampney Crucis and Helium... Rather than concluding at least one of those, he instead revives Scarlet Traces and begins Kingmaker!

See, people keep saying this about Stickleback, but I was under the impression that the reveal of his real identity was intended as the end of Stickleback.

But, yes, this is a problem with Edginton. I love his stuff, but I really would have preferred him to wrap up a few ongoing strips before starting even more new ones.