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The completely self absorbed 2000ad re-read thread

Started by Colin YNWA, 22 May, 2016, 02:30:29 PM

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Colin YNWA

Quote from: sheridan on 28 January, 2017, 11:22:32 AM
Quote from: Colin YNWA on 15 January, 2017, 08:27:47 PM
So the convergence in quality continues. The 2000ad annual is continuing to improve, helped greatly by a couple of fine Alan Moore stories, Bo-Busters with Bryan Talbot and an interesting Rogue Trooper with Brett Ewins, a pleasent Strontium Dog and some other okay bits and bobs. Okay there is STILL a lot of filler, but the 2000ad Annual continues to improve.

Was that the rogue story with the Waldos?

That's the fella.

Anyway a quick note to say I love the Dredd 'classic'* Starborn Thing (Progs 309 - 314) great story but such a weak end.Such a shame.

Elsewhere Robohunter new 'epic' start well, but they always do and as Sam floats out his body I wonder if we're on the downward already? Rogue gets out of Nu...whatever it was I've forgotten it already but remains pretty damned poor with Major Magnum. Some good Future Twister buoy thing and Skizz... well Skizz is just perfect.

*It is considered a classic isn't it?

Colin YNWA

So the Prog has been on a bit of a downer lately. After a poor end to Starborn thing even Dredd has a mini dip (these things are all relative of course), with 'King of the Road', 'Condo' both being pretty forgettable and Stupid Gun not living up to my memories of the story. Rogue Trooper... well I'll not go over that ground again and the Future Timey Shoisters have been a little up and down. Skizz is the one consistent highlight being absolutely perfect. But things look up in Prog 324. Dredd has Cry of the Werewolf which is just the classic its regardles as and Robohunter has been true to form the longer form stories in starting well then going down hill. In this case very quickly and very badly as Sam's soul swans around BUT tie him in a chair on the side of a road in the body of his clone (no really, don't ask) and you have a simply fantastic episode. Quite superb and up to the standard of the strip at its best (which was the shorter stories in the 200s).

So yeah not sure how long this will last but its amazing the difference a solid Sammy makes.

Colin YNWA

Well that and an astonishingly good, frighteningly good Time Twister.

Hawkmumbler

Hhhmmm, maybe you can help me Colin seeing as you're in the mists of your reread right now. Can you recall a one page Future Shock where [spoiler]A UFO lands in front of an Average Joe, only for the alien to be a hideously mutated human from the future[/spoiler]? I don't think it was a Moore FS...

Colin YNWA

Sorry no springing to my mind. But then my mind ain't the best!

Hawkmumbler

Bugger, it's really annoying me because I could swear I read it in a Meg reprint but which one has so far escaped me.

sheridan

Quote from: Hawkmumbler on 09 February, 2017, 08:02:32 PM
Hhhmmm, maybe you can help me Colin seeing as you're in the mists of your reread right now. Can you recall a one page Future Shock where [spoiler]A UFO lands in front of an Average Joe, only for the alien to be a hideously mutated human from the future[/spoiler]? I don't think it was a Moore FS...

[spoiler]Evolved[/spoiler], not [spoiler]mutated[/spoiler].  Artwork by John Higgins, I think - and I'm pretty sure it was two or three pages long.

Colin YNWA

Prog 330

Endings and beginnings huh, endings and beginnings.

Skizz has an ending that I always felt let the story down a little. Its so built into the story, its there right from the start. Its worked well and done with some flare, but I always wanted this story I like so much to have bolder ending.

Slaine starts and its a beginning I've never been overly fond of and I'm not sure why... well actually I think I do, but it shouldn't be the reason. I struggle to get on with the art, its feels adrift from what I know and expect of the series. It also jars with the grim bitter world that the story holds. Its wonderful, crafted, precise art and it doesn't work for the series.

There I've said it now I'll duck for cover.

Magnetica

So I have agreed with you in two post today (Prog and Meg reviews)...but this....no sorry....not for me.

I love Angie Kincaid / Mills' art on this.

Also given that it is the first episode it doesn't seem quite right to me to say one doesn't like it because it doesn't fit with what comes later. And you know what, it had never occurred to me that was the case; as I am sure you know there has been a huge variation in art styles on Slaine over the years.

TordelBack

I'm with Magnetica on this one.  All three early Slaine artists are perfect at what they do. Angie Kincaid's rather stiff Gal-homage does the heavy lifting of establishing Slaine's world: it's a masterclass in creating a unique visual identity that parallels the genius of the first script, together setting out almost all the elements that have sustained the strip for 30 years.  Bellardinelli gives the strip its authentic European Celtic trappings, panels that look like the contents of a natural history museum and a La Tene archaeology exhibit have collided in the garden of Eden. Then McMahon arrives to render everything in kinetic sinew and bark scratchings, somehow continually suggesting that it was actually drawn by an eye-witness. It's just a perfect mix, and not one of those first three artists so much as tug a single forelock in the direction of mainstream fantasy art.

Jim_Campbell

Quote from: TordelBack on 20 February, 2017, 10:39:50 AM
I'm with Magnetica on this one.  All three early Slaine artists are perfect at what they do.

I think it's also worth noting the Frame droid's eschewing of the standard, rounded balloon in favour of those straight lines, which instantly set the strip apart visually from everything else in the prog.
Stupidly Busy Letterer: Samples. | Blog
Less-Awesome-Artist: Scribbles.

TordelBack

Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 20 February, 2017, 10:53:29 AM
Quote from: TordelBack on 20 February, 2017, 10:39:50 AM
I'm with Magnetica on this one.  All three early Slaine artists are perfect at what they do.

I think it's also worth noting the Frame droid's eschewing of the standard, rounded balloon in favour of those straight lines, which instantly set the strip apart visually from everything else in the prog.

Ouch, never even noticed this! A re-read is mandated!

Jim_Campbell

#177
Quote from: TordelBack on 20 February, 2017, 11:10:19 AM
Ouch, never even noticed this! A re-read is mandated!

I'm wondering if Tom lettered Mick's early episodes first — ISTR reading that Angie Kincaid's episode took so long to get whipped into shape that a lot of other episodes were already complete before the first one was ready to go. Those rough-hewn, straight-edged balloons really come into their own on the McMahon episodes, so I kind of feel Tom might have settled on the style as a complement to Mick's angular, scratchy art.
Stupidly Busy Letterer: Samples. | Blog
Less-Awesome-Artist: Scribbles.

I, Cosh

Quote from: Colin YNWA on 19 February, 2017, 08:49:43 PM
Prog 330. Endings and beginnings huh, endings and beginnings.

Skizz has an ending that I always felt let the story down a little. Its so built into the story, its there right from the start. Its worked well and done with some flare, but I always wanted this story I like so much to have bolder ending.

Slaine starts and its a beginning I've never been overly fond of and I'm not sure why... well actually I think I do, but it shouldn't be the reason. I struggle to get on with the art, its feels adrift from what I know and expect of the series. It also jars with the grim bitter world that the story holds. Its wonderful, crafted, precise art and it doesn't work for the series.

There I've said it now I'll duck for cover.
This was my second first Prog, as the shoddy stocking policies of my remote village newsagent led to an enforced gap of around six months before I found a more reliable dealer. Partly because of this, Slaine long held a special place in my heart and was arguably my favourite strip until Zenith arrived. Conversely, Skizz didn't interest me at all until I eventually read the full story in reprint many years later.

Not sure what point I'm trying to make other than sharing some misty-eyed reminiscence. I think it was probably the upcoming Prog 335 which really got me hooked so I'll be interested to see what you make of that one.
We never really die.

Magnetica

I think the point is how absolutely amazing those opening episodes of Slaine were (are?).

For me the greatest ever opening epidodes to any 2000AD series are:

- Nemesis on Prog 222 (if you want to count Prog 167's Comic Rock instead I won't argue) and
- Slaine in Prog 330.

Next up would be Zenith on Prog 535 ( but it will be a while before Colin gets that far.)

And indeed all three had incredible first series to back up those opening episodes.