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Letters Of Note (Tharg edition)

Started by Frank, 28 August, 2016, 09:27:30 PM

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Frank

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One of the reasons I'm mystified by the smugness of those who have gone completely digital and freed up their spare room for yoga or bigamous marriage is that I'm interested in 2000ad as a living, breathing weekly comic*.

The great joy of trying to re-read a story in its original form is the way that quickly turns into reading two stories when you notice there's another good one running at the same time, which quickly turns into just reading the entire comic.

Even Tharg's Nerve Centre offers entertainment value when the readers' art or letters turn out to be by someone who would go on to work for Tharg, waste their time on this forum, or actually do something noteworthy in the real world.

This morning's reread of Robo-hunter threw up this missive from Joe Cornish of North London and the MCU (290, Nov 1982). It's less a letter to Tharg as naked boasting that he's been to America and seen E.T six months before everyone in the UK.


* Rather than an assortment of incomplete excerpts of longer stories on rubbish paper, with half-closed staples that rip the folded pages in half over time, like a self-destruct mechanism

Buttonman

Ah yes, Joe's celebrated Prog 290 appearance - the only one he managed and it was downhill from there.

In a similar vein - that bloke out of the Manics who disappeared.




Colin YNWA

On a similar but none 2000ad note Matthew Waterhouse had a letter published in an issue of Marvel's Machine Man.

Tru dat.

JOE SOAP

Screenwriter David Goyer had a letter published in  Captain America #324 (1986)


Frank

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I like how Ace Garp's mouth is open in a black scream of despair that echoes the formless void into which all souls are cast. An early indication of future temperament.

The ones that probably aren't real are good too. It would be great to think the N Robinson (296) who grassed up another reader for copying their drawing would go on to become political editor of ITV and BBC News, especially since he's a D&D nerd and would have been a 19 year old Oxford scholar at the time.

He's writing from the wrong side of the Pennines to be on Christmas break back home, though.



dweezil2

Time to dust off that Danny Cannon competitoon entry again!



I wonder if Tharg ever suitably chastised him for his directorial efforts.
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sheridan

Quote from: Frank on 28 August, 2016, 10:15:07 PM
The ones that probably aren't real are good too. It would be great to think the N Robinson
The days when one could lift the complete collection of 2000AD back progs above your head once, never mind half a dozen times!

Frank

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My mini-slog* has turned up a treasure trove of names now familiar to millions, making first contact with the industry that would eventually provide them with (slightly less than) a living.

I'd love to think the Warren Ellis who sucked up to Tharg in prog 282 was the scarily bearded future Bad Seed, but it's probably just the other one, and hark at young master Philip Winslade (285), wearing his frock coat and top hat as he put peacock feather to Basildon Bond.

Pip M'lad, with his airs and graces, didn't care for Tharg's reply to his inquiry concerning the hue of the judge uniform, which is why he steadfastly refuses to colour-in Lawless, like a proper comic. During this golden age, even Jim Campbell writes to complain Tharg isn't doing his job properly, inadvertently giving a teenage Alan Yentob the idea for the iplayer.


* A valuable cash prize for anyone who can guess which strip I was re-reading

Proudhuff

Whit?! no mention of Middenface McDredd yet...
DDT did a job on me

Frank

Quote from: Proudhuff on 22 September, 2016, 07:18:40 PM
Whit?! no mention of Middenface McDredd yet...

Don't be so hard on yourself, Tom. Does anyone think Tharg's sub-ed could have misread Liam Sharpe's sloppy kid signature? Looks like his style and typical subject matter, even back then ...



sheridan

Quote from: Frank on 07 October, 2016, 11:32:11 PM
Quote from: Proudhuff on 22 September, 2016, 07:18:40 PM
Whit?! no mention of Middenface McDredd yet...

Don't be so hard on yourself, Tom. Does anyone think Tharg's sub-ed could have misread Liam Sharpe's sloppy kid signature? Looks like his style and typical subject matter, even back then ...




How have I missed that Harry Harrison had appeared in the Nerve Centre?

JOE SOAP

Electrified whips were the order of the day for this excitable young earthlet -






JOE SOAP


Michael Knight

What a great thread. Growing up reading the 'New Eagle', Thundercats, Masters of the Universe, Roy of the Rovers and Battle before i discovered 2000ad i loved letters pages. Sadly in modern comics these seem to be disappearing. Funnily enough in current Marvel titles like the 'Punisher' there are bigger than ever? Not exactly a kids comic itself lol.  :)

Lobo Baggins

Quote from: Frank on 28 August, 2016, 10:15:07 PM
The ones that probably aren't real are good too. It would be great to think the N Robinson (296) who grassed up another reader for copying their drawing would go on to become political editor of ITV and BBC News, especially since he's a D&D nerd and would have been a 19 year old Oxford scholar at the time.

I could have recalled this incorrectly, but I believe that is indeed a Nick Robinson, but not the Nick Robinson off the telly - it's the Nick Robinson who used to write for Mongoose and wrote Tin Man Games' Countdown Sector 106 (I think!)

Quote from: Frank on 07 October, 2016, 11:32:11 PM
Don't be so hard on yourself, Tom. Does anyone think Tharg's sub-ed could have misread Liam Sharpe's sloppy kid signature? Looks like his style and typical subject matter, even back then ...

Only if he's managed to spell both names incorrectly - Liam Sharp doesn't have an e on the end of his name.  People feel the need to add an e to the end of Sharp, for some reason.  I blame Sean Bean...
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