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Messages - Huey2

#31
The Out
#32
" Oh no, there definitely is one. "

Yeah, you're right, if you're including the ones done by stand-in writers and artists, there are some duff strips.

Slaine is pretty lucky in being an 80s strip that didn't receive an appearance in a special or annual with someone else behind the typewriter.
#33
General / Re: Alan Grant appreciation thread
04 August, 2022, 11:53:40 AM
" Do you mean Letter From a Democrat? "

Oh no - just realised after 35 years that the story I'm thinking of is actually called Revolution.

Letter from a Democrat is a fantastic piece of work by all concerned. Revolution, IMO really doubles-down on the direction it takes. Whereas Letter made some concession to a boy's adventure comic in that Dredd's opponents had guns, Revolution doesn't. Here the full might of the justice department is brought to bear on some folks who just want to protest. Dredd is fully prepared to ruin the lives not just of those involved but also their children, just to get his way. For these three episodes, we're not reading the adventures of a future cop but instead something far more chilling and closer to home.

It's also impressive that, rather than flogging this new direction for all it's worth for the foreseeable future, Wagner and Grant leave this avenue open and follow it up with something completely different which will also drive the strip for the next 30 years: the introduction of P.J. Maybe.

#36
Stickleback
#37
Halo Jones
#38
Suggestions / Alan Grant tribute
03 August, 2022, 10:23:24 PM
Like all of us on the board, I was gutted to hear about the loss of Alan Grant.

Through his writing, he's been a part of my life for as long as I can remember; I've "known" him longer than any of my friends and most of my family.

As a writer and sub-editor, he was key in shaping the voice of 2000AD. As a writer, in collaboration and individually, the quality of his work ensured that 2000AD had a fanbase and that it survives to this day.

The tributes to passed creators has been an all too common feature in the Meg over the past few years. They're always well written and respectful. I also understand that as a business 2000AD can't always spend all of its time looking back at the hits of yesterday.

However, I hope that it's recognised that Alan's contribution to 2000Ad, to the Megazine (Particularly in the early days) and to British comics in general deserves a greater tribute than general. A couple of years ago, Carlos' contributions were celebrated by a special as well as a Meg floppy of a small selection of his work.

I'd like to respectfully request that Alan's work is celebrated in a similar fashion.
#39
General / Re: Alan Grant appreciation thread
03 August, 2022, 10:03:09 PM
Looking back over the work that Grant, Wagner and Mills did in the '70s and '80s I'm always impressed by how the scripts they delivered were always better than they had any need to be.
This was at a time when comics were disposable, there were no royalties and, in the case of Alan and John, they weren't even allowed to be credited for everything they did.

And yet despite this, they set themselves such very, very high standards. It would have been so much easier to run through the same stories again an again but they never did. Strips get rested or retired long before the reader gets bored of them: Robo-Hunter could have run and run but after a mere ten strips he's out; '80s Dredd was running in daily newspapers, comics and annuals yet never tells the same story twice (giving us tales from the viewpoints of cockroaches or gang rumbles in rhyme to void doing this); Mean Team and City of the Damned both get cut off because the writers weren't feeling it and yet, recent comments on ColinYNWA's polls show us that this dissatisfaction never translated to the reader .

And then there's all of the jokes and references they put in as bonuses, not knowing if any of them would be understood by the readers - " there's a Moby Dick joke in here, what's that doing in a kid's comic?" my Dad once said flicking through the latest prog.

That 2000ad had a golden age was down to the fact that Wagner and Grant were writing 60 - 100% of the prog at the time. I genuinely believe that the fact the prog survived into the '90s and beyond and also that so many of us are still here reading it is down to these two men.
#40
Strontium Dog.
I'm also going to go against received wisdom and say that I don't think that there was ever a bad Stront story.

Post Wulf, the format gets a shake-up and we get a wider variety of strips so we can have:
* Johnny being mean on his own ( Incident on Mayger Minor, most of the stories from the annuals and specials).
* Johnny and Middenface ( warzone, the Rammy)
* Johnny and Red ( The Bitch, Stone Killers)

It's a real shame we didn't get another couple of books worth of stories with the new set up and also to see where the Johnny and Red dynamic went.
#41
General / Re: Alan Grant appreciation thread
03 August, 2022, 09:21:31 PM
"One thing I wish I'd read is a memoir of his time in the Nerve Centre. I know there have been various accounts of 2000AD's history published over the years, but I can't help feeling that AALN1's version would have been particularly amusing and candid."

Definitely.

In the days, when I went to cons, Alan's appearances were always a highlight - always funny and always interesting.

In addition to David's interviews - thanks for sharing these David - the thrillcast where Alan discusses Shamballa is one of - if not the - best.
Also, here's an interview here conducted by Andy Diggle. http://www.2000ad.org/zone=droid&page=interview&choice=6

There are also some a number short but fun interviews on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsWzosJSYqM

#42
General / Alan Grant appreciation thread
01 August, 2022, 10:05:00 PM
With the loss of Alan Grant recently, I thought it'd be a nice idea to share some of our favourite stories from one of comics' greatest writers.

Solo:

* Alec Trench - ( I know that's not the correct title ) - forty plus years later, this is still one of the very best Future Shocks. All the better for telling a story rather than using the pages to set up a twist/ punch-line.

* BlackHawk - Zog and Ursa are two of the best supporting characters the prog has ever seen.

* Strontium Dog: The Final Solution - it's a greatest hits of Strontium Dog before Alpha bows out and yet it never feels that calculated. It's a great story effortlessly moving between comedy (the phrenologist scene being a favourite), action and allegory. I liked Alpha's death too - neither Grant nor Wagner would ever have  a character go out in a blaze of glory saving the universe but he does get a hero's death of sorts, saving a handful of kids. Feral gets a decent introduction too - it's perhaps a shame that Harrison leaned too hard into making him seem cool.

* Judge Dredd - John Cassavetes is Dead. Just a great one-off.

* Anderson - the Jesus Syndrome - a great tale.

* Young Middenface -  Parcel of Rogues - Whilst Strontium Dog tales of the time were flashbacks due to the necessity of Alpha being dead, the Middenface tales were flashbacks because they had a tale worth telling. It's a shame they stopped as they were building up to something. Another great showcase for what Grant could do so well, skipping from the absurd to the poignant in a moment.

* Samantha Slade - the one with the playing cards - I really liked the revival of Robo-Hunter. It was a lot of fun and was genuinely funny. Brought a lot of balance to the prog.

With others:
* Ace Trucking - Strike. A great character led tale.

* Strontium Dog - Rage

* Judge Dredd - Democracy Now - At the time, a couple of recent Dredds had given the idea that perhaps the writers were running out of ideas for the character. Democracy Now came crashing out of nowhere, fully dispelling those ideas. Dredd had always been a bit of a bastard but there was always some justification for his actions. Not so here, all pretence is dropped and Dredd goes full-on villain. 

* Middenface McNulty - the John McCrea one - just great stuff.

* Outcasts - an unjustly underappreciated classic - one of the best things that Grant and Wagner have written. It also showcases what comics can do that other mediums can't - this would be far too bleak in prose or film but as a comic it's hilarious when it wants to be.

* The Bogie Man - They're all great but I reckon Chinatoon is the best of the bunch.
#44
Stickleback