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Spoilers => Other Reviews => Topic started by: Smith on 09 January, 2017, 06:04:55 PM

Title: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 09 January, 2017, 06:04:55 PM
For a while now,I have been something of a casual reader of both 2000AD and Megazine,so I thought to fill in some blanks and read the Judge Dredd Megazine from the start.Or at least try to.
Some 10 issues in and its a weird mix of things i read,didn't read and things I forgotten.
There is ofc,America,its a bit weird reading it in pieces.Other Dredd stories so far,Midnites Children and Black Widow,haven't really impressed me.
I liked Beyond Our Kenny,and I should really find the first part of it.Young Death,I haven't read it till now,and it has been pretty good so far.
Al's baby,another classic.Armitage is just starting,yet another one I liked.
I dont have a lot to comment on Red Razors,but Yeowells artwork looks pretty good.So there is that.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Frank on 09 January, 2017, 08:12:55 PM
Quote from: Smith on 09 January, 2017, 06:04:55 PM
America,its a bit weird reading it in pieces.Other Dredd stories so far,Midnites Children and Black Widow,haven't really impressed me. I liked Beyond Our Kenny,and I should really find the first part of it.Young Death,I haven't read it till now,and it has been pretty good so far. Al's baby,another classic.Armitage is just starting,yet another one I liked. I dont have a lot to comment on Red Razors,but Yeowells artwork looks pretty good.

Bathed in the warm afterglow of Necropolis, I thought the first 10-12 issues of the Megazine were among the best comics I'd ever read*. Turns out that was the Wagner stories; the other strips were just as meh as Crisis, Revolver, and post-prog-700 2000ad.


* I used to plug school any Thursday afternoon the early Megazine and 2000ad arrived together, to soak up Tharg's wares as if they were the word of god. A couple of years later, I was wondering whether I should chuck both comics.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Rogue Judge on 10 January, 2017, 07:57:29 AM
I'd like to hear more about your thoughts on Young Death and Al's Baby - two books I keep considering purchasing but have never read.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: AlexF on 10 January, 2017, 10:35:04 AM
I've long wondered if anyone would be bold enough to do a Prog Slog equivalent on the Megazine. In its first decade or so, it never reached the consistency of the Prog, depsite always having at least one essential story (turns out one is not enough in an anthology). But, you know, that only means thinking about it and writing about it can be all the more diverting.

But I'm not the sucker to do it!
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 10 January, 2017, 10:39:24 AM
Having finished Young Death,I have to say its just weird.After Necropolis Judge Death is living with miss Gunderson and telling his origin story to a journalist.And I cant say does that subtract from his horror or adds to it.I wouldnt say its really essential,but its worth the time.
Al's baby is a great comedy,and I do recommend it.This is just the first story.Its sequel was okay,but its kinda same thing all over again.Still,get the whole thing if you can.
As a whole,so far,Meg has been a bit of mixed bag.
AlexF,its a tough job,but somebodys got to do it.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: CalHab on 10 January, 2017, 12:11:36 PM
Young Death's tone veers wildly between horror and slapstick/comedy. In other words it's perfect for Wagner and Doherty. Definitely worth a read.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: sheridan on 10 January, 2017, 12:35:03 PM
Quote from: AlexF on 10 January, 2017, 10:35:04 AM
I've long wondered if anyone would be bold enough to do a Prog Slog equivalent on the Megazine. In its first decade or so, it never reached the consistency of the Prog, depsite always having at least one essential story (turns out one is not enough in an anthology). But, you know, that only means thinking about it and writing about it can be all the more diverting.

But I'm not the sucker to do it!

My (glacial) prog slog will encompass everything I have from the House of Tharg, including Starlord, Tornado, Diceman, annuals, specials and the Meg.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 10 January, 2017, 02:43:11 PM
A small update,up to issue #15,there is Raptaur,another story I forgot.I don't think I lost much there.
One episode of Heavy metal Dredd,that was bizarre.Al's baby and Red Razors are over,so is Armitage.But Middenface McNulty and Brit-Cit Babes are starting.Not sure if thats a good thing or a bad one.  :-\
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: sheridan on 10 January, 2017, 05:18:48 PM
Quote from: Smith on 10 January, 2017, 02:43:11 PM
A small update,up to issue #15,there is Raptaur,another story I forgot.I don't think I lost much there.
One episode of Heavy metal Dredd,that was bizarre.Al's baby and Red Razors are over,so is Armitage.But Middenface McNulty and Brit-Cit Babes are starting.Not sure if thats a good thing or a bad one.  :-\

Long time since I read them, but I seem to remember McNulty was enjoyable while the best thing about BCB was the cover art (by Bolland).
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 10 January, 2017, 05:43:58 PM
Aaaand done with the first volume.Mcnulty was okay,but Mcree's artwork is pretty rough.Still,him teaming up with Max Normal is pretty cool
I read BCB in a later reprint,it still doesnt really evoke any emotions.Its just there.
Straightjacket Fits is over.That great.
-If somebody bites off a head of a batglider,the first place to look is Ozzy Osbourne block.
There is a mutant turtle named Kevin Eastman.
Obviously,humor wasnt a stong side of Dredds stories of the time.
And he also advertised Sega Mega Drive.That brings back some memories. :)
RR had Spooky Doo gang.I guess thats funny in stupid way.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Frank on 10 January, 2017, 06:33:42 PM
Quote from: Smith on 10 January, 2017, 05:43:58 PM
Mcnulty was okay,but Mcree's artwork is pretty rough ...
I read BCB in a later reprint, it still doesnt really evoke any emotions. Its just there.

John McRea told Michael Molcher (Megazine 269 (http://i.imgur.com/RN15AO2.png)) that the work he turned in on Wan Man And His Dug got him blacklisted from the Megazine (having already found himself on the wrong side of Tharg (http://i.imgur.com/iwNJnoy.png)).

I was relieved to discover Wagner found Brit-Cit Babes (https://www.facebook.com/groups/2000adDiscussion/permalink/1561662993994899/) as boring to write as it was to read.


Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Rogue Judge on 10 January, 2017, 07:03:38 PM
Quote from: CalHab on 10 January, 2017, 12:11:36 PM
Young Death's tone veers wildly between horror and slapstick/comedy. In other words it's perfect for Wagner and Doherty. Definitely worth a read.

Sounds like everything I want in a Dredd comic. Will definitely be picking it up. Thanks for reviewing Smith. Sounds like Al's Baby is a no brainer as well.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 10 January, 2017, 07:08:12 PM
@Frank,I can believe that.
Btw,I dont think we will see McNulty for a while,in the Megazine at least.
I forgot to mention Chopper,but it wasnt really memorable.A lot of people(Garth Ennis included) claim it was a mistake bringing Chopper back after Song of the Surfer,and its really hard to argue with that.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 12 January, 2017, 04:35:36 PM
Into volume 2 and things don't really look any better.
Texas city sting was a fun Dredd story,then its Judgment Day,which was a crossover with 2000AD,so Meg only has a few pieces.Moving on,we have Devlin Waughn Swimming in blood,a lot of people will hate me for saying this,but its a mediocre action movie plot with an untypical protagonist.Which is its one saving grace.
Armageddon:The Bad Man I assume this was an attempt to cash in on Terminator(and Wolverine)?There is really not a lot to it.And we have Soul Sisters,and for the lack of a better term,its was crap.
Im starting to miss Red Razors. :|
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Dark Jimbo on 12 January, 2017, 05:13:08 PM
Quote from: Smith on 12 January, 2017, 04:35:36 PM
Armageddon:The Bad Man I assume this was an attempt to cash in on Terminator(and Wolverine)?There is really not a lot to it.

Supposedly it was planned to gradually become an origin of sorts for the Dreddworld, and sneakily get Grant and Ezquerra the rights to Dredd by the backdoor. Not that that makes it much more enjoyable to read!
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 13 January, 2017, 02:42:49 PM
Up to V2 #13 now.And its a bit of an improvement.Armitage is back,And Calhab Justice started.There is an odd story focusing on Hershey or Anderson here and there.They vary in quality.
And Mechanismo is starting.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 15 January, 2017, 01:27:44 PM
V2 #21 Mechanismo was okay.Its mostly just one big action sequence,but that's not really a bad thing.
Al's Baby is back.Like I said,the second story is a bit weaker.And we have Heavy Metal Dredd (still) and Sleeze 'n' Ryder. Hard to miss that reference.  :o
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Frank on 15 January, 2017, 02:09:43 PM
.
No mention of Wagner and Shimony's Texas City Sting (v2.01-2.03)? It's pretty topical, given that both it and Mike Carroll's current story are about Dredd going to Texas City on the trail of perps and receiving varying degrees of cooperation/resistance from local law enforcement.

It's really more of a Strontium Dog story, with Dredd collecting bounties; if it had been drawn by Ezquerra or MacNeil, it would be considered a classic. The shameless exploitation of Hershey (http://i.imgur.com/hTJaw61.png)'s bare arse predates Ezquerra (http://i.imgur.com/e60rHpB.png)'s blackmail pics by 2 years and MacNeil (http://i.imgur.com/bCqMPEz.png)'s taps aff by 18 months.


Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 15 January, 2017, 02:15:38 PM
I thought I did mention that,but it got kinda lost in everything else.Yes,it was an okay story.
We had a longer Hershey story in Death Squad.Which is a pretty familiar Judges are running hit squads story,those show up surprisingly(or not) often.But it was okay.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Rogue Judge on 15 January, 2017, 05:01:32 PM
Quote from: Frank on 15 January, 2017, 02:09:43 PM
.
No mention of Wagner and Shimony's Texas City Sting (v2.01-2.03)? It's pretty topical, given that both it and Mike Carroll's current story are about Dredd going to Texas City on the trail of perps and receiving varying degrees of cooperation/resistance from local law enforcement.

It's really more of a Strontium Dog story, with Dredd collecting bounties; if it had been drawn by Ezquerra or MacNeil, it would be considered a classic. The shameless exploitation of Hershey (http://i.imgur.com/hTJaw61.png)'s bare arse predates Ezquerra (http://i.imgur.com/e60rHpB.png)'s blackmail pics by 2 years and MacNeil (http://i.imgur.com/bCqMPEz.png)'s taps aff by 18 months.

I just read Texas city sting a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it. Dredd's approach to use money collection was a unique wayto solve the problem. The art was okay,  and the story quite fun and Hershey's bottom a supprise.

I haven't come across your other examples yet but should be there soon as I am reading CF #18 currently. Also, that McNeil piece is quite humorous, the placement of her badge is class.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 15 January, 2017, 05:54:51 PM
CF17-18-19 roughly cover this time.But for some reason,a few things like America and Kenny Who story were not collected in the Case Files.
Things to look forward in the near future: Calhab justice returning and Missionary Man starting.
Shimura is also pretty close,I think.So is Judge Andersons galactic tour story,which Im not looking forward to at all TBH.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Rogue Judge on 17 January, 2017, 02:06:11 AM
Quote from: Smith on 15 January, 2017, 05:54:51 PM
CF17-18-19 roughly cover this time.But for some reason,a few things like America and Kenny Who story were not collected in the Case Files.
Things to look forward in the near future: Calhab justice returning and Missionary Man starting.
Shimura is also pretty close,I think.So is Judge Andersons galactic tour story,which Im not looking forward to at all TBH.

I'm reading case files #18 right now (1/4 way through) and mostly like it - there are a lot of one off stories that are good (mostly) and I'm looking forward to Mechanismo, your description as "one big action scene" sounds good to me!

I'm thinking that America was not reprinted in the CF so that they could sell it on its own (more money!).

I look forward to your thoughts on Missionary Man, this is a book I have on my personal want list, but know nothing of it other than the concept of a Preacher traveling the cursed earth...
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 17 January, 2017, 06:53:10 AM
A lot of things to go through this time...
-On the CF#18,I found it a bit of chore to read honestly,Ennis was really running out of ideas and was just churning out shallow parodies of things he hated.But Mechanismo is the saving grace.And Mechanismo returns.And there is the only PJ Maybe story written by somebody other then Wagner,so I guess that's important too.
-Kenny Who? stories were collected in the Cam Kennedy collection according to Dredd Reckoning.
-About America,that probably played a part.My theory was that they are waiting to collect the whole trilogy in some future Case File,but Im not so sure in that any more.
V2 #31
-Were Hershey's stories ever collected?They were actually pretty good.
-Army of Darkness was in theaters,Batman TAS was on tv,and John Smith parodied the Madonna craze.Bit late for that in 1993?
-In the letters section there is an interesting discussion about violence in the Meg.A few readers accuse the of following "the Bisley school" of painted hyper-violence.That's not really far from truth,they really went out of their way to imitate Bisley.
Harke & Burr show up for the first time.That is important,right?Anderson,Psi Division Childhood End is here,and I still don't like it,honestly.After Mechanismo Returns,JD's stories are mostly one shots.At least Sleeze 'n' Ryder and Heavy Metal Dredd seem to over.
@Rogue Judge,buy Missionary Man,easiest decision ever.  :)
Its a great series.It debuts in style,with Cain nuking a whole town.Later on,I think the series decayed a bit during and after Big Sleazy,but that's still years ahead.
Good news is that Calhab Justice is back.Not-so-good news is that we are getting Brit-Cit Brute,another representative of Bisley school.And Anderson,Psi Divison isn't ending any time soon.Yey...
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: I, Cosh on 17 January, 2017, 08:03:14 AM
Quote from: Rogue Judge on 17 January, 2017, 02:06:11 AM
I'm thinking that America was not reprinted in the CF so that they could sell it on its own (more money!).
While I'm sure making more money from other books was an unlooked for benefit, the official line is that stuff like America and Kenny Who were originally published as standalone strips rather than Judge Dredd stories. Where do you draw the line once you start including every story which Dredd appears in?

Somebody will be along shortly to point out that Dying of the Light was published as a Dredd strip but hey-ho!

Quote from: Smith on 17 January, 2017, 06:53:10 AM
Anderson,Psi Division Childhood End is here,and I still don't like it,honestly.
Pretty soon you'll get to the point where the Meg starts to include an annual readers' poll. Publishing the results and some commentary was, presumably, a cheap way to fill a few pages and push some interaction. Anyway, for about four or five years running, Childhood's End gets voted the best story ever to appear in the Meg.  Interesting how times change.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 17 January, 2017, 08:19:57 AM
Well,its not terrible,its just not really my thing.I liked the earlier horror stories better.Looking at the whole Anderson,Psi Divison run in the Meg,its a bit of a mixed bag.However,Ransons artwork is amazing,and that alone makes it worth reading.Other artists however widly vary in quality.
Yes,there was a poll.Devlin Waughn is the best new character in readers opinion(Kinda expected),and hes even the third most popular character in the Meg,after Judge Dredd and Judge Death.And EVERYONE hated Soul Sisters,
Another thing I forgot to mention,Devlin meet Judge Dredd.Strip search happens. :)
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: I, Cosh on 17 January, 2017, 08:58:04 AM
Quote from: Smith on 17 January, 2017, 08:19:57 AM
Well,its not terrible,its just not really my thing.I liked the earlier horror stories better.Looking at the whole Anderson,Psi Divison run in the Meg,its a bit of a mixed bag.However,Ransons artwork is amazing,and that alone makes it worth reading.Other artists however widly vary in quality.
Sorry, I wasn't making any comment about your opinion. That's fine by me! I much prefer the Shamballa and Engram era of Anderson myself.

I just think it's an interesting shift in perception given the modern orthodoxy which has it that America is The Best Story Ever Written (at least with a Judge in it.)
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Rogue Judge on 18 January, 2017, 05:41:28 AM
Quote from: Smith on 17 January, 2017, 06:53:10 AM
A lot of things to go through this time...
-On the CF#18,I found it a bit of chore to read honestly,Ennis was really running out of ideas and was just churning out shallow parodies of things he hated.But Mechanismo is the saving grace.And Mechanismo returns.And there is the only PJ Maybe story written by somebody other then Wagner,so I guess that's important too.
-Kenny Who? stories were collected in the Cam Kennedy collection according to Dredd Reckoning.
-About America,that probably played a part.My theory was that they are waiting to collect the whole trilogy in some future Case File,but Im not so sure in that any more.
V2 #31
-Were Hershey's stories ever collected?They were actually pretty good.
-Army of Darkness was in theaters,Batman TAS was on tv,and John Smith parodied the Madonna craze.Bit late for that in 1993?
-In the letters section there is an interesting discussion about violence in the Meg.A few readers accuse the of following "the Bisley school" of painted hyper-violence.That's not really far from truth,they really went out of their way to imitate Bisley.
Harke & Burr show up for the first time.That is important,right?Anderson,Psi Division Childhood End is here,and I still don't like it,honestly.After Mechanismo Returns,JD's stories are mostly one shots.At least Sleeze 'n' Ryder and Heavy Metal Dredd seem to over.
@Rogue Judge,buy Missionary Man,easiest decision ever.  :)
Its a great series.It debuts in style,with Cain nuking a whole town.Later on,I think the series decayed a bit during and after Big Sleazy,but that's still years ahead.
Good news is that Calhab Justice is back.Not-so-good news is that we are getting Brit-Cit Brute,another representative of Bisley school.And Anderson,Psi Divison isn't ending any time soon.Yey...

Now that Im over half done reading CF 18 I have to agree - while I have enjoyed much of Ennis' Dredd so far, you can see he was definitely burning out at this point. Honestly, The Magic Mellow Out is probably the worst Dredd story I have read (not sure if that was in the progs or Meg).

I didn't realize Hershey had her own solo stories. I would really like to read these, especially since you say they are good! A quick google search revealed that she had her own series periodically from 1992-97 and, as far as I can find, her stories have not been collected.

And thanks for the recommendation for Missionary Man - it sounds great. I found it online for $16 CAD so I think Ill snap it up soon!

Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Trent on 18 January, 2017, 06:33:35 AM
Not been said whether the Mega Collection is including a Hershey volume. At 181 pages her solo strip would neatly make a whole book.
That said, the quality of her strips were .... variable.

Cannot recommend Missionary Man highly enough and 2 more volumes still to come!
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 18 January, 2017, 02:49:34 PM
I admited they vary in quality a bit,but worst things have been collected.
@RJ if your reading the files in order,I have to say,it gets worst before it gets better.Mark Millar takes over.We get two undead super-judges,Inferno and The Crusade.And there are also Exterminator and Wilderlands(which was so bad,but it had its problems,I will get to it somewhat soon)But its all uphill after #22,I think,so stick with it.:)
Unrelated,going through some floppies that came with the Meg,Pulp Sci-Fi was really,really good.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 19 January, 2017, 10:25:26 AM
v2 #37
Its been a mediocre few issues;ads for Manga Video are back,and Stallone signed on to play Judge Dredd.
We had Armitage Flasback(that ran longer then I remember it) and Hersey and Steel.
Shimura is starting,cant say I have any strong feelings for it.Later on,I liked Inaba.And there is Taxidermist,which is just weird.Of all the characters to get their spinoffs,why Taxidermist?   :-\
In the letters section,we have the first letter from a female fan(that I noticed). She likes the strong female protagonists like Anderson and Hershey.And yeah,I give the Meg credit there.
The debate about violence is still going on.John Hickelstone's(the artist of Heavy Metal Dredd) response is pretty much You see a lot worst on the news.Suppose that's true,but its not really a justification.
Personally,I don't really mind the violence,but Meg really takes things over the top.HMD is like Looney Toons with blood.
Reactions to Missionary Man have been really positive,and all things considered my opinions are pretty similar to those the original readers had about a lot of stuff in here.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Rogue Judge on 20 January, 2017, 06:28:44 AM
@Smith, like you suggested, I have also heard from others that CF volumes 19-21 is the low point for Dredd. I completed CF18 and honestly didn't hate it; many of the stories were okay but nothing really happened, Ennis was just plodding along at this point. Mechanismo was highly enjoyable, although I enjoyed Mechanismo Returns even more - the art on both was fantastic.

As far as Inferno goes, I have read mixed reviews and am kind of looking forward to it (with some trepidation) because it is mentioned so often. I always enjoy the Mega Epics and heard there is some great art (but not story) within. My expectations for it are very low, so hopefully its better than I think...

I have heard that the Taxidermist stories are excellent. There is a trade that collects the series that I have in my wish list. I have only read the one story that was in the CFs but have read that it is worth picking up. Your opinion so far?

I like that your reviews also include what was going on in the letters page, its interesting to see how people's preferences have changed (or stayed the same) over time.

@Trent - thanks as well for recommending Missionary Man, I'm looking forward to it! I didn't realize it was going to be three volumes. Has volume two been announced?
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 20 January, 2017, 07:50:12 AM
Its not really a full review,just some of my opinions.
Taxidermist is weird.Another one of those wacky things driven to the extreme.In this case human taxidermy as an Olympic sport.Its also a story about a craftsman fighting with his age and technology.Its also pretty funny sometimes.
So if you can get it cheaply and/or like Gibsons artwork;buy it.But I wouldnt go out of my way for it.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 20 January, 2017, 10:55:49 AM
V2 #42
The cover for #42 is certainly a new thing.
(http://static7.comicvine.com/uploads/scale_large/0/9116/753084-42.jpg)
Sex sells,I guess?
Inside we have Mechanismo: Body Count-an okay sequel,that sets up things to come.Harke & Burr are back for a bit.Creep started.Its pretty interesting actually,villain based stories don't show up too often here.First Shimura story was okay,but pretty bland,like I said before.
On the letters;yes,Childhood End was well liked.So was Missionary Man.Except for that one guy who didnt like Gordon Rennie and Fran Quietly.All of the letters in the next issue are readers(and Gordons) answers that letter.A similar cycle happens quite often with the Meg letters.
And Im sensing a bit of animosity towards the (then) upcoming movie and Judge Dredd comic from DC.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 22 January, 2017, 11:06:30 AM
V2 #53
Taxidermist is over,it was actually way funnier then I remember it.  :)
Dredd stories have been pretty solid.We had Its a Dreddful Life(One of the Hershey pictures mentioned before is from this one),Bury my Knee at Wounded Heart,Giant[spoiler]The one where Walter returns as a robotic dark Messiah[/spoiler].Calhab Justice was a bit disappointing this time.There is Pan-African Judges,which I found pretty uninteresting.
Issue #50 was a bit of a retool for the Meg,and the lineup gets a bit of a shake up.Anderson,Psi starts the Postcards from the edge,and as mentioned before,Im not a big fan of it.Missionary Man Bad Moon is here,and its good.Shimura is back.Creep is actually pretty funny most of the time.He plays cards with Judge Death. :)
Back to JD,Howler started.Honestly,I don't think McMahons artwork really fits Judge Dredd,but okay.
In the polls Judge Anderson,Devlin Waugh and Shimura take all the prizes.Funny,considering Shimura doesn't have that many fans these day.Or at least,a lot of people complain its racist.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Frank on 22 January, 2017, 06:44:12 PM
Quote from: Smith on 22 January, 2017, 11:06:30 AM
Taxidermist is over,it was actually way funnier then I remember it.  :) Dredd stories have been pretty solid.We had Its a Dreddful Life(One of the Hershey pictures mentioned before is from this one),Bury my Knee at Wounded Heart,Giant ... Howler started.Honestly,I don't think McMahons artwork really fits Judge Dredd

McMahon's art on Howler is fantastic. If you get a chance, look at it in digital format; Howler was as much a victim of early nineties repro as Bisley's Horned God *.

Thanks for mentioning Giant (Meg 2.50 to 2.52), which contains the sequence some readers remember as hinting that Dredd's been taking anti-ageing drugs for decades. It actually demonstrates the opposite ...


(https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/16142491_392972297717801_1224950535038057192_n.jpg?oh=89856e20f7b3f1a620906720240bc2df&oe=5917C938)

* McMahon says he only regrets that he didn't rule the pages up with proper gutters between panels. He has a point; delineated by clear, white space, each panel would look like a little Picasso. With only black lines separating the images, the deliberately restricted palette and minimal modelling means panels sometimes bleed into each other, confounding McMahon's usually excellent ability to guide the reader's eye around the page and, therefore, convey movement and tell the story.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Jim_Campbell on 22 January, 2017, 09:04:17 PM
Quote from: Frank on 22 January, 2017, 06:44:12 PM
Thanks for mentioning Giant (Meg 2.50 to 2.52), which contains the sequence some readers remember as hinting that Dredd's been taking anti-ageing drugs for decades. It actually demonstrates the opposite ...

It demonstrates that Giant believes the opposite. It's not like the strip has a long history of demonstrating that central characters' deeply-held beliefs are based on an idealistic faith in notions that were nowhere as clear-cut as those characters would like to believe.

Although, FWIW, I don't recall any significant body of fandom giving credence to the idea that Dredd had been nomming down some Stookie analogue for years, and I certainly wouldn't have been among them if there was such a thing.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Frank on 22 January, 2017, 09:55:23 PM
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 22 January, 2017, 09:04:17 PM

Quote from: Frank on 22 January, 2017, 06:44:12 PM
(https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/16142491_392972297717801_1224950535038057192_n.jpg?oh=89856e20f7b3f1a620906720240bc2df&oe=5917C938)


It demonstrates that Giant believes the opposite


Dredd's face demonstrates he isn't taking medication that defies the ageing process *. Dredd's face is in that nick 3 years after some readers believe he underwent treatment that reversed the effects of ageing (Nightmares (http://i.imgur.com/RkXCNii.png), 702).

All this is academic, since Dredd has now indisputably undergone treatment that reversed some aspects of the ageing process at a cellular level (Carousel (http://i.imgur.com/3W1sc4D.png), Meg 375), but I get a lot of fun from noting details of how the strip has progressed.


* As Giant notes, "Lines of age gathering on the old man's face".

At this point, April 1994, Dredd's supposed to have been walking around for 47 years, with an extra five years added onto his physiological age because of his accelerated growth. If Tek Department wound back the years following Necropolis, either by sticking him in a giant waffle iron or the liberal application of Loreal Q10, they can't have wound the clock back very far
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 23 January, 2017, 09:06:25 AM
I found Howler a bit too...cubist,honestly.But I can see why people like it.
Manga Video is selling the Guyver OVA,Meg got an email address,and a lot of letters come from Matt Nixon and Sloano.They are in something of a war with David Bishop.There is also the Inquisition page where readers ask question about Dredds face,or how is it possible for Rico to have an 8 year old daughter if he spent the last 20 years on Titan?In one theory,she might actually be Joe's daughter that he passes off as a niece.
Back to the stories,HMD and Brit-Cit Brute return for a short while.Wilderlands starts.Karyn gets her own strip.Artwork by Adrian Salmon is quite unique,but Karyn herself is really not that interesting.
I'm starting to thing Calhab Justice and Armitage overstayed their welcome at this point.
Anderson's galactic tour is still going.I got to say,naming a planet Zerbia is a special type of lazy.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Frank on 23 January, 2017, 02:31:19 PM
Quote from: Smith on 23 January, 2017, 09:06:25 AM
.... naming a planet Zerbia is a special type of lazy

... and a character called Sara Yevo (http://imgur.com/a/88Iiq)!


Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 23 January, 2017, 02:40:59 PM
Quote from: Frank on 23 January, 2017, 02:31:19 PM
Quote from: Smith on 23 January, 2017, 09:06:25 AM
.... naming a planet Zerbia is a special type of lazy

... and a character called Sara Yevo (http://imgur.com/a/88Iiq)!

That's not lazy,that's insulting the audiences intelligence.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 23 January, 2017, 04:00:20 PM
V2 #70
Did I mention Harmony already?It was okay,I guess.Trend of imitating Bisley is weakening.Wilderlands are over.The Meg portion of the event focused on Castillo.Brit-Cit Brute shows up in Calhab Justice.They just wont let go of him;for some reason.We got Son of Mean,which is funny for the most part.Creep meets Judge Dredd.And Anderson,Psi is taking a break.And Wynter starts.Its about Antarctic City.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 24 January, 2017, 12:53:25 PM
Finishing off Volume 2,there is a lot of mediocre stuff in here.Pandora,Maelstrom,Harmony,Shimura...
In Dredds stories,we have a Judge Pal story and Strange Case of Bill Clinton,it would have been a lot more appropriate if I started this read earlier. :) We got Plagues of Necropolis,which is about Dark Judges killing people with some biblical overtones throw in,if I got it right.
The Movie is fast approaching.
Volume 3 is off to a pretty good start;Harmony is still around;but we got Missionary Man,Three Amigos and Satan in JD and Anderson,Psi section.
Three Amigos is pure fanservice(in a sense that it has Judge Death and Mean Machine,two very popular villains,teaming up with JD),but it is hilarious.
Satan is okay to good;but I admit its a bit over the top,even for an Anderson story.But hey,Ranson did the art.  :)
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 26 January, 2017, 09:59:48 AM
V3 #17
We have less stories per issue,but they are a bit more solid.Way too much Shimura,thou.John Tomlinson takes over as the editor for a while.Don't worry Bish-OP will be back soon,and stay another 40 or so issues.We get Missionary Man's origin story.Honestly,it makes very little sense.America 2 is announced.
The movie came and went.Some fans liked it,some didn't.Critics mostly agree its a generic action movie.And the best comic book movie of 1995.Dubious honor considering others were Batman Forever and Tank Girl.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 26 January, 2017, 01:39:55 PM
V2 #23 We still have Harmony;Quietly returns for Inaba:Babes with big bazookas.Missionary Man is in Big Sleezy.Holocaust 12 is a new one.Nifty power armors,I guess.And we get Necropolis reprints.That will start a trend.And David Bishop is back as the editor.
But probably the most important,there is America:Fading of the light. I cant really say anything that wasn't said before,but I have to notice;America is many things,but it is not subtle.The scene where America is raped while a Judge watches and does nothing,goes a bit too far IMO.
That probably explains the warning on the cover(Not for sale to children) in any case.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Keef Monkey on 26 January, 2017, 01:53:04 PM
Enjoying this thread, lots of memories popping up! I recall being young enough when that Taxidermist 'SEX' cover came out that me and my friends were quite nervous taking it up to the counter.

I've always loved Missionary Man, the artwork and the whole atmosphere of it really clicked with me so it's one of the Meg strips that I'm most fond of. When I got round to reading The Dark Tower in my mind I couldn't help but form Roland in Preacher Cain's image quite a bit, so it clearly left quite an impression. A totally different character, but I've always pictured the two as looking similar. Of course, now that I'm having a bit of a Dark Tower re-read I'm imagining Idris Elba in the role and how great he'll be in it.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 26 January, 2017, 03:53:07 PM
Thanks.Im glad to hear positive feedback.
Now that you mention Dark Tower,I can see the resemblance.Thou,Im more of a Talisman fan.Nostalgia.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 26 January, 2017, 06:51:07 PM
Back to the Meg-3.33
This is going a lot faster then I expected,mostly because half of issue is a Necropolis reprintInspectre is new,but I wouldn't call it memorable.Clint Langley is doing the art for Holocaust 12.Hes not photo-realistic like today,but hes getting there. :-)
Harmony meets Judge Dredd.There are also team ups with Shimura and Inaba.And there is Fetish,the team up with Devlin Waughn.Siku's art is pretty bad,honesty.
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X3KZ9CtWLu4/TzW1mVMk6RI/AAAAAAAAAko/RS9xPysR-4c/s1600/3.29sikufaces.jpg)
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZIuCTAVaJAg/V-6P-SWoIWI/AAAAAAAAFzc/kLoIKJK0mkYyrfGHh3M53MGx3gFfcnGnQCK4B/s1600/siku%2Bdredd.jpg (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZIuCTAVaJAg/V-6P-SWoIWI/AAAAAAAAFzc/kLoIKJK0mkYyrfGHh3M53MGx3gFfcnGnQCK4B/s1600/siku%2Bdredd.jpg)
JD's lower lip reaches his freaking forehead. :o
And Fading of the light is over.Read in part like this,the story has a different impact,I admit.The final shot of a bunch of bald kids arrayed like a clone army is frankly brilliant.
Toad Mcfarlane?Thats a really weird jab to make.Todd's popularity dropped in 1996.And there was the Great Comics Crash 0f 1996,but that's another story.Im sure comic historians would have a field day comparing the development at the House of Tharg to happenings at its American cousins.  :)
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 26 January, 2017, 07:13:44 PM
To try to get as much as I can today;there is the Predator/Judge Dredd crossover,which surprisingly works;and some solid JD stories after all.Blackheart,a Shadow-like vigilante has his series for a few issues.
And Preacher starts.Yeah I like Preacher as much as anyone,but it really doesn't fit here.And then Sin City starts.
One issue of Megazine from the era has 1 JD story,Sin City:Babe wore red and Preacher.Judge Dredd is the odd man in his own Megazine.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Frank on 26 January, 2017, 08:46:35 PM
Quote from: Smith on 26 January, 2017, 06:51:07 PM
Meg-3.33 ... Toad Mcfarlane?Thats a really weird jab to make.Todd's popularity dropped in 1996

It isn't branded as such, but The Ballad Of Toad McFarlane was a script Wagner & Grant wrote for the Simon Bisley Heavy Metal Dredd strips that appeared in Rock Power magazine, circa 1990. According to David Bishop (http://forums.2000adonline.com/index.php?topic=2472.msg20751#msg20751), a few of the unused scripts were worked up for publication by other artists at a later date.

Just a few posts ago, I could remember every strip you mentioned as if they were published yesterday. Reading your latest posts, I'd completely forgotten Dredd crossed over with so many supporting characters. Maybe Dredd's team-ups with Harmony and Inaba are lost classics, but I think I only skim read them at the time.


Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Rogue Judge on 27 January, 2017, 03:26:38 AM
Quote from: Smith on 26 January, 2017, 07:13:44 PM
To try to get as much as I can today;there is the Predator/Judge Dredd crossover,which surprisingly works;and some solid JD stories after all.Blackheart,a Shadow-like vigilante has his series for a few issues.
And Preacher starts.Yeah I like Preacher as much as anyone,but it really doesn't fit here.And then Sin City starts.
One issue of Megazine from the era has 1 JD story,Sin City:Babe wore red and Preacher.Judge Dredd is the odd man in his own Megazine.

This sounds like a low period for the Meg, I didn't realize that they re-printed American/Vertigo strips. I'm guessing this was due to time constraints, or maybe trying to capitalize on their success? Either way, I agree that those titles don't belong in the Meg. What a lost opportunity to tell real zarjaz tales in the Meg.

I'm looking forward to reading the Predator/Judge Dredd crossover. I will come to it in the case files eventually (on #19). Glad to hear that it works!
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 27 January, 2017, 06:39:58 AM
Probably a bit of both.I guessing they had a bit of trouble filling the Meg.Thou,Wagner is back,and Judge Dredd stories are pretty good.Jimmy Deans,LIAR party,demonic Telletubbies.Btw,this would be the  tail end of CF28,pretty soon we get to the uncollected stuff.
About Toad;yeah,that makes sense.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Jim_Campbell on 27 January, 2017, 08:27:05 AM
Quote from: Rogue Judge on 27 January, 2017, 03:26:38 AM
This sounds like a low period for the Meg, I didn't realize that they re-printed American/Vertigo strips. I'm guessing this was due to time constraints, or maybe trying to capitalize on their success? Either way, I agree that those titles don't belong in the Meg. What a lost opportunity to tell real zarjaz tales in the Meg.

I think there's some important historical context you may be missing from this period of the Megazine. From the time 2000AD and the Megazine ended up under the Egmont Fleetway up until the Rebellion buyout, both titles were in real trouble.

The 2000AD titles were outliers under the Egmont regime, whose business model was primarily reprinting licensed material in juvenile titles with a bit of plastic tat taped to the cover. They didn't like 2000AD model of filling hundreds of pages a year with original (expensive) content and the suspicion was that Egmont were happy to let the sales slide until they fell below break-even, at which time they would stop originating material and simply monetise the substantial back catalogue of IP in some form of reprint title.

Almost everything you see at this time is part of a rearguard action by the editorial team to keep both titles afloat. A page of original strip, even B&W strip, would cost at least £150 to commission. A page of Preacher reprint cost £30. When one of your primary concerns as editor is keeping the title above break-even, if you can't increase sales then you have to cut costs, and original strip is really expensive.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Bolt-01 on 27 January, 2017, 01:25:11 PM
Aye, those were some dark days indeed. A lot of Squaxx fell by the wayside then.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: sheridan on 27 January, 2017, 10:38:23 PM
Quote from: Bolt-01 on 27 January, 2017, 01:25:11 PM
Aye, those were some dark days indeed. A lot of Squaxx fell by the wayside then.

I sometimes wonder why I kept getting it through the nineties (but glad I stuck it out).
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 28 January, 2017, 08:07:03 AM
Moving on,instead of Sin City,we got reprints on Daily Star Dredd strips.Which isn't that bad,I guess.Maybe I should get the Daily Dredds?There is preparation for Doomsday.Nero Narcos gets a new body.And there is Gruds big day,where Nikolas Cage becomes "Grud" to exact vengeance upon MC1.I assume that's a reference to City of Angels.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Lobo Baggins on 28 January, 2017, 09:18:50 AM
Quote from: Frank on 15 January, 2017, 02:09:43 PM
.
It's really more of a Strontium Dog story, with Dredd collecting bounties; if it had been drawn by Ezquerra or MacNeil, it would be considered a classic. The shameless exploitation of Hershey (http://i.imgur.com/hTJaw61.png)'s bare arse predates Ezquerra (http://i.imgur.com/e60rHpB.png)'s blackmail pics by 2 years and MacNeil (http://i.imgur.com/bCqMPEz.png)'s taps aff by 18 months.

That's not actually Hershey in Texas City Sting, but Judge Colovito looks so much like her I rather suspect that someone may have belatedly realised Hershey would have been busy being Deputy Chief Judge at the time and changed the name in the script after the art came in...
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: sheridan on 28 January, 2017, 11:00:57 AM
Quote from: Lobo Baggins on 28 January, 2017, 09:18:50 AM
Quote from: Frank on 15 January, 2017, 02:09:43 PM
.
It's really more of a Strontium Dog story, with Dredd collecting bounties; if it had been drawn by Ezquerra or MacNeil, it would be considered a classic. The shameless exploitation of Hershey (http://i.imgur.com/hTJaw61.png)'s bare arse predates Ezquerra (http://i.imgur.com/e60rHpB.png)'s blackmail pics by 2 years and MacNeil (http://i.imgur.com/bCqMPEz.png)'s taps aff by 18 months.

That's not actually Hershey in Texas City Sting, but Judge Colovito looks so much like her I rather suspect that someone may have belatedly realised Hershey would have been busy being Deputy Chief Judge at the time and changed the name in the script after the art came in...

I'd assumed it was Hershey as well!
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 30 January, 2017, 06:05:29 PM
So Doomsday for MC1...was a pretty standard event.A lunatic takes over the city and judges have to take it back.But Nero Narcos is not Judge Cal.
In other subplots we get a continuation of Dredd/Demarco romance and Blints are back(they never really left).There are a few funny moments like Galens fantasies and Cit-def troopers.
-Tell my maw I died a hero!
-Your 84,your mom is dead!
Second part of the event,Doomsday for Dredd,ran in the prog.I will cover it,for the sake of completition.A bit out of order,but a lot to cover anyway.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 30 January, 2017, 06:12:45 PM
Another important thing happens at the end of it.Chief Judge Volt commits suicide and Hershey becomes the new Chief.I honestly liked Volt.
Another pretty nice twist(or not so much) is that Judges made a movie of Volt dying while fighting assasin droids.Its pretty easy to forget these guys are actually great spin-doctors.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Frank on 30 January, 2017, 07:46:45 PM
Quote from: Smith on 30 January, 2017, 06:12:45 PM
So Doomsday for MC1 was a pretty standard event. A lunatic takes over the city and judges have to take it back. But Nero Narcos is not Judge Cal.

... Chief Judge Volt commits suicide (but the Department fakes video footage) of Volt dying while fighting assasin droids.

That epilogue - Volt Face (http://imgur.com/a/5oNCS) (prog 1167) - made the whole thing worthwhile. It marked an important stage in the scales falling from DeMarco's eyes regarding Dredd/the system he embodies and Hershey's travel in the opposite direction, becoming exactly as corrupt and cynical as she needs to be in order to sit in the Chief Judge's chair.

It's true Narcos was no Cal, just as anonymous drones are no Kleggs. Narcos's uneventful death suggests Wagner wasn't enjoying writing Doomsday. Thrillpower Overload quotes him as saying he'll never write a story that's split across different titles again because 'it forces the story in directions it doesn't want to go' (205)

You can see Wagner marking time during the sequence where they're outside the city. When he got to the end of Necropolis and couldn't be bothered writing a long battle to retake the city, he just pulled the plug. Here, Wagner has to wait until the final Meg episode hits shelves before he can put Narcos out of his misery.

Wagner's clearly more interested in the trial than another invasion epic - it's a pity he couldn't have brought forward the Sin City plague storyline and ran the trial as a judge-off between Dredd and Orlok, with the loser paying with their life. I don't think the Meg episodes work by themselves, but that's true of Wilderlands and Judgement Day too.


Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Rogue Judge on 30 January, 2017, 09:28:31 PM
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 27 January, 2017, 08:27:05 AM
I think there's some important historical context you may be missing from this period of the Megazine. From the time 2000AD and the Megazine ended up under the Egmont Fleetway up until the Rebellion buyout, both titles were in real trouble.

The 2000AD titles were outliers under the Egmont regime, whose business model was primarily reprinting licensed material in juvenile titles with a bit of plastic tat taped to the cover. They didn't like 2000AD model of filling hundreds of pages a year with original (expensive) content and the suspicion was that Egmont were happy to let the sales slide until they fell below break-even, at which time they would stop originating material and simply monetise the substantial back catalogue of IP in some form of reprint title.

Almost everything you see at this time is part of a rearguard action by the editorial team to keep both titles afloat. A page of original strip, even B&W strip, would cost at least £150 to commission. A page of Preacher reprint cost £30. When one of your primary concerns as editor is keeping the title above break-even, if you can't increase sales then you have to cut costs, and original strip is really expensive.

Thanks for adding some clarity, very interesting info...with those high costs to produce a single page its a wonder any book continues to see print. I'm glad the prog/meg made it through to the other side! It really highlights the importance of maintaining quality so as to not loose readership (Take current Marvel for instance - pure rubbish! I have dropped almost all my titles from the big two recently and am spending my $$ on thrill power instead)

Also, I need to be careful following your posts that this point Smith (or any reviews really), I'm doing my best to dodge any serious spoilers! I am enjoying following what is and is not enjoyable, however - it lets me know what to look forward to (or avoid)!
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: I, Cosh on 30 January, 2017, 09:37:56 PM
It's a shame that Doomsday itself isn't so great. The build-up, seeded through three or four years of Progs and Megs*, is second only to Necropolis. Have I ever mentioned how little stories like Bloodline, where you absolutely know it's not done, are my absolute favourites?

I didn't buy the Prog at the time but I'd usually skim it in Smiths. The whole trial and capture of Orlok was much more interesting than Narcos.



* actually, it goes back to Bad Frendz,doesn't it?
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Frank on 30 January, 2017, 10:07:33 PM
Quote from: I, Cosh on 30 January, 2017, 09:37:56 PM
It's a shame that Doomsday itself isn't so great. The build-up, seeded through three or four years of Progs and Megs, is second only to Necropolis ... actually, it goes back to Bad Frendz, doesn't it?

There's a point. I wonder if someone had thought of branding all those preliminary stories as Countdown To Doomsday, in the same way many of the stories that make up the Tour Of Duty collections were, would I have appreciated them more at the time?

Sinfield's end, for example, is much less spectacular than that of Narcos, but it feels more satisying because it caps off 2 or 3 years worth of stories. I'm going to end up reading Doomsday and all its establishing stories in a oner, aren't I?

I'll race you to compile a reading list (and I'll use Barney (http://www.2000ad.org/?zone=covers&page=coversindex) to do so - hoist by your own petard!)


Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: I, Cosh on 30 January, 2017, 10:46:54 PM
Quote from: Frank on 30 January, 2017, 10:07:33 PM
Quote from: I, Cosh on 30 January, 2017, 09:37:56 PM
It's a shame that Doomsday itself isn't so great. The build-up, seeded through three or four years of Progs and Megs, is second only to Necropolis ... actually, it goes back to Bad Frendz, doesn't it?

There's a point. I wonder if someone had thought of branding all those preliminary stories as Countdown To Doomsday, in the same way many of the stories that make up the Tour Of Duty collections were, would I have appreciated them more at the time?
Maybe. Tour of Duty works so well because the banner incorporates the interstitial, "filler" stories. It becomes the status quo for a while.

My counter would be that Day of Chaos doesn't work as well because it was all run together instead of being spread out. In an ideal world, there would've been a year between Nadia/ TheFourth Faction and the main story.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: I, Cosh on 30 January, 2017, 10:57:28 PM
Quote from: Frank on 30 January, 2017, 10:07:33 PM
I'll race you to compile a reading list (and I'll use Barney (http://www.2000ad.org/?zone=covers&page=coversindex) to do so - hoist by your own petard!)
Ha. When I started my Tour of Duty reread, it became inextricably linked with Mayor Maybe.  I kept going back and back. Finally put my foot down with Damned Ranger and All New Adventures of...

Good luck and don't forget the aftermath stories. Lobsang Rampage ya bampot.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Frank on 30 January, 2017, 11:26:44 PM
Quote from: I, Cosh on 30 January, 2017, 10:57:28 PM
Good luck and don't forget the aftermath stories. Lobsang Rampage ya bampot.

I did forget that story - THANKS!  I understand exactly what you mean about mission creep - I ended up chucking in the main Volt, Edgar and Oola Blint stories too. The topics of euthanasia and city council corruption may seem relevant only to me (and only at 11pm tonight ...)


2000 AD 1050 WAGNER STAPLES mad city
2000 AD 1051 WAGNER STAPLES mad city
2000 AD 1052 WAGNER STAPLES mad city
2000 AD 0916 WAGNER EZQUERRA the candidates
2000 AD 0917 WAGNER EZQUERRA the candidates
2000 AD 0918 WAGNER EZQUERRA voting day
2000 AD 0952 WAGNER EZQUERRA megalot (features Volt)
2000 AD 0954 WAGNER BURNS statue of judgement (it's got a robot in it)
2000 AD 0955 WAGNER EZQUERRA bad frendz
2000 AD 0956 WAGNER EZQUERRA bad frendz
2000 AD 0957 WAGNER EZQUERRA bad frendz
2000 AD 0958 WAGNER EZQUERRA bad frendz
2000 AD 0959 WAGNER BURNS the cal files
2000 AD 0960 WAGNER BURNS the cal files
2000 AD 0961 WAGNER BURNS the cal files
2000 AD 0962 WAGNER BURNS the cal files
2000 AD 0963 WAGNER BURNS the cal files
2000 AD 970-999 WAGNER EZQUERRA et al  The Pit
Judge Dredd Megazine 40 WAGNER BURNS sleaze
Judge Dredd Megazine 41 WAGNER SULLIVAN sex lies & vid slugs
Judge Dredd Megazine 45 WAGNER PHILLIPS a death in the family (euthanasia)
Judge Dredd Megazine 46  WAGNER  TAPPIN  worst of frendz
Judge Dredd Megazine 50  WAGNER  KENNEDY  the contract (euthanasia)
2000 AD 1009 WAGNER DOHERTY death of a legend
Judge Dredd Megazine 52  WAGNER  CURRIE  the narcos connection
2000 AD 1090 WAGNER RONALD angel of mercy
2000 AD 1091 WAGNER RONALD angel of mercy
2000 AD 1101-1110 WAGNER EZQUERRA beyond the call of duty
2000 AD 1122 WAGNER PARENTE lawgiver mark II gun crazy
Judge Dredd Megazine 53  WAGNER  CURRIE  the narcos connection
2000 AD 1123 WAGNER BRASHILL christmas angel
2000 AD 1124 WAGNER BRASHILL christmas angel
2000 AD 1125-1132 WAGNER BURNS scorpion dance
2000 AD 1141 WAGNER KENNEDY return of the assassin
Judge Dredd Megazine 54  WAGNER  CURRIE  the narcos connection
2000 AD 1142 WAGNER KENNEDY doomsday return of the assassin
2000 AD 1143 WAGNER KENNEDY doomsday return of the assassin
2000 AD 1144 WAGNER KENNEDY doomsday return of the assassin
Judge Dredd Megazine 55  WAGNER  CURRIE  the narcos connection
2000 AD 1145 WAGNER KENNEDY doomsday return of the assassin
2000 AD 1146 WAGNER KENNEDY doomsday return of the assassin
2000 AD 1147 WAGNER KENNEDY doomsday return of the assassin
Judge Dredd Megazine 56  WAGNER  WILSON doomsday 1
2000 AD 1148 WAGNER DAVIS doomsday the trial
2000 AD 1149 WAGNER DAVIS doomsday the trial
2000 AD 1150 WAGNER DAVIS doomsday the trial
Judge Dredd Megazine 57  WAGNER  WILSON doomsday 2
2000 AD 1151 WAGNER GOOGE doomsday trial of strength
2000 AD 1152 WAGNER GOOGE doomsday trial of strength
2000 AD 1153 WAGNER GOOGE doomsday war games
2000 AD 1154 WAGNER MCMAHON doomsday war games
2000 AD 1155 WAGNER WILSON doomsday war games
2000 AD 1156 WAGNER CLARKE doomsday war games
2000 AD 1157 WAGNER CLARKE doomsday war games
2000 AD 1158 WAGNER WILSON doomsday war games
2000 AD 1159 WAGNER WILSON doomsday war games
2000 AD 1160 WAGNER ADLARD doomsday endgame
2000 AD 1161 WAGNER ADLARD doomsday endgame
2000 AD 1162 WAGNER ADLARD doomsday endgame
2000 AD 1163 WAGNER ADLARD doomsday endgame
2000 AD 1164 WAGNER ADLARD doomsday endgame
2000 AD 1167 WAGNER WILSON volt face
Judge Dredd Megazine 61  WAGNER  WILSON  short circuit
Judge Dredd Megazine 207  WAGNER  MANLEY  shakedown (oola blint)
Judge Dredd Megazine 207  WAGNER  MANLEY  shakedown (oola blint)

Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Dark Jimbo on 30 January, 2017, 11:41:37 PM
Quote from: Frank on 30 January, 2017, 11:26:44 PM
...Judge Dredd Megazine 207  WAGNER  MANLEY  shakedown (oola blint)
Judge Dredd Megazine 207  WAGNER  MANLEY  shakedown (oola blint)

Huh. If you're going to jump ahead several years to include that story, why stop short of the Bint's final outing in Prog 2005...?
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: I, Cosh on 31 January, 2017, 12:26:22 AM
Quote from: Dark Jimbo on 30 January, 2017, 11:41:37 PM
Quote from: Frank on 30 January, 2017, 11:26:44 PM
...Judge Dredd Megazine 207  WAGNER  MANLEY  shakedown (oola blint)
Judge Dredd Megazine 207  WAGNER  MANLEY  shakedown (oola blint)

Huh. If you're going to jump ahead several years to include that story, why stop short of the Bint's final outing in Prog 2005...?
And if you include that it would be lunacy not to read Sin City and those stories setting up the Trial of Orlok. None of which would be relevant without Childhood's End/Postcards from the Edge.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 31 January, 2017, 06:09:24 AM
Yes,there was plently of build-up.And it will all probably work better once its collected in a single volume.Case Files 30,as I heard it here. :)
And yes,there is plenty of filler near the end.Galens fantasy,Cit-Def troops,Bishop Snodgrass,Blints...
I think this is the last big prog/Meg crossover(smaller ones will happen).Also,we wont see another invasion epic in a while.Seems like that scenario burned out with Doomsday.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Frank on 31 January, 2017, 07:24:05 AM
Quote from: Smith on 31 January, 2017, 06:09:24 AM
... we wont see another invasion epic in a while.Seems like that scenario burned out with Doomsday

Inferno and Judgement Day already demonstrated that the invasion/destruction epic had run out of steam. Necropolis was the death rattle of the sequence that began with The Day The Law Died and peaked with The Apocalypse War.

The way Necropolis relegates Death's terrible rule over Megacity One and what could have been the battle to take back the city to a couple of pages each demonstrates Wagner knew there was no mileage left in levelling buildings and Souster-style heroic sacrifice in the face of superior numbers. Suggests why he wasn't enjoying Doomsday too.

Thanks very much to Jimbo and Cosh for not pointing out that I completely ballsed up the integration of the Meg and Prog episodes of Doomsday, which some pedants might argue was the entire point of compiling a Doomsday reading list in the first place.


Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 31 January, 2017, 12:25:25 PM
Doomsday for Dredd wasn't that great either.A rotating team of artists doesn't help either.
Okay,some consequences for the destruction of East-meg 1 had to happen(it will be handled better later),and it makes sense to put Dredd on trial for that and its a nice twist Orlok has to defend.Then the whole thing is abandoned half way in,as they blow up New Kremlin and head back to the main event.
There is a same problem like in Wilderlands;a lot of things tend to be repeated between prog and Meg.
Well,I already said everything about the final part.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 31 January, 2017, 12:47:53 PM
Back to the Meg: 3.64
Bishop Snodgrass becomes the son of Grud for a while,there was the Lobsang Rampage story mentioned previously, Dredd has a rematch with Stan Lee.And evil accountants are trying to destroy JD Megson block.In case it wasn't obvious already,all around the block are Easter eggs referencing the stories that ran in Megazine.Like Al's Baby Clinic or a costume of Judge Death and so on.
And a new direction in 3.64,Preacher is gone and the new lineup is Judge Dredd; Armitage:Bodies of Evidence,and Strontium Dog:Journey into hell(the reprint part)
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 02 February, 2017, 12:11:17 PM
3.68
We have the first appearance of Lenny Zero. The Dredd story itself is Dead Ringer,which is something of a "remaster" of Judge Child Quest.Well,in the same way Hunting Party was a remaster of Cursed Earth.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 04 February, 2017, 08:19:49 AM
3.72
Jimping is a bout a Jimp(obviously) who gets too high on power.DeMarco starts a detective agency.Devlin Waugh is backs.And in the reprints we have Buttonman.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 04 February, 2017, 05:43:17 PM
3.76
We have a pilot episode for Marauder(which will happen later),and Lawcon. The first(right?) appearance of Lawlord.And Dredd meets his writer.[spoiler]It was actually a nightmare of his.[/spoiler]
Mean Machine is picked up by Harke and Burr;then ends up being a sheriff.After Buttonman,we get reprints of Mean Machine:Travels with muh shrink.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 04 February, 2017, 06:03:02 PM
And I finished Volume 3,or by different numbering I gut thru 182 issues of Meg.
Missionary Man and Middenface McNulty each return for an episode.Told you its going to be awhile before we see Archibald again.Lawcon was okay.Mean Machine gets 2 more episodes;including a parody of noir movies.And Strontium Dog is in the reprints again.
So onward to volume 4,where we get even more reprints.  ::)
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Rogue Judge on 05 February, 2017, 05:31:31 AM
That's a lot of Megs Smith! Keep it up! I'd like to hear more about Missionary Man as you go, that is one series that I still want to read. Helpmaboab! I didn't know Middenface McNulty has his own series - he is a stand out character in SD who I always enjoy reading (when I can understand what he is saying). How is his solo series, any good? Lots of drunkenness and violence I assume...
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 05 February, 2017, 06:08:33 AM
Thanks for the support.
Get Missionary Man,I thought we solved that. :)
AFAIK Middenface and Young Middenface stories from the Meg remain uncollected.So does Pandora,Karyn,a better part of Harmony,Hershey stories mentioned before,anything that ran for 1-2 episodes really.And Tales from the Black Museum(we will get there).If you dont count Meg reprints the list gets even bigger.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Rogue Judge on 05 February, 2017, 08:14:21 AM
Quote from: Smith on 05 February, 2017, 06:08:33 AM
Thanks for the support.
Get Missionary Man,I thought we solved that. :)

Absolutely! Yeah we solved that, Missionary Man is near the top of my wish list (along with some others we discussed). You mentioned Missionary Man "returned"

I hadn't heard of 'Young Middenface' - I would be plenty interested to read more about him pre Portrait of a Mutant. Looking on Wiki, there would be plenty of material if they were to print a collection.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 05 February, 2017, 09:13:59 AM
Well,from what I gather,Mega Collection covered a lot of not-so-great Meg material.Sleeze 'n' Ryder,really?
Honestly,not a big loss for most uncollected stuff so far.Okay,Plagues of Necropolis deserve to show up somewhere.
Volume 4 raises the page count to 100.You can guess how they filled out so many pages.
Dredd story is a sequel to the Expanding Ernie saga.This time more focused on the underground eating scene.There is Lenny Zero,which is okay.Wardog is another new one.A passable action strip.
Then we have the reprints.DR and Quinch,Ro-Busters(which is surprisingly good) and Lazarus Churchyard,another weird one.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Frank on 05 February, 2017, 12:20:39 PM
Quote from: Smith on 04 February, 2017, 08:19:49 AM
3.72: Jimping is a bout a Jimp (obviously) who gets too high on power ... 3.76 And Dredd meets his writer ...

Dredd meets his writer?

Jimping is one of those nice one-offs that are largely forgotten precisely because it's a one-off and - unlike Armon Gill or Oola Blint - Orson Quinn didn't become a recurring character *.

Apart from being a lot of fun (with a really quite nasty edge), it's noteworthy for the fate to which Dredd apparently consigns his perp. Quinn's the only civilian I can remember being sent to Titan, although he presumably died during Rob Williams and Henry Flint's violent prisoner uprising.


* You can see why when creators come up with a good idea or an interesting character, they tend to flog them to death, since that's the only way they stick in the collective memory of readers.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 05 February, 2017, 12:45:49 PM
Yes,its very meta.
I AM NOT A CARTOON CHARACTER!
And this isnt even the only time it happens.He meets John Wagner in an annual or a special.If somebody remembers that scene,give us a shout.
Speaking of Titan,a lot of those 10/15/20 year sentences should have expired by now.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Frank on 05 February, 2017, 01:34:34 PM
Quote from: Smith on 05 February, 2017, 12:45:49 PM
Yes,its very meta. I AM NOT A CARTOON CHARACTER!

Ah, I've just realised you mean Ghost In The Machine (http://imgur.com/ve4vACQ) (3.73). One of the great things about folk sharing their re-reads is stirring memories of interesting stories that have maybe fallen into obscurity because they don't form part of the larger narrative of the strip.

The story where Dredd turns up to arrest Wagner in the bath is Alan Grant and Cam Kennedy's Old Pal's Act, Prog 2000 (the 1999 end of year special, not the real Prog 2000):

(http://i.imgur.com/LuTOuzi.png?2)
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: GordonR on 05 February, 2017, 02:21:32 PM
Quote from: Smith on 05 February, 2017, 09:13:59 AM
Volume 4 raises the page count to 100.You can guess how they filled out so many pages.
Dredd story is a sequel to the Expanding Ernie saga.This time more focused on the underground eating scene.There is Lenny Zero,which is okay.Wardog is another new one.A passable action strip.

Wardog seems to have been a games project Rebellion were developing at the time. There were a few screenshots floating around, but, other than that, it seems to have died quietly and unnoticed.

Its appearance as a Meg strip didn't help dispel some concerns that Rebellion would use the titles as platforms to try out game pitches or promote their own IPs. 

That thankfully never happened, though.  Otherwise I guess we'd now be getting Book 6 of Sniper Elite vs Nazi Zombies.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Tjm86 on 05 February, 2017, 02:34:06 PM
Quote from: Frank on 05 February, 2017, 01:34:34 PM

The story where Dredd turns up to arrest Wagner in the bath is Alan Grant and Cam Kennedy's Old Pal's Act, Prog 2000 (the 1999 end of year special, not the real Prog 2000):


Looking at that image, I have to wonder what Mr Kennedy used as reference material with regards to Mr Wagner?   :o
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Rogue Judge on 06 February, 2017, 07:10:44 AM
Quote from: Frank on 05 February, 2017, 01:34:34 PM
Quote from: Smith on 05 February, 2017, 12:45:49 PM
Yes,its very meta. I AM NOT A CARTOON CHARACTER!

Ah, I've just realised you mean Ghost In The Machine (http://imgur.com/ve4vACQ) (3.73). One of the great things about folk sharing their re-reads is stirring memories of interesting stories that have maybe fallen into obscurity because they don't form part of the larger narrative of the strip.

The story where Dredd turns up to arrest Wagner in the bath is Alan Grant and Cam Kennedy's Old Pal's Act, Prog 2000 (the 1999 end of year special, not the real Prog 2000):

(http://i.imgur.com/LuTOuzi.png?2)

Dredd: "John Wagner - aka John Howard, aka T.B.Grover...". Literally made me laugh, and that Wager is reading Button Man and has pictures of Alpha on his wall tops it off. One of the funnest Dredd strips I've seen. I assume its in one of the Restricted Files if its from a special.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Frank on 06 February, 2017, 07:26:55 AM

It'll be in the Case Files, buddy. Six years and 12 books away, on the current schedule.


Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 06 February, 2017, 01:18:24 PM
@Frank Yes,that's the one.And that's the other one I was thinking about.
@GordonR Thanks for the insight.Looks like those were turbulent times.
4.05
We get the first appearance of Judge Manners and Karyn is back.Galen DeMarco searches for some abducted kids.Wardog is still going strong.Bit of a shakeup in the reprints as we now have Flesh and Button Man 2. Lazarus Churchyard is still around.  ::)
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: AlexF on 08 February, 2017, 02:51:18 PM
QuoteI hadn't heard of 'Young Middenface' - I would be plenty interested to read more about him pre Portrait of a Mutant. Looking on Wiki, there would be plenty of material if they were to print a collection.

For now, I guess you'll have to get hold of back issues of the Megazine. But I can say that these stories are worth reading for sure. They're very different in tone from the previous Middenface solo series, which was pretty much a straight-up comedy.

'Young Middenface' is rather more like Portrait of a Mutant, but I guess not as good as that stellar story. It mixes in its fair share of laughs, often along the lines of young teen Middenface behaving a lot like Dennis the Menace, only he's more likely to murder bigoted grown-ups than pick on effeminate classmates. But there's a lot of pathos in there, and, I suspect, an extended metaphor about English mistreatment of Highlanders that I am almost entirely ignorant of.

John Ridgway handles the art for the last few stories and it's very Boy's Own, but also quite tear-jerky at times. It pretty much gets up to the point where Portrait kicks-in, continuity-wise, if you ignore Middenface's variable age.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 08 February, 2017, 02:51:56 PM
4.10
Judge Manners will stick around.There is the story about a guy so useless he couldn't even make it into resyk.Wardog is over.Final Missionary Man story is here.It was a wild ride. :)
DeMarco fights ninja gorillas.And in the reprints we have Visible Man(that was weird),Bad Company,Strontium Dog and Hellboy. No,seriously.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 10 February, 2017, 04:22:52 PM
4.15
Citizen Sump(get it?) Long time background character Otto Sump is found dead and his last word were Rosebud.I thought it was going to be a shallow parody with some Sump humor throw in(which can be found,true),but it ends up being unexpectedly touching.Then,there is (another) tragic story of a robotic girlfriend.And the Starsmasher story which pokes fun at George Lucas and Star Wars.Not that funny now that we know its never going to end.
We have a Durham Red anthology,Scarlet Apocrypha.Another Lenny Zero story.Bendatti Vendetta is a new one.Passable action strip.Bad Company/Hellboy reprints are over.
Forgot to mention Alan Barnes is the editor now.Simon Pegg is voicing Johnny in a Strontium Dog audio drama.And Dredd VS Death is out.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 11 February, 2017, 01:52:25 PM
201
Radlander was another depressing story,but things get lighter with Phartz,an invasion of gasseous aliens.Suction traps came in handy for something other then the Dark Judges.
Young Middenface turns into a lot more serios direction,starting its own version of Portrait of a mutant.Also,mutation seems like a pretty broad term here.Seeing that Bonnie Charlies mutation is being handsome. :-\
Family,I havent read till now,so we will see how that goes.And another Devlin Waugh story.Remember all those vampires from Aquatraz?Well,people are now hunting them Swamp People style.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 11 February, 2017, 05:57:08 PM
Durham Red stories re-imagine her in different settings.She kills Fiends of the Eastern front.Then there is an animesque episode with her and Johnny.And Gronkimon.Ah,the 'mon craze of early 2000's.  :)
And there was Scarlet Traces.I have a confession to make first.There are some stories in more modern times,like Scarlet Traces,Outlier,Survival Geeks,Counterfeit Girl  and The Order that I just blast thru on autopilot,or just stop caring altogether for them.I read every episode of Outlier,but I couldnt say what was it about to save my life.A war with some aliens?
But not to sound too negative(too late?),first Scarlet Traces story was a bit better then I expected.But its still not really my thing.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Rogue Judge on 11 February, 2017, 06:39:52 PM
Quote from: Smith on 10 February, 2017, 04:22:52 PM
Simon Pegg is voicing Johnny in a Strontium Dog audio drama.

That sounds interesting, I hadn't heard of a Strontium Dog audio before. I tried to find it on YouTube but nothing turned up. How did they include that with the Meg?
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 11 February, 2017, 06:41:33 PM
I mean thats in the news section.I havent listened to it,so I can say how it was.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Rogue Judge on 11 February, 2017, 06:51:57 PM
Ah, that makes sense. Now days it would likely be a digital download. I listened to the audio drama The Day the Law Died on YouTube recently and it was really well done.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: sheridan on 12 February, 2017, 03:25:03 AM
Quote from: Rogue Judge on 11 February, 2017, 06:51:57 PM
Ah, that makes sense. Now days it would likely be a digital download. I listened to the audio drama The Day the Law Died on YouTube recently and it was really well done.

Then days it was a digital download (as well as available in CD form).

Big Finish (https://www.bigfinish.com/ranges/released/2000-ad---judge-dredd) - some still available!
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Frank on 12 February, 2017, 10:26:28 AM
Quote from: Smith on 11 February, 2017, 05:57:08 PM
There are some stories in more modern times,like Scarlet Traces,Outlier,Survival Geeks,Counterfeit Girl  and The Order that I just blast thru on autopilot,or just stop caring altogether for them.I read every episode of Outlier,but I couldnt say what was it about to save my life.

My thoughts exactly, although I wouldn't identify it as a modern phenomenon. There were always strips like Return To Armageddon or Bad City Blue, where the characters and story never gained much purchase on my imagination or emotions.

They're not terrible; they just bypass my brain and slip quietly out my head without leaving much trace. Whereas stuff that's conspicuously awful, like Sleaze 'n' Ryder or Really & Truly, burns bright still - like a bag of flaming dog shite on my doorstep.


Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Rogue Judge on 13 February, 2017, 11:25:23 PM
Quote from: sheridan on 12 February, 2017, 03:25:03 AM
Quote from: Rogue Judge on 11 February, 2017, 06:51:57 PM
Ah, that makes sense. Now days it would likely be a digital download. I listened to the audio drama The Day the Law Died on YouTube recently and it was really well done.

Then days it was a digital download (as well as available in CD form).

Big Finish (https://www.bigfinish.com/ranges/released/2000-ad---judge-dredd) - some still available!

Thanks for the link, and a good price at that. Is it based off any of the Wagner/Grant stories, and have you given it a listen?
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 14 February, 2017, 02:04:31 PM
205
In something of a reverse order.Reprints(or 2000ad gold) are Slain:Time Killer and Darkies Mob. You could say its something of a spiritual predecessor to Bad Company.We have the Thrillpower Overload detailing the history of 2000ad up to that point,a column by Gordon Rennie and interviews with writers and artists.
Another Young Middenface story starts.Devlin Waughn is literally  Aquatraz 2.There are a few short strips like Sinister Dexter and Apocalypse Soon.Im finding it hard to get into Black Siddha,mostly because the main character is kinda annoying.Family is okay.Gangsters with superpowers. :|
And we have Monkey on my back,which I think is the last Garth Ennis JD story.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 14 February, 2017, 02:10:42 PM
I forgot to mention it,there was also a one-shot about Kleggs.I wonder how it would have went down if they got a series? :)
And there was Juliet November.It shows promise,and I got the feeling there would be more of it,but I guess a series never happened.She shows up later to assist Anderson,and I think that's it.Well,I guess there was a lot of pilot episodes in the Meg that didn't continue.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Taryn Tailz on 15 February, 2017, 12:05:39 AM
Quote from: Rogue Judge on 13 February, 2017, 11:25:23 PM
Quote from: sheridan on 12 February, 2017, 03:25:03 AM
Quote from: Rogue Judge on 11 February, 2017, 06:51:57 PM
Ah, that makes sense. Now days it would likely be a digital download. I listened to the audio drama The Day the Law Died on YouTube recently and it was really well done.

Then days it was a digital download (as well as available in CD form).

Big Finish (https://www.bigfinish.com/ranges/released/2000-ad---judge-dredd) - some still available!

Thanks for the link, and a good price at that. Is it based off any of the Wagner/Grant stories, and have you given it a listen?

Both of the Strontium Dog audios from Big Finish are well worth a listen. You haven't lived until you've heard the Gronks in all their glory. :P
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Taryn Tailz on 15 February, 2017, 12:06:22 AM
Quote from: Rogue Judge on 13 February, 2017, 11:25:23 PM
Quote from: sheridan on 12 February, 2017, 03:25:03 AM
Quote from: Rogue Judge on 11 February, 2017, 06:51:57 PM
Ah, that makes sense. Now days it would likely be a digital download. I listened to the audio drama The Day the Law Died on YouTube recently and it was really well done.

Then days it was a digital download (as well as available in CD form).

Big Finish (https://www.bigfinish.com/ranges/released/2000-ad---judge-dredd) - some still available!

Thanks for the link, and a good price at that. Is it based off any of the Wagner/Grant stories, and have you given it a listen?

And, no, the Big Finish audios are all original stories.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: sheridan on 15 February, 2017, 01:07:04 AM
Quote from: Rogue Judge on 13 February, 2017, 11:25:23 PM
Quote from: sheridan on 12 February, 2017, 03:25:03 AM
Quote from: Rogue Judge on 11 February, 2017, 06:51:57 PM
Ah, that makes sense. Now days it would likely be a digital download. I listened to the audio drama The Day the Law Died on YouTube recently and it was really well done.

Then days it was a digital download (as well as available in CD form).

Big Finish (https://www.bigfinish.com/ranges/released/2000-ad---judge-dredd) - some still available!

Thanks for the link, and a good price at that. Is it based off any of the Wagner/Grant stories, and have you given it a listen?

As Tailz said - they're all original stories.  I've listened to a few, but want to listen to them in order, somewhat hampered by not having the second one.  If you've listened to the Everything Comes Back to 2000AD podcast then you'll recognise some of it from the intro...
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 17 February, 2017, 06:15:15 PM
I'v got them.Im just not scratching.  :)
208
Im getting this feeling the entire Meg got hit by The-Order-syndrome.Anyhow,Shakedown is a pretty low key story.Except for Blints showing up.Family and Black Siddhe are over for now.Repo-Mex starts.Bato Loco gets one episode.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 18 February, 2017, 05:30:06 PM
210
Bendatti Vendetta is back.Because somebody asked for it?Xtnct starts.Dredd travels to Hong Tong to team up with Johnny Woo.Oh yeah,that guy. :|
The standout is probably Judge Death Wilderness Days,which is kinda Judge Death hanging out around Cursed Earth.
In reprints,we have Harry Twenty on the High Rock,which is pretty good,I guess.Its considered a classic,right?
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Dandontdare on 18 February, 2017, 09:26:16 PM
Quote from: Taryn Tailz on 15 February, 2017, 12:06:22 AM
Quote from: Rogue Judge on 13 February, 2017, 11:25:23 PM
Quote from: sheridan on 12 February, 2017, 03:25:03 AM
Quote from: Rogue Judge on 11 February, 2017, 06:51:57 PM
Ah, that makes sense. Now days it would likely be a digital download. I listened to the audio drama The Day the Law Died on YouTube recently and it was really well done.

Then days it was a digital download (as well as available in CD form).

Big Finish (https://www.bigfinish.com/ranges/released/2000-ad---judge-dredd) - some still available!

Thanks for the link, and a good price at that. Is it based off any of the Wagner/Grant stories, and have you given it a listen?

And, no, the Big Finish audios are all original stories.
Number 16 on that list (Pre-Emptive Revenge) is s direct sequel to Judgement Day featuring Dredd & Alpha together
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 21 February, 2017, 07:42:06 AM
214
Well,some things lasted a bit longer then they should.
Harry Twenty was pretty good.Charley's War is reprinted.Great war comic.
If there is a reason why I like the world of Judge Dredd its because everything goes.You want nazi mutants?You have nazi mutants. :) Also,the first appearance of Cursed Earth Koburn.Then there is one about Sex Olympics.To keep it short;it ends with a kids watching his parents perform on TV.That's not funny.Then the one about smart turkeys.Chicken Run by the way of John Wagner?
Judge Death kills some teenagers,then ends up in Vegas for a boxing match,then finds a nuclear silo.The whole things is just so random.
Just to mention that 2000AD Extreme started.Issue #1(the only one I have) reprinted Dead Reckoning and some other Judge Death material to tie into the upcoming game.
We get adds for WH40K Fire Warrior.Fire Warrior.Who needs Halo?Yeah,right.
Whatever Happened to Tweak is exactly what it sounds like.There will be a few more Whatever happened to X stories IIRC.
Blood of Satanus 2.Why not? :)
Anderson Psi-Division Half-Life starts.It was a good story,but it lasted way too long.At least that's how I remember it.It takes up the better part of Psi-Files 4.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: AlexF on 21 February, 2017, 12:47:11 PM
I've just recently re-read Blood of Satanus 2 in my own, very slow, Megazine re-read (you'll be overtaking me in about 2 weeks at the pace you're going - I started maybe 5 years ago...).

Anyway, it's freakin' hilarious.
Satanus hates us! Satanus Hates us!
SATANUS DEFINITELY HATES US!

When Pat Mills goes off on one he really goes for it, and there's delight all round. Coupled with nonsensical plot mystification. Can't wait to read Part 3 again - I remember that one really rubbing readers up the wrong way.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 21 February, 2017, 02:25:39 PM
Was this the one where they try to summon Satanus from hell,or was that part 3? :-\
On the other hand Satanus Unchained was pretty good.But that's a different story.
And there was Armitage:Apostasy in the UK.We get an explanation for Grud/Jovis thing.Lets see if I got this right-After all the religions were forbidden(I guess that's only Brit-Cit,since we see representatives of different religions at least once in MC1),this was invented as a placeholder religion,to stop others from surfacing again.Only its an ironic church that preaches atheism.Does that make sense to anyone?
On the brighter side,Gordon Rennie has a Judge Dredd drinking game(Im sure somebody can produce the page scan).My favorite rule is:
-Drink whenever a female Psi-Judge other then Anderson shows up.  :)
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 23 February, 2017, 12:40:18 PM
215
MC1 has support groups for employed.Makes sense,actually.We see Maria's funeral.She wasn't even Italian.Weird.
And now Im probably inviting people to flame me,but I would probably have to mention it anyway.
This column is about gay characters in 2000ad.Or more like guessing who is gay.
Btw,Wouldn't Walter be Dreddsexual? :)
And I guess we all probably doubted that Johnny and Wulf are more then friends at one point or another.  :)
Well,with today's accent on diversity in the industry,its almost funny how 2000ad never gets mentioned.While its American cousins get tons of attention for doing the bare minimum.I guess Tharg truly was way ahead of his time.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 23 February, 2017, 06:54:31 PM
#216 was a Giant themed issue.Giant meets Rico.And visits his grandad John Giant of Harlem Heroes.Young Giant is reprinted.
Judge Death story ends.Im not sure what that was about.
Is BofS 2 a parody?
-You steal a pen and I will treat you like Orlok.
-I get my fun polishing my gun.
What is with that?
Also,Merovings.Oh Grud,the Dan Brown craze.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Skullmo on 24 February, 2017, 03:15:36 PM
Quote from: Dark Jimbo on 12 January, 2017, 05:13:08 PM
Quote from: Smith on 12 January, 2017, 04:35:36 PM
Armageddon:The Bad Man I assume this was an attempt to cash in on Terminator(and Wolverine)?There is really not a lot to it.

Supposedly it was planned to gradually become an origin of sorts for the Dreddworld, and sneakily get Grant and Ezquerra the rights to Dredd by the backdoor. Not that that makes it much more enjoyable to read!

What I heard was that the characters were designed by Ezquerra with no connection to Dredd and he started drawing it. then he asked Grant to write the story.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Frank on 24 February, 2017, 05:02:58 PM
Quote from: Skullmo on 24 February, 2017, 03:15:36 PM
Quote from: Dark Jimbo on 12 January, 2017, 05:13:08 PM
Supposedly (Armageddon:The Bad Man) was planned to gradually become an origin of sorts for the Dreddworld ...

What I heard was that the characters were designed by Ezquerra with no connection to Dredd ...

From what I understand, both those accounts are true. Carlos created the character then someone had to plant the idea that he had something to do with the prehistory of MC1, so it could run in The Megazine.

I didn't know Carlos actually started drawing the strip before he brought a writer on board, though. That explains why it plays out in terms of physical action, with little dialogue, characterisation, or story.

Cheers, lads.


Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Skullmo on 24 February, 2017, 05:13:16 PM
Quote from: Frank on 24 February, 2017, 05:02:58 PM
Quote from: Skullmo on 24 February, 2017, 03:15:36 PM
Quote from: Dark Jimbo on 12 January, 2017, 05:13:08 PM
Supposedly (Armageddon:The Bad Man) was planned to gradually become an origin of sorts for the Dreddworld ...

What I heard was that the characters were designed by Ezquerra with no connection to Dredd ...

From what I understand, both those accounts are true. Carlos created the character then someone had to plant the idea that he had something to do with the prehistory of MC1, so it could run in The Megazine.

I didn't know Carlos actually started drawing the strip before he brought a writer on board, though. That explains why it plays out in terms of physical action, with little dialogue, characterisation, or story.

Cheers, lads.

I think the story could have been really good had it not been shoehorned into Dreddy's world
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 25 February, 2017, 12:55:08 PM
#220
Damned Ranger was an okay Cowboys VS Indians story.Mean Machine almost gets married.Simping Detective starts.Black Sidha is back.Yey...
Judge Death nuked Las Vegas.What was the point of this story?Its not bad,its just completely random,like I said before.And speaking of random,BofS2 is also over.
-Back!Into the outer darkness where you belong!
That doesn't really sound like Judge Dredd we know.
We also have Helltrekkers reprints.I guess I could kinda see it working out as a game.A hybrid of Convoy and Oregon Trail.The story itself is really just a bunch of people dying in various way.There is very little reason to care for any of them.
I guess I should have mentioned Dredd vs Death before,so let me sidetrack there.Its a perfectly average game.And lets remember 2003 brought us GTA: Vice City,Max Payne 2,Battlefield 1942,DF Black Hawk Down,Vietcong,Medal of Honor,and ofc Halo:Combat Evolved.
So there was a real competition in the action/shooters department.
By the time of 2005 NA release we had: GTA San Andreas,Battlefield 2,Half-Life 2(hard to believe its been that long?),Call of Duty 2,F.E.A.R,DOOM 3...and probably a lot more that I cant remember right now.
So,an average game,that came out a bit too late.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 25 February, 2017, 01:41:01 PM
Oh and Young Middenface encounters a cursed village of cannibals.Sawney Bean included.Yeah,that was weird.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Frank on 25 February, 2017, 03:54:16 PM
Quote from: Smith on 25 February, 2017, 12:55:08 PM
#220 ... Helltrekkers ... is really just a bunch of people dying in various way. There is very little reason to care for any of them.

Congratulations, Smith. You've chosen an unremarkable user name, but have achieved the remarkable feat of seeing through your reread. Most folk abandon it after a month.

The following should be considered general remarks, rather than criticism aimed at yourself. I don't buy the received wisdom that it's necessary to care about characters to enjoy a story. There are whole movies that are empathy machines, like Amour (https://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2013/feb/28/amour-advert-for-euthanasia) or Lion (https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/feb/15/why-lion-should-win-best-picture-oscar-dev-patel-nicole-kidman-oscars-2017), whose only function is to make you care about and identify with the characters.

If caring about characters was what folk wanted, those films would be doing Deadpool (http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=deadpool2016.htm) numbers*. When people talk about caring for characters, they mean they want a superficial patina of characterisation - the bare minimum necessary to justify what they're about to watch or read. They killed John Wick's dog, now I can enjoy the next hour of humourless psychopathy.

It isn't necessary to care about The Rudds to enjoy their progress across the Cursed Earth because everybody can identify with FUCK ME, THAT FUCKING DINOSAUR JUST ATE A GUY!!! Hellttrekkers is dressed up as How The West Was Won, but it's really got more in common with Halloween or The Terminator, where the fun comes victims being picked off one by one.


* Deadpool's a good example. He's a snide, unpleasant psychopath, but he gets tortured and he worries his super hot model fuck buddy won't want him now he's no longer super hot also. But really - nobody cares about Deadpool. Biggest cost to profit ratio of any superhero movie in recent times.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 25 February, 2017, 04:49:00 PM
Unremarkable username?Hey,people in glass houses sink ships. :)
But thanks for the support.
Okay,care might be a strong word.How do I say this,there is no reason to be invested in the story.Not a whole lot to keep me interested in what happens next.Its just a list of people who die in horrible ways.This guy got melted,that guy got eaten by a dinosaur(as cool as that always is),those people died in a mutie attack.Eh,screw it,we are here,Im turning my wagon into a restaurant.
Not saying that the story didn't have potential.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: AlexF on 27 February, 2017, 11:25:04 AM
Hoesntly, I think Helltrekkers suffered from the art as much as anything. Lalia, who did everything after episode 1, was great at the character stuff - i.e. the boring bits - but didn't have the impact on the supercool extreme murder stuff. If they'd had Roman Sola or Brett Ewins or someone of that ilk it'd have been a much more spectacular series I reckon.

If they updated it with Ewing/Flint at the helm it'd be a riot of fun, with barely a tweak at the script.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Rogue Judge on 01 March, 2017, 07:35:23 AM
Quote from: Taryn Tailz on 15 February, 2017, 12:05:39 AM
Both of the Strontium Dog audios from Big Finish are well worth a listen. You haven't lived until you've heard the Gronks in all their glory. :P

Thanks for the recommendation - I am very curious to hear what a Gronk sounds like, I have a good idea in my head but could be way off!

Quote from: sheridan on 15 February, 2017, 01:07:04 AM
If you've listened to the Everything Comes Back to 2000AD podcast then you'll recognise some of it from the intro...

I haven't listened to this podcast - I've only recently got into podcasts recently, starting with The 2000 AD Thrill-Cast. I listened to the last few and they provide some great interviews/info/zarjaz... I will have to give this one a shot!
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Rogue Judge on 01 March, 2017, 07:38:30 AM
Quote from: Smith on 25 February, 2017, 12:55:08 PM
I guess I should have mentioned Dredd vs Death before,so let me sidetrack there.Its a perfectly average game.

I hadn't heard of this game before now, but you've got me thinking...with the release of Rogue Trooper Redux coming out, I wounder if a game like this could be remastered and released on current systems? Could be its just too old however. I would prefer a new (GTA type open world) Dredd game but will take what I can get!
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 02 March, 2017, 05:40:25 PM
Well,Wobot Rampage mode was pretty fun. ;)
224
We now know Tharg didn't like Sam Reimi's Spiderman.I can understand that.Also,15 years later we are still watching his origin story.Actually,origin stories are all we get from superhero movies.
There was also a Judge Dredd manga for a short while.Didn't know that.
Cursed Earth Koburn fight some hillbilly clan.We didn't have enough of those?Simping detective pick up a Raptaur.Who,btw,looks a lot better in black and white.Demarco posses as a stripper.Fanservice. ::)
Shimura is back for a team up with Dredd.Killoden starts.Its probably the best Young Middenface story.And Anderson goes all Doctor Strange.All things considered,I got the feeling her Deadworld counterpart,Sandra,was meant to play a big role in the future.But that didn't really happen.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 06 March, 2017, 03:27:22 PM
#230
There is just so many columns here.Movie reviews,TV reviews,Japanese pop-culture...
Anyhow,few more appearances of Devlin Waugh. We meet DI Jericho Strange. Juliet November helps Anderson.A new thing is The Bogie Man,and this being the final story of a comic that I never read before(and has switched several publishers before),I have no idea whats going on.I spent too much time complaining about Alan Grants naming conventions,but an Irish mutant named Tharg Ennis?Come on.
Something I forgot to mention before,after Judge Death:Wilderness day.(IIRC)We wont see him till Dark Justice,some 10-11 years later.
Remember Walter telling the story of Ralphy,the boy who wanted to be a Judge and who JD treated like his own son?Well,he grew up to be a psychotic jimp.
And here is a weird one; Who? dares wins.In short,Kenny Who? decides to go into self publishing,prints out a comic that makes fun of the Judges and gets arrested.But then he takes his case to the Appeal Court,where his robotic attorney proves that the satirical Judge Dread is not the real Judge Dredd,so Kenny walks free.Okay,wait.Why does MC1 have an Appeal Court?Why nobody before thought to complain about a verdict?Wasn't the whole point of this system to avoid courtroom drama?And even if Kenny is found innocent in the whole comic affair,wouldn't he still do time for entering MC1 illegally?
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 06 March, 2017, 03:33:44 PM
*I meant to say-After Wilderness days,we don't see Judge Death until...
Forgot to mention PJ Maybe was also back(with Inga) to kill his former schoolmates.A somewhat weak story IMO.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 16 March, 2017, 03:39:47 PM
#236
Trouble is,there isnt a lot to comment upon.Judge Dredd has a few okay shorter stories.Zancudo happens.Cant say I really got it.Some old (un)favorites are back.And Middnapped is a 3 episode setup for the punchline that somebody has two dicks.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Frank on 16 March, 2017, 05:52:06 PM
Quote from: Smith on 16 March, 2017, 03:39:47 PM
#236  Trouble is,there isnt a lot to comment upon

You can make it to the end, buddy!

How about the news that Cuidad Barranquilla have foregone the flamboyant acorn helmets, Sydney Opera House pauldrons, and hot pink pants of Will Simpson (http://www.2000ad.org/covers/2000ad/hires/624.jpg) in favour of Carlos Ezquerra (http://i.imgur.com/djbhiBy.jpg)'s disappointingly dowdy bandolier and pseudo-Stallone helmet variant of the generic judge schmutter.

I wonder if Carlos was unaware another artist had already measured up CBJD for their outfits, or if editorial sent him reference and he decided to go with his own design. Monsterus Mashinashuns features my favourite thing ever - the trusting dialogue of someone* doped up on SLD 88 (http://i.imgur.com/jaY1nVZ.jpg) being talked to their death. Always hilarious (http://i.imgur.com/Hy8baor.jpg).


* The superbly name Judge Stalin. Presumably a distant relative of Megacity Confidential's Judge Mugabe.


Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 16 March, 2017, 06:56:04 PM
I admit that was funny.And the story is worth mentioning since it pays off much later.And points for not making Stalin a Sov Judge.
Also,I know a lot of people here like Simping Detective,but its not really my thing.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 20 March, 2017, 01:47:01 PM
#240 This is something of a period I mostly have good memories from.In 2000ad we had Mandroid and Total War,but in the Meg,focus is more on shorter stories.And I guess with Floods 13 and Siege of Sector House 23,homaging movies was a thing.Warzone starts.Somebody here recently mentioned it,because of the proto-GI.
Koburn is back.We meet Darren Dead.A good opening episode,but oddly enough,I don't remember the strip at all.Others continue as usual.Ranson sure draws nice swinger parties. :lol:
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 24 March, 2017, 05:57:12 PM
-Wow.I have high hopes for malaria.
-Dont we all,pall.
#245
Warzone was a bit predictable,but still good.Seeing Mandroid kinda got me thinking,its almost uncanny that Judge Dredd has never been to Canadia.I think?
Meg lived to see 15 years.Its 2005/06,LOST is still going strong and Doctor Who has been revived.Matt Smith takes over as editor and the Meg gets consolidated(I love that word  :)),so we have less pages,but more original material.We also lost the columns and got a small press spotlight.
Judge Dredd and Shimure team up against Stan Lee and his gang.Koburn fights a mutant who something of a Cursed Earth elemental,Swamp Thing style.If I got that right.
Tales from the Black Museum started.What can I say,its a bit like Future Shocks of Dreddverse.
Black Siddha is back.I respect the fact Mills tried to do his own superheroic thing,but it didn't really work IMO.
There is a new Fiends of the Eastern Fronts series by David Bishop.Should I be worried? :-\
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Jim_Campbell on 24 March, 2017, 09:48:34 PM
Quote from: Smith on 24 March, 2017, 05:57:12 PM
There is a new Fiends of the Eastern Fronts series by David Bishop.Should I be worried? :-\

I don't know what the Hive Mind feeling is, but I liked the Bishop/MacNeil entries into the Fiends canon. Some top quality art from Colin (although we need to gloss over some apocalyptically awful lettering) and the writing is a thoughtful expansion of the Fiends universe. I wish I'd made the effort to track down Bish-Op's Fiends novels, TBH.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Dog Deever on 24 March, 2017, 11:18:02 PM
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 24 March, 2017, 09:48:34 PM
Quote from: Smith on 24 March, 2017, 05:57:12 PM
There is a new Fiends of the Eastern Fronts series by David Bishop.Should I be worried? :-\

I don't know what the Hive Mind feeling is, but I liked the Bishop/MacNeil entries into the Fiends canon. Some top quality art from Colin (although we need to gloss over some apocalyptically awful lettering) and the writing is a thoughtful expansion of the Fiends universe. I wish I'd made the effort to track down Bish-Op's Fiends novels, TBH.

Agreed- I enjoyed the Meg follow up too, don't see what's 'wrong' with it at all.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: DarkDaysBish-OP on 25 March, 2017, 09:49:17 AM
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 24 March, 2017, 09:48:34 PM
Quote from: Smith on 24 March, 2017, 05:57:12 PM
There is a new Fiends of the Eastern Fronts series by David Bishop.Should I be worried? :-\

I don't know what the Hive Mind feeling is, but I liked the Bishop/MacNeil entries into the Fiends canon. Some top quality art from Colin (although we need to gloss over some apocalyptically awful lettering) and the writing is a thoughtful expansion of the Fiends universe. I wish I'd made the effort to track down Bish-Op's Fiends novels, TBH.

Comic Sans - why? Why??????

Happily, Rebellion has re-issued all the Fiends novels on Kindle. Operation Vampyr opens the series and is told from the German POV in third person. The Blood Red Army switches to the Russian perspective, is based around the siege of Leningrad and told in first person [possibly my favourite in the series]. Twilight of the Dead wraps up the Eastern Front series, bringing together the surviving characters from both sides.

Fiends of the Eastern Front moves to the Pacific and focuses on the vampires spreading to another Axis power. It works as a standalone, but was intended as the first in a new series. Alas, the Black Flame imprint was shut down by Games Workshop and that ended the story. A pity, as I'd happily have written more...
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: TordelBack on 25 March, 2017, 11:13:12 AM
I really enjoyed the Fiends sequel on re-reading it, but not unlike Devlin Waugh Red Tide it was murdered by the Meg's monthly schedule.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: DarkDaysBish-OP on 25 March, 2017, 01:08:48 PM
For me the Fiends Stalingrad story definitely reads better collected than in monthly 6 page episodes.

It was originally commissioned as 6 parts of 8 pages each, but that changed to 8 parts of 6 pages when the Meg shrunk to 64 pages an issue.

I had already written the first 2 scripts as 8 pages each, but there was time for me to edit them down to 6 pages each as Colin hadn't started work on the strip.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Dog Deever on 25 March, 2017, 02:35:21 PM
WW2 vampire lovers, excuse a little plug for Zarjaz... this issue has a Fiends of the Eastern Front tale in it and though I haven't seen the finished thing, I have read the scripts and, well... it's zarjaz.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 25 March, 2017, 02:58:14 PM
Jumping ahead a bit,Stalingrad was good.I didnt really notice a problem with the lettering.Or was that some internal joke? :)
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Jim_Campbell on 26 March, 2017, 07:02:24 PM
Quote from: Smith on 25 March, 2017, 02:58:14 PM
Jumping ahead a bit,Stalingrad was good.I didnt really notice a problem with the lettering.Or was that some internal joke? :)

No, there was a whole chunk of it lettered in Comic Sans. It did not... look good.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Steve Green on 26 March, 2017, 08:43:55 PM
Look away now Jim.

(http://noisetosignal.org/images/posts/fiends1.jpg)
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 26 March, 2017, 08:51:56 PM
I mean,I saw,I just didnt pay attention to it.My senses atrophied,I guess.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Rogue Judge on 26 March, 2017, 08:54:10 PM
Quote from: Smith on 24 March, 2017, 05:57:12 PM
Warzone was a bit predictable,but still good.Seeing Mandroid kinda got me thinking,its almost uncanny that Judge Dredd has never been to Canadia.I think?

Yeah Dredd, head to Canadia eh... I heard on another thread that Canada has become a snowy wasteland in some areas, and houses sugar plantations in others (I assume they are using sugar beets as sugar cane wouldn't grow in cold climates)

Reading your most recent comments has piqued my interest in Fiends of the Eastern Front - I am not necessarily one for vampires, but enjoy war comics and this sounds like a well executed idea. However, looking online it appears that the GN is out of print and not easy to find. But I did come across used copies of Bishops novel which may be worthwhile (but reading a book without pictures... :o )

Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 26 March, 2017, 09:12:41 PM
I can only remember that one mention of Canada.Weird for a place so close to MC1.Im sure there are more mentions then I can remember.
Yeah,Fiends were pretty great.Sort of like Cross of Iron with vampires.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 29 March, 2017, 06:12:20 PM
#252
After Warzone,Judges go South America to sort things there.Which ends up being a lot like Warzone.Naming a tank McGruder was pretty clever. :lol:
On the other hand,I found Inaki Mirandas artwork a bit too cartoonish.With characters having tiny legs and huge torsos.And not really look like themselves.in the final reveal,I was only around 65% sure its[spoiler] Kazan.[/spoiler]If I didn't know it from before.
And oh yeah,America: The Cadet.Once again,what could I say that wasn't mentioned before?It serves as an epilogue,and something of a new beginning.It reverses the Dredd and rookie formula a bit,with JD being the one questioned.
I still kinda wonder why the Tales from Black Museum remain uncollected.
We have a new batch of stories starting next issue.Well,at least Black Siddhe is over.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Bolt-01 on 30 March, 2017, 11:27:40 AM
hmmm, Tales of the black museum for the floppy?
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 10 April, 2017, 05:38:15 PM
#258
Once again,I dont have a lot to say.We got Anderson: Big Robots(which was good) and Angel Gang Before they wuz dead(which was passable,I guess).
And ofc,Blood of Satanus 3.Best I can say is-its stupid,but it has some nice one liners.
-Hell,welcome to Dredd!
-EAT IT!EAT IT!  :lol:
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 23 April, 2017, 10:40:57 AM
I got to #261.Byron Ambrose is getting into politics. :)
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 09 May, 2017, 05:59:48 PM
#266 The current cycle of stories is over.Armitage is back.Tempest is a new thing.It obviously didn't catch on.Bob,the Intergalactic Bum is reprinted.
And I remember why I didn't follow Meg regularly back in the day.
Molch-R reviews Lost Girls.Now,that's disturbing on a few levels. :o
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 15 June, 2017, 04:48:52 PM
#272 Well,Tempest obviously didn't become a thing.Few shorter cases for Judge Dredd.And Anderson is back.Oh yeah,this has one of the weirdest opening ever with Bill Savage shooting Tharg. :)
[spoiler]It a holodeck thing.[/spoiler]
Low Life is also back.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 16 June, 2017, 05:18:03 PM
#278 We got articles dedicated to tv and movie reviews.Iron Man,Batman Trilogy.Supernatural(unbelievably enough,that's still on),Battlestar Galactica(Yeah,we all thought it was great until we figured out its a boring submarine show set in space).And about older comics like Toxic,Revolver and Warhammer Monthly.Makes sense,seeing 2000ad inspired a lot of stuff in WH40K.Would have been fun to read WH Monthly,anyway.
Judge Dredd-Ratfink is a pretty good story,about the son of Ratfink actually,with something of a hillbilly horror theme.Black Atlantic Rig is back.Oh yeah,those guys.And Tank Girl;tbh I never cared much for Tank Girl,and jumping in the middle like this would be pointless,so Im skipping it.
This run of Anderson is over.It was pretty good.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 19 June, 2017, 11:56:37 AM
#280
The Essential Post-Watchmen comics Marshall Law,Zenith,Kingdom Come,Authority and...The Boys.Really?Even if you liked The Boys,you cant really compare it to any of those.We are talking some of the most influential comics of the past 30 years and one mans rant against superheroes.
Twilight is out.
Citi-Def is here.Just great.At least there are dinosaurs,but even that doesn't help a whole lot.And the big one is Insurrection.Its a good story,but it doesn't fit into JD-universe.Unless it happens in a far future,but thats never stated.I know Abnett denied this being a rewrite of a WH40K story,but it sure look and feels a lot like one.
Space Marines SJS,InquisitorJudge,Tyranids/orcs/whatever Zhind.There,all done,get me Tharg on line one.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Dark Jimbo on 19 June, 2017, 12:26:28 PM
Quote from: Smith on 19 June, 2017, 11:56:37 AM
Insurrection.[/b]Its a good story,but it doesn't fit into JD-universe.Unless it happens in a far future,but thats never stated.I know Abnett denied this being a rewrite of a WH40K story,but it sure look and feels a lot like one.
Space Marines SJS,InquisitorJudge,Tyranids/orcs/whatever Zhind.There,all done,get me Tharg on line one.

Actually, Tharg approached Dabnett and explicitly asked for a WH40k-style Dredd-world strip. It doesn't really make too much sense, no, but it's such a damn fine story I'm happy to have it around as a sort of Elseworlds style thing.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: CalHab on 19 June, 2017, 01:42:22 PM
It makes absolutely no sense in the Dredd continuity. It would have been better off as its own thing.

It is rather good, though, and led on to the wonderful Lawless.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 19 June, 2017, 03:32:48 PM
Exactly.Did nobody think the readers would find it weird that SJS has their own space fleet?Or again,it could be in the future and nobody bothered to tell us.Anyway,It really would have been better off as its own thing.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: CalHab on 19 June, 2017, 04:20:24 PM
Initially I thought that it was set in Dredd's future, but that would render the many, many plotlines about the possible collapse of MC1/the Judge system rather pointless.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 19 June, 2017, 05:46:24 PM
But i also cant place it in the present.So yeah...
#286
Sad news,Rennie droid is leaving us to pursue a career in the gaming industry. :-\
Magic Bullet and Psycho Block are the longer Dredd stories here.Tales From Black Museum are back.So is Armitage;and with each new story Im more and more convinced he outstayed his welcome.And I don't recall Tank Girl running for this long.My memory really does play tricks on me.
Terminator Salvation is here.TV picks are 24,CSI,Deadwood,Wire,Torchwood...
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 30 June, 2017, 06:40:29 AM
#294 Its Tour of Duty.Snake-Eyes is back.And we meet Rogan,another cowboy (ex)judge who doesn't get along with Dredd.There is a sequel pitch.Then the one with werewolf mercenaries.That was interesting.
Tempest,again.Stan Lee is back,again.I regretted saying I would like to see Darren Dead again.
Judge Dredd: Lost Cases is a new strip.Which,IIRC,didn't last that long.So maybe we see it in a Meg supplement in the future?
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 30 June, 2017, 06:41:26 PM
Also,anyone noticed how Mills' interviews tend to go into why-I-hate-Andy-Diggle territory?
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Jim_Campbell on 30 June, 2017, 07:31:03 PM
Quote from: Smith on 30 June, 2017, 06:41:26 PM
Also,anyone noticed how Mills' interviews tend to go into why-I-hate-Andy-Diggle territory?

It's because he hates Andy Diggle.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Dandontdare on 30 June, 2017, 08:59:18 PM
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 30 June, 2017, 07:31:03 PM
Quote from: Smith on 30 June, 2017, 06:41:26 PM
Also,anyone noticed how Mills' interviews tend to go into why-I-hate-Andy-Diggle territory?

It's because he hates Andy Diggle.

It's funny because it's true
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 01 July, 2017, 06:02:12 AM
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 30 June, 2017, 07:31:03 PM
Quote from: Smith on 30 June, 2017, 06:41:26 PM
Also,anyone noticed how Mills' interviews tend to go into why-I-hate-Andy-Diggle territory?

It's because he hates Andy Diggle.
I noticed.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 01 July, 2017, 04:42:28 PM
#300
Codename Weasel-the one where they parody Wolverine.Black Museum has a Terminator meets City of the Damned story.One of the alternate futures glimpsed shows a Walter Mechanismo unit.Okay,that needs to happen.
Meat also deserves a mention.
House of Vyle is one of the better Anderson stories in recent times.Tank Girl is gone.But Lily Mackenzie will try to establish itself as its spiritual successor.Yeah,that's another one I never cared about.
Johnny Woo 2-parter.Didn't expect to see him again.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 02 July, 2017, 10:08:11 AM
#305 His namesh Dredd!Judge Dredd!
The James Bond parody might be the only genuinely funny Dredd story by Ewing.
Unpopular opinion,but I liked Hondo City Justice.I have seen a lot of people cry racism,but who cares?Its Japan of in the Judge Dredd universe;Animeland approach is kinda expected.  :)
Insurrection 2 is here,but I already said everything there.
And the perfectly bland Samizdat Squad starts.
We had a retrospective of Battle and Action.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 02 July, 2017, 12:14:13 PM
Moving on we have Numbercruncher-interesting idea but dragged on a bit too long.A Rico/Koburn team-up.Appearance of Rage against the Megs.That will become important.
And the start of (drum-roll,please) American Reaper.I know most people here hate it,but for me,it fails to evoke any emotions.  :|
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 02 July, 2017, 03:00:03 PM
Snapshot is another creator owned series.Its okay.Strange and Darke are here.I really hope that there is a sequel in the works.The Adjudicators is making fun of the Avengers.I like a nice superhero parody in Dredd once in a while.Samizdat Squad,still.And Hondo City Justice with some sweet Kaiju action. :)
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 16 July, 2017, 01:37:09 PM
#335
American Reaper,Hondo City Justice,Streets of Dan Francisco,Insurrection 3 and the one where Dredd kisses a guy.Its a fantasy,as it turns out.I remember the attempt to drum up some controversy with this one.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 17 July, 2017, 03:57:53 PM
With the magic of speed reading and average memory I got to #350.And I could just copy/paste almost everything I said from "Not sure is it me ..." thread.Its all so boring and mediocre.
Anyhow,Im out of things to talk about,nobody really cares what I have to say,so Im not sure if this project is worth continuing.  ::)
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 17 July, 2017, 04:01:24 PM
At least the covers are sometimes funny.
(http://www.djfood.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/judge-dredd-megazine-352-cover.jpg)
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Jim_Campbell on 17 July, 2017, 04:15:10 PM
Quote from: Smith on 17 July, 2017, 03:57:53 PM
Anyhow,Im out of things to talk about,nobody really cares what I have to say,so Im not sure if this project is worth continuing.  ::)

To be honest, when every post is a minor variation on "Meh." there's not really a lot to engage with...
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 17 July, 2017, 04:34:11 PM
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 17 July, 2017, 04:15:10 PM
Quote from: Smith on 17 July, 2017, 03:57:53 PM
Anyhow,Im out of things to talk about,nobody really cares what I have to say,so Im not sure if this project is worth continuing.  ::)

To be honest, when every post is a minor variation on "Meh." there's not really a lot to engage with...
My point exactly. :(
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Dark Jimbo on 17 July, 2017, 04:36:13 PM
You've reached the point where I stopped reading the Meg, largely because I too was feeling the same 'meh', so I can't really comment any more! It was always 'okay' but rarely, if ever, essential - sometimes it was only the arrival of the new Megazine that alerted me to the fact I hadn't read the last one! That's when I knew it was probably time to call it a day.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Magnetica on 17 July, 2017, 05:11:12 PM
The Meg has been merely ok, IMO, for much of its existence.

I think it has always though had something worth reading But right now it is better than ever.

Recently it has had the essential Lawless and before that Insurrection was also essential.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 18 July, 2017, 02:08:03 PM
Okay,here is something I liked-Angelic.Maybe its just me,but in recent times,villain-based stories have been pretty good.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 18 July, 2017, 04:14:39 PM
So the last story of Mean Machine-its a good story on its own,but I feel it diminishes his previous finale(which I believe we discussed). And the implication that he might return from hell is a bit too much on the fanservice side.
Lawless- What can I say?Im not as crazy for it as everyone else.
Good news is,we have Storm Warning,the second part of Brit-Cit Noir. :)
Demon Nic is another I have trouble describing.Another thing that's not really my thing.Grist' artwork is nice as always.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Fungus on 18 July, 2017, 04:35:07 PM
Quote from: Smith on 16 July, 2017, 01:37:09 PM
#335
American Reaper,Hondo City Justice,Streets of Dan Francisco,Insurrection 3 and the one where Dredd kisses a guy.Its a fantasy,as it turns out.I remember the attempt to drum up some controversy with this one.

You mean 'Closet'? I'm sure that was in the prog?
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 18 July, 2017, 04:42:20 PM
Oh yeah,I got that mixed up.  :-[
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Dark Jimbo on 18 July, 2017, 04:48:29 PM
Quote from: Fungus on 18 July, 2017, 04:35:07 PM
You mean 'Closet'? I'm sure that was in the prog?

Closet was indeed in prog 1817, and that's the one all the nonsense was about - what Smith is referring to is the much more fun Wagner/Willsher Tough Love in Megazine 334, wherein the gloriously silly Rojer Golightly's Dredd crush is put to the test.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Fungus on 18 July, 2017, 05:08:20 PM
OK - I've  no memory of Rojer Golightly. Fair enough!
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Dark Jimbo on 18 July, 2017, 05:11:22 PM
(https://redheadedmule.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/judge-dredd-megazine-334-tough-love-preview.jpg)

:lol:
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 19 July, 2017, 03:23:56 PM
Okay,maybe I was too harsh.Storm Warning is pretty good,Lawless is solid,and Dredd stories also hold up pretty well.Which really left Demon Nic as the weakest part.Not that its that bad or anything.We have a return of Total War,and Maldito was pretty good.
If nothing;you can always count on Rennie's western stories to be worth reading.And often,the strongest part of the Meg.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Magnetica on 19 July, 2017, 07:17:21 PM
What did you think of the layouts on Demon Nic? They caused quite a storm on here at the time.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 19 July, 2017, 07:57:17 PM
Could you clarify that a bit for me?
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Magnetica on 19 July, 2017, 08:02:48 PM
The pages lack traditional lines denoting individual panels. Some said they found that confusing as it wasn't always clear what the reading order was. Others thought they were fine.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 19 July, 2017, 08:07:11 PM
Good question...It did get confusing a few times but for the most part I didnt have any problems with it.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: CrazyFoxMachine on 19 July, 2017, 09:33:45 PM
Quote from: Magnetica on 19 July, 2017, 07:17:21 PM
What did you think of the layouts on Demon Nic? They caused quite a storm on here at the time.

I'm rapidly catching up still so I've missed such storms. I feel really conflicted about Nic - on the one hand I really like Grist's figurework and designs but the complete lack of backgrounds make the story really hard to define and contextualize. Like what room are they in? WAIT THEY'RE OUTSIDE. WHAT WHERE'S THAT GUY COME FROM. As such I didn't engage with it at all.

It's a shame because I'd heard so much about him but it was definitely a case of style over substance for me.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 20 July, 2017, 02:46:08 PM
(http://www.cbr.com/wp-content/uploads/preview/Judge-Dredd-Megazine-373-Copy-1-df323.jpg)
Another memetic cover. :)
Gyre was good.We get another Koburn return(always a good thing) in a tie-in to Every Empire falls.
Realm of the Damned,I dont know what the general feeling on it are,but I didn't like it.I didn't care for this Heavy Metal reject one bit.
Blunt is okay,I guess.Skip it,read it,same deal.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 20 July, 2017, 02:57:24 PM
Moving on we got The one were Dredd was rejuved.Tensions are pretty high about that one till this day.Personally,I dont find it a problem.Its still the same character just with a futuristic version of plastic surgery.More or less.
Monkey business is one of my recent favorites.I hope we see more of Heston,in a few years.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Dark Jimbo on 20 July, 2017, 03:01:56 PM
Quote from: Smith on 20 July, 2017, 02:57:24 PM.
Monkey business is one of my recent favorites.I hope we see more of Heston,in a few years.

You might want to take a gander at this month's issue!  ;)
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: CalHab on 20 July, 2017, 03:06:03 PM
There were one or two episodes of Realm.. that were enjoyable but, by and large, it was a very poor fit for the meg.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Bolt-01 on 20 July, 2017, 03:11:16 PM
Whereas I enjoyed it very much. The language was a bit 'rich' but I really enjoyed the story overall. Pye's art was a treat.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 20 July, 2017, 03:12:32 PM
I will get to it pretty soon. :)
Rubicon Dredd has to rescue a son of a Brit-Cit diplomat who turns out to be [spoiler]Nelson Bunker Kreelman.[/spoiler]
Its a tough one.It works as a homage/origin story,but it also implies Dredds time is at an end.That part I didn't really like.
Remember Aaron A. Aaronson? :D
Lawless is doing its High Noon/Rio Bravo/Outlands impersonation.
Im still not sure whats the deal with Havn,so I reserve my judgment there.
How about a big collection of all the movie-verse Dredd/Anderson strips?Mega collection maybe?
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: CalHab on 20 July, 2017, 03:18:35 PM
Quote from: Smith on 20 July, 2017, 03:12:32 PM
How about a big collection of all the movie-verse Dredd/Anderson strips?Mega collection maybe?
(https://images.rebellion.co.uk/productVersion/bf/39/00.default.jpg)
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 20 July, 2017, 03:38:39 PM
Funny,I missed that somehow. :-[
#386
Anyway,uncanny,but Heston is back this week.
So are the Dark Judges.That promises to be be a bit similar to Alien 3(or was it 4?).
We have another Dredd-verse story.I'v got to say,Meg wasnt this strong in a while.
And with that,I caught up.I guess the read-athon is over then.Thanks everyone for reading and providing insight;you were a great audience.  :)
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: CalHab on 20 July, 2017, 03:54:20 PM
Yes, Rebellion don't seem to have gone overboard with advertising the Dredd/Anderson collection. It's a good book and the stories work well when collected.

I've enjoyed your Meg marathon. It's jogged a few memories and pointed me towards some stories that I missed.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 20 July, 2017, 03:59:38 PM
Thanks,glad to hear that. :)
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 09 February, 2021, 11:28:17 AM
Its been a few years,so I will try catching up.

#388
Havn is over. Techies story was okay. Dominion becomes a zombie apocalypse? Anderson story is the best of the bunch.
Title: Re: Mega(zin) marathon
Post by: Smith on 10 February, 2021, 09:31:55 AM
#394

Okay,so Krong Island...we are getting that Dredd vs Krong Mark 2 that I expected,but there is also a lot of other things going on. Dredd vs Death,the movie sequel. Well,its the more movie-like take on the Dark Judges. Looks interesting so far.
I forgot a lot,I admit,but is every Lawless story about the Munce corporation attacking the town?
And the return of Cursed Earth Koburn.