Writing To Tharg

Dog Deever · 24 January, 2007, 07:56:21 AM

I was reading some back progs I'd picked up second hand from the dark days of being a non-scrot. There was a slew of letters from Funt, Floyd and whom I now know is buttonman. There was also one from a Mr Dayglo- calling for the heads of several artists to be hand delivered to his house on a platter (although that may be a whopping exaggeration!). I found this shortly after I was hung drawn and quartered here for slagging off the artwork of Rian Hughes and (IIRC) Peter Docherty. Fantastic! Instant moral middle ground- now I can slate anyone I want! Mwahahahahahahahahah!
;D

JOE SOAP · 24 January, 2007, 08:03:41 AM

I like Doherty, does an interesting Dredd.

Dog Deever · 24 January, 2007, 08:15:15 AM

There was a recent story he did that was pretty damn fine (although admitting that would mean i was wrong, so i won't. Damn I have!). I think I was on about Judgement Day at the time- and it was mainly my attitude to Hughes' stuff that stirred it up... anyway, newbs with an opinion need to be slapped down!

Grant Goggans · 25 January, 2007, 09:41:14 AM

Well, my Big Reread has just now brought me to prog 800, so I'll work on 800-899. Might take me a few weeks...

Buttonman · 26 January, 2007, 12:19:19 AM

Way to get involved Hipster Dad! I use works database and use the fields 'Christian name', 'Surname', 'Town', 'Prog number', 'Star letter' (yes/no), Country' and 'Year'.

And remember it doesn't end with the nerve centre, in the early progs there was the lamentable 'Ro-Jaws & Hammerstein's Laugh In' which contained readers' piss poor jokes. I counted them but drew the line at competition winners and reader profiles.

Now who's up for the easy 1000-1400 block? C'mon this is a historical resource that future generations can access and marvel at.

I, Cosh · 26 January, 2007, 12:38:18 AM

I really want to criticise the design of your database, but feel that would be too sad for a comics fan site.

If only you'd started this last year, I would have covered the crucial 1300-1450 section for you.

Buttonman · 26 January, 2007, 12:43:29 AM

Nothing's too sad for a comics site! What tweaks would you suggest? I'm only up to Prog 150 and would be happy to restart.

Buttonman · 26 January, 2007, 08:44:25 AM

If you think I'm a sad bastard (and it wouldn't be unusual, check out this guy from Prog 171 in 1980...

http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank">

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And he went onto make films and stuff!

Leigh S · 26 January, 2007, 05:00:25 PM

Are we sure thats 'the' Simon Pegg? I'd like to think it was, and convinced the wife it was the same, but subsequently I've seen an interview where he claims he was only reading the prog from the 400-500s time (perhaps trying to hide his real age!)

Leigh S · 26 January, 2007, 05:02:02 PM

are you including art as well - maybe you need a "category" field - "art/letter/joke"

Leigh S · 26 January, 2007, 05:11:07 PM

I love Thargs soul crushing response to that letter - and only a few seconds to calculate hundreds of pages? What advanced alien technology!

Buttonman · 26 January, 2007, 07:02:18 PM

'Shaun of the Dead' Pegg would have been about 10 when this was out so it's possible, but I doubt likely. His Wikipedia bio says he was born in Gloucester whereas the letter guy is from Mansfield in Notts. He could've moved after being born!

There was also a Â£3 letter from Harry Harrison in Prog 148 who pointed out the pages of one Stainless Steel Rat episode were in the wrong order. Tharg gave him the prize as no readers had noticed!

As for art I'm afraid as I only write in that's all I've went for. In some early progs there were collages of readers art with dozens of names. I'm mental but not that mental.

Buttonman · 27 January, 2007, 07:57:16 AM

Here's another celebrity writer from Prog 207 in 1981...

You may not be able to make out the black on newsprint text but it's none other than Warren Ellis. Yeah not exactly Tom Cruise but I have to work with the material at hand.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c118/button71/ellisletter.jpg">

W. R. Logan · 27 January, 2007, 04:34:55 PM

or you could also look at Gordon Rennie's Letters To The Green Dude.

Link: http://www.2000ad.nu/classof79/letters/green_dude.htm" target="_blank">Letters To The Green Dude

Matt Timson · 27 January, 2007, 06:09:36 PM

I had wurdz and pikchurz in the prog a couple of times- back in the days when the Mighty One handed out Galactic Groats as encouragement.

I once factored in the ten quid I was going to get for my latest offering, when counting up how much cash I would have by a certain date.

Imagine my dismay when my pic didn't get published. Ten quid short!