Forum’s Favourite Thrill - Armoured Gideons vs. Balls Brothers Round 2 Heat 13

[Colin YNWA]

Well if Week 1 was a gentle phasing in of quality from Round 1 with some pretty ropey ties, Week 2 hits us right between the eyes with the other end of things. This is the week that if I’d been feeling a little fast and loose with the draw I could have opened with. There’s some mouth watering ties and some decisions that will make your eyes water. THIS is what Round 2 is all about…

Ohhh interesting this one. Armoured Gideon was one of the middle of the road thrills (personal opinion^TM) thrills that were elevated in the early 90s by the dross they had around them. That said they deserve massive credit for keeping the Prog readable during these rough times. Balls Brothers, well it's Wagner innit… but when you look at the Wagner thrills it's not a particularly well remembered one. I think this tie is very finely balanced and I’m excited to see how it plays out:

Armoured Gideon - more info

Vs

Balls Brothers - more info

Just reply in this thread naming your favourite thrill of these two series at the beginning of your post (or use Bold tags so I can spot it easily) and say what you like about these wonderful stories after that.

Match ends early on the morning of Saturday 29th January  and the winner gets a place in Round 3 (of 9!!!).

What on Earth is ALL of this?

For those that need ‘um and can be bothered to follow ‘um there’s some simple rules

Any questions, just ask as ever - and have FUN!

[broodblik]

The classic one Armoured Gideon not the mud one

[AlexF]

Armoured Gideon easily. Sure, sometimes it gets lost in its own jokes, and there's only so many laughs to be had from Satanists named Nigel living in Croydon, but the ideas in that first book, and the glorious, glorious demon/robot art from Simon Jacob is wonderful.

Balls Bros too has glroious art - some fo Walker's best ever - but it's all in service of so very little.

[abelardsnazz]

What's not to love about Armoured Gideon? Giant robots, demons, human protagonist's bemusement, Simon Jacob's art...

Armoured Gideon all the way. It must be coming in the Hachette collection, surely....

[broodblik]

Hopefully we can get the rest of Armoured Gideon released as an other digital only (sorry you hoarders of paper artifacts) release

[Timothy]

Armoured Gideon

[Tomwe]

Armoured Gideon

[Blue Cactus]

Armoured Gideon for me too. A good fun thrill with lovely art.

[Link Prime]

Los Testículos Hermanos may as well be hanging off the crotch plating of Armoured Jerubaal in this here match-up.

Armoured Gideon all the way to The Edge.

It must be coming in the Hachette collection, surely....

Here's hoping.

[IndigoPrime]

Armoured Gideon. And, yes, I really hope this is part of the Hachette extension. Cut out the iffy collector series and it should all fit OK.

[norton canes]

Ah no I loved the one with all the characters from the back progs. Armoured Gideon - especially the one with all the characters from the back progs.

[Link Prime]

Collector displeased that new Collection omits The Collector.

[Southstreeter]

Always enjoyed Armoured Gideon.

Balls Brothers was awful. Even the greats are fallible sometimes. Who on Earth did it beat in round 1? Surely wasn’t given a bye?

[Funt Solo]

The Balls Brothers  - Only Fools and Horses meets Marshal Law. It was probably strictly better than I Was a Teenage Tax Consultant - and, in that way, you can argue that the writer was improving over time. I suppose writing in a shed with an old scarecrow to bounce ideas off wasn't as productive as using another human being. Unless Alec Trench had come to visit?

Armoured Gideon was in no way perfect - and, in fact, not really the main character of the strip - because the protagonist was the photographer. But it was such a great robot design. Also: The Collector was an entertaining meta-metastasization, navel-gazing at the hobby.

[NapalmKev]

Armoured Gideon.

Cheers