The Meg - the first two volumes.

[DavidXBrunt]

I've just bought the first two volumes of the meg (plus the first 7 of v.3) for ?27.50 and now have lots and lots of groovy new (to me) Dredd to read.

Any suggestions as to where I should start? America aside what are the classics? Do you recommend reading them in story blocks or issue by issue?

And this is a more specific question, there's a fifth anniversary article that says Red Razors was later destroyed in 2000 A.D. Do they mean literally the character was killed or the strip ruined? It wasn't clear.

Thanks.

[Leigh S]

Can you actually ruin a Mark Millar strip -  surely you can only improve it?

Razors was killed off in the 2000AD story.

[DavidXBrunt]

Cheers.

[davidbishop]

May I humbly suggest some of the following...

America 1.01-1.07
Young Death 1.01-1.12
Al's Baby 1.04-1.15
Armitage 1.09-1.14
Devlin Waugh 2.01-2.09

There's a ton of good stuff in the Megs (and, inevitably, a fair amount of dross). Enjoy!

[The Amstor Computer]

You're not *the* David Bishop, are you?

Anyway, I'd probably start at the beginning of Vol 1 & just work through issue by issue. You can be confident that nearly all of Vol 1 is worth reading, and the first 20 issues of Vol 2 also fall into the must-read pile (though if you don't have the corresponding 2000AD issues, Judgement Day won't make much sense...)
The rest of Vol 2 has some stand-out moments, though it's far more patchy & has some real stinkers, especially toward the end. As for Vol 3... it started fairly well, but it dropped off fairly quickly. As always with the Meg, there are some superb strips buried in there, but it really was the weakest of the four volumes.

[Wake]

Yes he is.

I don't mind people using pseudonyms so long as they dont pretend to be other 'real' people, as opposed to fictional characters. So if the username looks like a creator's name, it probably is, though the reverse is not necessarily true.

Wake

[The Amstor Computer]

Cheers, Wake, and hi David. It's good to see the people behind the comics here once in a while - makes a change from Scojo's ramblings ;-)

[DavidXBrunt]

Thanks for the nod, David. (I'm really looking forwards to the audios b.t.w.) I've already got the trades of America, Young Death, and Devlin Waugh and think they're the bees knees. I read at the time of publication most of Armitage - Influential Circles so I'm definatley looking forwards to reading the first one, and finding out who dun it in the second one.

I've decided to read them as complete stories. I've read Als Baby today and enjoyed it a lot more than I expected. Good stuff.

Oh, and Blackblood, I briefly read 2000 A.D. and the Meg so I have the corresponding issues for Judgement Day, which is definatley up for a re-read.

[davidbishop]

Yes, I am David Bishop, ex-editor of the Megazine and 2000 AD. From the first two volumes might I also suggest...

Anderson: The Jesus Syndrome 2.22-2.24
Harmony from 2.55-2.60, 2.62 and 2.73-76
(some primo early Hairsine & Jim Murray art)
Tea With Mrs Gunderson 2.15
Son Mean Machine 2.63-2.72
Missionry Man 2.29, 2.30, 2.50-2.55
Return of the Taxidermist 2.37-2.46
Shimura 2.37-2.39, 2.50-2.55

I'm quite fond of the silly comedy in Harke & Burr (see various of Volume 2), but it's not to everyone's taste. Writer Si Spencer now writes episodes of Eastenders.

davidbishop

[O Lucky Stevie!]

i'm extremely heartened to see somebody giving props to harke & burr, david. this is genuinely laughing out loud funny stuff, with gorgeous painted dean ormston art to boot!

i've wet my knickers!
steven l'enfant terrible

[Wood]

Not bigging up the Straightjacket Fits, then?

:)