Mechanismo

[The Adventurer]

Picked this up this week (along with The V.Cs: Hit, and You're Dead! & The Complete DR & Quinch S&S edition. I got waaaaay behind on my 2000 AD trade reading over the last year, and 2000 AD reading in general actually... Partly because money got tight, and partly because Rebellion has been a bit spotty on releasing trades over here. (where is Tales of the Dead Man?! RAAAAAAGH!!!!) Hopefully the S&S deal will put both of those problems to bed.) I've only read though the first and second strips of Mechanismo. Phenomenal art by MacNeil and Doherty, story is a bit by-the-numbers but at least its told competently by the deft hand of John Wagner.  So... a nice (if light) read so far.

What I really wanted to bump this thread for was... holy CRAP is this trade riddled with typos. Has anyone else noticed this? On the cover Carlos Ezquerra gets credited as artist. He's not in it, Manuel Benet is (who isn't credited on the cover).   Then on the spine, not only is Benet again left off, but so is Doherty. Ezquerra is on there again, along with Ronald and Sullivan who aren't in the book either.

On top of that, they misspelled Artist as 'Artsist' in Manuel Benet's (tiny) creator blurb.

Good grief, who edited this thing?

[Colin YNWA]

I got waaaaay behind on my 2000 AD trade reading over the last year, and On the cover Carlos Ezquerra gets credited as artist. He's not in it, Manuel Benet is (who isn't credited on the cover).   Then on the spine, not only is Benet again left off, but so is Doherty. Ezquerra is on there again, along with Ronald and Sullivan who aren't in the book either.

Sounds like they mixed up the credits with 'The Pit'?

[The Enigmatic Dr X]

It is scientifically proven that big stompy robots are the second best thing that can happen in a story (zombies being the first).

Therefore: (a) Mechanismo is great; and, (b) let's have Judgement Day II: Robots v Zombies.

[locustsofdeath!]

At least Wagner gave us a little bit of Big Stompy Robots vs. Aliens.

[Richard]

Good grief, who edited this thing?

Someone called Jonathon Oliver, apparently.

The Mechanismo stories were great, but "The Tenth Planet" was the best thing about this entire story arc. Wagner spent a long time building up the environment and culture of this weird new planet in a slow burn sort of way, before he got into all the action in "Wilderlands" (although there was some action in 10th Planet as well). He brought Hestia to life, and I for one would very much like to see Dredd return to Hestia some day.

[The Enigmatic Dr X]

At least Wagner gave us a little bit of Big Stompy Robots vs. Aliens.

True, and aliens are officially the third best thing to improve a story (#4 is explosions).

[Jim_Campbell]

And exploding, stompy alien robots?

Cheers!

Jim

[TordelBack]

Ahem.  Aren't we forgetting the contribution made by dinosaurs?

[locustsofdeath!]

Big Stompy Alien Robots vs. Exploding Dinosaurs. The comic to end all comics.

[SmallBlueThing]

No. It's:
1) zombies
2) giant spiders
3) norks.

SBT

[I, Cosh]

Big Stompy Alien Robots vs. Exploding Dinosaurs. The comic to end all comics.

It sounds so amazing and yet Detonator X is a warning to us all.

[Colin YNWA]

The casual dismissal of Gorillas, preferably giant (and ok fighting dinosaurs if possible) in this thread is shocking.

In the 50s and 60s just sticking one on the cover used to guarntee increased sales (that's actually true and the colour purple... go figure)

[Colin YNWA]

and by that I don't mean the Alice Walker novel.

[TordelBack]

I for one would very much like to see Dredd return to Hestia some day.

Raises an important question not addressed at the time - what was the Ninth Planet?   

[The Enigmatic Dr X]

And exploding, stompy alien robots?

Cheers!

Jim

You miss the point, Jim. Each one, in isolation, can improve any story - like a spice added to a dish in order to give a certiain piquance. And, just as with spices, in the right hands a combination can lead to exponential improvement - but in the wrong hands you might end up with something that isn't as good as you expect.

Dinosaurs and giant gorillas are on the list, but further down (below nubile slave girls, certainly). The same with giant spiders.

They're improving elements, sure, but a bit common and cliched. More salt and pepper, to pep up blandness, rather than the spicer zombies and aliens. Explosions, on the other hand, are like basil - they give immediate impact and strength.