Main Menu
Menu

Show posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.

Show posts Menu

Topics - Colin YNWA

#1
I mean I gues you could say the tag line is either the above, or one of:

Complete Rogue Trooper story insaide!

Epic Sci-fi thrills!

No real tag line this week... which feels weird. What is also weird is there are two examples of art from talents I really like not at all on top of their game.

First of those is in Dredd with R M Guero, whose work I really like seeming a bit... off. Nothing horrible just not as good as I'd expect. The story is very interesting, but is setting things up. Looking forward to seeing how Moon develops.

Full Tilt Boogie has another great if steadly paced episode. This one just keeps bubbling along really nicely.

Thistlebone has a brilliantly brutal ending you'd expect and that final panel might be as revealing a panel as we've had?

Indigo Prime
is so playfully superb. Its getting a meta as meta can be but in such a delightful way.

Rogue Trooper is my other artistic disappointment as I love Paul Marshall's art but this was far from his best work. Some panels has loose anatomy to my eyey and it just lacked his normal punch. Not headed by a colour job that just looked like the kinda early 90s colour work when folks were still trying to work out how to make the most of computer colouring. The story felt almost trite in covering well trodden ground as well.

Proteus Vex was just a brilliant return on the other hand.

Some good news on the returning thrills front too with Azimuth in Thrills of the future and the promise of more Thistlebone for the X-Mas Prog (I think one off by the sound?

We also all but it confirmed that Regened is gone for the foresable as someone asks after Joko in the letters and is told he's had to go back to Quaxxann.

What comes in next Prog I think its Aquila making a welcome (and I think final) return with Brink on its heals?
#2
Hi,

Just tried to post a copy and paste from a Google Doc onto a thread I've been posting on for a few months now.

https://forums.2000ad.com/index.php?topic=49476.0

I've been able to make other posts in that thread this morning.

I've been able to do that fine up to this point and last did so Thursday last week 14/03/24. These are long posts but didn't exceed the character limit. Indeed this post has less embedded images and links than the normal  things I've been copy and pasting in.

I was wondering is there anything specific about the content of this Google Doc that has prevented me posting it?

https://docs.google.com/document/d/106G-isLZb4OPgsKyShJ5_2qnhCTqn74b-ktGyiuCsUY/edit?usp=sharing

Or has a change been made to try to prevent Spam etc?

When I try to post I get a 403 Forbidden error. I tried a work around of adding a placeholder post and doing both a 'Quick Edit' and a 'Modify' to add the content of the Google Doc in but when I tried that it just hung on a 'Loading' page and wouldn't load.

Curious as to why this might be???
#3
Prog / Prog 2374 - A World of His Making!
16 March, 2024, 03:40:29 PM
Well it an interesting place to go to an over sized Prog that's being treated kinda like a jump on. But what the heck. This is largely an excellent Prog.

Dredd. BRILLIANT. Niemand on fire again with a superb story and Joe Currie's dreamy art is just perfect. Another brilliant Dredd loved this one.

Indigo Prime - lost me for a second there, not quite sure how we made the leap from where we were to the white hole of all realities but frankly who cares if all the joins aren't quite clear this was superb and a fantastic ending.

Full Tilt Boogie slips back to the story after last weeks delightful break and it great and a little chilling.

Deadworld this one has lost me - such a shame.

Thistlebone - yike it just continues to be what it is creepy, horrible and wonderful.

So next week we get Proteus Vex in for Deadworld so that's looks like being an upward trade and an exciting prospect. With added Rogue Trooper (guess we'll see a lot of that this year) could be a treat. As it is though we have quite enough this week to keep me happy.
#4
Well for some reason that cover doesn't say Stewart K Moore to me, don't know why just feels different to they're other work. Either way very nice.

Inside well thank Tharg we have Ken Niemand to pick up Dredd after the end of the last brilliant, super popular, story. This one feels so Niemand, different, more postive tone, introduction of a new character I strongly suspect will be back. Playful use of the Joe Dredd trope and over all a great fun done in one with the promise of more to come. Just goes to show how Dredd can host so many types of story so perfectly. All with lovely Nicolo Assirelli art. Nice.

Indigo Prime continues to move things along very nicely, great stuff. We have our squad together and feels like the mission is about to start. And damn I'd won't have eaten that lolly pop!

Full Tilt Boogie just such fun. The shift in focus and tone is delightful and this one looks great and is aces basically.

As not so for Deadworld - used to love this strip but this one has completely lost me and I can't see a recovery before a re-read by this point.

Thistlebone - I mean if someone invites you to that after shoot party you ain't going to go right. Oh boy this one just cranks it up yet again. Superb.

Also in the Nervecentre we get another nail in the Regened coffin. No news of more BUT we now know that issue 2375 will be an extra length soft relaunch issue. I slot that would surely have been the first Regened of the year AND the promise of 3 more of these to come. Maybe times and page counts have to be booked at the printers in advance. Who know but I don't think we're getting Regened this year are we.


#5
Prog / Prog 2372 - Escape Pod!
02 March, 2024, 12:54:49 PM
Wow what a trippy Prog.

Dredd - is just about the only straightforward thing in this one and there's a bit to unpick. In and of itself it provides a well structured, satisfying epilogue to this brilliant story. Its just not quite brave enough with what might have been, or at least the questions I created in my mind for what it could be. Plays things with a straight bat in the end. The answers are all pretty well handled with just 2 extra pages again. This one plays it straight though and maybe it might have twisted to more dramatic interesting places. As it is it sets up the sequels nicely, but they are the sequels we could have predicted. Still very good, but I was wondering if this could have been as exceptional as last week. Best thing is the questions it leaves over Logan. I wonder what Dredd's relationship with him is building to.

The rest is quite the trip. Indigo Prime is superb as it plays at being complex and trippy but when you strip away the nice bright lights isn't as complex as it seems but still a very good way to present action and adventure shrouded in corporate schenanigans.

Thistlebone is the scariest of trips, opening things you don't want to see yet somehow you don't want it to end. In part as you not quite sure you'll enjoy what you find and the come down might be harsh. As scary as it might be your having such a fantastic time.

Deadworld is a trip thats lost any sense of what you wanted it to be and you just want it to be over now. Shame as when it started it was a blast.

Full Tilt Boogie reminds you trips aren't for kids! Damn has this come a long way from its Regened roots. As it is we knew this was going to get to be a wonderful mindf**k in that ship and it was. But here the trip ends, not necessarily nicely but it was fun while it lasted, even if I don't really know what it was about while it was going!

Fun Prog on the whole.

#6
Prog / Prog 2370 - Fire it up!
17 February, 2024, 09:12:29 PM
Well the good news was this was that rarest of beasts a Friday Prog - can't remember the last time one of them was seen.

The bad news is for one reason or another I've not had a chance to read it before today.

Oh cruel fate why do you mock me so...

...what when I got and read my Prog isn't important to you... you don't what... give a damn you just want to know how good it is... well really...

Okay okay. Well the first thing to note is this is an artist triumph. I mean you have Henry Flint, Lee Carter (all be it a litte dark), Eduardo Ocana, Dave Kendall and Simon Davis. I mean how good and how diverse is that. Just superb stuff.

The stories don't quite live up to that standard alas, I mean they're pretty good overall just not quite THAT good.

Dredd remains tensely superb, all be it the confrontation between Maitland and Hernandez gets off to a bit of a false start.

Indigo Prime slips back for a Prologue to set up why we have Tyranny Rex back. Cheeky fun stuff.

Full Tilt Boogie twists intriguingly without giving us too much but is very good... I think...

Fall of Deadworld lost me last time and to be honest doesn't do anything much to make me want to get back on board this time. We'll see but I worry about this one.

Thistlebone remains cruelly brilliant

#7
Prog / Prog 2368 - Fear on film
03 February, 2024, 05:47:47 PM
I'm getting old. The colour on the Tharg's measure in the Nervecentre made it a 'mare to read. Thankfully 2000ad isn't showing its age.

Dredd is still finding new tales to tell after all this time. Henry Flint puts in another man of the match performance with a stunning 15 panel page that clear, fresh and compelling talking heads and then knocks clean out the park with some action to die for. Enjoying this one a lot.

The English Astronaut is good fun, let down a little by the art. The lack of backgrounds - though understandable - does rather detract from  the world out of whack storyline. What is on the page is fine though and the nod to The Goodies on that final page pandas well to us old folk.

Full Tilt Bogie feels bright and new and fresh and exciting and different and all the things the Prog needs to be to keep on drawing in the crowds, while still keeping us old timers happily entertained. Enjoying the way this one is building quietly.

While I might not be liking Enemy Earth you can't deny its full of youth energy.

Then we have Thistlebone that series as both a timecapsule and probably one of the most chillingly original comics I've read in a long.

Proper good how Tharg can look after us old folks while still keeping it lively and feeling modern. Nice one.
#8
Prog / Prog 2366 - End of the Road
20 January, 2024, 01:03:34 PM
Errr I didn't get Droid Life... am i being dumb?

Elsewhere we are doing okay.

Dredd - this story remains a treat as threats to Maitland raise, but friends start to come to her side as well.

Enemy Earth... keeps going...

Devil's Railroad - after weeks of colourful, fun, pantomine we get a really good, powerful ending. I know this one hasn't been popular but I enjoyed it.

Thistlebone of course continues to be a slow burn twist of the knife.

Feral and Foe - end well enough the bridge to the next story suggests that we might be heading to Kingmaker type territory?

So two new stories next week. I'm off to a thread to see what it will be...
#9
Prog / Prog 2364 - Witch in Time
08 January, 2024, 09:17:54 PM
Well if you are going to lose Helium good job you have Thistlebone in the locker ready to pop out!

Oh and Henry Flint on Dredd. I mean can he get any better? I'm not sure he can. Its a great story, and that ending is fantastic but let's be honest when Henry is drawing he's the star of the show.

The Devil's Railroad well if you don't like it this isn't changing your mind. But I like it so cool.

I don't like Enemy Earth alas.

Thistlebone is absolutely magnificent and does not hold back at all! Oh Simon Davis how we miss you when you aren't here.

Feral and Foe remains fun.

Just look at the diversity in the art across this issue. Now that's Thrillpower with out a house style to sheckle it!

#10
Prog / Prog 2359 - Royal Heir Force
20 November, 2023, 08:13:46 PM
You know what to my eternal shame I'd forgotten Aquila hadn't finished and its feels like a Brass Sun age since it was last in the Prog so happy to see its getting finished off.

Deadworld I don't know anymore so far into needs a re-read territory its untrue.

Helium is quietly excellent another top episode.

Devil's Railroad I mean I get why folks don't like it, its not subtle is it BUT that makes Rufus Dayglo's art work for me and I really like its balls to the wall openess about what its doing.

Feral and Foe when you think this is by far Dabnett's weaknest modern strip and its still this much fun, well it says a lot doesn't it.

Okay all that out the way and I'm sorry to rush past some good stuff but holy fu*k how good was that Dredd! Poison is a real return to form for Rob Williams as he remembers a story can have real, REAL stakes without Dredd needing to be beaten half to death. It was smart, gripping and christ how chilling was Dredd, so perfectly juxaposed with Sinfeld's impedent ravings. Just superbly done and probably the best art I've seen from PJ and he's done some corkers before but this was next level.

This individual episode was a perfect conclusion, masterfully executed with a nice question to mark the end. Timing of the episode was as good as the timing in the whole series. It felt almost deliberately cinematic and yet played with so uniquely comic strip ideas. Absolutely top draw Dredd.

Good Prog all round but that Dredd alone knocks it up to great.
#11
Megazine / Meg 462 - In the public eye
18 November, 2023, 01:52:36 PM
The Prog and the Meg more often than not are great artistically, but sometimes an issue just sings and this is one of those. Artists I already like producing work that is the best I remember them doing.

Case in point Mike Collins on Dredd, I've always liked his work but he its another level. Ably punched up by some great colour work by Jim Boswell. The story is pretty good too, if clearly setting things up for future fun. Really nice Dredd, but stella art.
#12
Prog / Prog 2356 - Thrill-power reaches new heights!
30 October, 2023, 08:57:40 PM
Sigh. Its as I expected alas... it really is. The Regened continue to be pretty damned poor.

Okay let's find some positives. The cover is pretty much aces.

The Dredd is okay, I mean its not great, but its not terrible.

The Future Shock has some LOVELY art Joe Currie really is a catch. The story is... well muh, its kinda okay I guess, its not terrible.

Bladers doesn't look to bad and the story... well its okay, its not terrible.

This is all so average... I mean that means for 2000ad its well below par. But its no Lowbrow High. We get another 20 pages of that BUT at least that seems to mean the trade is filled. Its advertised and ready to go. So that's over... except that closing line from Mr OneWalrustusk (who the heck thought that was a good look. It just looks so silly) is 'And so it begins'... christ I don't think I've ever wanted a Rebellion product to fail like I do this. I mean if no one buys the trade does that mean we can get rid of this series and the Regened at least has a chance of getting back on form.

I've ranted before and seems I'm ranting again. The Regened simply need to be better comics. I don't mind if its not aimed at me we can still see the craft when its there and its just not here in the last what, 4, 5 of these. Come on 2000ad just do better. Give us better comics.
#13


First and foremost apologise to Jim Campbell for butchering the lovely logo he created for my Completely Self Absorbed 2000ad re-read posts! Thanks and sorry Jim!

I've not done a 'thing' on the forum for a while. In the past I've done reviews tracking a couple of 'Prog Slogs', detailed the making of my nerd cave and run countless, endless voting comps... which I still dream of getting back to... one day, one day and I've been pondering doing something else for a while now, but didn't have an idea.

Then a couple of weeks ago I watched a couple of videos from the brilliant Youtube channel Cartoonist Kayfabe... side note if you are looking for a good YouTube channel that details with brilliant and intelligent analysis of a fantastic range of comics from folks MUCH smarter and more knowledgeable than me AND you've exhausted Strange Brain Parts, you won't find a better channel ... end of side note. They cover 'The Best 100 Comics of the 20th Century' as selected by The Comics Journal. Well worth watching:

100 Best Comic of the Century - Part 1 

100 Best Comic of the Century - Part 2

Now as ever with this type of thing it was in equal parts fascinating and infuriating. It flagged all sorts of comics I simply didn't know and ranked comics in a incredibly different way than I would, I mean this was from the Comics Journal after all! It also counted all sorts of things I wouldn't even count as comics. I mean I have nothing against editorial cartoons but they aren't sequential so they shouldn't be included surely... yakkerty splakerty, blah blah blah.

Same old same old with this type of thing from me really. If it's a critical, editorial piece like those above there's always a singular bias that will mean it's 100 miles from what I would include. If it's based on a popular vote then they become a little predictable and neutered with the same old 'classics' that I don't always like ranking far too high. I mean you can't deny either approach, they will define their boundaries as they see fit, popular votes will be driven by a hivemind and gravitate to the safer options. Nature of the beast.

So I sat there after really enjoying the list with the nagging feeling of 'Well my list would be nothing. NOTHING like that..."

But what would it be, my list that is... and it niggled away at me. So in a quiet moment I decided to set things to rights and as a playful exercise I decided to throw my list together, just for fun. I did... and of course it was incredibly difficult. It's not an even playing surface after all. Comics I've just read will have a much higher ranking than one's I've not read for ages... or very possibly a much lower placing as my memory has elevated my appreciation for a series I've not read for ages. Comics series or runs I've not read for 10 or more years were read by a very different person, with very different reading needs than the person who read the comics they did just a couple of months ago. What the heck I did it anyway.

Then I twiddled with it.

I remembered stuff I'd not included

I moved things around

Then I twiddled some more...

... then I got fed up messing with it, it was never going to be finished until I said ENOUGH ALREADY it's finished. So I said just that, it's finished. And I had my list. Not anyone else's, no bugger is going to agree with my list (not even me the next time I look at it!), but I had my list.

And I looked at it and wondered why it was my list and what the heck to do with it. Then I remembered you lovely lot. For the last 15 years this has been my favourite place on the internet. The place I love to whittier, not just about 2000ad, but comics in general. The forum has become almost a journal of my comics reading and fandom, so of course I knew what to do with it. I'd bored the bejeezus out of you lot and share it with you. Even if there are only like what... 20-30 of us still posting regularly, so what if only a tiny subset of those folks (or even just me!) was interested in this nonsense. What else could I do but post it here?

Well actually rather than just post the list I could try to explain why the list was like it was. What were the factors that determined what comics I love and recommend to others (or not!). So I decided to see if I could write up entries for each, not to try to recommend things, or get folks to agree with me, no, that was never going to happen. Rather this is done as much so I could work out what it is I love about comics, and the particular ones I adore. It's a natural extension of the endless poorly written guff I write about comics here. My ultimate examination of the comic I love and why I do.

So here we are. I've got a couple of introductory posts to set all this up and then 133 write ups of comic runs (look I'll explain that in my next post!) with a few other 'bonuses' (not quite sure who will see more as a bonus!). I've written the first 10 as a test that I enjoy doing this enough to justify screaming into the void and I do.

Read along and get infuriated with this very self-absorbed list, comment, disagree, scream at me with gusto... or just ignore all this and move on, up to you. Me, well I'm going for it anyway.

Welcome to all 133 runs in my Completely self-absorbed Top 100 Comic Runs you need to read.
#14
Prog / Prog 2353 - Red Menace!
09 October, 2023, 05:50:24 PM
Well that was a gloriously intense Prog! Quite the thrillpacked delight.

Dredd - When Dredd is the quiet episode of the five you know you have something hitting you between the eyes elsewhere! Change of scene, frankly brilliant exchange between Dredd and this companion Tech Judges and then an agent in East Meg 2 keeps the plot moving on with a great ending. Lovely stuff.

Helium MONSTER CHASE... then new threat darkly sketch out on the last page. Beautifully rendered breathless stuff.

Devil Railroad A hideously revealed bluff. Dark wonderful cliche baddy, hard times and raised stakes at the end. Boy you already know this is going to be one touch journey. Slowly getting into this.

Fall of Deadworld FIGHT! and just as that blows up to a conclusion we get a 'SOV WAR-ROLLER!' for seconds... or as cliffhanger.

Feral and Foe FIGHT and then just as you think things in the Prog have finally settled down it turns out the calm is just another deadly cliffhanger!

I mean whatever you think about all this you could never say it wasn't thrilling stuff! Personally loved it all and all those cliffhangers leave me hankering for next prog. Great stuff.
#15
Prog / Prog 2352 - You are entering a wold of hurt...
01 October, 2023, 08:17:03 PM
Well we're into the new line-up proper this week and its going to be interesting.

Dredd developing nicely with a steady but well crafted episode.

Helium drops us back into the midst of the story again but with enough to make it all easy enough to see what's happening. Good stuff.

The Devil's Railroad forgot we were getting another Milligan and Dayglo story. Hope its as strong as Counterfeit Girl (7 years ago really!) a lot is covered on the opening episode and then we get a surprising ending. There's enough here to make me interested, but too much to allow me to be fully engaged yet.

The Fall of Deadworld drops in you and carries on, good enough but doesn't allow you time to get into things again, rather throws you in as if its not been a number of years away. Might take a while to get its momentum back, or allow me to get my head back into it.

Feral and Foe fine episode.

So yeah not as strong as last time as these new new stories don't start quite as strong, but promise for the future.
#16
Prog / Prog 2350 - 2000ad Battle Action*
16 September, 2023, 12:20:35 PM
*Or should that be Aggro is a way of life for Judge Dredd.

There should be a lot to say about this. Its an excellent comic. The framing sequence is cute fun. All the strips are winners. All the strips are so frustrating and as they provide excellent set-up for stories I'd love to see, but for now don't expect to see more of.

Overall though I have pretty much the same thing to say about them all, so its all rather simple.

Judge (Cadet) Dredd - fantastic, retool this a little and this is exactly what we should have in Regened.

Death Game 2049 - great fun, retool this a bit and this is exactly what we should have in Regened.

El Mestizo Oh I need to know were this goes. Retool this a bit and this is exactly what we should have in Regened.

Dredger fun, with a bit more retooling this would be perfect in Regened.

Hellman of Hellforce who doesn't want Tank warfare in Hell vs Nazi - but of work and this would... of you get it by now don't you.

Major Eazy a gun toting anti-authoritarian Indiana Jones - Regened is crying out for this.

Now I think you get my point. Regened has been struggling for strips that work this last year and possible budgets don't stretch to the talent on display in this issue BUT what we see quite clearly here is the ideas to make Regened work again are there and happily on display in this very issue!

Good fun, great fun in fact but very frustrating.
#17
Prog / Prog 2347 - Demonised
26 August, 2023, 03:50:53 PM
The perfect example of the Prog limping into a relaunch. These used to be common even 10 - 15 years ago, but lately Tharg has become much better at keeping things strong to the end. Still we all slip backwards every now and again huh.

Dredd I mean its good, I really want to read the whole Asher storyline in one go BUT read week to week this story feels overlong and each episode feels like its adding very little to what we have and know already.

Portals and blackgoo This just reads like an overlong Future Shock from John Tomlinson in his recent appearances in the Prog. The storytelling in the script is clumsy and confused yet I don't care enough about any of the characters or situations (what I can unpick of them) to make any real effort to dig into to unrevel things. That said it ends so its not all bad!

Hershey Some lovely interchanges here after a rather forced opening page that really lacks the impact I think it wanted as to how insightful it was. Read a bit Kirkman to me! Still after that grating start its very good.

3riller - Die Hoard I mean you have to love the title's pun but this is a little flat opening. Mind given how many 3rillers have great opening and then slip away maybe this one will spin that tread and build to something interesting. Its certainly hints at the potential to do so.

Azimuth best thing in the Prog, thrilling, fun and builds things very nicely.

2000ad Art Stars Winner on the back page, even though I've read it before is pretty damned fine. I was whining about the state of the Regened last week and something like this (maybe with out someone being blugdened with a hammer and their dismembered parts incinerated!) - with the energy and fresh exciting art is just the sort of craft the recent Regened have been lacking. Get Alan Kerr a slot there, or indeed the Prog proper Tharg this is very promising stuff.
#18
Prog / Prog 2346 - Maximum Thrill-Boost!
19 August, 2023, 01:51:08 PM
Okay let's look at the positives.

The art of Cadet Dredd is great hope to see Joe Currie again soon. Love it. The story was pretty good too.

And then... nothing, absolutely nothing. Regened continues to be drab and utterly uninspiring. Its such a shame that this is the case. The Nerve Centre highlights what a great idea Regene is, how it can work as it references just three of its successes, Pandora Perfect, Department K and Full Tilt Bogie and there have been more. There is nothing even close to that quality in this issue and hasn't been for sometime.

Lowburn High is once agin over long, poorly plotted, utterly uninspiring and the art static and poorly framed. An example of the issues I have with this the fifth page when Maisy's parents are told of her high levels of magic, an apparently dramatic event and yet the page hangs off a central image of someone pulling a file out a draw, while craming the parents poorly realised reaction into a panel dominated by the drab background. Then the whole inspection thread, built up for so long is handwaved any and exposed as utterly superflous.

And again we get 20 pages of this tepid stuff. 20 bloomin' pages.

The Future Shock has art right out of the muddy 90s and a twist that is... well poor.

Renk, well its dull and daft.

Regened used to be something to look forward to, to see what 2000ad could spin with it new direction. Its was hit and miss, but at least it was something that played with potential. This is a pretty good Dredd with great art and the rest is all utter miss.

If you can't get the talent to do this well maybe its time to call this a day, though one assumes sales still prevent that.

So disappointing.
#19
General / Simon Fraser needs your vote!
15 August, 2023, 02:16:06 PM
Well I don't know if he needs it, but defo think he'd appreciate it. Edie Nugent posted this over on Facebook.

QuoteHey all, Simon Fraser has entered a contest to be a Red Sonja cover artist, and needs your votes. Register for threadless, and give him a 5 rating!

So you go here, register (takes seconds) and give Simon 5 votes.

Then something nice happens to Simon - I think he gets a cover BUT Threadless is a t-shirt shop so I dunno... but hey Simon does lots of amazing art for us so let's do something nice for him... whatever it might be...
#20
Prog / Prog 2344 - Infernal Engines!
06 August, 2023, 04:15:47 PM
So yeah holiday catch up and if I'm honest I could just copy and paste everything I've just typed about Prog 2344. Its a fine Prog, but feels like it should be more.

Dredd is good but not as good as a Niemand / Foster story feels like it should be.

Things happen in Portals and blackgoo, if I cared more I might know how they interelate and connect. I don't alas.

Maxwell's Demon - yep it fine.

Hershey BANG, explosion - then Dredd. Sometime I think Rob Williams needs to remember he can do so much more interesting than BANG Explosion and Dredd. Looks amazing.

Azimuth solid action number. It felt like it should be more though.