Tribal Memories

[Colin YNWA]

Slowly but surely going through my progs in groups of 100 reading the good bits. This weekend amongst many more obvious classics (Zenith Book II weakest of the bunch but still absolutely brillant) I came up to Tribal Memories 580s

I always remember liking this story but my God I hadn't remembered how good it was. So much packed into 4 short episodes. Great characters, great ideas, wonderful art. An absolute classic.

Such a shame that for whatever reason (I must dig out Thrillpower Overload and see if it has anything to say on the matter) the characters weren't used again. Sometimes its fair to say these things are left alone BUT there seems so much more scope to play with in the world Milligan and 'Riot' created here. Such great potential for future stories.

Next time someone bumps into Pete Milligan ask him to sack Marvel and DC for a while and get back into this wonderful world from his past... well you never know.

(Oh and still hated Soft Bodies - don't know why I assume that one will get better and its just that I'm missing stuff!)

[Art]

I liked it at the time, and liked it even more when I re-read it, but I think it's just fine as it is as a 4 issue self contained story. Some things just should be short, and without sequels.

[Colin YNWA]

I liked it at the time, and liked it even more when I re-read it, but I think it's just fine as it is as a 4 issue self contained story. Some things just should be short, and without sequels.

Yeah nine times out of ten I'd completely agree with that there is a real danger in expanding on things unless it really warrents it just because it was good. BUUUTTTTTT in this case while reading it I was constantly thinking I'd love to know more about this aspect or that aspect. Off the top of my head (and having forgotten characters names after just 2 days!)

How the main bloke got on with Masaii (spelling) - it had the potential to be a real twist on the odd couple and modern man as fish out of water scenarios.

The fact that surely some of the new memory deprieved humans would seek to hunt Masaii and co down.

The natives new found struggle for freedom had potential for a great story in itself. Particularly if interlaced with more memories (possibly see above) being unearthed that enabled some modern humans to share the experience of being enslaved.

Now if I was Pete Milligan or had a fraction of his talent I'm sure I could spin one of those ideas or probably even better ones that I'm oblivious to into a story that would really justify its own existance rather than being a sequel for sequels sake.

Mind that said I'm sure this was considered at the time and I would love to know why he choose not to continue writing in this world?

[Proudhuff]

Possibly one for the Megazine's Trade Floppy reprints?

[TordelBack]

At the time I remember thinking in the late '80s  that between Tribal Memories, The Dead, Freaks and Shadows 2000AD was really going somewhere new.  But then I had a lot of New Harlem Heroes come along and disabuse me of that notion.

[JOE SOAP]

I wouldn't mind seeing a return to this kind of writing.

[Art]

I really liked Spurrier's "The Scrap", which I thought was in a similar vein.

[JayzusB.Christ]

It was brilliant, alright, a very powerful piece of social commentary without descending into the patronising P.C. preachiness (how's that for alliteration?) that so often detracted from late 80's / early 90's comics.  This was written at the tail end of South African apartheid and made a lot of sense. But a  sequel? Nahhh.  Some short stories just don't need sequels.

[The Monarch]

Possibly one for the Megazine's Trade Floppy reprints?

Tribal memories has already been in an issue of the extreme edition as well as an issue of the old best of

[+rufus+]

Slowly but surely going through my progs in groups of 100 reading the good bits. This weekend amongst many more obvious classics (Zenith Book II weakest of the bunch but still absolutely brillant) I came up to Tribal Memories 580s

I always remember liking this story but my God I hadn't remembered how good it was. So much packed into 4 short episodes. Great characters, great ideas, wonderful art. An absolute classic.

Such a shame that for whatever reason (I must dig out Thrillpower Overload and see if it has anything to say on the matter) the characters weren't used again. Sometimes its fair to say these things are left alone BUT there seems so much more scope to play with in the world Milligan and 'Riot' created here. Such great potential for future stories.

Next time someone bumps into Pete Milligan ask him to sack Marvel and DC for a while and get back into this wonderful world from his past... well you never know.

(Oh and still hated Soft Bodies - don't know why I assume that one will get better and its just that I'm missing stuff!)

Riot is Tony Wright, an old friend of Brendan and Brett's.

He's an amazing artist and now does storyboards and photography.