Pat Mills

[TordelBack]

If there's one thing that makes 2000ad shine above all other comics is its ability to support different stories and exposing you to things you might not otherwise read.

This is spot on. And Pat Mills's work is the best example of this in action.

This says it all ^^^.

I do like a good Mills-moan, but when I look at my bookshelf, I see volume after volume of his that I treasure, from the start to last year.  Of his more modern stuff, Greysuit is the only one I can't be bothered with: and for the rest, if you don't like this 'book', you can assured that the next run will be wildly different.   I far prefer his 21st C output to much of his 90s stuff, and Defoe and Savage remain two of my favourite strips.

As I always say this comes up, Mills should always have a slot in 2000AD available to him. A happy Mills makes for a healthy prog.

[RaggedMan]

When asked to list my 5 favourite comics I have to think twice to make sure I don't just include 3 Pat Mills comics.

The guy gets a Bowie Pass. Contribution is so great that whatever he wants to do is fine.

To be honest Bluearmarda, not sure about choosing this as your 4th post on forum and opening thread.
Maybe a respectful, well-considered, critique in an existing review thread.
Maybe some discussion of directions or topics you'd like to see his stories take.
Maybe some suggestions for thrusting young writers that you would like to see in the prog but you, possibly erroneously, feel are being kept out by the 'old guard'.
Maybe which character of his you would like to see 'do a Dredd' and get exposed to multiple creative voices.

There's ways to have a conversation on these kinds of topics.

[Timothy]

I must admit that I do have issues with recent Mills output. His stories used to be tightly focussed, telling an interesting story every week and flowing from week to week. Latterly I find many of his episodes seem slowly paced and that they are disjointed from the previous week. I think the reason this grates though is not that Pat is bad and should be put out to pasture but that I know he is capable of better. When he does hit form he is still up there with the best of them.

[Magnetica]

We seem to have had this debate a number of times.

The case for-

- He pretty much invented the Prog in the first place
- He thought up all the stories in the first Prog apart from Dan Dare
- his editorial stint at the start shaped what 2000AD was
- although not credited as a co-creator he had a huge influence on Judge Dredd
- he has created and written some of the all time great 2000AD strips: Nemesis, Slaine, ABC Warriors/ Ro-Busters, Invasion/ Savage
- he continues to come up with new stuff: Greysuit, Defoe, American Reaper

The case against:
- some of the old stuff isn't as good as it used to be
- you might not like some of the new stuff

Overall, for me.... I'll let you draw your own conclusions

[TordelBack]

His stories used to be tightly focussed, telling an interesting story every week and flowing from week to week. Latterly I find many of his episodes seem slowly paced and that they are disjointed from the previous week.

Hmmm, half a century in the weekly story business and pretty much guaranteed hardback treatment for at least half of his current output, can you blame him for shifting pace from idea-rammed 5-page stories towards writing for lushly illustrated volumes? 

[DrJomster]

If I had done in comics 10% of what Pat Mills has done and continues to do, I would be a very happy man.

[Huey2]

I'm sorry, but I think the question is nothing more than creator baiting. I don't know why you felt the need to ask it.

But, since I am responding, yes, 2000ad is much better because of Mr. Mills' input.

I wouldn't be a comic reader today if it weren't for Pat. At a time, way back in the mid '80s, when I was starting to wonder if comics were something I should be growing out of, it was Pat who showed me that there were stories that could only be told through the medium of comics. Imagine Nemesis Book 3 or 4 told in prose or radio or telly. It couldn't be done. Nor could so many of his other stories.
And that's what makes Pat such a great comic writer, because so many other comic creators don't really grasp the potential of what comics can do - their stuff would be just as good in prose or film - perhaps better. Not so with Pat's stuff.

We should be grateful that Pat is still , 40 plus years on, working for 2000ad and still sharing his unique imagination with us. Just look at this week's prog. There are five good stories there but four of them wouldn't look that out of place in other publishers' books - it's the insane Defoe that could only find a home in 2000ad.

[Bad City Blue]

Mills has always, for me, varied in quality.

When he's good, though, he's very very good so I have no wich to see him go before he ecides he wants to.

These days Savage an ABC Warriors are his highlights. Hopefully Slaine will pick up again.

[sheridan]

When asked to list my 5 favourite comics I have to think twice to make sure I don't just include 3 Pat Mills comics.

The guy gets a Bowie Pass. Contribution is so great that whatever he wants to do is fine.

To be honest Bluearmarda, not sure about choosing this as your 4th post on forum and opening thread.
Maybe a respectful, well-considered, critique in an existing review thread.
Maybe some discussion of directions or topics you'd like to see his stories take.
Maybe some suggestions for thrusting young writers that you would like to see in the prog but you, possibly erroneously, feel are being kept out by the 'old guard'.
Maybe which character of his you would like to see 'do a Dredd' and get exposed to multiple creative voices.

There's ways to have a conversation on these kinds of topics.

Or even just a post on the 'new to the board' section...


I hope this doesn't ever become the kind of forum where personal attacks like that are tolerated.

[Dark Jimbo]

I hope this doesn't ever become the kind of forum where personal attacks like that are tolerated.

I don't for a moment think he was making it personal, just not phrasing his opinion in perhaps the best way.

[TordelBack]

I hope this doesn't ever become the kind of forum where personal attacks like that are tolerated.

I don't for a moment think he was making it personal, just not phrasing his opinion in perhaps the best way.

Indeed. I'm sure there's a very similar post from me lurking in the Sc*j*-riddled archives of alt.comics.2000AD made during  the run of The Secret Commonwealth*, and I bet I was even nastier about David Bircham.  But I wasn't right then and it isn't right now.

We all struggle to improve the way we express ourselves, and I'm sure Bluearmada will one day be as taupe and tedious as me.

Although it is important to give Pat a theme for his next intro.



*The collection now proudly sat on the shelf facing me.

[Bluearmada]

Sorry I ruffled feathers - I'm not creator baiting despite what certain members may think.

Pat gave birth to 2000ad and I can't thank him enough for that and his early stories. However, it appears that there is a lack of quality control with his latest tales and I can't help but feel that they are published simply because he wrote them!

Take a look back at the members prog reviews over the last few months. Slaine, ABC, Flesh, Defoe and the other one that was mainly excerpts from songs in its telling of the tale. I think you'll find most of the comments were unfavourable and the generally the worst thing in the prog.

Yes, I would love to new blood injected into these projects, wouldn't you?

[von Boom]

I think what is irksome is that you've made 5 posts, all of them fairly negative towards a 2000AD creator, and not in a terribly constructive way either.

You could have said you would like to see some new writers/droids, but you certainly didn't need to take a pointless swipe at Pat Mills to do it.

Having two of your first three threads locked is not an auspicious start. Frankly I'm surprised this one hasn't been locked.

[Smith]

Okay,I wouldnt mind seeing what would other writers do with ABC Warriors or Slaine;but I think its still a bit early to count Pat out.

[Bluearmada]

I think what is irksome is that you've made 5 posts, all of them fairly negative towards a 2000AD creator, and not in a terribly constructive way either.

You could have said you would like to see some new writers/droids, but you certainly didn't need to take a pointless swipe at Pat Mills to do it.

Having two of your first three threads locked is not an auspicious start. Frankly I'm surprised this one hasn't been locked.

Yes, I completely agree with you. I think after being a regular reader back in the 80s and back on board the last six months - I may be looking back with rose tinted glasses, but I've been frustrated with all the recent Mills tales and even now I'm struggling to remember them. 

Don't take it personal that I'm complaining about his recent output and I hope Pat wouldn't, but I think it's fair to criticise an artist if their work has been sub-par.

It's a discussion board - what's the problem? Would it have been preferable if my first post had been - Deadworld sucked until the latest instalment, but now it's ace?