I think the consensus is that these weren't very good but I enjoyed them. Am I alone in this? Have they ever been collected & rereleased?
I don't think they have, but I would love to read the original episodes of Doomlord.
I'm not sure I ever owned my own copy of Eagle of the era, but I certainly read a few. I suspect the main reason they haven't been reprinted (other than ownership by the reprint-averse Dan Dare Corporation) is that reproduction of the photos wouldn't be very high quality unless taken from the originals. I'm still holding out for a Bloodfang reprint (to the uninitiated - basically Flesh Book 1 mark 2 - though I think the first series only featured dinosaurs, i.e. no time-travelling cowboys). That latter after Eagle ditched the photo strips!
Hibernia reprinted an early Collector photostrip in the first Eagle Adventure Special, but that's it so far. Repro on the photostrips isn't too troublesome, but you do get less "clean" results than with line art - best case for reprints is that you get near-as-damn-it to the original printing without introducing any weird moire effects etc. I'd love to have a crack at the Doomlord photo stories but no luck there yet, despite David's best efforts.
I did suggest Bloodfang as a possible future reprint, but I'm not sure it was too popular an idea ;) I rather like it, particularly that first dino-only strip with lovely Jim Baikie art.
I'd love to see a fan-made version. Imagine the fun it would be... :lol:
I remember being profoundly disturbed by Walk or Die as a kid. I re-read it recently though, and it was kind of shit. I suppose it just wasn't written with a middle-aged 21st century readership in mind.
I have very fond memories of Bloodfang, the collected edition ('floppy' in modern parlance, I suppose) of which my mam bought for me when I was ill. I re-read it many times over the years; and enjoyed it every time - the sheer viciousness and lack of any human presence made it kind of unique for me. It's probably still in my parents' attic; I'll have a hunt for it sometime.
This thread brought back memories of the heady days of Joe Soap,Manix,Doomlord etc.............magic stuff! Quite like Clint Langleys modern take on that particular artform! I remember a really dodgy Nemesis and Torquemada photostrip in 2000ad many moons ago
Well, I never. A quick glance at Wikipedia reveals that Bloodfang was a John Wagner script. No wonder it stood out. Also, never knew there was a sequel; which according to Wikipedia appears to bave been some kind of Flesh crossover (or perhaps blatant rip-off).
Quote from: freq on 25 February, 2017, 11:18:10 PM
This thread brought back memories of the heady days of Joe Soap,Manix,Doomlord etc.............magic stuff! Quite like Clint Langleys modern take on that particular artform! I remember a really dodgy Nemesis and Torquemada photostrip in 2000ad many moons ago
The Nemesis and the Torquemada photo stories were illustrated / photographed by Tony Luke, RIP.
Quote from: JayzusB.Christ on 25 February, 2017, 11:33:25 PM
Well, I never. A quick glance at Wikipedia reveals that Bloodfang was a John Wagner script. No wonder it stood out. Also, never knew there was a sequel; which according to Wikipedia appears to bave been some kind of Flesh crossover (or perhaps blatant rip-off).
Rip-off / homage / re-use of same idea (can you rip something off when - at the time - the same copyright holder published both stories?)
The Collector & Doomlord = excellent
Joe Soap = very funny and quite edgy for its time
Smokey / Sgt Streetwise / House of Correction /Saddletramp = I could take or leave
Quote from: sheridan on 26 February, 2017, 01:52:12 AM
Quote from: JayzusB.Christ on 25 February, 2017, 11:33:25 PM
Well, I never. A quick glance at Wikipedia reveals that Bloodfang was a John Wagner script. No wonder it stood out. Also, never knew there was a sequel; which according to Wikipedia appears to bave been some kind of Flesh crossover (or perhaps blatant rip-off).
Rip-off / homage / re-use of same idea (can you rip something off when - at the time - the same copyright holder published both stories?)
Fair point. Was the second one written by Wagner too?
I don't remember much about Joe Soap, except that his real name was Joe Soper and he seemed to lose his trousers quite a bit.
Oh & as we all know, Sgt Streetwise was in Lifeforce!
Your not alone JLC I too loved the photo stories. I'm still hoping a collection produced of Doomlord, including the first photo strips.
Something I have wondered about, usually at work when my own job becomes too difficult for me, is who came up with the design for the Doomlord mask?
It cant have been Heinzel as the photo stories pre-dated his work on the strip so was it specially commissioned for the comic?
Quote from: Tony Angelino on 12 March, 2017, 10:02:49 PM
Something I have wondered about, usually at work when my own job becomes too difficult for me, is who came up with the design for the Doomlord mask?
It cant have been Heinzel as the photo stories pre-dated his work on the strip so was it specially commissioned for the comic?
I believe they just bought it from a fancy-dress shop...
Surely not?
The two mainoptions are that (1) they bought it from a fancy dress shop or (2) they had it specially designed for the strip. I would have thought if they bought it from a fancy dress shop there might have been some copyright problems with the design at some point.
Quote from: Tony Angelino on 12 March, 2017, 10:45:06 PM
Surely not?
The two mainoptions are that (1) they bought it from a fancy dress shop or (2) they had it specially designed for the strip. I would have thought if they bought it from a fancy dress shop there might have been some copyright problems with the design at some point.
I believe - thought I can't find the article I think that mentioned it now - that it was just an off-the-shelf mask. There is a chap called John Shearer who has one that he bought in the '80s, and he's on Twitter so there might be an avenue there to find out a bit more...
I know that at least one Eagle cover had Doug Church - former 2000AD art editor - under the mask. From his interview in "Beyond 2000AD":
QuoteEagle followed teen titles and had some photo-strip stories. One was Doomlord, a menacing alien visiting Earth. I suggested to Dave that a situation where the character turned himself into a Nato general with a finger on the nuclear button could make a good cover. Dave liked the idea and would get it written up, but we didn't have the required colour pic of Doomlord. Grabbing the rubber mask that was used in photo sessions and wearing a suit and tie, I headed up to Gary Compton's photographic studio. Donning the evil mask I popped my head into a room full of leggy young girls probably waiting for a fashion shoot. "Which one of you is doing the dirty movie with me?" I asked. They all just sniffed and told me to buzz off. After my pic had been taken and not wearing the mask, the same girls all shrieked in mock horror!
Quote from: Tony Angelino on 12 March, 2017, 10:45:06 PM
Surely not?
The two mainoptions are that (1) they bought it from a fancy dress shop or (2) they had it specially designed for the strip. I would have thought if they bought it from a fancy dress shop there might have been some copyright problems with the design at some point.
They'd never just buy an off-the-peg ape mask (for instance), stick a brooch on the forehead and pair it with a jumpsuit, would they?
(http://www.2000ad.org/images/page/tharg.jpg)
Quote from: JLC on 03 March, 2017, 02:52:46 PM
Oh & as we all know, Sgt Streetwise was in Lifeforce!
Erm, lifeforce the naked Italian alien vampire film?
(edit) well, the film was British but the naked alien vampire was played by an Italian actress...
Quote from: The Amstor Computer on 12 March, 2017, 11:05:56 PM
Quote from: Tony Angelino on 12 March, 2017, 10:45:06 PM
Surely not?
I believe - thought I can't find the article I think that mentioned it now - that it was just an off-the-shelf mask.
To this day I still Energizer-to-kick-myself I didn't buy one when (mid '80s) the Brighton Pier gift shop was selling 'em. No mention of 'Doomlord' as I recall, just some generic monster mask being flogged along with everything else.
I thought there was a Doomlord mask in Madness 'House of Fun' video.
I say that because I've since watched it on youtube and can't see it.
Misremembered?
The Tharg mask does look like it has had a bit of work done to it to make it unique (for those of you who apparently think that Tharg is wearing a mask). The Doomlord one doesn't look like its been altered in any way.
Quote from: Tony Angelino on 13 March, 2017, 06:15:32 PM
The Tharg mask does look like it has had a bit of work done to it to make it unique (for those of you who apparently think that Tharg is wearing a mask). The Doomlord one doesn't look like its been altered in any way.
Of course early Tharg wore a mask. I've seen pictures of Tharg now and he looks a bit different to how he looked then. He was obviously sparing us his visage in all its verdant lusciousness at the time, allowing us to acclimatise to thrillpower.
Quote from: sheridan on 13 March, 2017, 07:24:34 PM
He was obviously sparing us his visage in all its verdant lusciousness at the time, allowing us to acclimatise to thrillpower.
Thrillpower is like the hawk...
Quote from: matty_ae on 13 March, 2017, 04:59:10 PM
I thought there was a Doomlord mask in Madness 'House of Fun' video.
I say that because I've since watched it on youtube and can't see it.
Misremembered?
There were TWO different videos for House of Fun, it might be in the other one - I can only find a really low resolution version of it online, though (they've all got masks on at one point, but I can't make out any details!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EbJtNWo5cQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EbJtNWo5cQ)
I would love to see the Doomlord photostories in print. I'm certain that I will, and here's my logic:
Years ago I scanned all my Eagles (which was the entire run) with a view to compiling (maybe even printing) various stories for my own reading pleasure. I began cleaning up the scans of selected stories - I started with Doomlord (first drawn strip) because Doomlord was ace and the drawn ones seemed easiest. And then Hibernia released a reprint. Hmm. So, after the chagrin wore off, I bought it (of course), shrugged and moved on to my other favourite long-runner, the Thirteenth Floor. And then Hibernia released a reprint of that. Which I bought (of course). So I shrugged and moved on to my favourite short-run standalone story - I'm bound to get that done quickly enough, right? Of course, that was the House of Daemon. Bugger. Bought.
So, since I've now moved on to the Doomlord photostories, and my lack of luck has proved legendary, I am expecting Hibernia to release a reprint any moment now. I've finished all of the very first Doomlord and two-thirds of Doomlord II, so... c'mon guys... don't let me get right to the end before doing it.