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2000 AD - The Ultimate Collection

Started by Molch-R, 27 February, 2017, 06:03:27 PM

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abelardsnazz

I enjoyed Sinister Dexter volume 1 for the most part, although I hadn't realised it was second only to Dredd for number of episodes in the prog. Presumably that's why opinions are divided, as the quality of the writing isn't always as it should be? Correct me if I'm wrong on that. As a first volume of greatest hits, I thought it was fun with a good mix of artwork and I chuckled a few times at the dialogue. If the quality is maintained for the next two volumes I'll look forward to them.

Grumpy Andrew

Quote from: abelardsnazz on 03 September, 2018, 07:30:03 AM
second only to Dredd for number of episodes in the prog.

Is this true? Good lord this madness has to end. I mean the strip itself has had about three perfectly serviceable endings. Is it just the comic's need for material coupled with Abnett's seeming ability to keep churning out content that's led us to this? I also understand some people like it 😂

TordelBack

Quote from: Grumpy Andrew on 03 September, 2018, 08:46:18 AMI also understand some people like it 😂

S'right, and hopefully that's why it's still going.  But to your first point, I doubt Tharg can afford to boot a strip by one of the best writers in the industry that can seemingly deliver stories at any length with any artist and almost any tone.

BPP

Sin Dex bashing baffles me - it's a fun series that always offers decent jokes, puns and dialogue. It also varies up its content (such as the recent diner convo episode) away from the standard 2000ad formula of 'resolution (from last week), set up, cliff hanger'. The Simon Davis stuff remains some of the best long arc narrative stuff in the progs history. The only time my patience with it was tested was when a particularly minimalist artist had a long run at it and didn't seem to be bringing much to the table. Soon as the artist changed it was back to a solid-to-great regular. Week in week out Abnett creates great stuff for Tharg and long may he continue to do so. The guy is an absolute powerhouse of quality comics writing.
If I'd known it was harmless I would have killed it myself.

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Woolly

The problem with SinDex was that bloody Moses war storyline that took the best part of a decade! Got way too wrapped up in it's multi-reality confusion.

Max Headroom

A complete SinDex one day is still the way to go!

I, Cosh

Quote from: IndigoPrime on 31 August, 2018, 10:57:30 AM
Sinister Dexter is more like Dredd. You can relatively easily hack out inconsequential episodes rather than aiming for completes. Also, it's a pretty divisive strip, and so my instinct is that a great many more Sin Dex books would have been more of a gamble.

I know this collection isn't intended to be complete but I would say the opposite. Sin/Dex was, at one time, like Dredd in that its constant presence in the Prog allowed the writer to play around, mixing daft or experimental one-off tales with longer stories and an ongoing narrative. It's the only strip apart from Dredd which has ever been in that position and, like Dredd, it also allowed Abnett to seed elements of the latter in the former: one key plot point in Eurotrash was first introduced in the Sex Prog!

Given that (and Rebellion's less than stellar track record with this one strip) complete is really the way to go.
We never really die.

I, Cosh

Oh, and Time Killer is ace you berks. More Hawkmoon than Corum, whatever Elfric tries to tell you!
We never really die.

TordelBack

#2378
Quote from: I, Cosh on 03 September, 2018, 12:51:23 PM
I know this collection isn't intended to be complete but I would say the opposite. Sin/Dex was, at one time, like Dredd in that its constant presence in the Prog allowed the writer to play around, mixing daft or experimental one-off tales with longer stories and an ongoing narrative. It's the only strip apart from Dredd which has ever been in that position and, like Dredd, it also allowed Abnett to seed elements of the latter in the former: one key plot point in Eurotrash was first introduced in the Sex Prog!

Given that (and Rebellion's less than stellar track record with this one strip) complete is really the way to go.

Amen to ALL that Pete.  SinDex's great appeal is its combination of repetition and novelty (but ALWAYS delivered with a sharp and groanworthy wit), and I honestly believe the more of it you read, the more you can appreciate its playful cleverness.

I really can't overemphasise how much I hated its shallow Tarantino-homages, directionless amoral violence, ill-defined near-contemporary setting and frequently murky art cluttering up my prog back at  the start (I grouped it with Outlaw in my head - or Buttonman meets Dr & Quinch, as written by Alec Trench) or how completely my opinion has changed.

Hadn't twigged that about the Sex Prog, excellent observation! 

Leigh S

Just popping in to belatedly support Time Killer - I HATE with a passion mixing up fantasy and sci-fi or fantasy and present day/real world - Time Killer does both, but it is so audacious and Millsian in its inventive spin on the material that it totally worls for me, expanding the wider world of Slaine whilst keeping it all "sealed off" as a battle of the 'Gods' occurring beyond the knowledge of most of the people of the Land of the Young. Sure a bit of a lead in to it between Dragon Heist and Time Killer might have been smarter, but Pat has never been one to lay down a breadcrumb to follow, for good or ill - he has an idea and it drags him off at full pelt. I know that has been to the detriment of some of his stories, but it works for me here to be dropped in to the Eternal War

Tombo

Quote from: Grumpy Andrew on 03 September, 2018, 08:46:18 AM
Quote from: abelardsnazz on 03 September, 2018, 07:30:03 AM
second only to Dredd for number of episodes in the prog.

Is this true?

Sin-Dex has appeared 348 time in the Prog (plus a few Special), by comparison Nikolai Dante "only" appeared 292 time.  I don't have a complete run of Progs (780 onwards plus another 97 earlier Progs) but Slaine racks up 248 entries in those issues and Strontium Dog 188.  There were also 201 Future Shocks.

Jade Falcon

Here's a question.  I have the 'case files' edition of Strontium Dog, the one that had, among other things, Portrait of a Mutant.  Are all the stories in that book going to appear in the collection.  If so, I know someone who would be appreciative of the Case Files book, but I'm a bit reluctant to let go of one that will have stories that won't appear in the collection.

I also guess Ro-Busters wont appear in this collection, if so, that's maybe for the best as a large part of it appeared in Starlord and we might end up with the same difficulties we had with early Johnny Alpha.  Starlord seemed to have a significant chunk of Ro-Busters.
When the truth offends, we lie and lie until we can no longer remember it is even there, but it is still there. Every lie we tell incurs a debt to the truth. Sooner or later, that debt is paid. That is how an RBMK reactor core explodes. Lies. - Valery Legasov

Magnetica

Ro-Busters started in Starlord, appearing, if I am not mistaken, in every issue. If you want those stories, they have been reprinted in Nuts 'n' Bolts  volume one ( a sort of Mek Files but for Ro-Busters).

A few comments on the last couple of pages.

Time killer is great. The art by Fabry and Pugh is awesome. Leyser guns are still naff though.

SinisterDexter is one of the best strips in 2000AD history and long may it continue. When the Prog consisted of Dredd, Sinister Dexter and Dante as permanent residents plus two guest strips, that was good for me, thanks very much.

Indeed if we could have a Dredd plus SinDex and Grey Area now that would work for me too. But I guess Dan Abnett has to sleep sometimes.  And write more Brink and Lawless too.

Colin Zeal

I complained a few pages back about what I viewed as the missed opportunities in this series (Slaine getting 10 volumes when you can walk into your local Forbidden Planet tomorrow and buy all of it but God forbid Red seas get a proper collection) Sin Dex also deserves a full collection and it's a shame it won't happen here because it clearly means Rebellion won't do it. Obviously they know their business better than I do and hate to criticise them about anything because they tend to be proven right but it would have been nice. And a Red Seas collection please Tharg.

Jade Falcon

Quote from: Magnetica on 04 September, 2018, 11:06:40 PM
Ro-Busters started in Starlord, appearing, if I am not mistaken, in every issue. If you want those stories, they have been reprinted in Nuts 'n' Bolts  volume one ( a sort of Mek Files but for Ro-Busters).

I already have the 'case files' size Ro-Busters that appeared a few years back, but was just noting how much was from Star-Lord.  I think some later stuff was 2000AD.  The artwork style changed dramatically as Starlords seemed far more detailed, though that's not to say that 2000AD's wasn't decent, just a different style.

Just what is Red Seas?
When the truth offends, we lie and lie until we can no longer remember it is even there, but it is still there. Every lie we tell incurs a debt to the truth. Sooner or later, that debt is paid. That is how an RBMK reactor core explodes. Lies. - Valery Legasov