Michael Fleisher, 75 (https://www.newsfromme.com/2018/03/13/michael-fleisher-r-i-p/), best known for his comics in the US, but also one-time script droid. He passed away on 2 February, though the news has only emerged in the last 24 hours.
The work he did for 2000AD comprised:
- Junker
- Rogue Trooper
- Harlem Heroes
Looking at his bibliography, his pre-tooth work looks a lot more interesting.
Never nice to hear of someones passing.
I know that he was not the favorite writer but I must confess I enjoyed Junker. Was there any reprints of Junker ?
While I don't get on with much of his 2000ad work, and in my re-read I'm heading into the period where much of his work sits so lets see if I re-evaluate, his Jonah Hex stories from the 70s are great fun and well worth checking out in the DC Showcase Presents volumes if you enjoy a good schlock western as I do.
Always sad to hear of the passing of someone who has contributed to the Galaxies Greatest whatever we think of the quality of that contribution.
Junker was reprinted in Quality Comics: https://comicvine.gamespot.com/junker/4050-51386/
I don't recall any other reprint.
In a perverse way I enjoyed Junker also. John Ridgeway was a big contributer to my enjoyment to be fair. Never the less a sad bit of news. RIP Michael. Z
As a big fan of Marvel's Conan series, I found a new appreciation for Fleisher in reading Savage Sword (and less so, his work on the colour monthly after Roy Thomas left). Sad to hear he's died, and 75 is too young these days.
Plus, I liked Junker when I read it a few years ago.
SBT
I've only read his 2000AD work, and it's such a shame that for many British readers that is our entire experience of him, as conveyed by the latest post on ECBT2000AD (https://2000ad.wordpress.com/2018/03/14/michael-fleisher-belated-rip/).
Shame to hear. Hope Tharg will do a small mention or starscan.
Junker was reprinted in a Megazine floppy a few years ago. Shouldn't be too hard to find on eBay.
RIP Michael Fleisher.
Sad news indeed.
Sad news indeed. While I don't think Fleisher was suited to 2000AD, it's worth remembering the infamous 'paid for it, have to print it' edict that resulted in reams of his scripts being published without any real editorial mandate, which made it seem like his prolific work was swamping the Prog for months on end. Hard to create a favourable impression when you're presumably receiving no critical feedback when scripts are submitted and left to pile up in a drawer, and are then later run under duress.
Enough people have said good things about his non-2000AD for me to believe that the man was a considerable talent, and I too harbour a secret soft spot for Junker. RIP.
Quote from: BPP on 15 March, 2018, 03:48:38 PMJunker was reprinted in a Megazine floppy a few years ago.
It was? I don't remember that.
Quote from: IndigoPrime on 15 March, 2018, 07:08:13 PM
Quote from: BPP on 15 March, 2018, 03:48:38 PMJunker was reprinted in a Megazine floppy a few years ago.
It was? I don't remember that.
Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judge_Dredd_Megazine#Reprints) doesn't list Junker anywhere...
I was very pleasantly surprised to learn just how interesting his work for American publishers was. He scripted the original Shade the Changing Man in collaboration with Steve Ditko's plots, and also did some of The Creeper with Ditko under the same "Marvel-style" writing. These were seriously entertaining comics, and it's a shame that his 2000 AD work wasn't... but you can see why the Tharg of the day wanted Fleisher to work for the weekly.
Quote from: BPP on 15 March, 2018, 03:48:38 PM
Shame to hear. Hope Tharg will do a small mention or starscan.
Junker was reprinted in a Megazine floppy a few years ago. Shouldn't be too hard to find on eBay.
You're not mixing it up with 'Trash' are you? I did.
Quote from: James Stacey on 16 March, 2018, 09:30:16 AM
You're not mixing it up with 'Trash' are you? I did.
Which was written by Paul Kupperberg, another US writer with a fine track record who proved fairly unsuitable to the 2000AD format...
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 16 March, 2018, 10:24:34 AM
Quote from: James Stacey on 16 March, 2018, 09:30:16 AM
You're not mixing it up with 'Trash' are you? I did.
Which was written by Paul Kupperberg, another US writer with a fine track record who proved fairly unsuitable to the 2000AD format...
Blimey, that never registered with me! Pretty sure I have a Phantom Stranger run by him (and Mignola?) that I really rated, and did he do Vigilante too? Certainly can't blame a Tharg for trying!
Always sad to hear of the death of a creator droid; thank you for passing it on.
You know, I think it would be possible to put together a tribute reprint collection, but for maximum impact it would work best to just pluck out single episodes from his Rogue and Junker. The long-form plots were not up to snuff, but when it comes to ultraviolence and mean-spirited heroes and villains, he had plenty of 2000ADish ideas.
Quote from: AlexF on 16 March, 2018, 12:06:47 PM
You know, I think it would be possible to put together a tribute reprint collection, but for maximum impact it would work best to just pluck out single episodes from his Rogue and Junker.
I'd vote for a floppy reprint of The Saharan Ice Belt War- his strongest stint on Rogue IMO, with some pretty good early artwork by the Coleby Droid.
I would really like a re-print of his work on Junker and also the complete Friday
Quote from: broodblik on 16 March, 2018, 01:56:00 PMand also the complete Friday
I suspect that wouldn't be the best-selling book from the house of Tharg. (That said, a War Machine book in the 2000 AD UC, with a few back-up strips from Smith and Fleisher could work.)
I think the most recent War machine Collection (either the GN or the Meg floppies) DOES in fact include the Smith-scripted Friday tales, and maybe even one of the Fleisher ones from the Rogue Trooper Annual (which is full of some curios set in between 'War Machine' and 'Golden Fox Rebellion', and do a bit of work to set up a new status quo for Fr1day.
But trust me, you don't want a 'Complete Fr1day' collection.
The current Rebellion collection of War Machine includes two Fleisher stories from annuals as backup:
https://shop.2000ad.com/catalogue/graphic-novels/rogue-trooper/GRN471
I'm not going to bullshit you here, I didn't like anything he did for 2000ad. But his takeover from Steve Ditko on the original Shade the Changing Man was good. Haven't read anything else he did.