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*Steps out of the shadows*

Firstly, congratulations to Wake on the new arrival!

I just thought I'd offer my opinions on recent progs and some comments made on this board.

Recent progs have been... interesting. I think that sums it up IMHO.

Does this weeks Dredd sow the seeds of Joe's demise? It's good to see a more reflective side to the character, especially given his 'age'. I'm looking forward to 'Leaving Rowdy Yates' but I just hope that the whole Dredd replacement arc will not leave us dissapointed - after all, does anyone really WANT to see Joe off the streets? Continuity of time lines etc. should be considered but I'd rather see it ignored than ruin, IMO, the best part of 2Kad.

Storming Heaven - Hmmm. Style over content? Very good looking artwork (as always) from Irving. I like the contrast between the good guys' 'eyegasm' and the subdued style given to the Charles Manson-alike especially the pencils in last weeks part. As for the story itself... A lot of you will know my opinion of Rennie's work, and that has not been changed by SH. It seems once again the artwork is carrying the story - in fact I find myself re-reading it and still wondering where the story was! I'm sure all will be made clearer in the coming weeks... I hope so, I WANT to like this one.

Shakara - I'm confused. I'm confused as to whether I actually like Flint's artwork or not - his filler pages for Helter Skelter were fantastic, but this just doesnt do it for me. I loved his take on Nemesis but hated Sancho Panzer. The jury is out on that one. I'm also confused about the story, and given the 'Unknown Lifeform' description thats possibly the point of the story, however, I will be skipping Shakara if I dont see some rhyme or reason to it pretty sharpish! Having said that, I did enjoy this weeks part - great story telling!

Bad Company - LOVE IT! I've not read the old stories and was a bit reluctant to read something that I know nothing of the backstory (of which there is lots!), but this grabbed me from the first instalment. Top writing, and art that fits the mood too (space raiders anyone? *crunch crunch*).

Dante - Fun story, great to see Simon Frazer back too. Cant wait for 1280.

I'll just mention Chris Blythe before I stop this overly long post. His work is getting better and better - Is Mark XIII actually saying he LIKES computer colouring?! Yup. And his Future Shock was quite entertaining too.

Right, thats it! Im going to do some work for a change.

Mark.

Oh yeah, hands up who's going to the bash?

Me, Me, ME ME!!

"Mark xiii, long time no see! How r u you roman numeral!"

A long time indeed. I'm doing great thanks (sold 3 album cover scribbles in the last 2 weeks!), how's yer cat?

"I think you should give the new stories a chance. They are in their infancy and you know how annoying children can be."

I'll give 'em a chance but stories about the end of the world *yawn* brought on by drugs just don't flick my switch. I was expecting a little more... Horror from Rennie and Irving - Looking forward to the Death story tho, that (slightly over exposed) picture is soooo cool.

And surely that should've read 400mg of LSD not "400mm"?

Wagner is still the best Dredd writer, but thats not a hard task if you consider some recent efforts involving potatoes and weed. The justice killer stories were the highlight of the year IMHO.

And with that I'm off into the shadows again.

Mark xiii


 

"Got a bunch of rejected samples back then, Mark?"

Errr... No. Just didn't like it.

"Stings, don't it."

I wouldn't know - Perhaps you should try some cream of some sort?

I gotta say i'm not impressed.

Awful Henry Flint art on Shakara.

Frazer Irving's Storming heaven artwork is good but he should put his crayons away and stick to what he does best - B&W. As for the story itself... *yawn* not another Rennie drug based mess, perrleeease!

Sin/Dex - Great art, shame about the story (again).

Dredd (1) - Uninspired story, but hey - GREG STAPLES IS BACK!

Dredd (2) - *yawn*

Memento - The only real saving grace in these 100 pages. Very good - But not worth ?3.95.

Two pages of letters (why?!)and two competitions for stuff thats been out for ages anyway. What is it with 'Top Ten' lists? Huh? Let ME decide on what I liked / disliked, dont fill a dozen pages with shit.

Lets hope Nikolai is good when I read it and it doesnt spoil Tsar Wars...

Mark XIII - Who will not be renewing his subscription.
 

Hello all (seems to be some fresh faces in here too...),

Probably a question for Wake or perhaps Scojo:

Can anyone tell me the prog (and Meg) #'s that Mrs Gunderson has appeared in?

If anyone has scans of the old dear that they could send me that'd be great! markyoud@madasafish.com

Ta v much like.

Mark_XIII

Wake,

Is there any chance of posting a few pages of the mighty Gibsons pencil work from the recent Dredd story? I'd also like to see the inks before the (awful) colour was added.

It would make this struggling artist very happy to see these if it's possible...

Thanks in advance,

Mark.

Flicking thru old progs I wondered if any current artists had their pics printed in the nerve centre when they were younger... Perhaps a quest for Wake?

Mark.

My vote for Meg reprints goes to Dark Horse's Aliens. Book 1 (in B&W), Book 2 (fantastic art!) and Earth War.

As for the age of the readership there's a letter from an 11 year old in this month who liked Lazarus because of the swearing - I'd say that 11 year olds shouldn't be reading stuff with adult content but then it's probably no different to what he hears in the school playground, not to mention what happens around the back of the bike sheds...

Mark

Anyone fancy talking about Scojo behind his back?

I'm gonna be in there for a while...

Mark - The bored at lunchtime.

I hope I have roast potatoes for dinner tonight.

I am so hungry I could eat a cow.

Hey, come over to mine tonight, we're having deep fried potatoes wrapped in the first 5 pages of this weeks 2000ad.

Might have roast lamb too if my friend has any spare.

No cows tho... Unless we invite Mr Comicus' large friend.

Mark.

>I have a friend who is a *30ft* bovine

Blimey! What strange friends you have. Did he/she enjoy the potato story?

>So, if I understand you, he thought a story that was a about Mad Cow disease and it's cause was funny, but he was offended because a pile of potatoes being burned reminded him a little of foot and mouth?

Yes, You do understand me.

Obviously it reminded him *a lot* of foot and mouth. Maybe because he saw his entire flock being carted off to be burned, but I might be wrong.

Some people do read too much into these throw-away comic book stories tho...

Mark.

Looks like someone has the wrong end of that stick.

In MY FRIENDS OPINION this weeks Dredd was tasteless.

In MY OWN OPINION it was just another one-off 'Filler Dredd' like any other. The only offensive part of that story was the computer colouring.

As far as the cow story is concerned, I will personally apologise to anyone that finds 50ft bovines insensitive.

Mark

Mark,

Weren't you working on a Future Shock submission witten by Nick Fortune?

Yup.

The point being, of course, that if your friend thought potato funeral pyres ws an insensitive reminder of the foot and mouth outbreak (a viewpoint which you seem to share)

Did I say, or seem to say, that I shared that POV? 'Cos I dont.

how do you think he would have reacted to a comedy Future Shock about cows?

He laughed.

Mark.

Well these farmers are touchy people. Personally I liked the story - It was a bit of a throw-away 'Filler Dredd' but then I'm all for the single parters.

My only gripe... Cliff Robinson. Well, not Cliff himself but the colouring. Once again I'm going to voice my opinion on techo-paint. I hate it. In certain hands it can look good (Flints filler pages on Helter Skelter for example) but when someone screws up the linework of an artist like Robinson it makes me wish for B&W Dredd stories.

Mark - Always serious.

I recently introduced a friend of mine to 2000ad. He inherited a farm from his late father a few years ago and has struggled for most of this year following foot & mouth. Can you see where I'm going with this?

I got an e-mail yesterday from this friend who asked the following:

>they dont seem to be very sensitive do they?

I take it he was referring to the last page of this weeks Dredd - Piles of burning carcasses.

>Whats next? Someone flying a spaceship into a building?

I dont think he's going to read 2000ad any more.