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I've just finished reading the 40 issue ongoing series of Grendel from Comico back in the day and was going to simply sing its praises over at the 'What I've been reading' thread. Thinking on though having finished it I couldn't help dwelling on how Matt Wagner has a lot of fans on the board (I think) and how he deserves a go at getting a thread dedicated to his work.

Grendel was quite, quite brilliant. When Wagner started the series he hit upon a wonderful way to sustain it beyond the original incarnation of the character. Its one that's been done a lot since but I'm not sure how much before hand? Grendel became an entity that possessed different people, the devil incarnate. Thus this ongoing was in fact a series of ongoing mini-series. It starts with a quite stunning examination of hate, anger and desperation with Christine Sparr hunting her missing son and springs to boundless other ideas examining similar themes from there.

The format enabled the inspired Matt Wagner to really take the shackles off and run rampant with experimentation. As with 2000ad not all of it worked, the vast majority does, but even when it doesn't you're glad you've read it and had the chance to judge. Its really is a fantastic examination in what a comic can do with a core concept, some flexible, open themes and the ambition of a young creative mind not willing to settle for the norm.

Oh and its a bloody engaging exciting read to.

So yeah that's just Grendel. Alongside his work on Mage a glorious autobiography of sorts and some of the best mainstream superhero work out there when he's delved that way I have now decided that Matt Wagner has joined that other Wagner in my top five comic writers of all time. He truly deserves to sit alongside the greats (in no order) John Wagner, Grant Morrison, John Smith and Jack Kirby as the best creators I have ever read and when you think about some of the astonishing talent not in that list (I might start a favourite writers thread since I had some thoughts on this after finishing Grendel - and we love lists don't we!) that is no mean claim.

So yeah if anyone fancies lets all sit down, flex our fingers and type in praise of one of comics greats. Arguably the most under-rated of them all Matt Wagner.

Some more 2015 releases to stock the long term fires!

http://comicsbeat.com/new-titles-from-titan-books-summer-2014-spring-2015/

Again from The Beat (and I'll be further polluting the board with talk of next year in that other thread what I did start) news of some great stuff from Titan.

http://comicsbeat.com/new-titles-from-titan-books-summer-2014-spring-2015/

They're repackaging some Charley's War stuff unsurprisingly this year, but this is the one that's got me all gooey with excitement.

The Complete Johnny Nemo
Peter Milligan, Brett Ewins
On Sale Date: October 7, 2014
$19.99 USD / $22.95 CAD
Hardback
Comics & Graphic Novels / Science Fiction
9781782760702, 1782760709
Summary: A futuristic noir collection featuring Johnny Nemo – an ultra-violent, foul-mouthed PI from dystopian London 2921.
Johnny Nemo: Existentialist Hitman of the Future – a streetwise PI who deals in death...and simple solutions to complex problems! A provocative and hilarious satire
Story Locale: Futuristic, dystopian London Year 2921

Heard talk of this so great to finally see some detail. Can't wait.

Is the floppie with this one the second Black Siddha volume?

Hold on, hold on this isn't fair.

If you're going to be forming an angry mob to chase me out of town I at least deserve to have a stone castle with a strong wooden door to bolt behind me at the top of a narrow flight of stone steps. My man cave just isn't a secure stronghold from which is plot my evil plots!

I have a lot of time for Alex Ronald's work from the late 90s but there's no denying he divides option, or certainly did his current stuff seems to meet almost universal approval. Even some of his writers have said less than pleasant things here as I recall.

For me he's an artist that really showed progression at an astonishing rate and by the end of his first spell with The Galaxies Greatest he's among my favourite of the period and I have a lovely Missionary Man page by him in my original art collection (good range of shots as it goes too). I'm one of those wrong headed people (I say cos we do seem to be very much in the minority) that prefers his old inking style to his new more 'painted' current work, though that is nice too.

Dragging this back on topic around the time he did Rogue Trooper there was also some changes on Dredd 'The Pit'. Now while Dredd always has a rota of artists I do wonder if this story was well served by some of the latter choices and whether they were planned or came about due to Ezquerra and MacNeill who started the story not being available to finish it? I dream of a version of that greatest (well possibly) of Dredd epics by just those two in the way Cursed Earth, that greatest (possibly) of Dredd epics has just McMahon and Bolland.

Seems ridiculously early to be starting a thread about titles out next year BUT over at The Beat they've come across listing for DCs trades for the next year! Very good reading it is too, some nice stuff on the way.

http://comicsbeat.com/new-titles-from-dc-comics-fall-2014-and-spring-2015/

Amongst the titles is

Enigma (New Edition)
Peter Milligan, Duncan Fegredo
On Sale Date: January 6, 2015
$17.99 USD / $20.99 CAD
208 pages Paperback / softback / Trade paperback (US)
Comics & Graphic Novels / Fantasy
9781401251314, 1401251315
Summary: ENIGMA is a thought-provoking post-modern tale of self-discovery and sexual identity told against the backdrop of improbable super-heroes and villains. Michael Smith lives a meaningless life of routine and boredom. But when Enigma, his favorite childhood comic book hero, inexplicably comes to life, Smith finds himself on an obsessive crusade to uncover the secret behind his improbable existence. Teaming with Enigma's comic creator, Smith encounters an insanity-inducing psychopath, a brain-eating serial killer, and a suicide-inciting clown posse as his quest uncovers hidden truths about both his idol and himself. This new edition of the Vertigo classic is written by Peter Milligan (JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK, RED LANTERNS) with kinetic art by Duncan Fegredo (SHADE THE CHANGING MAN).
Collects ENIGMA #1-8.

Now this came out just as I was drifting from comics and like so many other things from my wilderness years I've never go around to catching up with it (also see from the very list above Y: Last Man and 100 Bullets softback editions of which I think I'll be snapping up as well). As this however keeps appearing when people discuss their favourite Pete Milligan work I'm all over this. Looking forward to it.

Not seen it mentioned here, but sorry if I missed it. In the second part of the ECBT 2000ad Pat Mills interview it was revealed that Flesh will return with Clint Langley on art. Some way off as its not even written yet so will be a while.

In two minds about this, really pleased the story is coming back but not convinced Clint Langley is the artist I want to see on the series. Still will have to wait and see and hope it all turns out lovely.

Some really intriguing stuff in that Special by the sound and really looking forward to seeing what's in there BUT have to agree with Adventurer would personally much prefer to see Samantha finish up her story rather than her Granddad being rolled out again.

Come on what could possibly go wrong with returning a replacement character that wasn't that popular in the first place, which created division amomgst the creative droids (apparently) and got left with a now 7 year old cliffhanger that very few readers either remember or care about... damnit I'm not helping my case there am I...

...where's Grant Goggins to fight ya corner when you need him?

Covered better by Thrill Power Overload than I ever will (and I'm sure more folk to follow here) but at that time stories didn't have defined length and so drifted along and then a writer would be given short notice to wrap things up. In the specific case of Inferno this was added to by the fact that the strip got into real trouble over some murderous story and art choices that got the comic into real trouble with the higher ups at IPC after slipping through editorial and so some of the material was heavy edited to avoid all that 'Action' nonsense.

Oh I was looking forward to this one as its a great old discussion but most of what I'd have said has been covered. Photo-reference can be super and fine I think my problem with Greg Land is pretty much what Tordelback has said. The elements of finding pictures that don't serve the story well to use, inconsistency in look is added to by a style that just looks so photo-referenced, it looks stilted and artificial.

When I look at Alex Maleev, equally photo-reference I get a completely different feeling. To the extend when I first read that was how he worked I was a little shocked and surprised, which in retrospect is daft as it is quite clear. However his work on Daredevil is so well do, so atmospheric and crafted to serve the story that it really works and sulks me a long for the ride.

With Clint Langley I have two reactions I really enjoy his work on ABC Warriors, a few exceptions aside (I remember the wife of the president of Mars really jarring) as that artificial mechanical look really works. On Slaine which I want to feel should look more organic it really just didn't work for me.

... so I guess as with all things art its horses for course but I have to be honest Greg Land's art was ONE of the factors that meant I didn't end up checking out Mighty Avengers.

It all looked bloomin' marvelous too. Great stuff.

Well that was the way to lead into an launch prog. That was a great wrap up Prog. Great.

I stated in last weeks review thread that Dredd gets battered so much that there's little worth in showing his recovery and this week Rob Williams and Henry Flint so me what a damned fool I am. While its a million miles from Dredd in the Speed heal (though it does appear!) its a simply wonderful epilogue to Titan and one would hope foreshadows things to come. Brilliant.

Pat Mills plays to his audience suggesting the next blast of nostalgia will get people giddy with excitment giving us [spoiler]the return of Ro-Busters[/spoiler] spoilers as request Link Prime but I'd avoid them if I was you. Its a nice treat.

Three shorts wrap things up. A nice Grey Area that while I'm not a big fan of the Birdy being jealous thing moves everything alone well while giving us another nice Abnett concept. The 3riller was a really nice ending and one I didn't see coming.

The Future Shock was quite superb as well. The only complain I'd have is the four pages never quite gave us why the devastated wasteland was a 'utopia' as opposed to a last resort and this one might have done with an extra page just to fill in a little of what had happened in the rest of the world. Still David Baille shows us once again with two great shorts this week (end of 3riller and this one) that Tharg has a new generation of writing droids bubbling under nicely.

Superb Prog.

Has the Bojefferies stuff landed with anyone yet? I'm guessing Top Shelf have it out but whether its made it to the UK or we're meant to wait for a UK specific printing from the main booksellers before it arrives there? I'm hoping to get to my nerd shop later so might be there?

Another Slaine one but one of considerable differences for me. The Angie Kincaid, Belardinelli, McMahon triumvirate on the first run.

While the latter two may have been planned swaps to help with time (??? I really do need to read Thrillpower Overload to remind myself of this stuff) the impact has been significant on the strip going forward I feel. The high contrast between the three has meant the strip has had a very flexible visual style throughout its long run.

It interests me that McMahon's take while massively popular, well received and critically lauded could be said to have left its make least on the strip ... I'm no artist, nor art critic so this could go badly wrong from here. McMahon's earthy, dirty, ancient art and for many including myself the best the strip has ever had, didn't seemed to get picked up on. Where as Belardinelli's more lush, Vallejoesque work (certainly in the world he created around the characters themselves) seems to have influenced the strip more? A big part of this may of course have been the way Pat Mills took the strip always struck me as a shame.

Really looking forward to the new Simon Davis stuff as from the little I've seen this strikes me as possibly a return to this earthier look?