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Musings on The Small House.

Started by Tjm86, 03 November, 2018, 06:55:13 PM

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Leigh S

I can think of a few, but they aren't working for Tharg - Al Ewing being the closest I've come to thinking Dredd could be in safe hands post Wagner retirement. 

Possibly I still havent forgiven Rob Williams for that horse(!), but the tone of his strips seldom chimes with my idea of what "feels" right for Dredd - but then, he gets closer than Alan Grant, long time collaborator on many of my favourite thrills, so them's big tight boots to fill

Magnetica

Al Ewing would be good and I discounted him because as you say he hasn't worked for Tharg for ages.

With regard to the Small House, it is worth remembering that he wrote the Dredd parts of Trifecta

Frank

Quote from: broodblik on 04 November, 2018, 03:09:20 PM
Now we can see that (Wagner) is writing less and less every year.

There's one last story Wagner really wants to write*, and has pitched to Tharg on more than one occasion (with no success). It'd be his last, though, and Carlos is no longer around to draw it.


* I would like to write (Dredd's) death story, and have suggested it to Rebellion. I've thought about it for some time now. Fans have even suggested pooling their money together to get me and Carlos to create that comic. But, I couldn't do it without Rebellion's agreement. You never know. there may be an Elsewhere like story one day. (Dredd's Dark Knight) would be a lovely story to tell, but I would have to give it a lot more though. Something like (Dark Knight); not an epic, but maybe something as long as Dark Justice, a dozen or so episodes.

https://www.bleedingcool.com/2016/07/29/judge-dredds-creator-john-wagner-plans-to-kill-him-offf-forever/

broodblik

There is a few I can think off: Mike Carroll (I really liked his last story "The Paradigm Shift"), Rob Williams or even Gordon Rennie. El Ewing  am not sure (maybe because I really hated Zombo).
When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.

Old age is the Lord's way of telling us to step aside for something new. Death's in case we didn't take the hint.

Jim_Campbell

Quote from: Magnetica on 04 November, 2018, 05:34:57 PM
Al Ewing would be good and I discounted him because as you say he hasn't worked for Tharg for ages.

When Al was interviewed for the Thrill-Cast recently, he said fairly definitely that he's not finished with the House of Tharg, and anticipates a time when either his US commitments slacken off or he purposely makes time to do more 2000AD work.
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Jim_Campbell

Quote from: broodblik on 04 November, 2018, 06:32:23 PM
El Ewing  am not sure (maybe because I really hated Zombo).

Al's Dredds were consistently good, and often genuinely excellent. Felt like 'proper' Dredd without being slavishly Wagner-esque. I'd like to see Abnett take a consistent run at the strip, TBH. He's done a handful of admittedly run-of-the-mill episodes, but that was a long time ago and the quality of the work he's delivered for TMO in recent years suggests it might be worth giving him another crack at it.
Stupidly Busy Letterer: Samples. | Blog
Less-Awesome-Artist: Scribbles.

Magnetica

That's really good news about Al Ewing - I have fallen out of the habit of listening to the Thrillcast and so missed that.

As for Dan Abnett, I am fairly sure he would do an awesome job, but I wouldn't like to see it if it was detrimental to writing his other strips. What with Sinister Dexter, Grey Area, Brink, Kingdom and Lawless it already feels like he is writing half of Tharg's stories as it is.

Not to mention work elsewhere- so it beats me how he would find the time.

IndigoPrime

Anyone who's not convinced about Al Ewing's ability to do Dredd should find a copy of Hachette's Served Cold Dredd Mega Collection book (vol. 83); the only bad bit is realising that he may never do any more Dredd, frankly.

Richard

Al Ewing was brilliant and I'd love to see more from him.

It's unlikely that Carlos would have wanted to illustrate a Death of Dredd story even if he'd been asked to, since he refused to draw Alpha's death. But whoever the artist might be, I would sincerely like to see Wagner's vision of how that story should go, even if it was officially non-canonical.

Goosegash

Quote from: Magnetica on 04 November, 2018, 05:02:26 PM
Quote from: IndigoPrime on 04 November, 2018, 04:13:20 PM
At this point, you have to question why wafner would need to OK anything. Perhaps Tharg might ask him for a sanity check or second opinion, but if he's barely actively involved in the character now, perhaps it's time to pass the baton. The key, for me, is Dredd needs *someone* to be an anchor, whether that's Williams or someone else.

I guess I view it as a matter of respect and to be fair John has said he would be ok for others to write his 2000AD characters if he is no longer doing it. I still see him as a sort of "show runner" for Dredd (to borrow TV term).

If there was to be a new lead writer then I can think of no-one better than Rob Williams. Whether he has the time or interest, I have no idea.

The problem with no-one else but Wagner being permitted to tell the stories that "matter" in the wider Dredd universe has been building for a long time now, it was going to have to be addressed sooner or later. In the event I think the Big Guy has kind of forced the issue by all but stepping away from regular Dredd writing.

My feeling is that Williams more than anyone else is currently filling that vacuum, and the fact he got the TV show gig as well would seem to confirm Tharg puts a lot of faith in him to lead the direction of the overarching narrative.

OTOH, I'd be completely in favour of more Ewing in the Prog, having Dredd duties split between Rob and Al would be an ideal scenario to my mind.

JOE SOAP

Quote from: Richard on 04 November, 2018, 08:11:57 PM
It's unlikely that Carlos would have wanted to illustrate a Death of Dredd story even if he'd been asked to,

He was up for it.


Frank

Quote from: JOE SOAP on 04 November, 2018, 08:19:38 PM
Quote from: Richard on 04 November, 2018, 08:11:57 PM
It's unlikely that Carlos would have wanted to illustrate a Death of Dredd story even if he'd been asked to,

He was up for it.


Oh man, that's sad.

I know for a fact Carlos was prepared to draw exactly such a story, a little more than a year ago.



Richard

That's a great shame. Missed opportunity. Still think it's worth doing anyway though.

I don't think it needs to be the case that only Wagner is allowed to write major stories, just as long as someone consults him so that they don't write something that contradicts his own plans for the series.

Pete Wells

Great thread!

I'm loving The Small House but am with Tordelback in so much as I have some issues with the larger Titan storyline (the magic horse, invisible judges in the Halls of Justice (yuck,) Smiley in the cupboard etc.) I like my Dredd to be fairly grounded and many of these elements are just a little too fantastical for me. Add to that, that in recent years several other writers were all doing their own arcing epics too - some with very similar themes (so, so many corrupt judges, invisible sectors, Sov meddling) and it all just started to blend into one and get confusing... I'm not as young as I once was, y'see? Nurse!?! Where am I?

HOWEVER, rare Pete Wells moaning aside, The Small House has got me REALLY excited about Dredd again for the first time in years. The tension between Dredd and Hershey is amazing and I'm desperate to see the further ramifications of the story. I need to know what happens to Frank too, I love that guy! I really hope Rob will stick around for the long haul after it is finished.

We've all been saying it for years, Dredd needs a single, strong showrunner to keep it consistent and coherent. For me, if Dredd isn't on form, then my enthusiasm for the whole prog suffers. I really feel for Tharg, his job must be one of the hardest in the world!

broodblik

I do not mind multiple writers doing Dredd with each one having his on story-line but they should be coordinated.
When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.

Old age is the Lord's way of telling us to step aside for something new. Death's in case we didn't take the hint.