Future Shock! Doc Gathering - 28th October London

[COMMANDO FORCES]

The screening for the Future Shock Documentary is on the 28th of October at 20:15 and as there are a lot of fans on here and on facebook going. Some of us have had a chat to see where would be a decent, close pub to meet up at before the showing.

This pub has been chosen The Mulberry Bush which as you can see is right next door to the evenings entertainment.

That's about it really and anyone that's there early save a seat for me, as I intend to be there around 16:00

[mick3666]

It's an unofficial DSDC drink.....Huzzah!!

[redbaz]

Looking forward to it and catching up with fellow Squaxx.

[Skullmo]

Didn't realise there was an evening showing! Got a crap seat but - booked!

[COMMANDO FORCES]

No need for the alarm, so excited that I woke up way before it! So looking forward to tonight as the documentary should be interesting & entertaining and made all the more enjoyable with the fellow forum members who will be there.

[blackmocco]

Enjoy, folks. The doc's fucking awesome.

[Proudhuff]

someone ask em when its touring round the sticks Independent cinemas? 

[Steve Green]

Just got back.


No news on other screenings - apart from Thought Bubble.

It's a very entertaining doc - and starts of with a gorgeous animated title sequence.

I missed having Mick in there (he said it wasn't his sort of thing apparently) - Alan Moore's absence was a given but I would loved to have seen a bit from Mick.

Great anecdotes from a lot of people, 'Cal's goldfish' was lovely.

Doesn't shy away from the Dark Ages as Pat calls them either.

[COMMANDO FORCES]

Some truly laugh out loud moments strewn through a very informative doc and as Steve says, the animation at the start was really enjoyable!

I recommend you all go see this, like now!

[TordelBack]

From the looks of my Twitter feed this morning, it appears that a viewing of this documentary may have caused Pat Mills and Dark Days Bish-Op to kiss and make up!   

This happy exchange alone justifies its existence.

From @PatMillsComics:

Includes section on the dark days of the @davidbishop /Andy Diggle era. I was most impressed by Dave who had the courage and integrity to acknowledge what went wrong on the comic during their era as editors. Thanks @davidbishop - it closes a grim chapter. I appreciate it.

From @davidbishop:

Hi @PatMillsComics - haven't seen @FutureShockDoc myself yet, but glad to hear you consider that chapter closed.

Fair play to two of my favorite comics gents!

[oshii]

I really enjoyed this.

It's a very professionally put together piece, (certainly a lot slicker than the 10 Years of 2000AD video from Speakeasy all hose years ago.  I'd love to see that again) which despite being comprised almost completely of shots of people talking while sitting in front of bookcases, holds your attention completely for its full duration and makes you wish it was a bit longer

Pretty much every creator/editor you'd want to hear from is there (Alan Moore, Mick McMahon and Steve MacManus excepted) and they're all pretty much great to listen to to.

Grant Morrison talks very fondly indeed about the comic and Zenith, which was nice to see.  I'd sort of assumed that the reprints of Zenith might have completely alienated him. 

Neil Gaiman gets a fair chunk of screen time because....well, because he's Neil Gaiman really.  Certainly more than most writers of just a Future Shock or two would get, and he's good value for it, if only for his anecdote about the time Alan Moore told him the complete story of Halo Jones ( no, he doesn't let slip any spoilers).

Matt Smith only gets a very fleeting appearance, whereas David Bishop and Andy Diggle feature extensively.  I got the feeling though that that's more because Matt's era seems to be less troubled and more stable than his predecessors.

Really though, whether you love or hate his writing, I'd defy anyone to see this and come away not thinking Pat Mills is a genius.  He's a towering presence in it and should be investigated for stookie use as he looks remarkably well preserved.


If you get a chance to see it, do. 

[Colin YNWA]

Shame Steve McManus choose not to appear (I assume). Such a towering presence over 2000ad his insight into his exception period as Tharg's little helper.

This of course in no way dampens my enthusiasm for this and can't wait to see it, just a shame such a significant figure didn't contribute.

[Steve Green]

There are a few other creators not interviewed - Al Ewing, Gordon Rennie for example.

From what I've heard there was more of a focus on the founders - although I'd like to have heard more from Cam - Ian Gibson and Alan Davis were absent as well.

Fantastic documentary though, must have been a herculean task editing it down to 95 mins, and I'd love to see a longer DVD edit with more of the creators.

I still think Pat gives Andy Diggle a hard time, it certainly seemed that he was the one that turned things around, even if he went about it badly.

[TordelBack]

I still think Pat gives Andy Diggle a hard time, it certainly seemed that he was the one that turned things around, even if he went about it badly.

Haven't seen the documentary, but agree with this: David Bishop may have heroically steered the comic through and somehow out of the doldrums and certainly got me back reading it, but it was Diggle's tenure on the Prog and Meg that injected it with the fresh energy it still enjoys. 

That said, crossing Pat always treads the line between bravery and stupidity.

Tasty omelette, but a shame about the eggs.

[Jim_Campbell]

I still think Pat gives Andy Diggle a hard time, it certainly seemed that he was the one that turned things around, even if he went about it badly.

It would be nice if Pat acknowledged that the trajectory for 2000AD under Burton/MacKenzie was a rapid spiral into cancellation and what he calls the 'dark days' were a herculean effort (largely by sheer determination when the title was owned by Egmont, given the lack of senior management support) on the part of John Tomlinson and then David Bishop to pull the title out of that nose-dive. IIRC, Andy's first day as official Right Hand Man of Tharg coincided with the Rebellion buy-out becoming official so, not diminishing Andy's brief but exciting tenure in any way, he at least had a more supportive management structure behind him.

As I've said before: it's possible to disagree with specific things that David and Andy did, and David has certainly acknowledged that things were done in haste that he might have done differently with hindsight, but I think it's broadly unarguable that something had to be done and, given that we didn't see a Jobsian return of Mills to the helm long-vacated in order to turn the ship around, I think it's churlish of Pat not to acknowledge the turnaround in the title's fortunes, even if he disagrees with some of the methods used to achieve it.

Cheers

Jim