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Lack of love for the bundled "floppies"?

Started by sheldipez, 18 December, 2012, 12:52:06 PM

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Jacqusie

Lets face it, the quality has been pretty poor over the last few years in the floppy & I'm feeling a bit disconteded by having only 3-4 new strips in the Meg - the rest filler - while over at 2000ad at least I get 5 for less money!

Ditch the floppy - I'd like the space in the meg to be used for new & upcoming strips & creators like it used to. There is so much more in that direction I feel to better the Meg.

Si

NapalmKev

Keep the Floppy!

How about using it (on occasion) to showcase new talent? Sure, they wouldn't get paid much but it could be a chance to see your own work in Print, and maybe lead to bigger and better things in the future. I'd write something and give it for free just to see my name in print as a "Creator".

Yeah, I know; Crap Idea!

Cheers
"Where once you fought to stop the trap from closing...Now you lay the bait!"

SmallBlueThing

From an entirely selfish point of view, I say keep the floppy.  Yes,  it's true that the vast majority get piled up unread,  they do provide an easy source of strips when the mood takes me, without having to lug boxes about and unbag multiple comics, then refile them later.
Red Fang,  for example, has been buzzing around my conscious for a while,  and is now to hand. 

While having a complete set of everything renders any and all reprints an unnecessary luxury both in terms of cost and space,  at this point in my life,  38 years into buying the prog, I may as well embrace the plain fact that these things are essential to me,  and just go with it. 

The lack of FINN volume two,  however,  is a continual source of frustration.

SBT
.

Molch-R

Quote from: Fungus on 29 January, 2015, 11:27:01 PM
Yes, they clearly add to the cover price.

They don't. They were brought in to give added value to the magazine when the price had to rise due to rising production costs. Getting rid of the 'floppy' GN wouldn't bring the price down beyond a couple of pence.

Molch-R

Quote from: NapalmKev on 30 January, 2015, 08:23:29 AM
How about using it (on occasion) to showcase new talent?

That was tried for a period and unfortunately could not be sustained.

Skullmo

Quote from: Molch-R on 30 January, 2015, 09:47:54 AM
Quote from: Fungus on 29 January, 2015, 11:27:01 PM
Yes, they clearly add to the cover price.

They don't. They were brought in to give added value to the magazine when the price had to rise due to rising production costs. Getting rid of the 'floppy' GN wouldn't bring the price down beyond a couple of pence.

Whether they add to the price or not they definitely add value to the package and are one of the main reasons I get the Meg as I really prefer to read a story in one book - it means every meg you get a complete tale. I think they are a great thing, even when there are issues I don't necessarily like that much I understand that taste is a subjective thing and my passion may be another person's poison.
It's a joke. I was joking.

Theblazeuk

I have been reading 2000AD regularly for years, had access to a huge back catalogue of the Megs for a few months, and would always get anything from the House of Tharg when I saw it in the library. Oh and my dad had scattered copies of Eagle, american reprints et al in the loft.


I still haven't read 99% of the strips featured in the floppies. What I'm saying is I'm not a new reader by any definition but they add huge value for me, and were a big part of my decision to start getting the Meg as well as the prog in those early days (Which coincided with their launch as a regular thing).

Magnetica

Quote from: Molch-R on 30 January, 2015, 09:47:54 AM
Quote from: Fungus on 29 January, 2015, 11:27:01 PM
Yes, they clearly add to the cover price.

They don't. They were brought in to give added value to the magazine when the price had to rise due to rising production costs. Getting rid of the 'floppy' GN wouldn't bring the price down beyond a couple of pence.

Thanks for clearing that up - it is good to get the definitive word from one of Tharg's droids.

I had always assumed that the floppies had increased the cover price as Meg 274 was £2.99 and 275 was £4.99 and that was when the first floppy appeared, so it is good to know they don't.

As I said I don't often read them, buy hey given that they don't increase the cover price, then for me that is the end of the argument - may as well keep them.

And can I add my vote for more Finn - I would read that. Or SinDex.

sheridan

I have every:
- every prog
- every meg
- Starlord
- Crisis
- Revolver
- Lawman of the Future
very nearly every:
- Sci-fi/Winter/Mega-special
- annual
one or two copies of:
- Tornado
In short, I have just about every story which Rebellion has the rights to reprint.

Despite this, and even though I live in a typical London-sized flat and don't have a whole lot of space, I do not object to seeing the floppy every month (not even Fleisher's Harlem Heroes - though I can think of a hundred things that should have been republished first). As others have said, it's nice to be able to read a whole story each month without having to dig through ten or more comic bags in far-off boxes.

As for things I'd like to see again (which I don't think have been collected in recent graphic novels):
- a collection of Future Shocks, especially from the first decade
- I'd request the Stainless Steel Rat, but I'm guessing the estate of Harry Harrison would have something to say about that?
- some of the Tharg stories (Invasion of the Thrill-Snatchers stands out in my memory, but the box it's in is buried pretty deep at the mo, so I can't easily check)
- Ace Trucking Co
- Max Normal (not sure how many strips all those annuals and specials appearances would add up to)
- Helltrekkers
- some of the Diceman / Dice Man strips
- Metalzoic
- Luke Kirby
- another vote to complete Finn
- Revere
- finish off Calhab Justice

That should be enough to be going on with :-)

Jacqusie

One BIG vote for a truck load of Ace Trucking Co, that would go down well when having to shell out my bimms.


Rever is a no brainer for me- it should be way up there too!

Si

TordelBack

Is all of Ace Trucking not in the two case files? Admittedly it'd be nice to see the annual story in colour, but beyond that..?

The Enigmatic Dr X

I love the floppies even if I don't always read them

I get the Meg to read the Meg. The floppy is an added extra. It's like a lucky bag. I open up the Meg and think "I wonder what the floppy is", then am either pleasantly surprised or not. I'm never disappointed, as I don't expect anything.

That sounds like I'm damning with faint praise. I don't mean to do that. What I am getting at is that this is extra material - the cherry on top, the buscuit at the side - and if you don't like it then that's fine, as you didn't get the cake/ tea for the decoration.
Lock up your spoons!

sheridan

Quote from: TordelBack on 31 January, 2015, 08:03:10 AM
Is all of Ace Trucking not in the two case files? Admittedly it'd be nice to see the annual story in colour, but beyond that..?
Ace Trucking Co Volume One was (first) published seven years ago - I don't know how available that makes it presently?

sheridan

Quote from: sheridan on 31 January, 2015, 11:40:50 AM
Quote from: TordelBack on 31 January, 2015, 08:03:10 AM
Is all of Ace Trucking not in the two case files? Admittedly it'd be nice to see the annual story in colour, but beyond that..?
Ace Trucking Co Volume One was (first) published seven years ago - I don't know how available that makes it presently?
Oops - had a link all lined up and everything, then forgot to paste it:
http://www.2000adonline.com/books/ace-trucking-the-complete-vol-1.php

Skullmo

Quote from: sheridan on 31 January, 2015, 11:40:50 AM
Quote from: TordelBack on 31 January, 2015, 08:03:10 AM
Is all of Ace Trucking not in the two case files? Admittedly it'd be nice to see the annual story in colour, but beyond that..?
Ace Trucking Co Volume One was (first) published seven years ago - I don't know how available that makes it presently?

Lets imagine you were a magician who could make things happen with a swish of your hand - would you prefer them to reprint it over multiple floppies? Or just reprint the Ace Trucking Volume 1?
It's a joke. I was joking.