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Nostalgia time:Harry 20 on the High Rock

Started by Jade Falcon, 30 June, 2020, 04:48:32 AM

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Jade Falcon

I'm sure a lot of us have been very affected by the whole lockdown, and without trying to sound self pitying, for me it's felt even worse because I have been diagnosed as clinically depressed with suicidal tendencies for some time now (even pre lockdown).  As a consequence I seem to find it difficult to focus on the stack of novels I have to read.

Therefore, I've been rereading a lot of my graphic novel collection.

The last one I did was "Harry 20 on the High Rock".  When I first joined this forum some time back I remember asking about it being reprinted and was lucky enough that someone was gracious enough to point out the US reprint.

Anyway.  For anyone who has read it, what are your opinions?

For me the story is a mixed bag.  If it was done today I think it could have done with more depth.  The guards like Chief Thrower, Pusser and the Warden, Worldwise could be given more characterisations, and some of the convicts wouldn't be quite so stereotyped, I mean...Swede 16? :)

Nevertheless, I do enjoy rereading this from time to time, but I don't know if this might be true, like a lot of stories I wonder if this was getting abruptly cancelled as it seemed that the ending was rushed.  I understand that there was a floppy follow up set some years later but I do not have that.
When the truth offends, we lie and lie until we can no longer remember it is even there, but it is still there. Every lie we tell incurs a debt to the truth. Sooner or later, that debt is paid. That is how an RBMK reactor core explodes. Lies. - Valery Legasov

Dandontdare

You have to question the fairness of a justice system based on number puns. "Judge: Your name's Swede?  Damn, I wanted to give you longer for all those rapes and murders but 'Swede Sixteen' cracks me up - Sixteen years!"

Tjm86

IIRC the 'follow up' was in either one of the SciFi specials of recent years or one of the EOY progs.  Henry Flint on art duties?

As far as the stereotypes go, that was a common feature of the prog at that time (early 80's ...).  You have to remember that this was roughly the same time as the Robocalls-Hunter World cup strip ... "Blakee Pentax!!!!" that descended into outright racism.

Alan Davies' artwork brings out the strip nicely and as a 'one-and-done' it works okay.  It's worth remembering that this would have been written at a time when Tooth was transitioning from being aimed at 'children' to trying to find a more mature voice.  I know folks will contest that idea but let's face it, originally it was not expected to last anywhere near as long as it had by that point, never mind today ...  So the superficial characterisation, in-your-face stereotypes and so on are hardly surprising.

I think overall though your review is pretty much on the money.  Oh, and on the diagnosis front, I think you'll find quite a high degree of empathy in these parts ... largely because so many of us also have similar diagnoses.  Take care my friend.


Colin YNWA

I know its a very popular thrill and it looks lovely for sure, but I struggle with it. Its a prime example of Gerry Finley-Day having a great idea, some neat concept but fumbling the execution. I don't mind the lack of depth as often that was the style of the time but it functionally doesn't work. Things happen to suit the plot on a level I just can't hand wave in the way I can others.

That said it has a massive place in folks hearts and is findly remember even though its was one story almost 40 years ago so its clear I'm missing something!

Hope you are feeling okay at the moment Jade Falcon.

Jade Falcon

As I say, it's an enjoyable enough piece of nostalgia, though I wonder if the 'war with Oceania' was a 1984 nod. I get the feeling if the story was done today we'd get more background on the world, the cause of the war, the alluded to Anglo/Soviet space program, and the mention of Rebel colonies. It made me wonder that guards have duty tours as that formed the part of one escape attempt yet it seemed there was only one warden, and for that matter chief of guards.

I guess there were never two people with the same name and sentence. :)
When the truth offends, we lie and lie until we can no longer remember it is even there, but it is still there. Every lie we tell incurs a debt to the truth. Sooner or later, that debt is paid. That is how an RBMK reactor core explodes. Lies. - Valery Legasov

broodblik

This was always a great thrill for me but I am a sucker for Gerry Finley-Day' work
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.

Bad City Blue

Writer of SENTINEL, the best little indie out there

Jade Falcon

I must admit that I thought the artwork was very nice, the shading was very good, an example being when Harry was dragged into the Wardens office with the hyno globe.  The frame where he is clubbed by Thrower is a great example.

You do get the brief idea that not all the guards are pure sadists, like when its ordered to scan Harry with a machine and one of the guards protests that it's possible to harm the convicts that way.  Obviously in a supermax prison you would need hard men to keep the real scum elements under control but you get the idea that while the High Rock might have been set up as a space born supermax that eventually it's just a dumping ground for anyone that doesn't agree with the authorities no matter how relatively mild the offence.
When the truth offends, we lie and lie until we can no longer remember it is even there, but it is still there. Every lie we tell incurs a debt to the truth. Sooner or later, that debt is paid. That is how an RBMK reactor core explodes. Lies. - Valery Legasov

Blue Cactus

[spoiler]'HOLY WEASEL! OLD BEN'S AN - ANDROID!'[/spoiler] blew my tiny mind as a kid. Having a shark/squid hybrid called a squark is also great. I have a lot of fondness for this story even though some elements as pointed out above are a little weak now. When I was wee the setting, the character design, the situation all worked for me, it felt genuinely tense and dangerous and I didn't have the progs with the ending so it took me years - decades in fact - to find out how the story ended!