Forthcoming Thrills - 2020

[The Amstor Computer]

Well, that's exactly what happened last time there was a Regened issue - so that's what I fully expect to happen 4 times next year. I think having to finish all 5 stories together once every 12 progs or so wouldn't be viable. It would also mean there could be no long-form series.

Fair, though I think that having four to fit in and with the experience of the previous one to bring to bear, it's more likely that that won't happen again.

re: long-form series. Could be blanking, but have we had anything running for more than 12 episodes or so in ages?

[MumboJimbo]

re: long-form series. Could be blanking, but have we had anything running for more than 12 episodes or so in ages?

The last Brink definitely did. All the current stories except Dredd are up to episode 11, and are due to run, I think, until the Christmas special in 2 or 3 progs' time, so I guess they'll just exceed that.

I think everything will just be put on hold for a week, like last time.

[wedgeski]

Reserving judgement. The last one was mostly okay. How many jump-on progs do we normally have a year?

[Tjm86]

.... something that boosts their sales, why would you not support it?

Fair point but then again as we've already said, if it is only a small blip and actually puts people off because the next one is too different ...?  Still think the special would be the better way to go, or as has been suggested, a separate ongoing. 

Plus Rebellion, for the love of all that is holy, get more of the treasury stuff out.  I'm fed up with my nipper nagging me to death about when the next one is (okay now we know but still ...)

[IndigoPrime]

I get the impression last year that Regened wasn't necessarily planned to be a normal Prog (although that may well be wrong). Scheduling must be nightmarish for Tharg regardless, but I would hope with four of these rocking up in 2020 that he's going to deal with long-running series prior to each breakpoint.

As for the other suggestions, I'm sure an ongoing would be better, but it would also be a massive risk and colossally expensive to launch. Specials are nightmarish, too, because they all cost money to get on the shelves. (This is why you quite often see titles shift names but not codes in WHSmith. They're taking existing slots. Or you see things like Lego magazines with different covers but all technically under one 'banner' title. I've no idea if this is how Rebellion is dealing with the slew of specials next year, mind.)

[The Amstor Computer]

I get the impression last year that Regened wasn't necessarily planned to be a normal Prog (although that may well be wrong). Scheduling must be nightmarish for Tharg regardless, but I would hope with four of these rocking up in 2020 that he's going to deal with long-running series prior to each breakpoint.

Was there not an issue with the FCBD that led to Regened being slotted in as a one-off special prog? Or am I conflating a previous issue Rebellion had with the FCBD with it?

[broodblik]

The schedule of the regen issues implies that we will not get a jump-on-prog in 2020.  A pity since prog 2200 would have been one point where we would have another bumper 48 page prog. As it stands I hope the schedule do not split the stories - I do not like these mid-season breaks.  Either bring us a monthly or quarterly regen prog.

[Colin YNWA]

Its fascinating that folks are so opposed to this. I understand the idea that interrupting ongoing runs would be bad, but the issues suggested, I'd guess, of course I don't know, will be at natural relaunch points.

As for the stories lets wait and see. While we do lets not forget that many of the stories hailed in these parts from the early days are aimed at kids cos 2000ad was a kids comic. So to be opposed to these stories on principle of who they are aimed at seems odd in my eyes. Anyone who is a fan of stories from the first 500 issues (we can wrangle about the specifics later) is a fan of kids comics.

[Steve Green]

I get the impression last year that Regened wasn't necessarily planned to be a normal Prog (although that may well be wrong). Scheduling must be nightmarish for Tharg regardless, but I would hope with four of these rocking up in 2020 that he's going to deal with long-running series prior to each breakpoint.

Was there not an issue with the FCBD that led to Regened being slotted in as a one-off special prog? Or am I conflating a previous issue Rebellion had with the FCBD with it?

That was the case as far as I'm aware - which is why the FCBD was reprint from the IPC humour comics.

[Steve Green]

Its fascinating that folks are so opposed to this. I understand the idea that interrupting ongoing runs would be bad, but the issues suggested, I'd guess, of course I don't know, will be at natural relaunch points.

As for the stories lets wait and see. While we do lets not forget that many of the stories hailed in these parts from the early days are aimed at kids cos 2000ad was a kids comic. So to be opposed to these stories on principle of who they are aimed at seems odd in my eyes. Anyone who is a fan of stories from the first 500 issues (we can wrangle about the specifics later) is a fan of kids comics.

I don't think you can seriously compare the tone of some of the stuff that we had in the first 500 progs with that of a 2020 all-ages comic.

We're also not 12 (delete age as applicable), the memories and nostalgia we have of those stories are all tied up in our childhoods. Something that's new doesn't have that.

I'm already mostly lapsed these days with the prog and the meg, and sticking the last regened in the middle of a run of stories just encouraged me to skip it.

Best of luck to them, but it's not something I'm interested in.

[Jim_Campbell]

The schedule of the regen issues implies that we will not get a jump-on-prog in 2020.

No, it doesn't. Wrap all the stories, as usual pre-jump-on-Prog; do a Regened issue; do a jumping-on-Prog. Not really rocket science.

Also, I'm not really sure how often this needs to be explained, but... the high street market and associated distribution network is (bafflingly, I'll admit) actively resistant, to the point of hostility, towards new product.

It was explicitly stated on the Thrillcast that 2000AD's distributor nixed the idea of doing the Regened issue as a special because Rebellion had 'enough specials' coming out this year. Somehow, they've managed to get about six extra specials onto the schedule next year — which of them would you like to see replaced with four Regened specials?

Since I think (hope) we're all equally convinced that 2000AD has to find new readers before all us old farts start dying off, if you really don't want to read the Regened issues, maybe buy them anyway and pass them on to a younger reader...? Unlike last year, at least this time you can reassure them that there'll be a new one along each quarter.

These are small steps, but they're undeniably positive ones that reflect an attempt to grow the readership in a difficult market and against structural resistance to new product.

As such, I think they deserve our support.

[Colin YNWA]

Its fascinating that folks are so opposed to this. I understand the idea that interrupting ongoing runs would be bad, but the issues suggested, I'd guess, of course I don't know, will be at natural relaunch points.

As for the stories lets wait and see. While we do lets not forget that many of the stories hailed in these parts from the early days are aimed at kids cos 2000ad was a kids comic. So to be opposed to these stories on principle of who they are aimed at seems odd in my eyes. Anyone who is a fan of stories from the first 500 issues (we can wrangle about the specifics later) is a fan of kids comics.

I don't think you can seriously compare the tone of some of the stuff that we had in the first 500 progs with that of a 2020 all-ages comic.

We're also not 12 (delete age as applicable), the memories and nostalgia we have of those stories are all tied up in our childhoods. Something that's new doesn't have that.

I always find the statement '...can't seriously compare' or similar a funny one as to compare is to pull out the contrasts not just the similarity. Anyway I'm being petunlant and unfair to Steve there.

The point I was trying to make was not that it will be the same as the first 500 issues, I wouldn't want it to be... well I would be we shouldn't... as we have those. The point I was trying to make was to dismiss something because you are not its direct audience is odd to me. A well crafted comic tale, be it aimed at child, or whomever is a well crafted comic tale and can be enjoyed as such. I site the first 500 issues as examples of just that. That isn't driven by nostalgia alone, but appreciation of good craft and storytelling for many who enjoy those stories there is no nostaglia. Just as a good kids movie is a good movie. A good kids book is a good book... etc etc

[Greg M.]

There's a difference between objectively appreciating the quality of such products and finding them personally appealing. I'll happily read kids' comics from the past, but I've no interest in reading brand new ones. I'm not complaining about the Regened issues  – I'll just stick them in my classroom library and let some junior-years pupils look at them – but from what I recall, some of the stories in the last one were about as far as you could possibly get from what I'd be interested in reading. (Ironically, the one I found most incomprehensible and out-of-place is the one that seems to be transitioning to 2000AD proper.)

[Steve Green]

Its fascinating that folks are so opposed to this. I understand the idea that interrupting ongoing runs would be bad, but the issues suggested, I'd guess, of course I don't know, will be at natural relaunch points.

As for the stories lets wait and see. While we do lets not forget that many of the stories hailed in these parts from the early days are aimed at kids cos 2000ad was a kids comic. So to be opposed to these stories on principle of who they are aimed at seems odd in my eyes. Anyone who is a fan of stories from the first 500 issues (we can wrangle about the specifics later) is a fan of kids comics.

I don't think you can seriously compare the tone of some of the stuff that we had in the first 500 progs with that of a 2020 all-ages comic.

We're also not 12 (delete age as applicable), the memories and nostalgia we have of those stories are all tied up in our childhoods. Something that's new doesn't have that.

I always find the statement '...can't seriously compare' or similar a funny one as to compare is to pull out the contrasts not just the similarity. Anyway I'm being petunlant and unfair to Steve there.

The point I was trying to make was not that it will be the same as the first 500 issues, I wouldn't want it to be... well I would be we shouldn't... as we have those. The point I was trying to make was to dismiss something because you are not its direct audience is odd to me. A well crafted comic tale, be it aimed at child, or whomever is a well crafted comic tale and can be enjoyed as such. I site the first 500 issues as examples of just that. That isn't driven by nostalgia alone, but appreciation of good craft and storytelling for many who enjoy those stories there is no nostaglia. Just as a good kids movie is a good movie. A good kids book is a good book... etc etc

It's not just that.

The format just doesn't do much for me in regular 2000 AD, and I got sick of the TBC format which seemed to crop up in a lot of the specials.

I'd rather have something more substantial, regardless of the age group.

Honestly I've got more than enough unread and unwatched to last me without adding more to the pile.

Which is broadly why I've stopped reading the prog and meg for the most part, and has been going on for a good couple of years - documented in the old 'is it me or the prog thread'

It's not limited to 2000 AD, I just don't have the appetite for a lot of film and TV, like Marvel/DC/Star Wars etc these days.

[rs_jr]

is there a list for the expected graphic novel releases for next year?

thanks