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Topics - Buttonman

#1
Events / Colin MacNeil Live in Paisley - March 2nd 2020
14 February, 2020, 07:42:17 PM
Colin to chat over his career with the always entertaining John McShane in the always lively Paisley.

Not convinced? Tickets are free! Get them here : Eventrbrite for your free tickets!

See you there!
#2
This subber's special came in yesterday and it's a fun and gratefully received item.

Rob Williams' script is a bit familiar, with another favourite children's TV performer falling from grace, but good fun and I like Will Simpson's art. The actual poster itself is great too - I take it this was specially commissioned and not just a Necropolis leftover? Dredd v Dredd with Dark Judges - lovely stuff.

The red enamel badge is a thing of beauty too - nicely made with a warming message to boot.

It's nice that Tharg makes the effort to reward we who sub.
#3
As of today, November 18th 2019 I am exactly 500 days away from turning 50 years old on April 1st 2021.



With this in mind I thought it was a good time to take stock and plan ahead for the big day. Of course it wouldn't be me to do something worthwhile or philanthropic so let's get into the minutiae of my exciting life.

I accept this is very self indulgent and you are of course more than welcome to ignore this thread. It would be fun though if anyone fancied joining me in this journey of self improvement and posted their progress also.

What are the challenges? Glad you asked...

Lose Weight : I bored people before about my yo-yo dieting but I need to be slim for my 50th portrait. The BMI calculator tells me that as a 5ft 10 inch male I should be 12 and a half stone or 175 lbs. I'm presently 16 stone or 224 lbs so that's 49 lbs to lose before 50. This is well within my abilities as I previously went from 17st 8lbs to 12st 10 lbs which was a 68lb loss and I did that in about a year. This target will be attained through diet and exercise and possibly an amputation or two.

Update Blogs regularly : get The W Movie Blog  to 350 (presently 261) and THE Definite Article Movie Blog to 250 (presently 135) : Who doesn't like reading ill informed and badly written blogs about films that start with a 'W' or with a 'The'? Most people, but never mind that. I have found myself spending a lot of time rewatching old sitcoms so this challenge will encourage me to watch crappy films instead. The targets demand 204 entries across both blogs. Can it be done? Well my planner and hard drive have enough films, so it's just the time it takes to watch and write them up that will be the issue.

Update the Lettersentertainyou thread for each letters publication event : Another self indulgent one (aren't they all?) but what the hell I like going into forensic detail on all matters Letters, and making poor puns about people's names. Demanded by none and read by fewer this is the one for the masochists only!

Average 12,500 steps a day : easy one to monitor on the Fitbit, this one will be hard to fudge and it's constant too. This will tie into challenge one - the more you walk the more weight you lose. Unless you are walking to the chippy. Working days will be tough but a few 30k hikes over the weekends will up the average.

Current total is 10,331 per day.



Get 105 Letters Printed - I've been sat on 99 for too long. One every 83 days should be doable, especially as I plan to write in after every issue. My best year amounted to 14 printed, so this should be a shoo in.

Pass ACII : I restarted my insurance exams last year when the work introduced pay bumps for passing. I had left my efforts to gather dust for 25 years but managed to get the Diploma in a year after my past credits were allowed. I need 95 points to get the ACII and that needs 4 subjects or 11 papers. This timescale will be tight as our learning support people take a month to get the books out to you.

Get on TV Again : Everyone remembers my great appearances of 'First Class', 'Weakest Link', '15-1' and '!mpossible'. Now whenever I meet anyone after time apart they ask 'When are you going to be on TV again?'. Time to nail this ghost to the coffin. I will apply to a game show a month until I get on one.

Bag 50 Munros in total. Munros are Scottish mountains over 3000ft - about 1000m. There are 282 of them and I have climbed 39. This gets harder as I have done most in the Central belt and that means travelling further afield. My regular walking companion has also gone AWOL so I may have to cultivate new friends. 11 in 500 days should be doable - some folk mange that in a couple of outings!

So there you are - 8 steps to a full and wasted life! Anyone want to sign up to do something similar? I appreciate doing it privately has more dignity and leaves one open to less embarrassment and ridicule, but if you don't make it public it's too easy to let it drift.

I'll update once a month as close the the 1st as possible so that's only 17 scroll bys to go!

#4
Other Reviews / Invasion 1984!
23 May, 2019, 10:41:16 PM
The exclamation point is theirs, not mine!

Has anyone read this recently released cracker from The Treasury of British Comics?

It was a must buy for me as I'd never heard of it and an alien invasion of the world is a good starting point for any story. Oh and it's Wagner/Grant with Eric Bradbury on art.

Firstly the book is lovely. Brilliant reproductions of the black and white pages with the covers in full colour inserted into the pages - two or three are story covers that are 'continued inside' so it's great they have been preserved.

It only runs for 128 pages but it crams a lot in and I gorged it down in two sittings.

With the three page episodes there is a lot of repetition with the hero, who's a linguist you know, introduced every week.

The aliens look mental - like skeletal Samurai warriors complete with ray guns and swords. They do take prisoners however, but don't ask what they do with them!

The story is endlessly nihilistic with characters bumped off every week and Glasgow getting picked for a practice nuke! Seemingly did millions of pounds worth of improvements!

The action is relentless and it's so grim[spoiler] you can't wait for the happy ending - bound to be one surely?![/spoiler]

A cracking book and along with 'Marley the Fox' the pick of the IPC litter to date.
#5
Film & TV / Black Mirror : Bandersnatch on Netflix
28 December, 2018, 10:17:49 PM
This dropped today and was a lot of fun.

A choose your own adventure format with you choosing options via your remote throughout - Frosties or Sugar Puffs? Bury or cut up? You choose.

A Slaine 2000ad cover spotted on the hero's wall as well as one on the table of the games company office.

Great fun = think I saw five endings but no doubt plenty more hidden away.

Spoiler tag your best bits!

[spoiler]The 'Netflix' option was great as the character realised we were controlling his actions![/spoiler]
#6
Other Reviews / The Thirteenth Floor Volume One
20 October, 2018, 11:16:02 PM
I just got the standard edition but what a lovely book with a nice foldout cover and some extras in the shape of some covers and intros from Alan Grant and Ian Rimmer.

The reproduction is mostly great with only a few episodes seeming a bit blotchy.

As an original reader of Scream and Eagle this was a real treat and even though the premise got a bit repetitive they soon branched out and hopefully that will all be seen in Volume 2.

Lovely book and well worth £15 -wish I'd splurged for the Max edition now!
#7
He's back and he's bad! (at answering questions).

After memorable stints on First Class (1987 - 1 win 1 loss), Weakest Link (2008 - win) and 15-1 (2014 - 4th, 1st & 2nd) our favourite (well mine at any rate) game show contestant returns for four shows on the tea time Quiz !mpossible.

The series starts on Monday with the venerable B'man showing up on Tuesday the 27th for as many shows as it takes to get the elusive jackpot - you come back each day until you get a crack at the final or when the block ends on the Friday. With a total of 24 contestants it'll be a tall order - tune in and see if his comments about 2000ad make the cut!

Don't worry this thread will be endlessly bumped and I'll live comment on the Wednesday episode as I'm off work and I like to irritate people!
#8
Announcements / The Letters Beast - Online!
27 September, 2017, 03:36:49 PM
The greatest day in history has arrived - the Beast is to be unleashed!

Yes! Every bit of reader added content has been compiled into one massive database. I managed this using my superior interweb skills - well I asked the venerable Pete McCosh to do it it any rate. Thanks also to Conrad from Spacespinner2000 for his input and promise that the Beast may achieve some podcast mentions too!

The link is RIGHT HERE! so get solving all those age old family arguments over who drew what and who has the fewest letters published amongst your peer group.

Pete has also added a column to identify droid offerings - look out for them so you can slag them off at future conventions!

I'll update this as time goes by so keep on writing and gain your moment of web based glory.

Any technical issues or comments to Mr McCosh please!
#10
Megazine / MEG 373 : STATE OF THE UNION
11 June, 2016, 11:47:05 AM
An unprecedented 9am mail drop from my Paisley postie - must be an Albania fan.

Excellent Dreddlines with three long letters, one great, but sadly no Editor comments.

All strips bubbling along but the standout has to be Dredd's 'People Like Us' the recently trumpeted Brexit special. It's good fun with cracking Dave Taylor art. I moaned recently about Irish politics getting too wide an airing in the Prog but this is more like the great satire 2000ad has always been known for. Great call back to a 30 year old story and a funny, if somewhat predictable, pay off.

Still to read the runner up placed entry in the Dark Judges writing comp (Andrew Hawnt) and the slightly reduced 17 pages of 'Realm of the Damned'.
#11
Prog / Prog 1982 : The World's End
21 May, 2016, 02:38:45 PM
Lovely Mark Harrison 'Grey Area' cover.

Read the Dredd - not very keen on the Texan's assessment of British foreign policy. I love my Michael Carroll but this had an unpleasant soapbox feel to it. This is 2000ad not the Bray Bugle!
#12
Megazine / MEG 370 : THE KRAIT BARRIER REEF
12 March, 2016, 01:24:42 PM
Terrible pun strapline apart I like the action packed cover. Straight out the Gyre the full page lets us see a lot more detail in Nick Percival's glorious art.

A great letters page with three well reasoned letters (no Huff, natch) with one modest reader notching up his 50th Meg letter and 91st overall!

He must kiss a lot of ass to get printed - but no! Stephen Watson of Paisley tells it as he sees it and gets a strong comeback from the editor who tells him off for judging something (Realm of the Damned) after one episode. Frankly if I bit into a shit sandwich I know I don't like it without consuming the whole thing!

It will however be read and reappraised as we go on. Still to read the rest but the bonus book is 'Angel Zero' with next month's 'The Best of Tharg's 3rillers Vol 1'.

Lots more strip this month with a feature and sample of 'Goldtiger' which has intrigued me as they try to layer it into 2000ad's past.
#13
Classifieds / Action Comic - Full Run For Sale on eBay
21 February, 2016, 05:44:35 PM
Here's the one you've been waiting for!

Having become bored of losing out on auctions for the Summer Specials I've decided to put my full run of Action comics up for grabs. No doubt I'll regret it later like I did with my 'Scream ' comics but I can always buy them back later.

The auction is live from 9.00pm tonight - bid hard and frequently!

Here Be Bargains!
#14
Prog / Prog 1967 : HARD REBOOT!
06 February, 2016, 11:21:48 AM
Early Paisley Prog to make up for last week's late one.

Great issue for me!

Cover by Dylan Teague is fine but I need something more exceptional if it's not a tier one strip on show - this one for 'The Order' is good but not that memorable.

Dredd is going great with a great reveal this week. My only moan is so much story and back story is being crammed in that it's going to be over too soon!

Gene does what he does in Kingdom, it's fine and looks good but it just seems to go around in circles.

I'm enjoying the retro fun of Ro-Busters - this could have been pulled from the 1978 2000ad annual and I'd be none the wiser. Fun stuff.

The Order isn't really doing it for me but I'll take a few luch John Burns pages in any Prog.

Alpha keeps looking for his brain - I've never really bought into the reboot stories and this isn't changing my mind. OK but just by-the-numbers stuff.

Overall a good and enjoyable Prog with no letters page.
#15
Megazine / Meg 365 - BRING ON THE NEXT TWENTY-FIVE
17 October, 2015, 10:24:37 AM
A Prog and Meg breakfast treat for me today. Lovely Barry Kitson cover with plenty of bad guys to sort through.



Dredd and Beeny start out on a new Total War battle - interesting that the City's population is already up to 72 million - that's a power of shagging although Dredd puts it down to refugees - topical!

There are four letters none of which were mine!

Andrew Honan, London :7th - last Meg 341
Alex Frith, London : 18th - Last Prog 2013. Remains at Number 12 on the all time Beast List.
Christy Law, London : First
Kevin Hennessy London, actually Co Wicklow : 2nd , previous M169 V3.66

#16
Prog / Prog 1953 - BODIES OF EVIDENCE
17 October, 2015, 10:11:33 AM


Must be a record for Paisley Posties with the Prog and Meg fall waking me up at 8.30 on a Saturday morning.

Lovely Ryan Brown cover and some great procedural developments in Dredd's 'Serial Serial'. That's all I've read so far - sue me! No letters.
#17
Prog / Prog 1950 - YOU FEEL LUCKY, PUNKS?
26 September, 2015, 01:04:36 PM
Lovely crisp card cover and some sexy contents. More to follow...

#18
Those of you living in a cave may not yet of heard that I am due to appear on Channel 4's premier quiz show 15-1 within the next month.

Followers of my quiz show career will remember my appearance on Weakest Link in which I emerged [spoiler]triumphant [/spoiler]. Recent heart issues were no obstacle to a new attempt for glory and the tasty £40k prize.

I am embargoed from giving you the result but it was exciting stuff and I am in at least one memorable episode (you only get one show if you make the 3 person final and get up to 3 attempts).

Dog Deever of this parish deserves the credit (blame) as he gave me the flyer shown below at Glasgow Comic Con.



I chose to break out my lucky plum jumper for the occasion and wardrobe issues again formed the basis of many of my anecdotes.



Anyway the new series starts tomorrow and I'm on Show 19 and possibly others. Set your series link now as it's  on at 3pm in the afternoon so unless you are a comic writer or glue sniffer you are unlikely to catch it at random.

The date I have been given for my first appearance is Wednesday 14th October at 3pm. but it does sometimes get bumped for the racing.

I you have any questions about Sandi Toksvig, meeting Jeremy Vine and 3 Eggheads or the standard of the green room hospitality please list them below. Orderly queue now!
#19
I've listed my copy of Action : The Story of a Violent Comic by Martin Baker on eBay HERE.

It's a lovely book with a lot of good stuff but I'm keeping my collection Thargcentric. Bid high and bid often!

#20


Annnddd we're back. Yes! Another thread of dull letter reviews and the same jokes - just what no one asked for! We've been away for a while, mostly due to The Beast developing a faulty part, but we're back now and it's not because of this week's 2000ad letters page content or anything.

Our previous threads can be found here and   here.
and we can all remember the excitement when the Road to 10,000 was finally won by someone who didn't claim their prize or probably even know their place in history! Can't we? Still, this one will be better because rather than a Slaine beanie, which now forms part of our hill walking apparel, the prize is £100. Yes 10 tenners is the prize for the first person to get 100 letters across both 2000ad and the Judge Dredd Megazine. D.C. Dredd doesn't count cos it was crap! Later down this thread you will see the leader board and it couldn't be closer, with literally 27 people within a measly 90 letters, or less, of the grand prize. The usual LETTERSENTERTAINYOU T&Cs apply or details send an SAE to The Moon, Space.

This column will also review current letters to a high and impartial standard and provide stats direct from The Beast concerning the composer of each. You may also post requests for letters data but please don't ask stuff like - 'What Prog was that letter about Dredd appearing in a pizza in the 1990's in?' - The Beast isn't wired that way!

In the last two years while we haven't being dying, we haven't been idle either with the first ever Letters Road Show containing top talents Stephen Watson and Alan 'Hollo' Holloway penning missives to Tharg live in a Witherspoons in front of a frankly disinterested audience. Picture credit : Iz McAuliffe.



This was a great moment when two top 8 talents got together. Unfortunately Tom Proudfoot couldn't make it, because if he had it would still have been two top 8 talents.

Anyway to business. Prog 1937 had a fine back page foursome with a wide range of talent and experience.

The Letter of the Week prize when to new boy Nic Freeman of London who confesses his virginity in all things letters in his opening line. The Beast can confirm this statement to be TRUE! Nic has been reading 2000ad since he was 26 so he must be about 40 now. What a weirdo! Most readers are at least 44! We'll be gentle on Nic due to his newness but his inspiration that "each issue is so varied" kinda states the obvious in what is billed as an anthology comic. We also had that all Rogue Trooper issue a while back so he's technically wrong in his generalising. There is a lot of positively in his letter and Tharg sounds flattered in his gushing reply.

There have been three Tim Canterburys, sorry Freemen, in the Prog before with 'JD' in Prog 316 and Adam in Prog 840 who drew a smashing 'Judge Mellie'.

Next up is attention seeking, ventricular tachycardia exaggerating, mash potato scoffing, Paisley resident Stephen Watson who celebrates his 88th letter and his first in over two years.

The letter is OK but is shamelessly namedrops Mike Carroll as a source of info (Hi Mike!) and is perhaps missing his usual cutting edge of wit and toilet references. Some good, albeit obsequious, points were made and he did get the always welcome reply from Tharg. He revealed on his well followed Facebook thread that he received the Dredd Heroclix for his letter and posted the photo below of his bounty.



Ivo Bochenski sounds like the baddie of some terrible Commando comic but he is in fact an old friend of the letters page having had his debut in 1997's Prog 1044. He was previously seen in Prog 1517 in 2006 so he's clearly another who has recently rediscovered his muse or at least Heroclix addiction. All Ivo's letters have appeared in the Prog although two of them are credited to 'Evo' - must be Tharg's mistake as The Beast is infallible.

Ivo's letter notes his long-term absence from the letters page which The Beast has already confirmed. His letter has no shortage of whimsy as he sees some synchronicity to his writing a letter to a new story in "the fabric of things". Maybe it's really just a bunch of stuff that happened? Anyway Ivo's daughter was the real critic here as she ran off before he could say any more!

We close out this opening salvo with Mike Morgan who has a bee in his bonnet, as those Americans say. He opens stating he "enjoyed the Prog immensely" but then goes on to damn with faint praise some thrills and lambasts others. A brave man who comes out with hotshots such as "The Commercial Break 3riller was OK", a statement that must have had Tharg jittering in his jumpsuit. Mike gets a near full column in a letter that could have been trimmed, but was left super sized - well he is an American!

Mike has a deserved place on the all time leader board which sees him in mortal combat with his near neighbor Doug Butler on 12. Mike is another returnee with this his first letter since his effort in 2011's Meg 308. He has a lopsided 8 to 4 tilt towards the Prog and previous letters state he's from Texas, so we won't mess with him any more.

All in all a good letters page with some movement on the all time chart which is always welcome. We'll try to run a column to coincide with each letters page or Dreddlines unless we get bored or snuff it or something. We leave you with the updated chart and as you can see the ba' is on the slates as far as the grand prize goes!