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Prog 2066 - Bors Hunt!

Started by A.Cow, 27 January, 2018, 11:42:42 AM

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A.Cow

The prog is going through a depressing dip at the moment.

Cover - Is that supposed to be a pun?  I'm not sure, because I don't have a clue what 'Bors' is.  Mind you, that's probably because I've pretty much given up on Brass Sun -- don't have a clue who half the characters are and care little for their fate.  So probably me just being a grouch.

Dredd - This seems to be really dragging its feet.  You could drop this week's first 5 pages and it wouldn't affect the storyline at all(!)  That's not good.  Michael Carroll is capable of so much better than this.

Bad Company - This has become so cartoon-like that I'm half expecting Dennis the Menace and Gnasher to turn up.  Maybe I'll try reading it in one go ... but it isn't grabbing me.

Savage - The only story that's actually moving along at a pace is a Pat Mills one?  Blimey.  Uncle Pat may be preaching (and getting yet another bloody 'sheeple' reference in) but this is the highlight of this week's prog for me.  And we all know it'll end with Bill using the phrase [spoiler]"I've got a thousand years of hate stored up"[/spoiler] at some point...

Brass Sun - Brass monkey bollocks more like.  I'm no fan of INJ Cubland's art and the meandering plots seems to have disappeared up its own rectum.

ABC Warriors - Old TV show Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea had only two plots: (a) monster-of-the-week attacks sub; (b) crew-member gets hypnotised/replaced and tries to sabotage the sub.  ABC seems to be stuck flip-flapping between (a) group of ten-or-so adversaries need to be picked off, one-by-one, and (b) members start fighting each other.  It's all getting a bit tired and repetitive.


TordelBack

Quote from: A.Cow on 27 January, 2018, 11:42:42 AM
Cover - Is that supposed to be a pun?  I'm not sure, because I don't have a clue what 'Bors' is. 

Tordelsplaining: one of Arthur's knights (played by Terry Gilliam in MPatHG and Ray Winstone in the rubbish Keira Knightley one, for point of reference), here one of the Round-Table-themed android agents of Merlin,  the central antagonist in Brass Sun. His robo-head is a boar helmet,  although I don't think Sir Bors (or his same-named Dad) had anything to do with boars per Dr.

But yes, a pun.


Magnetica

Yes pretty mediocre Prog this week.

A fairly by the numbers Dredd that I found lacking in excitement. Odd to see Dredd sitting in bed.

Two helpings of Uncle Pat's social and political commentary in Savage and ABC Warriors. At this point he seems to have dropped any attempt at doing it subtly. I wouldn't say it's getting tired. Still at least Savage moves the plot on and has some good ideas.

I also thought Bad Company has become cartoon like, which seems to me to be completely out of keeping with previous series. Anytime this stops is fine with me.

Brass Sun - yeah it's ok, but I would like to see it move to a an overall conclusion soon. And then get INJ Culbard back on Brink.

Woolly

Well I thought the prog was great!

Dredd gives us more of his current situation, but this is no bad thing. Im enjoying the current ongoing series, and Paul Davidson's artwork is getting far more dynamic and exciting. Good stuff.

Bad Company looks eye-poppingly gorgeous, but I must confess I'm not actually reading it. Still, bloody lovely artwork.

Savage - confession time again: I've never got into Savage before, except the odd episodes that feature some form of ABC warriors. I've just read the last few issues based on this episode, and now can't wait for the Essential Collection to get to the Savage volumes so I can give it a go from the start. Patrick Goddard is just incredible on this.

Brass Sun - Just great stuff, INJ Culbard can do no wrong in my eyes. l do agree that a recap in regards to the characters would help, though.

ABC Warriors - Yet another confession: I've only ever really liked the Warriors when they're fighting each other, or getting the team back together, so this is really working for me. Looks blimmin' great too!


All in all, the progs a cracker for me  :thumbsup:

Andy Lambert

Have to agree with Woolly there - it's all very well having jumping aboard progs, but if you're going to have ongoing chapters stretching out over years you're probably going to lose them again quick enough without some form of recap. That might be tedious for long-term readers, but they have the option to skip them.

Andy Lambert

Quoteyou're probably going to lose them again

"Them" being new readers of course.

Big_Dave

1st 2 eps of brass sun
were ALL recap/backstory

every1 says their name
& explain who they are/what they want

TordelBack

Quote from: Woolly on 27 January, 2018, 07:32:51 PM
Brass Sun - Just great stuff, INJ Culbard can do no wrong in my eyes. l do agree that a recap in regards to the characters would help, though.

The first two-and-a-bit episodes were basically all recap.  (plus a blurb in the Nerve Centre, plus if you have the dosh,  a gigantic beautiful hardback collection).  I was getting very bored, up until the last few when things started moving forward again.

I really don't think Tharg can win here: either he's losing those of us who want everything set out again each time a story returns,  or boring those of us who don't.  Hipster Dad's perennial solution of much longer residencies seems like a solution,  but I imagine that'll piss off an equal amount of people.

TordelBack

Oops,  Big Dave beat me to it.

Andy Lambert

I'm not just talking about Brass Sun here, but most long running stories. I get there's an intro in each prog's Nerve Centre but a brief paragraph isn't really enough.
As for buying graphic novels, etc to catch up - if you don't happen to have the dosh for gigantic beautiful collections, it seems like tough luck.
Rather than trying to add the recap within the story, a page (or even half a page) such as the one provided with the return of Grey Suit would certainly help, which long term readers can skip past. Of course this would affect the page count of some progs, so still not an ideal solution but surely better than alienating newcomers and boring the old guard...?


TordelBack

If we're talking about a single text page, I have no issue with that (other than that jumping-on progs would probably lose a whole story), but it's always seemed to me that subtly recapping within the strip itself is a better approach.  Although apparently not in the case of Brass Sun!

I do however think that reprint collections have been a fact of the serial-comics readers life since the early 80s.

Colin YNWA

Well the Prog always engenders mixed opinions but I can't remember a time when a step of strips has been quite so divisive and fostered such varied opinion. Not just at the extreme in the middle too all it not just marmite love or hate we have Meh thrown in as well.

Well I strongly lend towards to the its very good side. We had a peak a couple of weeks ago with 2064 being a damned, damned good Prog , well 2066 ain't too far off, all be it remastered with a mew track listing. Of course we start off with Dredd which is a strong story but the fish out of water storyline does read a little ... well weird... enjoying it though.

Bad Company I'm getting more and more comfortable with, as I put aside my concerns about the big themes and ideas I'm enjoying individual elements and episodes more and more and here Mac's return has real impact.

Savage is such a heavy dosh of villian pontificating, explaining his plot and motivation, developing an over elaborate way of disposing of the hero, it should be utter rot and cliche. Throw in some Uncle Pat smashing us over the head with meaning and 'truth' he's hit us over the head with a gazillion times already.I should hate this but I'm so invested in the story and characters that I'm in for all Unca Patty at his least subtle to the extreme I'm lovin' it... but Unkie Patsy please, remember when you said you hated it when writers talked down to their audience... well listen to your own words, could you tone it down and trust us to get it anyway!

Brass Sun, Gold comics more like, so few words, so much conveyed. Genius.

ABC Warriors Auntie Patricia is having such a laugh with this its impossible not be to pulled along on his wide ride. Glorious nonsense.

Fantastic stuff, not sure I can out up with its leaves of bonkies for long, but for the time as as long as this run of stories continues I'm happy... mind Tharg is slacking off somewhat, we get space for a back page add for the first time in a while!

Woolly

Quote from: Woolly on 27 January, 2018, 07:32:51 PM
l do agree that a recap in regards to the characters would help, though.

Just to elaborate, I'm OK with the plot more or less thanks to the aforementioned opening episodes, but could do with a reminder of just who everyone is, and why they're doing what they're doing.

For example - I just can't for the life of me remember why there's a blue meanie following Wren around, or exactly why Septimus is looking a bit rough.
Am I to assume it isn't important to the plot?