Progs 1000 - 1300

[Colin YNWA]

Hi,

Well I fell off the path many years ago around about Prog 1000. It wasn't until Origins that I picked up another copy of 2000ad and have been back on board in a big way ever since. Now I now have almost a full run up to 1000 (only missing the first 40 issues) and recently picked up 1300 - 1399 for a good price on e-bay. The collector in me is therefore pretty determined to get 1400 - 1499 at some point soon just to plug that gap and because from current readind and flicking through the 1300s (not had a chance to read them yet) there seem like there will be some damned fine stuff in those issues.

The completist in me (I'm back collecting comics generally in a pretty big way and having a lot more disposible income I find I'm able to complete the runs I was never able to in the past) is pretty set on filling the gap between 1000 and 1300, before tackling the more expensive 1-39 problem.

That said around issue 1000 I have to be honest I felt 2000ad was going down hill. I've heard some pretty disparaging things about the comic in the late 90's early 2000's so I wonder is this true? Even during 2000ad darkest hours there was always at least one story to keep you going. So how bad exactly did it get? Or for that matter did it get that bad at all or have I just been talking to the wrong people?

I'd be very keen to hear people's option of the 1000-1300 era, my missing years.

Cheers

[Dark Jimbo]

That said around issue 1000 I have to be honest I felt 2000ad was going down hill. I've heard some pretty disparaging things about the comic in the late 90's early 2000's so I wonder is this true?

Hmm, I'd say by the late 90s the comic was back on the up after teetering on the brink. Dante and Sin-/Dex had crashed onto the scene by 1997, and it began its slow road to recovery. The early 2000s were the beginning of the 'Rebellion years', and contain some wonderful stuff wherein the prog ditched the painted-with-mud approach, stopped trying to be something it wasn't and remembered what thrillpower was all about. I really can't think of all that many duffers from the era you mention. I think you're thinking of the early to mid 90s.

[Dark Jimbo]

The more I think about this, the more convinced I become that it was a great time. There were certainly a few forgettable series, but nothing worse than we've had recently - Stalag 666, say, or Dead Signal. Henry Flint, Jock, Kev Walker were all coming into their own, while the likes of Frazer Irving, Boo Cook and Si Spurrier broke onto the scene - and of course the stalwarts of Mills, Wagner, Ezquerra, et al were doing their usual barnstorming performances. We had such classics as Button Man III, Sector House, ABC Warriors, Necronauts, Tsar Wars - great times. I think you've been misinformed.

[Colin YNWA]

Wow good news indeed. All the excuse I need to try to track down 300 issues!

[Dark Jimbo]

Maybe I'm biased - 1212 was my first prog, so the early-2000 era holds a lot of memories for me!

[Leigh S]

I think from prog 1000 upwards, a lot of bad writers ahd been booted by the Bishop.  Artist wise, I think there was still a bit of a downturn, so dependent on what element floats yer boat most, I can see why some might still find the late 900s to be adverse to their tastes.  Once Diggle appears, there seems to be a concerted effort to up the art as well as the scripts, and its then that the comic really starts to shake off the lethargy of the 90s more convincingly... IMO, of course!

[radiator]

Hi ctaylor, I got back on board for Origins too - its been pretty great hasn't it.

In my opinion, the period from 1000-1300 is nowhere near as bad as the period from 700-900. I remember the time from 1000-1050 being a little rocky, but it goes rapidly uphill from there. As Leigh says, most of the less suitable writers had been gotten rid of by prog 1000, and the likes of Gordon Rennie, Robbie Morrison, and Dan Abnett really start to come into their own. This period also sees the end of 2000ad's dodgy early experiments with computer colouring. Highlights - you have the arrival of Nikolai Dante and his finest adventures, such as The Great Game, the mighty Prog 2000, Necronauts, Shakara series 1, the 'golden age' of Sinister Dexter including Eurocrash, their finest outing, Atavar, Missionary Man, Storming Heaven, the return of Strontium Dog, Devlin Waugh's classic Sirius Rising epic, not to mention some downright classic Dredd - the Doomsday saga, Beyond the call of Duty, Blood Cadet, just too many to mention.

Go for it!

[IndigoPrime]

Devlin Waugh's classic Sirius Rising epic

Which only works if you read it all in one go, although, man, is it bleak.

[Colin YNWA]

Yep Radiator getting back on board since Origins (I wonder how many others got pulled in by the marketing then?) has been a blast and I have to say I'm very glad to be back.

Thanks to everyone for their comments - TO eBAY...

[Dan Dare]

My experiences with 2000ad, having been a constant reader since prog 1, ended for a few years once Big Dave made his appearance. That whole summer 1993 thing, while an obvious attempt to bring something new to the comic, was not the way to go and I didn't recognise the comic during that time. It was only from prog 970 that I began to pick up the progs again, mainly thanks to the inclusion of The Pit. But the Space Girls and A Life Less Ordinary adaption were enough for me to stop buying it. I've been back on board since prog 1540 and delighted to see it back to high standards again.

Major kudos has to go to Thargs Bishop, Diggle and Smith for raising the standard considerably.

[monty--]

Hi,

Well I fell off the path many years ago around about Prog 1000. It wasn't until Origins that I picked up another copy of 2000ad and have been back on board in a big way ever since. Now I now have almost a full run up to 1000 (only missing the first 40 issues) and recently picked up 1300 - 1399 for a good price on e-bay. The collector in me is therefore pretty determined to get 1400 - 1499 at some point soon just to plug that gap and because from current readind and flicking through the 1300s (not had a chance to read them yet) there seem like there will be some damned fine stuff in those issues.

The completist in me (I'm back collecting comics generally in a pretty big way and having a lot more disposible income I find I'm able to complete the runs I was never able to in the past) is pretty set on filling the gap between 1000 and 1300, before tackling the more expensive 1-39 problem.

That said around issue 1000 I have to be honest I felt 2000ad was going down hill. I've heard some pretty disparaging things about the comic in the late 90's early 2000's so I wonder is this true? Even during 2000ad darkest hours there was always at least one story to keep you going. So how bad exactly did it get? Or for that matter did it get that bad at all or have I just been talking to the wrong people?

I'd be very keen to hear people's option of the 1000-1300 era, my missing years.

Cheers

Hii ctaylor! You've surprised mr mentioning those progs (1000-1300)! I don't think that was a bad period at all. Wasn't great, (I stopped collecting in 2004) but it wasn't bad either. For me, progs 700-900 were by far the worst. I can't think of a single good story in 200 progs for me. When I move home soon, I think I'll just bin that lot.