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In recent times, Spurrier's two one-offs featuring agent Domino.

Byrne on Byrne: "...there are undeniably certain writers ... who have put an indelible stamp upon particular characters. My own work on FANTASTIC FOUR..."

The ego has landed.

*phew* - at least we didn't all respond to a humourous criticism of fandom by over-analysing it on a long-winded message board threa...oh.

Did nobody else laugh out loud at this month's Meg Dredd, then?

In my ignorance, I assumed PVS and Grennie got on well enough that it was just a friendly jibe and would even be welcomed.

I found it pretty bemusing, right up until "great old school action", at which point I laughed my arse off, because I just know I've said that.  If you can't laugh at yourself.

And - I hate the idea of Rennie reinventing the Manta.  And - I've argued about it on this board.  

I also remember reading a Rennie post on this board where he (if memory serves) dismisses comics as throwaway, read-once items.  You see, the importance he (says he) attaches to comics is not the same as the importance I attach to collecting 2000 AD.

So, it's hardly any wonder that he likes to create Judge Dredd but (apparently) wonders at the insane nerdiness of some of the things we discuss here in earnest.

I even first arrived here having criticised people here for discussing the envelope they were sent their prog in.  And then duly launched into a defence of Pat Mills use of "bunny boiler" in a supposedly ancient Celtic setting.

You couldn't make it up.





Uhm...and the moral is...uhm...

It does seem as if a lot of bad feeling exists, on both sides, regarding amateur online criticism.  In theory, we should love the creators, because they're producing our favourite comic, and they should love us, because we're buying it.

There's some kind of gulf there, though.  Like if a creator says "jebus, it's only a comic" - well, yeah, okay - in the grand scheme of things, it's only a comic.  On the other hand, it's perhaps how that creator makes their living, and (oops) I've got about 2000 of the damned things stored in my house.  So, it's only a comic, and the roof only shelters me from the weather, and plumbing is merely useful, and razors make it easy to shave and literature is only...

Anyway, Pauline Kael - I wonder how many creators she pissed off or upset, eh?

"Kevin Costner has feathers in his hair and feathers in his head. The Indians should have called him 'Plays with Camera."

---

I confess I have a tendency to shout loud about things I dislike and keep quiet and contented about things I like.  So, I should try to be more balanced.

:-(

Not for upcoming issues, though.  I think you're right, as well, about the twist.  Fuck it, it's only a comic.  Sorry for calling you a twat.

Well, thanks a lot, Larf.  You've just completely spoilt that for everyone, if you're right.  You twat.

::"I do wish the editor would come out"

What's his sexual orientation got to do with it?




Ba-dum tisch!

::"Perhaps it's not supposed to be taken as canonical?"

If that were true, I'd be thinking "make up your own sandpit comedy hi-jinks mutants and stop playing jittery toybox games with classic characters".  It's like the 90s all over again.

Can't we just either have a story that's horrific, or a story that's comedic, and leave the ironic, comedy-horror to Scream, or Evil Dead.  And, I know we're not allowed to say that Steve Roberts art is cartoony (A, because he'll cry into his pint, or something, and B, because it's SO dismissive of his ART), but it's certainly not scary - it's absurdly cute.  When the evil witch docter spider monster thing stabs teh black heart of Fink Angel, surely I'm not supposed to be looking at it going "awwww - s'cute".  Eye getting scratched out by mutated rat: "s'like Scooby Doo".    Not cartoony, though.  No.

Tank Girl started off as a bit of anarchic fun - but  that's all it was - it was otherwise completely and utterly vacant.  There were some nods towards a plot occasionally, but beyond "bizarre enemy tries to kill Tank Girl but fails" it didn't go far.  (Booga was under her thumb - only other bit of characterisation.)

Then suddenly, and for no apparent reason, she'd be in the UK, without her tank, and, frankly, I think this must have coincided with lots of hallucinogens being consumed by the creators.  There were tons of flowers, and lots of sunshine - and giant headlines like "Summer of Love", and one episode where they all drop acid.  So...it's not rocket science.

And then there seemed to be some kind of stance against the readers by the creators.  And the movie, which was pish.  And then more comics, still without a story.  You can see the same sort of thing with Gorillaz - it's all characterful looking without a story to go to.

So, I'm hoping the Meg version is nothing like what's come before (beyond there being a tank, that belongs to a female), and dares to include a story at some point.  

::"the excellent Regime Change"

Sino-Cit Judge: "Hah, soh!  Yesss, we will deal velly tellibly with Judge Dredd san." [twirls evil goatee and squints at the reader through milk-bottle glasses].

Dredd (wearing a Russel's Inflatable Muscles suit): "I am de luargh!"

[An entire fleet of Sino-Cit warships turns tail and runs.]

Dredd: "Now check out my McGruder tanks - they're named after Chief Judge McGruder, because they're tough as nuts and blow the shiznit."

[Some bulky, characterless tanks hove into view.]

War Marshal Foreshadowing back in MC-1: "Check!"

---

Yeah, excellent.  Uhm...

::"So the question stands, if you/we were the editior(s) how would the Meg be changed to make it better?"

Replace the editor, unless sales are up, in which case, cancel my sub.

I worry about the Megazine, partly because of the editorial attitude on Dreddlines.  That last person, this month, had a couple of constructive things to say, despite being negative about a lot of the content.  But the response seemed reactionary and defensive.

I wish I could know whether or not sales have improved over the past couple of years.  If they have, then I can safely realise that my low opinion of the current Megazine is in the minority and just stop buying it.

A new line-up is hoving into view.  Trouble is, it's going to be a new line-up, but will it be the same tired, mixed-bag, not-quite-a-comic format that I've come to loath?

I'd rather a 10-part series of Soul Sisters than any more Dredd by Mills.  What a load of wank, that only he could get away with having published.

I've heard it said that nobody deliberately sets out to create a bad strip.  Here's the apparent exception.

::"fully speech interactive"

Bullshit.  (By that, I mean, like this, it's not an intelligent conversation.)