2000 AD Online Forum

Spoilers => Other Reviews => Topic started by: robert_ellis on 30 September, 2017, 12:38:11 PM

Title: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: robert_ellis on 30 September, 2017, 12:38:11 PM
Just read the collected Brink from progs 1978-1992. Maybe I've been spoilt by Casefiles & the MegaCollection but this is a thin volume collecting just the first series, some design sketches & script pages. I'd enjoyed the strip in the weekly prog but found it hard to follow. It reads so much better collected. There's time for long conversations, scene setting & character that can't usually survive 6 page instalments. It's taken me a while to enjoy the paired-down animation style art but the colouring is absolutely stunning. The use of graphic info reminded me of early American Flagg in a good way. I don't think we've had such a sense of world building since Halo Jones' Hooplife. Forbidden Planet in Central London still have signed copies - I can't recommend this highly enough. When's Book Twi out?
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: Richard on 30 September, 2017, 02:22:06 PM
Book two only just finished, so it's likely to be late next year.
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: The Adventurer on 30 September, 2017, 05:14:18 PM
I like how both Brink 01 and Brink 02 were pretty long running series. I think both were 15 weeks each. Which considering most end up 6 or 10 is pretty cool!
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: AlexF on 03 October, 2017, 11:16:18 AM
Yeah, I love the sheer length of this thrill, and its reliability every week. I must confess I was hoping that the release date of the trade meant it would collect both the first two books, but I'll take what I've got! Hopefully it sells well enough to get volume 2 out next year.
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: TordelBack on 03 October, 2017, 11:40:31 AM
Quote from: AlexF on 03 October, 2017, 11:16:18 AM
I must confess I was hoping that the release date of the trade meant it would collect both the first two books...

That, and the fact that the cover is from Book 2.
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: robert_ellis on 03 October, 2017, 07:49:03 PM
Isn't the cover from prog 1989 - towards the end of the first series?
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: TordelBack on 03 October, 2017, 08:32:35 PM
You're absolutely right. For some reason I thought it was from the more recent run, the bit with the undocumented workers.  My apologies.
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: wedgeski on 11 April, 2018, 11:38:20 AM
I ordered this last week and consumed it in short order. The recent(ish) second series was my favourite thrill for quite some time, and book 1 doesn't disappoint either. Can't wait for the collected book 2 (due on 26 July if Amazon is to be believed).
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: Blue Cactus on 11 April, 2018, 03:24:44 PM
Love this series, and I'm so glad they let it have that long run of episodes. They could extend the next one to 20 eps or so and I'd be happy.
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: broodblik on 11 April, 2018, 04:32:01 PM
Agreed definitely one of the best new strips the last few years
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: Jim_Campbell on 11 April, 2018, 05:07:31 PM
Just to add to the general chorus of approval for Brink. One of the best things about it is I can't decide whether I'll be happier if it turns out that everyone is just mad or if there really is some blasphemous elder monstrosity lurking in the interdimensional spaces.
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: sheridan on 11 April, 2018, 05:57:43 PM
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 11 April, 2018, 05:07:31 PM
Just to add to the general chorus of approval for Brink. One of the best things about it is I can't decide whether I'll be happier if it turns out that everyone is just mad or if there really is some blasphemous elder monstrosity lurking in the interdimensional spaces.

What if the blasphemous elder monstrosity turns out to be the son of one of the main characters, come back from the future to live in all-time? ;-)
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: Colin YNWA on 11 April, 2018, 07:46:18 PM
Yep with this and Lawless under this belt at the moment its hard to argue that Dabnett isn't Tharg's greatest writing asset at the moment. Blink is just brilliant.
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: Blue Cactus on 11 April, 2018, 09:18:38 PM
I'm so glad Abnett is still writing all this for the Prog on top of the stuff he does for US comics. He's always been dependably great but with Brink, Lawless and Grey Area and the rebooted SinDex he's really outdoing himself. I think what I admire most about his writing is I never need a recap week to week; somehow I always know exactly what's going on in each episode, without any feeling that he's repeating things or going over what went before. He somehow manages to write episodes that read well individually and in collected form. Quite a skill.
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: TordelBack on 11 April, 2018, 10:39:11 PM
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 11 April, 2018, 05:07:31 PM
Just to add to the general chorus of approval for Brink. One of the best things about it is I can't decide whether I'll be happier if it turns out that everyone is just mad or if there really is some blasphemous elder monstrosity lurking in the interdimensional spaces.

That's the secret of its appeal for me,  no doubt.  That delicious uncertainty is masterfully handled.
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: Jim_Campbell on 11 April, 2018, 11:25:39 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 11 April, 2018, 10:39:11 PM
That's the secret of its appeal for me,  no doubt.  That delicious uncertainty is masterfully handled.

Yep. It adds a Lovecraftian undercurrent of unease that's pervasive and omnipresent, almost like Lynch's industrial noise in Eraserhead. I think this is probably Abnett's finest work for 2000AD,* ably assisted by the oh-so-deceptive simplicity of Culbard's art.

*And I say that as an unreserved admirer of Kingdom, and someone who's never sorry to see a run of Sin/Dex in the prog. TBH, I can't name an Abnett strip I didn't enjoy, off the top of my head. Slightly surprised that he's barely done a handful of Dredds.
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: broodblik on 12 April, 2018, 12:12:51 PM
In general I like Dan Abnett's work. Brink is brilliant and both Lawless and Kingdom is great as well. Sin/Dex and Grey Area is readable but the type of strips that if they don't return I will not miss them.
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: TordelBack on 12 April, 2018, 02:42:06 PM
Yeah, while they all have lovely bottoms, I have no problem arguing that Abnett is second only to Wagner as the comic's top writer of the present day.  And that is in full acknowledgement of the depth and breadth of the writing talent currently contributing to the prog, old hands and new blood alike.
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: AlexF on 16 April, 2018, 10:51:40 AM
Only more Abnett love from me, too!
I would say that he took a little while to get going in his 2000AD career. Very early SinDex is charming but his other early work has all been far bettered since:

BlackLight, Sacho Panzer, Atavar, Black Atlantic are all OK thrills.
The VCs, Kingdom, Insurrection, Lawless, Brink are all AMAZING thrills!

I still can't make up my mind whether I like his Durham Red or not, but I think that has more to do with Harrison's artwork, which I also switch around on, sometimes on the same page.

See more analysis here (written long before Brink came into being)...
http://heroesof2000ad.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/no-9-dan-abnett.html (http://heroesof2000ad.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/no-9-dan-abnett.html)
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: sheridan on 23 April, 2018, 01:16:47 AM
Quote from: AlexF on 16 April, 2018, 10:51:40 AM
Only more Abnett love from me, too!
I would say that he took a little while to get going in his 2000AD career. Very early SinDex is charming but his other early work has all been far bettered since:

BlackLight, Sacho Panzer, Atavar, Black Atlantic are all OK thrills.

I don't remember anything about Black Atlantic - shall have to have a look at the Heroes... blog to see if it rings any bells.
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: Tombo on 23 April, 2018, 11:08:11 PM
Quote from: sheridan on 23 April, 2018, 01:16:47 AM
Quote from: AlexF on 16 April, 2018, 10:51:40 AM
Only more Abnett love from me, too!
I would say that he took a little while to get going in his 2000AD career. Very early SinDex is charming but his other early work has all been far bettered since:

BlackLight, Sacho Panzer, Atavar, Black Atlantic are all OK thrills.

I don't remember anything about Black Atlantic - shall have to have a look at the Heroes... blog to see if it rings any bells.

Comedy series from the Meg (253-255 & 276-278) about a bunch of misfits running a salvage/scavenger ship out in the aforementioned Black Atlantic. Art by Steve Roberts
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: wedgeski on 19 September, 2018, 09:55:08 AM
I dropped the groats for Book 2 (unfortunately from Amazon, as the 2000AD store only had the digital or Book1 & 2 package) and just *ate* that thing up.

Fully prepped and ready for Book 3. I can't remember the last time I looked forward to a comic series this much (dare I say Halo book 3?).
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: Molch-R on 19 September, 2018, 10:13:07 AM
Quote from: wedgeski on 19 September, 2018, 09:55:08 AM
the 2000AD store only had the digital or Book1 & 2 package

Paperback is right here... https://shop.2000ad.com/catalogue/XB637
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: wedgeski on 19 September, 2018, 10:23:19 AM
Quote from: Molch-R on 19 September, 2018, 10:13:07 AM
Quote from: wedgeski on 19 September, 2018, 09:55:08 AM
the 2000AD store only had the digital or Book1 & 2 package

Paperback is right here... https://shop.2000ad.com/catalogue/XB637
Okay, have investigated, and this was a failure on my part to grok the shop interface.

However, in the interests of giving good feedback: searching for 'Brink' in the catalogue shows Book 1 listed as 'Digital Edition', book 2 listed same, and the Book 1 & 2 bundle listed as 'Paperback'. If you click on Book 2, Digital Edition is selected, and Paperback is greyed out, which to me reads as unselectable, even though I now realise it is actually selectable. Might I suggest that you show 'Digital Edition' and 'Paperback' as separate results in the search interface, and put a little bit of black into the additional format selectors. :)
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: IndigoPrime on 19 September, 2018, 10:26:56 AM
You're not the only person who's had that UI issue with the site. I thought the same with something, and only ended up buying because I accidentally clicked on what I assumed was a 'out of stock' greyed out button.
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: Molch-R on 19 September, 2018, 11:15:08 AM
Quote from: wedgeski on 19 September, 2018, 10:23:19 AM
Okay, have investigated, and this was a failure on my part to grok the shop interface.

However, in the interests of giving good feedback: searching for 'Brink' in the catalogue shows Book 1 listed as 'Digital Edition', book 2 listed same, and the Book 1 & 2 bundle listed as 'Paperback'. If you click on Book 2, Digital Edition is selected, and Paperback is greyed out, which to me reads as unselectable, even though I now realise it is actually selectable. Might I suggest that you show 'Digital Edition' and 'Paperback' as separate results in the search interface, and put a little bit of black into the additional format selectors. :)

Many thanks for the feedback. This very point has been the source of much debate in the web team and the webshop has been through multiple iterations. We briefly considered having separate results for digital and physical but, in practice, so many search results looked even more confusing.

Regarding the first point you make, any listing that has a physical copy includes a note like this:

(https://image.ibb.co/d9gZCK/2018_09_19_11_10_06_2000_AD_Shop_Search_Results_Opera.png)

We've been pressing for physical media to appear first in searches but there's database issues with out-of-print books that will take a very long time to resolve. It's something we're aware of but there's no easy solution that covers all the bases at the moment.
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: wedgeski on 19 September, 2018, 01:57:42 PM
No probs, thanks for the feedback feedback. I must admit that I have *never* noticed the "Also available in paperback" footer! I can also see how having separate digital/paperback results would create a lot of noise on search results.

At least I'm sorted from this point. :)
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: Apestrife on 13 October, 2018, 08:43:19 AM
I just finished book one. Really good hard sci fi. I really like it's insanity bits. I'm pretty sure wouild happen if humans had to survive as a species by living on a space station. Also cool that while the main characters are talking about the causes and what not, it still seems like they're affected by it. Especially since there are things which seems off, but still characters acts as if it's normal. Makes the said insanity feel "real".

But it's not only the writing. I really like the art as well. Looks very unique. Fantastic use of colours. Great pacing. I really like the reoccurring visuals of things floating in the air. Everything from the space station they're on to stuffing from down jackets after someone's shot. Gives the sparsely decorated space station a lived feeling.

Read it digital, but I'm fairly certain I'll have to pick up book one and two soon. Especially since three is out next year.
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: broodblik on 27 April, 2019, 12:29:44 PM
Here is a preview of Book 3: http://www.comicon.com/2019/04/26/slow-burn-sci-fi-noir-brilliance-preview-brink-book-3-high-society/ (http://www.comicon.com/2019/04/26/slow-burn-sci-fi-noir-brilliance-preview-brink-book-3-high-society/)

If you have not read Book 1 and 2 you certainly missing out on great sci-fi
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: Aaron A Aardvark on 06 August, 2019, 07:09:27 PM
Just read volume 1 & 2. Wow, this is great stuff.
I missed so much when it was in the Prog.
Title: Re: Brink - Book One - Dan Abnett & INJ Culbard
Post by: wedgeski on 09 August, 2019, 09:36:02 AM
Just re-read Book 3 from the paperback. Gets better and better with every visit! By some margin, my favourite thrill since returning to the fold a few years ago. Also a fascinating look at Abnett's script for episode 3-1.