Should I pace myself, or continue to binge?

[jackstarr]

For pretty much the entire year so far, I've been working what feels like 24/7, with little time for this thing called "reading" (or, indeed, a "life".)

To put it bluntly, I was knackered.

The cure?  3 months' worth of Prog-binging in a couple of days.  Thrill power overload!

I've done this before, but I was younger then and able to withstand the hit much easier.

Some of the thrills do read better in one sitting, but.... strangely, I feel even more fatigued now - and feel even less inclined to want to read more 

Looking at the big pile of progs building up on my doormat - the postie keeps delivering my sub - and there are still lots of issues to make my way through.

I used to eagerly await the weekly arrival of the prog, and would enjoy by reading one thrill a night, and then catching up on online discussion of the prog at the weekend.... but I'm worried that I'm never going to catch up at this rate.

Should I just bite the bullet and binge, even if that means fast-forwarding through some of my less-favourite thrills, or should I pace myself and take things slower, even if that means missing out on the online buzz ?

Board, please help!

[IndigoPrime]

Take them at the best pace that will give you the most enjoyment. I know that's a dull answer, but there's no point slogging through (or blazing through) stuff if you won't have fun reading it.

[Magnetica]

My "to read" list is just piling up at present - mostly collected editions I have bought over the last couple of years (Daily Dredds, all of Zenith, most of Nemesis, some ABC Warriors, some Slaine, MeltDown Man, Cursed Earth Uncensored), the Mega Collection and a load of Nikolai Dante I have borrowed from the library.

I find what I read varies. I set my sights on reading one thing and get distracted onto another.

Doesn't help that I seem to spend more time on the Forum than actually reading the comic.

I am guessing that unlike you Jackstarr I have at least read most of it before.

I agree with IndigoPrime - you need to read at a pace that suits you. There is no point reading something just for the sake of it. I tend to use a rule of thumb that you need to read 5 episodes a week - basically a Prog's worth - but really that is to just stand still. And if something isn't working for you, read something else and come back to it.

[jackstarr]

Take them at the best pace that will give you the most enjoyment. I know that's a dull answer, but there's no point slogging through (or blazing through) stuff if you won't have fun reading it.

Yeah, I know what you mean, but reading (if not always joining in) the prog discussions here in the forum is a part of the enjoyment.  It's like Input, but every week and more immediate

If I binge way through, it might be a slog, but at least I'll be up to date and can resume my usual routine.

Doesn't help that I seem to spend more time on the Forum than actually reading the comic.

I am guessing that unlike you Jackstarr I have at least read most of it before.

Heh, I know what you mean about the forum.  I know I don't post much, but I used to be a big-time lurker.

Collected editions are a different ball game than single progs, I think, as there's not the same excitement that comes with keeping up with news on upcoming thrills and online buzz on current issues.  I haven't read most of the bundled reprint supplements that come with the Meg for a couple of years now, and don't think I'll ever do so, as I've read most of them before (sometimes it feels as though it's not been that long since the original printing, but I guess it's been longer than I'd like to admit!)

Speaking of which, I've just seen that the prog and the Meg cross over for a Dredd story - don't get me started on how far behind I am with my Megs!

[Echidna]

My prog slog turned into a Dredd slog when the Mega Collection started, so that I'd be able to decide which Hachette volumes to buy - so it's Dredd and Dredd-related strips only for me. It's painful flicking past Strontium Dog, Nemesis, ABC Warriors, Halo Jones et al, but I feel like I'm making progress. I have slowed down a bit since reaching Mark Millar's run, though...

As a relatively recent convert to the Galaxy's Greatest, I frequently feel a mixture of envy and regret that I didn't read the stories as they were published - nostalgia for someone else's childhood (literally, since most of my progs were bought from a guy who collected them as they came out). So it would be crazy to miss out on experiencing what seems to be something of a second golden age by not reading the current progs.

So my suggestion would be: prioritize the new progs, because they'll only be new once, and read the old stuff as fast as you can without sapping your enthusiasm - there's no point turning it into a chore. And for God's sake, skip Junker.

[dweezil2]

My advice?

Binge like a fattie on munce!!! 

[matty_ae]

2000ad's are actually quite hard to buy later on, so I would keep the sub going and honestly just read the Dredds just to give yourself an achievable goal.

[Colin YNWA]

Could you no get the best of both worlds. Use Prog 2000 to resume your regular reading pattern as if you were a newbie. That would then take the pressure off the catching up.

If there happened to be a particular story that made you feel the need to get caught up you could do so from your back log at point of need, but the rest read as and when the desire took you.

[jackstarr]

Hmmmm....food for thought there!

I think I might do a mix of matty and colin's suggestions - read just the Dredds so I catch up to Prog 2000 and can resume my regular reading pattern, and bench the issues with unread content until I feel like going back to them.

Thanks!

[Old One Eye]

Could you no get the best of both worlds. Use Prog 2000 to resume your regular reading pattern as if you were a newbie. That would then take the pressure off the catching up...

As an Earthlet who's recently returned to the fold this is what I intend to do.  Since getting the bug again, I've only read (and bought) collected works just to get back into things and to tickle my nostalgia buds.

I started a sub last week (and still waiting for my first new issue in years) but I don't really intend to read them with too much verve.  I can hold off until Prog 2000 - I'm sure it'll be worth the wait!

TL;DR - Don't read any more than you want to.  What's the point of turning a fun past-time into a chore.  Grud knows, life has enough chores already!

[Jacqusie]

  What's the point of turning a fun past-time into a chore. 

Like reading the Meg at the moment, so many now in the unread pile of stodge. I'm finding it so chewy at the moment & not really as you say 'fun'...

[PsychoGoatee]

Should I just bite the bullet and binge, even if that means fast-forwarding through some of my less-favourite thrills, or should I pace myself and take things slower, even if that means missing out on the online buzz ?

Board, please help!

For me the easy answer is to skip all the ones you're not that interested in. If it's being a completest but maybe not feeling like sticking with it, might as well just read the ones that make you excited as a fan. I skip plenty of stuff myself. Or could look at it as stuff you could go back to later if you want.

My prog slog turned into a Dredd slog when the Mega Collection started, so that I'd be able to decide which Hachette volumes to buy - so it's Dredd and Dredd-related strips only for me. It's painful flicking past Strontium Dog, Nemesis, ABC Warriors, Halo Jones et al, but I feel like I'm making progress. I have slowed down a bit since reaching Mark Millar's run, though...

I think the answer to that is simple too, just skip Millar's run.  I mean why not?

[sheridan]

Here's what I'd do (in order):
a) get caught up on Dredd (as it appears that the long-heralded important death is now very immanent) so that you can participate in relevant threads on the forum.
b) start reading cover to cover from the next jumping-on prog in a few weeks
c) get caught up on all the other progs and story in between (obviously don't skimp on reading the progs while awaiting 2000 if you're in the mood).

[AlexF]

My answer: binge hard.

But I'm intrigued by the idea of just leaving it all and jumping on again with Prog 2000. Even Dredd - I guess any major surprises will have already been spoiled if you're on the forums a bit, and the stories are good enough to work even without that surprise factor.

[Old One Eye]

Here's what I'd do (in order):
a) get caught up on Dredd (as it appears that the long-heralded important death is now very immanent) so that you can participate in relevant threads on the forum...

Sorry to threadjack but where would be the best/easiest place to start regarding the above story arc?