Well I'm making my way through 'The Fleetway Files' and have been very intrigued by the article on Wildcat. Has anyone read it? Was it any good, worth searching out? Seemed like an interesting idea and while I seem to recall I wasn't to impressed with the pullout in 2000ad back in the day that was a long time ago and its caught old Colin's imagination.
Any thoughts, feelings, or indeed warnings?
I love Wildcat, (good to hear your'e reading FF!).
I didn't get it first time round but did pick it up soon after. Storywise its solid Eagle fare, with Loner and Kitten Magee and some of the shorts the strong storylines. Artwise its incredible, so on decentish papere your get Ortiz, Ron Smith, Redondo, Vanyo, David Pugh, some Massimo, Ian Kennedy, Lalia and more.
Well worth seeking out.
Its major problem was that it was old-school and more akin to Eagle than 2000ad at a time when comics were becoming more sophisticated, and obviously the single universe in which all the stories took place may or may not be something you can get behind - but as an indulgent adult used to reading comics from that era, you'll probably appreciate it more than you would have done if reading it as a kid at the time.
The art was amazing, and to give it its due, Kitten Magee - an action/sci-fi story about a female lead backed up by an all-female cast - in what was clearly a boys' comic? I'm sorry to bring it up when everyone is having a nice evening but by the time 2000ad sacked up to try such a thing it was Space Girls, and that was about ten years after Wildcat folded.
I dont know if Ortiz got the brief that it was a kids comic :D
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v7QGiHRlEGU/WYo1Ml3yehI/AAAAAAAACKk/p6FUMa5nbzAZx4C2LlJCoB-P1Ebb_JftgCLcBGAs/s1600/wildcat5a_20170808_0001.jpg)
I absolutely loved Wildcat at the time but haven't read it in years. I'll have to dig my old issues out.
I think my favourite character was Joe Alien. He was an alien cyborg whose major weakness was that his brain could be detached from the back of his head turning him into an idiot.
There was a really cool free poster of an alien zoo - the aliens came in the form of stickers which you had to collect each issue. A cool idea for an incentive- who doesn't love an alien zoo?
Thanks folks. Sounds like this might well be worth tracking down... the hunt begins...
Would this fall under the rebellion rights library these days. Because a 2 volume compilation of the whole thing would be VERY appealing given the artists involved.
I'm guessing, though I have no idea, it would belong to Dan Dare Corporation (why you Dan Dare Corporation we'll get you - shakes fist) as it merged with Eagle?
The Loner strips from Wildcat were also printed by Fleetway/Quality in a series of US format comics. Not sure if that would make any difference to current ownership.
If someone could recommend a good picture hosting site I could get some scans up if anyone's interested?
Rebellion own it, like some of the other titles that merged with Eagle like Scream and Battle.
Quote from: maryanddavid on 12 June, 2018, 08:56:30 AM
Rebellion own it, like some of the other titles that merged with Eagle like Scream and Battle.
Ohhhh now that is interesting I wonder if they plan to do anything with it?
(Also just goes to show best not to listen to me!)
Turbo Jones got a prestige format collection in the states as well.
Given the quality of the comic, I'm sure they will at some point.
Would Rebellion be able to reprint the content that appeared in Eagle or only the episodes that ran in the original Wildcat comic?
Quote from: JamesC on 12 June, 2018, 09:04:31 AM
Would Rebellion be able to reprint the content that appeared in Eagle or only the episodes that ran in the original Wildcat comic?
Yes, they can.
Quote from: JamesC on 12 June, 2018, 09:04:31 AM
Would Rebellion be able to reprint the content that appeared in Eagle or only the episodes that ran in the original Wildcat comic?
They should have the rights to the lot, AFAIK - it's a similar situation to strips like Monster or The Thirteenth Floor which launched in Scream! and continued in Eagle. If a strip originated in the new Eagle (like Manix, Survival, Doomlord etc.) then I believe the rights reside with the Dan Dare Corporation; if it originated in another comic which merged with the Eagle then the rights stay with the rights-holder for the original comic.
The Dan Dare Corporation owns the global rights including Film, Television, Radio, Social Media, Publishing and Merchandising to the Eagle Comic and associated strips including Dan Dare - Pilot of the Future.
The Company also owns the global rights to other associated strips that appeared in the Eagle including Computer Warrior, Stormforce, Ghost Squad, Manix, The Fists of Danny Pyke, Crowe Street Comp, Walk or Die, Survival, The Amstore Computer and Detective Zed.
http://www.dandare.com/media.htm
Word to the rebellion reprint line then...
'Sci-fi' PLUS - 'Ortiz, Ron Smith, Redondo, Vanyo, David Pugh, some Massimo, Ian Kennedy, Lalia and more' IS MUCH more of a must buy than anything released so far.
Would love them to reprint the whole thing as released rather than compile the stories. It's only 12 issues so 2 volumes would be a great 'as was' archive edition.
Really enjoyed the few issues of Wildcat I managed to pick up as a kid, but never read the full run (except Loner, which was available as a Fleetway / Quality mini-series).
Would love a complete reprint, but would place Scream and Oink higher on my personal wish list.
Wildcat was a good read when I was a kid. I don't know how well it stands up today. I'm not sure that I want to risk reading it again in case it's not as good as I remember, but I'd probably buy it if Rebellion reprinted it.
Did it ever have a proper ending?
I missed the Fleetway Files since it appeared when I had literally no money & no job for over six months. I also missed that Rebellion had bought up the Fleetway archives :/
I'd love to see a collected Kitten Magee; easily the strongest and most consistent storyline begun in Wildcat. Artwork (largely) by Jose Ortiz? Yes please.
There was Loner, but I didn't care for that so much.
Wildcat turbo Jones has come up for pre order on Amazon out in January published by rebellion