Messages

1

General / Re: The Commissions Thread

« on: 17 September, 2018, 06:00:04 pm »

Interesting!

And of course I meant ‘electronux’ not ‘electrolux’. I’m not sure if that was my error or the iPad.

2

General / Re: The Commissions Thread

« on: 17 September, 2018, 05:29:30 pm »

That’s lovely!

I don’t remember that vicious looking bladed weapon, left Johnny is holding. Not to say it’s not used, my memory isn’t great in some ways. Like a cross between his Electrolux and an extra-large ninja throwing-star!

3

General / Re: How old is Johnny Alpha?

« on: 17 September, 2018, 05:23:08 pm »

If he was born in 2150, he is minus 132.  Z

Also, only 14 years before another Nuclear war in the Dredd-verse

When Britain gets nuked so hard that Brit Cit disappears and all pre-Megacity towns grow back again.

Actually, Brit-cit does appear in at least one SD story, but not more than 3 I think*. But, yes, the other UK cities (Milton-Keynes, anyway) seem to have returned.

*I forget precisely which one(s), but I believe it was either a reboot or back-flash stories though. If the former, then the canon is perhaps subjective. A bit of retcontinuity, either way. I kind of like the idea of Brit-cit being a constant in different strips. A lynchpin for geek/nerd types like us to to speculate about. That’s not to say I think Dredd, Robo-Hunter and SD actually share a continuity, although the first and last sometimes do.**

**I like Jim’s idea that Dredd is part of SD’s history, but SD is not necessarily in Dredd’s future.

4

Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...

« on: 16 September, 2018, 06:21:26 pm »

The Predator

It’s not very good. That whole business of the initial predators arm brace spitting out tech when the character needed it was kinda deus ex machina-ish. The cloaking-device is contained in a small ball that just pops out by pressing random buttons instead of properly integrated into a piece of armour?* It was rather silly, and certain plot points made little sense, or were poorly explained.

That being said, I really enjoyed the film. It was a lot of fun. Unlike Predators (which I also quite enjoyed, to be fair) it wasn’t that similar to the first film. It did something different.

*Actually thinking about it,[spoiler the modularity of the tech does make sense from an easy replacement maintenance POV, but predator security is really rubbish. This is also illustrated at the end when the main hero slides around the flying vessel through an open doorway. Yes, I know there was a forcefield (which he’d ducked under)but even with force field capabilities, I’d want a shut door if I was flying into space wouldn’t you? What if the forcefield fails?[/spoiler]

5

Film & TV / Re: Current TV Boxset Addiction

« on: 15 September, 2018, 02:46:56 pm »

I finally bought the last two series of Ashes to Ashes on DVD. I saw them on broadcast (most anyway. I might have missed the odd episode here or there). It’s been long enough the episodes mostly seem fresh to me.

It took a bit of hunting to track them down at a decent price, suggesting there aren’t that many out there. It surprises me as I thought they were pretty successful. Okay, there were only three series (not including the predecessor Life on Mars) but I thought that was the creation team’s decision.

Anyway, I’ve been working my way through series 2 and it’s pretty good and is finding its own separate identity from LoM. The idea of a second coma victim in that world is an interesting one, (or is he just part of the dream too? Judging by the ‘present day’ prologue scene at the start of the first episode of series 2, no, he isn’t. )and another cop as well. I don’t know if the writers had the explanation of the 70/80s world at this stage that we got in series 3, but there are clues that fit.

Big spoilers for the final explanation of that world given in series 3. Don’t look if you haven’t seen that series, unless you’re not fussed:

I was very intrigued in episode 1 of series 2, when Drake has been kidnapped and is screaming in panic on the radio, on hearing her voice, Chris’s first impulse isn’t to lift the radio, but to nervously pick up the phone and hold it to his ear. That could just be Chris being his signature doofus self (a not entirely fair assessment of the character. He’s more intelligent than he often seems), but it makes me wonder if it’s also a clue to his (and the others) origin in that world. I.e. maybe he went through a similar thing to Tyler and Drake when he first came there, hearing voices from the present day world through phones etc. He’s forgotten at this stage being in that world far longer (and technically dead) but maybe the voice out of nowhere triggered a memory.

Great telly!

6

News / Re: Get Well Soon, Carlos.

« on: 05 September, 2018, 08:11:50 pm »

Wish you all the best Carlos

7

General / Re: No Prog?

« on: 04 September, 2018, 11:53:15 am »

Go digital it is always on time

There is something very satisfying though about having a solid, physical object in one's hand though.   

An iPad, in my case. 🤣

Joking aside,while I love the freedom and accessibility of digital, I agree theres nothing quite like a physical comic.

8

Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...

« on: 01 September, 2018, 03:13:55 pm »

I was thinking of going to see that.

Maybe I'll wait for the download.

9

Announcements / Re: 2000 AD - The Ultimate Collection

« on: 30 August, 2018, 07:39:50 pm »

I've been reading the Kenny Who volume, and so far it's been really good funny stuff! I do like the more recent stories, but it would be nice if they produced more humour strips. Not as a replacement for what we've got, but a mixture would be great.

10

Announcements / Re: 2000 AD - The Ultimate Collection

« on: 24 August, 2018, 11:18:19 pm »

I finally picked up Slaine volume 2 and The art of Kenny Who? at Forbidden Planet today in London. Not really related to this thread, but I also got the first volume of Charley's War. There were two versions: thin but smashing looking hardbacks and these large paperbacks. I got the paperback as I believe it covers more. (It's described as 'definitive'.)

They gave me a freebie GN for spending over a certain amount. (I think they said £18. I assume it's a limited time promotional thing, or maybe they can't get rid of these books. The freebie turned out to be Realm of the Damned. I didn't realise until I had a look later, it's that futuristic Van Helsing vampire thing they ran in the Megazine, a couple of years back. Coincidentally it's a strip, I used to skip. I rarely do that, Even if I don't like a strip I will read it to get my money worth and at the off chance it improves for me. But that one I found particularly offensive. Super talented artist, though.

11

Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...

« on: 24 August, 2018, 10:29:25 pm »

Antman and The Wasp

Yes, that was very entertaining. And I loved the mid and post credit scenes. Including the very silly thing at the end. It tickles my sense of humor our that people sat through the credits for that. Boom, tish!

12

General / Re: Women don't age in dredd universe?

« on: 24 August, 2018, 06:47:05 pm »

Maybe  Cassie is using her telepathic powers to alter people's perceptions, to make herself look younger than she is. Went she would make her uniform look like it's painted on, makes little sense from a female perspective though... unless it's to keep perps distracted...

13

Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...

« on: 24 August, 2018, 01:22:40 pm »

Yes, I understand that 10 Cloverfield Lane wasn't meant to be attached at all, originally. Then when checking themes, they figured it was a 'spiritual successor'.

Thing is, they could have had it set in the same world as the original with the original beasts, and changed very little as far as the main plot is concerned. Even the 'bad air' could have been explained as nuclear fallout from bombing New York, or just the guy's paranoia. (I.e.he was half right about the bad air. It wasn't everywhere as he imagined, but the aliens do use gas as a weapon in a more specific surgical way.)

On the other hand, we'd not have had the strange interesting biomechanical ship/creature designs if they'd gone that route.

14

Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...

« on: 23 August, 2018, 05:00:07 pm »

10 Cloverfield Lane

Very interesting. The sequel, that isn’t really a sequel at all*. More of a claustrophobic psychological horror... and I like the idea that while the main antagonist really is a paranoid conspiracy theory toting nut job... that doesn’t mean he isn’t kinda right in this case. I sort of saw the twist outside  coming, but it was pretty much signposted, and it’s not entirely about that.

I enjoyed that a lot, probably more than Cloverfield. Then again, while I did enjoy Cloverfield I did find it a little overrated, much like many found movie films. It’s still a good film, though.

Looking forward to The Cloverfield Paradox, although the reviews I’ve read have not been good.

*There are big monsters out there, but they’re not the same big monsters. This is more of an alien invasion thing, than the Godzilla stuff from the first film. I like the fact the monster/invasion is pretty much besides the point. Okay, it’s the reason they’re all in the bunker to start with, but it’s more about the issues between the main characters stuck there.

15

Film & TV / Re: Current TV Boxset Addiction

« on: 14 August, 2018, 04:48:57 pm »

I've been working my way through Fear the Walking Dead on Amazon Prime at the moment. I'm well into series 3 now, and most of it has been pretty good. I'm way behind in The Walking Dead, so can only compare to the first three or four series, but, while I like it, I think I might prefer this.