Topics

1

Prog / Prog 2138 - Nightmare Fuel!

« on: 29 June, 2019, 06:49:27 pm »

Never very good in the heat so I guess while you lot have all been lapping up the sunshine I've been hidden inside lapping up a double dose of thrillpower (2137 landed today for me too).

Another cracking Prog. Started really nicely with a Thrills of the Future. In just one panel the mighty Flint has got me hackering for more of his and Michael Carroll's 'Proteus Vex' whatever that will be.

Dredd continues to shine as Neimand and Johnson bring part 3 of The Samaritan. The partnership of Pats and Wrex just shines doesn't it. But those moments with Patsy ... somethings up here ... isn't it? Superb.

Thistlebone lets us know much more directly that somethings up and while a snarling black dog is a horror mainstay by George its put to great use here. As are the three kids and the main characters and the last panel... well every element of this story is just used to perfection!

Anderson - Martyrs is also much as it was. The art just isn't quite there for me, which is a shame as it doesn't allow what is a pretty good story so far to shine the way it might otherwise.

Unlike Scarlet Traces which concludes fantastically. Can't wait for this one to come back.

Absalom is also much as you where, playing much the same tricks as last week, but those are great tricks so all good with me. Loving the way this is cranking things up as we head to our climax.

So over all another top Prog. Two such in one day need to be careful and with Indigo Prime coming back next week we have much to look forward to.

2

Books & Comics / Vertigo no more

« on: 21 June, 2019, 10:25:06 pm »

So Vertigo is being canned... or as the offical press release has its "Sunsetting"

https://www.bleedingcool.com/2019/06/21/dc-officially-rebrands-closes-vertigo-renames-zoom-and-ink/

Its been a long time coming. What I always get surprised by is how much many of the comics that are so associated with Vertigo were actually long formed, or even well past their classic runs by the time the label started. That's not to say that Karen Berger's time in charge of the imprint isn't very important, but the movement and her work was well under way. I don't don't it will continue.

Just not under the Vertigo label.

3

Prog / Prog 2135 - Beware the woods...

« on: 08 June, 2019, 01:23:23 pm »

Well its a four thriller and to be honest it feels like a four thriller. Not that those four thrills are bad, just it means the Prog feels a little light, like its missing something.

That feeling is not helped by a light weight Dredd. I know last weeks split opinion some what and I wonder if this one will also, with me this time in the less impressed camp. It just felt...insubstancial, even a little flabby... that'd be insubstancial flab then... anyway. We don't like robots, we get threatened by robot supportser, we get saved by robots (well one of them does) and Dredd tut tuts. Mind looked lovely.

Scarlet Traces is only solid this week we get some interesting hints at backgrounds and origins, but that doesn't really feel like it adds anything, the end is intriguing but nothing here really builds on the thumping events last week.

Thistlebone opens really well. It uses its 10 pages not to cram things in to fill the page with more action, plot or character, rather it uses the extra space to establish tone and pace. There's really nothing here that couldn't have been easily covered on a normal 5 or 6 pages BUT Eglington and Davis use the extra room to create atmosphere and make the big moments really strike. Its really done well and a fantastic start.

Kingmaker comes to an end well. It still still carries the problem of quite how potent Crixus might be.... or it does until possibly that last page cliffhanger! Still it also carries the idea that a true leader or king might have the power but their true power comes from their constraint. Oh and that cliffhanger I mentioned. Its a doozy.

So a Prog not to the standard of last weeks but still doing okay.

4

Books & Comics / Charley's War - Hardcover vs, Definitive Collections

« on: 02 June, 2019, 02:01:15 pm »

Help 2000ad Message Forum your my only hope.

I've not bought the new Charley's War editions as I have a full set of the hardcovers that I do love and however good this series is I don't see a need to double dip... then Rebellion took 5 extra days to deliever my Prog and that all changed.

See I'm thinking with the half price offer I now have I can pick up the new editions for like £30. If I sell on my hardcovers for like £3 each I break even. So the question has anyone swapped out their hardcover for the new editions. As I see it the main advantages of doing so is the addtional colour, all the covers and better print quality. They are marginally smaller than the hardbacks but as I believe they are original comic size that's no biggie.

So to swap out or not, that is the question. Anyone got any thoughts or done this and have regrets?

5

Prog / Prog 2134 - Bow Before Quilli!

« on: 01 June, 2019, 02:13:04 pm »

Some times I just love the Prog. Sometimes I settle down after a morning doing chores, a cup of tea ready and reading the Prog just feels like the perfect thing, the exact thing to match your mood, needs and expectations. Today was such a day. Okay there's ironing still to be done but I face it with renewed vigour imbued with Thrillpower as I now am.

Dredd was just superb. Rob Williams and Henry Flint delivering pitch perfect story. Its billed as an epilogue to Small House, but its more than that. Its actually as if The Small House - magnificent as it was - was a prologue to this wonderous 6 page character study. Its stories like this that most make mockery of folks that say of its not Wagner it doesn't count. If you don't embrace this with glee you don't get Dredd, not my Dredd at least.

Scarlet Traces. Is D'Israeli's colouring here some of the best colouring in comics right now or what. Just so fantastic. The story is a quiet delight and quietly moves thing sone before a shift in tone (and of course palette) on the final page gives you a fist pumping finale.

So we get to the Terror Tale. Now I do wonder if I'd not been so buoyed by two nigh-perfect thrill by this point, was not in such a spot on Thrillzone, I do wonder if these stars hadn't aligned I'd have been a bit unstuck with this one. Its a weird little tale, as a Terror Tale its not so dependant on the twist and so this is just a quirky, wonderfully realised nasty piece of work. Nasty in the way Terror Tales are meant to and I disliked it in all the ways I was meant to.

Kingmaker does one of its view from the villians episodes and is pretty effective as that... if not much else and probably the weakest in a very strong Prog.

Last week I asked this of Max Normal

Max is on a roll
So don't be slipping out at a scroll
Flip ya trip and make that landing
If you stick it my joy will be expanding

And you did it Max, like you namesake Whitlock you absolutely nailed that landing. And how. Just perfect. Perfectly judged action, humour by the bucket load, a nice rounding off of character archs and all wrapped up with a Joe shaped cameo. Just magnificent. I'm not sure there's anywhere else for this to go and this should stand alone... but then of course I didn't know how much I needed this Max Normal origin story. So I really hope this team comes back to show me what else I don't know I need to know about Max. Just a brilliant thrill, ended with a warm hug of joy.

Still Max Normal being that good and still probably not being the best thing in the Prog... God I love the Prog sometimes...

6

News / Rebellion to publish 'lost' Hugo Platt work!

« on: 25 May, 2019, 07:52:43 pm »

Well bugger me sideways. Rebellion have within the archieve some old Hugo Pratt stuff.... Hugo bloody Pratt. I mean late 50s early 60s war comics so we'll see how the stories hold up be HUGO Bloody PRATT!!!!

From Bleeding Cool

https://www.bleedingcool.com/2019/05/25/rebellion-publish-hugo-pratt-war-picture-library/

7

News / Dredd Month in September

« on: 22 May, 2019, 01:12:45 pm »

Seems Rebellion are having a push. From Diamond Retail Summit via Bleeding Cool

Be interesting to see how this pans out and what inspired the choice?

https://www.bleedingcool.com/2019/05/21/judge-dredd-small-house-month-september/

8

News / Rebellion reprinting Trigan Empire

« on: 20 May, 2019, 02:02:22 pm »

Well this is a biggie.

https://www.bleedingcool.com/2019/05/20/rebellion-don-lawrence-trigan-empire-full/

Have to say after years of coveting this I got hold of an old edition and... well wasn't that impressed. It looked beautiful but just wasn't for me. That said I'm sure there are many who will tell you otherwise.

9

Prog / Prog 2130 - 2000ad Regened

« on: 04 May, 2019, 09:35:46 pm »

Pretty damned excellent Prog. For a start it all looks wonderful. The one thing that baffles me is why its Prog 2130? If this was a relaunch Prog then fine. As it is its interrupted ongoing stories BUT isn't on comic shops for FCBD? Has Tharg just fumbled the timings or is there smarter marketing moves in play that I'm just not getting?

The way I see it if this was in the stops today, with loads of families coming in to get their free stuff, so was Prog 2129 this would have been an incredibly smart move. As its interrupted regular stories I can't see why this didn't happened. Of course the kids are getting free stuff today, so maybe its best in the shops when the free stuff has bitten them and they want some more comicy goodness... oh I don't know just as I see, from a point of ignorance, its a real shame this was there for folks to see today as its aces...

....well okay its not perfect but its still pretty damned aces. The only real problem is that the best new story Full Tilt Boogie, is way too much of an introduction and doesn't feel like a story in its own right. The art by Eduardo Ocana is simply stunning and the story perfect all ages 2000ad fodder. Money collecting gibbon bears catching down cool young characters, saved by creepy magic face dude summoning from goo caccoon a black clad ninja warrior dudette its just perfect stuff. Really kinetic, fun and sassy. Loved it BUT it was too open, too loose at the edges and I want more... but its a tease.

Finder and Keeper doesn't feel quite so perfectly 2000ad but is pretty good all the same. Cool characters and nice premise. Doesn't quite catch fire the way Boogie does but its a much more satisfying tale in itself.

There's also a frankly excellent Future Shock, looks stunning and while the ending isn't exactly shocking its entirely satisfying and if I was a kid reading this I think I'd love it... as a grumpy old man reading it I certainly did!

The other highlight is a glorious Cadet Dredd by Chris Weston. Fantastic call back with Krong, superb relationship between Dredd and Rico, giant thespian killer lizards, high comedy and thrilling action. Its just briliiant stuff.

Add to that entirely enjoyable Anderson and really pretty great Rogue Trooper, particularly like the way both kept the high levels of violence and action yet managed to soften the actual visceral kill toll, both in different and smart ways.

So yeah this is an absolute trimuph and Tharg... I mean Joko I demand more more MORE. Its just fantastic and I'm sure something of the quality, verve and thrillpower would find an audience if produced as a regular all ages comic.

10

General / Congratulations Mr Campbell

« on: 26 April, 2019, 09:21:32 pm »

... well lets see BUT we have an Eisner Award nominee in our midst... well unless he gets too highfalutin for us now he's all bow tied and tuxed up.

Massive congratulations to Mr Jim 'Eisner Award Nominee' Campbell.

https://www.comicsbeat.com/2019-will-eisner-comic-industry-award-nominees-announced-image-and-dc-lead/

Now you do have to scroll a long way down to get to it as its only for like 'Best Letter' and nowt good or anything*

*Well we can't have him getting all big for his boots now can we!

11

Classifieds / Whole loads of comics for sale - priced to sell

« on: 19 January, 2019, 07:42:47 am »

Hi folks,

So I'm finally getting rid of a load of comics I've ear-marked for selling over the last few years for one reason or another. Tried of eBay I decided to try something different and I've booked a table at a local comic mart in a months time. Anyway in preparation for this I've drawn up an Google Sheet of what I'm selling so I thought I'd give my favourite people on the Internet first bite of the cherry

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MJmXdzLSNYFcgIzh8VsvtO9FcvFmIUSZAZ_4qAolaMs/edit?usp=sharing

Not a great deal of 2000ad related stuff but lots of superheroes and other intriguing bits and bats. The comics marked as 50p will be sold as 75p each, 3 for £2, 5 for £3, 10 for £5 but for you lovelies I'll stick to the 50p. All priced to sell but I will need to add postage to these prices.

Anyway if you notice anything that interests you just let me know if not I'm sure I'll see you all at Showroom in Sheffield on 19th Feb!

12

Prog / Prog 2114 - Tracer Fire!

« on: 13 January, 2019, 08:31:52 am »

No thread yet?

Much as you were really. Three good strips, nah GREAT strips, two a bit mah BUT a slight untick in many and we're all okay.

Dredd. Great ending to a really nice story. But the question remains who is that masked writer?

I'll come to Brink.

Skip Tracer - has a good un. Nice fast paced action, but we still need to care more.

3riller - The Scorched Zone - "but we need to care more"... yep. This still happened.

Fiends - Aerial bat creature fight. So now all you need to do is ask yourself is that enough for you to know this is GREAT? If not maybe 2000ad ain't for you any more!

Back to Brink heavens to Betsy this is superb. Just superb. The plot is out, the villian reveals and launches his plan and its just quite supremely delivered. Lines gifted us by Dabnett like "He wasn't ready to hear. Mainly because he was a bit of a dick." combined with INJ Culbard's quite uncanny ability to show the madness behind folks eyes and "...you're all absolutely batshit crazy." has never, NEVER been so magnificently crafted in the history of comics. If it wasn't for Lawless this would be the greatest ever...

13

Prog / Prog 2113 - Community Spirit

« on: 05 January, 2019, 04:45:49 pm »

Middling Prog, which faced with the standard of late feels like a bit of a let down.

Dredd new writer to me Kenneth Niemand, anyone? Also the return after a LONG time of Jeff Anderson doing some nice work on a decent story. Niemand does well to avoid the cliche of having Dredd bemoan and warn against the last social experiment in Mega-City One. Giant VR(ish) Block Buds to support community spirit. Its a fun idea and the story uses it well. Mind its not hard to predict what AI representations of neighbouring blocks are going to end up doing!

Brink - Hurtles along in fine form. Does do the cliched goodies about to be shot and the gun fire is heard but its the baddie whose need shot by an coming rescuer. Still we can forgive this gem that little fault.

Skip Tracer is falling back into the bad habits of last time and Nathan is turning back into a shallow 90s style hard man with attitude but nothing to make you care. Shame after the progress last time but lets see how we go.

3riller - The Scorched Zone happens and that's all that's worth saying. Stuff occurs bit I couldn't really give two hoots! Nothing to engage here.

Fiends of the Western Front does make me care and is immense fun.

Thistlebone looks good doesn't it!

14

Prog / Prog 2102 - Quick on the Jaw!

« on: 06 October, 2018, 08:08:50 pm »

I think its going to get quiet around, it always does when the Prog is good, who needs to here folks just saying week in week out. This was great, that was great etc etc. Well when the Progs this good we really need to be shouting it from the roof tops. As loud and proud as we can.

We are more than capable of whittering and moaning like a Facebook mob whenever we have a beef and I don't exclude myself from that at all, so when Tharg proves beyond a doubt why this comic is called the Galaxy's Greatest we should be just as vocal and not drift from coming here and showering praise. If we've learnt nothing this week its that we must take things for granted.

The Prog is once again superb, just superb.

Dredd is three fantastic 2 page scenes each offering something different, each moving the whole masterfully forward.

Brink is just a masterclass. It once again returns to its MO of using tight close conversations to drive a bigger world view while reminding us how close and tight the world we are watching is. Just genius

Fiends is a glorious balancing art of action and tension and then a lovely line at the end to throw the night world this story takes us to open.

Skip Tracer is basically since last time the new story I enjoy at these times. Its almost unrecognisable, has given me more reasons to care than then a fantastic 'dreamscape' to fire my imagination.

Kingdom is just Kingdom and that's classic 2000ad at its best.

The entire Prog is a masterclass in art. The Prog as a whole is a sublime mix of different and familiar and when its this good we must never get tired of saying so.

15

Prog / Prog 2101 - The Red, Wight and Blue

« on: 29 September, 2018, 04:16:42 pm »

Well well well now that's good Proggage.

What makes it all the more impressive is one of the few problems of last issue, a fantastic comic in itself is resolved. At last in the space of 5 page of deft writing I have a reason to give a toss about Nolan Blake (even bothered to learn his name now), I've engaged with him as a character and hence engaged with the series. See its simple isn't it! All it took was a bit of family backstory, a reason to understand his anger and hardedness and a situation which I could symphise with and feel his desperation. All crafted in a beautiful first page, an action packed couple and a final couple building the story and creating the conflicit. Glorious stuff and one that makes this Prog a five out of five, the very best of progage.

The rest of the strips are as you were from 2100 and therefore magnificent.

A glorious Dredd and Smiley works Dredd, Frank gets into bother and Sensitve Klegg returns.

Brink is just crafted, creepy glory. Such heavy atmosphere with a comic bit of world building in the last panel.

Fiends of the Eastern Front is sublime both on a visual level but also the tension it so quickly builds and the action that quickly gives it form.

Finally we have more brilliance in Kingdom and Gene does what he does best... but .. well doesn't go as well as normal and I'm completely hooked... which with this series is no surprise.

You know it was discussed that 2100 could be the best Prog ever, see this one, this one makes a case too!