2000 AD - The Ultimate Collection

[Tomwe]

Made another pretty picture, this time a histogram of the page count for each volume.  These are counts of comic strip pages based on the page counts for the strips in Barney so don't include cover gallaries, articles, title pages e.t.c.

It'll be interesting to see how the 2 collections compare once the UC is complete.  The page counts on the MC are fairly tightly clustered, nearly half the books are between 180-195 but I suspect the UC might be a bit more spread out.  We've already had the shortest volume of the 2 sets with Shakara at 154 pages and the next volume of Strontium Dog could potentially be the largest depending on what they do with Rage.

This is sweet. I'm still frustrated by the comparison to the US comic collections, where 120 strip pages (6 issues) is the norm, but it can dip down to 5 (potentially 100 at the newer 20 page per issue standard) and the max seemingly 8 (160-176). That's barely in the bottom range of your histogram.

[IndigoPrime]

That was quite a surprise for me when I got hold of the first 60 issues of the original Marvel run. 10 quid for a HB is still fairly good value, but some of those books were oddly thin, not least when you compare them to the bulk of the Dredd collection, and a good deal of what we've seen from the 2000 AD one so far.

[bernardsfingers]

Also, I still have no idea if I'm subscribed again or not and no-one will tell me. Sigh

Well I've emailed them to say I don't want the covers special (again) & had this response today (2 weeks after my email was sent):

xxxxxxxx
Thank you for taking the time to write to us .

Subscriber Number:

Kindly be advised that we hyave cancelled your subscription and no further issues will be allocated to you.

If you require any  additional information , please feel free to contact us .

Kind regards

Lee
Customer Care
xxxxxxxx

It's not clear whether they have actually cancelled my Ultimate Collection subscription or just the covers book (which was clearly stated in my email but isn't mentioned anywhere in the response above). Based on their noted incompetence I'm concerned that it's the former rather than the latter. If anyone can confirm they've received a similar response to their request to not be sent the covers book it would be slightly reassuring at least.

[IndigoPrime]

That’s identical wording to the email I got when I cancelled my sub. What is the status of your account online?

[bernardsfingers]

It still says 'running' but I assume that might not update straight away. When I emailed to cancel the first covers book the response said:
Kindly note you have been opted out from receiving the special.

Whereas this didn't mention the special at all, just the subscription. I'm wondering if they can actually be that terrible to cancel a subscription when my email clearly stated that I didn't want to receive the covers book.

[bernardsfingers]

The email also came from hachetted400cancellations@jacklinservice.com so looks they genuinely have cancelled my subscription despite the subject field & email itself clearly stating 2000AD Covers Special & the email not mentioning the words subscription or cancel once. Jesus that's ridiculous!

[Jade Falcon]

Read DR and Quinch/Skizz.  I can't say I really think much of DR and Quinch, plus I would say there are some text reproduction issues, especially on the bolded words.

Skizz, I thoroughly enjoyed, the artwork was nice, very olde worlde style from a previous era of British Comics I feel, but it did mention that the artist had done work on previous older titles.

[Nellgrove]

My September issues have still not arrived, as advised above sent a Facebook message rather than an email to ask about them. Received a reply in under 5 minutes that also completely answered my question and also gave me follow up information on my next order that I hadn’t asked for. Amazing CS (which is completely at odds with the times I’ve emailed them)

[IndigoPrime]

You got lucky. They’ve not even read my FB messages in a week. Clearly the prospect of £500 of business isn’t that interesting to them.

[bernardsfingers]

I just got a response via Facebook:
We have reactivated your account and opted you out from receiving specials . you will get issues as normal no specials will be added or sent to you.

I only messaged them last night so pretty quick response. Still pretty amazed that they'd cancelled my subscription without being asked. I guess I now need to wait to see if they've ballsed up my subscription now.

[IndigoPrime]

They're so random. I wish they'd just answer me regarding whether they've reactivated my account. Gah. Glad yours got sorted at least.

[sintec]

Just finished this months sub (so last months books if you're buying in the shops).  Absolutely superb from start to finish.  Strontium Dog seems to have really hit it's stride now and all 3 stories were top quality. Sinister Dexter was really fun, puntastic, violence.  It's a shame we're not getting more of this and it's a shame we're missing episodes. Although maybe part of the reason it read so well in this collection was down to the trimming of some fat, it's hard to say having not read the intervening episodes.

[moogie101]

Just finished this months sub (so last months books if you're buying in the shops).  Absolutely superb from start to finish.  Strontium Dog seems to have really hit it's stride now and all 3 stories were top quality. Sinister Dexter was really fun, puntastic, violence.  It's a shame we're not getting more of this and it's a shame we're missing episodes. Although maybe part of the reason it read so well in this collection was down to the trimming of some fat, it's hard to say having not read the intervening episodes.

Might be wrong but I thought there was three Sinister Dexter books planned for the collection.

[sintec]

It's a shame we're not getting more of this

Might be wrong but I thought there was three Sinister Dexter books planned for the collection.

I meant more than the 3 books we are getting. On rereading my post, I have to say, I didn't express that very well.

[Magnetica]

Apologies if this has been asked higher up the thread, but will the Strontium Dog issues be complete (apart from the Starlord stories)?

I ask because I don't see the Gronk Affair from Progs 224 to 227 listed.