Messages

Yeah I was nervous about the current Jonah Hex storyline and all the more so after the first couple of parts when Booster appeared where pretty weak, in fact probably the weakest since the current run (and I'm talking back when Jimmy and Justin started). I've been won over as its gone on though, as its been handled in such delightful (well never the right word where Jonah is concerned!) fashion. Its back to being one of my favourite titles every month.

Do wonder if this is the status quo we'll have until the end of the series. They've had the simply fantastic 70 issue run of short westerns, they've tried embedding it in Gotham folklore and this seems to be the last stab at getting the book an audience, start of Nu52 aside, its never found in decent numbers.

Can't have any complaints as whatever happens DC have given this book an incredible run. Its rarely sold more than 20,000, often less than 15,000 and most books don't last 10 - 20 issues with those kind of numbers these days. With any luck we'll reach the 100 mark (of both titles) before DC finally pull the plug and I for one will be very, very happy to have those 100 plus (fingers crossed) comics. Its just frustrating when people complain about not giving good books a chance, as a good book, with a steady team will find an audience. Evidence alas says nonsense. A title that's been as strong as this, written by the same team since the start, with an array of arts that has been astonishingly strong, when it was sorts and then the same artist month in month out once its had a more ongoing storyline and its never found a big readership.There are so many times we see this happen.

Well it must be a sign of the rare health the art comp is in but not a one of my votes even placed... in anything!... either that or my rotten taste in art... no, no it must be the rude health of the art comp!

Well done to all who took part, congratulations to the winners and placers and hat doffed as ever to CFM.

I recently just got into reading the Judge Dredd stories (pretty much thanks to Dredd 3D) And I know that him and 2000AD have been around since the late 70's. And one question pops into mind. Has the Dredd-Verse ever done a DC Comics style reboot or is it more like Marvel. It only has the one continuity and yes all that cheesy/wacky old stuff DID happen but it doesn't get referenced much?

It's all one 'story' with no reboots and one which ages in real time too. So one year here is one year in Dredd's 'world' so a reboot of any kind is unlikely.

Cover, cover, cover, cover.... COVER!!!!

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2013/10/02/front-cover-art-to-this-years-biggest-selling-comic-revealed/

... actually not that keen. Its rendered fine, but I do think the layout and page design is quite weak. I feel dirty saying that, but its true. Won't stop me buying this in a heart beat, but ...

[Supersoaker]

If you're climbing the branches of Nirvana's rock family tree, you'll want to have a listen to The Raincoats too, Supersoaker. Kurt said (in the sleeve notes of Incesticide) that rediscovering a copy of their first record was the only thing which had given him any pleasure during that mental year when they went from being an indie band to having the jocks who used to beat them up in high school fighting in the front row of their arena shows.

KICK OUT THE JAMS MOTHERFUCKER

Their first album (the one linked to) is quite brilliant. I have to say the version linked to (the version I have) is enhanced with 'Fairy Tale in a Supermarket' a quite stunningly good song.

The Animal Man one was great! And improved my strength during the day I read it (yes I read it in a day)

Not surprised at all, in my top ten runs of all time (possibly top ten and sometimes number 1, depending on when you catch me!)

[the Animal Man omnibus]

I've got a Hellboy library edition, Drowntown, the Animal Man omnibus and the new Prophet trade sitting on my bookshelf unread currently.

Sorry catching up with this thread and this might have been covered further up, but just wanted to add the proliferation of Omnibuses (Omnibi what is the plural?) might be one of the factors in breaking me  (not the Animal Man one I have those in floppie and won't be letting them go again!). There's a load of old material coming out in this format that I'd like to get my hands. Typically if an omnibus is more than say 400-500 pages I find them cumbersome to read, which I don't enjoy. Digital versions of the same material just won't have that problem of course.

Taken my time this month...

1. Daveycandlish - Blackhawk. Wow how simple and elegant
2. Blackmocco - Sister Sledge - how evil is that face!
3. Chris Askham - Rogue Trooper - well its Chris isn't it.

HM Supersurfer - Fiends - cos I can't believe I didn't place it and I absolutely love his stuff!

I still prefer the physical Prog. Regardless of the convenience of trades there's something about having the story in context that you gain from the original comic. The other stories around it, adverts etc that give the story a sense of the time and place it was created in which adds to the experience for me.

In some ways I do look to digital for some aspects of my broader comic collection. Still to find a platform that completely meets my comic reading need and worry that I'll simply be moving one storage issue, a physical one, to another, a virtual one as Radiator alludes to. That said it will inevitably happen at some point, but for the Galaxies Greatest I'm pretty committed to the paper Prog and damn any tree that says otherwise.

I already know the twist to Dead Man so I'll never really know what it was like to read it the first time round.  I imagine it's a great story nonetheless.

That's what so great about it - whilst it's impossible to deny just how mind-blowing that twist was at the time, the story holds up perfectly well even with foreknowledge. Ridgway's art is hugely atmospheric, and Wagner's control of tension is masterly - it's a bloody scary story at times.

Yeah this is so true. I re-read it not that long ago (couple of years maybe) and while at the time the twist seemed to dominate readers thoughts, quite understandably, once that's gone it still really holds up as just a plain great story. I'm really looking forward to getting around to re-reading Trifecta as I think this will have similar longevity.

Uh Tribal Memories is in there too as well. One of my all time favourite 2000ad shorts (4 episodes as I recall). Absolutely brilliant.

Yeah there's a whole lot of incredible comics coming you're way. Really hope you enjoy them.

There's some great Anderson stuff but of more importance if you're a fan of John Smith there's some magnificent stuff in there. Ever read Firekind? If not you are in for such a treat BUT check the notes here.

http://www.2000ad.org/?zone=prog&page=profiles&choice=832

Aaron? Aaron... where's Denise???

That's a pretty damn good selection there!

Manchester Central library has been in a temporary building for the last couple of years while they have a massive refurbishment, which was fine - I'm pissed off because they've now closed this, but the main library isn't ready to reopen so they've moved to one room in the town hall and 90% of the GNs must be in storage, so the selection is crap at the moment. Bah!

Christ alive and then the Council will have all the excuse to reduce further when footfall drops when they open the refurbished place... not that I know Manchester Council and have any right to predict. But really libraries are the kicking boys of the local government cuts.

This is all very interesting. I've always wondered why Tharg did aim for the European market rather than the US. Aside from the issue of having to get stuff translated (don't know the cost in getting that done.) if seemed far more fertile ground and an audience more geared to the product.

So to learn that the problem might be that its a saturated market already does make that more clear.

On Slaine, is it my imagination but wasn't Slaine: Horned God not just a good seller but a veritable hit on the continent?

As for scales its always a nice bit of perspective when we discuss the relative success of English language comics that the new Asterix will have an initial print run of 2,000,000 apparently and people are commenting on how low that is!