Beyond Zero

[Anzati]

I wanted to post this in the Meg 340 thread, but for some reason I cannot post in the spoilers section (possible because I haven't been a member of the forum long enough?).

Meg 340 was my first ever Megazine and I really enjoyed everything in there, even though I've missed slit if previous story (incidentally any one know, off the too of their heads, how far into back issues I'd have to go to reach a jumping on point?). But the real highlight for me was the Beyond Zero floppy. It was SO much fantastic cheese It was mentioned that Night Zero (did I get that right?) was reprinted a few months ago and I want to get my hands in that, anyone able to tell me which issue that it was bundled with? Thanks

[The Adventurer]

Night Zero was reprinted in 338 (339 is Black Siddah by Pat Mills and Simon Davis, also worth checking out). The last 'Jumping on Meg' was 332 with two one-off Judge Dredd strips, the first part of a Hondo City Justice story, and the first part of American Reaper. If you just want to get caught up on Insurrection III that's 334, but its not a jumping on point for the rest of the line-up.

[Anzati]

That's fantastic, thanks So only a few issues to run back then, that's good.

[Bat King]

I really enjoyed rereading Beyond Zero.

[maryanddavid]

I re-read this the last night, I remember enjoying these the last time round, a lot seemed to be getting a bit crap in the Prog at the time and this strip was well written and drawn, decent story and didn't take itself to seriously, another 'B' classic from the house of Tharg.

[Colin YNWA]

I thought the first couple of stories while looking great really didn't quite fit together. As I recall Below Zero really started to turn things around and was great. Alas just as things ended!

[Dragonfly]

Was going to ask something along these lines. Have started buying the digital prog but fancy some of the physical megs just to get the floppies. I know it's not the best of stories but really fancy reading Disaster 1990 again as haven't read it since it was originally published, anyone know what issue(s) this came with? Plus is there some sort of list for what floppies came with what meg as haven't been able to find one after an admittedly brief search online?
Cheers.

[The Adventurer]

2000 AD seems to be really bad at listing what reprints come with with Megs. It strikes me as a major oversight on the online line store.

And unfortunately Barney Zone is getting near a year out of date.

But because I like help out the new guys I will step up and help by listing all the floppy reprints since I started buying the Meg again...

321 - Death Planet
322 - Purgatory
323 - Harry Kipling Deceased
324 - Tiger Sun, Dragon Moon (also contains concluding Harry Kipling story)
325 - American Gothic
326 - Bato Loco
327 - Marauder
328 - Judge Dredd - Ratfink
329 - Finn - Book 1
330 - Downlode Tales - Volume 1 (Sinister Dexter)
331 - Disaster 1990 - Volume 1
332 - Disaster 1990 - Volume 2
333 - AHAB
334 - Downlode Tales - Volume 2
335 - Downlode Tales - Volume 3
336 - Black Light - Volume 1
337 - Black Light - Volume 2
338 - Night Zero
339 - Black Siddha - Book 1
340 - Beyond Zero
341 - Detonator X (next month)

[The Adventurer]

Also. Personally I buy the digital Meg and am quite happy with the reprint reproduction. I know it might be annoying to have the Meg and the Reprint in a single file, but you should do what I do!

Take the Meg CBR file. Duplicate it. Open it up in WinRar/WinZip. In one file, delete all the Megazine images. In the other delete all the Reprint images.

Now you have two CBRs one for the Meg and one for the Reprint! Like-a so!

[The Adventurer]

Also I may have been a little over the top about Barney. Its up to date to this March. Barney's pretty much the best resource for finding out what's contained in every Prog or Meg.

You can check out the Megs starting here

[TordelBack]

I'm really enjoying the Meg at the moment but I cock a worried eyebrow at the choice of Detonator X, a great idea by two great creators which was sadly a complete misfire.  Not old enough to have the glow of nostalgia or the lure of obscurity, not good enough to be an under-appreciated modern gem.  Best forgotten, surely?

Also, the physical Meg still fails badly on communicating what's inside, the decision to have a boring black back cover be the only hint of what floppy you might be getting, with no way of flicking through it, is simply crazy.  A flimsy rear-facing inset sheet stuck in the bag trumpeting the Meg's considerable contents and identity of the Floppy would hopefully be worth the printing cost. 

At the very least have the backpage of the floppy be a resized version of the front with explanatory text.  Line-wide trade dress is a good idea, but not at the expense of lost sales.

[The Adventurer]

Personally I love that we're getting Detonator X in a reprint. Sure its a misfire, but like last year's American Gothic reprint, I love having it in a stand alone collection.

I do agree more could be done to showcase the reprint (and Meg) contents. Though I do love that the reprints have the same trade dress as the trades. An insert would probably be the best solution.

[hippynumber1]

Same here re. Detonator X. That ran during my 'wilderness years' so am looking forward to something that will be 'new'.

[Dragonfly]

Thanks Adventurer, that's a useful little list. Being a numpty I didn't realise the digital megs came with digital floppies, for some reason I thought they came with the physical copies only. Again, there is not a lot of information in the on-line store.

[Colin YNWA]

Detonator X wasn't that bad, sure it was a bit of a jumbled mess and the characters fell a bit flat, but it was very readable.

And hey Steve Yeowell art - RESULT!