Prog 1870 - On Target

[Frank]

I thought I'd read that he wasn't happy with Johnny being killed off? ... There's also the question of why go to all the trouble of bringing Johnny back just to go the direction it appears he has at the end of this series (as I say I'm not convinced this is the end) ... Either way I do think it will be academic anyway and I'm hopefully there's more to come

Wagner has definitely said he thought it was a mistake to kill the character off, but I think that was in light of the difficulties it posed when they decided to resurrect him. The reason Wagner and Grant state they wanted to write a definitive and unambiguous death scene for Alpha was to prevent one of the new generation of writers being able to trash their legacy, in the way which did indeed happen with Sam Slade *.

The way Wagner and Ezquerra have left things hanging ensures that they can return to the character without occult shenanigans should they wish to do so in future, and the prospect that they may eventually do so prevents editorial from pissing them off by letting Guy Adams and Paul Marshall loose on the character in the meantime. I suppose there's nothing stopping anyone from creating stories set in that world, but Alpha's probably off limits.


* http://www.2000adreview.co.uk/features/interviews/2005/grant/grant5.shtml

[A.Cow]

Erm, at the risk of getting shot down in flames for stating the bleedin' obvious, the story is called

• THE LIFE AND DEATH OF JOHNNY ALPHA

It's been fairly evident where this has been going from its inception in 2010.

My reading of the story is that Wagner & Ezquerra are taking back ownership of Alpha's death, having (presumably) decided (after a number of years of ambivolence) that they now dislike the ending that Alan Grant originally bestowed.  The Stalinesque revision of Feral's character is consistent with that.

Just a shame that the anti-climactic final scene is so abrupt.

[Dan Banks]

Looks like the ending of Strontium Dog is causing a bit of a ruckus here! I'm no Stront die-hard (in fact, I've only read Life and Death 3 and 4, and half of Agency Files 1, so far) but I have a theory. A pretty simple one all in all.

As I was reading this concluding part two panels really stuck out for me and that's page 2 panels 2 and 4. Okay, so his nose isn't quite right but why does this guard who doesn't seem to like his employers all that much get such a close up? Why are his eyes hidden? And why is he seemingly stalling them from leaving? We have of course already seen Johnny infiltrate the norm brotherhood using just a pair of sunglasses and a bad accent. Getting in here should be easy enough.

Further evidence is the first caption of page 3 which says "...has caused many to question Alphas use of the time bomb to gain entrance to the Great Hall.". To me, this reads as, "the following pages are complete BS".

It certainly seems to me that Life and Death is a classic case of unreliable narrator but John and Carlos have given us enough hints to work out what really happened. And depending on whether you prefer silent justice or going down as a fiery martyr, you can pick your own ending to this epic.

Either way, this current run made me go out and buy agency files 1-3 so I'm sure you can work out my opinion on this current series 

[Pete Wells]

With regards to others writing Stront, or particularly Johnny, at the 2000AD panel at the Lakes Comic Festival last year the guests were asked which strips they'd like to work on. Robbie Morrison said he'd love to write Strontium Dog which was met with a rather scary grimace and a snarl from John Wagner.

I'm not quite sure that Wagner is ready to hand over the reigns quite yet!

[ZenArcade]

Looks as old T B Grover has lost none of his boundless respect for the  rest of the droids! Z

[Trout]

Looks as old T B Grover has lost none of his boundless respect for the  rest of the droids! Z

I think he's perfectly respectful towards them. But he's entitled to an opinion.

[ZenArcade]

Sounds like it! Z 

[Steve Green]

I was at the same panel, and it was just a funny aside rather than anything deeper.

Considering the patchy record some other writers have had on Dredd in the past, I can quite appreciate why he might be cautious.

[IndigoPrime]

My reading of the story is that Wagner & Ezquerra are taking back ownership of Alpha's death, having (presumably) decided (after a number of years of ambivolence) that they now dislike the ending that Alan Grant originally bestowed.

I'd hope that isn't the reason for what was a fairly turgid story that lacked the energy and fire of Final Solution. If it is, well... bah. I still have the original comics and I'll just pretend this tale never existed. My hope is it's a springboard, not Wagner hurling the strip off a clip while singing "AND I DID IT MY WAY!"

[ZenArcade]

Happy to concede on the TBG quip guys. It just put me in mind of a photo of him and a couple of other droids at some signing/forum in the early 80's I think. He looked none too fond in it. Z

[Frank]

Given the way fan wank like this - one guy on the internet discussing another guy on the internet's speculation as if it were fact - sometimes takes on a life of its own, maybe its a good idea to bear in mind that it was Wagner's idea to kill Alpha in the first place.

I've never heard Wagner discuss Alan Grant or his work in anything other than respectful and admiring tones, and in his Dundee comics festival address Wagner spoke of Colin MacNeil in the same terms as Cam Kennedy and Carlos Ezquerra; artists who could be relied upon never to produce anything less than fantastic work, which makes the writing process so much easier.

The idea that this was Wagner and Ezquerra trying to dismiss or outdo The Final Solution is undermined by what everyone agrees was an ambiguous and subdued ending. If Wagner and Ezquerra had intended this to be a creative FUCK YOU, THAT'S THE WAY TO DO IT to The Final Solution, Alpha and the entire supporting cast would have gone out in a tear jerking double page spread of laser blasts, heroic sacrifice, and memorable last words.

[ZenArcade]

I was wondering who it was for a moment sauchie....then it dawned the olympics are over. Z

[Link Prime]

My reading of the story is that Wagner & Ezquerra are taking back ownership of Alpha's death, having (presumably) decided (after a number of years of ambivolence) that they now dislike the ending that Alan Grant originally bestowed.

I'd hope that isn't the reason for what was a fairly turgid story that lacked the energy and fire of Final Solution. If it is, well... bah. I still have the original comics and I'll just pretend this tale never existed.

What my fellow Prime said.

I've made my negative opinion about 'The Life & Death of Johnny Alpha' resurrection saga known over the past few years.
It remains unchanged; despite the pedigree of the creators involved it was at best an ill conceived misstep.

Perhaps 2000AD historians will remember it as the stark ravings of the notorious fantasist Wag-Ner.

[Frank]

I was wondering who it was for a moment sauchie....then it dawned the olympics are over. Z

... with only a couple of runner-up medals in the curling and posh girls winning at snow boarding and the tea tray slide. Skeleton Bob sounds like he should be turning up in the new series of Stickyback.

[House of Usher]

Great Prog, firing on all cylinders, 7/10, best in weeks.