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The completely self absorbed 2000ad re-read thread

Started by Colin YNWA, 22 May, 2016, 02:30:29 PM

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Bolt-01

Colin- you are painting pictures with words, my friend.

Frank


AlexF


Colin YNWA

Just to assure folks, after all the nice things folks have said, that this is of course all utter nonsense, I've made a decision.

The idea of the re-read is to read the Progs as comics, not in story 'clumps' as I have in the past... even though I can't quite shake my need to review and comment like that. Anyway to that end since I've reached 786 I've made the call to just read Judgement Day in the Prog, not to nip out to the nerd cave and get the Megs.

Is it to keep my re-read pure?
Is it a social experiment?
Is it because when I reached these issues tonight I couldn't be arsed to go out to the comic cavern?

Never underestimate how my laziness can over come my common sense!

Colin YNWA

So two very different stories finish. Kola Kommandos to be honest never gets the dip I seemed to remember. It remains reckless and immense fun. I really enjoyed it, which is not to say its good. Its not, its a mass of problems and silly ideas. Its also a mass of themes and good ideas. And somehow it works really well at the same time as dying on its arse... and I loved it!

Though of course these things are relative. In many recent Progs it would have shone far brighter, stood much taller, alas here its in the shadow of the constantly brilliance of Button Man. Its funny Button Man is almost the exact opposite of Kola Kommandos. Its really a very simple tale. Its themes are dark and interesting, but no especially deep or original. Button Man is all about the execution. Its not about throwing a thousand ideas at something and see what sticks, its about identifying a simple worthwhile idea and drawing it in beautiful detail, timing and execution.

Its a massive testiment to Wagner and Ranson that Harry could so easily have been another of the one dimensional, angry, blunt and pointless leds that have so been the curse of lesser strips and creators in its contempary stories, he's not, not at all. He's a wonderfully drawn, supreme character, who interestingly doesn't go through an arc or much development. He just is and he is as professional and singular as his creators.

I'm also always really amazed how obvious the twist of the Doc being Harry's Voice is from the very first part, and made clearer throughout. I missed it completely when I first read this!

Oh and one last thing I know there's a lot of fuss and ongoing opportunity of this becoming a film. If it brings the series creators reward, well then I hope so. But read it, immerse yourself in it and think. Would anything, ANYTHING in this story be served by it being a film. Is there anyway this could be anything but a compromise if filmed? Its a great testament to masters of the creators craft and the creators craft is comics and this is a prime example of why the medium and format of 2000ad doesn't need to be served by 'bigger' media.

Steven Denton

I like Kola Kommandos. It's Anthony Williams best period artistically, its full of ideas, quirky characters and action. (I also like Dry Run and the 90's Mean Arena so my taste may not be representative)

AlexF

Quote from: Colin YNWA on 26 June, 2018, 08:58:44 PM
Just to assure folks, after all the nice things folks have said, that this is of course all utter nonsense, I've made a decision.

The idea of the re-read is to read the Progs as comics, not in story 'clumps' as I have in the past... even though I can't quite shake my need to review and comment like that. Anyway to that end since I've reached 786 I've made the call to just read Judgement Day in the Prog, not to nip out to the nerd cave and get the Megs.

Is it to keep my re-read pure?
Is it a social experiment?
Is it because when I reached these issues tonight I couldn't be arsed to go out to the comic cavern?

Never underestimate how my laziness can over come my common sense!

Let us know how this works out! I was one of those who subscribed to the Meg purely to get these chapters (and Armageddon - see the thread in the 'General' section about how this was once said to be the origin of Mega City 1). In theory, Judgement Day should work when just reading the Prog episodes - be curious to know if that was, in fact, true. I suspect not, especially the Johnny Alpha plotline.

sheridan

Quote from: Steven Denton on 29 June, 2018, 12:50:36 PM
I like Kola Kommandos. It's Anthony Williams best period artistically, its full of ideas, quirky characters and action. (I also like Dry Run and the 90's Mean Arena so my taste may not be representative)


Was that around the same time as his PJ Maybe story?  Liked his art in that.  He seemed to be a good artist served up not-particularly engaging stories.

sheridan

Quote from: Colin YNWA on 08 June, 2018, 09:05:46 PM
But its the rubbish strip I want to talk about. See I'm so close to enjoying Trash. Its clearly the weakest strip in there and has some sub-Millsian corpation and business bad, nature good stuff, but I can't help but almost enjoy it. Its definately raised by Nigel Dobbyn (why oh why did he fall from Tharg's graces he's so good) art but it has one fundamental problem a few strips have had of late, particularly this by American writers.


I did see Death Ingloria not so long ago, at the Unicorn pub, Camden (not Camden Town, but on Camden Road, on the border with Islington North) - if you get the chance, go see them/her.  I also got a seven-page comic at the gig, written by Galina Ain (the person who gets up on stage) and Hilary Robinson, with artwork by Nigel Dobbyn.

Colin YNWA

Had to look up Death Ingloria, seem to have missed that. Sounds interesting.

Steven Denton

Quote from: sheridan on 29 June, 2018, 11:08:05 PM
Quote from: Steven Denton on 29 June, 2018, 12:50:36 PM
I like Kola Kommandos. It's Anthony Williams best period artistically, its full of ideas, quirky characters and action. (I also like Dry Run and the 90's Mean Arena so my taste may not be representative)


Was that around the same time as his PJ Maybe story?  Liked his art in that.  He seemed to be a good artist served up not-particularly engaging stories.

he did the PJ Maybe story where Dredd punches him in the face at the end (for being 18) and the Necropolis PJ Maybe story a bit earlier I think. same style but it was more polished by Kola Kommandos. 

Colin YNWA

Jugeen Da

Well that was... interesting. Basically reading the episodes of Judgement Day just in the Prog wasn't the perfect way to read the story, but at the start the impact wasn't too bad and the two strands of story felt sufficently seperate for the crossover to work.Of course its hard to seperate myself from the fact that I know the story really well anyway.

I always really enjoyed the opening of this story and wished they'd played more with the Dredd and cadets desperately trying to survive and get back to Mega City One from the Cursed Earth. Its definately the best bit of the tale. The longer it goes on the more it starts to fall apart. During the opening the Prog alone does tease you with the fact there's this whole Johnny Alpha thing going on and you don't get to join the fun. Still it makes the bit you do get better.

As the story progresses and the two strands come together they try their best but by the time you get to the end its not working very well at all ... mind then again the over all story isn't working too well either so ya know.

Then you get that final episode. I mean what's gone before may have been slowly transfering into a shambling, rotting mess trying to eat your brain BUT that last episode is so punch the air trimuphant its untrue and then you get to that last page and punch the air again... even if the stuff before has been a bit poo!

Fungus

Not a fan of Judgement Day, there are zombies and a supernatural villain (not the best kind) and it drags on and on. While my read was a couple of years back to finally read those old progs, I haven't read the Megazines. Maybe soon. Maybe it would help the story overall(?)

I have read people's high regard for Judgement Day, I don't get it. Maybe an epic was called-for so this was the answer? Also, wasn't there a definite distinction in the audiences for Prog and Meg then (which doesn't apply now)? You're splitting a story between audiences... disappointing.

FYI Just today finished Shakara (Hachette, vol. 1) and feeling spoiled at the scale and fun and designs in it. How it should be done!

Magnetica

I remember being annoyed at the time at the descision to run the story in both titles, and I buy both. I just think it doesn't really work that well. Another case in point being Doomsday. I always feel it is not clear what order to read things in.

I guess the one where it had worked best was Tour of Duty. In that case, the Meg was used more to fill in a bit of background. Plus with Dredd exiled to the Cursed Earth for months they could hardly have stories set in MC1 at that point.

Colin YNWA

Quote from: Magnetica on 01 July, 2018, 03:41:04 PM
Another case in point being Doomsday. I always feel it is not clear what order to read things in.


Have to say I think Doomsday tries the same model but makes a much better fist of it. That said I've only read this after the fact, which the Meg issues in reprint so looking forward to getting to it again... all be it a bit off. From now on it only seems fair that for this re-read I'll stick with this methodology, but I'm such a fan of Doomsday I suspect I'll read it twice. Once Prog only then as a whole!