Megazine 247 - Army of Darkness!

[Bart Oliver]

Ian Edginton *looks* vaguely familiar.

That bit about buying and selling 40/50/60s clothing and furniture. Makes me wonder if he ever worked out of Folio 50, a vintage shop on Digbeth High St. during the late eighties, early nineties.

Who'd be able to find something like that out for me?


Computer.

Box.

Now.

;)

[Emperor]

It was a good issue - possibly the best since the changes.

The Sino-Cit judges got my eyebrows raised but Gordon Rennie rapidly pulled it out of the bag with some equal opportunity offending (cowardly Brit judge needs a tough Yankee to pull his ass out of the fire, evil unshaved South of the Border types abound and a sinister Soviet) and with the line about Dredd not being scared of anyone under him on lists of crimes against humanity. The art is looking very good ? those pastel hues really help provide that dusty feel.

Fiends is still looking great although the actual point of dumping his men passed me by except that he is EVIL. It?s shaping up nicely though.

Ian Edginton interview is one of the best author features. Although Alan Moore and Grant Morrison have to be done its features like this that are the most enlightening as, even though he does great work that has been consistently good, I don't know that much about him (possibly as his work is less commercial that other big names).
 
The reprint was a classic I remember from first time around and it is nice to read it again.

Black Siddha seems like it is spiffy but I am really struggling with working out what is going on. I may have too wait and then read them all in one go. Last issue he had lost his powers because he killed someone and seemingly been captured by the baddies but this issue he is up and back on form and throwing vans around (although granted he doesn't seem to have killed anyone its not for the lack of trying.

Nice profile of Paul Scott.

Mt Amperduke was great (one of the best things in the mag) and should get Bob Byrne a lot more attention.

The X-Men review is informative and a good read.

Top Twenty is interesting and might throw out some ideas for folks. I thought the previos one was a bit of a waste but this one suggests a productive angle would be Top 20 comics out this month, Top 20 DC/Marvel, Top 20 small press comics, etc.

I got very confused by Tales from the Black Museum until I realised I had turned over two pages at once and when I went back and re-read it the story made a lot more sense. It didn't blow me away or set things on fire but I enjoyed the art.

A knitted Dredd? Now there is a new angle for 2000 AD merchandise!!

[Dark Jimbo]

When I went back and re-read it the story made a lot more sense. It didn't blow me away or set things on fire but I enjoyed the art.

You want to be careful when stories do that. An episode of Synnamon once pissed in my sink and ate all my biscuits, and one installment of A Love like Blood accosted me in my garden shed, beating me unconscious with a lawn umbrella before stealing my wallet and running up massive online debts on my credit cards just for the sheer hell of it.

[Emperor]

You want to be careful when stories do that. An episode of Synnamon once pissed in my sink and ate all my biscuits, and one installment of A Love like Blood accosted me in my garden shed, beating me unconscious with a lawn umbrella before stealing my wallet and running up massive online debts on my credit cards just for the sheer hell of it.

I have been blown away by Sinister Dexter and found Dredd most areesting on more than one occasion. The VCs have cleaned up and I find that Harry Kipling is my cup of tea.

[Buddy]

Just flicked through this issue, nice one PVS!

How long before a publisher approaches him for some real work?

PVS a future Tharg? You heard it here first (and he'd get my vote).

[paulvonscott]

"Just flicked through this issue, nice one PVS!"

Cheers, I was very pleased.

"How long before a publisher approaches him for some real work?"

Who knows? I probably have a long way to go, but I'll keep doing me comics though.

"PVS a future Tharg? You heard it here first (and he'd get my vote)."

Blimey, you can almost hear the laughter on Betelgeuse from here.  Rather Matt Smith than me, I'd rather write than edit is all I can say.

I've had quite a bit of feedback from it, from the bloke who runs the local post office, e-mails, texts and of course orders. Much more than any other review, so it does do what it's supposed to.  I said at the start it was a positive move, and from this side of things, I can say it is.

[Proudhuff]

Well done PVS,
 

Meg: its all been said above but just to say stereotyping is getting a bit to close to the seventies for me. But I love the story and art in the Dredd thang.

and black slider is beyond me but that is just me, the art, and my hatred of the colour purple

 

[johnone]

Ok Finally got the Meg this week (had to go to 25 miles to get it as it never turned up in local newsagents) it was worth the trip,

REGIME CHANGE
Is turning into a damn fine story , suddenly Dredds reason for charging into the city  have become clouded with this search for the missing democracy activists ,the story is taking on some fine twists , oh and as for the Sino cit bit at the start , its supposed to be humorous and show how tough Dredd is , and for those who spout "Racisim" please remember the world of Dredd has always operated on cliched stereotypes of different cultures ,thats part of the knowing humor of the strip , its funny how no one complains about the portrayal of Mega city one judges and their citizens no matter how daft a view of America it becomes at times but show a cliched view of an asian and suddenly the R word is produced!?!?!

Fiends Of the Eastern Front
Its turning into quite a good read but six Pages Why? way too short and its hurting the strip either move it to 2000ad or double its page content per Megazine.

COMPULSORY PURCHASE
 Hmmm  what can I say , a Good reprint and at least you got the page framing right this month

Ian Edginton
 Really Good Interview and very interesting  good job!

SMALL PRESS:Mr Amperduke
This was the first small press I really enjoyed since it started, a slick dark tale well told , I'm thinking of buying the graphic novel when it comes out after reading this.

TOP TWENTY
Ok what was wrong with sprout? I enjoyed his Top Twenties at least they were funny , this was just a List of one mans favourite Graphic novels  most of which I own ,so hardly informative or even entertaining , bring back Sprout

TALES FROM THE BLACK MUSEUM
I'm really enjoying these stories , I know years ago the Megazine tried short stories but this format really is working, keep it up!

and now for my one problem BLACK SIDDAH what the hell is this junk??!?!?!As I have said before I have tried, I have really tried to like this but every month this becomes more and more Dire with every frame and its not only the poor writing its the piss poor continuity of the artwork from an otherwise excellent artist simon davis, if you were to reprint this in a graphic novel it would be nonsensical and unintelligible , just end it now please and do not bring it back!!!

Oh just one more thing, I for one want to see Charleys War Back in the next few months, I know there are those out there that criticise it but I read it originally when it was in Battle when I was Seven Years old and I can tell you right now that after Charley returns to France the story become a true work of comic book  genius, it shouldn't matter that it isn't set in the future or the doesn't fit in with with the rest of the material (if that was the case ,Button Man would never have seen the light of day) what matters is that it is one of the finest tales ever told through the medium of the comic book!!!

Overall for 247 : Rebellion really should get some sort of campaign to get people reading because right now it deserves a bigger audience and most certainly deserves that Eagle Award

p.s What the hell did the editor of Comics International say that was so bad that you had to mention it in the editorial?

[DavidXBrunt]

Use the search function with the phrase 'Sez Dez'

[Dog Deever]

Better late than never...

Judge Dredd - I'm quite enjoying this one, despite not caring much for the artwork.

FotEF- I don't mind the slow burning build up. There's action aplenty in the rest of the Meg, so a change of pace is nice.

Ian Edginton interview - I like this sort of text stuff, much more interesting than before the 'Great Megazine Purges'.

Old Dredd - Classic Dredd, always a winner.

Black Siddha - I don't see why everyones so confused over this one. I don't know- I blame the dumbing down of society.
}@

Small Press - Now, I have to say- stories with no text are a pet hate of mine. I just can't be arsed with them. Looking at the pictures is fine, but I just cant take it in with pictures alone.
Until now.
What a great strip.

Tales From The Black Museum - meh! Hang on! Did I even read it? I can't fucking remember! That's shocking. I'll have to read it again... sometime.

Overall the Meg is in good form just now- not the best, but still great. Mind you- it will have to really stink badly, and for a long time, before I stop buying it!

[Grant Goggans]

Just got this, and saved the Mr. Amperduke story for last, and that was the best move I've made in days.  Talk about ending on a high note - that story's weird and sick and completely excellent.  I am looking forward to more from Bob Byrne now!!

[Dark Jimbo]

Anyone notice how the wrong female judge was drawn at the end of Regime Change? Despite Dredd repeatedly calling her 'Mortina' (the one with the ponytail) she was clearly Corson (the Tek fem) - and the two of them then went go on to discuss Corson as though she wasn't there!



Yeah, meaningless, I know. But I'm a geek, indulge me. I live for spotting mistakes like this. :)