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I'm going to do some fun research and analysis of Alan Moore's Future Shocks, as oppose to his Time Twisters and other shorts. While I'm hopeful I can add something new it's clearly a well-trodden path, and I don't want to waste anyone's time by duplicating work done elsewhere - so if you know of any forum threads or detailed analysis on this subject do let me know.

I've searched Barney, and The Complete Alan Moore Future Shock Collection, and found a few websites like Tim Calahan's Alan Moore reread in 2012 http://www.tor.com/2012/01/16/the-great-alan-moore-reread-future-shocks/ and Heroes of 2000ad 66: Alan Moore http://heroesof2000ad.blogspot.co.uk/2016_04_01_archive.html. But there must be many other enthusiasts who have gone in depth on their love for Moore's Future Shock work too.

The stories were very funny and unpretentious, as far as I can remember (though will the humour stand up now? Let's see)  Like many others I found Alan's early comic work to be laugh-out-loud funny, ironic, satirical, subversive, warm and very human in its approach. A lot of the jokes came from undercutting vast intergalactic concepts to a quotidian scale, with characters called Marge or Mavis or heroes squeezing into corsets or sweeping up the spaceways with a broom.

Obviously by ignoring the Time Twisters we can cut Moore's burgeoning obsession with time out of the equation, and see what else emerges thematically.

I love sci-fi, and Moore's Future Shocks seem from memory to be conjured from an affection for pulp sci-fi stories that I never read but he did. I was introduced to Galactic Tyrants like Lumis Lobar, The Man with the Jade Heart through their humourous deconstruction by writers like Moore. I'm not even sure what era he's referencing (30's to 60's sci-fi I guess?) though I'm sure some of you will know these stories just as well as Moore did.

I think maybe the first Moore story I ever read was The Hyper Histronic Headbang with art by Alan Davis. It was fantastic - full of imagination, wild visuals, and humour. Annoyingly it didn't run as a Future Shock, which shows the problem of tying down a list of just his Future Shocks. So that's one of the first things to double-check.

I thought it would be a simple matter of going through The Complete Alan Moore Future Shocks, but I notice that one of the best Time Twisters (D.R. and Quinch Have Fun on Earth) isn't included. So are there any Future Shocks missing for similar reasons?

Here's the Moore Future Shock list from Barney. Is it complete?

Grawks Bearing Gifts 1 episode (Prog 203) 5 pages
Script: Alan Moore, Artist: Ian Gibson

The Return of the Two-Storey Brain 1 episode (Prog 209) 5 pages
Script: Alan Moore, Artist: Mike White

The English/Phlondrutian Phrasebook 1 episode (Prog 214) 6 pages
Script: Alan Moore, Artist: Brendan McCarthy

The Last Rumble of the Platinum Horde 1 episode (Prog 217) 5 pages
Script: Alan Moore, Artist: John Higgins

They Sweep the Spaceways 1 episode (Prog 219) 4 pages
Script: Alan Moore, Artist: Garry Leach

The Regrettable Ruse of Rocket Redglare 1 episode (Prog 234) 6 pages
Script: Alan Moore, Artist: Mike White

A Cautionary Fable 1 episode (Prog 240) 5 pages
Script: Alan Moore, Artist: Paul Neary

Mister, Could you Use a Squonge? 1 episode (Prog 242) 6 pages
Script: Alan Moore, Artist: Ron Tiner

Twist Ending 1 episode (Prog 246) 2 pages
Script: Alan Moore, Artist: Paul Neary

Salad Days 1 episode (Prog 247) 2 pages
Script: Alan Moore, Artist: John Higgins

The Beastly Beliefs of Benjamin Blint 1 episode (Prog 249) 2 pages
Script: Alan Moore, Artist: Eric Bradbury

All of Them Were Empty 1 episode (Prog 251) 2 pages
Script: Alan Moore, Artist: Paul Neary

An American Werewolf in Space 1 episode (Prog 252) 3 pages
Script: Alan Moore, Artist: Paul Neary

The Bounty Hunters 1 episode (Prog 253) 3 pages
Script: Alan Moore, Artist: John Higgins

The Wages of Sin 1 episode (Prog 257) 6 pages - Read Online
Script: Alan Moore, Artist: Bryan Talbot, Letters: Tony Jacob

Return of the Thing 1 episode (Prog 265) 2 pages
Script: Alan Moore, Artist: Dave Gibbons

Skirmish 1 episode (Prog 267) 2 pages
Script: Alan Moore, Artist: Dave Gibbons

The Writing on the Wall 1 episode (Prog 268) 2 pages
Script: Alan Moore, Artist: Jesus Redondo

The Wild Frontier 1 episode (Prog 269) 2 pages
Script: Alan Moore, Artist: Dave Gibbons

The Big Day 1 episode (Prog 270) 2 pages
Script: Alan Moore, Artist: Robin Smith

One Christmas During Eternity 1 episode (Prog 271) 2 pages
Script: Alan Moore, Artist: Jesus Redondo

No Picnic 1 episode (Prog 272) 2 pages
Script: Alan Moore, Artist: John Higgins

The Disturbed Digestions of Doctor Dibworthy 1 episode (Prog 273) 3 pages
Script: Alan Moore, Artist: Dave Gibbons

Sunburn 1 episode (Prog 282) 5 pages
Script: Alan Moore, Artist: Jesus Redondo

Bad Timing 1 episode (Prog 291) 3 pages
Script: Alan Moore, Artist: Mike White

Eureka 1 episode (Prog 325) 5 pages
Script: Alan Moore, Artist: Mike White

Dad 1 episode (Prog 329) 2 pages
Script: Alan Moore, Artist: Alan Langford

Buzz Off 1 episode (Prog 331) 2 pages
Script: Alan Moore, Artist: Jim Eldridge

Look Before You Leap 1 episode (Prog 332) 2 pages
Script: Alan Moore, Artist: Mike White

And if you have any thoughts on Moore's Future Shock work do share them. I'd be very interested to hear what you think.

Cheers

Monty

For some reason people were misguided enough to buy Death Sentence in sufficient numbers that it's now an ongoing title from Titan. I mean seriously, what were they thinking? I've got pies to make and Octonauts to watch! I haven't got time to be writing and painting the covers to an award nominated critically acclaimed hit comic about a bunch of assholes in silly hats. But you can order it now, should you so desire, and see what's up. It's called Death Sentence London, and various sites have the details (http://comicbastards.com/comics/titan-reveals-death-sentence-london/.

Bascially Volume 1 was an aperitif, a mere taster, for the main course arriving this year. You don't have to have read Volume 1 but if you do Mike and I will be richer, so its obviously essential that you and your friends buy five or six copies each to get the full impact. Though if you prefer not to bombard your mind with sequential thoughtbombs of this intensity you could just read the new series without any confusion whatsoever, to be honest, and work up a tolerance issue by issue while wearing eclipse spectacles. Plus there's a free streak and guiness pie for every reader*. Really! There is.

All the Best
Monty
Emeritus Professor of Pies and Puddings, Magdalen College, Oxford
*made from 100% imaginarium the low calorie low fat alternative to actual pies.

Yes, Pat is drawing the Hulk for Marvel! But don't worry, he's not leaving 2000ad or Savage. (I'd  be heartbroken if he did, it's one of my favourite ever tooth strips and his b&w art is mindblowing) We just needed someone to do a 9 page sequence in the middle of Hulk Annual 1 http://www.forbidden-planet.co.uk/acatalog/Hulk_Annual__1.html But he DOES get to draw Hulk and Iron Man. And some nifty little nine panel pages that show off his awesome skills with character acting.  I for one can't wait to see it!

http://www.rocketshiptoplanetjeff.com/2010/08/31/frank-millers-speech-to-the-1994-diamond-retailers-summit/

A powerful speech. Very interesting listening considering what's happened to the industry subsequently.

Just a quick heads up that marvelous Mike Dowling and me will be launching the Death Sentence graphic novel at Forbidden Planet and Chaos City on the following dates.

More than happy to sign any of the other 2000ad, Marvel or Vertigo comics we've got out too, or draw a sketch  free on the day, or just chat for a bit. Whatever peeps want.

Hope to see you there:

Mike Dowling and Monty Nero signing Death Sentence
Wednesday, 9th July, 2014 18:00 - 19:00
London Megastore

Monty Nero signing Death Sentence
Friday, 4th July, 2014 18:00 - 19:00
Southampton Megastore

Monty Nero signing Death Sentence
Chaos City Comics St Albans
Saturday 12th July 13:00 -15:00

Cheers

Monty

Scotland only tonight, but should be on the iplayer thereafter. Not to be missed.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03v2vcb

"Frank Quitely is the alter ego of Glaswegian comic-book artist Vincent Deighan. As one of a group of British writers and artists who have reinvented the superhero genre, Frank's depictions of iconic characters like Superman, Batman and the X-Men have provided inspiration for some of Hollywood's biggest movie franchises.

In this film, we follow Frank over the course of a day and night as he works on a single page from his latest work, the epic superhero saga Jupiter's Legacy"

Say no more. I'm in!

http://tuggingyourcoat.com/2013/12/18/romance-is-in-the-air/

http://forbiddenplanet.com/events/2013/10/09/death-sentence-1-forbidden-planet/

Mike Dowling, of Six Brothers, 1947, and Judge Dredd 'Closet' fame, will be signing at Forbidden Planet London on Wednesday 9th October as part of the Death Sentence launch.

He's currently drawing a major Judge Anderson story with Alan Grant, and I'm sure he'd be delighted to chat to any boarders in the room.

It's crazy talk, I know, but has anyone here ever thought about creating a science fiction comic

Well, you're in luck!

"The University of Dundee is pleased to announce the Third Annual Dundee Comics Prize, a competition to design a new British Science Fiction Comic. The first prize is £500. There will also be two runner-up prizes of £250 each.
Description
Submissions should consist of a cover and a story of approx 5-8 pages, the aim being to produce a concept design and original story.

You are tasked to re-invent British Science Fiction Comics for the 21st Century!

The deadline for completed submissions is 6th September 2013. The work will be judged by a panel consisting of comic professionals and scholars, with a launch at the Dundee Comic Day 2013, which is part of the Dundee Literary Festival held in October 2013. Winners and runner-ups will be invited to attend. There will also be an exhibition of artwork from the competition at the Festival.

The aim of the prize is to nurture talent in comics, and to help new creators gain recognition. Anyone can enter the competition, and the submission can be in any style, in black or white or colour, but the work must be finished to a high standard (lettered, inked, etc), and it must be a complete story. The work must be original, the creators must own the copyright, and it must not have been published already, or currently offered for publication elsewhere. When submitting work good quality scans are requested in the first instance, although original artwork may be requested at a later stage (although will remain the property of the creators). The prize is awarded to the creator or team who produce the work. If the work is collaborative the members of the team will share the prize money equally. All winners (including runners-up) will be asked to provide a short account of how the comic was created, along with any relevant photos and sketches. These will be used on the website to demonstrate how the winning entries came about. Artwork will also be required on a short loan for the purposes of an exhibition. The decision of the judging panel is final.

All queries and submissions should be sent to Chris Murray, University of Dundee: dundeecomicsprize@gmail.com"

Apologies (and congratulations) to anyone not on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=172113509626953&set=a.172113506293620.1073741827.172112012960436&type=1&theater

I'm sure it'll get posted somewhere else soon.

Bit of a long shot - but anyone got any idea where I could buy some of these magnificent artifacts? Sounds like the best comic ever.

http://www.comics.org/issue/35940/

Titan are publishing some interesting comics from 2000ad alumni Carl Critchlow, John Higgins, Si Spurrier, PJ Holden and...some people it's probably not my place to mention just yet.

Death Sentence is a six issue series with art by Mike Dowling, who you may remember from Dredd, Six brothers, and '49. And it's no exaggeration to say this is his best art yet.

"The art looks the bastard offspring of Sean Phillips, Francavilla, and Jock, which is great. Beautiful, dirty coloring too, none of that nasty air-brushed rubbish that's so common nowadays. Tons of energy"

There's a trailer for the comic here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmFa-flzE0I

http://comicsbeat.com/c2e2-liveblogging-dredd-and-beyond-the-whole-wide-world-of-2000-ad/

So this is exciting news! But in what capacity are they 'back'. Just doing a cover back, or nine episodes of gorgeous sequentials back...

Anybody?

Here's my review on the hiex blog:

http://hiexcomics.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/rogue-trooper-tales-of-nu-earth-03.html

Should Rogue have been retired after he killed the traitor-general? I say no, though I wish they'd handled him differently. Compare the development of Rogue over the years with the depth added to Dredd, or Johnny Alpha.

Also found this cool review (We agree about Jose Ortiz, but not 'The Hit'):
http://2000ad.wordpress.com/2012/11/09/review-rogue-trooper-tales-of-nu-earth-03/

Did you know Dave Gibbons looked at a lot of Ortiz's Warren art while researching his original RT designs?

Hello,

Just introducing myself:

I've been reading 2000ad for twenty years. It was the art that attracted me first, copying all the pictures, and I only gradually noticed how great the stories were too. A mate gave me his collection when I was ill off school (I bet he regrets it now). I'm talking about all the Quality reprints and every prog back to 300, which I still have. I gorged on them in bed, one after another, for weeks. As a result, the 300's are my favourite period: the logo, the paper, the attitude. You've got Harry Twenty on the High Rock, some classic Robo Hunter's, Brett Ewins best work on Dredd, The Ballad of Halo Jones and Dr and Quinch all kicking off. I've stuck with it every week since and in recent years it's really reached a high gear again, IMHO.

Anyway, looking forward to some good chats. Hope there's no hazing of newbies!