The Great Dante Readthrough Podcast

[Colin YNWA]

Another fascinating fantastic episode. Really interested to hear Simon and Edie talk about Dante's motivation for fighting for Romanov and leading some of his forces rather than rebelling and leading the life of a fugitive.

I've always been really comfortable with my reading of this. That opening episode presents it all. He not fighting for Dmitri and his ambition, rather fighting to get the best possible outcome for Rudinshtein, its people and troops. Hence when asked to join Dmitri to watch their 'great sacrifice' he refuses and stays to inspire the troops. He's fighting for his people, not their rulers.

Devastated by the events that led to the war Dante has been broken and changed and figures if the war is going to get him one way or another, andhe seems to care little at times, he might as well go protecting as best he can the people he feels responsibility for.

That was always my take, I do regularly get these things wrong!

[The Monarch]

you pretty much summed up what i thought as well colin

[Barrington Boots]

That's my take also. Emotionally broken and fatalistic, Dante is almost looking to commit suicide by war, but nevertheless is still fighting for the people who are his responsibility.

Another good episode and interesting to hear Simon and Evie have a slightly more critical take on some of it. I think the introduction on John Burns art is what I always remember about this story rather than the dark tone and shift to grimness. I'd forgotten that Flint and Spatch were part of the rape and murder gang at Rudinshtein with the Groznys - I guess we're to assume that Dante arrives in time to stop anything happening but it does throw them into a more sinister light.
Something worth saying is how good John Burns draws a uniform.

[Illyana]

Our greatest apologies for the lateness of this. We're supposed to release on Fridays! Anyhow, next episode is up!

http://simonfraser.net/tgdrpodcast/2022/10/31/ep-20-interview-special-david-bishop

[Colin YNWA]

Super looking forward to this one. David Bishop is always fascinating to listen to. Should be a blast!

[JohnW]

Well worth the listen.
The inside skinny on the prog in the nineties

[JayzusB.Christ]

Yep, really enjoyed that, thanks guys.  Hard to believe you could end up being Tharg by applying for a job in the paper! 

[Funt Solo]

I'd forgotten that Flint and Spatch were part of the rape and murder gang at Rudinshtein with the Groznys - I guess we're to assume that Dante arrives in time to stop anything happening but it does throw them into a more sinister light.

The Second World War (Beevor, 2012), as well as being a very good summation of the events, differs from previous coverage by including two key aspects that don't often get covered: the plight of women during wartime, and also the rather delicate question of cannibalism. As one may imagine, it was often seen as the better option to write to the bereaved of someone's mysterious or heroic death, and not, say, that they'd been served up as lunch. The German's trapped in and later captured at Stalingrad even had a euphemism for it - referring to the meat as "camel". Front-line Japanese soldiers stuck in the various jungle-zones, were pitifully short of rations towards the end. (The winners, as ever, would be able to brush such exigencies under available carpets.)

Not that we should necessarily echo the worst excesses of war in a comic, but if you're going for grit ... things do get gritty.

[Jim_Campbell]

Not that we should necessarily echo the worst excesses of war in a comic, but if you're going for grit ... things do get gritty.

Garth Ennis is 52. ;-)

[Colin YNWA]

Yep that was fantastic. As I said David Bishop is always good value and that was particularly interesting with the insights and questions from Simon and Edie. So glad this podcast is back. Thanks for this.

[Funt Solo]

I noticed that Bishop excitedly stated about some of his new writing that "you can't go wrong with nuns" - perhaps age is getting the better of him as he seems to be forgetting a certain Megazine series of yesteryear. 

[davidbishop]

Ha, good spot! Suspect I purged the Soul Sisters from my memory banks, at least temporarily. Having been taught by nuns for much of my childhood, the veil is never truly lifted...

[Illyana]

I swear we're going to get back to having a reliable podcast release day...here you go! This is another intense story to readthrough, and as we say at the end: please let us know your thoughts! We will include your responses in a future episode. 

http://simonfraser.net/tgdrpodcast/2022/11/5/ep-21-love-and-war

[JayzusB.Christ]

Was just desperately trying to find a podcast to listen to during a fairly boring painting job - You're a lifesaver!

[Illyana]

Bless you

Was just desperately trying to find a podcast to listen to during a fairly boring painting job - You're a lifesaver!

So glad to be of service! Let us know what you think! We're...apprehensive about this one.