What would you want from a new 'classic' 2000AD story?

[paulvonscott]

I've just spent twenty minutes harping (screech) on about old series, what do people want from new series?

[Thread Zero]

Hey, PVS, dont you do any work?

You ain't a state sponger like er...me!:O)

Tony Blair, here's to perpetual unemployment!

I would have at least one story written by me of course. Probably my great work finally recognized by the masses.

Other than that, I can live with Space Girls Revisited- They do really mime, Carver Hale - How he got the hell in hale, Zippy Couriers - This time the Button will do, Judge Dredd Helter Skeleter2 - Be Careful that slide is dangerous...and Killer2 - Steeve Moore gets away with it again.

How about that?

scojo

[paulvonscott]

Hi Scojo, I've been self employed this year and now i've decided to go back to another soul devouring job in the new year (somebody please save me!), I have too much time on my hands.  hence me hanging around here talking about everything from the 'amino acid content of a biochip' to 'does Dredd use PerpOff boot shine'.

I don't think you are taking this post seriously Scojo, it's all i got I tell you!  

I'd like something that wasn't about people trying to be cool with guns, in 2000AD this genrally means boring with no guns.  I'd like something set in a dystopian near future, political intrigue, maybe even a murder mystery investigative story.  Main character, a complete loser who doesn't have much of a chance of staying alive never mind finding out what is going on.  A slowly unravelling story that reveals a really big picture at the end.  Tightly written, lots of suspense, something that makes me want to break into the 2000AD offices to find out what happens next.

I don't know, maybe that sounds like crap to you, what does anybody else want?

[Thread Zero]

Crap? Crap?

You're a bloody genius!
Although it sounds a little like Armitage to me.
The first series anyway. Vol 1 of the meg circa 1990.

I have a great idea for a screenplay. About a future cop who faces corruption within the very government he works for!

It includes all sort of other things. Man it rocks like an asteroid on a collison course with Earth!

I have even written it too!

Scojo

[Thread Zero]

I am so excited I can't type collision right either!

[pauljholden]

"I have even written it too!

Scojo "

In crayon?

- mr c

[paulvonscott]

Well, I wasn't really thinking of a cop, cops are useful, they can do stuff like legally own guns and call for back up and have access to information.  They usually have a good right hook too.  That maybe would end up being like Armitage (or Arkady Renko - non comic reference)

Nor would it have to be as comical as some guy working in a fast food joint, but just some futuristic schmuck who gets annoyed because someone has stepped on his toes, makes a pitiful attempt for once in his life to stand up for himself and gets sucked into a maelstrom of misery he couldn't have even planned for on a very large piece of graph paper.

Bu there are a million and one stories that could be made, they just don't have to be about another violent killer.  Not that I don't enjoy that too sometimes, but sometimes you just want to leave your work at the door.  Just kidding, even though if I am ever arrested this will be used as evidenc against me :)  It won't be so funny then!

[paulvonscott]

Crayon is a tricky medium. you shouldn't knock it.

[McNulty]

How can we know what a classic series is going to be? If it's well scripted, has a great artist, has something for the vast and varied readership to appreciate, then you're on the right tracks. Other than that, it's difficult to predict what's going to be a classic. Did everyone say, "That Dante strip - that's going to run and run" when they first read it?  

[paulvonscott]

Well, obviously you can't just say what would be a classic series is, we've seen the evidence for that.  The term: new 'classic' is itself somewhat gibberish.

I was more asking what kind of stories you want?  What sort of characters etc.  What elements would make up a classic story for you.

I think a good humour strip would be great, but I think they are one of the hardest things to do.  I don't think there has been a good one since Ace Garp/DR & Quinch (not counting Dredd which is often very funny).  

[Trough]

I agree that humour has its place in 2k, but is best placed within serious stories like Dredd and Dante, where you've got a broad enough canvas to try anything and everything (oops - sounding wanky).  

The best humour seems to come from situations and characters, rather than outright comedy strips.  Ace Garp and DR & Quinch were successful examples of comedy stories, but there are few others (1 vote from me for Hap Hazard!).  

You're right, Mr Paulvonscott: it's probably very hard to write a comedy story, and even if you get it right, then it almost certainly won't be well-received by a vast percentage of the readers.  Humour is more subjective than drama (oops - more wank).

One thing I believe 2k should bring back is the quirkiness.  Most of the current stories are sufficiently action-packed and contain some element of decent characterisation; but where's the weirdness gone?  Looking back at the ancient stuff, there was always some bizarre nonsense going on, like the surreal Jigsaw Disease in The Judge Child Quest or the frankly insane backdrop of Termight's Terror Tubes.  There's an element of imagination that seems to have disappeared recently.  Is this because of the editors' belief that the readers only want gruff hero-types with big guns?  Or is it because the writers haven't noticed that this kind of thing is lacking?  Or am I the only one sad enough to think that it's important in the first place?  Erm...

Surely a good story (dunno about the term 'classic') should have an element of everything: action, comedy, weirdness, attitude, originality, characterisation, and, above all, a good tale to tell.  Anyone out there remember Axel Pressbutton?  That's my idea of the sort of thing 2k is lacking.

Having said all this, it's probably worth noting that the most recent really successful story in 2k is Dante, which is the opposite of the gruff-hero-type-with-big-gun cliche.  And hurrah for that, frankly.

[Mole]

On the subject of comedy, what was that Straightjacket Fits thing from the early Megazines all about?

Had zero comedy value for me. Unless I missed something...

[Wood]

I agree with Trough.

Well said that man.

As for The Straitjacket Fits... well, it had zero comedy value because it was crap. Shame, because Roger Langridge is a very good artist and can write dead funny stuff when he wants to.

Check out Hotel Fred, and download the Dr. Sputnik comics if you don't believe me...

Link: http://www.hotelfred.com" target="_blank">Roger Langridge's Web Site

[nemesis]

Id like to see a story where the first couple of pages dont go on about how grim the world has become, im tired of that story. I think theres a lot of mileage in worlds were people dont carry guns around and blast their victims from frame to frame. It would be great to have a story where either no one dies or it is a complete shock that a character dies.Or there could even be a big plot to kill someone that unfolds over the issues as we understand the motives of the characters involved- basically a story which places a higher value on life. Maybe outline the repression of a utopian world upon its deviants, see the problems of the world gone good and have a script thats not so full of pharses and jibberish techno language. Just some thoughts anyway Cheers

[Thread Zero]

Sounds interesting.

Although some readers do like their blood and  profanity quota each week!

I'm a pacifist myself and can't stand people who swear.

When I meet people like that I just wanna fucking kill em!

scojo