Sideshow Vote: To be, or not to be? That is the question

[Southstreeter]

If it wasn't a numbered prog and was separate I wouldn't buy it. If it helps finance the prog then so be it.

There's some interesting psychology going on here - you wouldn't buy it if it was separate, but the fact it technically means having a gap in your collection if you don't, means it has to be purchased. I'm sure there are people better qualified than me to analyse that one.

I'm a subscriber. Probably also a completist (hell, I hung in there through the 90s!) but I don't have the luxury of that choice.

[SmallBlueThing(Reborn)]

Keep it, but make it its own thing if possible.

I'm not the biggest fan of Regened, but I'm a completist who has invested 45 years into the prog and I'm not going to suffer gaps at this stage. To make it slightly worse, I buy two copies of each prog- one for my son- and even he, at 18, thinks Regened isn't for him.

Having said that, I've quite enjoyed this week's- with Dredd, the Harry Potter/Grange Hill one and the Future Shock not being at all bad. I have no objection to them continuing.

I wish the real prog had the same production value though. Those shiny covers are lush.

SBT

[The Mind of Wolfie Smith]

i love the idea of regened. but the execution just doesn't seem right. my earthlette sprog, who adores phoenix and lots of ya graphic novels, is just bored by regened -- unfortunately. so keep it going, but look at what jamie smart and neill cameron et al are doing. personally, i would say - don't talk down, don't patronise, stop with the censored versions of our favourites, be original, and let the target readers identify themselves ...

[Colin YNWA]

... but look at what jamie smart and neill cameron et al are doing. personally, i would say - don't talk down, don't patronise, stop with the censored versions of our favourites, be original, and let the target readers identify themselves ...

And more fart and poo jokes. if there's one thing Jamie Smart embraces more than any other creator it that a good fart a poo noise, well executed never gets old. The fella is a genius.

Also I think on the Neil Cameron front Mega Robo Bros is the perfect example of what a Regened story could be. I was literally on tender hooks after the end of the last story. it might be aimed at a primarily younger audience, but a good story told with good craft is absolutely for all ages. The last series of MRB was as good as any of the 'classic' kids adventure comics and even knocked Jamie Smart's stuff off the top of my fav in the Phoenix list... the boy child still went for the fart and poo jokes mind...

[Link Prime]

There's some interesting psychology going on here - you wouldn't buy it if it was separate, but the fact it technically means having a gap in your collection if you don't, means it has to be purchased. I'm sure there are people better qualified than me to analyse that one.

The 'gap in the collection' is a huge deal for me as a collector.
Doubt I'm alone in that.

No point discussing the topic further for me personally, I just bag & board 'em after a cursory flick through.
Seems poor fare, even for the supposed demographic.
If / when it ever does get it's own separate publication I won't be buying it for any young uns.

[IndigoPrime]

The Phoenix comparison is also interesting when you look at Monster Fun. Mini-IP enjoyed the first issue but wasn't bowled over. The action strips were a problem, primarily in terms of the storytelling. It lacked clarity. I don't remember that being the case with The Phoenix at any point when she was old enough to understand the strips. More chaos would also be good in Monster Fun (again, looking at Jamie Smart there – Sweeny Toddler being the closest thing in the material so far, and which was bafflingly removed from the newsstand edition).

With Regened, the big problem for me remains Dredd. I know why 2000 AD went with him as the lead, but he just feels like the kind of character others are fighting against in The Beano and The Phoenix. He's the straight guy – the boring stick in the mud. Sometimes, he's the hero, but he's also no fun. There's no mischief or subversion. Other strips in the comic fortunately do that kind of thing a lot better and have a lot more energy too.

At this point, I've not tried mini-G on Regened yet. Perhaps I'll give that a go and see what she thinks. Given how comics-literate she is, and how much she loves comics, that would be another indicator of whether the publication is hitting the lower end of the age bracket.

[broodblik]

Wednesday we will see how our old timers feel about "the name we shall not speak" 

[JayzusB.Christ]

It's not my thing at all, and I don't have sprogs. But I do like the idea of making a Sprogprog, and realise there aren't the resources to start a new regular comic from scratch.

So -   Yes, keep it as it is 4 regen progs and 46 regular progs a year

[sheridan]

To make it slightly worse, I buy two copies of each prog- one for my son- and even he, at 18, thinks Regened isn't for him.

Not sure I understand that sentence.  The word 'even' suggests that your son is in the target audience - but at 18 they're an adult, and the target audience of Regened is children.

[broodblik]

I am quite surprise about the final result especially the fact that no one has voted to drop the regen as a mad science project.

Voting Closed:

Yes, keep it as it is 4 regen progs and 46 regular progs a year