Thoughts on collecting 2000AD again...

[Dunk!]

The only problem with these flashback stories (Alpha and Rogue) is the lack of any sense of danger.

That probably sounds stupid but let me explain.

Rogue and Alpha showed that characters were expendable in tooth. They can die or reach the goal that has driven them on through their storyline; I can't wait to see where Nicolai Dante is heading - from what I have already read I think a heroic ending is inevitable, Dredd's been heading toward something in the last few years and even Sinister Dexter offers up the chance of some peril for the main characters.
Telling flashback stories set before what could be seen as a characters ?Alamo? means that no matter how good the story we know where it's all heading and that robs it of some tension. Johnny and Wulf are going to survive no matter what and it?s the job of any we-haven?t-seen-you-before support characters to take on the burden of peril like the recent rehashed Rogue.

It?s why I don?t read many American comics and especially superhero ones. You can?t feel for these characters ?cos they are never in any danger of not making it through to the next month. So boring. Where as a character in tooth especially a new one can be facing extinction at any moment. Reason to read on.

It?s a personal thing but I?d rather have fond memories of how much these characters gripped me in the past then think there?s not enough new stuff out there to fill the pages and we must always be retro.

[Matt]

I kinda subscribed to this arguement sometime ago, before being shot down in flames in Input by a few readers who didn't. My arguement pretty much suggested that drama & tension could only be created by life and death situations, which really is a bit of a no starter. Having said that, I do think the fact that Johnny (and Rogue) are dead puts the strip in stasis, it would be really difficult to introduce new elements into the strip that the readers would buy. Wagners approach of writing Johnny as a mythical character, lends itself to taking the story into radical new areas, whereas the recent series of Rogue didn't have as much luck. As for bringing Johnny back from the dead, well I'd be up for it if the story was good, and if the stories that followed were there to be told. But if it turned out like it did for Pa & Junior Angel then I'd be against it.

[Oddboy]

I'm sorry but that's bull.

I haven't read prog 1364 yet but I can *PROMISE* you that Judge Dredd doesn't die.
He won't die next week either.
Or the week after that.
Does that mean that they shouldn't bother making more Dredd stories? Or that we shouldn't bother reading them?

If Alpha is then brought back from the dead then he might (only might) lose the danger - because we know he *can* be brought back.

[Slippery PD]

Of course wagner could throw us all a curveball by killing Alpha in the next story.  Howabout that for fecking up continuity?

Yer Slips

[Dunk!]

I don't think drama can only be created through life and death situations, but if you look at the characters we're discussing its a major part in their repective storylines. They all engage in gun battles on a regular basis so strangely enough death should be a part of reality, for them as well as support characters

Granted Dredd's not going to die in the next few weeks, but can you guarantee me that's not ever going to buy the farm? Same with Dante and Sinister Dexter. To this end they could be seen as going somewhere; where as the others have run their races and can be put out to pasture.

You make a good point about bringing Alpha back though. It would mean it was like any Superhero continuity - where the entrance to deaths realm is a revolving door.

[Dudley]

can die or reach the goal that has driven them on through their storyline

Exactly right.


Sure, Dredd won't die next week.  But I like the feeling (references to aging, mortality, Rico as possible successor) that after a very good and  epic storyline he could do exactly that.  The character's arc is by no means played out yet, but a few years down the line, who knows?

[Leigh S]

I think the part of the reason why theres a clamour to brng back Alpha and Rogue is that their stories ended either for the wrong reasons/anti-climactically.

I agree that knowing there's an end to Dante makes me look forward to the day - but thats been planned from day one - I doubt Stront or Rogues ends were as thought through, and thats why they create such a sense of unfulfilled potential in so many.  Alphas my favourite character, and I wouldnt object to a story of the calibre of "Rage" to finish him off for good.  Unfortunately we didnt get that, so it all went a bit flat.

[stront692]

hi red and welcome back,
i agree with dudleys comments although i did quite enjoy this run of 2000ad, i liked the final solution and it paved the way for an excellent 'MONSTERS' story - now if only had carried on that way but instead they dumped the production values shortly after and all the painted artwork stopped replaced by computerised or cartoonistic styles (i think this was about the same time as the tv advert debacle on sky tv which took all their budget and did get any new sales)
stront692

[stront692]

i think the creative team were going to change each and every franchise the comic (and they did - MEAN ARENA anyone), so the FINAL SOLUTION should be remembered and respected for what it is a final hurrah for johnny alpha produced by the creative team that wanted to do it right and see him off with respect just as MONSTERS ushers in the new era in style (its just a shame it then meanderd around for over 2 years instead of following a proper story arc itself).
and the FRIDAY saga on itself is a brilliant of work written by one of the original creators and greatest talents of the uk comic industry (but the mike fleisher scripts should have gone in the bin and the art went downhill), they have just redefined as a future war strip and left the biochips out of it (possibly using memories instead)
but u cant blame the initial WAR MACHINE story for the direction that another writer took the character in (and this was an american writer as well), its a brilliant future vietnam story - the original creator updating it and telling it the way he wanted to WOW (u can tell i loved it at the time and im a big fan of simon harrison and will simpsons artwork - i even bought all their american stuff, some of which is crap and believe me they must wish they were stll working on characters like these)
nope - i think 2000AD should keep true to artistic integrity and thats why i came back to reading it (i left about prog 832 an came back briefly around 1050 or so before starting collecting again with the prog 2000),
i have to say i have nothin wronmg with flashbacks but its a bit hard to piece in your mind where they all fit into the overall story
HOW ABOUT A TIMELINE OF SOME SORT to say where this story arc takes place and then u have unlimited scope for more stories
stront692

[stront692]

i myself would like to see TALES FROM THE DOGHOUSE brought back and expanded into a long story featuring each character, and i would love to see all the post MONSTER STRONTIUM DOGS stories wiped out and the series restarted again with an update on middenface, whatever to evans the fist and torso
johnny alpha is my favoutite character but they were really cool too - OUTLAW is one of the best SD stories out there, its brilliant
stront692