Bring back the Sci-Fi Special please.

[Kev Levell]

Nearly 13 years since the last Sci-Fi special - would anyone else like to see the summer special return? I'm not sure what the budgets and stuff are for on-offs, I'd just like to see the Sci-Fi special make a comeback!

The Sci-Fi special used to be a really nice place for:
- old thrills to be revisited in a test-the-water kind of way.
- one off stories that didn't necessarily fit with the narrative of their respective characters at the time.
- sneaky reminder reprints and new set-up stories that prepared you for upcoming events.
- catch-up editorial for new and lapsed readers.
- guest spots for illustrators that the weekly prog couldn't always afford.

It also represented a pretty good opportunity to recruit new readers.

I'm not unhappy with the prog, meg and yearly special - far from it... I'm just suggesting that another dose of thrill-power each year wouldn't go amiss - or am I recklessly hoping my circuits can sustain it? - what do you think?

It probably kicks up problems from a subscription point of view though, so I won't hold my breath!

[Emperor]

Its an interesting idea because the end of year Prog feels more like a springboard for new stories than a replacement for the Annuals (it is really the equivalent of three issues in one with some seasonal one-offs) and a standalone Summer Special with the mix of stories could be interesting - I'd like to see a one-off Devlin Waugh/Tyranny Rex/Indigo Prime story from John Smith, perhaps bring M.A.C.H. 1 up-to-date for the War on Terror (or is that Greysuit?), etc. I also liked the "Tharg's Alien Invasions" single pagers by Henry Flint in Prog 2005 and 2005 and wouldn't mind seeing some other similar endeavours.

[Kev Levell]

I could stand to see a Judge Dredd mega-special too!

[radiator]

My understanding is that it's all down to money - the specials just weren't profitable. Having said that, they did put out a (non-reprint) Winter Special a few years back.

Something that might work is having two yearly bumper-sized progs - one during the summer as well as the end of year one.... Would also give the editorial staff a summer break!

I have particularly fond memories of the '95 Sci-Fi Special - a nice Dredd that parodied the Stallone movie, Steve Tappin Rogue Trooper, a decent Gordon Rennie Mean Machine one-off and Paul Marshall on Durham Red. I remember thinking the Dredd Mega Specials were weak even at a young age, though.

[Colin YNWA]

The point has already been raised but the big annual prog doesn't feel the same as the old Specials (and I'm not refering to age of Terry Hall there) or Annuals. Its more like a giant launch Prog. They're very good and all but just different.

Often the 90s specials were themed and so maybe they could be themed to try to tap into potential new readers. So maybe a Manga Special with 2000ad characters done with Manga stylings (much as I hate the idea, might attract different readers). An Old Skool special with work by accessible classic arts on older strips to type into the nostalgia market and I'm sure they're many more others could think of.

[Dark Jimbo]

Personally I'd rather see these sorts of ideas channelled into the Meg, which still seems to be struggling to find an identity of its own beyond 'big monthly prog'.

[Kev Levell]

Jimbo, do you think the format of the meg could stand the nature of these suggestions?
Being predominantly based in Dredd's world and despite having had reprints etc. of other thrills - don't you think the remit of the meg would stifle some of the potential of strips/features that could really breathe in a special?

You could be right though, mixing it up a bit in the meg might move it away from being a 'big monthly prog' but it might also be problematic to manage such variety on a monthly basis.

As you know, I've just really got back into Toof after an eight year hiatus and I think I'm just letting the nostalgia get to me - a shiny new Sci-Fi Special or anything more from the house of Tharg can only be a good thing in my book.

By the way - thanks again for all the progs and megs - THEY'RE FECKIN' GREAT!!! really, really enjoying them.

[IndigoPrime]

I think the problem I'd have with specials being resurrected is that, historically, they've been utter crap. Most of the Dredd ones were terrible, as were many of the summer and winter specials. There were exceptions—notably the Nemesis-oriented winter special from the early 1990s—but they then only highlighted how weak the other examples were.

[Halo572]

I have all of them apart from the Dredd 1980 and would happily see them return.  The economic meltdown is going to set us back 20-30 years so one of the good things that could come out of it is these coming back.

The yearly Prog should also only have one off self contained stories so they emulate the annuals.  They did this to begin with but changed it to starting off serialised new stories like a Christmas Summer assault.  Not the same if you ask me, they lose their 'once a year' magic that way as they just become a bumper two week prog.

[Peter Wolf]

I think the problem I'd have with specials being resurrected is that, historically, they've been utter crap. Most of the Dredd ones were terrible, as were many of the summer and winter specials. There were exceptions—notably the Nemesis-oriented winter special from the early 1990s—but they then only highlighted how weak the other examples were.

I am inclined to go along with this opinion based on what i have read .I think they were very hit and miss generally and the same goes for the Annuals .Back in the early days i was always very disappointed with the content of the annuals which were always Xmas presents.There just seemed to be a lot of what i call filler in them along with some good material but not nearly enough.

Not against them making a return if the content is up to scratch and theres any number of ways to fill the pages...

[Kev Levell]

Ok, I'm sensing resistance to the Sci-Fi Specials...

I'm gonna be out there on my own then, I guess - I used to enjoy them - they came along at some-point in the school summer holidays and I liked the extra dose of 2000ad. More Dredd, a Strontium Dog if you were lucky, some daily star Dredds, a couple of features/text stories - what's not to like?

[M.I.K.]

As far as the annuals go, the earlier ones seem to have been better than the later ones. I think that might also be true of the specials to a lesser extent.

[IndigoPrime]

what's not to like?

I think, for me, it was about expectation. I always ended up disappointed after reading a special or annual. Once I was old enough, I understood that they were basically dumping grounds and cash cows, but when I was a kid I hadn't figured that out. When done properly, and with care, they were pretty good, but that was rare.

[Jim_Campbell]

what's not to like?

I think, for me, it was about expectation. I always ended up disappointed after reading a special or annual. Once I was old enough, I understood that they were basically dumping grounds and cash cows, but when I was a kid I hadn't figured that out. When done properly, and with care, they were pretty good, but that was rare.

The first few Judge Dredd annuals really showed up the 2000AD ones they were supposed to accompany, as I recall, containing three decent quality Dredd strips by a top rank artist, plus good quality supporting material and surprisingly little reprint. Even as a child, I remember appreciating the superior quality even though the annuals were thinner than the equivalent year's 2000AD annual.

Cheers

Jim

[SmallBlueThing]

You know, I used to be under the impression that the annuals were terrible too. For years, I've had them all boxed up and hidden behind 3-4000 other comics in the corner of the SpooKave. The other night, on copping the wrath of the wife, I promised to "tidy up a bit", and in doing so found them all again.

Last night, after the dragon had retreated to her lair, me and all my tooth, Dredd, Dan Dare, Starlord, Eagle, Battle, Action, Tornado and, er, "Mighty Heroes" annuals reacquainted ourselves. And do you know what- the toothy ones are actually pretty good, and I found I suddenly remembered several things:

1) The annual story, drawn by Ian Gibson, where he goes out and kills the apes, features my favourite art on any Dredd strip, ever. It's the bright-bluey blueness of the uniform and helmet! Love it. "Ja Dra No Hur Eek!" indeed.

2) There's a Shako strip in (maybe) the first annual that may just be a generic "polar bear adventure" re-lettered to refer to Shako throughout. Even if it is, it's brilliant.

3) The annuals contain Kevin O'Neill's best-ever work. Hello Secret Life of The Blitzspear.

4) The Dredd strips in the Dan Dare annuals should never see the light of day ever again, even in some completist wankathon appendix-volume to the Case Files. The one where he gets a surprise party thrown by Tharg and ends up arresting himself I had to re-check this morning, just to see if I'd dreamt it.

5) There is no end to the amount of words you can pump out about "space" and "the future", if you try really hard.

6) If you reprint Invasion, Shako and Flesh enough times, eventually we will love them. And we do!

So, I for one, would like to see a return to the annuals and specials of old. Not in the same style, obviously. Times have moved on. But the same mix of new and reprint, strip and feature. Yes, I know I've just described the Megazine, but there's a huge kids annuals market out there- and it seems a shame that Rebellion aren't exploiting it.

And while I'm on the subject of exploiting things...

Original graphic novels, anyone?

Who here wouldn't buy an original, hardbacked, 100 page Dredd graphic novel? Who wouldn't love to find one of them in their xmas stocking? Thryllseeker- how about a hardbacked 100 page original Slaine comic? Xmas market, £20, bish bash bosh bob's yeruncle, ching ching.

Steev