Vote. Halo Jones 4. Yes or No?

[JTurner]

I've just read the complete Halo Jones (at last), and felt that, of all the classic 2K, it is the only story that hasn't dated, either in terms of art or script. It's also, by far, the best 2K story, and collection of characters, ever. Wow, thats quite a claim from the one who normally sits on the fence about such matters.

But do you want a new book? I've heard a lot of requests for one.

I vote NO! for the following 2 reasons....

1. The book is titled 'The complete ballad..', that's complete, not incomplete. The story ends on exactly the right note. Although you wonder what will happen to her next, there are no loose ends of plot left to tie up. Her ties to the previous stories were severed, and therefore so were her ties to the readers.

Besides, the whole theme of the books was her escaping to find her life. It's good that for once we don't follow a well loved character to the bitter end. With Johnny Alpha, it inevitably ended in his death, with Dredd we know that some major upheaval is brewing. Perhaps with Halo Jones, leaving her to continue her journey outside of any story was actually quite a satisfactory ending, without a cliffhanger, and without a feeling of gloom that we'd lost a character forever. And that she is one of the few 2K characters (or comics characters at all) to recieve such absolution.
Talk about getting too attatched to a fictional character....

2. Could Moore really pick up the thread, now? I'd hate to see a massive buildup to book 4 and then see it fall into a 'phantom menace' abyss of mediocrity (as far as Alan Moore can be mediocre, is this scientifically possible?)

[Mudcrab]

I would vote NO!, for the very points that you've made. It DID end well, very well. It also didn't suffer the latter day Nemesis 'drag-it-out-into-yet-another-book-cos-Torque's-not-quite-dead-yet' syndrome.

Plus, I don't think Alan Moore would do it, for several reasons which others know more about than me. He doesn't strike me as the type to go for a revival. He's constantly doing new stuff and doesn't seem to like keeping a certain character going. It'd be like a new Watchmen, or new V.

Despite that, I'd like to see it, but not desperately.

[zippy]

NO

Halo Jones was a classic, leave it be.

[The Amstor Computer]

>>>I've just read the complete Halo Jones (at last), and felt that, of all the classic 2K, it is the only story that hasn't dated, either in terms of art or script. It's also, by far, the best 2K story, and collection of characters, ever<<<

I have to admit, it comes close to the top spot - it was 2000AD at it's finest.

>>>1. The book is titled 'The complete ballad..', that's complete, not incomplete. The story ends on exactly the right note. Although you wonder what will happen to her next, there are no loose ends of plot left to tie up. Her ties to the previous stories were severed, and therefore so were her ties to the readers<<<

Well, strictly it's called "The Complete Ballad" because that's all Moore wrote - if there's nothing else to reprint, then books 1-3 *are* "The Complete Ballad of Halo Jones".
IMO, the story was written in a way that it could have ended at the climax of any of the books - there were still going to be questions & possible future adventures, but each book was fairly self-contained. It just so happened that circumstances meant that Book 3 was the end of Halo... *sniff*

>>>Could Moore really pick up the thread, now? I'd hate to see a massive buildup to book 4 and then see it fall into a 'phantom menace' abyss of mediocrity (as far as Alan Moore can be mediocre, is this scientifically possible?)<<<

Promethea? Tom Strong? ;-)

Leaving aside the problems with encouraging Alan Moore back to write for the comic he left behind 16 years ago, would he actually have anything left to say about Halo? I know there were plans in place for future tales, but writers change, and what may have looked right all that time ago might be far removed from how he feels now.

No, I'm convinced Halo should be left alone. She's off on her own adventures - why does she need us?

[Thread Zero]

Althought they are completely different stories and characters, Dredd is far greater than Halo.

Halo was more melodrama soap opera than classic 2k sci-fi stuff.

More of a successful aberration in fact.

scojo

[Wood]

Don't be ridiculous.

Halo Jones was about the nearest 2000AD has ever got to actually deserving to be taken seriously.

[JamieB]

Yeah, what you guys said. I don't think it'd be good news *if* Alan suddenly announced the "completion" of Halo - not that he will.

The story stands perfectly well as it is, and avid followers of anything long-running, be it Preacher, Sandman, Buffy*, or whatever, will tell you that its probably best to hit your high point - your Zenith, if you like - and knock it on the head then. Would anyone still care about, say, the Beatles, if they were still cronking out tunes today?

*Yes, I know its ongoing - but it has a definite end in sight. Season 8, IIRC.

*J*

[Thread Zero]

Halo Jones was about the nearest 2000AD has ever got to actually deserving to be taken seriously.

And there was me thinking Dredd is universally recognised as 2k's greatest character, or have I got that wrong too?

Best said in sarcastic tone for maximum effect:)

scojo

[nathan]

"Halo was more melodrama soap opera than classic 2k sci-fi stuff"

Halo Jones? Melodrama soap opera?

Did you cut your brain shaving?

Has sooshi sprayed in your eyeballs?

With respect, Scojo, I give up on you!

N

[Thread Zero]

IT'S SHOOSHI GRUD DAMMIT!

C'mon it was a bit soap opera!

I don't mean that in a bad way, it's just...well it was character driven rather than action driven. That is not a criticism.

I liked Halo Jones a lot. Particularly the line about the fig earrings (or something like that!)and the garbage thing at the back of the ship which Halo thought was a star!

I will give it another read and see if the passage of time hasn't eroded its quality.

scojo

[Rambo]

I'd hate to see it. Unless it was as brilliant as the rest (which to me is as complete as it ever needs to be) it would risk damaging the memory and overall effect of the original.

I vote NO.

[Rambo]

Scojo - I have to say that, for the most part you aren't as big a prat as people seem to think - but you're plain wrong there lad!

[Thread Zero]

Rambo,

Is that a compliment or what???

lOL!

I must admit the post 'Dredd is greater than Halo' is a bit controversial.

No...I dunno really how I feel about Halo. Been so long since I read it.

I guess it ranks as one of 2k's most mature strips. Different to most of 2k's stuff.

Although Dredd is very special. I doubt the weekly adventures of Halo Jones would quarantee twenty five years of 2000AD.

I think Dredd and his world are more interesting than Halo's. Just my humble opinion, but as I say, haven't read the Ballad for years.

scojo

[Rambo]

Well I seriously suggest you do re-read it! I loved it when I first read it, but it grows on me more and more everytime I re-read it.

True enough, it was one short episode of 2000AD's history, but what an episode!

Dredd has never been one of my real favourites - I've never, ever bought 2000AD because of Dredd, and I rarely by the Megazine.

You can't say "Dredd is way better" - it's just longer-lived. You can't even make the comparison because they're entirely different in conception.

It's like comparing a long running TV series to a flim trilogy - not that you'll ever find a film trilogy where every film surpasses the previous one - usually the reverse is true.

The TV series, as with Dredd, has its ups and down where the writers lack ideas or whathave you. Halo doesn't have a single episode that even rates as mediocre, let alone poor.


Still, that's just my opinion, I suppose - and as I keep finding out, other people's tastes differ from mine.

[Rex Gambill]

I think what you have to take into account is the brevity of the original three Halo Jones stories when compared to the long history of both 2000AD and Judge Dredd.

Even Scojo must agree that Halo Jones is consistently remembered among 2000AD readers as one of the top stories Tharg ever published. This series ended 15 years ago, and continues to cast a long shadow over the comic.

It is one of 2000AD's "touchstone" series, and not least because of Moore's script, which was one of the first to show how skillful he is at developing realistic female characters. And I bet if you ask Ian Gibson what was his best work, he would reply "Halo Jones."

Finally, comparing an epic ongoing series like Judge Dredd to a finite (if incomplete) series like Halo Jones is like so much apples and oranges. To me, Halo Jones is the ultimate example of how diverse 2000AD has been over the years, and represents a diversity and maturity that remains absent from what is still the Galaxy's Greatest.

Rex Gambill