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How do you integrate reading the Megazine

Started by mattp9989, 24 August, 2017, 02:24:15 PM

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mattp9989

a while back i bought a huge collection of both the prog and megazine and have managed to fill in many issues starting from 500 and up.  Now im in the middle of Necropolis in the prog and have noticed the megazine is getting ready to start.  So im curious as to thoughts on when to read the megazine and how to incorporate it with the prog.  i noticed in a table of contents that in case files 15 some of the megazine is reprinted and wondered if this should be the model i follow?  read the progs based on the case file order and then the megazine?

so if you were starting out reading historically when would you read the megazine? 
and also interested in hearing how you read it presently when it comes out  (course it will take me awhile to get there!)

IndigoPrime

Early on, there's not a great deal of crossover. But if you want to get the feel of how things were back then, read by coverdate.

Dandontdare

#2
Definitely by date order. There were only 3 stories that ran across both. Wilderlands was one story run over  both but wasn't popular cos if you only read the prog you'd miss every 5th episode, and if you only read the meg you had no chance of following it. The other two (Doomsday and Judgement Day) were split focussing on different aspects of same story.

Magnetica

I'd also say read by date order.

As to how I read them now - samething.

I read the Prog as soon as possible after getting it - usually within a couple of days. I subscribe to both, so the Meg typically arrives with a Prog. I pretty much always read the Prog first and then the Meg. It can take me the rest of the month to read it, but I aim to read it all before the next one arrives. Because of the longer interval between episodes it pays to have the last few months readily to hand for a flick through (or even a re-read) to remind yourself what is going on. Some stories benefit more from this e.g. Havn, whereas with others it is less necessary e.g. Lawless (but can still of course be fun).

sheridan

Quote from: Dandontdare on 24 August, 2017, 06:19:16 PM
Definitely by date order. There were only 3 stories that ran across both. Wilderlands was one story run over  both but wasn't popular cos if you only read the prog you'd miss every 5th episode, and if you only read the meg you had no chance of following it. The other two (Doomsday and Judgement Day) were split focussing on different aspects of same story.

*pssst* Every Empire Falls.

JoFox2108

So glad to find this thread - I've been wondering about the same thing.  Thanks Matt.
QuoteIt's all a deep end.

SpaceSpinner2000

When I was doing my initial prog slog I did it using cover dates. Generally you read two progs for every meg until you get to about prog 975 or so. There are only a few crossovers in that time, and the progs will give you guidance on what order you should read them in. Once the meg goes monthly it's a bit easier to handle!
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Richard

I think Dandontdare has got Wilderlands and Judgement Day mixed up. You could follow Wilderlands on either comic. But for Judgement Day you had to read both comics and in the right order.

Dandontdare

You may be right on Judgement Day as I've not read it since it appeared, but I did re-read Wilderlands recently and it's definitely one continuous story

Magnetica

Judgement Day was split over the two as far as I recall i.e. you needed to read both to follow it.

Frank

Quote from: Dandontdare on 01 September, 2017, 12:51:41 PM
... I did re-read Wilderlands recently and it's definitely one continuous story

You can read every episode of Wilderlands in the prescribed order and it's still a mess. This despite Dave Bishop's injunction to the few remaining Megazine readers:

"Don't fret if you don't buy 2000ad regularly, we're making a big effort to make the story accessible to all"
Megazine 2.62


It wasn't legible, never mind accessible. Doomsday was one final attempt to resolve the problem, but neither the Megazine nor 2000ad stories read smoothly if read separately. Wagner vowed never to write a crossover again:

"It forces the storyline into directions you don't want it to go"
Thrill power Overload, p205



JoFox2108

Quote from: Frank on 01 September, 2017, 04:14:13 PM
Quote from: Dandontdare on 01 September, 2017, 12:51:41 PM
... I did re-read Wilderlands recently and it's definitely one continuous story

You can read every episode of Wilderlands in the prescribed order and it's still a mess. This despite Dave Bishop's injunction to the few remaining Megazine readers:

"Don't fret if you don't buy 2000ad regularly, we're making a big effort to make the story accessible to all"
Megazine 2.62


It wasn't legible, never mind accessible. Doomsday was one final attempt to resolve the problem, but neither the Megazine nor 2000ad stories read smoothly if read separately. Wagner vowed never to write a crossover again:

"It forces the storyline into directions you don't want it to go"
Thrill power Overload, p205

I agree.  I've never liked crossovers in comics, 2000AD or otherwise. 

  • Partly it's because it can easily end up confusing. 
  • Partly it's because I feel forced to buy another set of comics I wasn't necessarily into and I hate that passive aggressive kind of marketing
  • And finally the story always seems to come off as forced and designed by a committee. 


For me one of the real strengths of 2000AD and the Meg are that stories are not written by a group but by a writer, albeit with some editorial input I'm guessing, but with proper creative freedom too.  This gives the story life and character and those little idiosyncrasies which make things interesting. 

For instance in the 'Whatever happened to?' floppy with Meg 388 you've got the brilliant 'Whatever happened to Tweak?' by Pat Mills.  Pat's previously shared his dislike of people who force their ways and religion onto others and this comes out in this story, but because it touches things Pat really cares about the story really has a different depth to it compared to something that's just a clever plot idea.  For me this stuff is what is most valuable in most creative work and I find it's often missing in crossovers and generally speaking too with some of the Marvel and DC stuff.


So much of the superhero and Star Wars writing today seems restricted by too many people forcing the creator in a particular direction so it ends up reading like the lowest common denominator of everyone's ideas which is bland and dull. 

e.g. I saw a massive change when Star Wars went from Dark Horse to Marvel.  At Dark Horse there were areas that the EU writers were allowed the freedom to just play with the characters and you got fantastic stories by people like John Ostrander, but now it's with Marvel and Disney everything's so highly controlled that it lacks the spark it had before.  This goes double for crossovers, for me anyway.

Just my opinion.    :)
QuoteIt's all a deep end.

Tjm86

Quote from: JoFox2108 on 17 September, 2017, 01:19:19 PM

So much of the superhero and Star Wars writing today seems restricted by too many people forcing the creator in a particular direction so it ends up reading like the lowest common denominator of everyone's ideas which is bland and dull. 

e.g. I saw a massive change when Star Wars went from Dark Horse to Marvel.  At Dark Horse there were areas that the EU writers were allowed the freedom to just play with the characters and you got fantastic stories by people like John Ostrander, but now it's with Marvel and Disney everything's so highly controlled that it lacks the spark it had before.  This goes double for crossovers, for me anyway.

Just my opinion.    :)

Can't speak to much of the Dark Horse stuff as I didn't read much of it but I've recently ditched Star Wars for pretty much the reason you give.  Such a massive playground but they restrict themselves by sticking with the core characters whose stories are already pretty much mapped out.  Some bizarre ideas (a rebel prison?) that really didn't make a great deal of sense.  Granted the art work is generally pretty good but when you're sleepwalking through the story ....  At least back in the seventies and eighties the writers just had fun with some absolutely bonkers ideas.  As you say, too much fear over taking a risk.  Stick with the tooth, methinks.

JoFox2108

Quote from: Tjm86 on 17 September, 2017, 06:11:08 PM


Can't speak to much of the Dark Horse stuff as I didn't read much of it but I've recently ditched Star Wars for pretty much the reason you give.  Such a massive playground but they restrict themselves by sticking with the core characters whose stories are already pretty much mapped out.  Some bizarre ideas (a rebel prison?) that really didn't make a great deal of sense.  Granted the art work is generally pretty good but when you're sleepwalking through the story ....  At least back in the seventies and eighties the writers just had fun with some absolutely bonkers ideas.  As you say, too much fear over taking a risk.  Stick with the tooth, methinks.

Totally.  I've heard the same thing from lots of people.
QuoteIt's all a deep end.