Messages

[The English Astronaut]

The English Astronaut: Further nods to Doctor Who (e.g. Professor Which, Major Singh from The Star Beast).  Yet the topic has moved to social media.  I'm just going to say a few words: World-Wide Web, YouTube and TikTok.

It's what isn't in the prog that's most interesting.  No mention at all of a particular script droid.  Just sayin'...

So, you're firmly in the "It's Rennie" camp, then? (Although, he is credited in the crossover Meg 448 Missionary Man tale.)

Nope, I definitely do not think it's Rennie.

The clues:

• Tharg trusted this writer immediately with Dredd -- that's no small matter. (And no, I don't think it's Mark Millar )
• Prog 2300.  Prog 2300.  Prog 2300.  How many times can I say it?

I personally believe that prog 2300 is a bit of a smoking gun with regard to Neimand's identity.

Oh man, this is killing me. I've scoured that prog and, unless Niemand is a zombie, found no clues.  Ya breakin' my balls, Cow.

It's what isn't in the prog that's most interesting.  No mention at all of a particular script droid.  Just sayin'...

lol, I've told people in the past conclusive evidence as to who it is and since then even more proof came to pass but hey let people believe what they want.

I personally believe that prog 2300 is a bit of a smoking gun with regard to Neimand's identity.

My understanding of the performance of the regen prog is that they were the best selling progs during the year. Maybe this might be indication that Rebellion is prepared to go solo on them

It's interesting that Monster Fun's frequency has gone up

Perhaps the readers of Monster Fun and 2000 AD Regened are about to experience the terror of seeing a front-page banner featuring the words "Great news, kids ... your two favourite comics are joining forces..."

If you want big reliable High St bank with slightly more ethics than the rest of the bastards, try Cooperative.

Someone once pointed out that UK bank logos used to forewarn you just how nasty they could be:

• Barclays: vulture
• NatWest: quasi-swastika
• Midland Bank: a griffin with very scary talons
• Lloyds: Dick Turpin's horse

I would guess it's a Dr Who reference, given who the script droid is (has the Cornell droid worked for Tharg before?). See also the scientist at the British Experimental Space Programme called Elizabeth Shore (the scientific advisor to UNIT in Pertwee's first series was Liz Shaw).

Hmmm... a quick Google also reveals that:

• Ladbroke Grove was a location for Remembrance of the Daleks.
• Doctor Who took a two-week break in late 1977.
• Doctor Who took a long break (from regular broadcast) between 1989 and 2005.
• Doctor Who took a year-long break during 2016.
• And the story is about someone travelling in time.

However, also worth noting...

• David Bowie released Heroes in late 1977.
• David Bowie passed away in 2016.
• And the story is about an astronaut called Major Tom.

[...] but I just don't see the appeal here, other than the artwork. Hardcore Milligan fans maybe?

Therein lies the problem.  Personally, I found Sooner or Later and Hewligan's Haircut to be annoying, plotless, art-school indulgence.  Not my cup of tea at all (despite the XTC references).  Maybe some people just love his work regardless.

I hope he's better than this, and that we've all misunderstood Railroad.  I've not read any of Milligan's DC stuff.  I can only hope it's better than this torture-porn we've had to wade through in recent progs.

Joe and Rico are the hero and villain characters in the Action strip Death Game 1999. Pat Mills just recycled the names.

Good spot!  Full marks, that chap.

It certainly took a few months before Wagner used the name "Joe" in his stories.  After Return of Rico (prog 30), the next instance of "Joe" appears to be The Oxygen Desert (prog 49).

In between, he's just known as "Judge Dredd" ... including a tombstone and a Christmas present "from D." to Walter, which are both ideal opportunities to show a full name.  My guess is that the names were created by Pat for the Rico story, not before, and that John then went along with this later.

Yep. Sorry, Cat. I don't get it either, unless it's just a nod at how social media makes everyone oblivious to everything around them.

Am I the only one who got it?  Social (as in "having a party") + Media (as in "more than one art medium").  It was the "social media" who caused the accident, hence the punchline.

There's also the fact, (which I've just remembered was previously pointed out on this thread a couple o' years ago), that Joe and Rico are names of characters in Little Caesar (1931).

Sounds the most likely source.  Both names were introduced at the same time in the Galaxy's Greatest, in
 Return of Rico.  A quick skim through progs confirms that Dredd was surname-only before that story.

I get you now. Yeah, much as I like Eric Bradbury, there's a lot more movement and energy in Robin Smith's sketch.

Given that my main gripe with Robin Smith's art is that it's always too static-looking, it's lovely to see something much more dynamic from him.

I'm sure I read somewhere that Bill Savage was based on 1950s action hero Stanley Baker.

It's disgusting and I don't think they should get away with this.

When you say "they", you mean the GP?  That's reasonable.  Surely the answer is to report the GP to the British Medical Council, who will take appropriate action against the individual concerned.

You say you don't want money ... so why are you suing "the NHS"?  That action will will eat up public money that could be better spent on others who need it, and probably have little or no impact whatsoever on the individual who made the misdiagnosis.

Please don't let your anger cloud your judgement.  Target the cause not the symptom.