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Prog 2246 Regened - It's a Monster

Started by Tjm86, 22 August, 2021, 06:48:09 AM

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Funt Solo

The tone of Cadet Dredd is odd, and especially so when you hold it up to the Dredd in early 2000 AD. He was played as a hero sometimes, but a brutal, pitiless hero in the mould of Dirty Harry. Cadet Dredd is a shiny, clean hero, with none of the punk sensibilities of early 2000 AD.

I don't know if that's a mistake or not - but a lot of what appealed about 2000 AD when I started reading it was the edge it was riding. For something contemporary, look to Star Wars - Luke is something of a clean cut hero in regards his actions, but his parents just don't understand* (I know - it's his uncle and aunt), and he whines quite a lot. He doesn't get the girl (because he's too short). The actual heroic fighter pilot character is a rogue and the entire galaxy is filthy.

Why should "all ages" be so grit-free?


*And now the antidote.
++ A-Z ++  coma ++

IndigoPrime

Quote from: The Corinthian on 23 August, 2021, 07:09:37 PMnone of the stock 2000AD characters who've appeared in Regened have been particularly well served by these appearances, with the possible exception of Anderson
I liked the Strontium Dog strip, with that tale of the young Alpha. But what's really caught my imagination is the fully new stuff. I imagine all of this is tough. Rebellion has a ton of expertise but has spent a very long time primarily catering to old gits. There's quite a bit of recalibration to make publications for younglings. And then there's the market having shifted so radically since even the 1990s, let alone the 1970s. Then add to that Regened being forced to work in slow motion, with four issues per year rather than, ideally, 12–13 or, more ideally, 49–52.

Colin YNWA

Well I really enjoyed this one. My main beef was Cadet Dredd, both on the cover - soooo close to good, but that background colour meant the wonderful main image didn't POP the way it otherwise might... I have idea what colour would have worked cos I'm not a good artist but damn that was frustratingly close to a GREAT cover.

Much like the Cadet Dredd strip itself. It just didn't pop. Was at least two (probably three) pages too long and the whole Johnny Alpha thing was needlessly cute (as was Prints Jubliee off of the X-men right?!?). If I'm honest as well the art didn't fizz or have any zip either. Shame as there was a good story somewhere in here.

Mayflies also suffered from too many pages I think. I really enjoyed it but felt it was padded a bit. loved the beginning - the way they got past security was brilliant. The end had punch and fizz (missing above) and set up things to come beautifully. It just sagged in the middle... something I relate to alas these days. Still very good thrill overall.

'Splorers was WAY to cute to be acceptible in the Prog ... but I LOVED IT... I mean it was utterly out of place - it would work a treat in The Phoenix as would Neil Googe's stupendous art... but damn when its this much fun its hard to deny it its place here. It was so funny and ... well lovely and fun.... just should 2000ad be lovely and fun... we'll give it this one.

I'll admit I never like Steve Roberts art on Bec and Kawl back in the day and hated it on Sinister Dexter, but here I thought it really worked on the Future Shock. Story was simple and fun too.

This prog saved the best until last. I thought Chopper was brilliant. I really like the way it used the breaking the fourth wall, character talkign you through the story. It was brisk and joyous. That ending with the monies past along the line was brilliant. I loved the use of Marlon's family. I think Chopper is perfect for the Regened. The fact that he fights authority gives him a bit an edge these stories need. More of this please.

Other all another success for me. Not perfect, but more new strips I'd welcome back and if the Dredd had been as strong as some of the others, I think he needs to play off Rico, in the Regened this would have been an absolute winner.


Funt Solo

Quote from: Colin YNWA on 23 August, 2021, 09:07:26 PM
that background colour meant the wonderful main image didn't POP the way it otherwise might... I have idea what colour would have worked cos I'm not a good artist but damn that was frustratingly close to a GREAT cover.

With the monster being chartreuse, you could've done a complimentary scheme (those tend to pop) and used magenta as the background - but they've already used that for the eyeballs as an accent color. Anything you do with purples in the back is going to drag the eyeballs away from the foreground, so it's a sticky wicket. Seems like they figured the smoke being driven up by the beastie could harmonize by drifting into yellow-ish tones.
++ A-Z ++  coma ++

Tjm86

Quote from: Funt Solo on 23 August, 2021, 07:00:26 PM
Shouldn't Regened be a separate publication, though?  :-\

We've been around this more times than Johnson on a simple policy decision. ::) Possibly long term it will spin off into its own but right now the likelihood of it succeeding on its own is potentially quite slim all things considered.

Whilst I am, like you, ambivalent about it impacting our regular schedule, I like the experimental nature of the RP.  Arguably it also keeps in with the trend over the years to try things a little off the wall to see how they work out.  Some do ... some don't [Mark Millar on Robo-hunter for instance ...]  :o

Jim_Campbell

Quote from: Funt Solo on 23 August, 2021, 07:00:26 PM
Shouldn't Regened be a separate publication, though?  :-\

I'm not sure if this meant to be humorous, or if you're really expecting me to paste in the same explanation of the costs/risks of launching a new title into the high street, and the additional massive problems the pandemic has added in on top again...?

(For what it's worth, there's as good a version as any of my multiple posts on this subject here with useful additional commentary from IP in the posts that follow on the same page.)

I'll also add a final thought from my recent repition of all that on the 2000AD FB groups: Personally, I'm happy to pay for four progs a year that aren't targetted at me, if it improves the financial health of the product as a whole and makes it more likely that we'll continue to get the other 40-odd progs for the rest of the year.

Stupidly Busy Letterer: Samples. | Blog
Less-Awesome-Artist: Scribbles.

Colin YNWA

Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 24 August, 2021, 08:17:24 AM
I'll also add a final thought from my recent repition of all that on the 2000AD FB groups: Personally, I'm happy to pay for four progs a year that aren't targetted at me, if it improves the financial health of the product as a whole and makes it more likely that we'll continue to get the other 40-odd progs for the rest of the year.

I'm always surprised when fans of 2000ad don't embrace something different. I mean its absolutely fine if something doesn't work for you, but surely one of 2000ad's key strengths is its ability to make you try different things by its very anthology nature.

There may be a through line in tone, but its constantly flexed and pushed the boundaries of that with varying degrees of success. I never quite understand why folks who read a comic about variety, which has embraced change can be so (small c) conservative at times...

...mind as I always also say its that very diversity in the comic that allows for such a diverse fanbase so I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

broodblik

Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 24 August, 2021, 08:17:24 AM
I'll also add a final thought from my recent repition of all that on the 2000AD FB groups: Personally, I'm happy to pay for four progs a year that aren't targetted at me, if it improves the financial health of the product as a whole and makes it more likely that we'll continue to get the other 40-odd progs for the rest of the year.

This is also how I feel. I do not mind 4 regen issues if this means that I will still be able to read the regular prog. I can say that even if I am not the demo group the regen prog is aimed at it is definitely growing on me and I am enjoying it more and more (I still need to read the last one)
When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.

Old age is the Lord's way of telling us to step aside for something new. Death's in case we didn't take the hint.

Barrington Boots

Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 24 August, 2021, 08:17:24 AM
I'll also add a final thought from my recent repition of all that on the 2000AD FB groups: Personally, I'm happy to pay for four progs a year that aren't targetted at me, if it improves the financial health of the product as a whole and makes it more likely that we'll continue to get the other 40-odd progs for the rest of the year.

This perfectly sums up my thoughts on it too. Even if I don't enjoy a single thing in them (which sometimes I have, but not usually) it's still a worthwhile price for what we get the rest of the year. I'd like to think we all recognise it's an experiment, too.

I've been thinking about the idea of having a Dreddworld 'baddie' strip instead of Cadet Dredd and I think my choice would be Captain Skank, written and drawn by Lew Stringer.
You're a dark horse, Boots.

Colin YNWA

Quote from: Barrington Boots on 24 August, 2021, 09:45:53 AM
I've been thinking about the idea of having a Dreddworld 'baddie' strip instead of Cadet Dredd and I think my choice would be Captain Skank, written and drawn by Lew Stringer.

Young Otto by Jamie Smart - then every comic should have a strip by Jamie Smart!

IndigoPrime

Alas, he's apparently too busy. (At least he said he was when I nagged Rebellion about why there's been no Jamie Smart in the Treasury comedy comics.)

Richard

QuoteCaptain Skank
Nah, I'd rather they came up with new characters rather than harking back to stories from the '80s which the target audience won't have read.

Barrington Boots

Quote from: Richard on 24 August, 2021, 11:10:34 AM
QuoteCaptain Skank
Nah, I'd rather they came up with new characters rather than harking back to stories from the '80s which the target audience won't have read.

Oh I definitely feel the same, but if we're were going to use existing characters then this is my pick for a Dreddworld character instead of Chopper.
I'm inventing wildly at this point of course.
You're a dark horse, Boots.

Jim_Campbell

Quote from: Barrington Boots on 24 August, 2021, 09:45:53 AM
Even if I don't enjoy a single thing in them

TBH, that's the thing that really bugs me about this whole debate — the kind of 'fan' who dismisses every Regened issue out of hand as "kiddie crap" when, I'm sure, if they read it with a slightly more open mind they might find at least one strip they enjoy.

I mean, God knows, there've been enough runs of the regular prog over the years where there have been multiple strips that weren't doing anything for me. And, yes, I may have griped about that (which any paying punter is entitled to do) but I've also accepted that it's an anthology and this will happen every once in a while.
Stupidly Busy Letterer: Samples. | Blog
Less-Awesome-Artist: Scribbles.

Link Prime

Quote from: broodblik on 24 August, 2021, 08:52:30 AM
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 24 August, 2021, 08:17:24 AM
I'll also add a final thought from my recent repition of all that on the 2000AD FB groups: Personally, I'm happy to pay for four progs a year that aren't targetted at me, if it improves the financial health of the product as a whole and makes it more likely that we'll continue to get the other 40-odd progs for the rest of the year.

This is also how I feel. I do not mind 4 regen issues if this means that I will still be able to read the regular prog.

Unapologetically no fan of the Regened publication method or the majority of the content, even if I can appreciate the rational.

As an aside - was there any actual talk regarding the inclusion of Regened being relevant to the continued publication of 2000AD?