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The Great Dante Readthrough Podcast

Started by Simon Fraser, 26 February, 2021, 06:50:38 PM

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Funt Solo

See those Arbatovs? Fanny baws, the whole crowd. Haud on, though - whit the f*ck is this:

Nikolai Diavolo
++ A-Z ++  coma ++

Barrington Boots

Audiobook Dante should be played by Arnie doing his Red Heat Russian accent.
<monotone> "I'm too coool to kiiiill"
You're a dark horse, Boots.

JayzusB.Christ

I posted this elsewhere but thought I should link to it here too - without being spoilery, it shows what would have happened if Dante had been made a dictator in Vladimir's place, instead of [spoiler]the thing that really happened to him which I won't be giving away here.[/spoiler]

https://forums.2000ad.com/index.php?topic=36237.msg1061629#msg1061629
"Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest"

Illyana


JayzusB.Christ

Well that was great fun, as always.  Makes the boring parts of my job (today: painting fake bricks on a plaster wall) much easier.

I asked this on another thread, but I may as well repeat it here: Does everyone in Dante's world speak Russian, translated into English for the reader?  Or is English the global language in 2666 onwards?  I realise it's completely unimportant but thought I may as well put it to one of Dante's creators.

Anyway keep up the good work; it's one of the highlights of my week these days!
"Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest"

Colin YNWA

Hold on long bank holidays are meant to be about catching up with stuff you like - so how come I'm falling behind. Anyway finally finished Episode 14 on my run this morning (with another epsiode started and Space Spinner what is a boy to do) and the introduction of the magnificent John M Burns leads to a load more questions.

Its rare to have two artist so associated with a series. Often its one, often many over time, but to have two is interesting. What impact, if any do you think John had on the strip? Its interesting that John asked to draw Dante himself, I've often wondered whether it was an editorial choice, as looking back he seems such a natural fit, but I'm thinking at the time might have been quite departure in the art style?

Anyway questions:

1. Once he was onboard how did his ongoing involvement develop? Was that editorial, was it Robbie and Simon asking for him to continue, or was it never a consious decision one way or the other?

2. His arrival came alongside a significent tonal shift in the series, as the first phase of the story came to an end - which largely was world and character building and establishing Dante in his more gung-ho phase. That shift was heavily foreshadwoed though and  John's arrival a happy coincidence (?) rather than planned. From that point on though what influence, if any,  did John's work have on the way the story developed?

Illyana

Hello Irregulars. New podcast! This will be the second to last episode of season 1 of The Great Dante Readthrough. We'll talk more about it when we record part 2.



http://simonfraser.net/tgdrpodcast/2021/6/1/ep-16-the-courtship-of-jena-makarov-part-1

Barrington Boots

This story is where Dante elevates from a great thrill to worldbeating one IMO. It's the absolute bomb.

The podcast is a super cool listen as ever, Simon sounds really enthusiastic and proud in this episode. He also makes a Baby Got Back reference, so +50 mentioning-stuff-I-get points.
You're a dark horse, Boots.

Funt Solo

++ A-Z ++  coma ++

Colin YNWA


Illyana


Illyana

NEW PODCAST WEDNESDAY!

We finish the epic story! It's part 2 of The Courtship of Jena Makarov. Get your drinks read to toast the end of this tale, and find out our plans for season two of the Readthrough.

http://simonfraser.net/tgdrpodcast/2021/6/8/ep-17-the-courtship-of-jena-makarov-part-2


The Mind of Wolfie Smith

what a wonderful pod. beautifully opening up what was already exceptionally generous storytelling ...
but what a terrible wait for more it will surely be.

just one question - has the saga appeared at all in russia (and/or in russian)?

Barrington Boots

Big thank you Edie and Simon for this podcast, I've got loads of enjoyment out of it, especially in some fairly grim times. Really looking forward to this coming back.

Some great insight from Simon on this one, and Wolfie is right about this opening up the story more: the realisation of stuff like the royal Romanov crest and the flicker of tech on Andreas's forehead just makes it all the better.

I adore this particular story: Dante attacking the blimp on a giant flying pornographic picture of himself is one of my absolute favourite parts of the whole tale. I think the (post) sex scene is tremendous and what an incredible final panel. Like Simon says on this one it's a payoff to what's been a slow build and it really works - I know I've probably been a bit gushing in this thread but this is just sooo great. Everyone who likes comics should read it.

I'd read a Simon-drawn romance comic btw.
You're a dark horse, Boots.

Colin YNWA

Quote from: Barrington Boots on 09 June, 2021, 11:31:45 AM
Some great insight from Simon on this one, and Wolfie is right about this opening up the story more: the realisation of stuff like the royal Romanov crest and the flicker of tech on Andreas's forehead just makes it all the better.

Defo this.

Now I want to be careful defending Dante here if indeed he was being a tool at the start of 'Love and War' when he bursts into the cabin all full of rage (can you feel the but coming...) BUT I'm going to but a reason under it.

I've always read this* as Dante feeling abandoned. He clearly directs his rage at the fact that Jena left him for dead (though to be fair he did rather set that up!) and feels that was another example of being abandoned. He references that later (his fear of being abandoned) when Jena is unhappy with his inability to commit and so for me that's where his rage comes from.

Now whether its appropriate is a different conversation and he's certainly had a long journey to allow it to fester and distort in his mind. I just feel in this case I cut him some slack and suggest he's not being Dikolai, or if he is its due to his deep seated insecurity at least - though whether that justifies it as I say is a different conversation.


* I have a long and sordid history of getting these things wrong