Hogan vs Hogan: an appreciation

[AlexF]

Have of late worked may through both the complete Resident Alien, which is just beyond great, and Volume 3 of Strontium Dogs, which is not so great.
Both written by Peter Hogan.
For sure, there's a huge gap of time between the two, and it make sesne that Hogan has got better as a writer, but in all honesty the thing that makes the biggest difference is just plain length.

Resident Alien is a gentle amble of a series, but a real page turner with neat plotting, characterisations and some cracking comics flourishes.
Strontium Dogs, while it reads FAR better in one volume than when it was released in slow spurts, often in Sci-Fi Specials, is also something of a gentle amble, that also has some perfectly decent character work, a not-terrible plot, and ndeed one or two really quite fun comics moments.
But it just doesn't suit the material AT ALL.

It seems that our Pete is one of those who really needs to see how character move from position A and state of mind B into plot point C. Where John Wagner mifght've just transitioned from one planet to another with a single caption and sardonic line about warp lag, Hogan talks us through every step. And it's kind of hard to see where one would cut his work to get to the action faster - epxlaining why Bishop makes such a pig's ear of the final series where he basically said 'I can't be arsed with 20 episodes of this, let me just burn through it like the last half hour of David Lynch's Dune.'

All of which is to say that I'm rather fond of P. Hogan, comics writer, but he's kind of entirely unsuited to 2000AD...

Oh, and go read Resident Alien, something that would be the perfect lead strip in a British non-punk Sci-Fi comic.

[Colin YNWA]

Oh, and go read Resident Alien, something that would be the perfect lead strip in a British non-punk Sci-Fi comic.

First and formost absolutely this. Delighted to see, after thinking 'Your Rides Here' was the last in the series (I'm sure it was announced as such) we've not only got the Book of Love BUT in says in the final issue of that mini we're getting more after that as well.

Completely wonderful series - as AlexF says all about the pace which allows the series to luxuriate in its characters and allows 'real-life' (well given this is a series about a murder mystery solving alien Doctor) feel very high stakes and important while being entirely grounded.

I'm not as down on his 2000ad work. Really enjoyed his spell on Robo-hunter with Rian Hughes, didn't mind his Strontium Dog and Timehouse... well that's the exception that proves the rule.

I'd actually quite like him to have another go in 2000ad. As the comic has matured its shown it can fit tales in of different pace. The 5-6 pages would be interest to see how he flexed things but I reckon he'd still manage a 'slow' character driven piece and that off central, almost early Twin Peaks, if less dark, feel to his stories could really work. Even if it didn't it'd be fun to find out.

[IndigoPrime]

The only bad thing about Resident Alien is its lack of hardcover deluxe editions. It's so good.

[Link Prime]

I'll have to give Resident Alien a go - I'm an fan of the creative team and it seems to be universally recommended.
Omnibus editions seem reasonably priced too.

[JohnW]

They say the word of AlexF counts for a lot on this board.
It better, because I just forked out nigh-on twenty smackers for the omnibus edition.

[JohnW]

Right.
I've read it now.
I've always had a liking for Hogan and even more of a liking for Parkhouse, and both of them are on top form here. It's good enough that I'll probably get the next omnibus edition, but I could do with a little more Men in Black closing the net on Harry and a little less Murder She Wrote with Jessica Fletcher as an alien GP.

By the way, and nothing to do with comics, but years ago Hogan wrote an excellent Rough Guide to The Velvet Underground. It was enough to turn me into a born-again Velvets fan.

[JayzusB.Christ]

I've only read his prog stuff, and a Hellblazer spinoff whose title I forget. I always thought he was pretty good - his Strontium Dogs was, for me at least, a welcome break from Garth Ennis' shouty, shallow, macho stuff. 

For my money, his best Tharg-work was the oddly unnerving Steel Claw from the 1992 Action Special, where nothing much happened but it happened in an unsettling, convincing way.  Also, Crandell's claw had a sort of USB charging port in the early 90s, so fair play.

[AlexF]

Hey JWare, pleased to hear my recommendation went down well!
But I wouldn't trust my opinion - I'm one of those who is full of praise for almost everything (especially within the pages of 2000AD), and just avoids talking about the things what I don't rate.

Come back to me when you've bought and read volume 3 of Strontium Dogs 
(It's not good, but parts of it have lingered in my memory surprisingly well)

[Barrington Boots]

Whenever this thread pops up on recent posts my brain assumes it's going to involve Hulk Hogan. Inevitable disappointment ensues.

[JohnW]

Come back to me when you've bought and read volume 3 of Strontium Dogs 
(It's not good, but parts of it have lingered in my memory surprisingly well)

I seem to remember liking Strontium Dogs when Simon Harrison was doing the art, but it wasn't enough to keep me from ditching the prog for the next dozen years. I bailed just as Middenface reappeared and I never cared to find out what happened next.

Whenever this thread pops up on recent posts my brain assumes it's going to involve Hulk Hogan. Inevitable disappointment ensues.

All in all, I would rate Peter Hogan above Hulk Hogan, notwithstanding the hugely enjoyable cameo in Rocky III (that was Hulk, not Peter) or the misstep that was Timehouse (that was Peter, not Hulk).

[The Enigmatic Dr X]

Whenever this thread pops up on recent posts my brain assumes it's going to involve Hulk Hogan. Inevitable disappointment ensues.

Me too.

[Funt Solo]

Incepti-Hogan invoked:

[AlexF]

The only H Hogan material I've ever partaken in was a viewing of Suburban Commando in the Harrow Cannon Cinema, age 12. It was... fine. I do recall an older teen in the queue extolling the virtues of 'No Holds Barred'.

P Hogan all the way!

[Blue Cactus]

Bought myself the first Resident Alien Omnibus to give it a try after the recommendations on here. Looking forward to seeing Steve Parkhouse's depictions of Hulkamania running wild.

[JohnW]

I think we should settle this by putting Peter and Hulk in the ring.
Colin YNWA can organise it.
Forum Favourite: The Greatest Hogan.