2000 AD Online Forum

a welcome return for a dredd cast member and more insight into Joe's responsibilities towards his 'family'

i'd love to let you all know how the rest of the meg looks, but i've got the great british weather to thanks for a colourful puddle of mush

thinky

Yea mines sat on the radiator too. Thank drokk he had the weekly under it in his bag.

I just read Blood of Satanus, and honestly, you could swap Dredd's expedition for the ABC Warriors and the dialogue would fit better. Terrible.

The Dredd and Angel Gang were great though.

Not read the rest, yet.

- Steve

Must say Im finding Satanus rather shit to be honest.

Loved The Angel Gang and a great Dredd this month.

I still haven't read the last Meg - somehow the cover put me off. I dread to think what the rain's done to my 2000 AD and Meg too.

Heads up Button man!! Dreddlines ahoy! 3 letters two from the SE Engerland and 1 fi USA

Dredd: Great stuff family stuff, no wonder Dredd has new boots, nice storytelling art work

Interrogation Carl Critchlow; too much Thrud no enough Lobster

Text horror comic never bothered

Big Robots Anderson :hmmm not really grabbing me, but we now know why the builds walked

Blood of Sat: sorry gave up ages ago

The rest I can't be arsed to read , nothing grabbing at all

poor show except Dredd which could easily be in 2k

Disappointed Huff

Way ahead of you Huff, check out your favourite thread!

Doh!

"too much Thrud no enough Lobster"

Thrud's infinitely superior to Lobster Random.

Dredd: A nice one-off. Ties in nicely with Dredd questionning the system in 2000 AD.

Anderson: We finally see some plot development, but it's far too late for me to care.

Sat: I liked last months edition, but I cringed at this helping. Am I meant to believe that Mega City-1 is going to pieces with demons running a-mock, whilst there are no reprocussions in any other Dredd story. Guess I have to use my imagination.

Angel Gang: I'm enjoying this. It has an interesting plot and the artwork is stunning. Roberts is certainly pulling out all the stops on this one.

Features: I loved the second part of the Horror feature, jolly good. Worley is witty as ever on the Movie Round-Up (totally agree with his view on Pirates 3).

That's just what the Meg's been missing - a Wagner Dredd.

Let's do that again.

That's just what the Meg's been missing - a Wagner Dredd.

More of that, please, Meg-Tharg. In my opinion, British comics don't get any better than John Wagner writing about Judge Dredd, his attitudes to his city and his extended family.
Nice art, too.

Also, the Angels story is top stuff. I demand more work for Steve Roberts! Got it?

And that's about it for my interest in the Meg. As usual, I'll get around to the text features when I get around to them. I like them well enough, but they're not the reason I buy it.

I want decent comic strip. If I want to read text, I'll buy something else, although the horror comics piece looks bloody good.

Finally, I have to say - as I seem to every month now - the Mills/Hicklenton story is about as bad a comic strip as I have ever read.
I remain convinced that if this was submitted to any editor without established names attached, it would be rejected immediately.

I'm running out of ways to express my sheer hatred for it, and bitter disappointment that it would be published in a comic from the House of Tharg. It's fucking shameful.

- Trout

The cover is in the middle range for me. Good but needed something else I think?

Loved the Dredd story but thought Wagner moved away from the Dredd charater. His reasoning behind Dolman's actions are justified but I don't believe Dredd should have stepped into overrule McGinnâ??s sentence. Just a reduction, after all manslaughter is a punishable crime (circumstanceâ??s mitigating of course).

Link: Judge Dredd Scrotnig Blogger - Review

I think the covers awesome. We see a lot of covers with hard-hitting and in your face decisions (like the past 2), but this one's kind of thought provoking.

Nobody else get the Meg?

Nobody else get the Meg?

yep, though it's a bit ripped and sogified still.

Dredd was very good.
Critchlow was entertaining but sadly short
Horror was horrific (in a good way)
Anderson was ploddy but beautiful
Molcher was interesting but deserved more
Other - still to read, except for

Satanus..?

It's fucking shameful

my favourite review one-liner.

thinky

ITALICS OFF

By Jove, I had a letter printed in this months Meg! If you're reading this Thargy boy, The second Caballistics Volume wouldn't go amiss!
I'm Ashley Beeching, by the way(darn, cover blown.

By Jove, I had a letter printed in this months Meg! If you're reading this Thargy boy, The second Caballistics Volume wouldn't go amiss!
I'm Ashley Beeching, by the way(darn, cover blown.

By Jove, I had a letter printed in this months Meg! If you're reading this Thargy boy, The second Caballistics Volume wouldn't go amiss!
I'm Ashley Beeching, by the way(darn, cover blown.

Apologies for the triple post!!!

You letter has been monitored and critiqued on the 'Writing to Tharg' thread. You are well known to us following your notorious 'Waugh's spunk' letter of recent date. Keep the faith!

Alright

Dredd Night School
Brilliant story which looks at Dredd, his family, the justice system and the effects of Judicial training all in nine pages!!!!and a brilliant final HMPH!, Its these stories that make dredd what it is.

Carl Critchlow  an Interesting article

History Of Horror Ok Now compared to last months horror article far more interesting , prehaps because anyone with an interest in the history of comics know about the American horror comics debacle , this covered a  far less well known aspect.

Big Robots ...Why do I get the feeling this is going to be very very silly before it finishes.

New Comics hardly anything new or revealing

Blood of Satanus....Trouts comment "Fucking Shameful" is being too kind to what is quickly becoming the worst thing ever printed by the house  of tharg.....Gentlemen HANG YOUR HEADS IN SHAME!!!

Small Press... a lovely piece of writing by Robert Curley  topped off by some brilliant artwork by Declan Shalvey.

The God Fish...The God fish?!?!?!? bizzare  choice for the Meg , not a bad story but for the Meg???

New Films: Same as always

Dredd Files: This is just pointless filler really.

Angel Gang: This has become the second Lead strip as far as I'm concerned  it really is enjoyable and is the way the Angel Gang should be written.

Overall a fair issue except for Satanus which is dragging the Meg Down but I fear no one is listening to the readers complaints otherwise why do they keep printing it? Guys I promise you if you drop it now no one would complain , no one would notice because no one would care!

The God Fish...The God fish?!?!?!? bizzare choice for the Meg , not a bad story but for the Meg???

No one was more surprised than me.....!

Oddly enough I found my original script for that just this week- in a stack of my old Action Force stories! well, the original carbon, as that was back in the days when we used 'typewriters' whatever they might be...

Cheez, I was a bit worried about Dolman for a minute there! A beautiful story, Vienna shouting at Dredd on the stairs was a classic moment. Also a nice companion piece to developments in the prog. Ive read two brilliant Wagner Dredds in one day today, what a privelige. Cheers Tharg!
havent read owt else yet I need a lie down after too much thrill power :)

Is there a reason why Satanus III is being printed? Seriously, I wonder if there is something contractual about it, or if a hand is being forced somewhere and there is no option to print it.

It is the worst thing I have ever read. Anywhere. It makes Soul Sisters look like a work of genius.

All you need is a pair of eyes to see the drawings (I typed art, then "art" and thought about scribbles) are a mess. And the dialogue. Jesus fucking wept, it transcends corn into whole new dimensions of cheese (hey, maybe that's the idea?).

That's all before you stop and think that it's a Dredd story. The value, the integrity, of Dredd is being reduced by this tripe (busty witch/ judge hybrids? Fat demons?)

This is an insult.

Loved the Dredd story.  I liked the way you knew it was Dolman as soon as arses were getting kicked. And how good was Doherty's art.

Enjoyed the Angel gang and Big RObots as well. Execution - heh!

My views on SATANUS are aptly echoed above.

Small press piece was a bit... er... trite. But I liked the art.

Never read the Horror article, it just looked like it was a list of things (I remember being disappointed that Bish-Op's history of BATTLE was also a list where TPO had been such fun).

Well, anything that covers such a general topic as 'horror comics' in such short a space is going to in part end up as a list of things. I'd like to think that the interviews and such help to place it all in some sort of historical context, as well as detailing concurrent social movements like the anti-comics campaign in Britain of the early 1950's.

As I say, I'd *like* to say all that, but I'd probably just be talking a load of old shite...

By the way, for those that are interested, you can see some of Kev O'Neil's pre-2000AD comic work from the fanzine Legend Horror Classics:

Link: Dracula

Link: And Frankenstein

I liked Molcher's piece on the British invasion, but thought the omission of Paul Jenkins was a tad odd.    I know he's not everyone's cup of tea, but he's had a run on Hellblazer, was the number two writer on Spidey for about four years, wrote Wolverine: Origin, and the entirety of Marvel's Civil War: Frontline series.

To be fair, Paul Jenkins has been around for more than a decade, so he's not exactly 'invading' as 'already well-established' and his work's rather mediocre to boot.

Anyway, Mike's probably never heard of him in the first place, the damned lazy journoswine...

:-P

Tharg you beauty!! Thanks for the freebie Judge Death GN, it made my pigging day it did!

Read the Dolman story with interest.  Doherty's best-ever art, lots of great Dredd "Hmmphs", but on a re-read, one thing strikes me:  Dredd was wrong.  There was no need whatsoever for that last shove against the wall, even for a Judge.  Could Dolman be a wrong'un after all?

"Read the Dolman story with interest. Doherty's best-ever art, lots of great Dredd "Hmmphs", but on a re-read, one thing strikes me: Dredd was wrong. There was no need whatsoever for that last shove against the wall, even for a Judge. Could Dolman be a wrong'un after all?"

I've had a couple of looks at this, too. I have a slight problem with another bit of the story, but I'll come to that later.

Looking at the art, I think you might be right - I can't see how Dolman is justified in the second attack. However, is this a problem with the art? Was Doherty meant to draw the perp looking like there was a little more life in him?

The question arises, though, what story is Wagner really trying to tell? Is this a story setting up a plotline concering Dolman going bad? Or is it a story about Dredd, his family and his ongoing concerns about the system he operates within? Or is it both? On the face of it, I think it's definitely about Dredd, family and the justice system, but it's too early to tell about Dolman yet.

What concerned me more was Dredd's final line of dialogue to McGinn. I like the idea of Dredd arguing his case and persuading McGinn to release Dolman. However, the last line sounded threatening, bullying even, rather than reasoned argument and persuasion. This slightly spoiled the ending a for me.

Overall, though, what really stood out for me was McGinn. He came across as an intelligent, reasonable and capable Judge, rather than the usual faceless or crooked or thuggish ones we usually get. And there was something fun about seeing him eat a sandwich. More of this guy, please.

Regards

Robin

Dredd: Great story, good art. And of course was Dredd bullying McGinn with his promise to overturn it on appeal. Still, this was a lot shades of grey. Could be a field day for an SJS overview. And Vienna is wrong into assuming that Dredd could do whatever he wants. Dredd is the law, he isn´t above the law :-)

And McGinn was a great character. Bring him back.

Critchlow: An okay article.

British horror: I am in the minority here, I guess, but I like most of the text pieces. I alwyas thought House of Hammer was a reprint comic of Marvel stuff :-) now I know better. And I guess to have to search for the Bolland Dracula.

Anderson: the idea is kind of cheesy, and Anderson pulled the plug awfully fast, but on the whole I like this.

Second invasion: I like the articles, but this was rather blah.But I have to second Molchers opinion, the "british" voice has been americanized.

Satanus: unreadable. Just terrible.

Small press: I often skipp this, but this was some interesting artwork.

God Fish: Okay, nice ending. But it reminded me awfully of a recent future shock I have forgotten the details about.

Angel Gang: this I am lukewarm about. Spurrier is hit and miss with me (more miss I have to confess) and the art isn´t really my cup.

Articles in comics are like articles in porn mags; destined to be read last, if at all, after the (ungh!) instant gratification is out of the way.

So, surprised to be reading everything in order this month (and even agreeing with the "best line" bits in the Dredd Files for once) and thinking that can't be right. Should be skipping all these and going for the strips.

Could it be just a case of the subjects, such as Horror Comics or the progress of Brit creators in Superheroland, being of infinite more interest to readers of comics than, say, which home brewing kit's best or the performance of the Morgan Aero 8 engine is of interest to the gentleman onanist? Maybe, but stretching the tasteless and unoriginal analogy further, the rest of The Meg does seem a bit like a porn mag gone wrong.

Now, there's Dredd. Bland Dohertyness and an amusing final caption. Not a grabber. This is the vaguely familiar American who's the only one to have done a video and is gamely undergoing another cosmetic lift. The latest Anderson's often good for a centrespread and doesn't disappoint with nice big robots this month, only slightly spoilt by stiff noodly artwork. (In hindsight, how much better would Detonator X have been if it had Big Robots' set-up? Instead of Anderson coldly striding along we could've had a Terra-Meks for the noughties, there.) This is the best thing in The Meg.

Blood Of Satanus is the one that makes you go WHOAHUNHOLYMOMMA at the sheer wrongness. Both story and art resemble that fat fifty-plus dinnerlady who was quite the lass in her youth, but is now reduced to dressing up and wallowing in mashed cake, while grabbing her folds and winking "I've still got it!", fooling no-one but herself.

There's also the old Future Shock. A plump sepia-toned Edwardian strumpet, often included to allow teenagers to snigger and wonder how their tenement-dwelling ancestors could ever have found this arousing. (Can't we have Charley's War back, like, now?) And then there's Freak Show. Amateur, glum and unlovely, fumbling attempts at titillation inspiring only mild depression, like a Reader's Wife nursing a black eye. And Before They Wuz Dead, the struggling bit-part star that fancies itself but tries way too hard. Sorry, but these last two are just not very good fan filler. And it shows.

The Meg should be the comics equivalent of good porn mags. They have more letters, too.

***Now, there's Dredd. Bland Dohertyness and an amusing final caption.***

You talk balls, Doherty is one on the few decent original Dredd artists in recent times. He has a subtlety all his own.

What makes me laugh is that the appalling mess that is Satanus is, if I remember correctly, a result of Mills spitting out his dummy because Andy Diggle used the very deep character without his consent.

I suppose Mills has got his wish. No one in their right mind would go anywhere near the character after this pile of steaming shite. Pointless, ebarrassing crap that is wasting page after page of the meg. Ugh.

Give me Diggle and MacNeil's strip any day of the week, what on earth is Pat trying to prove?

BEST MEG I'VE READ IN YEARS

"Diggle and MacNeil's"

Gordon Rennie was the writer - Diggle was editing the comic at the time.

Aye, you're right Byron, I didn't remember correctly! Still, it could have been written and drawn by Brother Billau and it still would have been better than the current offering...

"Dear Tharg,

I was enjoying a jolly good read with my beautifully drawn, dark episode of DREDD when unexpectedly, blonde flatmate ANDERSON: PSI-DIV came in...

... right between them.

I wonder if any other of your readers have had similar experisneces they would like to share.

yours
Lucky Git etc."

Dredd: A worthy addition to the "Dredd Family" saga. Liked it. Quite intrigued to see where Wagner takes Dolman. Will he learn his lesson? Nice art by Docherty, too.

Anderson: Lovely, if sometimes overly busy artwork from Dave Taylor. The story's OK, if a little improbable. How did nobody notice the old dead guy building a shitload of gigantic robots on the middle of the city? Were PSU on their day off? Also, why didn't Anderson hold off on the execution 'til the old dead guy had given her some hints on how to stop them? Mind you, I guess he didn't have to be alive for Anderson to ask him...

Satanus: Risible

Angel Gang: Fairly lightweight, throwaway stuff, but inoffensive enough. I might have judged this more harshly, but coming after the abortion that is Satanus, it's a Gruddamn masterpiece.


"why do they keep printing it?"

"Is there a reason why Satanus III is being printed? Seriously, I wonder if there is something contractual about it, or if a hand is being forced somewhere and there is no option to print it"

Pretty much, yeah. The question was raised at the 2000AD panel at Bristol.
Matt Smith looked uncomfortable, looked at his shoes a bit, shrugged slightly and offered an explanation to the effect of "Don't blame me - it was commissioned before I took over and we've kinda got to print it".
I do feel slightly sorry for the poor sod, as he's copping all the flak for an albatross someone else commissioned.
Still, it'll all be over soon, eh?


Won't it...?

Arsebiscuits!
Web-fu schmeb-fu...

C'mon Satanus isn't that bad (Pause for laughter, there is feedback from the Mic as the single audience member coughs with embarrasment)
  No seriously , I know the Meg has contractual obligations but could you not just forget to publish it, or better still just pay Pat NOT to write such shite!

To Mike Collins
Chuffed you commented , I like the God Fish just why the Meg why not Extreme?
 Oh and as for Action Force , thanks a bunch Mike , now I'm fighting back tears of Nostalgia  thinking of the Old Action Force ( They were never GI JOE to me) ahh happy days of reading classic lines such as " no , no aieee!" seriously  though they really were the stories I read as a kid so thanks.

How good was The Meg Dredd story this month?
It was a blinder and sets up some interesting plot developments hopefully to be explored at a later date.
Peter Doherty, great to have him back drawing Dredd, he's up there with my fave artists and his artwork is a lot better than his musical output!


Also........"Articles in comics are like articles in porn mags".

Don't know about you, but it's the only reason I read them.

No one in their right mind would go anywhere near the character after this pile of steaming shite.

Hang on, is there a character called Satanus in this somewhere?  I know he was in one of the first episodes briefly, but since then?  I'm sorry to say this, but I quite enjoy the awfulness that is Anus of Satblood.  I wouldn't buy it on its own, but as comic relief in an anthology its good fun.  

And while he might not need the support of a Satanus-enjoynik, I thought Doherty's art on Dredd was just fantastic.

Can someone set up a poll as to what they would prefer to read:

Blood of Satanus III
Chronos Carnival
Dry Run

Be interested to see the results

"Can someone set up a poll as to what they would prefer to read:

Blood of Satanus III
Chronos Carnival
Dry Run "

It may require a fourth category:

I'd sooner drink vomit. Somebody else's vomit.

Regards

Robin

"Can someone set up a poll as to what they would prefer to read:

Blood of Satanus III
Chronos Carnival
Dry Run "

It may require a fourth category:

I'd sooner drink vomit. Somebody else's vomit.

Regards

Robin

No fair Dry run wasn't that bad

"No fair Dry run wasn't that bad"

There's a Bloom County cartoon - the message of which seems appropriate here - featuring Opus reviewing a film. "Bad acting," he complains. "Bad effects. Bad everything. This bad film simply oozed rottenness from every bad scene. Simply bad beyond all infinite dimensions of possible badness." Long pause. "Well, maybe not that bad, but Lord, it wasn't good."

Regards

Robin

Bump.