Well if Week 1 was a gentle phasing in of quality from Round 1 with some pretty ropey ties, Week 2 hits us right between the eyes with the other end of things. This is the week that if I'd been feeling a little fast and loose with the draw I could have opened with. There's some mouth watering ties and some decisions that will make your eyes water. THIS is what Round 2 is all about...
Interesting early tie for Ichabod and his title of so many words, a thrill I think could do well in this tourney, if any modern thrill can withstand the wave of nostalgia that will carry the classics. Mechastopheles is an even more recent series that seems to have built up a bit of a fan base, but enough to unseat Ichabod? Only you can decide:
Ichabod Azrael (and the rest) - more info (http://www.2000ad.org/?zone=thrill&page=profiles&choice=ichabod)
Vs
Mechastopheles - more info (http://www.2000ad.org/?zone=thrill&page=profiles&choice=MECHA)
Just reply in this thread naming your favourite thrill of these two series at the beginning of your post (or use Bold tags so I can spot it easily) and say what you like about these wonderful stories after that.
Match ends early on the morning of Sunday 30th January and the winner gets a place in Round 3 (of 9!!!).
What on Earth is ALL of this? (https://forums.2000ad.com/index.php?topic=48011.0)
For those that need 'um and can be bothered to follow 'um there's some simple rules (https://forums.2000ad.com/index.php?topic=48011.msg1070150#msg1070150)
Any questions, just ask as ever - and have FUN!
Mechastopholes
I enjoyed Ichabod Azrael it was an interesting twist on the western/anti-hero genre but I will going for the giant demon robot (the inside is bigger than the outside Tardis clone) Mechastopholes
Ichabod Azrael. I'm a sucker for any Western, and Ichabod ended up playing a role in Dredd End of Days too.
Ichabod Azrael
Ichabod Azrael.
With apologies to Nicest Guy on Earth™ Dom Reardon, I'll vote Mechastopholes.
Ichabod Azrael
The Grievous Journey of Ichabod Azrael (and the dead left in his wake).
Ichabod Azrael
I missed the start of Mechastopholes and haven't quite managed to get a handle on it yet. Loved Ichabod in the UC though. Reardon's black and white art is gorgeous stuff and it's a great little story.
Ichabod though it got a bit confusing towards the end. Still finding Mechastopheles a bit meh, TBH.
Mechastopheles wins the high concept contest hands down, and opens up a malleable storytelling structure of meta and macro - you can watch the big demon-bot crush his enemies or spend time with the tiny humans crawling around inside of him. It did go a little Tardis recently, where the dimensions within 'Stoph seem to have gone exponential.
(https://i.imgur.com/DLd6RxG.png)
It took me some time to get on board with Ichabod, but once the horse started chatting I was all in.
(https://i.imgur.com/dyLQwKY.png)
The Grievous Journey of Ichabod Azrael (and the Dead Left in His Wake)
... gets my vote.
Angels versus Demons, eh?
Kind of love both of these stories, but the delight of the creature design in Mechastopheles isn't enough to best the joy I find in the writing style used by narrator and characters alike in Azrael.
Ichabod Azrael to leave this and more dead in his wake.
I'll be happy to see Mechastopheles continue and grow as a series. For now though I'm voting
Ichabod
ichabod azrael
Ichabod Azrael
I think the biggest thing of interest here is whether the number of folks who can be bother to give Ichabod its full title will beat Mechastopeles alone! Not that there's not a lot of love for the thrill, it just got a tough draw. Last chance to affect things, I'll count up tomorrow.
VOTING CLOSED
Only two votes used Icha's full title of soooo many words and if that was the count Mechastopeles would have taken this. I did however count the numerous votes that managed to find finger saving short cuts to nominate tGJoIA(atDHLiHW)... jez even doing that is hard work! Title length aside there was a lot of love for both thrills here. However Iccy has the advantage of being a series that has told its talem so stands wioth six shooters and a beginning, middle and end. And so - deep breath -
The Greivous Journey of Ichabod Azrael (and the dead he left in his wake)
has paid the ferry man to take him into Round 3.