2000 AD - The Ultimate Collection

[Link Prime]

Anyone have the full list of strips for Strontium Dogs Vol 3?

[IndigoPrime]

Assuming it's accurate, the Wiki page does.

[The Monarch]

yup thats an accurate set of contents

[Link Prime]

Cheers lads.
A couple of niggling omissions (a Durham Red text story with Harrison illustrations and the original 'Walking Lady' story by Hogan), but otherwise a very decent collection.

I have oft lauded the Hogan run, but never read it through in it's entirety - this will be an interesting dose of nostalgia in the reading armchair.
It's also quite the collection of early Mark Harrison artwork, from the fully painted pre-Lawnmower Man era.
Even if the story leaves you cold, it has to be worth the pick-up for that alone.

[The Monarch]

the original walking lady storys in vol 1

[sintec]

Well the Durham Red tales were definitely the pick of the bunch across those 2 books. The Middenface led SD strips just felt a bit meh in comparison. Hoping that doesn't continue into his solo book which is up soon.

Finn was a trudge, I cared less and less about all of the characters as it went on. I think editorial made the right call on killing it off and bringing in fresh strips. The first book showed some promise, the second failed to really deliver on that.

[Tomontherun94]

Saw a reply on their FB page that there's another Slaine book planned. Unless there's some uncollected annual or yearbook material there's only 80-ish pages there. Interesting to see what it'll be paired with. Last arc of Defoe maybe?

[Max Headroom]

Maybe it's the last book in the series 'Dragontamer'? I think everything else has been collected.

[IndigoPrime]

Saw a reply on their FB page that there's another Slaine book planned. Unless there's some uncollected annual or yearbook material there's only 80-ish pages there. Interesting to see what it'll be paired with. Last arc of Defoe maybe?

How much would the three Dice Man books add to that? It could also add all the art stuff cut from Book of Scars, although that would be a very different take from a typical Hachette volume.

[Richard]

Diceman would add another 66 pages.

[The Monarch]

how about that tomb of terror game thing?

[Link Prime]

the original walking lady storys in vol 1

Gas - an unopened copy still sits on my shelf.

[michaelarby]

Hello again chaps - just wanted to throw in my thoughts on the UC so far, what stories I liked etc. I was always aware of the prog and familiar with judge dredd, and a little bit of rogue trooper, but everything else was new to me. So I collected the UC, wanting to familiarise myself with some of the other series.

Overall - great idea for a collection. I always liked the Idea of 2000ad but hated that picking up a random issue left dropped you in the middle of a story. Getting everything from the beginning, in order, collected together - lovely!

Nikolia Dante - Standout win for me. Caught a few random episodes years ago and didnt like it (for reasons mentioned above, but reading it from the start right through - loved it!

Sinister Dexter - Loving it. Was glad to see it get extra volumes through the extensions, though nitpicky complaint is that they are now all spread out (one of the reasons why I made the chart I posted a few days ago)

Strontium Dog - I can appreciate the importance of this series but it wouldnt be one of my absolute favourites. havent read the dogs volumes from later on - theyre low on my priority pile. However, I did grow more attached to it the more I read. (Anecdotaly, I was put off in the beginning because my ex messed me around and ran off with a guy who looked a LOT like Johnny alpha, believe it or not lol.)

Nemesis the Warlock - Loved this, and appreciate that it wrapped up in a tight 4 volumes.

Slaine - Probably sacriligious to say this, but I wasnt fussed on the old stuff, but i loved the newer volumes. I can appreciate the lineart in the originals but the old 70s writing style has never been my favourite on any series. The more modern stuff with a more cinematic feel though, I love that.

Kingdom - One of my absolute favourites of the whole collection. Disappointed we never got more than 2 volumes and Im hoping it can be concluded in the new extension. Its supposed to be a finite series, yes? Just a few arcs left?

Invasion/Savage - Didnt expect to like this as much as I did. the first volume, again, older retro writing was fine, but the later savage series were great. Also, great BnW comic art.

Brink - Really enjoyed this.

Deadworld - love all the deadworld stuff. I cant imagine it will conclude any time soon but hope theres at least another volume in the extension.


I've read most of the other books in the UC but whilst I enjoyed them a lot didnt leave much of a lasting impression. Partly my fault though, I have a habit of consuming media fast to 'get it out of the way' -  same with books and videogames where soon after I can remember very little about them. The likes of SinDex and Nikolai Dante had multiple volumes over a couple of years to embed themselves in my memory but a lot of the other series were very short. I did enjoy Stickleback and Grey Area. Cradlegrave was a good one too. The rest though may never get read again.

I think the early collection was definitely stronger than the later extensions. If i was to do a clear out, it would definitely be the later stuf that would likely get tossed. I'm gonna cherry pick the lastest extension. Space/Money are a factor and barring continuations of series I already like it seems like diminishing returns at this point.

However, very glad I got to read and experience all that 2000ad had to offer - not everythings gonna be your favourite, but I've defininitly got a few great series out of it I'd never have had a chance to read before, and it's been a hell of an education!

Cheers guys

[IndigoPrime]

Kingdom - One of my absolute favourites of the whole collection. Disappointed we never got more than 2 volumes and Im hoping it can be concluded in the new extension. Its supposed to be a finite series, yes? Just a few arcs left?

I'm not sure what Dan Abnett's plans are, but the most recent arc did at least provide us with a full-stop of sorts, but with a fairly easy option to continue. So if it ends here, so be it. (See also, eg: Halo Jones.) But he could do more. And, yeah, that this hasn't been completed in the collection is a crying shame, but I imagine there's not enough strip to fill a book at this point. (I, in a rare move, bought the 2000 AD paperback to plug the gap, like I did with Lawless – although, there, I bought the entire run.)

I think the early collection was definitely stronger than the later extensions. If i was to do a clear out, it would definitely be the later stuf that would likely get tossed. I'm gonna cherry pick the lastest extension.

It's interesting to see a newcomer to this stuff provide their insight. Personally, I thought the first extension was excellent. I was delighted to see Red Seas, a Lobster Random HC, Brink, Ten Seconders, Fiends, Indigo Prime and Jaegir in particular. But I was done at that point and have since retained only three books from the second extension. (Revere, Stickleback and Cradlegrave. If I didn't already have them in HC, I'd have likely bought Brass Sun, Deadworld and Leviathan though. And I was tempted by Devlin, but annoyed that it stopped short of including some of the really great Kot strips.)

[michaelarby]

I should also point out that at 36, a lot of the 70s/80s stuff was before I was born and 90s/2000s media would be my my sweet spot. probably why I like what I like!

I can recall enjoying Ten Seconders and Jaegir, and Leviathan too. Lobster Random is on my bedside table at the minute, not bad but im not in the mindset to go through it. Brass sun V1 was decent but I havent read v2 yet. Devlin Waugh is also sitting unread. (Ive averaged having about 15 still to read at any one time lol). Red seas was decent. I just have the final volume to read. I've never been a big 'pirates and s,orcery' guy though so thats why im in no rush to finish it. But again, I do appreciate that its a tight 4 volumes.