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Well I always suspected that I'd enjoy Day of Choas more when I re-read it 'in one' but I didn't think it'd pick up quite as much as it did. It was bloody superb. Not Tour of Duty superb, but a lot closer than I expected. Its one case, like Columbo I guess, were knowing how things turn out really does add to the story. Its about the journey, not the destination.

Early on a singing automaton pops out of a coffin, starts singing an amusing tune and is symbolically blown away. Unknown to me John Wagner was telling us that times were changing, this time he was serious and the fun times were over. Dredd's world was changing and he wasn't playing it for laughs. I didn't pick up on this and all the way through I was pondering how this one was going to be turned around. How the different strands would come together to see Mega City One take another battering to be saved again by Dredd. Or as I speculated by that wonderful red herring PJ Maybe who I had my money on. No though Wagner had made it clear that this time was different. I'd just did not see it.

So read again, knowing the ending, I wasn't simply frustrated at another East Meg escapade, I wasn't annoyed that PJ was once again out and up to mischief so soon. I understood the role of each, I understood that this time the villains were destined to win and the mastery of Day of Choas was the crushing revelation of how this was to happen.

At times I almost wanted to scream at the Judges blundering to their greatest defeat, at times I found myself feeling false hope for the City, thinking, arh but if only, only to be reminded that there was no if onlys this time. I read with full realisation that unlike so many other comics that claim this, this time things would change forever, the effects of this one would change the world. Damn it was painful to read at times, quite exquisitely painful. And that is why its not quite as good as Tour of Duty. See it was crafted quite brilliantly, the trouble is what was crafted was the destruction if something I loved and however well that was done it was at times just too painful to watch, impotent to prevent the terrible things I was transfixed by.

Quite brilliant, but quite horrible.

There was enough about Mr Ewing's Avengers title to put me off buying it, but this one could be interesting enough to pull me in?

New Al book announced from Marvel... Mind if they'd just chuffin' leave him alone so we could have him all to ourselves!

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=preview&id=18521

As it says, seem CBR are running previews before sub copies arrive, which is cool. And you know how great lat weeks cover was, well here's the competition. Incredible, just a shame Mr Robinson missed a trick with the bionic stickers.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=preview&id=18521

Well I try this every time there's one of these votes and no success, but fool that I am doesn't stop me trying.

CBR's Comic Should be Good is running a vote on the top 100 storylines in comics, here

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2013/10/07/comics-should-be-goods-top-100-comic-book-storylines-2/

They have a four year cycle for these votes and the previous vote in 2009 looked like this.

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2009/11/27/top-100-comic-book-storylines-master-list/

It would be great if 2000ad fans voted on mass and lets see if we can get a classic (not necessarily new) 2000ad storyline up there. Now I'm not naive enough to believe we'd get any agreement on which we should vote for, nor that we'd pool enough votes to touch the top 10, but if enough of us vote for enough 2000ad storylines we might get one in there somewhere. And heck we're nerds we like making lists this is fun for us. Not completed my list but I think my top three will be

1. Judge Dredd - Tour of Duty (well just re-read and I figure a JD is our best chance of charting)
2. Zenith - Book 3
3. Nikolai Dante - Sympathy for the Devil (they state if you are not sure how to split up with an ongoing storyline go with the trade splits and has there ever been a better ending to a comic story than there was for Dante?)
4. Might well be Cursed Earth

I think I'll keep my list exclusively 2000ad based, a little childishly, but hey if I'm trying to push people to vote to get a 2000ad storyline in there might was well do all I can to support that effort and wouldn't be that far off the truth.

So yeah its fun and simple to do. If just 30 or 40 of us go for this we stand a chance. If a 100 of us do we might must surely get something in. So go on vote for the comic you love best. After all we know its the Galaxies Greatest we should share the love.

There are a number of threads about this story, or that discuss it, but none for a few years and not one that take Tour of Duty as a whole, rather for example the two trades have individual threads, so indulge me please.

I've just finished a re-read of the epic as part of my re-read of all the Wagner Dredd's since 950. That means I've read The Pit, Doomsday and Total War recently and so feel safe in saying 'Tour of Duty' is my favourite long form Dredd story with only one possible exception, that being The Cursed Earth. I was very tempted to go back and re-read that right now to see which 'wins' but I'd rather keep my momentum and get to the end of 'Day of Choas' (which I don't think will compete, though strongly suspect I'll enjoy the first 2/3s of more than I did when reading it as it first came out). Also it'll be very difficult comparing the two as they are different beasts...

... or are they.

See that's the reason I felt there was even a vague need to waste the time of anyone daft enough to read this. There are a lot of surface level similarities between Cursed Earth and The Day the Law Died, the epic that followed straight on from it and Tour of Duty. I've no doubt smarter people than me have picked up on this, but I've not seen comment on it, so it may well be wiser people than me have dismissed it as merely superficial, but it got me thinking and I thought it was worth airing, even if only to get shot down.

So what am seeing. Well the common ground comes in the similar board plot points and to a degree the structure. Firstly Dredd is sent into the Cursed Earth, to deal with a plague. In the older epic an external threat far away, in the more recent a metaphorical one, the mutants which has crashed into the city (I of course refer to the mutant 'plague' based on its perception by the Mega City One citizens not in its 'reality). Dredd is therefore cast into the Cursed Earth and deals with its rich and varied life, in short Episodic stories, much like the original story.

Upon his return he being 'cast out' from the Justice Department is forced to deal with a corrupted justice department under the leadership of a villainous Chief Judge, one whom has risen to power by usurping the rightful holders place, while keeping the entire department behind them... well almost. In what is a much more singular narrative Dredd, without the resources of the Department, almost impotent, must use what he can scrape together to see this tyrant overthrown and ultimately its down to the actions of a perp (was Fergie actually a Perp in DtLD? I know he was a vagrant but can't remember if was actually ever said to be guilty of owt?) to take down the villain of the piece.

I mean in very board terms its all there right. Surely deliberately so... or was it subconsciously so... or am I just reading too much into things? John Wagner, unlike say Pat Mills isn't one to return to old stories, though you could argue he has with Strontium Dog, so it seems odd, but on re-read Tour of Duty read like a re-working of the previous two epics (one of which of course he didn't write in the main) for modern times. I can even see subtler things working in the two stories (or sets of). The SJS so vilified in DtLD seemed redeemed somewhat at the end of ToD as they march on mass to arrest Sinfield. Possibly a reflection by Wagner, who has often played them as the cads of the piece, that controls on law enforcement are indeed required and a damned good thing. Again reading too much into stuff?

Has this been discussed to death elsewhere and I've missed it? Am I just reading to much into superficial similarities and thus finding other things jumping out of that which aren't there (I have a history of this you want to hear my reading of Grant Morrison's Final Crisis!) or, unlikely as this sounds to me even as I type, is this worthy of discussion?

Well see that magnificent, simply magnificent beast on the cover, that glorious king of beasts, well apparently he can be subdued by a [spoiler]good old tickle under his chin [/spoiler] and hence in one piece of nonsense Flesh has its single worst episode I can remember. I've long loved this strip, but really, come on.

Elsewhere though Damnation Station continues to leave me utterly cold we're on okay form. Aquila has a steady episode and Dredd builds on the action, but alas not too much else this week. Even Brass Sun manages to disappoint, don't fear its still the standout thrill of the Prog, this week by a country mile, but they do a terrible, terrible thing. Why have they [spoiler]killed The Duke[/spoiler], WHYYYYY??? Damn you, damn your eyes Edginton.

These days okay form just isn't enough and after the high standards of last week this Prog is pretty disappointing. Shame, such a beautiful cover, guess I shouldn't be judging it on that though.

...will you just look at that cover

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=preview&id=18425

How long to the cover of the year vote...

Well I've discussed in previous review thread (1850 and 1851) that the thrills have felt like they are building, 1850 was all about potential (one giant aside), 1851 was a move towards that potential (one giant aside) and well it would seem that 1852 is all about reaching that potential.

Well except hell and Damnation, Damnation Station, while was full of wonderful words, intriguing ideas and yet which I still have a massive disconnect with, so it just kinda floated past. I kinda figure if you've already bought into this series this would be a blindin' part. As I haven't it isn't. This one is still all about potential and that potential is really now how I react to it on re-read I fear. I'll get around to that one day.

Flesh is a really nice episode, not much happens but it sets things up, fills in our Mill's troop of seven (or should that be Trope of seven?) once again underlines a lot of the reasons for the actions of Carter that have coursed issues for some in the past. Nice little character episode this one, with a glorious final page.

That Aquila is only my third favourite thrill is testament to the form the Prog has returned to. Its a blindin' episode filled with lovely touches that cranks the story forward at a deceptive pace. Brilliant stuff.

Dredd though has been playing and building to being a good story and this week is throws off its guise and shows itself to be the cracker it is. Pax's commentry is an absolute joy to read, be it on Dredd, or creating a sense of impending doom for some of our now assembled company. First panel third page is just a fantastic little summary of Dredd. Mike Carroll's done things like that before and he seems to have this fantastic ability to give to a perfect encapsulation of the man doing very little. Here its hard honesty and purpose. Brilliant.

The giant aside mentioned before still however towers head and shoulders above everything else though. Not much to say about Brass Sun except perfect comics. Beautiful pacing, like Aquilla deceptively charging the story forward, glorious character moments, action, adventure filled with tension all cramped into five exquisitely rendered pages. Perfect.

Oh and from three of the thrills (Flesh, Brass Sun and Dredd) we get a wonderful lesson, all kinda doing the same thing, in how to get your audience pining for next week already. Fantastic.

Oh and the 'Thrills of the Future' for Slaine shows that visually at least its going to surely return to the thrill I've wanted it to be for the longest time.

Prog 1852 sees the return of the Greatest to its rightful place after a wee bit of a lull.

Well this is very exciting news.

http://2000ad.wordpress.com/2013/09/24/dan-abnett-to-write-novel-based-on-kingdom/

Having read one of Dan Adnett's books (his Doctor Who one) and enjoyed it a lot this is right up my street, and  I imagine others.

Good stuff.

If you have any respect for yourself and your desire to be a comic fan left in your soul you can do nothing less than feast on the bargains to be had from my return to eBay (has it really been 2 months since the last free listing weekend or have I just been missing them?)

Check um out here

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/colin-at-home/m.html?item=261292524554&pt=UK_Books_Comics_Magazines_US_Comics_ET&hash=item3cd63f840a&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562

*For anyone who lived on Merseyside you must surely recognise that being based on the St Helen's glass radio adverts from back in the day?

What it says really. Great little review over at The Beat. Steve Morris is doing great work promoting The Galaxy's Greatest over that great Blog.

http://comicsbeat.com/review-john-wagner-and-arthur-ransons-button-man/

Bought Meg 339 for the 'trade' and while I read and quite enjoyed the comic rather than have an odd issue sat around I'm happy to pass it on to anyone who wants it. I will be keeping Black Siddha but the actual Meg if the are any takers is yours?

Well we could start a rumour that this is from a secret new Rogue Trooper movie?



From GotG Marvel's next (?) film after Cap and Thor 2?

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2013/08/23/first-look-at-michael-rooker-as-yondu-on-the-set-of-guardians-of-the-galaxy/

I know this has been touched on in the past but this article

http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2013/08/six-by-6-six-great-comic-adaptations/

Has some really interesting choices not the typical ones... well it mentions Jack Kirby's 2001 adaption and I never get bored of bigging up the wonderful Jack Kirby series that followed this. Another unfinished Kirby classic, oh where this might have gone.

It also includes David Mazzucchelli's adaption of City of Glass that I've always been tempted by but being a big fan of the novella I've always shied away getting to as I'm not sure what it could add to the book? Has anyone read it and the book?

So yeah any other adaptions... aside from Alien! I keep meaning to pick up Robert Crumb's Old Testament but never have.

What it say really.

http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2013/08/exclusive-pages-from-mick-mcmahons-return-to-slaine/

Just in case this splits the audience the way I think it might can I start the 'Its bloody brilliant' camp now?

So anyway for one reason and another I never got around to picking these up when I was buying all the annuals and have forgotten about them since until the wonderful Dredd Alert blog http://dreddalert.blogspot.co.uk/ reminded me of their existence and the gap in my collection. Info is fairly short even on Barney so I thought I'd ask. Are they any good, worth having etc etc? I see Kevin O'Neill does some Dredd art in 1979 annual which kinda makes me pretty damned intrigued.

You folks got any thoughts?

Bleeding Cool have the trailer for a documentary about Calvin and Hobbes creator Bill Watterson.

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2013/07/15/trailer-new-calvin-and-hobbes-documentary-gets-set-for-release/

While I'm intrigues by this I do wonder if it will just become an hour and half of talking heads saying how great Calvin and Hobbes is? Where will the meat on the bones come from... oh who an I kidding I'll see it!

[RICHARD STARKINGS,]

Just been looking at the Image Solicitiations for October and I stumbled across this

THOUGHT BUBBLE ANTHOLOGY 2013
story FABIO MOON, GABRIEL BA, RICHARD STARKINGS, JEFFREY BROWN, BRANDON GRAHAM, TOM HUMBERSTONE, MARC ELLERBY, TAMSIN ISLES, CLARK BURSCOUGH
art ADI GRANOV, RAFAEL ALBUQUERQUE, RAMON PEREZ, BOO COOK, RUFUS DAYGLO, BRANDON GRAHAM, MING DOYLE, ADAM CALDWELL
cover ALICE DUKE
OCTOBER 23
32 PAGES / FC / T+
TABLOID FORMAT
$3.99
A collection of new short stories by some of the best in the business, including the first ever team-up of Elephantmen and Judge Dredd! Plus many more names to be announced. This anthology is part of the United Kingdom's Thought Bubble Festival which takes place in Leeds, Northern England from November 17-24. All profits from this comic go to Barnardo's, one of the largest children's charities in the UK.

I'm guessing (and it is only a guess) that the team BOLDED will be the creators.

Apologise if this has appeared elsewhere but haven't seen it?

Who knew.

I was completely unaware of this coming out (no doubt its been posted) but seems that 2000ad reprinting Zenith is following in the wake DC reprinting his other favourite of mine, The complete Animal Man Omnibus. If it wasn't for the fact that at over 700 pages I know I'll get it, love it, then find it a ballache read then sell it again I'd be all over this.

Still excuse to show the bloody incredible Bolland cover.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51PCSQCLG9L._SY445_.jpg

Linkie here

http://www.amazon.com/Animal-Man-Omnibus-Grant-Morrison/dp/1401238998/ref=sr_1_17?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1373460693&sr=1-17&keywords=animal+man

Well it would seem Mark Millar is the next of the UK's comic hierarchy to kowtow to the Queen and get this establishment award.

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2013/06/16/mark-millar-mbe/

If it makes him happy, well done him.