MEG 259 - Demonic Intervention

[Byron Virgo]

I don't think you can willingly create 'iconic' characters, because it's not up to the creators - but the readers and posterity - to decide what is and isn't gifted an iconic status. And most attempts to artificially manufacture an icon usually end up like bloody-bastard Spawn.

"An American Nightmare: Pointless"

The point was in getting paid...

;-P

[Eck]

The artwork in BOS 3 is quite, quite odd. On the one hand, it looks like it was done in someone's lunch hour, and yet it's also keeping me hooked.

It's mental. And great.

[Bad Andy]

This issue was so poor that one of the most interesting bits was the Dredd files! Anderson & Angel Gang were the only other passable things in here (although I haven't read the majority of the text articles, but I will).

Text is obviously cheaper than strip - but what would people rather see? Text stories or articles?

Reckon Simping Detective would easily transfer to a text story, given its inspirations.

[Robin Low]

Cover by Hicklenton and Langley - I like both these artist, but this is a god-awful fucking mess of a cover. I suppose it might attract a few gore fans, but they're about it.

Judge Dredd: Streetfighting Man -Let's get the Flint art out of the way first. It's not bad, but it's sorely lacking in WOW-factor images; even Dredd crashing through on his Lawmaster is pretty bland. A lot of the images of the beaten-up Walker remind me of Frank Miller's Dark Knight (an observation, neither praise nor criticism). I didn't like Chris Bylthe's drab colours, which is a shame after I was positive about his colouring on Detonator X. Robbie Morrison's story itself is pretty good, but he goofs up big-time with the ending. Sure, Dredd might be a little more understanding these days, but I can't accept that idea that he'd compromise to the point where he knowingly allows a murder to take place in the back of a catch-wagon. Another point to pick up on: iso-blocks. I have difficulty accepting that prisoners can get away with what we saw on page two of this story. Also, the whole point of an iso-cube is that dangerous criminals are, you know, isolated, not just from society, but from other prisoners. I can accept that low-risk prisoners might be less controlled, but not the sort of criminals we saw here.

Belardinelli: Loving the Alien - Good to see this and thank-you for doing it. But it doesn't let the comic off for waiting until he was dead.

A History of Horror Comics - Only skimmed this, but I'm happy enough to see it here. I'm looking forward to seeing what's in the UK horror comics article next issue. From my childhood I remember finding a few horror comics that were in the old Commando format, and I've never read anything about them.

Anderson: Psi Division: Big Robots - Yes, very pretty, but three episodes in I'm left asking, "And?" I'm not really sure what I should be getting excited about here.

Jodorowsky: A Holy Show - Skimmed this, too. Interesting, but it might have been a good idea to show some samples of his comics, not just a list of them.

Judge Dredd: Blood of Satanus - Lord, this is a mess. "Yes, Sandcrete's identification of new sub-atomic particles in dark matter would indicate this." We complain about writers other than Wagner failing to get Dredd's tone right, but Mill's hasn't a bloody clue here.

Small Press: City of Secrets - I thought this was really good. Great art and nicely written. Drab colours, I suppose, but not a problem for me in this case. I'd like to see it in 2000AD.

The Killer in the Cab - Okay, someone write and draw the sequel.

Films: Skimmed.

The Dredd Files: Filler.

The Angel Gang: Before They Wuz Dead - Suffers from the usual Spurrier problem, in that he takes a joke that he thinks is really funny (in this case, Junior Angel's utterly horrific sadism, ho ho) and then keeps telling you how funny he thinks it is, over and over agin. It could be good, but his style continues to grate.

Regards

Robin

[Bart Oliver]

A Holy Show: The Movies And Comics Of Alejandro Jodorowsky

Very surprised not to see *any* accompanying illustrations- comicbook pages or film concept sketches (the internet is littered with original DUNE drawings and paintings) after all it was my fascination with Moebius/Giraud's artwork that led me on to read several of Jodorowsky's graphic novels and watch The Holy Mountain.

http://www.duneinfo.com/unseen/images/moebius/popup/leto.jpg>

Link: http://www.duneinfo.com/unseen/moebius.asp" target="_blank">More..

[Byron Virgo]

I really enjoyed the Jodorowsky article myself, but I have to agree that it would have been nice to see something from Metabarons. First time I heard of that series was in that Moebius issue of A1, and I remember being really blown away by how different his work was from everything else I'd previously been exposed to.

"But it doesn't let the comic off for waiting until he was dead."

Not really my place to say, but the article was being prepared before he died, so I think you're being slightly unfair there.

"From my childhood I remember finding a few horror comics that were in the old Commando format, and I've never read anything about them."

Would those be the Alan Class digest reprints? They used to reprint a lot of American stuff like Fantastic Four and T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, along with lots of fifties Atlas, Charlton and ACG sf strips, in dirt cheap black and white digests. They did a few horror reprints, including some pre-Code stuff, like Tales of the Supernatural, Secrets of the Unknown and Uncanny Tales.http://photos1.blogger.com/photoInclude/img/78/4214/640/creepy_worlds_087.jpg">

[Steve Green]

Going slightly O/T but did Henry Flint do the colouring on the one-off in the prog, where the Kazan clone applies for asylum?

If so, I'd like to see him do some more.

- Steve

[Byron Virgo]

Yeah he did, I believe attempting a sort of Brendan McCarthy style of colour, if I remember rightly.

[Art]

Very glad Santa Sangre got a mention, that film is awsome (if totally mental).

[Steve Green]

Yeah, that's the one - cheers.

- Steve

[longmanshort]

For the record, as Ed has said, the article on Massimo was actually commissioned in the middle of last year. Unfortunately his ill health meant he was very difficult to get hold of and he sadly passed away before I could talk to him.

Molcher

[Funt Solo]

I do wish people wouldn't casually slag-off the 2000AD editorial staff for (supposedly) not doing enough to honour Belardinelli.

To begin with, he had not worked for the comic for a considerable length of time before there seemed to be something of an online fan movement to praise him. Should the fans as a whole be slated for not demanding his return when the work first dried up?  Of course not.  Is it then fair to verbally assault the current editorial staff on similar grounds?  

One might also look at the facts - such as the recent publication of the Meltdown Man and The Dead Extreme Editions.

It's a real shame that such a great artist stopped working for the comic we all love, and it's a tragedy of life that such a great imagination and talent should have to die.  It's not anyone's fault, though.

I'm sorry for ranting, but everytime I read a post where someone links negativity to the fate of Belardinelli, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I hope I haven't done exactly that by posting this, but I felt I had to say something.

[Dudley]

And well done for saying it.

[dweezil2]

Well the Meg must be going through a bit of a marmite phase at the moment because, I for one, am really enjoying it. I thought the cover was very striking(and that's what a cover's supposed to do, I would of thought) and I'm guessing the main criticism is down to the fact it's associated with a story not many people on this board like.
Streetfighting man was an excellent story with great Flint art, Judge Anderson is trippy, the art excellent, with maybe the bite size chunks letting the flow of the story down somewhat.
I very much enjoyed the articles, so no moaning from me there, not read Blood on Satanus 3 yet, but don't have the hatred for it like many boarders. Overall this issue represents £2.99 well spent.
Dweezil.

[Dark Jimbo]

Well said, Dweezil. I've had the feeling for some months now that certain people are trying far too hard not to like the Meg. There have been several stories that haven't really worked, and it's fair enough if you don't enjoy parts, or even whole issues, but posting reviews like 'Utter toss', 'Complete rubbish' and 'Total waste of money' aren't very helpful to anyone. Cancel your Meg subscription and get over it.