Meg 230: Blazin' Squad.

[Oddboy]

I meant "....has less bearing...." otherwise it doesn't make sense.

[SmallBlueThing]

Well, I'm not going to apologise. And I stand by every word- even the ones that were removed and which would have made it read a bit better. (if I remember rightly- I was, after all, angry when I wrote it- as I pointed out at the top).

The letters page is for us to vent our spleens. I don't rate your journalistic skills very highly, nor your prose... though 'Cursed Earth Asylum' was the best of the pretty dire run of Virgin Dredd novels. In comparison to Pat Mills, who's work (and more importantly his work-ethic) you openly criticised, I find your work shallow and composed of fluff, unnecessarily hyperbolic and anti-intellectual. This last point I'll also direct towards Si Spurrier's recent film columns. It's lazy journalism and I'd expect it in 'Heat', 'Zoo' or the like- but it jars somewhat in a magazine I choose to pay for.

Interesting though, David, that you choose a similar tactic with me: Accusing me of being 'hysterical' and attempting to take the piss, when all I was doing was voicing my opinion. As I have a right to do, having paid-for and read both 2000ad and the Megazine from their first issues. I'd expect this from you though- it's the same ludicrous pose you struck issue after issue when you edited the Megazine, and it may work on those easily intimidated by the "big famous Bish-Op", but, hey- in my everyday job people who don't know any better try to intimidate me- only they have a variety of learning disabilities, mental health problems and other disorders. I'm assuming you don't, so I'd ask you to please refrain from attempting similar behaviour with me.

I'm a reader, and I don't like what I read in your article. I think your editorial decisions in the 90s damaged the comics considerably (even I stopped reading for a while and it hurt to have to buy the missing issues later, once I saw what was inside)- and nothing I see in your writing today convinces me that you've changed or developed. It's not a personal thing, David. I'm not El Sloano, so don't go coming round my house trying to engage me in fisticuffs. A reader doesn't enjoy your work- and dared to write to the meg and say so. I can understand that's annoying, but surely you can maintain a professional distance. Or am I right about you, after all?

Steev

[Roger Godpleton]

Does ";-)" Not mean anything to you?






;-)

[Max Kon]

I like Bish

[SimonC]

Apologies Dead Oddboy. You made the same point as me, but I missed your message as I read through the thread. I wasn't trying to upstage you or correct your maths...sorry if it came across that way! :-)

SimonC

[SmallBlueThing]

Krusty said:

"Does ";-)" Not mean anything to you?"

So I say:

Yep. In that context it's a smarmy pisstake. A rallying cry to those more than willing to join in. Ah, sod it. Should've guessed that he would be defended. After all, I only wrote to a magazine I've been reading for, what?, 15 years?, and criticised something I felt, and feel, strongly about. The mag deemed to print it (even though I thought they wouldn't) and then David Bishop decided to post here. Not me. I didn't run here looking. It's Friday and I got my Meg on Monday. Just passing the time and being reminded why certain aspects of the current Megazine irritate me so much. Not Gordon Rennie though, mostly. And yes, Gordon- I do reckon you've got "skill, wit and gravitas". You're a damn good comics-writer, a readable tie-in novelist in a market chockful of people who haven't a clue, you're capable of making me laugh and, being someone who is generally well-respected in this little fraternity we call comics, you have a certain amount of gravitas. At least I seem to read your stuff confident that you know what you're doing.

There. Sometimes this online community thing really funks me off (haha). This is what happens when consumers and creators mix. It never works in Industry and it doesn't work in comics.

Steev
Massively dissillusioned

[Will I. Cooling]

Um moving away from steev vs Bishop (gonna go with Steev on comic writing, Bishop on prose writing and a tie on editing) let's look at the Meg:

DREDD: Brilliant, bloody brilliant. Taylor's art is soooo much better than the Grant one he did its unbelievable. Just goregous pages that are perfectly sorted to Dredd (unlike D'israeli who seems to be struggling to achieve the correct tone at times). Bloody good story too.

BATO LOCO: Yep, another good story in a series of these. Lovely art by Simon as well.

Bogie Man: Not yet hitting the hights of the first one but still good. Some nice moments with the maddness increasing. Reminds me of some of the more surreal/later episodes of the Simpsons-you appericate and enjoy the increasing maddness but your not neccessarily laughing out loud.

Retro Dredd: Good story with a fucking quality last line that had me in stiches. I wish they'd do a Golden Age Dredd EE or TPB with some of the classic stories like Return of Rico, Robot Wars, Midnight Surfer, etc in.

Shimura: Enjoyable series although the character seems to be off-he was never quite as shallow was he? Alot of the angst and darkness has gone out of this compared to what's in the GN which is a shame. The art is very good, almost reminscint of Quitely in my view. Bloody nice tits*

Anderson: Good ending to what has been the weakest story of this current set of stories. Looking forward to City of the Dead.

"Good Anderson ending. She's still being naughty when riding that bike though..."

Is it me but did Cass actually look attractive again whilst riding that? The hair actually worked for her.

WHET: Forgettable but enjoyable.

Text Features: The interview was great with Cam coming across as very enthusatic compared to some of the previous interviewees-would love to L/D war reprinted in the Meg although that would be difficult due to the size of each episode. Dredd files is becoming a really enjoyable part of the prog-not having so much of it is probably a big help. Gordon's column is as ever brilliant, I'll miss these.

The rest was okay, the comics section pisses me with how it only covers American comics. There are so many outlets covering the bastards why not give UK indies the benefit of some exposure in the biggest comic monthly in the UK? That said I agree with him on both points although maybe as GermanAndy says given his limited amount of space he should've devoted himself to either decompression (although his argument that caused the industry crash is bollocks-decompression begin as the industry picked itself up again) or how brilliant She-Hulk is.

Also Andy, the plug was for the trades that are coming out soon (and you all should buy them, I think a 2000AD fan would appericate the affectionate satire of superheroes).

Overall a bloody brilliant issue...as ever!!!!!!

Will

[Wake]

The Vienna Dredd image seems to be from a combination of two frames from this page.

Wakehttp://www.2000ad.org/artwork/bloodduty.jpg">

[Funt Solo]

SPOILERS

Whatever Happened To Melda Dreepe?

Actually, she died in Prog 239 (part four of Block Mania).

She was the leader of the last 277 Dan Tanna blockers (gassed by Heston & Montalban), and I quote:

"Weather control's measures came too late for Dan Tanna's brave 277.  They perished in toto as they charged across no block land".

I am a continuity nerd and I claim my 5 galactic groats.

[Funt Solo]

Oops - Grant actually mentions that in the new story.  I wonder what the most hats eaten by a single poster in one week is?

Still - Melda going out in a blaze of glory is better than being squished by a neon sign.

I'll get me coat...

[philt]

WEHT - another "funny" one. Please god make it stop. If the megazine is going to persist with this would they stop doing "funny" ones with "funny" art.

I only got the Meg for Charleys War after a long absence. Now that Charleys'War has finished I find I can't get out of the subscription I signed up to.

oh and as for the columnists - they really don't work (Rennie aside)

[Funtwangle]

i dunno i like that guy who writes about comics