A Second Golden Age?

The Enigmatic Dr X · 08 August, 2003, 03:35:44 PM

In an attempt to draw together a few of the more prasiey (I just made that word up, so its (c) me) threads, I do declare that we are curently enjoying a second Golden Age in 2K tales.

It's a veritable Aucthung Baby of a comic just now - a couple of stand out tracks, and the rest would be the highlight of a weaker edition.

Not since the heady days of the early 80s has each story in the comic, in my view anyway, been so consistently good. Sure there have been good storie, but for every Zenith there is a Time Flies.

For me, this weeks prog was almost on a par with the might Prog 224 - which not only was the first prog where I made a point of buying the next issue (I whored myself for the earlier Buck Rogers sticker album), but also featured some consitently good tales, inclding Judge Death Lives, the first book of Nemesis and Meltdown Man. I even liked Mean Arena at the time.

So what do you consider to be the First Golden Age?

And do you think we will need to sink to the 700s style pant-eeze (also (c) me) before we see the likes of this glory again?

Trout · 08 August, 2003, 03:38:05 PM

In terms of consistency, the current period is definitely as good as the early 80s.

There's been a definite shortage of shite in the comic lately and I'm enjoying it more than I have since I was a kid.

- Trout

Slippery PD · 08 August, 2003, 03:55:04 PM

Off topic

It's a veritable Aucthung Baby of a comic just now

My wife and I were watching VH-1 top 100 albums and was surprised that The Joshua Tree got number 1 slot, but I couldnt for the life of me remember the Album where they kinda went dancey disco. Many thanks, its been bugging me for 3 days.

Yer Slips

The Enigmatic Dr X · 08 August, 2003, 04:02:43 PM

I'm not a big U2 fan - but Auchtung Baby isn't disco-y. I guess the disco one you're thinking of is Pop. It had a single - Discotheque - that, like the album (which my brother owns), was shit.

They also had Zooropa, which was even worse. This was a cash in following the Auchtung Baby tour and featured track written on the road (when pished?) or rejected from Auchtung Baby. The only good track was Numb, which I think was cut from Aucthing Baby to make it shorter.

ANd, honest, I'm not a big fan - I have the greatest hits and 'Baby and that's it.

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B000001EAQ.02.THUMBZZZ">

Trout · 08 August, 2003, 04:05:24 PM

I'm not a big fan either but I really like their version of Lou Reed's Satellite of Love, which is a B-side somewhere that a flatmate had.

- Trout, marvelling at just how fast we get off-topic round here

Devons Daddy · 08 August, 2003, 04:11:15 PM

2nd golden age
without dounbt.

Slippery PD · 08 August, 2003, 04:13:51 PM

You could be right DrX. I really dont know.....

Im not a fan really either, my music taste is fairly well known. But i do have have a grudging respect for them, as they are four mates who got together, split all the money 5 ways (manager gets an equal cut too)and reinvest in ireland, etc etc etc. Now if only Bono could stop that Preachy stuff he likes to do.

On Topic...
Yeah its pretty much a golden age, I know we have some detractors. But everything (with a couple of exceptions) is pretty high quality at the moment.

Yer Slips

Oddboy · 08 August, 2003, 04:20:50 PM

I'd agree that we are in a Golden Age now...

For me the first Golden Age spread from about prog 80 up until about prog 800 (although things were definitely starting to crack during the 700s).

Does the 2nd Golden Age have to end?

paulvonscott · 08 August, 2003, 04:33:35 PM

I think 2000AD (at this precise moment) is as good as it has been for a long time, hits anything I've seen from the nineties into a cocked hat. But I don't think it's a second Golden Age.

It's a bit like saying Britain has a mediterranean climate from the current hot weather. We are at the start of a great offensive, but look at the tale end of most offensives...

The comic currently is 60% original contributor (and all the better for it) so in that respect we are still riding the tail of the first golden age really.

Hope that sounds more realistic than pessimistic, I think 2000AD is really good at the moment.

In fact I think the official term is Zarjazz.

It's definitely worth celebrating the fact, it's taken a lot of work to get here and who knows, perhaps we may be on the edge of a Golden Age...

Oddboy · 08 August, 2003, 04:53:12 PM

Paul, I disagree.

I think we've moved into the "2nd Golden Age" by now... the progs been in tip-top form for the last couple of years really.
Yea, we often seem to get a little 'end of season' drops but that's more to do with the very strict seasonal set up that the prog started using since the time of Big Dave. Rebellion seem to have adopted this seasonal structure but the thrills are of a much higher standard.
(And when you've got Lobster Random at the end of a season we can't really moan I reckon!)

ARRISARRIS · 08 August, 2003, 05:05:37 PM

We are definately in a second golden period as far as quality goes but the only thing that annoys me is the constant wait for the next book in a series... eg Slaine has been rattling on for ages without really going anywhere and the wait we now have to have till the next part of A.B.C. Warriors and years back how long did Strontium Dogs drag on for etc etc etc. In the first golden age a character had a series,had at least a 6 to 8 month run of episodes, built up a fan base, and a good cross section of stories and usually ended with some type of tie-up.
Now adays we get a story here and ther and thats it. J.D. SinesterDexter & Nikoli Dante being the few exceptions.

paulvonscott · 08 August, 2003, 05:14:40 PM

Well, I don't think there have been many new classic series, for me one of the seven mystical portents of a second Golden Age.

I can't join in the frothing over Lobster Random, the series didn't do much for me.

And without the classic series and writers, I wonder what sort of prog we'd have here...

I think what 2000AD has managed is a certain repectable level of consistant quality. Not to be confused with yer actual Golden Age, but there you go, just my view.

In two months time, things could be very different...

Devons Daddy · 08 August, 2003, 05:31:03 PM

In two months time, things could be very different

so can we expect to see a new script writer then?
but more importantly
will one of the board be looking to give that new droid a 1 vote though out of habit paul?

:~)

paulvonscott · 08 August, 2003, 05:49:23 PM

That was a vague sort of thing to say that could mean all sorts of things, but it was just a vague sort of thing to say sadly.

'A puddle may reflect many things, but contains little and still remains as shallow as ever...'

One thing I may be saying, is that in 2 months time at the end of the offensive when the gilt has rubbed off a bit, things might not look so golden. But then again still better than much of the nineties.

I'm not saying 2000AD isn't any good, it is, just that I think talk of a second Golden Age is a bit over the top. But then how do you judge these things? If enough people think that, isn't it true by default?

My presence in 2000AD is restricted to the odd appearence in Input, nice thought, but a mad one...

Oddboy · 08 August, 2003, 06:03:32 PM

All I was saying is that I'm not judging 'Golden Agemanship' on the latest 3 progs alone, but the stories that have been with us the last several seasons....

In 2 months time it is possible that this 'Golden Age' may be over - who can tell what the future may bring (other then Tharg, of course!) - but I don't think it's only just started.

As to whether it's a bona fide Golden Age, or mearly a darned shiny Silver Age, that's up to personal opinion really.
You're right about needing new 'classic characters' that can match the stature of Nemesis, Rogue, Alpha and the like. Nikolai & SinDex are the only recent examples of this & they aren't exactly 'recent' anymore.