FFT - Semi Final 1 - Lawless vs Strontium Dog

[Barrington Boots]

Dithered over this vote for a while: I adore Lawless and everything Funt (and others) have said above is true. But I can't vote against Strontium Dog. It does have some duffers, it's true, but that doesn't take away from decades of excellence and the influence it had on comics, and on me.

[dan200]

Lawless.

[Blue Cactus]

Stront for me.

[The Legendary Shark]

While Lawless was great,
Right out of the gate,
It's Strontium Dog that I rate.

[Magnetica]

Dithered over this vote for a while: I adore Lawless and everything Funt (and others) have said above is true. But I can't vote against Strontium Dog. It does have some duffers, it's true, but that doesn't take away from decades of excellence and the influence it had on comics, and on me.

Just out of interest, which particular Strontium Dog stories do people rate as not so good?

[Barrington Boots]

Good question.

Off the top of my head, the only ones I can think of that I'd say I didn't enjoy at all are Galaxy Killers and The Life and Death of Johnny Alpha. There's definitely some that are better than others - it'd be hard to argue Outlaw isn't superior to Stone Killers for example - but otherwise it's been consistently fun throughout. That's not bad for a 40 year run!

[Leigh S]

Yeah theres a vague consensus around the prog 500s Stronts - I think there are a couple of duds there myself (Stone Killers and Bitch for all its good points has some "problems"), but I dont see it as more than the sort of wobbles Dredd would go through some years.

Lawless might be great, who knows until I do my reread, but its ultimately a well crafted Dredd spin off - Stront is a whole universe of ideas.  It would be nice to have some more current thrills in the finall, sure, but there's a reason those first 10 years are so highly regarded and thats the bar new thrills have to jump!

Strontium Dog

Good question.

Off the top of my head, the only ones I can think of that I'd say I didn't enjoy at all are Galaxy Killers and The Life and Death of Johnny Alpha. There's definitely some that are better than others - it'd be hard to argue Outlaw isn't superior to Stone Killers for example - but otherwise it's been consistently fun throughout. That's not bad for a 40 year run!

[Rogue Judge]

Dithered over this vote for a while: I adore Lawless and everything Funt (and others) have said above is true. But I can't vote against Strontium Dog. It does have some duffers, it's true, but that doesn't take away from decades of excellence and the influence it had on comics, and on me.

Just out of interest, which particular Strontium Dog stories do people rate as not so good?

They are all good! Varying levels of greatness sure, but all good. I've reread all SD a couple times, and by the time I get to the end I'm already missing the characters and am ready to start again.

Can't wait for The Son TPB in November!

[Magnetica]

I had to wait about 25 years to see the resolution of a cliff hanger in Galaxy Killers when Johnny and Wulf were forced to fight to the death. And then it was what you'd expect- you're both good fighters we can't afford to lose either of you.

For me it's not that it was a bad story, but I really didn't like the change of scenario compared to the Starlord stories and that was partly responsible for me not immediately taking to 2000AD as a disgruntled Starlord reader. That would take another 7 months or so. And that meant I missed probably my least favourite Stront story first time round- Journey into Hell. Indeed I think I still haven't got round to a UC re-read of it.

But overall Stront is mostly gold; and I think that shows when it is hard to pick out the duffers.

[Funt Solo]

I've always known that I'm not the same sort of Strontium Dog fan as a lot of other folk - which is fine. I've always been glad that it is so well-loved, even if my own mileage varies. I don't think there's much point in my listing the stories I don't think come up to snuff, because I'd just be niggling at folk who love them. I prefer to mention my favorites: Schicklegruber Grab, Portrait, The Killing, Outlaw & No-Go.

[Colin YNWA]

VOTING CLOSED

Lawless, on the other hand, has been relentlessly great throughout. My guess is it won't win here (I suspect at least 2:1 in favour of Alpha), but it's the strip I want to read now, which matters for me more than anything I read then.

Indigo Prime nails this one for me. The score was actually not quite 2 : 1 as it ended 19: 11 by my count. There is no denying Strontium Dogs place in the hstory of the comic. Its importance and at its best its absolute brilliance. It went in to this tourney as firm favourite and has done the tough task of living up to that billing and deserves to be in the final.

Strontium Dog

The Marshal is dead, long live the top dog.

[Proudhuff]

Strontium Dog