FFT - Semi Final 1 - Nikolai Dante vs Nemesis the Warlock

[Leigh S]

Whilst Dante was consistently good, and never reached the lows of Nemesis at its worst, it never reached the heights of Nemesis at its best, either.

That's a nice way to put it. Nobody is going to argue that Dante wasn't the more consistent; i

Hold my beer!

Dante is a geat thrill that arrived just in time to perk the prog up after years of pain (though I'm not sure how it's #metoo credentials holds up since I last read it).  But for my money it is far more rambling, meandering and patchy than Nemesis ever was.

Whats the downside of Nemesis?  the O'Neill, REdondo Talbot stuff is untouchable and I would argue the Hicklenton and Roach stuff is not much of a step down, and a welcome change - Torquemada as slum landlord is on point.  It then gears up for a Horned God style relanch that sadly never comes - OK thats a bummer, but thats leaving me wanting more not less

Flint's final book is a bit "greatest hits" yeah, and wraps the story up too quickly (an error we see in Slaine, probably for similar reasons and again leaving me wanting more).  A Greatest Hits is quite appropriate for a story that started as Comic Rock

So Nemesis The Warlock

[nxylas]

to the best of my knowledge, nothing like dante has appeared in comics before, before or since in fact.
nemesis, for all its punk rock power, was a continuation of themes and characters and slogans and preoccupations that the millsverse had already been working with and shaping.

The ingredients in Dante are all pretty familiar, even if they haven't appeared in that exact combination elsewhere: a bit of Errol Flynn, a bit of James Bond, a dash of MACH 1 (the Romanov crest) etc. I'd argue that the antecedents of Nemesis are much harder to pin down outside other Millsverse strips.

[IndigoPrime]

I never saw the final Nemesis series as a greatest hits. It was the album by a band you used to love and kept buying albums of, even when you knew they were years past their best. They vanish and come back ten years later. The cover art looks fucking fantastic. And then you listen to it and it's like a pale shadow of what you used to adore.

[skurvy]

Nemesis!

[Funt Solo]

For the intricate illuminations, the best villain, the maddest crossover,
For Redondo's spiders, for Torque-Armada, for Grobbendonk,
For metal fatigue, for the Blitzspear, for Chira,
Nemesis the Warlock

[nxylas]

I never saw the final Nemesis series as a greatest hits. It was the album by a band you used to love and kept buying albums of, even when you knew they were years past their best. They vanish and come back ten years later. The cover art looks fucking fantastic. And then you listen to it and it's like a pale shadow of what you used to adore.

Though I voted for Nemesis, I can't argue with that, sadly. And to extend the metaphor further, everyone is excited because the original lead guitarist is coming back for the final track, but when you listen to it for the first time, his work is distinctly sub-prime. and not as good as the current guitarist.

[Dash Decent]

Not bad, Funt.

[Blue Cactus]

Not much to add to what's been said above. Both would be worthy winners of the whole thing, but today I'm voting Nemesis.

[IndigoPrime]

Well, I guess how this is turning out at least makes my vote in the final a whole lot easier.

[The Legendary Shark]

After careful analysis,
To ending from Genesis,
(And without getting ranty,
'Bout my love for Dante,)
By the shade of a hair I vote Nemesis.


I'll get me quill...

[IndigoPrime]

By my count, Nemesis is ahead now. Mills fans can leap around the joint unless there are any Dante fans left in the house.

[Timothy]

Nemesis be damned! Remind me of the rules permitting a second vote.

[Barrington Boots]

Bojemoi!

Sets up easily the most predictable final two if so, which seems a bit disappointing now I think about it.

[Trooper McFad]

Would loved to have seen Nikolai v Johnny and I believe the new boy would have had a chance

[nxylas]

Well, I guess how this is turning out at least makes my vote in the final a whole lot easier.

And mine more difficult. If it does end up being Stront vs Nemesis, I may have to abstain.