Pre-orderd the hardback and it arrived end of last week. No Prog Saturday (or today) so I've already read it.
In short it's great and better than the second volume with all the spy stuff, although still not a patch on volume 1: the horror elements are still mostly toned down, although there's a couple of excellent / monstrous sequences with snails and a witch trial. Max is more helpful than vengeful overall and there's a rather lovely story where Max helps an old woman live out one of her childhood dreams, which is shows how the strip's horror focus has shifted a bit!
Jose Ortiz's art is spectacular as ever and as a volume it looks absolutely awesome: beautiful reprint and having the complete run in hardback totally rules. Can't fault Rebellion on this one at all and I hope we can see a similar treatment for more classic old tales.
Yep. I'd agree that 1 > 3 > 2. It's a good series and the books are well constructed. Would have been nice to squeeze the recent strips in there somehow, but the entire classic run in three HCs is a very nice thing.
I've got this and Stainless Steel Rat, but they're Christmas presents for one of my kids. Honest.
Ooh - I stopped getting Eagle when the spy stuff was still happening. Where did the strip go afterwards?
Quote from: sheridan on 14 September, 2021, 08:04:43 PM
Ooh - I stopped getting Eagle when the spy stuff was still happening. Where did the strip go afterwards?
In a nutshell, Max winds up back in Maxwell Tower where it kind-of reverts to the original premise, but Max is a bit more helpful and less murderous.
Forgot to mention, the annual story at the end of the third volume, with the cat burglar, is great: the ending is absolutely superb.
I can not wait to start reading this. I stop getting the Eagle but not sure at which point this volume will hopefully refresh my mind
Quote from: Barrington Boots on 15 September, 2021, 09:40:23 AM
Quote from: sheridan on 14 September, 2021, 08:04:43 PM
Ooh - I stopped getting Eagle when the spy stuff was still happening. Where did the strip go afterwards?
In a nutshell, Max winds up back in Maxwell Tower where it kind-of reverts to the original premise, but Max is a bit more helpful and less murderous.
I don't know what you mean - Max always cared about his residents.
Except for one or two who don't fit in.
Of course.
I'm not enticed by mention of 'the spy stuff' in volume 2. Will I miss anything if I skip straight to Vol 3?
Quote from: AlexF on 20 September, 2021, 08:31:14 AM
I'm not enticed by mention of 'the spy stuff' in volume 2. Will I miss anything if I skip straight to Vol 3?
A load of continuity, a load of cool artwork and a couple of genuinely disturbing moments. None of it is
bad.
Can't argue with that!
Jose Ortiz drawing mean people being scared witless is top level comics.
The first volume is the and will always be the best. The third is better than the second but just slightly.
I prefer the story-lines where we Max is in the Maxwell building. The KGB storyline was quite weak but Ortiz's art on this section was superb.
Is every single strip of The Thirteenth floor contained inthese 3 volumes? Is there any from Scream holiday or eagle specials etc that dont make the cut?
Yes I believe that is the case
In Vol 2 you will find:
- Scream Holiday Special 1985
- Scream Holiday Special 1986
In Vol 3 you will find:
- Eagle Annual 1987
Thanks for info mate