The Pit era of 2000Ad

[IronGraham]

just finished going through the 2000 AD that have the dredd epic to pit the first thing i notcied and not sure if this is with everyone but the colour on it seems kind of washed out in the rebellion trade and the progs it selfs more richer. also I have thoroughly enjoyed most the strips going on here looking forward to 1000 and beyond just wanted to know what your thoughts were on this part of 2000 AD. Cheers in advance  

[JayzusB.Christ]

Can't help you with the colour thing; I just remember Alan Craddock making an absolute hames of perfectly good artwork during the Pit era.

That said, I really enjoyed The Pit - It was something quite new and original for Dredd; a police procedural filled with lashings of sex and other human drama.  Also it gave Giant his first proper run on the streets, and introduced some of the more interesting recurring Dredd characters, such as Guthrie, DeMarco and Buell.
I remember the rest of the prog being good at the time too:  I really liked things like Slaine in that Robin Hood thing, early Sin/Dex, the chaotically funny Urban Strike (well, I thought so, anyway), the conspiracy one-offs with the Men in Black, and so on.

[Richard]

The Pit is one of the golden eras of Dredd.

I remember looking at the Rebellion trade and thinking that there was something a bit "off" about how the art had been reproduced, but I can't remember what it was. Whatever, I didn't buy it. I hope it looks ok in the future Case Files.

However the Hamlyn full-size version is perfect. You can probably get it in eBay.

[radiator]

I have a special fondness for this era, as my very first prog was 949 - so it was all new to me, and all great as far as I was concerned.

The Pit is among my favourite ever Dredd stories. What's not so clear reading it collected was that at the time when it ran in the prog, there was very little fanfare about it and no indication at all of just how long it would run. People like to bitch and moan about the ending - I think mainly due to the Fonzo Bongo character being a bit silly (overlooking the fact that his hippy persona was an act) - but I love it, gives the series the proper epic, action-packed send-off it deserved and wraps all of the loose plot threads up beautifully - I remember the agonising wait for each issue to come out over those last few weeks to find out who would survive - my heart was in my mouth with that panel of Guthrie fighting off a load of perps, full of blades - I thought he was a goner. I love the cameo form Judge Greel as well.

It'll be good when this series finally shows up in the Case Files - probably volume 25 - as then people will be able to experience it in context with lead-in stories like The Cal Files and Bad Frendz.

Re; the washed out thing - yes, I've noticed this. IIRC it is the same in the old Hamlyn edition too. Some sort of repro issue I suppose.

Also agree about the garish computer colouring in the later episodes - it really lets the series down, and has I'm sure put off many people from giving it a chance. The America sequel was similarly spoiled by the same. Can we do a Kickstarter to get IDW to recolour these two stories?

[IronGraham]

hear, hear,

[JayzusB.Christ]

Also agree about the garish computer colouring in the later episodes - it really lets the series down, and has I'm sure put off many people from giving it a chance. The America sequel was similarly spoiled by the same. Can we do a Kickstarter to get IDW to recolour these two stories?

I'd love to see The Pit re-coloured.  You can take or leave America 2; I didn't rate it too much as a story anyway and I worked out the ending from the second page.

[Colin YNWA]

I've recently (over the last couple of months) been re-reading all of Wagner's Dredd's from Prog 950 on and no surprise its been a delight. Its just a stunning run and having just reached Tour of Duty I'm about to re-read the only Dredd Epic I think can touch The Pit, aside from The Cursed Earth. Its just glorious comics and for me this era set the ground work for so much that was to come. The introduction of Edgar, possibly my favourite ever Dredd 'Villain', setting up Doomsday, another great classic and a time the time after The Pit when Wagner's shorts were simply on fire (... I'll let others run with that... as I'm sure Wagner was!).

This period was just pure simple good comics, the best comics, and you know what it doesn't really let up to this day.

[Skullmo]

Also agree about the garish computer colouring in the later episodes - it really lets the series down, and has I'm sure put off many people from giving it a chance. The America sequel was similarly spoiled by the same. Can we do a Kickstarter to get IDW to recolour these two stories?

I'd love to see The Pit re-coloured.  You can take or leave America 2; I didn't rate it too much as a story anyway and I worked out the ending from the second page.

If anyone is listening please recolour all the Craddock art, or if you cannot please just publish it in black and white!