The Great Dante Readthrough Podcast

[Barrington Boots]

I've also just caught up on episode 22. Definitely good to have Simon feeling positive! It's a dense stroy and also a dense episode as there's not much room for chat outside the story itself.
There's some really great art in this episode - aside from the excellent chess page, I've always really liked the panel of the Potemkin plunging towards the Tsar's head palace followed by the panel of the man himself with his mouth open in horror as though the battleship were about to hit him.

The story here is top notch and I still dislike the irregulars (Elena aside) on the re-read. They're all horrible.

Not so much a question to Edie as anyone on here - when Dante toasts 'what might have been' with Jocasta, who is it he is thinking of? Is that a young Jocasta?

[Illyana]

Happy New Episode Friday! It's all vamps all the time this week!

http://simonfraser.net/tgdrpodcast/2022/11/10/ep-24-fiends

[JWare]

Did I really spend the best part of an hour last Friday night listening to two grown-ups discussing a handful of episodes of a comic more than twenty years old? And having done so, did I then spend a similar amount of time listening to the previous podcast, before then reassessing said comics for myself?
I know what my problem is, but what’s wrong with the pair of you? Shouldn’t you be sitting in front of the television, bickering like normal couples?

[Dark Jimbo]

Not so much a question to Edie as anyone on here - when Dante toasts 'what might have been' with Jocasta, who is it he is thinking of? Is that a young Jocasta?

Surely it's Jena?

[Barrington Boots]

That would make sense from Dante's point of view.

[Illyana]

Such a tiring week over here at House Fraser. We published yesterday but I didn't tell you about it here. For shame! Part one of The Romanov Empire!

http://simonfraser.net/tgdrpodcast/2022/12/1/ep-25-the-romanov-empire-part-1

[JayzusB.Christ]

Really enjoying these. Thanks for all the work you guys put into them.

[Illyana]

I know what my problem is, but what’s wrong with the pair of you? Shouldn’t you be sitting in front of the television, bickering like normal couples?

Oh don't you worry. We do plenty of that.

[Barrington Boots]

Great episode, very cool to hear Simon & Edie's thoughts on this extremely dramatic phase of the Dante story!

Sometimes it's just as interesting hearing critiques of the episodes as it is points of praise and interest. I think some of John Burns work on this story is stellar, but I'd never really noticed how much stronger he is on some characters than he is others. I rather like his Warlord design but I always thought the whole idea was that it looked somewhat reminiscent of something out of Flash Gordon etc. It looks rather at home within the context of John's work - but yes, it's not really very imposing.
It might sound odd but I think his clothing designs are amazing. The military uniforms, the greatcoats and the like - later on his pirates too..
I agree about the palace though. And the shark.

The Tsar is awesomely bastard-y in this episode. I'm in agreement with Edie about Viktor being not worthy of a hug: I remember my wife reading that Octobriana episode and being utterly appalled by it, and moreso when I said Viktor was one of the 'good' members of the family: he doesn't really come good until later. Andreas is someone I've never quite understood why he gets so much love either. His good points seem to be 'he is a bit like Dante' (ie. a bellend) and a lot of the scenes we've seen him in, he's just being a hedonist and a mass-murderer. Is staying behind the first decent thing he does, and is it to help defend the people, or is he just trying to impress Elena?

Great comics, great podcast, and finally thank you for the whisky info, and RIP Kevin O'Neill.

[Illyana]

We did it folks! We Readthrough the end of the War.

http://simonfraser.net/tgdrpodcast/2022/12/9/ep-26-the-romanov-empire-part-2-amp-return-of-the-gentleman-thief

[JayzusB.Christ]

Yayy! That's today's housework-listening sorted

Really enjoying these, guys, thanks for all the work you put into them.  (Though of course Simon has put quite a bit of work into Dante already..)

[JayzusB.Christ]

Great stuff as always - thanks, guys!  Very interesting to see Simon's reaction to the various colourists on his work. 

By the way, Edvard Krilly (I'm sure I've spelled that wrong) is a reference to Ireland's own Father Ted, which I'm sure Simon remembers was a surreal sitcom about priests which was massively popular this side of the Atlantic at the time.  The main character was Father Ted Crilly.  I seem to remember it was referenced in Sinister Dexter, or maybe some obscure Future Shock, around the same time, where some neon signs on buildings advertised 'Girls' and 'Drink Fek!' - you'll only get it if you watch the show.

[Bad Andy]

Just catch up with the first few podcasts of the new batch. Blimey that first one was intense. I mean, it totally knocked me off my stride. Have we ever seen Robbie's take on the war stories? Other than what's in the strip.

Blimey.



Incidentally I only got into Blake's 7 post lockdown and its great stuff. You should try out the Big Finish audio dramas on them. Warship is only a fiver but it spans the gap between Series B and C. https://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/blake-s-7-warship-815

[Illyana]

Technical difficulties two weeks in a row? I'm going to be honest, we're in the midst of trying to buy a house and get Simon a green card, and my Mom's having surgery Monday. We have an episode recorded, just taking a bit to get it all ready for primetime.

[JWare]

Take your time, Edie. Your audience isn't going anywhere.
Best of luck to your mother.