Reading early 2000AD as an adult*...

[locustsofdeath!]

As a few of you might remember, I embarked on a major prog slog a few years ago. I had just completed my prog collection, and started reading from prog 1 to - I think is was around 1600 at the time. I read every story, every letter, every word beamed on the page by Tharg. I nearly fried my circuits big time.

Like a fool I started reading from the beginning again! But this time I'm moving slower, really taking in the stories I like, ignoring strips that didn't hit with me and passing over letters and such.

One things that strikes me is how Pat Mills carried 2000AD in the early days. His stuff was far and away the best - and well ahead of its time, in my opinion. I am a big fan of Pat Mills' work (I even liked Dynosty), and rereading this early stuff makes me realize just how great of a comics writer he is. Invasion and Flesh leap off the page, especially in comparison to the juvenile Dan Dare, Harlem Heroes and Mach-1 and even a Judge Dredd strip still finding its way. Fantastic stuff, trail-blazing and ahead of its time.

So what are your thoughts when you read those old progs?



*I use the word "adult" very loosely here, as some (many) (most) would argue that despite my age I have a long way to go to reach adulthood, or that I started aging - from a maturity standpoint - backwards when i reach twenty-five.

[Steve Green]

I'd agree on Flesh, but wasn't a huge Invasion fan at the time - apart from the initial shock of nukes going off, it just didn't appeal - and I much preferred the weirdness of Bellardinelli's Dare - that said, since it's not easy to get hold of, I can't really comment on the script.

[maryanddavid]

Bearing in mind that Mills either wrote or re-wrote all the early stories while he edited them.

[Tjm86]

Personally those early progs carry a tinge of nostalgia when i reread them as I tend to remember them the first time round as a sprog.  I have a guilty affection for Death Planet despite it being trite and cliched and the same goes for Ant Wars.  The one I could never get into was Inferno.  The whole future sports thing just went straight past me.

What I do find interesting though is comparing it with some of the other titles from around the same time.  Action, despite its reputation, never quite seems to hit the same level even with the pre ban stuff.  When you look at Battle around the same time although there was some cracking stuff and some first rate art work there was also some complete dross.  For all it's faults at the time tooth was fairly consistent and generally of a very high standard.