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Fantastic! (Zarjaz, even!). Look forward to getting it and I've sent my address.

Something new to read! Huzzah!

SBT

I dont know who Kenneth Neimand is, but he can write Dredd better than just about anyone save John Wagner himself.
At this point I dont care if he turns out to be a Rebellion work-experience drone who communes with the spirit of Michael Fleisher in his spare time, because however he is doing it, I would strongly advise Tharg to keep him around.
Thisnis the best run of Dredds in ages. I never put the strip at the top of polls because while I've read and liked it my whole life, I'm genuinely not that attached to it. By which i mean that were the prog to go under (and i hope that day is so far off someone will have to channel my spirit to comment upon it) and then strips sold off to other comic companies, I probably wouldn't follow Dredd to Marvel, or DC, or wherever. For me theres always (no, "usually") something better in the pages of 2000AD. But not this week.
That was a perfect episode of Dredd, of the kind that the series once was entirely composed of- back when I was 11.

Every other strip was enjoyable as well, obviously. Even Skip Tracer, which had been peeking up for two weeks but now seems to be going back to sleep. Still, it was readable and in a prog that didnt have that Dredd, Aquila and Hershey, would have seemed a whole lot better in comparison.

The further we go into Covid-19, the harder it is becoming for me to buy the prog in a shop. I *could* sit it out and buy them all from the web shop "when this is all over". But I dont want to- it's just too good at present.

SBT

Have pm'd you. No idea if I'm the first, but again I will say thanks for doing this. The Board has always been very giving and lovely- in times like this little things do mean a lot.

SBT

Brilliant, yep that's good now.

I feel like I'mfighting a running battle with people I know in all walks of life over ridiculous conspiracy crap regarding C19. It's like everybody has completely taken leave of heir senses, emptied their heads and is prepared to believe whatever nonsense reinforces their very personal fears.

I had it today with my mum and dad- my father, 83, is refusing to self isolate. Despite my mother having copd, half a lung and receiving a letter from her hero Boris pleading her to stay home, my dad doesnt see the need to protect her. Hes "a trained soldier", you see. When he was in the army, he received injections and was told by the medic "you boys getting these jabs, you'll never get ill". Despite that being 64 years ago and the intervening years bringing cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and continual shits (thanks for that, dad) he somehow sticks by this anonymous cretinous army doctor's word. "I'm still alive" he says, "so he was right".

Sorry, one for the "life sucks" thread really.

SBT

Sintec, that link isnt working- at least for me.

SBT

I dont know if it is just because I am just so very glad that the prog is being published throughout this whole horrific global situation, but everything seems so much brighter and better at the moment.

That Dredd was one of the best one-offs in ages, Skip Tracer is telling a compelling story (so much so, that I didnt see next week's cover as a "waste of advertising space" as I have done for previous ST covers. It's finally earned its place in the prog), Survival Geeks was okay and Hershey was beautifully drawn, thrilling and has a pleasingly old-school feel (I think it's that vertical logo). But bloody hell, Aquila is great. It looks beautiful, its genuinely interesting and it has made me want to reread all the previous installments in this lockdown. Was it ever part of the Meg floppies? I forget.

Please, Tharg. Keep on with the weekly schedule as long as you can- in print.

SBT

I find it, obviously, hard to discuss any other Star Wars things in the same terms as the original trilogy. It's a bit like comparing a series of step parents to the original two who birthed you.
That said, I bloody loved the sequel trilogy- and while Rise was utterly phenomenal and a perfect end to the saga, Last Jedi was the better film- and probably the one I will return to most often.
The prequels are the prequels. Absolutely unnecessary as they are, Clones is at least hugely watchable and Sith is most like a proper film.
My childhood love of Star Wars has not inspired me to watch any of the spin off tv shows with any close attention. If they release The Mandolorian on dvd at some point, I may pick it up.
Wasnt a huge admirer of Rogue One, but Solo is remarkable- shame we wont get a sequel.

The last lockdown film i watched was Justice League, which wasnt awful and passed however long it was on for pleasantly enough. Then I put BvsS on and spooned out my eyes after an hour and had to turn it off. What a load of toss.

SBT

I must admit that I was underwhelmed by the spesh too. Largely because it didnt feel at all like the old Action in the least- and I was all ready to come here and moan about it all. But do you know what? I really liked Hellman. I'd read more of that. Hell Machine was okay- a bit long- and would have worked in the prog as a short series or a Threeler, and HookJaw (despite my *absoluting hating* "silent" comics) was worth it for the pretty art and final page. If they were to add some speech balloons and have that as the first part of an epic in weekly form, it may well become my favourite thing ever*. But I loath silent comics.

So, on reflection, not bad. I'm afraid Dredger and KROK did nothing for me.

The amusingly tiny Action reprint was a lot of fun- I'd much prefer if the Meg Floppy were on that paper stock and maybe wouldnt even balk at that size.

Would I welcome another go round at this next year? Absolutely. Just needs more oomph, more edge and more attitude. And more words in the HookJaw.

SBT

*Seriously, can we do that? Reprint it with words and make it the first part of a series?

Yeah, that Smash cover somehow made me grab the Betelguesian by the horn (as it were) and buy the whole pack from the 2000ad shop. Sixty quid for the whole lot, with an added exclusive reprint replica of the "banned issue of Action"- couldnt say no, really.
SBT

1. Brink
2. Sinister Dexter
3. Scarlet Traces

For the first time EVER, my youngest turned to me when it had finished and asked when we could go back and see it again. His brother agreed. Theyve never done this, as for years now one visit to the cinema then possibly dvd has been the norm.
To say they loved it is an understatement, and the same is true for me. By far my favourite modern Star Wars movie- just edging out Solo.
A serious downer today that the saga is over, and counting the days til we go back.

SBT

Best end of year prog in years. Wonderful strips, nice design, and as usual serious heft for your greats.
Favourite strip was Brink (as usual) with Feral & Foe close behind. But everything was hovering around the "ridiculously zarjaz" mark.
Happy Earthlet here.

SBT

Put me down for being an enthusiastic supporter of this. In fact, I'd still buy the prog of it was "all ages" every week.

But in lieu of that, a fortnightly Regened would get my money.

SBT

My copy of this arrived today, a whole week before I was expecting it. And by crikey, it's a lovely thing. Yes, its "magazine format", not a "proper paperback", but yes it does have a spine. Sadly though the spine is just solid black with no identifying text. But at least it's there. And that is literally the only thing even a grumpy old tossed like me can moan about because everything else is beautiful. Even the heavy paper stock is gorgeous.

Obviously I've not read it yet, because i want to savour it and currently my wife is wobbling about giving up Gregg's sausage rolls and going to Argos.

When I've read it, i will comment. At the moment suffice to say it features the strips from Smash! 15th March to 7th June 1969. And its lovely.

SBT

2146 seems to have had major distribution issues across the country. I had to order mine from Rebellion as well, which is the first time in 40+ years I've not found it in the newsagent.

SBT