Samantha Slade- Robo Hunter...

Dog Deever · 10 April, 2006, 06:24:27 AM

All that Rian Hughes business has led me thinking... have you folks debated the pro's and con's of Miss Slade yet? I have to say here- i like it. Here's why-
1 Iain Gibson
2 She has character that the Synamon types never have. She's a bit scuzzy and delinquent, and she arses everything up.
3 Iain Gibson's female characters- ok i know they're all the same with diffrent hair, but who the hell cares?
4 A bit of a 'light' story played for comedy is good- no one complains about Kipling!
5 It expunges the memory of the Millar/Casanovas, Hogan/Hughes and whoever/Williams travesties. I don't know if others have had a go after this, if so i'm glad i missed it.
6 Yer old pal's head in a jar- what a cool continuity thread- remember how people used to gas about Sam Slades age back in the day? We've seen it in futurama, Hellboy and probably others. Keep him on Samanth'as desk issuing advice and critising!
7 Did i mention Iain Gibson?

Trout · 10 April, 2006, 06:30:01 AM

I applauded the new Sam on principle, but in practice, IMO, the strip hasn't delivered.

It's missing the best bit of past Robohunter stories: the unrelenting robotic lunacy.

Someone else will rant a bit about the empty backgrounds...

- Trout

Dog Deever · 10 April, 2006, 06:52:12 AM

Have to admit,the art round about the Sam Scumm story, and of course, Halo 3, was some of Gibsons best. The ability is still there, he just fills the space with colours- you don't get away with that in B&W. Even Caballistics has some shading! And yeah, the stories have been a bit too lightweight, but i'm still hangin on in- maybe a longer story with more depth would be the making of her.

Trout · 10 April, 2006, 06:58:33 AM

Verdus and the God Droid stuff are still my Robohunter highlights.

But Halo Jones book 3 had some of the best art ever seen in comics.

- Trout

Grant Goggans · 10 April, 2006, 07:06:17 AM

I love Samantha. She doesn't appear nearly enough.

And no, it's not as lunatic as I'd like it to be, but the first two stories weren't bad, The Davinchy Code was hilarious, and I laughed all throughout Stim!, so it's improving. Hoagy's inability to be subtle about the drug trade was screamingly good.

I can't wait for her to return.

Dog Deever · 10 April, 2006, 07:18:29 AM

All those Hoagies in the one where they spent all his cash to make him hunt again, with that Harlem Grits geezer, that was good art too. But then so was the brit-cit stuff. I prefer these stories to the Verdus one just because the dialogue is more clever- Heresy i know, but looking back on the first half of Verdus is a bit clunky when you read it again. The second half is a bit beter. Gibsons work is far more confident. The characters were more developed later too- Stogie and stoopid hoagy, plus Kidd was much nastier- so better. Remember when he grafted his mum's head onto a monky? Quality!

Trout · 10 April, 2006, 07:32:15 AM

I love Verdus for the way the lunacy builds.

It starts with the basic premise "flawed planet of the robots" and adds layer upon layer of bonkers-ness.
By the end I'm laughing out loud every time.

The Day of the Droids is even better. By the time Sam's playing American football, I'm just about in tears.

But I agree there's genius in the later stuff, especially Football Crazy, although a lot of it's lost to me due to gaps in my collection.
Must pick up more back issues!

- Trout

Floyd-the-k · 10 April, 2006, 09:01:43 AM

I'm with the Trout on this one; Samantha Slade is a good idea in principle but hasn't delivered.

Ian Gibson is always a good thing, for sure.
Light stories played for comedy are also a good thing, if they're funny. This isn't, well not very.

As for no one complaining about Kipling, yes they do. Well, I think it's a one-joke story which isn't funny so far - hopefully it'll get funnier

Expunging the memory of past atrocities - good in principal but this replaces those memories with something bland

Heads in Jars; yes, terrific. Me, I'm waiting for the continuing adventures of the severed head from the end of 'Crusade'

Devons Daddy · 10 April, 2006, 01:21:24 PM

i like it,its fun. but it has yet to have the sheer madness robo hunter always had.

but i will not dismiss it,give us one series of sheer robo hunter robot mayhem and i am sure we will all be on board.

but if we try to compare anything to the classic robo hunter stuff,its got to be hard call.

robo hunter was our Fawlty towers.sheer unflawed brillance,full of classic lines,which we all happily quote till this day.

ever seen a japanese tourist drop a camera and not smiled? come on be honest.
BLAKEE PENTAX!

Funt Solo · 10 April, 2006, 03:49:59 PM

:: "I applauded the new Sam on principle, but in practice, IMO, the strip hasn't delivered."

Exactly. And everyone seems to agree on that point. The only thing that makes people want more is the desire for it to improve in line with past glories.

I'm not sure what it is - but I have a theory that the creators' age and experience is working against the strip. You know, the whole young river rapids, middle-aged river meandering thing. They're giving us broad strokes and a deft touch - which doesn't add up to hair-brained comedy. When they were younger they gave us intricate, convoluted madness, which did.

It's like Fierce Creatures after A Fish Called Wanda. Godfather 3 after 1 & 2. Psycho after Psycho.

Pete Wells · 10 April, 2006, 04:12:41 PM

The Filby Case is my favourite, it's a wonderful, wonderful tale! I love how a very confused, grumpy Sam keeps getting beaten up at the start and Hoagy is on top form once the whole robo-goonie cult kicks in. As others have said, Robohunter stories WERE brilliant for building and building then building some more into absolute lunacy.

As for the newer tales, Stim came close to faithfully recreating Hoagy's stupidity but for me, despite some wonderful art from Ian Gibson, I think the scripts have generally been as weak as water.

I REALLY don't want to see another Samantha Slade tale, we are in danger of seeing another favourite strip go the way of Rogue Trooper.

For God's sake Tharg, let sleeping dogs lie!

Pete.

Tweak72 · 10 April, 2006, 05:53:30 PM

news just in. sam slade to have his own action film and is to star Christopher Walken

http://www.worth1000.com/entries/78000/78128gLNK_w.jpg">

Dark Jimbo · 10 April, 2006, 06:43:32 PM

I hated the strip until two things happened - first, I read the Verdus graphic novel. As this was the first 'classic' Robo-Hunter I'd read, I was amazed, and realised not only why it was held to be such a classic strip but why it was ever given the chance to come back. 'If Samantha's adventures could be like this,' I thought, 'I'd love it.'
And then Stim! happened, the first Samantha tale I'd really liked, where both Grant and Gibson finally seemed to deliver on the early promise and pull their game together. I'd like to see it return, to see if this standard can now be maintained.
If it's worse than Stim! I never want to see it again. If it matches or surpasses it, the future's lookin' rosy.
(Still no match for the original, though.)