I wasn't sure where to post this, but as it's ultimately about me, Off Topic seems appropriate...
That was hard.
Just clicking two buttons.
But it's done. After a month shy of 38 years, I'm no longer a 2000Ad reader.
I was kind of there at the start. At that age I was into dinosaurs and The Six Million Dollar Man, so there was an obvious attraction for me in those first few issues. However, for reasons lost to the mists of time it didn't become a regular thing. Instead, when I was in my teens a new kid at school introduced me to the Eagle Judge Dredd reprints. At some point I picked up a copy of The Best of 2000AD Monthly #6. Then I started getting it regularly with the Prog 466.
But now it's over. There's little point lamenting the reasons. Better instead to remember the pages and pages and pages of great stories over many years. Better to remember that I managed to get my name into an episode of Dredd and made a small contribution to Dredd history. There's only a few of us who've been that lucky.
What's more, if I ever change my mind, we live in a world where back issues, both physical and digital, are so easily available. And there are plenty of reprints.
I won't be going away, because this is a great place, full of news and gossip. So be careful what you say about me. I'm always watching.
And finally...
Jim, you grumpy old bastard, never fucking change.
Very best wishes,
Robin
Sad to hear you're going, Robin. I do understand - I don't love the prog nearly as much as I used to, and skip far more stories these days, but I don't think that's the prog's fault*. More a combination of my getting older and the absolute avalanche of alternative entertainment sources available these days. Anyway I'm glad you're sticking around the board - you'll always be a Squaxx and, if you're anything like me, you'll read your back progs over and over again forever.
*Certain things do irritate me, though, such as the refusal to let Anderson age - if you want a sexy young judge, Tharg, there are plenty of freshly graduated cadets out there. There are also certain things that can't be avoided, like the lack of any real plot development in MC1 without John Wagner at the helm, the loss of classic characters like Nemesis and Dante, and the flogging to death of others like Sláine and SinDex. This is all just my own opinion, of course, and SinDex has picked up a bit with this new Azimuth thing so i haven't quite given up on it just yet. There's still the likes of Thistlebone, though, and I really enjoyed the recent Maitland Dredd epic even if it did divide opinion.
Sorry to hear it. But everyone has their own distinct requirements for media. And if something isn't doing it for you, it's not doing it for you.
I can't imagine dropping the Prog myself. Given that I stuck it out through the nadir years, I figure if there was a dip now I could cope. It fits into little gaps I have, the weekly bite-sized format being less ominous and demanding than something larger. Also, I'm working through a LOT of modern Marvel right now and it's a fierce reality check about the average quality of the Prog. (The best stories are on par with the best recent Prog stuff. The average is... well. It's fine. Let's leave it at that. Whereas the average in the Prog for me has long been 'good'.)
Anyway, glad you'll be sticking around, Robin. And, like you say, it's easy enough to catch up if you find yourself with an itch you need to scratch.
I have also stopped but not because of any concerns over quality. My prog reading habits were linked to the Space Spinner podcast and when that slowed down to a halt I got out of the habit of reading 2000AD weekly and my backlog grew and grew. I was having some troubles getting the sub renewal to work and thought I might as well not bother since I am struggling to read all the content.
I have dipped in and out of 2000Ad over the years so I expect I will pick it up again some time. Also, I will continue to buy the Case Files and the occasional trade so I am still financially supporting the institution that is 2000AD to some degree.
We all have to choose what works for you and what does not. As it stands currently I cannot see any reason for giving up on the prog. It has now even become a ritual when I get up early on Wednesday download the prog and read it before the big working slog starts. It is something the look out for me.
Quote from: JayzusB.Christ on 17 March, 2024, 10:41:13 AMSad to hear you're going, Robin. I do understand - I don't love the prog nearly as much as I used to, and skip far more stories these days, but I don't think that's the prog's fault*. More a combination of my getting older and the absolute avalanche of alternative entertainment sources available these days. Anyway I'm glad you're sticking around the board - you'll always be a Squaxx and, if you're anything like me, you'll read your back progs over and over again forever.
*Certain things do irritate me, though, such as the refusal to let Anderson age - if you want a sexy young judge, Tharg, there are plenty of freshly graduated cadets out there. There are also certain things that can't be avoided, like the lack of any real plot development in MC1 without John Wagner at the helm, the loss of classic characters like Nemesis and Dante, and the flogging to death of others like Sláine and SinDex. This is all just my own opinion, of course, and SinDex has picked up a bit with this new Azimuth thing so i haven't quite given up on it just yet. There's still the likes of Thistlebone, though, and I really enjoyed the recent Maitland Dredd epic even if it did divide opinion.
Sorry to see you go Robin.
I'm pretty much in the same boat. I stopped the Meg a while ago, only buy the special edition ones now.
Even the lure of Colin MacNeil doing a recent Dredd wasn't enough to get me to buy it.
As for the Mighty Tooth, again it's pretty much just Dredd that keeps me engaged these days, along with Sin/Dex.
I blame the Ultimate Collection - I stayed in for most of the original 80 volumes, only to find that I wasn't interested in *actually reading* about 90% of it. That's when I started looking at these classic thrills as nothing more than wasted shelf space.
Ended up cancelling the subscription, and giving almost my entire comics and Hachette collection to charity (I kept Dante. I'm not insane!)
It was liberating, but also the point where I think I stopped caring quite as much.*
Thoroughly agree with the Anderson thing. Either go all-in with her ageing, or replace her with some 'kewl young chick'.
Just make a bloody decision either way!
*That said, I've just purchased 10 classic progs on Ebay, because I've never read Metalzoic. The love is clearly still there.
Weird retirement home vibes.
Even Judy Janus would be, like, wholly pushing 50 by now.
John Smith was a massive loss for me too. I do understand he had very valid reasons, which are personal to him and I won't go into here, but he was one of the main reasons I kept reading during the (otherwise) bad years.
Quote from: Woolly on 18 March, 2024, 03:39:15 PMQuote from: Funt Solo on 17 March, 2024, 05:05:08 PMWeird retirement home vibes.
I was born to be old ;)
Oh, I didn't do context. I was just reflecting on the entire thread, and trying to come to terms with it. I'm certainly not in a position in life where I can ritualize my comic-reading in the same way I used to, but this thread kinda screams "Regened must work, or the comic will die!" (That's a deliberately hyperbolic reaction to what is clearly a Where Old Squaxx Go To Die kind of thread in a rather dusty old message board from the before times. Surely there are younger Squaxx out there and just enjoying reading the stories. Probably they make TikToks about it, or something.)
John Wagner
Dan Abnett
Henry Flint
Mark Harrison
Simon Davis
Colin McNeil
Simon Frazier
Rob Williams
Ian Edginton
Phil Winslade
Dom Reardon
Boo Cook
Tazio Bettin
D'israeli
Ian culbard
Garth Ennis
Patrick Goddard
Simon Coleby
Jimmy Broxton
Carl Critchlow
Jake Lynch
Eoin Coveney
And that PJ Holden guy
Reasons I'll always buy 2000ad.
That's a pity Robin, sorry you're going prog free.
I can understand it, there have been times recently where the Prog has been a one or two out of five for me, but as long as I can afford it I'll keep my subbies up.
I feel your pain Robin. I don't think I've read a full prog in over a year. Currently, only Thistlebone and Dredd are keeping me interested. I've seriously considered cancelling my subscription for a while now - and that's something I've had for 24 years. I think it's more habit than enjoyment these days.
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