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Great news from the House of Tharg, which means my bookshelf is gonna explode!
Quote"With the Future Shock: The Story of 2000 AD documentary now out on DVD and on-demand, there's never been greater interest in the history of the most influential comic that Britain has ever produced.
And we're very pleased that this September, we will be publishing the memoirs of one of, if not the, most definitive editors in our comic's history – Steve MacManus.
How important is he to the history of comics? A modern comics industry without Steve is a world without Alan Moore and Ian Gibson's The Ballad of Halo Jones, or Peter Milligan, Brett Ewins, and Jim McCarthy's Bad Company, or Pat Mills and Kevin O'Neill's Nemesis the Warlock, and everything that has led from that since – whether it's the 'British Invasion' of the late '80s, the rise of Vertigo in the '90s, or Image's direction in the 2010s...
So this isn't just a memoir of 2000 AD, it's a retelling of a critical period in Western comics as we know them and it's a must read for anyone interested in the history of comics.
The Mighty One: My Life Inside the Nerve Centre will be out for review later this year, but I'm very proud to give you the news about this new title for 2016.
Helpmaboab! Can't wait for this, and the wave of reactions and hopefully books to follow!
Whowmomma!
This I can't wait for. Brilliant stuff, Steve MacManus was arguably the most glaring omission from Future Shock so this is quite perfectly placed.
An essential purchase, I'd have said. Looking forward to coming out.
Is MacManus the one who never normally participates in any of the behind the scenes stuff?
Quote from: The Cosh on 26 January, 2016, 09:56:21 PM
Is MacManus the one who never normally participates in any of the behind the scenes stuff?
Not since they mocked his 'Alec Tench Meets Punch and Judy' show at that Droid Xmas party of '84.
Here is an interview I did with Steve a few years back. The book should be a great read!
https://www.facebook.com/HiberniaComics/posts/434683226643180 (https://www.facebook.com/HiberniaComics/posts/434683226643180)
Just bought my signed copy. Now I've got to do is just wait, aaaaaargh :lol:
Can't resist stuff like this. Ordered.
haven't read a book in over a year, this might just kickstart my reading...
Pre-ordered!
Cheers
Jim
Quote from: The Cosh on 26 January, 2016, 09:56:21 PM
Is MacManus the one who never normally participates in any of the behind the scenes stuff?
It may be Alan McKenzie you are thinking of, or Richard Burton? I seem to recall both declined any involvement in TPO and aren't in the documentary....
I would love to see a book from their perspective, given the rough times they were there for - With Future Shck! being Pat's version, and TPO being "not" Pat's version, it would be interesting to read/watch all the povs and make upi your own mind!
Looking forward to it!
As another taster into the mind of Action Man himself, a wee thing he did for my Blog a while back:
http://mangamax-aieeee.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=steve+mcmanus
Quote from: Leigh S on 27 January, 2016, 03:41:42 PM
Quote from: The Cosh on 26 January, 2016, 09:56:21 PM
Is MacManus the one who never normally participates in any of the behind the scenes stuff?
It may be Alan McKenzie you are thinking of, or Richard Burton? I seem to recall both declined any involvement in TPO and aren't in the documentary....
I would love to see a book from their perspective, given the rough times they were there for - With Future Shck! being Pat's version, and TPO being "not" Pat's version, it would be interesting to read/watch all the povs and make upi your own mind!
This seems to have been a retirement project for McManus; Rebellion should clear space in next year's schedule for 30 Years Of Burt, and Goodbye Mr McKenzie in 2020. Although the Sonny Steelgrave story would probably read a lot like this (LINK (https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.comics.2000ad/gY4Dfc6d3i8%5B1-25%5D)) without the dissenting voices.
McManus was on the Thrillcast today. I don't think I properly understood how closely he had been tutored by Mills at the start of his career, which probably goes some way to explaining the difference between their working relationship and Mills's dealings with McManus's successors:
https://soundcloud.com/2000-ad/the-2000-ad-thrill-cast-27-january-2016
I remember interviewing Steve decades ago, and him telling me that, when IPC sold its comics division to Maxwell, the staff's pension fund was also transferred over.....only for Cap'n Bob to later nick the lot.
So you're not just buying a great-sounding book, but you're also helping make sure the MAC-1 droid gets the retirement he deserves.
Quote from: GordonR on 27 January, 2016, 06:51:46 PM
I remember interviewing Steve decades ago, and him telling me that, when IPC sold its comics division to Maxwell, the staff's pension fund was also transferred over.....only for Cap'n Bob to later nick the lot.
So you're not just buying a great-sounding book, but you're also helping make sure the MAC-1 droid gets the retirement he deserves.
Retirement? Surely that's what Mek Quake is for
Arrived today! :)
Ed
Started on it yesterday, and was annoyed that he thinks Leo Baxendale created Dennis the Menace!
Also go to say the paper quality of the hardback really takes me back to the good old 'loo paper' days...
Quote from: Bad City Blue on 08 September, 2016, 11:48:45 AM
Started on it yesterday, and was annoyed that he thinks Leo Baxendale created Dennis the Menace!
Also go to say the paper quality of the hardback really takes me back to the good old 'loo paper' days...
The paper quality of the paperback is of similar vintage...
117/200. Interesting dipping in with little insights behind the scenes of the comic I cherished in my youth.
Still do but it's different when you are young and get swept up with things.
I'm waiting for the Bowdlerised version.
My Review: http://cool-stuff-you-will-like.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/the-mighty-one-my-life-inside-nerve.html
Ever so slightly off topic but does anyone know when the round Judge Dredd/2000ad stickers where issued that Steve has decorated his books with?
I want to try and buy one off ebay but I'm struggling to even find them on google images
Quote from: Rio De Fideldo on 19 October, 2016, 12:32:15 PM
Ever so slightly off topic but does anyone know when the round Judge Dredd/2000ad stickers where issued that Steve has decorated his books with?
I want to try and buy one off ebay but I'm struggling to even find them on google images
Don't know when they came out (prob mid-80s) but I managed to get a couple off eBay a year or so ago, so they are out there..
Really enjoyed the book, some great insights, a warm tone throughout and very funny in places.
Wasn't somebody selling those stickers on eBay last month?
I think thats when I saw them and now I can't find an image on google.
I have no idea how I garnered mine!
I have one too - I always assumed they were an artifact from around prog 178ish
If anyone's selling one please let me know and I'll have it!!
The guy on eBay was selling a few, but I never did save that listing, so can't go back to check.
And yup, no joy on google images for me either. I don't recall seeing these before, and yes, they are definitely of an early 80s vintage.
Smashing read, his love of the Pleece brothers had me smirking. Felt the same way when I picked up Velocity, tremendous comics. Good taste, that Tharg.
Keep meaning to record my response to this book: fascinating, and not a little odd.
There's a weird contrast between the cataloguing of the comings and goings of colleagues, strip debuts and sales figures and the enjoyable daydreaming sequences, but the American Gothic/Fear and Loathing sequence of 'women I failed to get off with in motels and what they collectively taught me about breaking into the US market' still came out of nowhere! My favourite bits were actually the non-Tharg endeavours, the stuff about Battle, Crisis and Revolver were noticeably fresher than the 2000AD material, which is largely (interesting) variations on familiar tales (and sometimes quite harsh on various creators).
I came out of it being impressed with the sheer scale of Steve's contribution, his succession of visions for what could work, and the amount of work he obviously put in to realising them, all the time being grounded in the reality that this was both job and career. His way of acknowledging and incorporating his destructive side by turning it into its own character was clever, but I can't decide whether it felt entirely honest.
It's a quirky read, but full of solid nuggets of info and unexpected flights of fancy. Recommended to anyone interested in the history of UK comics. And nice to see maryanddavid getting fulsome thanks in the acknowledgements.