Post-Horned God Sláine

[JayzusB.Christ]

I've been trawling through Sláine for the grud-knows-how-many-th time.  Personally, while I enjoyed a lot of the stuff after the Horned God, that was kind of the shark jumped for me.

Now, I enjoyed the Robin Goodfellow ones a lot. The Books of Invasions were a something of a return to form but really didn't have the epic feel of the earlier ones, or the down-to-earth banter provided by Ukko. 

But, and this completely went over my head at the time, that black and white one-off drawn by Chris Weston was absolute classic Sláine, in the Belardinelli / McMahon era vein. 

It was all there - a mad new fantasy setting with a quasi-historical basis, a fight with insults exchanged, Sláine being a dick to Ukko, Ukko probably deserving it. 

Perhaps most importantly, no self-righteous new age preaching and morose introspection from Sláine; just that good old fashioned piss-taking he used to do so well before he got all serious and sad. And Ukko giving as good as he gets.

I can't even remember where that story came from - one of the big Christmas progs, I think - but I remember at the time my main thought was 'hang on, that doesn't look like Sláine'. But, on my eye-opening reread, there was another thing it shared with the Belardinelli and McMahon eras - at the risk of a pitchfork-wielding mob descending on me, Sláine's face doesn't look much like Sláine's face, but who cares when it's drawn by one of the prog's finest artists ever.

[broodblik]

I love everything Slaine. Horned God will always in mind be the ultimate Slaine but there was a lot to enjoy afterwards (which was naturally helped by the awesome artwork).

I do have to say that the last Slaine story was a massive let-down. I believe the initial idea was that it would have been at least 3 books. So Mills made a few changes and basically ended the whole saga on such a low. The story felt rushed and incomplete it felt forced rather than a natural ending. I did like Manco's art.

[IndigoPrime]

I probably need to do a full re-read. But I remember enjoying up to Horned God, wondering what the hell had happened for a very long time, surprisingly finding Invasions really good (apart from what happened to THAT character), loving much of the first of the Brutania Chronicles (which felt quite Mignola), and then staring aghast at what followed (including many pages of SHOUTY ALL CAPS BOLLOCKS). Such a weird strip.

[Max Headroom]

I think that the strip JayzusB.Christ is remembering so fondly is 'The Bogatyr' (Prog 2111). For my own part, I really enjoyed most of Slaine over the years, but do agree that 'Dragontamer' should have stretched to three books and could have given him the finale he so richly deserved. I still think that overall the series deserves the 'definitive' deluxe treatment that Nemesis is undergoing at the moment.

[IndigoPrime]

That would need... an awful lot of books.

[nxylas]

I think that the strip JayzusB.Christ is remembering so fondly is 'The Bogatyr' (Prog 2111). For my own part, I really enjoyed most of Slaine over the years, but do agree that 'Dragontamer' should have stretched to three books and could have given him the finale he so richly deserved. I still think that overall the series deserves the 'definitive' deluxe treatment that Nemesis is undergoing at the moment.

If Leo Manco drew all three books, most of us would be dead by the time they appeared.

[JayzusB.Christ]

The Bogatyr, that was it! Thanks.

Can't say I'd have liked three books of The Dragon Tamer personally.  Lovely art, of course, but the story didn't do much for me.

I thought The Horned God's ending was the perfect send-off for Slaine but I suppose it would have been a bit much to expect 2000ad to get rid of what was probably then its most commercially successful character.

[broodblik]

If Leo Manco drew all three books, most of us would be dead by the time they appeared.

You think that Manco would have Helium-ed us. That is quite possible because initially I thought the series was all written/drawn before its publication but then the last episode was delayed with a few weeks. I can also remember his Dredd story that was cut with a few episodes

[2000BC]

I liked all the Book of Invasions, the first book of Brutania, and the Bogatyr.  Simon Davis's art on the first book of Brutania was outstanding.  For me post Horned God Slaine is mostly about the art - the stories can be a bit repetitive in places, but the art is always good.

[2000BC]

I thought The Horned God's ending was the perfect send-off for Slaine but I suppose it would have been a bit much to expect 2000ad to get rid of what was probably then its most commercially successful character.

I agree.  The end of Book of Invasions would also have been a perfect ending for the series.  Slaine wandering around at the start of Brutania all alone and old seemed a bit sad.  Amazing art though!

[nxylas]

You think that Manco would have Helium-ed us. That is quite possible because initially I thought the series was all written/drawn before its publication but then the last episode was delayed with a few weeks. I can also remember his Dredd story that was cut with a few episodes

Well, quite. I believe the editorial policy is never to start running a story until 75% of the art has been submitted, so Grud knows how long he took to draw that last episode.

[JayzusB.Christ]

Yep, I very much agree that most Post-Horned-God stuff was more about the art than the script, generally speaking.  The classic Steptoe-and-son-style comedy and Sláine being a bit of a boozy thug along with all his enlightened ways was what used to make it entertaining for me, but his dialogue was just getting more and more holier-than-thou and poe-facedly wordy as things went on.

Which is why I wasn't that mad about Invasions, but I always went straight to it to enjoy the artwork. It was also still enjoyable to see how Pat was using actual Irish legend as inspiration - I never knew about the (alleged) Egyptian connection with Ireland and Scotland, nor that there was a legendary person called Gael that gave his name to the Gaelic people.

One thing that had gone over my head a bit, and without wishing to sound like our erstwhile Mayor, was the sheer quantity of nudity in Clint's Sláine. Pretty much every single female character is either topless or naked.  Feck's sake, guys, you're just out of an ice age - it can't be that warm!

[paddykafka]

That would need... an awful lot of books.

I bet that Slaine wouldn't think them too many. 

[Vector14]

I started reading 2000AD when The Horned God was already long over. Slaine was fighting the Romans alongside Queen Boudica in Demon Killer. I loved it at the time because I was a teenager and it had awesome art by Fabry, lashings of violence and nudity!

In hindsight, the stories from then on were always pretty bad and just a showcase for the aforementioned amazing art, violence and nudity.

In a recent reread Slaine comes across as an arrogant jerk most of the time and generally Just as dogmatic as the villians he's fighting against.

[JayzusB.Christ]

In a recent reread Slaine comes across as an arrogant jerk most of the time and generally Just as dogmatic as the villians he's fighting against

The arrogance I didn't mind - Sláine was, for me at least, supposed to be a bit of a boastful hooligan struggling to come to terms with his spiritual side. It was when he got all moral and high-handed I started losing interest.

Screaming 'MONSTER' at Slough Feg, for example, was a bit rich from someone who runs into battle ten foot high and twisting backwards in his skin, killing men, women and children as he goes.