The Judge Dredd Megazine

[Tarantino]

Hi Guys, although I visit the board regularly, this is one of my rare moments of input. I am moved to write since I am getting pissed off with the Megazine. It's full of reprints, with pages of text explaing the history of 2000AD, various other crap and very little Dredd. The Megazine has been on the verge of being scrapped on more than one occassion and I doubt very much whether it can survice much longer in this format. I for one am considering not bying it any more. At the moment I buy it more out of habit and not wanting to break my collection. I get very little enjoyment out of it.

As a suggestion, why not go back to it's roots. Scrap all the extra stories, reduce the page size and page numbers. Maybe reduce it to American comic book size and just print a Judge Dredd story every month, American style. Stick to the 2000AD universe and perhaps do some cross overs with 2000AD. This is a format that works in America, so why not do it over here. Rebellion may then start selling larger volumes in the States.

The cost of producing the comic will be grately reduced, more people will be able to afford to buy it (The current ?3.95 is a bit expensive for a comic, sorry very expensive!) Circulation will increase and I'm sure in the long run they'd make more money from this size comic than the lumbering dinosour it has become. I read somewhere that it's $18 to subscribe too the megazine in New Zealand, that's ridiculous, who'd pay that?

Any new stories that were introduced in the megazine could just be switched to 2000AD.

Anyway, just a thought but this month's edition is probably my last.

I really would love to see an American sized Judge Dredd comic, that is in keeping with the 2000AD Judge Dredd Universe. How many other readers would agree?

[Wake]

Actually, I'd prefer to see the Megazine transform into the 2000AD version of SFX, rather than the 2000AD version of an American comic

Wake

[Tex Hex]

I think there IS scope for some kind of monthly (or quarterly) editorial magazine with interviews and previews, without using the Megazine title. As for that, Im with Tarnatino. Id like a lengthy dredd and another stip or two set exlusively in dredds world.  Id rather not see the reprint material, although I have ejoyed seeing stuff again/for the first time. Id like to see it pushed away from the anthology format. Changing to an american style wouldnt (i think) lose the Meg any readers- if the stories maintaned a high quality- and will enable american sales (the size is the reason most cited for comics shops not stocking 2000ad). Which can only be a good thing.

Blah blah.  

[IndigoPrime]

The Meg's pretty variable, but no more so than 2000 AD. Quite frankly, with the exception of the first 10 issues of volume 1, I reckon the Meg is better now than it's ever been, although I too would like to see more stories about Dredd's world rather than fairly random "mature" stories.

The reprint is sometimes good, although it depends on what you own. I can't stand the Slaine stuff, but Darkie's Mob was okay for a while (although it's getting somewhat tedious now). I enjoyed lazarus Churchyard and Hellboy, though...

I'm not too bothered with the price. Most mags cost around the same price, when you take into account the amount of editorial content (as opposed to ignoring 200 pages of adverts in a 300-page magazine).

As for circulation, as I understood it, the Meg's circulation _is_ increasing, slowly but surely.

[IndigoPrime]

Following up, I think it's fair to say that if the reprint was removed, the pages would be too, but the price wouldn't drop much.

[Oddboy]

The Megazine does seem to have lost it's identity recently.
It's gone though many changes, and now seems to be just a large sized monthly version of the prog; which isn't so good, as we've got the prog for our 'prog' needs... and just comes accross as being a bit slow (in both senses!).

Whatatadoo?

Dunno, I wouldn't like to see it fold - that'd be a great shame.
Don't think it should become just Dredd in a 30page US style comic.
But the unrelenting 'World Judges' stories that cropped up as a result of being restrained to Dredd's world wore thin quickly.

I'm just glad I'm not Alan Barnes.

[Romeo Foxtrot]

Right this is a bit cheeky but I was just wondering what sort of money you could expect to be paid if you were working for 2000ad as an artist (or writer).

It would be my dream job but was just wondering if I could make a living from it before I jack the job in
and tell my missus and the bank manager.

Obviously this is all assuming that Tharg thinks I'm the best art droid ever and immediately employs me.

[Slippery PD]

Itd be nice to go back to more of a "world of Dredd", but without the generic Dredd types.  More often than not many of the stories were just judges (and more oftne then not) Dredd in a different costume.  Theres a number of good locations out there just underused and under valued.  

Id also like to see a text portion like the tpo and a story section for things like family and or Black Siddha.  But I dont like too many non dredds stories at once.  

Yer Slippo

[Art]

I'd prefer to see the Megazine transform into the 2000AD version of SFX

Aiiiieeeee!!! No!!! SFX = the devils work

[frazer]

Hell no. Variety being the spice of life and all...

the meg's great it is. If it became a pure dredd comic it'd stagnate like buggery...

F

[Art]

Am I alone in not giving a toss if Megazine stories are "Dreddworld" or not so longs as thgey're good?

[Slippery PD]

No I wasnt suggesting that, but it may have read that way.  I was thinking more of a theme rather than the mish mash that currently exists, its just a little hit and miss at the moment with no defining thread.

Thats all Id like

Yer Slips

[longmanshort]

I share your desire to see more of Dredd's world. I'm be fascinated to see what cities such as Casablanca, Euro-Cit, Brit-Cit, Sino-Cit etc actually look like. Also, more Brit-Cit based stuff wouldn't go amiss. However, IMHO you do run the risk of exhausting this rich world around Dredd and perhaps losing a bit of focus. Also, such stories do kinda set in stone things which are best left indistinct.

As for the Meg itself, I find the current format (minus the text stories) about right. I was thrilled to see the Thrill Power Overload and the nice mix of strips has me feeling like I've got my money's worth. The reprint I enjoyed, even though Slaine isn't my favourite. I miss The Best of 2000AD Monthly, so this is a good replacement as far as I'm concerned. Again, this gives it IMHO the feel of a much more 'rounded' publication. Also, I wouldn't be happy at all if I was paying the same for less. the cost is a bit high, which is why I think the features and reprints need to be kept in. People are, sadly, dazzled by quantity and to look through a diverse magazine that seems to have plenty to offer (a la most of the general interest mags out there) is, for me, more attractive than an American style comic that I not only get bored with very quickly but also feel isn't particularly value for money.

What I don't particularly want to see is a massive dredd story with a couple of other stories. IMHO the Megazine and 2000AD's strength is their diversity. Yes, six pages isn't much to develop a story over time (as those trying to read The Family found) but any lessening of the number of stories, I believe, will have a negative effect on the readership. I for one would begin to consider whether the cost would be worth it for just three stories however well developed they are.

It's that mix of Dredd with lots of other themes that I believe has people coming back for more. The original Megazine kinda had that mix, but was TOO american in format for me.

I like it as it is now, I'm afraid. It has the right mix of text, story and features for me. Time will no doubt tell who the majority agree with.

[John Caliber]

Since Judge Dredd is by and large the only reason I'm subscribing to the Meg, I'd happily pay a fiver a month for 24-30 pages of pure Judge Dredd strip, with 2000ads's paper quality and art by Flint, Ezquerra or Kennedy, script by Wagner. Covers by the better 2000AD artists matching the quality and pulling power of the old Eagle reprints [those Bolland and McMahon covers remain unequalled in my opinion], with a big, bold Judge Dredd logo. As Dredd is the 2000ad flagship character, he really needs the chance to stand out on his own and not be solely diluted in anthology format.

A Strontium Dog backup strip might just be the ticket.

Is there any progress on the touted USA-created Judge Dredd strip?

- John

Link: http://www.btinternet.com/~j.caliber" target="_blank">Judge Dredd Justice Central

[Smiley]

The Meg's format is fine as it is.

Only gripe is some of the stories seem to read better over weeks than months. That's it.