2000 AD Online Forum

You see in the picture that the cover is in the same or similer format. Though it's in full colour and so I think that I could also be wrong.

I'm not sure.

Perhaps somebody else could enlighten me.

Link: Hmm that is a side of Johhny I haven't seen.

This has been discussed elsewhere. The trade dress of Final Solution has been designed to match the other trades. As for the contents, Jon said he'd try to source the 'missing' stuff for inclusion, but wasn't making any promises.

What's missing? If he absolutely can't get hold of the original art or the films, I'd be happy to make some hi-res scans from the original progs. Worked for the Starlord stories...

The email I sent to Jon, with my suggestion for the content, was as below. I guess all the content for TFS is readily available. No idea about the other stuff. I also sent the artwork I made (copied below), which probably annoyed the crap out of the designers, who'd already sorted the cover rough (with Alpha's head).

MAIN CONTENT
The Final Solution (b/w): 122 pages
600-606, 615-621, 636-641, 645-647

The Final Solution: Replay: 5 pages
682
(This was a â??previouslyâ??, to let readers catch up with the series, and largely features Durham Red.)

The Final Solution (colour): 26 pages
683-687

EXTRAS
Incident at the Birth of the Universe: 8 pages
2000AD Winter Special 1988

The Town that Died of Shame: 8 pages
2000AD Sci-Fi Special 1988

Top Dog: 29 pages
Judge Dredd Annual 1991 (reprinted in Best of 2000 AD SE 1999 and a Hamlyn GN)

Cover gallery:
617, 620, 640, 686 (DPS)

Also: David Hineâ??s pin-up from 669.

I'll have a dig through tonight and check what I have and haven't got from that list.

If Jon doesn't need any of it then happy days, but I'd be more than happy to spend a few hours scanning & tidying up if it meant we ended up with a more complete collection.

Oh, and I much prefer your non-spoilery cover. to the current Placeholder. Despite my traditional dislike of Harrison's artwork, I've got to grudgingly admit that that's a pretty dynamic image (even if Johnny does look a bit mucus-y).

There was also a MacNeil back cover thing at soem point wasnt there, with **REDUNDANT SPOILER WARNING **** Alpha's date of death given as 2180

I think it's a fantastic cover and a great image - way better than Alpha _sans_ eyes, which isn't that visually interesting and is also a bloody great spoiler. I mentioned this to Jon, who said he'd pass on my pic to the art boys.

As for the other stuff, maybe get in touch with Jon directly, to see if he needs or wants other content. I've no idea what the current status of the book is. (He did say the April books would be delayed a while, due to Rebellion's move across Oxford, however.)

And, yeah, I forgot all about that back-cover pin-up. Oh well.

It's untraceable on the site, so you're not the only one... I'd have probably forgotten it too if it wasnt for the fact it backs up my "Final Solution never happened" theory! ;)

I might just do that. I think I'll leave it until I've established what content I've actually got - Wouldn't want to promise scans of material I don't actually have!

If you're missing any, I have a cranky old scanner, but it is suppsed to be able to do 600dpi, which i think would be enough?

Failing that, I might even have spare copies of some of those two specials stories at least.

speaking of that Final solution recap...

Do you think there will be plans to reprint that story island of the damned which sprung out of the final solution?

speaking of that Final solution recap...

Do you think there will be plans to reprint that story island of the damned which sprung out of the final solution?

That was the Gronk one, right? Great Nigel Dobbyn art and a classic wrong foot with us all thinking 'Oh no they're bringing him back...oh dear'.

No, Island of the damned was the first Durham Red series. It's pretty good.

Well if we are going for completeness the Gronk can't be ignored, especially for Alpha's cameo. 'Strontium Dogs' can however be ignored as it was pish.

Strontium Dogs needs a EE.

whens it out?

whens it out?

Can't believe a thread has arisen where I haven't pledgede my firstborn to Simon Harrison and his unsurpassed dynamism.

Holy shit, that's an awesome drawing.

I emailed Jon this thread, and specifically Indigo's list of inclusions. Pointing out that if it wasn't too late I personally would be happier to wait for a complete collection, than rush out one that wasn't finished. I'm sure a number of other people feel this way too.

I received a reply...

I'm not suggesting that you all go and bombard his in box with emails, especially as Jon does read, and reply to, some of the relevant threads.

What I would suggest is that if you have some good, valid, ideas and suggestions for collections, you start a thread here, and if and when they inclination takes him, he can take on board any suggestion. (Probably an idea to use the suggestion category too). Right Jon?

So how about the final Robo-hunter book (not an EE)?

Dynamic sausage meat maybe.... though it is a better cover than the earlier one for a number of reasons. I just cant get past that boneless 'anatomy':  Anyone could be dynamic without a skeletal structure!

Anyway, I agree wholeheartedly with UKdane - better to wait and be actually complete, than to do have a situation like Nemesis vol 3, where you're just a mere 6 page story short (from the original creators no less).

"whens it out?"

I'm guessing some time in May - the April books have all been delayed due to Rebellion's move. Frankly, though, I'd be happy to see Final Solution in the summer if it meant including the extras.

"So how about the final Robo-hunter book?"

I think sales of the current Robo-Hunter books will need to pick up for that to happen, which is a great shame, what with a final book being enough to finish the entire run of classic RH.

I'd argue that it's possible a Case files style relaunch of RoboHunter might be more successful.  I think at least half of Robohunters problems was the format.  Just a shame Rogue was popular enough to make it to the end of a run of shorter books, as I'd ahve snapped up case files, but cant afford a full run of the smaller ones (which i'll pick up second hand hopefully)

"I'd argue that it's possible a Case files style relaunch of RoboHunter might be more successful."

Perhaps, but you'd still be looking at two books, the first of which would be stuff that's already available (and still very much in print). The reason Strontium Dog got away with a reboot is because the first chunky volume contained a bunch of stuff that hadn't been collected.

What's good is that lessons have clearly been learned. Whereas new stories and very popular ones get standard books, Ace Trucking - a niche series, similar to some extent to Robo-Hunter - is getting chunky collections, making it far more likely to get to the end.

So how about the final Robo-hunter book?

All my money on Robo-Hunter: The Slaying of Slade in EE #29. Mark my words

Yeah - I think it'd be some time before the relaunch of a Robohunter in chunky form was ever a possibility, but I reckon it'd sell a lot better than the DC/Reb versions, especially in the wake of the success of Dredd and stront case files style volumes.  Certainly, if Ace Trucking can get a series (and certainly deserves one IMO) then, if it wasnt for the previous run,  a robohunter in 2 vols would ahve been a good seller.  I think Rogue would have shifted more units in the case files format too.

checking out my copy of 'Strontium Dog S/D Case Files Four'.

While Bonus content stories appear to be in order.

There are only two pieces of cover art on both sides of the same page.

First one is Prog Cover 505, 'Johnny Alpha: Back in Tration!'

Prog 509 'JOHNNY AND RED IN THEY JUST BLEW IF THERES'S A PRICE ON YOUR HEAD - IT'S CURTAINS FOR YOU!'

Just these two, no more.

 

Cut this out including eyeholes and it can be worn as a mask.

Though I have to admit it's not the most inspiring of covers.