Nice Doherty Dredd cover but not so sure about those blurry dogs.
Funny Dredd about the world of niche porn and a Lost case about The Robot Wars.
Alas Tank Girl returns despite a kicking from one and all on the letters page, especially one wordsmith who takes a lead over his hapless Edinburgher challenger.
gggggggrrrrrrr!
MATRON! GET MY WRITING SET!
That first page of dredd is mental!!!
I really don't get readers objections to Tank Read. I've seen far worse strips in The Meg and I'd actually warmed to the character over the months, so I'm pleased of its return.
Great Rufus art too.
Last months is still in my to buy pile at a1 comics which kind of shows how much of a priority the meg is now for me
The cover is, in my opinion anyway, a horrid mess.
It must be hard enough to get new readers to the title with it being in a bag so no one can have a flick through before deciding to buy but to then saddle it with a cover that is a grey and dark green mess that just screams 'camouflage'...
Destined to disappear into the racks of newsies around the never to be seen again.
Other than that, I liked it. :D
In the Pat Mills article he mentions potentially bringing back a classic 2000ad series. Anyone have any ideas what it could be?
Quote from: golledge100 on 27 February, 2010, 07:09:49 PM
In the Pat Mills article he mentions potentially bringing back a classic 2000ad series. Anyone have any ideas what it could be?
ABC Warriors again :lol:
the visible man?
Quote from: dweezil2 on 27 February, 2010, 02:14:44 PM
I really don't get readers objections to Tank Read. I've seen far worse strips in The Meg and I'd actually warmed to the character over the months, so I'm pleased of its return.
Great Rufus art too.
I meant Tank Girl obviously :-[. Damn those fingers!
Flesh. Has to be, sure didn't he have Langley preactising his dinosaurs only recently?
In the Flesh GN he also mentions bringing back Flesh with the original artist!
MACH-1 (I can't remember if Mills wrote some of it)?
I'd like to see Blackhawk drawn by Henry Flint... (OT to this thread, apologies).
MACH-1 (I can't remember if Mills wrote some of it)?
psst thats what greysuit is...
I don't think I've ever read Greysuit.
Mills does say in the "Flesh" graphic novel that a further series got the kibosh due to reader response to Ramon Sola's work on the episode in the 30th anniversary prog. IIRC Mills would only attempt it if Sola was allowed back too.
A couple of strips I'd like to see return:
Ro-Busters. Just when it got really interesting it stopped. I'd love to see Hammerstein, Ro-Jaws and co. working for the robot resistance.
Dice-Man. Strip away the role-playing aspect and I reckon the strip would still work. Raymond Chandler meets Hellblazer.
- Huey
Quote from: Huey2 on 28 February, 2010, 11:20:50 PMIIRC Mills would only attempt it if Sola was allowed back too.
That seems a bit silly. I enjoyed the Sola reprise, but like all of us the man is plainly getting on, and even with Rufus' able help it seems unlikely he'd still be up to producing dozens of new pages to order. There must be a new dino-boy out there just waiting for Mills to use his particular genius for matching artist to strip.
Flesh is probably the back-catalogue strip with the most potential for a modern take that wouldn't in any way harm the original. Michael Swanwick's Cretaceous/Old Earth stories (most famous probably being
Scherzo with Tyrannosaur) show what sort of clever stuff can be done with commercial time-travel to the Mesozoic, just add a dash of hate-filled carnage and you've a perfect 2000AD strip. I just fear that Mills wouldn't necessarily be the man for the job, and pretty obviously he isn't going to allow anyone else a crack at it.
Yay! I have lettering in the Meg.
Not, sadly, because Tharg has relented, recognized my incomparable lettering skills and given me a gig, but there is a panel from Turning Tiger in the Renegade feature which still resulted in an odd, geeky thrill. Nice plug, actually -- you must be pleased, RAC.
Cheers!
Jim
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 01 March, 2010, 06:13:46 PM
Yay! I have lettering in the Meg.
Not, sadly, because Tharg has relented, recognized my incomparable lettering skills and given me a gig, but there is a panel from Turning Tiger in the Renegade feature which still resulted in an odd, geeky thrill. Nice plug, actually -- you must be pleased, RAC.
Cheers!
Jim
Too fucking right I am! It's a real thrill to see this in there!
And hats off the Satchmo too for getting the Spinecillers mentioned.
Quote from: His Lordship rac on 01 March, 2010, 06:22:58 PM
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 01 March, 2010, 06:13:46 PM
Yay! I have lettering in the Meg.
Not, sadly, because Tharg has relented, recognized my incomparable lettering skills and given me a gig, but there is a panel from Turning Tiger in the Renegade feature which still resulted in an odd, geeky thrill. Nice plug, actually -- you must be pleased, RAC.
Cheers!
Jim
Too fucking right I am! It's a real thrill to see this in there!
And hats off the Satchmo too for getting the Spinecillers mentioned.
I have?! yay! curse you subscribers, wish it was wednesday... :)
I have to say I enjoyed the Meg very much this month...highlight was the Lost Case again; I get the feeling the artists are having a great time recreating the old styles!
Decent outing for Dredd, Tempest is great fun and Tank Girl is nice to look at. It needs to go somewhere IMO as it's not really hanging together as a whole. I'm up for the Vampire Knight series now too...
I really enjoyed reading 'Monsters' again - I loved it at the time and still think there's some good work there.
M.
IMHO one of the best megs for a long time text articles are really good and about comics!
Quote from: Proudhuff on 03 March, 2010, 12:08:50 PM
IMHO one of the best megs for a long time text articles are really good and about comics!
Yeah ... I thoroughly enjoyed it, too. I wish I could put my finger one what makes the difference between what makes a good Meg and a meh Meg, because it seems such a fine and nebulous distinction ...!
Cheers
Jim
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 03 March, 2010, 12:37:54 PM
Quote from: Proudhuff on 03 March, 2010, 12:08:50 PM
IMHO one of the best megs for a long time text articles are really good and about comics!
Yeah ... I thoroughly enjoyed it, too. I wish I could put my finger one what makes the difference between what makes a good Meg and a meh Meg, because it seems such a fine and nebulous distinction ...!
Cheers
Jim
A combination of your lettering and interview..?
Al Ewing is a fecking excellent Dredd writer. Hard to tell the difference between him and John Wagner sometimes.
I didn't have a whole lot of time for all that messing about with dragons and sexy mutant chicks, but Al Ewing's recent Dredds have fitted into the series very nicely.
Quote from: JayzusB.Christ on 04 March, 2010, 12:55:45 PM
Al Ewing is a fecking excellent Dredd artist.
Quite a good Dredd writer, too.
Quote
Quite a good Dredd writer, too.
I know, I know. Sorted it before you posted.
QuoteAl Ewing is a fecking excellent Dredd writer. Hard to tell the difference between him and John Wagner sometimes.
Al is an artist's gift as a writer- had an indecent amount of fun drawing this one...
Quote from: dweezil2 on 27 February, 2010, 02:14:44 PM
I really don't get readers objections to Tank Read. I've seen far worse strips in The Meg and I'd actually warmed to the character over the months, so I'm pleased of its return.
Great Rufus art too.
Bravo! Encore! :D
Quote
Al is an artist's gift as a writer- had an indecent amount of fun drawing this one...
I'd imagine so. 'So, how was work?' 'Not bad, drew a woman with a big tit for a face, the usual'
Quote from: MIKE COLLINS on 04 March, 2010, 01:18:45 PM
QuoteAl Ewing is a fecking excellent Dredd writer. Hard to tell the difference between him and John Wagner sometimes.
Al is an artist's gift as a writer- had an indecent amount of fun drawing this one...
Mrs Collins:
'What the hell is that your reading?'Mr C putting donwn Speedboat Special:
'Research dear, research.'
Triffic Dredd tale. I laughed out loud as soon as I opened it and saw that front page, but what I thought was going to be a "sex-olympics" type comedy about Miss Booby-face quickly turned into something much darker. I liked the way the dog-judge was so eager and loyal, with a crisp 'Sir' at the end of every sentence.
Interesting addition to the "lawyers in Dredd's world" debate - Dredd says perp would have had a jury trial, but he "chooses" to judge him himself. Wonder if this is unique to the lawws governing the townships?
I'm still enjoying Tempest and the Lost Tales - I'd probably still (grumblingly) buy the Meg for the sake of one good Dredd story, so while I'm enjoying 3 strips I consider it well worth it.
Tank Girl - an anachronism. Enough already. Lets get the amazing skills of Rufus on a strip we actually want to read. And the usual crop of unread text articles.
Better than average free reprint comic, I'd forgotten about the Feral stories but this was a good one.
All in all, a pretty good Meg, I'm in no hurry to cancel my sub.
QuoteAnd the usual crop of unread text articles.
What... even the interview with me and Satchmo..?
QuoteInteresting addition to the "lawyers in Dredd's world" debate - Dredd says perp would have had a jury trial, but he "chooses" to judge him himself. Wonder if this is unique to the lawws governing the townships?
The townships only, I'm afraid, because the deputies
aren't Judges, and thus not empowered to dispense hot cups of steaming summary justice.
This month was make-or-break time for my Meg buying habit... and it made the grade (which means something else has to go - Star Wars Legacy and The Walking Dead, your time is up).
Cover: Look, this is the biggest problem the Meg has right now - if I hadn't decided I was giving it one last chance I would not have picked the ulgy mess up. The actual image is fine, but the cluttered design is a dog's dinner, and with the bag that's all a prospective customer gets to see. I'm not a designer, but something needs to be done to showcase both the contents and the GN: this month it's a
GARTH ENNIS story that
hardly anyone has ever read - should be leaping out at the casual fan, not hidden upside down in a bin bag. "Hey, did you see they're giving away a Garth Ennis book with that Judge Dredd thing?". "No".
Dredd: Just brilliant. Al effortlessly juggles the subtleties of Dredd's current world to deliver a fine companion piece to his two brilliant Christmas episodes. Fun and poignant, with great new characters (Hibbet needs his own series) and realistic future-crime developments, superbly atmospheric art. This was worth the cover price on its own, and I'd have kicked myself if I'd missed it. Already as good as the best of Rennie's Dredds, and ahead of all the rest of the WagnAlts, IMHO. In a week where I'd just read one of Wagner's best Dredd episodes in The Talented Mayor Ambrose, this more than held its own.
Tempest: This is still great fun, but I fear it's suffering the curse of the Megazine that claimed Devlin and Fiends before it: the slow death of short episodes stretched over months.
Lost Cases: Okay Alan, I had my doubts, but you win: the concept works. I had never thought of these as being showcases for such exuberant enthusiastic art, but they plainly are, and I'm now looking forward to more. This was a pretty good story too.
Tank Girl: Good to see it back. I look at these light cheery pages and I wonder how they cause such offense - throwaway fun is still fun.
Articles: Still digesting, early days.
GN: Monster: I found it boring then, I find it boring now. Pugh's art has some great moments, but generally suffers from the Simon Harrison problem that muties and norms are all-but indistinguishable. Garth's story makes a decent fist of continuing the story post-Final Solution, but this isn't exactly the most digestible of his many Norn Iron analogies and digressions.
Quote from: His Lordship rac on 04 March, 2010, 04:15:42 PM
QuoteAnd the usual crop of unread text articles.
What... even the interview with me and Satchmo..?
Well of course I'm going to have to go back and read THAT. I'll immediately move my copy of Meg next to the 'Throne of Justice', where I can catch up at leisure whilst straining on weightier matters!
Quote from: TordelBack on 04 March, 2010, 05:07:49 PM
QuoteInteresting addition to the "lawyers in Dredd's world" debate - Dredd says perp would have had a jury trial, but he "chooses" to judge him himself. Wonder if this is unique to the lawws governing the townships?
The townships only, I'm afraid, because the deputies aren't Judges, and thus not empowered to dispense hot cups of steaming summary justice.
That's what I thought, but it implies that the
real judge in each township has personal discretion as to whether to hand a perp over for 'township justice', ie trials and lawyers, or impose their own judgment, right up to summary execution.
Wouldn't expect it any other way!
Quote from: TordelBack on 04 March, 2010, 05:07:49 PM
Dredd: Just brilliant. Al effortlessly juggles the subtleties of Dredd's current world to deliver a fine companion piece to his two brilliant Christmas episodes. Fun and poignant, with great new characters (Hibbet needs his own series) and realistic future-crime developments, superbly atmospheric art. This was worth the cover price on its own, and I'd have kicked myself if I'd missed it. Already as good as the best of Rennie's Dredds, and ahead of all the rest of the WagnAlts, IMHO. In a week where I'd just read one of Wagner's best Dredd episodes in The Talented Mayor Ambrose, this more than held its own.
I wholeheartedly agree - Al's ever impressive handling of Dredd goes from strength to strength.
Tempest was also a hoot.
A good choice of 'graphic novel' this month, as well. Waters the mouth for the return of The Dog.
Quote from: TordelBack on 04 March, 2010, 05:07:49 PM
Lost Cases: Okay Alan, I had my doubts, but you win: the concept works. I had never thought of these as being showcases for such exuberant enthusiastic art, but they plainly are, and I'm now looking forward to more. This was a pretty good story too.
Sadly, they're not working for me. I'm finding them dull and inconsequential, although last issue's Apococalypse War tale at least felt
right.
QuoteGN: Monster: I found it boring then, I find it boring now. Pugh's art has some great moments, but generally suffers from the Simon Harrison problem that muties and norms are all-but indistinguishable. Garth's story makes a decent fist of continuing the story post-Final Solution, but this isn't exactly the most digestible of his many Norn Iron analogies and digressions.
Loathed it at the time - hated the art, hated the, as you put it, Norn Iron analogies. I reread it when it was collected in a Best of 2000AD and I remember liking it a lot more. I suppose I should reread it again and see what I think now.
Interesting choice for republication given the forthcoming
Life and Death. Do we read something into this, or is it just a Garth Ennis cash-in or a conveniently sized series?
Regards
Robin
Quote
Loathed it at the time - hated the art, hated the, as you put it, Norn Iron analogies.
I thought it was ok; much better than the Gronk ones at least. It was quite a good depiction of a post-Johnny SD world as far as I'm concerned; and I hated Garth Ennis's stuff at the time.
Nice to see a huge walking cock in the mutie pub as well.
I have a soft spot for Strontium Dogs - I liked how bleak a lot of the stories were.
Also, I read them all before I had encountered any of the original Johnny Alpha stories, so all the references to to him in Strontium Dogs and the Durham Red solo series had the cool effect of really building Alpha up as this mythic figure, which made me really excited to read all the early material - something I didn't get the chance to do until years later.
Quote from: JayzusB.Christ on 08 March, 2010, 01:25:46 PM
Quote
Loathed it at the time - hated the art, hated the, as you put it, Norn Iron analogies.
I thought it was ok; much better than the Gronk ones at least. It was quite a good depiction of a post-Johnny SD world as far as I'm concerned; and I hated Garth Ennis's stuff at the time.
As I say, hated Monsters to start with, but then reread it in a collection a while ago and liked it better (although I still think the art is poor). The Gronk stuff, however, I liked from beginning to end, Ennis and Hogan alike. 'Return of the Gronk' suffered from Norn Iron analogies, but overall it was great fun - Nigel Dobbyn's art helped. 'How the Gronk Got His Heartses' is one of the most wonderful tales ever printed in 2000AD
I love this cover:
http://www.2000adonline.com/2000ad/media/index/progs/original/817.jpg
Who the hell's gonna mess with that quiff?
Regards
Robin
Quote from: radiator on 08 March, 2010, 01:41:38 PM
I have a soft spot for Strontium Dogs - I liked how bleak a lot of the stories were.
Also, I read them all before I had encountered any of the original Johnny Alpha stories, so all the references to to him in Strontium Dogs and the Durham Red solo series had the cool effect of really building Alpha up as this mythic figure, which made me really excited to read all the early material - something I didn't get the chance to do until years later.
Are they collected?
Quote from: HOO-HAA on 08 March, 2010, 06:58:27 PM
Quote from: radiator on 08 March, 2010, 01:41:38 PM
I have a soft spot for Strontium Dogs - I liked how bleak a lot of the stories were.
Also, I read them all before I had encountered any of the original Johnny Alpha stories, so all the references to to him in Strontium Dogs and the Durham Red solo series had the cool effect of really building Alpha up as this mythic figure, which made me really excited to read all the early material - something I didn't get the chance to do until years later.
Are they collected?
Some of us are hoping... but given that Monsters has only made it as far as being bagged with the Megazine, I think that's the best we can hope for. The Life and Death of Johnny Alpha will probably retcon it all anyway (boo! hiss!).
Regards
Robin
I had to look up what Norn Iron was :-[
Quote from: James S on 08 March, 2010, 07:52:25 PM
I had to look up what Norn Iron was :-[
If it makes you feel any better, so did I.
Quote from: Dark Jimbo on 08 March, 2010, 07:58:45 PM
Quote from: James S on 08 March, 2010, 07:52:25 PM
I had to look up what Norn Iron was :-[
If it makes you feel any better, so did I.
And if it's any consolation from me, I only knew what Norn Iron meant because the analogies were my main problem with 'Monsters' and 'Return of the Gronk', which made it easier to make the connection.
I wonder why Ennis did it, to be honest. I can only assume that he was young enough at the time to not realise how clumsy it was.
Regards
Robin
Sorry chaps, as a middle-class scrote of mixed proddy/taig origins living in the Republic, 'Norn Iron' is literally what I hear whenever a native says 'Northern Ireland'. No offense or confusion meant - I fully understand if you thought the Fates had adopted metallurgy.
QuoteThe Life and Death of Johnny Alpha will probably retcon it all anyway (boo! hiss!).
I know; I really hope it doesn't but I'm sure it will. I loved the idea of Johnny dying a Christlike death to save mutantkind, and going into mutie history as a messianic figure. I hope it doesn't all get pissed up the wall (ahem, Danny Franks, cough).
As for the Gronk, I just didn't like it, Norn Iron analogies or no. The Gronk was always there as a sweet, simple foil for the violent and aggressive lives of the SDs. Garth couldn't seem to get away from the idea that every comic character has to be a violent killer; even Jug McKenzie was murdering bulldozer drivers gleefully and never seemed to get in trouble with the law.
Quote from: JayzusB.Christ on 09 March, 2010, 01:08:16 PMThe Gronk was always there as a sweet, simple foil for the violent and aggressive lives of the SDs. Garth couldn't seem to get away from the idea that every comic character has to be a violent killer; even Jug McKenzie was murdering bulldozer drivers gleefully and never seemed to get in trouble with the law.
I take your point, but I think the initial joke of a violent Gronk quickly passed. The Gronk remained a sweet and generally kind creature, but he became a much more functional character, balanced between his original cowardice and awakened aggression. That said, how much of this was Ennis and how much was Hogan I can't say without rereading the stories.
Regards
Robin
QuoteThat said, how much of this was Ennis and how much was Hogan I can't say without rereading the stories.
More Hogan as far as I remember; I definitely noticed a slight return to the original Gronk personality. Garth Ennis's Gronk was kick-ass tough guy all the way and it just didn't work for me.
Quote from: TordelBack on 09 March, 2010, 12:17:11 AM
I fully understand if you thought the Fates had adopted metallurgy.
I just voided coffee from my nose.
(have you seen the Norn Iron version of the ubiquitous Microsoft OS - 'Windies')
Monsters does read very obviously but I think Ennis can be forgiven; he was a young 'un at the time and isn't a lot of advice based on 'write what you know'?
M.
It's fascinating reading everyone's discussion of past stories - such as those in the Strontium Dog strips - and noting how much has gone on in 2000 AD & the Megazine in the 25 years since I last picked it up. And without in any way wanting to say that continuity and backstory aren't important, I thought I might just add that one of the real strengths of the Megazine is that its main strips are immediately understandable & enjoyable to a newly-returned, long absent reader. Until I read all these posts, and saw how engaged everyone was with the history of these characters and strips, I never thought how fine it was that I've been able to step back & really enjoy the Megazine despite knowing not a fraction of what the posters here do. A difficult thing to pull off, I think, and to the Megazine's credit.
I would also add that the last page of the excellent Ewing/Collins Dredd strip was one of the most horrific and thought-provoking I've ever seen. Really good stuff.
I was just thinking the other day about what a 'novice' would make of the current thrills - and here you are! Although I was thinking more of the Tour of Duty storyline...
M.
Mikey: It's been an absolute joy not just to enjoy the current Dredd stories, but also to watch how absolutely rock-solid the story-telling craftsmanship has been. I knew nothing of the Mutie expulsions. I knew nothing of Beeny. I stopped reading too long ago for that. I'm only vaguely aware of P J Maybe. Rico? New to me, as far as I can recall. And none of that has mattered. And it's not just Wagner's work that's so well-constructed. Ewing and Morrison's scripts have similarly pushed the narrative forward without stranding the unfamiliar reader.
If I sound pleased, I am. There's so much incompetence in so many comic books, particularly where editorial offices are concerned. I never thought I'd have bought a subscription to 2000 AD after 25 years away, but it's been well worth it.
Excellent! It's nice to hear it isn't impenetrable and it's as good as we knew it was.
M.
I haven't read the Meg for a goodly long while because of monetary concerns. Basically, I was skint, and unlike the Prog it just wasn't good enough to justify continuing to buy. This one I picked up though, purely on the basis of Monsters, since I've resigned myself to not seeing a proper collection of this stuff anytime soon.
But what do I find inside? It's actually pretty good. Tank Girl is as rubbish as I remembered it being when I quit, Tempest is part 4 and so I didn't have a clue what was going on and Alan Grant hasn't written a decent Dredd in years but none of that mattered. I still felt that I had got value for my money.
Why?, because Al Ewing is great on Dredd and a lead story by him is nearly worth the price of asdmission on it's own and that is joined by a bunch of articles that areactually interesting and on topic. Bravo.
Probably won't be back full time though cos of aforementioned money probs but if the time comes when another floppy catches my eye I won't dither quite so much.
As far as Pat Mills ressurecting another old character, I'm not really that fussed. My views on his work aren't a secret, but I will read whatever comes my way and maybe he'll surprise me. I just hope, if I'm honest, that it's not something I hold in particularly high regard. In case he doesn't. Surprise me, that is. That said, and to deflect charges of Pat Bashing I will say that I am actually experiencing stirrings of interest in the the upcoming new Savage. It's got a ways to go but the last series did start to win me over