Haven't read it yet ,just studied Colin Macneil's art and found mentions for 'Mogzilla',(Jared)'Katooie' Dog's band 'Bin Laden's Daughter' and 'Roger's Mom's' tunnel.Apologies if I've missed any.
filip
I'm fairly certain Locusts is the pregnant man in the strip - congrats Locusts on being in the strip and your forthcoming arrival sir!
Eh? Please, Pete, scan that in a post it sir - I won't have the Meg until Weds!!!!
Heh, I'm assuming it's you dude, it's the hat wot did it...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v76/Wellsy/0e073cc4.jpg)
And
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v76/Wellsy/26a7bc71.jpg)
Sorry the photos are poor, did 'em on my phone.
Unprecedented "Meg better than Prog" shocker. Except the letters page. That was full of shite.
Unprecedented "Meg better than Prog" shocker. Except the letters page. That was full of shite. With a light-hearted Dredd in the Prog this week, it's over here that the serious business of setting Beeny up as a reforming Chief Judge for the future continues. Good show.
I don't know Neil Googe but his art on the Inaba strip was lush. Very like Jon Davis-Hunt's most recent turn on Tempest, which is good. Meanwhile, Boo Cook's Anderson is also a great looking strip and quite different from Damnation Station. More scratchy and pencilly with a cracking splash page thrown in for good measure.
Even enjoyed Lily Savage this month which, up to now, has felt like it was written by an artist.
Couldn't place the artist for that Age of the Wolf teaser, which looks like it will be about werewolves. Anyone?
Oh my. Ha ha, that just might be me...the hat and the sideburns! Oh Colin, you bugger, ha!
Thanks for that, Pete :lol:.
My FIRST Meg subscription and it's STILL not arrived yet!!!! :( >:(
Quote from: The Cosh on 17 July, 2010, 12:33:25 PM
Unprecedented "Meg better than Prog" shocker. Except the letters page. That was full of shite.
It was a fine and witty line and certainly deservung of its two airings in consecutive posts but wrong! It actually started off fantastically with a thoughtful and soulful reader's views before falling into shiteness with suck up Proudfoot pandering away with guff about how great the bagged book is - 'The Bad Man'? the bad letter writer loves it long time.
Had a bit of a problem last week with my bank card getting blocked because I used it abroad. Bit worried now that this has suspended my sub because neither prog or meg have showed up! :(
Nooooooooooooo! Postie didn't come and I'm not home until late on Monday!
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
Yep, Neil Googe's artwork is sublime.
Do I fall into the shiteness corner? :lol:
Quote from: The monarch on 17 July, 2010, 02:37:23 PM
Do I fall into the shiteness corner? :lol:
I'd say no with a yessy after taste. You achieved a form of redemption by waxing on about the glories of the letters page that actually summoned an answer from Meg-Tharg!
Ah those letters pages....
QuoteHad a bit of a problem last week with my bank card getting blocked because I used it abroad. Bit worried now that this has suspended my sub because neither prog or meg have showed up!
It's ok everyone, you can all stop worrying - they showed up. But my postie must be going for some sort of 'latest delivery' record. Must have been about 3pm before they arrived!
Dredd was
arsom, though slightly hard to follow in places (that may be just me though). Wonder if we'll see Braun, Klegg and Kamran again, and also wondering if the Chief Judge they're referring to at the end is Sinfield or Francisco?
Quote from: radiator on 17 July, 2010, 04:33:34 PM
QuoteHad a bit of a problem last week with my bank card getting blocked because I used it abroad. Bit worried now that this has suspended my sub because neither prog or meg have showed up!
It's ok everyone, you can all stop worrying - they showed up. But my postie must be going for some sort of 'latest delivery' record. Must have been about 3pm before they arrived!
Dredd was arsom, though slightly hard to follow in places (that may be just me though). Wonder if we'll see Braun, Klegg and Kamran again, and also wondering if the Chief Judge they're referring to at the end is Sinfield or Francisco?
Waits for his Meg still!!! >:(
I liked the free postcard, too. Did everyone else get America Jara or are there different ones?
America postcard here too...
not seen this yet but aware i'm immortalised thanks to strontium 71 and the xbox live!
many thanks to colin for pandering to my blatant cheek and down right begging for a mention, the lad's a legend! :D
Having a bit of a tidy up, I notice that I've barely read any of the Megazine in the past year, and my subscription is nearly up! I've just started reading Tempest, etc to catch up.
I have a question about the Judge Dredd strip. When was the back of Bennet Beeney's neck shot off? I presume he survived as he gave the judges an account of the shooting and survived America herself. Colin's graffiti was amusing. 'Roger's Mum's Tunnel,' indeed! A pity the signage is obscured by dialogue. Not to worry, at least there's a nice and clearly labelled 'Roger's Mum block' next to it to provide the context.
Not thrilled by the return of Inaba, but Armitage had an entertaining premise.
Quote from: House of Usher on 17 July, 2010, 07:42:43 PM
When was the back of Bennet Beeney's neck shot off?
He was shot through the throat, ending his singing career. This depiction does seem a little bit more extreme though!
Quote from: flip-r mk2 on 17 July, 2010, 11:13:15 AM
Haven't read it yet ,just studied Colin Macneil's art and found mentions for 'Mogzilla',(Jared)'Katooie' Dog's band 'Bin Laden's Daughter'
:o
You mean I have to buy the Meg?!
The Judge Anderson story set in Salem piqued my interest. This particular Mega-City geography expansion set was just about plausible, and it gives Anderson something different to sort out. Boo Cook's drawing is spectacular and the colours are dazzling.
There was one mistake. Fancy that local judge thinking Tituba was an Indian! Maybe he's not very interested in local history. Tituba was an African slave brought to Salem by the Reverend Paris from his plantation in Barbados.
Anyone else feel cheated of three pages of art from Lilly Mackenzie.
V
It looked very odd when I was flipping through, but it was quite entertaining to read. To be honest, the more words there are on the page the longer it holds my attention. I don't tend to stay and admire the pictures for very long once I've read all the words and I've taken in all the detail.
...
...
Thanks, Rog.
Clocked it in Smiths and went through the till at £4.99!
If I was in it just for the words I would read just books.
V
:D big cheesy fanboy smile!!!! again thanks to colin... interesting tale and loved the dig at our esteemed leaders with the names of the three monkeys that doubted beeny's judgment.
great interview with carlos dont think i've ever seen an interview with him before . cant wait for next months !
lily makenzie was as pleasently non-doing much as ever but i got confused by the pod scene as to who was talking at any given moment...
Quote from: mogzilla on 20 July, 2010, 08:37:13 PM
lily makenzie was as pleasently non-doing much as ever but i got confused by the pod scene as to who was talking at any given moment...
Top voice: Pink-haired dwarf guy
Bottom Voice: Lilly Mackenzie
- every time.
thankyou for that.
Loads of great stuff in there, especially the Googe art.
Every strip was great, but John Wagner's Dredd was the best, of course. Argh. Just as we get some conclusion with Tour of Duty/PJ Maybe, he sets up another long-term story! Masterful.
Also, this is bloody good Alan Grant work, as was the reprint supplement. Full credit to him.
Finally, I really appreciated the postcard. Nice wee freebie. Thanks!
- Trout
Great, I liked pretty much everything, Anderson was great.
i really enjoyed the Meg this month. Wasn't too sure about the Bad Man freebie though. I read a couple of issues when it was first printed and quite liked the possibilities of where the story was going. However if there was never any follow up then it becomes completely pointless and I can't see the worth in reprinting it.
I know im supposed to be working, but the guys are happily doing their own thing, so i took the opportunity to read the meg.
Wow.
Even the paper felt better in my hands this month, and ok, so im not completely sold on armitage, but on the whole that was one hell of a comic.
Highlights: Dredd, Anderson, the Ezquerra interview and the Armageddon floppy. I remember, as a naiive twenty year old, being creeped out by the apocalypse scenarios on government paper, and to this day ive wanted it continued. It was supposed to be 'how Dredd's world came to be', if i remember the hype, and im gutted that it never had a chance to go beyond the ironic terminatorisms of the first arc. Anyone know why?
Lowpoint was a predator feature, in a judge dredd comic, that failed to mention the Dredd/pred story from years back. Oh well. But if that's all i can find to bitch about, then all's well.
I'd happily fine six quid for a fat comic of this quality every month.
SBT
QuoteAnyone know why?
ISTR it ran into problems because it was creator-owned - but as it was conceived as a Dredd origin story, this caused potential legal complications over the ownership of Dredd so it got scrapped.
Despite subbing, I haven't read the Meg since the Christmas special. I find the month long break makes strips hard to follow. Should I rip 'em open or wait until December, which was my plan?
Quote from: radiator on 21 July, 2010, 08:55:09 PM
ISTR it ran into problems because it was creator-owned - but as it was conceived as a Dredd origin story, this caused potential legal complications over the ownership of Dredd so it got scrapped.
I'm happy to be corrected, but I don't recall anyone ever suggesting that apart from me...
Cheers!
Jim
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 21 July, 2010, 09:14:59 PM
Quote from: radiator on 21 July, 2010, 08:55:09 PM
ISTR it ran into problems because it was creator-owned - but as it was conceived as a Dredd origin story, this caused potential legal complications over the ownership of Dredd so it got scrapped.
I'm happy to be corrected, but I don't recall anyone ever suggesting that apart from me...
Cheers!
Jim
That is my understanding of The Bad Man, too.
Thanks guys, that possibly lays a few ghosts to rest. Though its odd they didnt recognise the potential legalities before commissioning it in the first place!
As i said, a great shame we never got to see more of this possible origin story.
SBT
Quote from: SmallBlueThing on 22 July, 2010, 10:05:20 AM
Though its odd they didnt recognise the potential legalities before commissioning it in the first place!
I'll be honest -- it beggars belief that the thing got into print either without, or in spite of, the realization at an editorial level that allowing Alan and Carlos to write a creator-owned backstory to their most valuable piece of IP was really bad idea!
Cheers
Jim
What a great Meg! I've been reading the Meg since I jumped back on board with 2000ad back in 2003 and this is definitely a high point for me.
Dredd, Anderson and Lilly MacKenzie are all fantastic. I'm not a big Armitage fan but this premise seems quite fun. Reminiscent of the 'holo-deck' episodes of Star Trek.
I've never really been into the Inaba/Shimura stories but I was sold on this one. Mainly due to the gorgeous art. Brilliant.
I'd certainly recommend this issue as a jumping on point for lapsed readers. I've never understood people who buy the prog but not the Meg. I'd feel like I was missing out if I stopped getting the Meg.
Thanks to Colin for penciling me in - never thought I'd be happy to be a pregnant gay man, but if I'm going to be just that, it may as well be in a Judge Dredd strip in the 300th Megazine :D!!!!!!!!!
It was a great story as well, very touching. All the better.
I haven't got the Meg for the last few years...sounds like it might be worth another look. :D
Just got mine today and I was avoiding this thread. As I was reading my Dredd I spotted Mogzilla, Katooie's Greasy Chunks and Rogers Mom & her tunnel. I was laughing and wondering how much of the graffiti and background stuff in older issues (when I was too young to really notice) came about through similar circumstance...
...then I flipped over and saw the band name staring at me from the wall- amongst a load of guys with Mohicans and a juve that looks suspiciously like Dog Deever.
Colin- it's been a great and memorable month for myself and the band, but you've made it even better now- fantastic!
Many thanks-
it just disna get onny better'n this, min.
This is the best Meg ever- even I can live with the movie reviews this month!
I am still shocked at what I read first this month, after the build up by the two heavyweight contenders, it had to be the letters page!
First up is the traitor that is Stephen 'THE SNORER' Watson who actually has the sheer bravado to tell Tharg that he jumped ship for the latter part of Volume 3. Now if I'd know this up Hi-Ex! I would have had to throw him out the room ;)
Next is Tom 'I LOVE IT FLOPPY' Proudfoot who just rattles on about how he loves reprints. So after 300 issues he likes to read reprints, what is wrong with him, does he not like new material. I reckon he was a ship jumper in those early years as well ;)
I would mention the 3 other letters but they are lost in the shadows of these two wordsmiths!
P.S I do enjoy the bagged mag before anyone says anything, but not as much as Tom, obviously!
P.P.S. The mag was fantastic and I devoured it whilst at work last night, special highlight seeing LoD as a pregnant gay man, well done Colin for showing his true side :lol:
I actually agree with the "traitor" I also jumped ship during that time
I couldn't afford to shell out for reprints of Necropolis either.
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 23 July, 2010, 04:48:55 PM
special highlight seeing LoD as a pregnant gay man, well done Colin for showing his true side :lol:
And jealousy rears its ugly head.
So, I treated myself to this today, but have yet to read it. The prog and this in one day would surely burn out my thrill receptors. I have had a quick flick through and must say that Neil Googes work on Hondo-City Justice is mindblowing good. Gary Caldwells colours are tops too. Cant wait until my brain has cooled down enough to read it! ;)
The cover (and back cover) alone make it an outstanding issue. :thumbsup: Good stuff all round really liking the look of Hondo-Cit and Anderson's back! :)
The Cliff Robinson wrap-around cover is worth the price alone! That's without the contents being of such a high quality!
Lots and lots to love in Meg 300, glorious art cover to cover. Unless I'm mistaken those are some new Lilly Mckenzie pages!
I see Inaba now has a laser shield, a lightsabre and can fly. Has Robbie been plundering the Sc*j* script archive? ;)
Best Meg in ages - I really like the chunky feel of this issue, the extra pages really add value and I'd like the Meg to have this many pages every month - I'm not fussed at all about the extra quid.
Dredd was simply superb.
Lilly Mackenzie was fine.
Armitage was another Armitage story.
Hondo City Justice was all action, but not much else.
House of Vyle was unexpectedly good, with Boo Cook's art standing out in particular - the full page Salem was probably the best image in the comic.
However, I still think every one of those stories could have gone in 2000AD.
Regards
Robin
Here is my review of the meg:
Katooie's greasy chunks!
At last, the snack product which I created is officially a part of Dredd canon!
Who knows what exotic shops that hovervan was heading too, or what exciting sales events might be set in motion buy its delivery...
There was some other stuff in the meg as well, but who cares? Katooie's greasy chunks!
Quote from: Jared Katooie on 25 July, 2010, 06:57:01 PM
Here is my review of the meg:
Katooie's greasy chunks!
At last, the snack product which I created is officially a part of Dredd canon!
Who knows what exotic shops that hovervan was heading too, or what exciting sales events might be set in motion buy its delivery...
There was some other stuff in the meg as well, but who cares? Katooie's greasy chunks!
i actuaaly appear in it a lot now im a scrawler on nevus street you gotta hand it to colin for that attention to detail
Quote from: locustsofdeath! on 24 July, 2010, 04:13:38 PM
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 23 July, 2010, 04:48:55 PM
special highlight seeing LoD as a pregnant gay man, well done Colin for showing his true side :lol:
And jealousy rears its ugly head.
whats he got to be jealous about ? part in "judge minty" as a judge and he got his own real badge .....still, i got a big scrawl on nevus street which appeared in frame several times in the landmark meg ;) :P
Quote from: mogzilla on 25 July, 2010, 07:28:20 PM
Quote from: locustsofdeath! on 24 July, 2010, 04:13:38 PM
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 23 July, 2010, 04:48:55 PM
special highlight seeing LoD as a pregnant gay man, well done Colin for showing his true side :lol:
And jealousy rears its ugly head.
whats he got to be jealous about ?
He wishes it was him wot got me pregnant.
Really loved the Dredd story. Excellent stuff. :)
Quote from: radiator on 21 July, 2010, 08:55:09 PM
QuoteAnyone know why?
ISTR it ran into problems because it was creator-owned - but as it was conceived as a Dredd origin story, this caused potential legal complications over the ownership of Dredd so it got scrapped.
I can't confirm without going back to David Bishop's "15 Years, Creep!" articles, but I'm sure this had actually been worked out at the time. The original plan was to have just the first two volumes be creator-owned by Grant and Esquerra, whereas the third would be owned by IPC and contain all the Dreddworld stuff, Bad Bob Booth, creation of the Judges and so on. But in the event, it seems they were dissatisfied with how the first volume turned out and decided not to continue with it.
Wow, really great meg! Absolutely everything was great this month (although as normal I didn't read the movie reviews).
Had never read Armageddon before, but had wondered if it was a Dredd prequel (which from the looks of comments here it is). The writing's great, builds up a suitably apocalyptic air and with Ezquerra's art I loved it. A shame if its never been followed up, seems like a bit of an oddity left dangling like that. Maybe it'll make a Meg comeback, hence the reprint? Would be a good move.
Great meg, loved the name checks, only cheese dipper in the dairy dept was the Armitage which just doesn't do it for me, still that postacrd will look loverly when signed :D, and that letters page is a dreamteam come true!
Was I the only one who felt a bit uncomfy with that Gobble cover to the Trade Floppie?
Quoteas I the only one who felt a bit uncomfy with that Gobble cover to the Trade Floppie?
Nope. I thought that was well dodgy too!
Quote from: radiator on 29 July, 2010, 11:42:48 AM
Quoteas I the only one who felt a bit uncomfy with that Gobble cover to the Trade Floppie?
Nope. I thought that was well dodgy too!
whatchu talkin bout willis?
Quote from: locustsofdeath! on 25 July, 2010, 08:20:06 PM
Quote from: mogzilla on 25 July, 2010, 07:28:20 PM
Quote from: locustsofdeath! on 24 July, 2010, 04:13:38 PM
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 23 July, 2010, 04:48:55 PM
special highlight seeing LoD as a pregnant gay man, well done Colin for showing his true side :lol:
And jealousy rears its ugly head.
whats he got to be jealous about ?
He wishes it was him wot got me pregnant.
Well given the time since Hi-Ex surely the most likely candidate for the father would be Roger. I think a paternity test might be called for.
Quote from: House of Usher on 18 July, 2010, 12:47:15 PM
The Judge Anderson story set in Salem piqued my interest. This particular Mega-City geography expansion set was just about plausible, and it gives Anderson something different to sort out.
This then suggests part of Mega-City One overlaps with Lovecraft Country (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lovecraft_Country), I feel the cogs starting to turn...
Quotewhatchu talkin bout willis?
Have a look at the cover to Armageddon: The Bad Man. Look at it. Do you see anything slightly odd or suggestive about the way the characters are posed?
I notice that when the image originally appeared on the cover of Megazine 2.06, it was heavily cropped, which lessens the effect somewhat.
(http://www.2000ad.org/covers/megazine/hires/2.06.jpg)
I note the look of disdain from the woman to the left of the picture..! :lol:
Quote from: radiator on 30 July, 2010, 09:03:23 AM
Quotewhatchu talkin bout willis?
Have a look at the cover to Armageddon: The Bad Man. Look at it. Do you see anything slightly odd or suggestive about the way the characters are posed?
I notice that when the image originally appeared on the cover of Megazine 2.06, it was heavily cropped, which lessens the effect somewhat.
(http://www.2000ad.org/covers/megazine/hires/2.06.jpg)
I'm-a-getting-it-now
The burning man looked like a pretty cool idea for a story shame it never continued (this was planned for the earthside 8 comic that never happened wasn't it?)
I thought this was a weird choice for the GN - two stories that start and then don't go anywhere. I'm guessing they were pilots that were never developed, but it makes them an odd choice for a reprint: "Like this? TOUGH STOMM, there ain't no more!"
Othewise a very good Meg, apart from an implausibly contrived Armitage set up (though I did like his 'I'm no supercop' speech).
Quote from: House of Usher on 30 July, 2010, 10:56:14 AM
I note the look of disdain from the woman to the left of the picture..! :lol:
That's Rodger's mum wishing it was her ;)
The floppy reminded me how much I liked the way the Squirrel coloured his art in the old days. I'm hoping he and his son will find a way of colouring with computers which has the same jewel like tones and painterly textures because the airbrush setting is a bit too simple.
The same applies to the grey airbrushing in Armitage which isn't grimy enough. All you need is a different type of brush. I usually like John Cooper's art and it is nice to finally have an artist on Armitage that could suit the characters very well. I just wish the tones were done differently.
Quote from: staticgirl on 03 August, 2010, 03:19:36 PM
I usually like John Cooper's art and it is nice to finally have an artist on Armitage that could suit the characters very well. I just wish the tones were done differently.
Precisely my thoughts. I'm also not sure about the way the pages appear to be made up of characters all drawn at the same size and then scaled to fit a particular layout or computer-generated background, particularly unsettling in the opening splash in this month's episode, and some of the tiny later panels which contain incredibly detailed microscopic figures . However, I'm prepared to see this as a deliberate style decision, or at least a trade-off between speed and detail, since it does give the strip a unique look. I do think Cooper does wonderfully animated versions of the characters, and once the FreeGNs made me realise that the 1990's set dressing has been there from the very start of the strip I started to get into it.
I am a bit at a loss as to what's going on in the story, despite reading it a few times. When Armitage walks through that airlock-thing, he's
where exactly? In a sealed room with bunch of hypnotised/brainwashed people? If so, why can't the others come too? If you can just walk in why wold Steel recommened a tactical squad to blow down the wall? Maybe all will be revealed...
Quote from: locustsofdeath! on 17 July, 2010, 12:48:07 PM
Oh my. Ha ha, that just might be me...the hat and the sideburns! Oh Colin, you bugger, ha!
Alrighty, asked Colin for you (with free urinary tract joke):
Quotemighty_emperor: Colin you can answer a burning question:
mighty_emperor: Why does it hurt when shark has a wee?
mighty_emperor: OK not that one
mighty_emperor: This one: Was that really locust pregnant in the Meg?
House of Usher_2: I want to know the answer to the pregnant man question too!
MacNeil: It wasn't originally, but transformed into him.
mighty_emperor: Excellent
mighty_emperor: We weren't 100% but... it was him
House of Usher_2: you mean you sketched it out first, then altered the features?
MacNeil: I didn't like the hairstyle he originally had, then I remembered LoD from Hiex with his bunnet. And lo, you have a pregnant LoD.
House of Usher_2: Locusts of Death is better looking than the guy in the strip.
House of Usher_2: Come on, everyone was thinking it.
Now all we need to know is if Roger is the father...
Quote from: staticgirl on 03 August, 2010, 03:19:36 PM
The floppy reminded me how much I liked the way the Squirrel coloured his art in the old days. I'm hoping he and his son will find a way of colouring with computers which has the same jewel like tones and painterly textures because the airbrush setting is a bit too simple.
The same applies to the grey airbrushing in Armitage which isn't grimy enough. All you need is a different type of brush. I usually like John Cooper's art and it is nice to finally have an artist on Armitage that could suit the characters very well. I just wish the tones were done differently.
I know what you mean, I love his art however its colored but I read Necropolis recently and was struck by how great the coloring was back in the day before computers. I miss the good old days, jumpers for goalposts etc.
I used to love the neon-nightmare colouring from the likes of Ezquerra. I think Matt Smith's far keener on realism these days (presumably, it's easier to sell), but there's a vibrancy that's been lost in more modern 2000 AD art.
As for Armageddon, I thought it was as terrible choice for the floppy. I'm not against one-shots or dead ends, but I really don't want to pay out to re-read something that I already own anyway and that never had any kind of resolution.
Having a letter in this issue praising the floppy, I think this one is the weakest so far... oh contrary me ::)
I'm in the mensheviks on colouring, I hated the mudded browns and greens of the early full colour 2Ks when computer colours and printing we well iffy and The Squirrel's colouring in this doesn't help the stor, and. whilst I prefer B&W over most colouring, Armitige does need some work on making it grittier, I've always thought it should look more like Alf Tupper and less like Roy of the Rovers... oh contrary me ::)
OK. I admit it. I've been a Meg ship jumper. I had a sub but after getting bored, I stopped reading just after the most recent Blood of Satanus story. Bought it when it changed format to have a look at the floppy, Tank Girl etc but still wasn't convinced.
However 300 is superb, loved it all. Will definitely buy it next month and if the quality stays like that I'm renewing my sub.
Quote from: radiator on 30 July, 2010, 09:03:23 AM
Quotewhatchu talkin bout willis?
Have a look at the cover to Armageddon: The Bad Man. Look at it. Do you see anything slightly odd or suggestive about the way the characters are posed?
Now that it's been brought up, I can see what you mean. If I squint. And hold my breath until I almost pass out. However, I think you'd really have to be going out of your way to pick up on it innocently. Either that or you all have really bizarre penises.
Let's get one thing straight: It does not hurt when I have a wee.
Well, not since I applied the ointment.
I noticed a bit in the Boo Cook interview:
QuoteIt was a fan posting online that first drew Cook's attention to the fact that his graphic storytelling was getting sloppy. Although the artist admits that 2000 AD readers have in the past posted comments on the Internet that have "crushed his soul", this one hit home in a good way: "I went back and looked at what I'd been doing and realised that the guy was right."
Your mission, if you chose to accept it, is to find that review ;) My only clue is I do seem to recall one scene on a spaceship in a later Kippers story (there is a breach in the hull and he is blown out/sucked out the hole, there is no way to phrase it that doesn't sound dirty) where the graphic storytelling was really problematic and I think it was mentioned on here. Glad to see it helped him raise his game as you can't fault his recent work on that front and I'm a big fan of his work so thumbs up all round from me.
Quote from: The Cosh on 17 July, 2010, 12:45:07 PMI don't know Neil Googe but his art on the Inaba strip was lush.
It is indeed - I'd suggest the perfect art for this story.
Googe was a droid but moved over the the US where he has delivered great work at Wildstorm, really honing his style. I am surprised no one has popped up and asked for more Bazooka Jules yet ;) More here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Googe
QuoteNow that it's been brought up, I can see what you mean. If I squint. And hold my breath until I almost pass out. However, I think you'd really have to be going out of your way to pick up on it innocently. Either that or you all have really bizarre penises.
It was literally
the first thing I thought when I saw it! I don't know how anyone could look at that image and
not have it jump out at them!
Quote from: radiator on 17 July, 2010, 04:33:34 PMWonder if we'll see Braun, Klegg and Kamran again
And the penny just dropped over the three desk jockey judges - I will blame all the great touches Colin added in earlier that distracted me. If we ever see them again I fully expect Braun to have quietly faded away, leaving only a coalition of Kamran and Klegg to make everyone's lives miserable ;)
Quote from: Emperor on 05 August, 2010, 05:13:38 AM
Quote from: locustsofdeath! on 17 July, 2010, 12:48:07 PM
Oh my. Ha ha, that just might be me...the hat and the sideburns! Oh Colin, you bugger, ha!
Alrighty, asked Colin for you (with free urinary tract joke):
Quotemighty_emperor: Colin you can answer a burning question:
mighty_emperor: Why does it hurt when shark has a wee?
mighty_emperor: OK not that one
mighty_emperor: This one: Was that really locust pregnant in the Meg?
House of Usher_2: I want to know the answer to the pregnant man question too!
MacNeil: It wasn't originally, but transformed into him.
mighty_emperor: Excellent
mighty_emperor: We weren't 100% but... it was him
House of Usher_2: you mean you sketched it out first, then altered the features?
MacNeil: I didn't like the hairstyle he originally had, then I remembered LoD from Hiex with his bunnet. And lo, you have a pregnant LoD.
House of Usher_2: Locusts of Death is better looking than the guy in the strip.
House of Usher_2: Come on, everyone was thinking it.
Now all we need to know is if Roger is the father...
Ah, Usher, cheers for that!
However, Usher is NOT the father. And as for Roger...well, I was rather pissed several nights, but I don't recall him making any advances...then again, I was pissed.
And thanks Emps for clearing that up!
Now...I'm sure all of you in the chat you that night echoed House of Usher's opinion of my stunning good looks right?
Quote from: locustsofdeath! on 07 August, 2010, 01:37:58 PM
Now...I'm sure all of you in the chat you that night echoed House of Usher's opinion of my stunning good looks right?
Nope. Not a single one of 'em. Weird, huh?
Quote from: Emperor on 07 August, 2010, 12:36:37 AM
QuoteIt was a fan posting online that first drew Cook's attention to the fact that his graphic storytelling was getting sloppy. Although the artist admits that 2000 AD readers have in the past posted comments on the Internet that have "crushed his soul", this one hit home in a good way: "I went back and looked at what I'd been doing and realised that the guy was right."
Your mission, if you chose to accept it, is to find that review ;)
mission accomplished! this is the thread in question, and I was one of those who had a (constructive) little dig - but boo, to his credit, took the whole thing very well, made me feel bad for ever having said anything, and the subsequent improvement in his art was obvious. he's a top chap.
http://www.2000adonline.com/forum/index.php/topic,18494.0.html
Quote from: Dark Jimbo on 07 August, 2010, 03:28:55 PM
Quote from: Emperor on 07 August, 2010, 12:36:37 AM
QuoteIt was a fan posting online that first drew Cook's attention to the fact that his graphic storytelling was getting sloppy. Although the artist admits that 2000 AD readers have in the past posted comments on the Internet that have "crushed his soul", this one hit home in a good way: "I went back and looked at what I'd been doing and realised that the guy was right."
Your mission, if you chose to accept it, is to find that review ;)
mission accomplished! this is the thread in question, and I was one of those who had a (constructive) little dig - but boo, to his credit, took the whole thing very well, made me feel bad for ever having said anything, and the subsequent improvement in his art was obvious. he's a top chap.
http://www.2000adonline.com/forum/index.php/topic,18494.0.html
Oh crap I'm on there too :-[ - I was kind of hoping I could blame someone else:
QuoteArt - perfect compliment for it. Although it is tricky to say so in hindsight I can't think of another artist/style that would work as well with the story. It does work best on the splash pages which have been stunning but some of the action choreography doesn't feel as fluid as it could be and the detail work can often be unclear.
I can't really imagine how he must have felt reading that thread - it'd have crushed lesser artists, something to always bear in mind.
QuoteTread softly because you tread on my dreams
As you say good to see he took it on the chin and came out of the crucible a better artist.
Avoiding doing an actual reviews (as I think everyone has covered those angles already) I thought it was an excellent interview with Carlos (well done Mike, although less of the descriptions of how lovely it was a Carlos' pad as you'll make us all jealous ;) ) and it was good to get Hector's role clarified. I had assumed he was on general art assistance as required (filling in backgrounds, doing some inking and colouring to leave Carlos free to deliver the goods) but it seems he mainly does inking for him. More importantly, although he has followed his dad's style to some degree, he is apparently an artist in his own right and I'd love to see some of his own work at some point - if Tharg is wary then perhaps this is a job for FutureQuake!!
Quote from: IndigoPrime on 05 August, 2010, 01:07:01 PM
I used to love the neon-nightmare colouring from the likes of Ezquerra. I think Matt Smith's far keener on realism these days (presumably, it's easier to sell), but there's a vibrancy that's been lost in more modern 2000 AD art.
I had another look at those pages and it is interesting - there are bold splash of strong colour giving a... hyper-real feel. Some of it had a bit of a feel of John Higgins colouring (like the use of purples for shadows, etc.) but I'm not sure it is to do with computer colouring (as has been suggested elsewhere in the thread) as it'd be easy enough to do replicate the style using a computer and you can see a similar effect on some of Carlos SD work where whole panels are coloured in a wash of colour (works very nicely for those desert scenes). Colouring with computers was only really a problem in the early days when you could clearly see the airbrush at work or the colours were eye-gougingly over-saturated (not that I saw the latter in Carlos' work but I was flicking through some of the late 1990s Dredds and the colours are plain nasty). I'd go with Mr Prime in that it seems more of a move to a naturalistic colour scheme, which suits the Strontium Dog stories. I'm sure if someone came up with a story that required such bold colouring as Carlos used to do then it wouldn't be ruled out just on those grounds.
Gawd, we are a shower of bastards, aren't we. No wonder Tharg hates us. Sniff.
Quote from: TordelBack on 08 August, 2010, 08:00:45 PM
Gawd, we are a shower of bastards, aren't we. No wonder Tharg hates us. Sniff.
We? There are only 4 pages of replies so only some of us are hated by Tharg (unless you start multiplying it up by all the other threads there are reviewing the comics, then we are dicked).
Great issue! Also, the first Megazine in my subscription I've got over here. Great to have Anderson back in action. I'm a big Boo Cook fan, as my avatar shows. :D
One question, what is a bumper issue? And what does bumper mean exactly, in a comic context?
Echo all of the sentiments above. Uncanny. Except for the Matt and SLoano letter appreciation. They really sucked and seemed to be self-serving idiots. I suppose Tharg only prints what he gets sent but with those two around, I just couldn't be arsed sending letters in. They didn't help.
One technical question about the art on INABA: I really like it and love the detail and dynamism and colouring. However I did feel it was a little crowded at times. To my untrained eye, it might be because I found it hard to seperate foreground from background. But this might not be the case - I may have been prejudiced by reading the Carlos interview. So what other ways do you guys use to provide clarity between foreground and background art?
Quote from: PsychoGoatee on 17 August, 2010, 05:33:46 AM
Great issue! Also, the first Megazine in my subscription I've got over here. Great to have Anderson back in action. I'm a big Boo Cook fan, as my avatar shows. :D
One question, what is a bumper issue? And what does bumper mean exactly, in a comic context?
Bumper issues used to be what you got in british comics at holiday times, it really just means extra contents/pages and often a freebie too. In this case i think the extra pages are going some way to atone for the price hike
A 'Bumper-issue' is what grace Jones has. She now goes to a specific group therapy session every Thursday night for this mental illness though, if she relapses she has been provided with a special cream for correctly pulling up to it.
Quote from: TordelBack on 08 August, 2010, 08:00:45 PM
Gawd, we are a shower of bastards, aren't we. No wonder Tharg hates us. Sniff.
Only Rufus Dayglo hates me! :-X
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 17 August, 2010, 12:34:00 PMOne technical question about the art on INABA: I really like it and love the detail and dynamism and colouring. However I did feel it was a little crowded at times. To my untrained eye, it might be because I found it hard to seperate foreground from background. But this might not be the case - I may have been prejudiced by reading the Carlos interview. So what other ways do you guys use to provide clarity between foreground and background art?
If you look they do use colour holds (which give a sense of atmospheric perspective and make the foreground figures "pop") in the story along with a heavier black outline (as describe by Mr E), like the first panel on the second page (the one with the logo where she is falling with the city spread out beneath her) and the last panel. It might be they need to use a few more but flicking back through it I think they probably got the balance about right (it could have been used in the two bottom left panels on page two but it is always best to use it sparingly or it can get distracting - it was also used on the fire and explosions, which does help to make the figures stand out more too).
I suppose it is long overdue... Roger's mum's tunnel on the Internet (and yet oddly SFW):
http://scans-daily.dreamwidth.org/2235066.html
Plus some love for the Megazine (and Judge Minty, he is everywhere isn't he?).
Quote from: Emperor on 25 August, 2010, 03:25:08 AM
I suppose it is long overdue... Roger's mum's tunnel on the Internet (and yet oddly SFW):
http://scans-daily.dreamwidth.org/2235066.html
Plus some love for the Megazine (and Judge Minty, he is everywhere isn't he?).
Can't seem to register with that site to leave a comment, so you may want to add this: In addition to Colin Macneil's Dark Horse stuff that you mention, I recently bought the Marvel TPB "Captain America and Iron Man", collecting several of the stories where cap and IM have fought, and was surprised to find he drew one of the stories in that. It dates from 1995 and is instantly recognizable (the baddy has those round sunglasses with no obvious frames that CM likes!). Unfortunately, it's a pretty crap script.
Quote from: Dandontdare on 25 August, 2010, 08:17:51 AM
Quote from: Emperor on 25 August, 2010, 03:25:08 AM
I suppose it is long overdue... Roger's mum's tunnel on the Internet (and yet oddly SFW):
http://scans-daily.dreamwidth.org/2235066.html
Plus some love for the Megazine (and Judge Minty, he is everywhere isn't he?).
Can't seem to register with that site to leave a comment, so you may want to add this: In addition to Colin Macneil's Dark Horse stuff that you mention, I recently bought the Marvel TPB "Captain America and Iron Man", collecting several of the stories where cap and IM have fought, and was surprised to find he drew one of the stories in that. It dates from 1995 and is instantly recognizable (the baddy has those round sunglasses with no obvious frames that CM likes!). Unfortunately, it's a pretty crap script.
Yep, that'll be this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales_of_Suspense#Revival
I didn't mention it because they said they thought they'd seen his work in DC or Dark Horse.
I logged in using Open ID - if you have a Gmail account you don't need to register.
It's just that I'm at work and the login page seems to fall foul of our internet security policy!
I got 300 yesterday in pdf and read the Judge Dredd story last night and the interview with Carlos Ezquerra tonight.
Poor misguided Johnny... And I see how Judge Beeny related to the unborn and thought it was well done. Great art, too.
I really enjoyed the interview. And there's a part two next issue..? Very nice!
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 17 August, 2010, 12:34:00 PM
So what other ways do you guys use to provide clarity between foreground and background art?
Heavy dotted lines all the way! :D
Well I've decided to jump into the Meg for a couple of issues before I decide whether I want to get a subscription for both titles next week when I get paid.
Here's my take on 300 as a jump on point;
Cover: Fronts a bit blande apart from the design work on the rocket boots is awesome. Back page is a lot cooler.
Dredd: Confession, since I've only been a reader of the Prog, and have very few AD collections I've never read Amerika. I also never knew Beeney was her daughter, so that was a very cool reveal. Obviously some of specific points reagrding Amerika were lost on me, but I found this pretty enjoyable, and it made me like Beeney even more, so that a win in my eyes. Also love Colin Macniel, and that splash of the perps and judges exchanging shots was lovely.
Leaving Lilly Mackenzie till I get my hands the first two part, looks nice though.
Armitage: Didn't think the art was anything special, but the premise is cool albeit not something I've never seen before.
Hondo City Justice: Perfect first part! Felt I instantly knew what made Hondo City tick, and loved the Iron-man reference. Even though we had a japanese school girl killer in the last part of Sinister Dexter this was still badass enough that it didn't lose its punch.
Anderson: Lush Boo Cook art. Since I know Anderson from the Prog was easy to follow but seemed like pretty standard set up to me. Should be some crazy shit for Boo Cook to draw which I'm looking forward too.
Features: Liked the interview, the reviews weren't anything special. The stuff on Predators mentioned a couple of things about the comics I found intresting but the film was a pile so again it wasn't anthing special. The production values were really high so I didn't dislike the fact they were there.
Armageddon: I'd never heard anything about the premise beyond that it was a Terminator rip-off. Found it pretty enjoyable, some of the art had a very Dark Knight Returns vibe. Shame it ends unresolved, but I liked it so no complaints about its inclusion from me.
Defintley going for that Sub now!
I just read the Armitage story and while the idea wasn't exactly new, I thought the way the story was executed great.
I had recently read the Hellblazer Vertigo Crime book (DARK ENTRIES) that a friend lent me and couldn't stop thinking of it when I was reading Armitage. However, this story far surpassed what became of the Vertigo book.
I thoroughly enjoyed the art and how the story was presented.
So far, this one and the Dredd story were my faves in #300.
I didn't really care much for Lilly Mackenzie. Probably because I'm coming in late on the tale.
I did find the use of the one page of art for four pages of story questionable but the splash page following it made up for it, I think.
Really liked the "Hondo-City Justice" story. Especially the art. Looking forward to next issue.
I'm particularly enjoying the Anderson storyline - kind of more occultic detective story/ mystery than your average Judge outing and refreshing for that. The artwork is beautiful in every way - very palatable. I hope more punters warm to it and Anderson becomes a regular in the Meg.
Also loving Hondo City.
I think I'm starting to agree that the Meg should consist solely of stories linked to Dredd - Brit City, Hondo City, Anderson etc.
Quote from: HOO-HAA on 02 September, 2010, 12:57:15 PM
I think I'm starting to agree that the Meg should consist solely of stories linked to Dredd - Brit City, Hondo City, Anderson etc.
I allways thought that was the idea of the Meg anyway. You know, before all the reprint/Tank Girl shananigans. :)