amazed no one's posted this yet received mine on saturday
dredd bald ambition - not a bad story humours
black museum = really enjoyed this one very good story
anderson - oh hum very poor ending (imho)
lilly mackenzie - top read this month fantastic story really enjoyed this looks like it might finish next month hope they do a fllow on story
rest havent read yet
I've never liked stories where the characters make reference to Dredd never taking his helmet off like this months Meg Dredd. I would have thought that most Judges would keep their helmets on and remain fairly anonymous. Dredd always wearing his helmet shouldn't be a big deal to Meg cits.
I especially don't like it when a reference is made to Dredd's reluctance to remove his helmet as in the 'itchy-head' moment between Giant and Dredd. I wouldn't have thought that Dredd would completely go against logic by refusing to take his helmet off to scratch his head. It doesn't make sense.
Had a happy Saturday evening in bed reading the prog and this, after a long wet day at work:
Dredd: nice light story, loved the icthy head stuff totally in character, echo's of Dredd's response to the Mutant Flea problem paraphrasing here' yes I'm itching, I'm just not scratching!'
black museum = Had to kept reminding myself that SJS was'nt stoney face, But a great story and art
anderson - she's 50 you know...
lilly mackenzie - More Thargy! More! the best inclusion in ages
Excellent interview with Si Fraser, didn't know he was ECA
The Floppie is Armitage and a good one Mr Yeowell on half the art duties
And no Butt'man letter :lol:
Quote from: Proudhuff on 08 November, 2010, 10:26:09 AM
And no Butt'man letter :lol:
No wonder no one statrted a thread until Monday!
A bit ho-hum for me with the Dredd and Anderson both run of the mill at best. I liked Mike's Black Museum effort although I'm sure I've seen that invisible bullet somewhere before 'Wanted'? Didn't Al Ewing do a long bullet thing too? Memory fading... They also did something similar in Star Trek TNG about beaming the shot in, but that's not invisible.
I liked the Simon Fraser interview and wasn't too bothered with yet another Armitage offering - when oh when will the floppy be 'The Best Letters of Dreddlines (no Smellyfoot naturally)'?
Colin Smith's review (which I'm not reading until I've read the Meg):
http://toobusythinkingboutcomics.blogspot.com/2010/11/this-month-in-judge-dredd-megazine-304.html
Despite being a lapsed subscriber, the lovely folks at 2000AD sent me a copy of Meg 304 for free. If they are trying to tempt me back into subscription, it won't work for I am still penniless!
However if they sent it to me by complete accident then they ain't gettin it back! I have already opened it and had a read. Still feels like the usual good Meg that I remember except for Boo Cooks art on that Anderson strip. He must have been in a rush on that one.
So that's six subscribers read it...no one else on the board interested in this comic stuff then?
Getting mine tomorrow!
As I have done every month for the past 18 years! ;)
Sorry, Just me being a grumpy old huff, there seems to be no end to the ability of boarders to post about some right old tosh but when it comes to the thing this board should really be about its a tunbleweed moment ::)
Well... I've read all the strips and they were all good.
Loved the Dredd- I get the feeling that it was a from the heart plea from the writer!
And Mike's SJS guy was an interesting character- wouldn't mind seeing him again.
Quote from: Proudhuff on 09 November, 2010, 01:43:45 PM
So that's six subscribers read it...no one else on the board interested in this comic stuff then?
I read it, I just don't comment on it. I don't connect with the Megazine the way I do with 2000ad.
But I agree with the sentiments that
Lily Mackenzie is very good, and
Judge Anderson is pretty terrible (notwithstanding the art, which I like).
I'd be pretty happy to see Lily Mackenzie continue. As for the Meg as a whole, those 'bumper' issues spoiled me, to the point that this month's Meg felt a bit insubstantial. And I really wish they'd get rid of the movie reviews.
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 10 November, 2010, 10:53:15 AM
And Mike's SJS guy was an interesting character- wouldn't mind seeing him again.
it crossed my mind he would be great up against Dredd, as long as it never went down the mutual hate to grudging admiration trope. Now those two meet Cursed Earth Koburn at Mutie
CityTown 1, that has legs!
Quote from: IndigoPrime on 10 November, 2010, 11:25:52 AM
And I really wish they'd get rid of the movie reviews.
Question : Does anyone actually like the movie reviews? I know I don't, it's mentioned on here a lot by other people that they don't, and there is usually a letter on the letters page saying 'why movie reviews'.
Instead of the movie reviews, I'd prefer a comics review section, looking at other comics and trades 2000ad/Meg readers might be interested in (like Batman and Robin, Spider-man: Fever etc), but I guess the perception is that readers would flock to these other titles and it would harm sales of the Megazine itself?
Quote from: James Stacey on 10 November, 2010, 12:01:08 PM
Quote from: IndigoPrime on 10 November, 2010, 11:25:52 AM
And I really wish they'd get rid of the movie reviews.
Question : Does anyone actually like the movie reviews? I know I don't, it's mentioned on here a lot by other people that they don't, and there is usually a letter on the letters page saying 'why movie reviews'.
I don't particularly mind the movie reviews and I always end up reading them but I'd
much prefer a regular graphic novel review feature. It just makes more sense. We all readv the Meg, we all like comics so tell us about some other cool ones.
I used to really look forward to the old comic column and bought quite a few books on the strength of those reviews.
I read the film reviews, even after reading them in Total Film and Empire. I think they're always pretty good and well written. I certainly don't mind them being in the Meg.
I just don't see the point of them. The odd movie feature about comic-book adaptations would be fine, but these movies are pretty tenuously linked much of the time. I wouldn't expect a review of The Social Network in, say, MacFormat, so I'm not really sure why we're getting movie reviews in the Meg. Doubly so when the timing's so often really off (with reviewed movies having disappeared from every local cinema by the time the Meg appears).
I'm not against the writer or the content—the reviews are mostly well-written; I'd just sooner see the space used for something more relevant.
Despite being firmly against the film reviews, i always read them first. Usually in the bath. This time, there was a bit in there that sparked my interest and directly led me to spending the rest of the evening reading a number of books from a certain section of my library in an effort to hunt down a fact. Which is why i didnt pop up here to review the meg last night.
For this alone, the reviews get top marks from me.
As for the rest, Dredd was rubbish, Black Museum was very entertaining, Anderson was a bit crap and Lily was lovely. The interview with Simon Fraser was warm but lost me at the start. Who did he meet in the corridor? Sorry, i was washing my feet while reading. The vertigo thing was uninteresting to me, im afraid.
Armitage will be bagged with the others for future reading (probably never, to be honest).
A middling Meg for me. Excited about next month's though!
SBT
I'd rather have something more relevant in the Meg, but I can see why the Movie review is a simple thing to manage.
There is a hell of a lot of overlap between themes being dealt with in comics in general and to a certain extent within 2000ad and the Meg and the films being made... perhaps I'd be more interested if there was greater synergy between the current content of the comics I'm reading and those things being reviewed... as an example, perhaps re-reviewing the many werewolf movies (and other media) whilst Age Of the Wolf was running? That would need organising and careful commissioning though... so I can see why a more general movie review is what ends up being printed.
I'm not sure what the average is, but it looks like about 20 pages a month are non-strip (including ads, editorial etc.). I like the variety, and I'm not sure what filling those pages with anything else would do, I can certainly see controversy with the introduction of any new format or approach.
I'd like to see the small press return, but I know that's from a selfish point of view and I also know it wasn't very well received when it was tried before.
I'd also welcome other feature articles to do with the comics medium... there is a wealth of knowledge out there, but I am sure there would be complaints about even four pages given over to a 'how to' column... even if the remit were broad from writing tips, to something like Jim Campbell's lettering tutorials... I'd like to see concept art and process stuff... hell even something like Pete Well's cover blog would make interesting reading if expanded a little in it's remit.
I can see that anything that's not strip is going to be a bit little niche though and will be passed over by a good proportion of the readership.
Can't understand why there's not more love for the mighty Meg. Surely it's the galaxy's second greatest comic?
This month had the awesome art of Boo Cook for starters as well as a stunning cover from the same.
Rob Williams and Peter Doherty on Dredd are always good value for money too.
Hopefully next months stunning line-up-including that incredible Liam Sharp art should persuade lapsed or non-readers to pick up a copy.
Four pages of lettering tips? Think I'd rather have 4 pages of paint samples. No disrespect to Jim or any other letterers out there but I think that idea is more pish than niche!
The bottom line is that there has to be 20 pages of filler to make the Meg economically viable - if that allows me 4 long strips and some creator interviews I don't mind if it's movie reviews, 4 pages of letters (not lettering!) or some small press stuff most of which I enjoyed last time around.
After a few enjoyable Megs in a row, this one had me struggling to get through it. Nothing really grabbed me this time out. Didn't like the Dredd strip at all besides Mr. Doherty's art. Black Museum had a memorable character in the SJS Judge but I'd like to see him in a more memorable setting/story. Lilly most likely will be a fantastic read when collected. And Anderson...no (besides the Book Cook art, of course).
Thing about the Meg is, when I lived in the States and forked over a lot of cash for my prog/meg subscription I felt guilty - like I was taking food out of my daughters' mouths - because for every Meg I enjoyed there was one that just was't fun to read at all. Since I've been in England, I've been hoping the quality would become more consistent (on the good side of things, of course) and justify my subscribing to it when I return to the States. Right now, it'd be prog only.
I say that now, but of course I'll have to get it... :D
Quote from: Buttonman on 11 November, 2010, 11:35:38 PM
Four pages of lettering tips?
I think you've taken my suggestion a little out of context, I meant it as
part of a 'how to' section...
Quote from: Buttonman on 11 November, 2010, 11:35:38 PM
Think I'd rather have 4 pages of paint samples. No disrespect to Jim or any other letterers out there but I think that idea is more pish than niche!
...but that kind of proves my point I think. Even the concept of four pages of 'how to' spread across writing, art/colouring, lettering et cetera would be deemed boring by a large proportion of the readership - despite it's intrinsic relevance to the artform...
don't get me wrong, I understand that and expect nothing more, comics are for reading.
Quote from: Buttonman on 11 November, 2010, 11:35:38 PM
The bottom line is that there has to be 20 pages of filler to make the Meg economically viable
Agreed.
You can't please all of the people all of the time, and I was merely trying to illustrate a pitfall of replacing a tenuously placed feature with a more relevant but potentially less palatable alternative.
however with lots of good web comics out there, there must be some that Tharg could reprint, similar to Lilly, at a snip?
yup definately more of a Meh-azine this month, i don't think its because we've been spoilt over the last three months I think its mostly because Anderson's final part of the story was so anticlimatic. The thing that has always made anderson great wasn't always just the art but the brooding stories that focused on emotions and character development, not just linear progression of events. In the house of vyle all we had is one thing happening after another thing, now most readers have evolved and grown out of that, now why is the meg printing such a basic story? Honestly, I'm bemused. How did the events effect cassandra, how are the stories before effecting her, seemingly not at all? And why after several months of build up, was the story finished in just a couple of pages? I must admit the art was sumptous and gorgeous, however far too cartoonish and bright for Anderson, but seeing as this wasn't really an anderson story as we know them perhaps it didn't matter. Ultimately we saw bright almost cartoonish/charactured art married with a simplistic linear story, the overall result is simplistic and un satisfying. Maybe we could see Boo's art married to a better story, or a simple story married to different art. Either way something has to be done, as the once great Anderson is now just an A to B to C bland story. A great shame, espcially hightened as I reading Childhood's End at the momemt. Anyway rant over. Loved the art (though maybe not be appropraite for Anderson). Hated the story.
I take it the armitage gn skips the final pre renumbered stories?
city of the dead the second flashback ect
Having reread it this morning, Armitage was one of the things I really liked this month, particularly the black-and-white strip. Looks like the dire Gronk strip's next month's bagged comic though. Blech.
An okay Meg, but the Dredd story is rubbish. Nothing against the art, but the story is just pish.
Everything else was okay, and I look forward to Lily's climax (ooer) next month.
I like the movie reviews, but would definitely prefer a graphic novel section.
I enjoy the Meg but this one seemed a bit light compared to recent issues.
The Dredd story was very pantomime-ish, and kinda reminded me of those 1970's wrestling bouts where someone always tried to get Kendo Nagasaki's mask off!
Black Museum was one of the better ones and I enjoyed it - Dyers art suited the story well.
Lilly was the best thing in it - I enjoyed this when I read it on the web, and enjoy it just as much in print. I'll no doubt enjoy it a third time round when I buy it when it's collected.
Anderson reminds me of the later Samantha Slade stories before Ian Gibson tired of it and left. The creatives seem to be spreading out a slim story to stretching point - and it's a shame 'cos I love all those involved. Let's hope for a deeper, tighter story next time round.
I like the text pieces; I always find the interviews interesting, articles on graphic novels are appreciated (although this one is one I won't be getting) and I actually like the film reviews - it's not as if they are writing about the latest Jennifer Aniston, they all have something to do with the genres we love, and I have been known to hunt out a film on DVD because of a good review in the Meg.
Quotehowever with lots of good web comics out there, there must be some that Tharg could reprint, similar to Lilly, at a snip
This is a damned fine idea and if Tharg wants to run my time travelling, demon hunting Japanese warrior webcomic, he can do it for free! (I'm sure the other creatives involved will agree!)
Dear Tharg
Please can you fix it for me to marry Mr Doherty?
Yers Awesom.
BPP.
PS. May need sex-change or country allowing gay marriage.
Finally gotten around to reading this (well, all I've actually managed is the Dredd and some of Si's interview). Thought the Dredd was laugh out loud funny. Dredd isn't the sort of Judge to remove his helmet while on street duty - why would a riot cop remove some armour while waiting on a riot to break out? (I mean, leaving his helmet on in the bath is a whole lot more bonkers than not taking it off while on duty - but I can't imagine anyone complaining about the reality of that story). Also: just because those bald idiots keep saying he doesn't take his helmet off doesn't mean anything; they're clearly delusional - they've built, in their heads, an entire history for Dredd and why he keeps the helmet on. I loved the fact that Dredd sort of lets them go along with it, all the while, clearly trying to escape.
Did feel it sort of went against the whole bald continuity Gordon and I established, but then, there's the little panel about Bea Arthur block already in there, which just made the whole thing funnier for me.
-pj
Quote from: pauljholden on 16 November, 2010, 11:04:09 AM
Finally gotten around to reading this (well, all I've actually managed is the Dredd and some of Si's interview). Thought the Dredd was laugh out loud funny. Dredd isn't the sort of Judge to remove his helmet while on street duty - why would a riot cop remove some armour while waiting on a riot to break out? (I mean, leaving his helmet on in the bath is a whole lot more bonkers than not taking it off while on duty - but I can't imagine anyone complaining about the reality of that story). Also: just because those bald idiots keep saying he doesn't take his helmet off doesn't mean anything; they're clearly delusional - they've built, in their heads, an entire history for Dredd and why he keeps the helmet on. I loved the fact that Dredd sort of lets them go along with it, all the while, clearly trying to escape.
Did feel it sort of went against the whole bald continuity Gordon and I established, but then, there's the little panel about Bea Arthur block already in there, which just made the whole thing funnier for me.
-pj
Really enjoyed the Dredd story. Found myself sniggering all the way through it.
It might of been a bit of lightweight fluff compared to the darker Dredd strips, but I appreciated the change of tone for once.
And Peter Doherty art-yum!
Quote from: petenix on 12 November, 2010, 01:07:30 PM
The thing that has always made anderson great wasn't always just the art but the brooding stories that focused on emotions and character development, not just linear progression of events. In the house of vyle all we had is one thing happening after another thing, now most readers have evolved and grown out of that, now why is the meg printing such a basic story?
But Andersons 'redemption arc' has been thoroughly explored. Not all stories need to be deep and meaningful. Dredds character has taken some long development arcs over the years but there is still room for some harmless fluff stories. My only real criticism of the story is I'd have prefered Boo to do the colouring too. I enjoyed the Dredd, fun stuff. The 'Tales from the Black Museum' was a cracker too. I find some of them a little hit and miss but this was a hit for me. Lilly Makenzie is, as always, a joy. Proper sci-fi with actual science concept, character and emotion. I'm really hoping we get a collection of it to feed to my friends.
Anderson's redemption arc may well be finished with but there is mileage in her character. I can't believe she's 50! She's never drawn that way - gorgeous though the art often is. Perhaps as a woman grows and matures she actually, you know, changes, has different views, different experiences. Perhaps that could be tied in to something science fictional. It's a chance to do a fantastic character as different as The Ballad of Halo Jones was.
Still, House of Vyle entertained me well until the last episode where I think it wimped out. I was disappointed. I thought the Abraham Lincolnesque Judge was strangely hot. Um...
The rest was okay. The invisible bullet idea seemed a bit cliched given the overuse of this idea in conventional crime fiction (usually as bullets made of ice.) The SJS judge was pretty cool though.
edit: Oh and I loved Lily MacKenzie. Moar plz.
Being a baldy, I thought the Dredd strip was cheap, nasty and offensive.
Only joking! But I thought it was a bit longer than the idea could sustain, it perhaps would've had a better impact as a shorter strip in toothy.
We're all agreed on the Black Museum strip then? Good stuff, managing to be entertaining with a familiar concept. Love Dyer-makes MC1 look nicely scuzzy!
+1 for Lily here too, this has been fantastic and I'll really miss it when it's finished. Please Tharg, can I have some more?
Anderson ended rather abruptly right enough-great art (and cover), but overall this was just ok storywise, imo. I feel Anderson maybe needs a new perspective or a hiatus, no disrespect to Grant at all, but he's done a lot with the character including some of the best ever strips published in the Meg, but has she become too comfortable?
I always enjoy the interviews and read the film reviews-they can stay as long as need be-but I do enjoy the comic related features more.
Haven't read the floppie yet, but a good Meg altogether for me.
M
hard to believe from that cover, but yes... she's 50, the rumours of stokkie glands abound!
Quote from: petenix on 12 November, 2010, 01:07:30 PM
yup definately more of a Meh-azine this month, i don't think its because we've been spoilt over the last three months I think its mostly because Anderson's final part of the story was so anticlimatic. The thing that has always made anderson great wasn't always just the art but the brooding stories that focused on emotions and character development, not just linear progression of events. In the house of vyle all we had is one thing happening after another thing, now most readers have evolved and grown out of that, now why is the meg printing such a basic story? Honestly, I'm bemused. How did the events effect cassandra, how are the stories before effecting her, seemingly not at all? And why after several months of build up, was the story finished in just a couple of pages? I must admit the art was sumptous and gorgeous, however far too cartoonish and bright for Anderson, but seeing as this wasn't really an anderson story as we know them perhaps it didn't matter. Ultimately we saw bright almost cartoonish/charactured art married with a simplistic linear story, the overall result is simplistic and un satisfying. Maybe we could see Boo's art married to a better story, or a simple story married to different art. Either way something has to be done, as the once great Anderson is now just an A to B to C bland story. A great shame, espcially hightened as I reading Childhood's End at the momemt. Anyway rant over. Loved the art (though maybe not be appropraite for Anderson). Hated the story.
I think this has been a problem with Anderson for a while now. From the point when Grant took over sole writing duties on the strip up until the Half-Life saga, the majority of stories were about exploring/developing Anderson as a character, but in the last few years the strip has just devolved into a series of runarounds with no real development or consequence. It's become just a bunch of stuff that happens. Dredd can get away with throwaway stories as it's published every week, and it would be unrealistic for every single one to be a classic. But when you have a strip like Anderson that's only published semi-regularly, spreading such a thin story over several months feels like a bit of a wasted effort. You start to wonder if you should care any more, if the writer apparently doesn't.
Boo's art is really outstanding, but I'm tempted to say it's wasted on such lackluster material.
Is it me, or is there a general feeling that its time for a purge of longstanding 2000ad characters, especially those who have overstayed their welcome? ( I believe it's called Tankgirling ;))
Quote from: Daveycandlish on 14 November, 2010, 02:31:13 PM
Quotehowever with lots of good web comics out there, there must be some that Tharg could reprint, similar to Lilly, at a snip
This is a damned fine idea and if Tharg wants to run my time travelling, demon hunting Japanese warrior webcomic, he can do it for free! (I'm sure the other creatives involved will agree!)
I agree. And I've got the perfect Jikan script for the Meg. Hit me up, Tharg-baby.
Write in to Dreddlines and offer, anything to stop Butt'man getting a letter in ;)
Lily Mckenzie is the best thing in the meg, hope they have something as good to replace it.
David
Quote from: maryanddavid on 20 November, 2010, 08:17:56 PM
Lily Mckenzie is the best thing in the meg, hope they have something as good to replace it.
David
Its gonna be Cursed Earth Coburn I think. Looking forward to it.
As I'm also looking forward to the ever inspirational Interrogation, with Si Davis in the spot-light.
The strips were all okay. Anderson ended too didn't it? I guess there must be another replacement this coming Meg too then.
Quote from: maryanddavid on 20 November, 2010, 08:17:56 PM
Lily Mckenzie is the best thing in the meg, hope they have something as good to replace it.
David
That's another vote for more Thargy....
More Lilly Mackenzie or Ian Gibsons Lifeboat please Tharg.
Lifeboat would be a coup for the Meg.
V
Quote from: vzzbux on 23 November, 2010, 08:43:49 PM
Lifeboat would be a coup for the Meg.
V
Well, that depends on if it's actually any good or not.
Liked the Dredd story and, despite the fact he doesn't quite do the wacky elements right, Doherty's art is fantastic.
I think I like the film reviews but not Anderson.
And I'm amazed at how much I like Lily; the art was always a given but the writing has been damn fine too.
(Oh and mine was a freebie too).
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 23 November, 2010, 09:03:14 PM
Quote from: vzzbux on 23 November, 2010, 08:43:49 PM
Lifeboat would be a coup for the Meg.
Well, that depends on if it's actually any good or not.
Very true but just to have Gibson back in the meg, at his best, would be divine.
V
Not touched the floppy GN or Lilly Mackeenzie yet, the latter I'm gunna go back and read the earlier instalments first to get the most out of it.
Anyway;
Dredd: Ok, love Peter Doherys art, but it's not the best match for this style of story.
Tale from the Black Museum: Really straight forward but entertaining story I thought. And I'll forgive Nick Dyer for the odd confusing panel, because his black and white wrok is just beautiful here.
Anderson: Despite it being a pointless storyline, with a bit of a cliched finish. I abosultey loved this, and I think it was entriely down to Boo Cook's art. In the hand os a lesser artist Anderson getting thrown around like a rag doll for 2 pages would have just highlighted the lack of true menace in the stroy (i.e why doesnt he just kill her then and there?) But Cook makes it look painful, by the end she looks truely beat up and her shoulderpads and badge breaking apart was a really nice touch. The splash page, and coloring throughout were also absolutley gorgeous.
Articales: Simon Fraser is an intresting guy, he is one of my favourite artists in the industry so good to hear from the man himself. As always I don't care for the film review but it atleast made me consider giving Let Me In a watch if I got the chance, as previously I had no intrest what-so-ever.
Overall: Nothing special so far. Know Lilly will be good and can't wait for more, an I'll report home about the "GN" later. All throwaway stories but atleast with gorgeous art.
Cheers,
Lee
Peter Cushing's character in Twins of Evil is called Vile. Dunno if spelt same? Is this a deliberate ref (probably pointed out by someone clever 4 months back)
I'd be very interested to know how many of us are actually live on this board & how many buy The Meg. I use to love it, but as far as I can see - it's been in trouble for a long time & I keep expecting to see it go. I'm glad it hasn't - but from what I do see (I read a friends copy when he buys it) it struggles & is perhaps over expensive for what you actually get. Film reviews would also be left to Empire & the countless websites that do these. I see nothing to make me buy it again, which is a shame as I've been reading 2k since prog 555ish & was onboard with The Meg. for some 15/18 years.
Quote from: Judge Olde on 02 December, 2010, 10:07:09 AM
I'd be very interested to know how many of us are actually live on this board & how many buy The Meg. I use to love it, but as far as I can see - it's been in trouble for a long time & I keep expecting to see it go. I'm glad it hasn't - but from what I do see (I read a friends copy when he buys it) it struggles & is perhaps over expensive for what you actually get. Film reviews would also be left to Empire & the countless websites that do these. I see nothing to make me buy it again, which is a shame as I've been reading 2k since prog 555ish & was onboard with The Meg. for some 15/18 years.
So... You're saying that it's "perhaps over expensive" and yet you don't buy your own copy. There's a connection there, you know!
This is the formula: more people buying comic = more money coming in = reduced cover price
-- Mike
I gave up on the Meg during the reprint years, but i think it is excellent just now (film reviews aside, even they have improved this year), and excellent value.
The quailty of the stories are better that you get in the majority of US comics (have you seen the price of them?) and half their space is adverts. People seem to buy them blindly just because it has the Bat or a gaint X on it, regardless of quality.
For the price of a couple of them you're getting three or four great stories, with the odd duffer, interviews with the creators, and articles which are mainly comic related,and the floppie trade... Jeezy peeps!! what do you want for the price of two pints? Blood?
The anniversary bumper issues were excellent value for money, and even after the price increase for the standard page count I think it's not too bad.
The interrogations are always intresting, the qaulity of the strips is usually very high, the other articales and reviews etc I don't really care much for. But you can't complain when you get the floppy GN too, as for me I haven't read most of the stuff they are reprinting.
Cheers,
Lee
Quote from: Mike Carroll on 02 December, 2010, 11:40:16 AM
Quote from: Judge Olde on 02 December, 2010, 10:07:09 AM
I'd be very interested to know how many of us are actually live on this board & how many buy The Meg. I use to love it, but as far as I can see - it's been in trouble for a long time & I keep expecting to see it go. I'm glad it hasn't - but from what I do see (I read a friends copy when he buys it) it struggles & is perhaps over expensive for what you actually get. Film reviews would also be left to Empire & the countless websites that do these. I see nothing to make me buy it again, which is a shame as I've been reading 2k since prog 555ish & was onboard with The Meg. for some 15/18 years.
So... You're saying that it's "perhaps over expensive" and yet you don't buy your own copy. There's a connection there, you know!
This is the formula: more people buying comic = more money coming in = reduced cover price
-- Mike
...although you also shouldn't buy a comic you feel isn't offering value for money out of sheer loyalty. I'm enjoying the Meg at the moment but I have kept buying through periods when I thought it was quite bad. That was my choice. Expecting people to do that as a matter of course is a far from ideal plan.
I can't understand it when people say they can't afford the Meg. It's 6 quid! Take your own sandwiches to work 2 days out of every month and you've saved about 6 quid.
Obviously some people literaly haven't got the money for it but most people probably spend 6 quid in the blink of an eye on other stuff and think nothing of it. Like Proudfoot says, it's the price of 2 pints and, I think, bloody good value for a comic at todays prices.
Both the Meg and Twoth are great value for money. Considering the prices of some of the dross out there. For a while Robbie was getting the Spongebob comic and the meat of that was stills from the complete episode that issue was featuring. I think that was £3 fortnightly.
V
Absolutely. My littlest still gets dr who comic, which works oyt at a tenner or so a month, for 120+ pages of hastily-thrown together wank. It really is utterly pathetic, and to even call it a comic is to pay great insult to every single British comic published over the last hundred or so years. And that includes 'The Thing Is Big Ben'. *
In comparison, the Meg is basically given away and stuffed with manna from heaven.
SBT
*Ask me why i buy it for him then. Go on i dare you. And prepare to see a photo of my gorgeous little boy crying his eyes out, completely heartbroken, because it hasnt come in this week due to the snow.
If when reading the Meg I enjoyed most of what I mostly skim read through - I'd buy it. I tired of paying for reprints that I'd already paid for once & if I wanted to read tankgirl I would. The Meg has become more magazine than comic now - perhaps?
Quote from: Judge Olde on 02 December, 2010, 08:58:41 PM
If when reading the Meg I enjoyed most of what I mostly skim read through - I'd buy it. I tired of paying for reprints that I'd already paid for once & if I wanted to read tankgirl I would. The Meg has become more magazine than comic now - perhaps?
You know Tank Girl has been gone for over 6 months ?
Quote from: Judge Olde on 02 December, 2010, 08:58:41 PM
If when reading the Meg I enjoyed most of what I mostly skim read through - I'd buy it. I tired of paying for reprints that I'd already paid for once & if I wanted to read tankgirl I would. The Meg has become more magazine than comic now - perhaps?
Well the comic pages
far outweigh the article pages. Also, what articles there are, usually about 50% are must read, the other 50% are usually entertaining to some degree and most of the comics are great.
Not that I'm trying to twist your arm into buying it or anything but a Judge Dredd fan not buying the Meg just boggles my mind.
I havent been reading the Meg long; so excuse my ignornace if what I say contradicts the truth of the matter before I jumped onboard, say MEG 207. Anyway; I've been thinking the last couple of weeks, what story format suits the MEG best. For AD I like a full line up of ongoings all similar length, if one drops off early fill it with a FS.
With the MEG I really like the Dredd one shots and the Tales from the Black Museum, but with the other stories my enjoyment really is dependant on how long it runs. Lilly Mackenzie, slowly developing, chracter driven, makes sense it running for a good few months. But with Anderson I don't think there was enough to the story to justify the length it ran. Whilst Hondo City and the latest Armitage both seemed to wrap up too quickly, there seemed be a lot more they could explore but moving on so quickly made what we did see seem throw away.
I know the craziness of MegaCity-One and the seemingly simple nature of Dredd is what makes the character so versatile, you can shake up the tone and length of a thrill and it can always pack a punch. Would Anderson, Armitage and Inaba benifit from the One shot format? I don't mind the Prog when it is a short breezy read, with some laughs and just gorgeous art to look at, even with little to no dialogue like Skakara or Kingdom. Afterall we only have to wait a week till the next instalment. The Meg on the otherhand we wait a month, the strips go by a lot faster than articales, I wouldn't mind a denser read. Some of Alec Worleys work, Dandridge in paticular since the Prog alread has Ampney Crucis would shine in the Meg, whereas in the Prog it sometimes comes across overly wordy.
Any thoughts from you guys?
Cheers,
Lee
i would'nt mind if they did some stories maybe something like was in LoEG would be good and would be more relevant than some of the articules.. i know the interviews are interesting but think there getting close to running out of people to do interviews with
there is still Wagner... :D
Quote from: vzzbux on 23 November, 2010, 08:43:49 PM
Lifeboat would be a coup for the Meg.
AS would be that Mike McMahon Tank Girl he's currently working on. :) :) :)
Quote from: O Lucky Stevie! on 13 December, 2010, 01:29:02 AM
Quote from: vzzbux on 23 November, 2010, 08:43:49 PM
Lifeboat would be a coup for the Meg.
AS would be that Mike McMahon Tank Girl he's currently working on. :) :) :)
I think the problem with TG is/was its lack of substance, the art has always been top notch, MM would be continuing that situation.
Playing catch up? Yup, that's me Sam!
Sooooooo, much has been said already here and to be fair I'm in with the majority of posters. Lilly and the Black Museum are very nice indeed, quite frankly. In fact I'm starting to think wam thoughts about Lillly GNs! I thought Nick Dyer seemed to go a bit McMahon in some of the earlier panels, which was nice, then became more Dyer later on, which was interesting. But nobody else has mentioned it so maybe its just me. I did like the colouring again in Anderson.
I'll stop there as I want to focus in my favourite bits.
All in all, as a new Meg reader, I'm liking it a lot. I AM aware though that it's critically dependent on having at least two out of the four stories plus GN being winners. 302 was strong, but 303 & 4 have been good but close to the edge. The Meg clearly has an important role though and I feel a bit bad about taking so long to jump on. The £2 price point on clickwheel and the Megacast however won me over!
See you in 305!
Now who could I contact regarding the fact my letter prize hasn't arrived?
maybe write a letter...?
Is this some sort of pre-scripted comedy duo I see in action here...? ;)
My local comic shop finally got this in (along with some more recent Megs). I'm rereading progs from 2006, with Boo Cook's occasionally hard-to-follow artwork on Harry Kipling. I love Harry, but sometimes the pages were a bit too dense with color. Cook's work on the Anderson House of Vyle story here - nowhere close to Alan Grant's best work - is just amazing and vibrant. I can't wait to see what he draws next.