The Galaxy's Greatest 2000 AD blog charges into action today (http://bit.ly/Szfk3y) for its autumn attack! For the next ten weeks, we'll be looking back at what was going on throughout 2008 in the pages of the UK's top science fiction comics, 2000 AD and Judge Dredd Megazine. First up, a few comments about the Dredd movie, and a brief overview of how darn amazing that first lineup of 2008 was. Plus, Shakara cutting a tyrannosaur in half.
Wayhey that most novel of occasions where I agree wholeheartedly with Mr Goggins, well except for the fact that I've never been Sticklebacks biggest fan and I'll set aside my reservations about the fact there's a big dip in quality coming (well Ten-seconders aside) and enjoy agreeing with your always excellent posts for once.
I rarely wish to sharpen the knives when writing about my favorite comic, but *everything* - apart from a three-part Dante story - was awful in the spring of '08. I wish that I had the time and patience to scan some of Shaun Thomas's panels from The Ten-Seconders to show off just how amazingly rotten they are, but picking out the examples that I did choose instead was enough of a chore. Thanks for the encouragement, though! I'll get through it and have more fun writing about Defoe and The Vort in a couple of weeks.
In today's little chapter (http://bit.ly/VSn0Ao), switching over to the Megazine to talk about John Cooper's old-fashioned artwork on Armitage, and Jon Davis-Hunt's dynamic work on Tempest. Enjoy!
In today's entry (http://bit.ly/PbyBZO), I throw expectations completely on their head and go negative, taking an important Dredd story to task, along with Dead Eyes, Ten-Seconders, and the rest of that awful spring '08 lineup. Thank heaven that's done with!
Well I'm glad to say I'm back on my 'stuff and nonsense' tac with Grant here. The Spring of '08 may not be a highlight in the Prog's illustrious history, but its also nowhere near a low either. Nowhere near.
I really enjoyed Dead Signal thinking it more John Smith like that the parallel running John Smith story Dead Eyes. Dead Eyes is not John Smith's best I'll grant (no pun intended) you but even sub-standard John Smith is better than the vast majority.
Its hard to deny the points made about Nick Dyers art in the 'Regrets' but over all its an enjoyable story and the art isn't uniformly bad, if not as good as what he's now capable of.
Ten Seconders on the other hand... yeah well now that really did struggle I have to admit.
So what has been the low light since Smith became editor? If not this season, when?
Quote from: Grant Goggans on 18 October, 2012, 10:58:18 AM
So what has been the low light since Smith became editor? If not this season, when?
Stalag 666
Quote from: Grant Goggans on 18 October, 2012, 10:58:18 AM
So what has been the low light since Smith became editor? If not this season, when?
Fair question and one I don't feel 100% qualifiedly to answer without a bit more digging but there's a period around the 1360-70ish that has stuff like Valkyries, some ropey Slaine, Bec and Krawl as well as some dodgy Dredd's. Oh and I think Pussyfoot 5 (possibly the worst of John Smith, rather than just not his best). There's some good stuff in there too, in fact great stuff, but there's a lot of stuff I don't get on with.
That said the perspective I was talking was during the comics history, as you do reflect this period to the grim 900s and I don't think its anywhere near that bad (nor is the period I mention above) by a stretch.
For me here 3 good stories (I like Savage as well), an pretty good Dredd and one that's terrible. If your score is as it is then I can defo see why you rate it as such but for me miles off.
Richmond, I'm keen to see whether Stalag 666 is as bad a strip as I recall, but it also ran alongside some excellent Dredds, the first Ampney Crucis, and Lobster Random, all of which I like a lot.
Colin, Valkyries - certainly a stinker - ran opposite all kinds of fine things, including that excellent Red Seas with the Colossus of Rhodes, Sinister Dexter when it was still good, and the Dredd story that introduced Dolman, as drawn by Ezquerra.
Now, it's true that if you back up into the end of 2003, you hit a patch with - horrors! - Dead Men Walking and Synnamon, the practically perfect red-haired girl. That was pretty bleak. I expect fan consensus would point to that run as worse than spring '08.
But for me, nope. Other than that 3-part Dante story, there was nothing in the comic at all that I wanted to read for about eleven weeks. Dead Signal, in its defense, was better than I remembered it, and I'm glad for the ending of Dead Eyes, but I did not like it at all. Fortunately, the Megazine was amazing at the time - as will be shown next week - and the Extreme Editions were reprinting "The Slaying of Slade," and right around the corner, there was "The Edgar Case" and "Amerika" and Defoe and The Vort... I just started rereading this run and it was terrific.
Quote from: Grant Goggans on 18 October, 2012, 12:58:03 PM
...everybody will be Monday morning quarterbacking...
...Never mind the Monday morning quarterbacking...
Grant, old chap, you're really going to have to explain that one for the benefit of readers not well-versed in the queer ways of you colonials...
I agree with your opinion of
Dead Eyes completely (to the extent of accidentally finding myself in a flame war with John Smith here on the board at the time!)- with the rather huge caveat that in hindsight I have a lot more time for it.
Indigo Prime was
so bizarre,
so outre, so downright
bonkers that such a relatively dull lead-in actually works wonderfully well. Had it been as out-there as Indigo Prime it'd be easy to write off all the madness as 'just how John Smith writes'. As it is the madness seems a lot more specifically symptomatic of IP's universe - that our world may
seem grey and boring, but if we were ever able to step through the magician's curtain...
Anyway, we need IP back in the prog.
NFL games are typically played on Sundays, leading water cooler talk at offices on Monday during the season to center around discussions of what the quarterback from the losing team should have done differently. It's an appropriate metaphor for "what I'd do if I were Tharg," since most pipe dreams ("Indigo Prime, 36 weeks every year") are stymied by the harsh reality of the real world ("John Smith doesn't seem to actually want to write that many, for some fool reason, and we can't force him to.")
...
I like Dead eyes...that was the highlight of this run...
Great piece Grant, even by your standards.
However, I think you're really hard on Dead Signal, which I loved: art (both styles), design, setup, switcheroos... yeah, if there's one recent new series I wanted more of but didn't get, it was that.
Similarly, Savage: did we really need to know what went wrong between books? A popular uprising may have the upper hand in the short term, and in London specifically, but the Yanks don't show, and then the boundless reserves of the Volgan Republic come pouring across the channel and here we are again. I enjoyed this one a lot, particularly Pat stepping away from his niece-raping pseudo-American occupiers and back to all that Gorky Park headgear, Klashnikovs and Lahn-dahn caff culture (if I'm remembering the right story).
Also, ...Regrets. Your analysis of both script and art is pointed and probably correct, but its telling that I didn't form that impression at all at the time or since. I thought it was a great story with fabulously characterful art, a real highlight of the Mutant Rights saga. Not to say you're wrong in your assessment of the way script and art struggle with each other, just that it obviously worked for me.
it is difficult to point the finger at a 'worst' Smith era without undertaking your sort of retrospective. So maybe I'll do just that.
In this week's installment (http://bit.ly/XXsfxc), an amazing and underrated Low Life story, and Bob the Galactic Bum! Have a read and tell your friends!
In this week's 2000 AD (#1807), there is an amazing twist that people are raving about. In this week's Thrillpowered Thursday (http://bit.ly/QVHpAh), the story of another amazing twist from a 2008 issue, plus the return of Pat Mills' Defoe. Enjoy!
In this week's Thrillpowered Thursday (http://bit.ly/Qqal6D), a really good detective procedural in Judge Dredd, and an epic Nikolai Dante story in which things fall completely apart.
Having said that, if I could wave at you guys for a little help...? I know some of you enjoy the blog a lot, but I've just looked at my stats and it's been really woeful the last three weeks. If you're liking it, please share it on Facebook or Twitter or drop Freeman or Spurgeon or McDonald a line or something, because my promotional efforts are apparently hitting that wall of familiarity, where people recognize the weekly link and keep moving. Or am I doing something wrong with the blog itself, is it just not fun or engaging to read anymore? Is it getting tired, or do I need a new approach? Help me out!
I really like your blogs, Grant, but the sharing and liking thing is not second nature to me in the way it is to kids. The telly, films and books I grew up with never required anything of me other than passive enjoyment, so I sometimes forget that interaction and recommendation are the lifeblood of endeavours such as your own. I wouldn't object if you want to unleash your inner popularity whore and remind me at the end of your blog posts to spread the love a little.
I really value what you do, whether that's allowing me to wallow in the shared nostalgia of things I read at the time, or setting in context stories like The Edgar File, which I've only read as part of the Tour of Duty collection and which I'm sure will read slightly differently when I go back to look at it as a discrete story, as your always engaging blog has prompted me to do.
In this week's Thrillpowered Thursday, (http://bit.ly/U10GTp) there's a surprise twist in The Vort, and while everybody knew that a twist was imminent, it's not the one they figured was coming. Also, Defoe and Nikolai Dante. Enjoy!
Quote from: Grant Goggans on 15 November, 2012, 07:14:09 AM
In this week's Thrillpowered Thursday, (http://bit.ly/U10GTp) there's a surprise twist in The Vort, and while everybody knew that a twist was imminent, it's not the one they figured was coming.
Any opinions on the Crispy situation, with a bit of distance for perspective? Recent event demonstrate that we're all still well up for the kind of inter-strip shocks that only an anthology can deliver, but back then, in the flurry of
Malone/Dead Eyes/The Vort was it a reveal too far? Personally I liked the story
and the twist, but I don't think what followed since really did either the setup or one of my favourite characters justice. Touch of the
War Machines about it.
Quote from: TordelBack on 15 November, 2012, 09:41:20 AM
Recent event demonstrate that we're all still well up for the kind of inter-strip shocks that only an anthology can deliver, but back then, in the flurry of Malone/Dead Eyes/The Vort was it a reveal too far? Personally I liked the story and the twist, but I don't think what followed since really did either the setup or one of my favourite characters justice. Touch of the War Machines about it.
It was a piece of unfortunate timing I think. Each story in its own right was fine and the twist fantastic. As it was all together, even when re-reading, it felt a bit much.
I'll have to reserve my opinion about Crispy and the fourth Lobster Random story for two more weeks. That's in part because you should all "stay tuned!" and in part because I honestly don't remember the fourth Lobster Random story, but I'm going to start rereading it tonight! :lol:
The biggest shame was that it left Lobster Random on the brink of that one, last big story that it had clearly been building up to from the start... and that we never got.
Quote from: Grant Goggans on 08 November, 2012, 08:09:54 AM
In this week's Thrillpowered Thursday (http://bit.ly/Qqal6D), a really good detective procedural in Judge Dredd, and an epic Nikolai Dante story in which things fall completely apart.
Having said that, if I could wave at you guys for a little help...? I know some of you enjoy the blog a lot, but I've just looked at my stats and it's been really woeful the last three weeks. If you're liking it, please share it on Facebook or Twitter or drop Freeman or Spurgeon or McDonald a line or something, because my promotional efforts are apparently hitting that wall of familiarity, where people recognize the weekly link and keep moving. Or am I doing something wrong with the blog itself, is it just not fun or engaging to read anymore? Is it getting tired, or do I need a new approach? Help me out!
You're definitely not doing anything wrong from where I'm sitting. I think it's a great read.
Your posts always manage to be both informative and opinionated while maintaining a breezy and evenhanded tone even when you're down on something. This means that even when you're wrong (and you have been wrong a few times recently) it's still a good read. I always intend to comment on them but the problem is that a considered piece demands a considered response. These days I tend to keep up with things like this on my phone and typing anything more than "Dredd = Ace; Greysuit=pants" on that is a real hassle so I end up forgetting about it.
As for promoting it, like Sauchie it's not really what I think of when reading something and almost everyone I know who'd be interested is on here anyway. I'll try to give it a shot for you though.
Oh yeah, 'Damned Jones' name is one of my favourite Millsisms of recent years too.
In this week's episode (http://bit.ly/TR6oTe), Tank Girl joins the cast of the Megazine. Here's the story of that fateful day, with a short look back at Deadline to give a little context to what in the world is goin' on here.
No being a Meg reader I dopn't often comment on the Meg posts... why would I., BUTTTTT here's its really interesting to read some thoughts about Tank Girl in the Meg without out any (well hardly any) reference to the hullabaloo that surrounded it and really is the only thing I have as a marker for the series. As ever nice one Grant, now onto the poo...
I will certainly come back to the malaise surrounding Tank Girl later on!
But this week, yes, it's time, as you say, for the poo (http://bit.ly/TqL7kz). The interesting thing about this reread is that I realized that I must have more disappointed by the incident than I knew, because I didn't pay attention to 2000 AD for a couple of months. So one topic this week is how I have no memory of the Lobster Random story where he has no memory, and one topic next week will be how I completely lost track of what the heck was happening in ABC Warriors.
QuoteIt's never good to have a sociopath among your ranks, because it makes everybody look bad.
Heh!
I think your interpretation of the motives of the contemptible asshole behind Poogate is sound: it was sour grapes, and not even the maddest form of 'criticism'.
I almost can't believe that the post-Vort Lob story ran at the same time as Stalag 666! The latter seems like ancient history, while the former is something I keep expecting to see an advert for the next part. C'mon Tharg, don't succumb to copramnesia, commission that sucker.
When I re-read Stalag 666 I really quite enjoyed it, it was dumb (I originally typed that as dump, how Freudian is that!) stupid fun, like a corny action movie. Read as one I do think it works better than when serialised and its awash with faults (many of which Grant points out), plots holes and art I don't really get on with BUT it was kinda fun. The events that surrounded it were of course ridiculous, but I'd hope that the actions of one complete idiot don't reflect on 2000ad fandom as a whole. Fans of football clubs get that a lot and it bugs me. Tony Lee has every right to react to it as he choices and as extremely as he wants. His response seemed very reasonable and restrained in the circumstance, BUT the rest of the world casting it as judgement on 2000ad fandom as a whole (did that happen though?), rather than the actions of one complete ass hole (excuse the pun) is a bit off.
Still talk of Lobster Random always cheers me up and I really enjoyed the post Vort series, as I have all Lobster Random if I'm honest, one of my favourites. When I had a quick chat at Thought Bubble with Si Spurrier I did the fanboy thing and asked if it would be returning. He very politely said he'd like to as he knows he left it on a bit of a cliffhanger but I didn't have plans and I worry that he's so busy elsewhere it might be a while to get to the top of the pile. Damn those 2000ad writers and their success elsewhere... hmmm I wonder if there's anything I can do about that... excuse me a moment...
Quote from: TordelBack on 29 November, 2012, 08:26:01 AM
I think your interpretation of the motives of the contemptible asshole behind Poogate is sound: it was sour grapes
I get the runs when I eat a lot of fruit too, but that's no explanation for the culprit using The Royal Mail as a waste contractor. Thanks,
Grant; you've made me glad I sat out the second half of the Noughties.
In the last entry before the holiday break (http://bit.ly/SzByBs), it's the ABC Warriors, but, more importantly, the debut of Ampney Crucis, whom we'll all be seeing again in one week.
"It's the most wonderful day
Of the week..."
Getting dependent on this, Hipster Dad. Don't make the holiday holiday last too long.
Damnit, meant to say: I thought the wooden feet were a myth!
Nope! They're clearly visible in the second story, when Ampney's in the altogether. I know, that argyle sock took all our attention...
This is an interesting period of 2000 AD for me. 2008 was the year I made the attempt to switch to digital via Clickwheel thinking I could save some money. It was also the year I got laid off (fortunately not for too long).
But anyway, it was a colossal failure. Between a number of strips that left me cold, getting frustrated with reading a portrait formatted comic on a landscape computer screen, any my comic budget going to zero over night 2000 AD fell by the wayside after three strong years of its really rocking my thrill receptors.
It would be two years before I started ordering the Prog again, and another year after that before I filled in the two years I had missed. This experience has kinda left a dark cloud over all of 2008's content. Which is probably harsh, because if I remember correctly we got a Kingdom and a Shakara that year. But as a I result I never really got into Ampney Crucis as a strip. I'm trying to like it, but I think Grant's got the long and short of it. It never really does its premises justice. Just a little to irrelevant to leave a lasting impression.
On another note, 2013 is going to be an interesting year for me, as I again make the attempt at 100% digital. This time armed with my new shiny iPad. I expect it to be a very different experience this go around (since reading comics on the thing is a freaking dream).
Quote from: The Adventurer on 06 December, 2012, 10:13:04 AM
But as a I result I never really got into Ampney Crucis as a strip. I'm trying to like it, but I think Grant's got the long and short of it. It never really does its premises justice. Just a little to irrelevant to leave a lasting impression.
To me, "Ampney Crucis..." seems to have one big central problem - the main character is seldom responsible for anything that happens. A lot of the time he seems like a spectator in his own strip, content to hang around while things are happening and then run away or be saved by someone else. I would agree that the concept of the strip promises much, but has never delivered. The set-up episodes are frequently quite interesting, but the series tends to drive me into a rage through Crucis's sheer ineffectuality as a protagonist.
Quote from: Grant Goggans on 06 December, 2012, 09:54:52 AM
Nope! They're clearly visible in the second story, when Ampney's in the altogether. I know, that argyle sock took all our attention...
Oh aye, and not doubting you, I had just thought it was an SBD affectation. Y'know, like purple-and-orange willies. Certainly my reaction at the time was 'eh? Why's he drawing Ampney with wooden feet?' and 'glad mine isn't that colour, it'd scare the locals'.
According to Davis's notes in the sketchbook in the collected edition, the original plan was that he lost his hands and his legs in the war and has wooden ones. This is why he can't drive, and why Lorelli - who, if the sketches are any indication, was intended to have a larger role - was part of the cast.
I'm really hoping this next Crucis story is excellent. Edginton's last couple of stories - Brass Sun Bk 1 and the present-day Red Seas - were both really good, so I hope he's worked out the kinks and is going to give us a weird, wild adventure and mystery. Please be awesome, Entropy Tango!