2000 AD Online Forum

The 2000AD Discussion Panel
 FI -  Nigel Kitching (http://www.2000adonline.com/index.php3?zone=droid&page=profiles&choice=NIGELK)
 MB -  Paul J Holden (http://www.2000adonline.com/index.php3?zone=droid&page=profiles&choice=PJ)
 AB -  Simon Spurrier (http://www.2000adonline.com/index.php3?zone=droid&page=profiles&choice=SIMONS)
 RM -  Matt Smith (http://www.2000adonline.com/index.php3?zone=droid&page=profiles&choice=MATTS)
 The MC opened with a request for what went well this year. Matt replied that there was positive feedback on the new stories (Chopper (http://www.2000adonline.com/index.php3?zone=thrill&page=profiles&choice=chopper), Low Life (http://www.2000adonline.com/index.php3?zone=thrill&page=profiles&choice=lowlife)) which was encouraging. He was looking forward to issue 1400 (only 10 issues away) and also the new stories coming out in the second half of the year (including Caballistics Inc (http://www.2000adonline.com/index.php3?zone=thrill&page=profiles&choice=caballis), Robohunter (http://www.2000adonline.com/index.php3?zone=thrill&page=profiles&choice=samslade), Asylum (http://www.2000adonline.com/index.php3?zone=thrill&page=profiles&choice=asylum) sequel, and a Nikolai Dante (http://www.2000adonline.com/index.php3?zone=thrill&page=profiles&choice=nikolai) in time for Christmas and for Shimura (http://www.2000adonline.com/index.php3?zone=thrill&page=profiles&choice=shimura), a judge character he had created in the Megazine way back in 1993.Si was quick to point out that Shakara must be a Pokemon as the only dialogue they have is their name. Made logical sense to me. Si went on to mention script work coming out for Lobster Random, Middenface McNulty (http://www.2000adonline.com/index.php3?zone=thrill&page=profiles&choice=midden) story (Killoden, a grim parody of John Ridgway (http://www.2000adonline.com/?zone=droid&page=profiles&choice=JOHNR)), a gory Judge Dredd (drawn by Se7en (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114369/)" with someone impaled on the Empire State, for example.)
 All sound interesting.Frazer mentioned that he had worked with Si on the Simping Detective before plugging his non-2000AD work. Apparently he needed to loadly emphasise the Simping Detective for those at the back who hadn't heard him the first time. 

 The MC asked about breaking into the US more - Rebellion are working with DC on some cross-overs (Robby started to drool at the idea of a Wonder Woman/Nokolai Dante team-up). The weekly anthology format of 2000AD doesn't suit the US market.Asked as to what didn't go well this year, Matt quickly saw through the MC's question and started talking about Steve Moore (http://www.2000adonline.com/index.php3?zone=droid&page=profiles&choice=STEVEMO)'s writing in Striker (http://www.striker3d.net/), the football comic with Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) graphics? Frazer thought it was "absolutely bloody awful" and Alan said that 2000AD would use such graphics over their dead bodies. So the panel were pretty evenly split there.
 Alan mentioned that Extreme would move to bi-monthly. They would drop the theme as it was becoming too tenuous a link between stories. It's a great job selecting stories - sitting there all day reading old progs. On the subject of reprints, there's a graphic novel compilation of the  Judge Dredd/Batman stories (except the one printed on different paper, I think). A few others in the pipeline included Robohunter's Verdus story.
 Rogue Trooper game? 2005.Frazer was quizzed on the possibility of using Colour in his artwork. Apparently the occasional use cyan and magenta counts. Hmmm.Why does the panel think artists and writers go to the US? For example, Andy Diggle (http://www.2000adonline.com/index.php3?zone=droid&page=profiles&choice=ANDYD) have recently signed a 2-year exclusive deal with DC (I didn't realise Andy had been editor of 2000AD and the MegaZine for about 18 months). Robby said working on The Authority was not an offer you could turn down. The panel explained that the US paid well and there was a larger market (who can turn down more fame?) but it isn't one-way traffic. Matt explained that there was only a certain number of artists and writers who can be published in a weekly 2000AD (and worse for the monthly Megazine) so people have to get work somewhere - why not the US?
 Alan said 2000AD did not regret people leaving - going to the US adds experience and exposes artists and writers to a wider spectrum of work. It is, though, expected that Jock and Andy will be back some time in the future - Black Library (http://www.blacklibrary.com) (has worked on     Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (http://www.ninjaturtles.com/comics/mirage/talesvol2/tales.html); reprint of Warhammer magazine (http://www.blacklibrary.com/comics.html) story setting the Seven Sumarai on Necromunda. This is aimed at kids so lots of violence but no decapitations. Also writing for Toxic! - "Nana's and Custard" for the 10-11 year old boy market.
    Robby has The Authority coming out in October; also referred to Charlie Adler and Batman stuff but I missed what.
    
Frazer was challenged over his work looking like Berni Wrightson (co-creator of Swamp Thing; good artist during the 70's and early 80's). Obviously this annoyed Frazer a little - I don't know how many times he gets this. Just because he does horror in B/W doesn't mean he's copying Berni. Instead he said that Berni copied Ken Smith but that lost me - maybe I misheard.
    Bits and bobs:
    
  Any sequel to From Grace (http://www.2000adonline.com/index.php3?zone=thrill&page=profiles&choice=grace) - any more? Si said probably a one-off.
  Charley's War (http://www.2000adonline.com/index.php3?zone=thrill&page=profiles&choice=charley) is still going on although it will take a break   at Christmas when the story should have reached the Somme. Comment was made that CW was going on so long that it felt like   real-time.
  Where there any self-contained stories like Leviathan in the pipeline? There's a murder story set in Luna City 1 initially drawn by Laurence Campbell (http://www.2000adonline.com/index.php3?zone=droid&page=profiles&choice=LAURENCE) and Synnamon (http://www.2000adonline.com/index.php3?zone=thrill&page=profiles&choice=synnamon) 2? Yes - Colin Clayton (http://www.2000adonline.com/?zone=droid&page=profiles&choice=COLINC) and Chris Dows (http://www.2000adonline.com/?zone=droid&page=profiles&choice=CHRISD) have a 3-parter in early November.
  Did I mention that the Simping Detective will be out soon?
 
  That's it - buggered if I'll ensure everything has a bloody hyperlink again though

Link: My Blog

Every Shakara installment was virtually identical, except for the design of the evil aliens in the current 5-pager and what their latest "nothing can survive this" superweapon did.  I wonder whether Shakara wouldn't be better served by occasional filler pieces like Future Shocks, each drawn by different art droids, instead of devoting another two month slot to the same thing happening.

--Grant

The last run of Shakara was too long, but I'd definitely be keen to see it return for two or three episodes every few months (unless Robbie Morrison has a more sophisticated story to tell?)

I'd also be pissed if anyone but Henry Flint was given the job of bringing it to life - he really made the strip his own, and his art was a massive part of the appeal of the series.

...oh, and someone take John Ridgway's computer off him before he goes anywhere near Middenface, please.

How smug does PJ look?

Heh.

He reminds me of a man who's worried that any moment, they'll notice he's there, and ask him to leave...

Nice report there mate ... even MY shorthand couldn't keep up with all that stuff ;o)

Yes, if the pic was in 3d you'd see I was far enough behind everyone to make sure no-one knew I was there - plus it makes me look shorter than the 6' 5" I really am. *cough*. And fer the record: I'm drawing 'Nanas and Custard' :) some of which can be seen on my portfolio page.

Link: PJ portfolio

Or on my wall...

how can you top lesbian dinosaur sex?

Milfosaurs, Depilodocus, Subdomatops... the possiblities are endless and unprintable.

You'll be pleased to know that Ridgeway's Middenface will be in glorious balck and white :)

Could be the picture was taken just after PJ had just announced that his dear lady wife was expecting a little PJ!

Isn't Matt Smith looking more and more like Tharg? The strange eyes and raw Thrill power glinting between his legs...

Er...

"You'll be pleased to know that Ridgeway's Middenface will be in glorious balck and white"

HURRAH! Give him some extra time & we'll see if he can top his gorgeous work on "Home Is The Sailor" for Warrior...

I'm sorry - I will remove the offending apostrophe from "Nana's and Custard" immediately! Some people are just soooo pedantic :-)

Damn - I KNEW I'd forgotten something important in the report :-(
Belated congrats, PJ.

Thanks, john, for the splendid roundup for those of us who missed it.

If Matt Smith is looking more and more like Tharg, I can't see it. He won't fit on my screen.

More worringly, doesn't Matt Brooker look like the devil?  He's got the Beard of Evil, and everything...

That's why they call him the D'Emon D'Raughtsman!

J-B'o-1

Nice hat...

Aiiieeee!  It's the Hat of Evil and Beard of Evil combined in unholy union!

He looks like a geography teacher in that first pic.

He also likes infernal temperatures ... hence wearing the suit whilst sketching whilst all the rest of us where passing out from heat exhaustion

Paste "http://www.greengoblin.co.uk/blogger/2000AD%20Panel.JPG" into your browser's address bar - it should resize.

A.K.A. The Master!

Does D'Israeli wear evil leather gloves as he sketches though?

Thanks for that, John. I now know what Matt Smith looks like, even if I have only the merest inkling of who he is. Cheers!

He's 2000ad's editor.

Matt Smith - T.M.O.!!

That's more or less what I had merely inkled.

Laughed My Hat Off!!!

--Grant

Oh, Flint's untouchable, but can you imagine what Richard Elson could do with some of those freaky aliens?  Or Dom Reardon?

--Grant

I imagine Richard Elson would make them look like all the other aliens he's drawn.

Nah, no Elson - good as his work is, it's just not freaky enough for Shakara. Dom Reardon's an interesting suggestion, though...

IMO, the return of a feature like the Star Scans would be a great way to "trial" new artists for strips, without forcing a 4- or 5-part series on readers with an artist who was unsuited.

A couple of Shakara pin-ups from Dom, D'Israeli or Carl Critchlow would be fantastic, and might even tempt me away from the mighty FL-1NT droid...

Starscans are a rubbish way to trial new talent! Just cus someone can draw a purty picture don't mean they can do comics - it's a great way to get unaffordable talent back into 2000AD but that's it!

- pj
ps ANYONE else on Shakara but flint? NOOOOO!

PJ - you're misunderstanding me. I don't mean brand-new artists, I mean artists who already work for 2000AD, but on different strips.

Ah, my mistook. Sorry, just scared of even more competition...

- pj