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I'm not sure how the situation will compare in Australia but when I got back on the H-wagon a few years ago I hit eBay hard as the back Progs are out there and cheap. That said if being on an island big on sport and sunshine creates a terrible prog shortage then move... I mean digital seems to be the way to go these days.

Either way welcome aboard and have fun.

He might have evil and generous boxed off in the Emperor stakes but when it comes to tentacles of internet investigation and a pit of comic knowledge you're still the Emperor of choice.

A Prog preparing the big launch at 1700 but not a page is wasted with filler. This is something Tharg is doing really well at the moment keeping the Prog vital even when its banging on the door of a relaunch.

Dredd is a fine one off and no mistake and the rest all bring themselves nicely the brink (well aside from Sinister Dexter but I'll save that until last). Red Seas, Savage and Strontium Dog all set themselves nicely for their final parts next week with three very different cliffhangers. Savage was particularly good and Strontium Dog is still keeping me guessing as it heads towards an end that could go anyway. Excellent stuff.

Sinister Dexter is suoerb as well. A great conclusion that while having the basic ending I reckon was due had a few suprise up its sleeve still. This has been a great story that shows once again the whatever the reasons Sinister Dexter isn't getting more regular showing over the last few years its a real shame as its telling a fine and intricate story hiden amongst all the gun play.

Good Prog.

That's a fantastic job Ming. You may have no mercy but you sure are one generous evil emperor.

I've erected all around my room.

Your twelve year old missed Jared's punchline out!

Go on call it Zabu after Ka-Zar's sabretoothed cat (not Slaine related I know but) since I wasn't allowed to call our cat that. Crazy wife.

My apologise to Cosh who I've just noticed started a perfectly good thread on this topic a wee while ago (ok 2006) but I will try to make sure I track down the old threads before posting a new on in future as it puts a better context on these witterings of mine.

Anyway Cosh's thead is here

http://www.2000adonline.com/forum/index.php/topic,16359.0.html

Truly bonkers stuff as you say, but in the best possible way. As a big fan of the ABCs I'd rate Shadow Warriors as one of their best outings, behind only Black Hole and the Nemesis stuff.

The insanity was best expressed in one of the review threads at the time, I think -

Just imagine that Pat has a big bunch of robot toys that he's playing with in a sandpit in his garden (and jotting down notes as he goes), and suddenly it all makes sense.

"Ha ha - then the big tank [an iron] squashes all the warriors [some old Star Wars storm troopers] - ha ha - but wait [gets out can of lighter fuel] - here comes Steelhorn [lights trails of fuel] - boom - shaz-zoom - and it's okay, look, [gets rid of iron, stands storm troopers back up] - yeah, spread the word!"

"Paaat!  Paaaat!  Come back in now, your tea's ready!"

"Awww!"

I just spat water on my PC screen from laughing so hard at that. Thats brillant the trouble is I think this is probably what does happen, it would explain it all perfectly.

People often refer to the insanity in Pat Mills' work. Saying that this or that is pretty bonkers. I often don't agree I mean 'Savage' I find far from mental, just brillant straight forward action rompery, ok bits of Slaine loose it now and again and there's been times when ABC Warriors has been a little leftfield. But crazy, nah won't go that far...

... well until 'Shadow Warriors' and particularly book 3 which is just plain insane in the membrane, I mean complete loony tune stuff. And I bloody loved it. The previous two books I'd kinda lost interest in and to be fair track of. After reading this at some point I'm going to go back and read them all in one go just to make sure it wasn't me being a bit rubbish.

I mean at what point does Mr Mills come up with this stuff. While chomping down on his cornflakes does he drift and start thinking about an idea for implanting two snakes into a robot... hummm maybe they can drip poison into his robot brain and... nah it could never work... UNLESS!!!

I mean this stuff really really really shouldn't be readable and yet it was so very very very entertaining. Of course Henry Flint on art, even if its not his best work, certainly doesn't hinder matters. This is probably the best ABC Warriors there's been since they appeared in Nemesis... and possibly the early Mars stuff.

Wacky don't get close.

Didn't the end to 'Inferno' get the comic into all sorts of problems with the management at IPC. If I remember by 'Thrillpower Overload' correctly it led to people being moved off the comic and even in its heavily edited state get a few people into a lot of trouble?

Might be getting a bit muddle there with an earlier episode which lead to the end being cropped, forget which way around it was?

Colin Wilson's - In the Shadow of The Sun.

I recently got hold of the first book 'Rael' in a very old translation and was told, don't get too into it, as they didn't translate the other two books. Superb artwork (of course) could be a good fit for the Megazine?

Not really a re-print as such. Just something I really want.

Well since you've moved the conversation this way I'd echo that as well. I've laways wanted to read this. And since we're talking Colin Wilson and French comics I'd absolutely love to see his Blueberry work translated. That goes for all the Blueberry stuff to be honest but Colin Wilson provided the link!

Phew didn't dislike 'Return of Bruce Wayne' #4 as much as others here. Maybe a case of forewarned is forearmed and I was braced for the art. Have to say it wasn't good art and a shame that a series thats otherwise been so well served on the art front is a little let down but as the Emperor pointed he was a last minute adjustment. The biggest problem for me with the not so pretty pictures was a lack of consistency in how characters were drawn and really that was meant to be Vandal Savage was it! Wow.

The story still shone through though and was really enjoyable. Lots of nice little hints and clues about whats going on and overall since I was prepared for the book to look terrible I really still enjoyed it.

The original plans for the story are certainly interesting and go some way to explaining why its as long as it is, which seemed strange in a time of stories normally lasting what maybe 8-12 episodes. Made it all the more powerful for me that it had this extra room.

I really enjoyed the second 'Ten-seconders' story and was really looking forward to reading this one as its a great idea. Alas I was a little underwelmed by this first outing.

The problem I had was I never actually felt I believed in the Gods. I never got a grip of what they were and was never convinced that they were the terrors they are meant to be. Ok ok so they'd devastated the entire global and all but when they are encountered in person to make the story in any way workable they just don't seem as powerful as they portrayed as during the set up. To a degree the world doesn't hang together and thus I'm pulled out working out exactly what the Gods are and how they work.

Another thing of note is the curious change of Mark Harriosn's art mid-way through an episode to a more fully painted style that reverted back to his more inked work later. Does anybody know why this came about?

Having said all that it was far from a bad story, the basic set up I love and the characters worked well enough. A case of close but not quite.

Well 2006 has made a stuttering start, both terms of my reading with holiday and other stuff getting in the way and in terms of quality... well compared to the heights of 2005 that is. I mean Synnamon came back, whats all that about?

Anyway I really enjoyed 'Carnival'... well kinda. I wasn't a big fan of 'Books of Invasion' there were bits were it worked for me and bits that I glazed over, or more was blinded by its light, but not what I'd hoped it would be. 'Carnival' however was fun but I really don't think Clint Langley's art is right for this strip and I think that's taken away from my enjoyment of the latest Slaine stories. I know he has his fans and I can see why, the work he produces is incredible at times breathtaking stuff and thats what makes it just not right for Slaine.

'Carnival' is a great little story but its a story about a Celtic warrior and a freak show run by Ukko. The trouble is that the art is so majestic that all the freaks look like magnificent beasts of wonder and magic. Demi Gods amongst men. Not Shaggy beast and freaks in a show run by Ukko. They should look fantastic, sure but well like freaks, a bit grim and disturbing. I find Clint Langley's work to shiney. I enjoyed the story but could not help but think how much more evocative it would have been if it'd been draw by Mike McMahon (to use the easy example) or any number of other artists.

Reading Slaine looking like this makes me think I'm trapped inside a world of Games Workshop posters and lead figures not a hard Celtic environment.

Too Shiney