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I didn't think that the ending of the recent Kingdom story felt *that* final. And given the background to the novel (Fiefdom) I'm guessing Gene gets to Europe eventually

Molcher's essay in the back of Vol.2 is absolutely superb.

*deep breath*

Has anyone else found that their Vol 31 spine doesn't match up properly with Vol 32 (Horned God)? Vols 29-31 are perfect, but the collection catches up with Issue 1 on the shelf and it doesn't fit! I might wait for Vol 33 before I complain. It's at least as bad as that earlier volume that didn't match.

31 & 32 arrived today - in a big box. Irritating to see that some people are a month ahead of me - I'm jealous but can't be arsed to purchase my way ahead again.

Mambo!

Good stuff Frank.

Also, it's posts like that that make me think you should take over the defunct Dredd Reckoning blog.

Looking forward to Vol.32, I haven't read Blood Cadets since it came out. Anything else of particular interest expected in that volume?

The first one is the only one I abandoned. Came close with Ace Trucking.

Oh wait ignore me I'm being an idiot. Vol.3 is a Stront Volume 1. Confused my little brain there.

Just started Stront Vol.3. Odd that the intro claims that the Schiklegruber Grab is in Vol.4, when it's in Vol.1.

Man is was great to read Sinister Dexter and be reminded of how great that strip used to be. I find it borderline unreadable now, but I can't put my finger on why that is.

It's also really hit me how I loved Simon Davis's art in that period. Especially compared to Slaine now.

That graph is glorious. Geekery of the highest and finest order. Sir, I salute you. I look forward to updates!

I'm guessing subscribers haven't received their latest copies yet (27 & 28, charged on the 14th)?

Nope, and also charged on the 14th.

Because I'm a nerd with a rage against Hachette's customer service I've been keeping a log of my payment/arrival dates, with one or two uncertainties where I was away:

Issues 03-04 paid 22 Sep arrived 29 Sep/06 Oct?
Issues 05-06 paid 20 Oct arrived 02 November
Issues 07-08 paid 24 Nov arrived 05 December
Issues 09-10 paid 22 Dec arrived 08 Jan
Issues 11-12 back-ordered 18 Jan arrived 22 Jan
Issues 13-14 paid 02 Feb arrived 09 Feb
Issues 15-16 paid 30 Mar arrived 10 April
Issues 17-18 paid 27 Apr arrived 09 May
Issues 19-20 paid 25 May arrived 04 June
Issues 21-22 paid 22 Jun arrived 03 July
Issues 23-24 paid 20 Jul arrived 31Jul/1Aug?
Issues 25-26 paid 17 Aug arrived 28 August
Issues 27-28 paid 14 Sep arrived

In other words, it's late based on recent trends, but not record-beatingly so.

</nerd>

I do think the Collection has been great overall so far, especially the design and production quality of the books. And I can see why they have leaned heavily on the 'classic' stuff to help sell to people who recall the Prog when its readership was at its largest.

I *loved* Sinister Dexter back in the day, and find it extremely trying now. I'm looking forward to reading it in the UC to see whether the early stuff was as good as I recall.

Come on though, is there ANYONE else who remembers Mambo fondly? The body-horror stuff in that blew my mind as a kid.

Personally, as a new reader, I'm finding the mix of material about right.  I'm glad this isn't more heavily classic era 2000AD as some of the modern vols we've had have been among the best in the collection so far for me.  Shakara, Kingdom & Zombo were all top thrills, whereas I could have lived without volume 1 of Stront and the 2nd half of the Robo-hunter volume (and we've got another 2 vols of that 2 come )

As a reader who started in the early 90s and lapsed around the Millennium I couldn't agree more. The new stuff like Shakara, Kingdom and Zombo has been revelatory. I've really enjoyed the timeless early stuff, where the quality of the writing still shines through - Nemesis, Rogue Trooper, Stronty from vol II on, and so on. But some of that 'classic' stuff just comes off as childish bilge to me - Robo-Hunter and Ace Trucking being the main culprits. It's meant to be the Ultimate Collection, not the nostalgia collection.

A think it's partly down to the age you were at the time. I wasn't around for those, so they don't have the benefit of nostalgia. I'd love to read Mambo and Finn again for instance, and I bet I'd love them, though I'm sure older readers regard them as among the worst things ever printed.

25 & 26 came for me to. No mention of the second covers volume.

That Slaine cover is incredible.