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This is another pathetic attempt by me to get some work done for the library, by the board.  I've spent all evening searching for pictures on the net and I've drawn a blank.  I can never find anything I want on the net.

I need to make a photoshop spot the ball competition.  I've had weeks, I haven't managed it, I'm in trouble :s

I need a goal with a goalkeeper face on (though they could be seperate images I could photoshop together), and someone like David Beckham, taking a penalty (this way the ball might be outside of the goal :p)

If anyone can help I'd be grateful.  It'll end up being A3, so needs to be fairly high rez.

I'm giving up and going to bed, but I'll try again in the morning.

The plugging foir the Alan Moore book on this message board at first made me think that there was a Tharg book comic out.  'Before .... there was Tharg!

I think along with a TPO book (if such a thing is happening etc.) a TMO book is also essential.  All the Tharg stories (including the great photostrip one with burt in) and a new story from Tharg's current mental viewpoint, all in one super collection, along with poosters and pictures of Tharg and his family from over the years.

A perfect book to celebrate 30 years of 2000AD with, and some really funny stories.

Apparently so, I've been in touch with Ant Mercer and he's trying to put together a small festival for self publishing types, pro comic creators (free gallery space to sell stuff apparently) and wotnot.  

As there is nothing much happening in the North, I'm intending to go in October.  The closest festival to me was Moniaive in Scotland, which ended last year.

Not much on the site yet, but worth a go.  Anyone else likely to go and make a day of it?

Link: http://www.lancastercomics.co.uk/index.html" target="_blank">LancasterComics

Anyone else having problems accessing yahoo mail, it's really bugging me.

Okay, here is a proper plug for the second outing of SF comic Omnivistascope.  If you want more science fiction in your diet, then why not give it a go?  It's full of SF comic stories, a little different from what you'd get in 2000AD and counts as one of your five, weekly SF portions.

To plaguerise my own press release:

It's an annual perfect bound Science Fiction comic, issue 1 was 66 pages, and issue 2 is 76 pages.  It is ?5 plus post from the website, issue 1 is ?4 + post (and If you type Omnivistascope into e-bay, easier said that done, a comic shop is selling it even cheaper).

Though many of the same characters appear in issue 2, you don't need to own issue 1 to enjoy it, for the most part the stories are self-contained.

54 JONES (OVS 1&2) is the tale of a cloned sewer worker in 12-Station City, a subterranean refuge from the warped earth above.  And here in 12 Station City, 54 is at the bottom of the pile.  Even his own clones are trying to kill him in return for his K-Hol rations and undertime bonus, all perks of the worst job at the bottom of the world.

SPACE LORD (OVS 1&2), at under 4 foot is one of the shortest dictators in galactic history, but he is still a force to be reckoned with.  His misdeeds of barbarity and vengeance are legendary, but less well known is his series of small press comics he works on when he's finished the 9 till 5 tyranny.

RATHBONE (OVS 2) is a robotic senator from a distant future, where the organic creatures' war with the machines ended in their defeat.  His military career now thousands of years in the past, he lives in exile, alone on a desolate boneyard.  Rathbone has had time to reflect on the war and his part in it, but little does he realise that the last of the organic wars is about to begin.

DIRK DESPAIR (OVS 1&2) is here to save the galaxy.  Mind you, just looking at the galaxy tires him out.  So it's to the galaxies benefit that his live-in heroic partner Sarah Alfer makes him do it.  Otherwise, nothing would get done.

KEEGAN JASK (OVS 1&2) is a galactic raconteur, saving his hide with stories that would make Peter Ustinov blush.  Convincing though they may be, they can't all be true, can they?

LUBATEK (OVS 2) works for From Beyond, the deep space salvage company.  So far her career has been unremarkable, drifting from post to post.  But now she is working on the Space Orchid, a grimy slab of metal, and it's all going to go tragically wrong.

PROFESSOR BRABBLEPAP (OVS 1&2) is an alien reconstructive archaeologist from millions of years in the future, fascinated by a now extinct species called Homo sapiens.  You may have heard of them, after all, for someone that looks like a heavily mutated conker, he writes an exceptional scientific paper.  You follow the Professor as he follows the trail of mankind's downfall, invalidating his field trip insurance along the way.

And more...
















QUISLING (OVS 1&2) is a polymath, a brilliant man, buried in a nonexistent department and doomed to the obscurity of his two predecessors.  Which is just how he likes it.  Quisling is also a department formed in 1947 to put its name to anything the government won't touch.  Now Quisling investigates the Ghosts of the House on Klein Street, he doesn't believe in them, but will they believe in him?
THE SURVIVORS (OVS 1&2), AUTO MUTO (OVS 2) and ALBERON (OVS 1) are short story titles covering tales of those who have skipped Armageddon, the rise of the automobile and a world where science is enslaved to magic.
And finally, what you see presented here is a strip called ONE GIRL AND HER CHAINDOG (OVS 2), and this one you get to discover for yourself?

You can also find a cheap copy of OVS1 on e-bay, as a comic shop is selling one off.

Link: http://www.solarwindcomic.co.uk/shop.html" target="_blank">It's this way...

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y94/paulvonscott/2cc184c2.jpg">

Hey there, just to properly announce that Solar Wind #7 is now out, and is 44 pages of photostrip sillyness.  

Featuring strips such as Cosmic Ray Investigates (comic producing aliens), Warlock Holmes - Consulting Magician (and his companion The Amazing Doctor Wizard TM), Enid Foulbroom, The Michael Hordern (Traffic Warden), E.B.E. The Extrabioligical Entity, Solar Science, Ninja Care Home, Day of the Whippoid, Griefbringer and more...

The Free Gift is a selection of colour 'deleted scenes' stickers - with commentary.

Back issues are still available, and after ten issues in total, I'm considering a slight change of direction for volume 2, if anyone has any ideas or suggestions, I'd like to hear them.

Zoobie Grutenok!*

Cosmic Ray

*p.s. I have no idea what Zoobie Grutenok means either.

Link: http://www.solarwindcomic.co.uk/shop.html" target="_blank">Look see

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y94/paulvonscott/Webcov.jpg">

One of the books I picked up at Bristol was Mad Ram, a short story comic collection.  A mix of SF and Horror, A4, 36 pages, beautifully designed.  I haven't seen it plugged, so apologies if I'm repeating what anyone else has said.

Also features contributions from Board Members Arthur Wyatt (2 stories - Insect Head and AntiMatter being the best of the book - a classic style future-shockette that actually shocked) and Gary Wilkinson (1 story - Gemini).  Also an Interview with Simon Bisley.

It's ?3 (plus post I imagine), and worth a punt!

madramcomic@hotmail.co.ukhttp://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y94/paulvonscott/scan0005.jpg">

Who's the white polar bear that's a sex machine to all the chicks?

SHAKO!

Ya damn right!

Yes, the mutant hybrids are coming, AIIEEEE!

Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4766217.stm" target="_blank">Mutant Hybrids

Great news, I voted for both and was pleased to see them win.  Charley's War lost out to Watchmen Absolute, which was possibly inevtiable, but good to see it nominated.  Anyway, no doubt there will be an official announcement soon!

John Burns won the outstanding achievement award, and I doubt there's many who would disagree with that!  I had a quick chat the next day and he seemed genuinely pleased (but surprised) to have won, and seemed somewhat concerned that he had to transport a giant Eagle Award back on the train.  These were MUCH bigger than the ordinairy eagles they gave out.http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y94/paulvonscott/Bristol2006008.jpg">

I said on the Bristol thread how much I enjoyed Mitch Benn's song '2000AD - you made a freak out of me', which was the highlight of the evening awards.  I just wish I could remember lyrics, it was very funny.

He said he'd never perform it again, but y'know, I was thinking the perfect free gift for the 30th Anniversary would be a CD of 2000AD related music.  2000AD has lots of fans in music.  There are Dredd songs by the Cure, Fink Brothers, Human League and Anthrax.  Halo Jones by transvision vamp and more I think...

Okay, so all these might not be available, but it would be cool to have some 2000AD music, and if you could persuade Mitch Benn to record it... and rope a few others in...

It's all a bit unlikely I guess, but it would be cool!

Hey there, I need a non-copyrighted photo of Dave Gibbons, ideally taken by one of you chaps at a convention.  If he looks slightly surprised to have his photo taken even better.  By Saturday!

I can't say what it's for, but it'll be fun, honEst.

Cheers

Paul

Apparently in the latest Eagle Times (a fanzine about original Eagle) there is an 8 page article on Jose Ortiz.

Does anyone here subscribe to it?  I'm tempted.. Ortiz work is great, and I've only really appreciated it for the last few years.

Link: http://www.downthetubes.net/" target="_blank">Eagle Times News

Look chaps I wouldn't normally ask, I wouldn't normally be arsed, but I have to make a Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe display for work.  

I've made my wardrobe, I have a half decent image of a lion, but could anyone supply me with a decent image of a snow-queen like lady, pale frosty and with a crown (no jokes please).

I also could do with the kids, a lampost and some trees and fir coat clip art style images.  I have so much comic stuff on that I'm starting to combust.

I need it Thursday evening at the latest as I have to go into work on Friday and nail this display.

Cheers

Paul

Just saw the ad in the Megazine, it looks pretty good!  Does anyone know what the etxra 100 pages are, are they time twisters or does it include his shorts for Rogue, ABC, Robusters and the like, I hope so!

Gah, when did this happen!?

http://www.silverbulletcomicbooks.com/eagles/

In the 'favourite black and white comic - British' book section is Solar Wind!  Are there two Solar Wind's and I don't know about our evil doppleganger?

If anyone would like to vote for us, then that would be simple super.

I also noticed that Chris Blythe is up for top Colourist.  To my mind this is more than deserved, he does some smashing work making the comic look glorious.

And Charlie's War has a chance to be voted for as well.  I know it's not everyone's favourite strip, but it is the very best of the British War comics, has achingly beautiful art and has to be one of the best kids comic strips ever.

You can also vote for Tharg and his weirdo droids on several other columns too.

Cheers folks, I'm having a good but scary day already getting Omnivistascope II together to send of to printers!

Paul

"New service for the users of our 2000AD Review Forum ( From 2000AD Review Forum ... "

Would that new service be some sort of infected e-mail that could fuck up my computer at a critical time?

I daren't visit the site!

Very sad news that the premier fanzine for British comics has come to an end after 14 issues plus specials.

Eagle Flies Again has been a fantastic look at the once forgotten 80's british comic strips.

It looks like the resurgance in commercial interest in the licenses for eighties comics means it's being taken out of the hands of fandom, back into the corporate fold in many cases.

Anyway, I'll be missing this one.

Link: http://www.downthetubes.net/efa/index.html" target="_blank">EFA Site

I appreciate the Rebellion printing schedule must be chocka, but these French Vampire stories written by Pat Mills are sumptious (albeit deleriously bonkers) books.

I just wanted to suggest perhaps collecting say three of the first books of this long running saga in one rebellion hardback.  

I currently have to resort to buying heavy mental magazine to read them.  Book 4 is in the latest one apprently and I think Mill s said there were 6 or 7 requiem books so far (this was last year) and he was doing spin offs as well.

I appreciate it doesn't have the 2000AD connection of Button Man, but just a thought.

Cheers

Paul

Okay, I finished reading the fifth and last of the original rogue trooper books Re-Gene today.

Like the end of the 4th book I couldn't really remember reading these stories before.  I can't have read them since the first time, or at least for many many years, which is quite shocking really!  I suppose I've always been too lazy to dig out the progs.  Especially as I have read the earlier stories what seems like hundreds of times.

Anyway, I thought Re-Gene had a surprising amount of momentum post Traitor General, and certainly looked to be leading somewhere else.  The alien planet stuff is entertaining, though fair enough not a setting on a par with New Earth.

Something that is immediately discarded by MacManus and Geller where the first few stories already show in hindsight that Rogue was a dead man walking.
With Rogue leading a united Nort and Souther Force we get:

"Why can't we dump the brass?"
"You know, Orders"

Er what orders would they be Rogue?  Orders we might reasonably assume we'd forgotten about in the year since the last strip was in?  It's obvious from what's written in the introduction to The Titan Book Rogue Trooper Book 6 (which just so happens to follow on from Rebellion Book 5) that really, it's a just a massive fudge.  And it gives a new set up that it ultimately couldn't fulfill.  

And it's a fudge to achieve the same ends, ending the war.  Rogue I was going to do it with a band of southers and kashan troops, fighting against some mysterious aliens to end the war.  Rogue II would tell his norts and southers to bugger off and keep fighting each other, and join the aliens who wanted to apparently end the war.

Also, Ortiz was given the boot after 449, but his stuff is lovely, and compares very well to the sparse Dillon artwork that would follow.  But to be fair I didn't appreciate the European artists as much as I should have at the time either.

When Rogue came down with a bad case of The Hits, and readers apathy increased exponentially, the series mutated again, desperately trying to survive.  It was an iconic 2000AD character who was often out on a par with Dredd and Stront on annual covers.  Even 20 years on people have a huge affection for Rogue, and that's been exploited throughout the years by trying to pass off mediochre material under the banner, but I think there's always that feeling that it's not right.  For me anyway.

Personally it seems to me that the only ingredient in the original RT formula that has been missing is Script Genie GFD, who wrote his last script for prog 449.  It's obviously debateable whether his stuff would work for a 30 year old audience anymore.  Either way abandoning the original storyline was the point Rogue broke.

Good writers have failed to inject any real enthusiasm into the strip since.  Cinnebar works because it had a much better standard of art than it had been treated to for a while, and John Smith added some interesting ideas to his rambling epic.  Gordon Rennie produced some okay stories (the one drawn by Dylan Teague was excellent), and Edgington one of my favourite current AD writers didn't really deliver the goods for me.  The stories are okay, but the problems from the break in contunuity persist to the day.

I certainly don't think I can be arsed to read The Hit, I'll see how I feel.  It would sort of imply that I should then dig out the progs to read Hits 2 and then whatever they bothered doing.  

I just felt like summing up what I've read so far of the the original Rogue.  It's exciting, endlessly inventive, is often intentially and unintetionally hilarious (ah I pissed myself laughing at the flying helm), and has some very bad puns.

Really pleased to have all the originals in reprint now, cheers Rebellion.  Anyway, none of this ramble dents my enthusiasm for the Rogue Trooper game which I'm looking forward to immensely.  Even if I need to pay someone to complete it for me.

An Old Rogue Trooper Fan, missing the green green chem clouds of home...

Oh and yes, Bland & Brass were definitely much more than partners, I can't say I noticed it at the time ;)

Very sad news that Polish SF writer Stanislav Lem has died.

His most famous book was Solaris, you might have seen the tedious 1971 Soviet film or the tedious 2002 American film versions.  The actual book is a real gem and a damn sight more interesting and less ponderous than those 2001-abees.

Another recommended book is Eden, where I genuinely felt like I had visited another world by the end of it.

Anyway, I'll remember him.

Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4851496.stm" target="_blank">On the BBC