Messages

Absolutely no need for one every prog that was just page filler in the magazine days. Like you say it would be most useful for multi-book strips which are continuity heavy or that have been on long hiatus. I can't imagine how a new reader would have a clue what's happening in, say, Brass Sun when it returns if there's no previously on... Some strips wouldn't need it so much. Strontium Dog is a good example of that because most recent tales have been self contained and any continuity points that readers need to know are dealt with in the strip. There's a skill to that in itself. It would be very useful in jumping on progs too.

[Defoe]

Defoe I'm not really following the story in this - perhaps it's because I'm new to Defoe and don't have knowledge of previous stories in this world....

Grey Area ...Some folks have said how a lot of this part of the story is recap but recap really really helps when you've not seen previous stories from the same universe before...

Hunted
I'm not following what's going on in this story yet...

I know it's a drum I've banged before but this is a great example of someone fairly new to the prog having trouble with ongoing series. The tiny recaps on the input page aren't enough. When a story returns it would really help new readers if there was a proper recap page in the prog or even a page on 2000adonline.com getting people up to speed. I'd prefer that to a letters page.

Dan Abnett has expertly done a simple catch up in Grey Area this week (and I think outside of John Wagner he's one of the best writers 2000ad has at the moment at writing stories in weekly episodes). I understand that not every writer will want to do that. Some help for new readers would be great and I think would help sales of the collections too. If there was indeed a boost in new or returning readers due to all the buzz around the 40th they need to be kept onboard rather than give up on the prog because they might find it a bit impenetrable.

I'm enjoying the prog at the mo but I've been reading a long time now.

My two pence.

Cheers

JB

FULL EAGLE

1. INT. BICK MICKLES' OFFICE - DAY.

'FULL EAGLE' exec producer BICK MICKLES is at his
desk. JOEY BURPHY storms in and throws a script
in front of him.

           JOEY
I'm through Mr. Mickles. There's
only so many ways I can die in this
show. You know I wanna shot
at writing an ep. It's the least
you can give me. So here it is.

           MICKLES
This again Joey? Look, you're the
best damn Background Judge I have.
No one does a 99 Red like you and I
can't take chances on a new writer.
It's two years since Necropolis and
the show is just finding its feet
again.

           JOEY
But this is good Bick! Real good.
Season finale at least!

           MICKLES
What the hell, gimme the pitch kid.

           JOEY
Ok, so Judge Eagle starts having
doubts about the Justice system. He
ends up taking the long walk. Hall
of Justice can't afford to lose their
best helmet so they put a clone in
his place. Only the top brass know,
the cits and the other Judges are
none the wiser. But the clone turns
bad. Corrupt genepool y'see? Ends
up freeing the Dark Judges! Eagle
has to come back and save his city!

           MICKLES
That's like saying Necropolis was the
Judges fault! Grud sake, Joey...

           JOEY
I know what your thinking Bick, but
the Judges ain't gonna object. Come
on! They'd never replace their top
Judge with a clone, its pure fiction!
But good fiction! This is the
kind of edgy stuff 'Full Eagle' should
be doing.

           MICKLES
Well it does sound exciting kid.

           JOEY
The story came to me like in a
vision, y'know.

           MICKLES
Yeah? Well Rex Reed would love to
get his teeth into something like this.
A dual role? He'll be having visions
of golden statues. Ok, I'll run it
by Chamberlain. He's Judge liaison
and his word is final, you know
that. But if it flies with him? Well,
you may be onto something.

           JOEY
Thank you Mr. Mickles, you won't
be sorry.

           MICKLES
I better not be kid, or its back to
the BJs for you.




2. INT. CHIEF JUDGE'S OFFICE - THE NEXT DAY

Judge CHAMBERLAIN walks in. Chief Judge
MCGRUDER is staring out the window.

           MCGRUDER
I read the script George. Mr. Burphy
has a good ear for dialogue, but the
plot is a little close to home. We
have a leak?

           CHAMBERLAIN
No Ma'am. It seems Burphy is a
latent PSI. Some have visions of
the future, he has visions of the
past. Hence the sensitive details
in the script.

           MCGRUDER
You don't say? Is he in custody?

           CHAMBERLAIN
Not yet. He was tipped off by
Mickles and fled the city. We
understand he's heading for
Mega-City Two.

           MCGRUDER
Fine. We'll get him there. After
all, he won't see us coming.

A call comes through from CONTROL.

           CONTROL
Chief Judge we have reports of a
situation at the West Wall.

           MCGRUDER
Situation?

           CONTROL
Yes Ma'am.
     (beat)
Zombies.

CUT TO BLACK.

Congrats Jim and I add my own apologies for not voting I've been away with work. Mea Culpa. Great stories and a really great idea for the comp. Thanks a mill BCB. I enjoy reading the entries every time. 

Best

JB

Maybe in a couple of years when the whole thing is done and dusted Rebellion might issue the essays as an ebook. I've cherry picked because I own so much of the material in other editions (and space is a consideration) but those books I have bought I've enjoyed the essays. Would like to read the others so an ebook collection would be great.

[M]

Man Annoyed by Computer Hypersarcasm

++UPGRADE COMPLETE. BACK ONLINE++

'Good. Computer engage afternoon nap mode. Do not disturb o...'

++JOHN PROBE THERE IS AN INCOMING COMMUNICATION FROM YOUR WIFE++

'What? Computer I said do not disturb on!'

++INSTRUCTION NOT COMPLETED IN TIME. COMPU-PUNCTURE ENHANCED REFLEXES DOES NOT INCLUDE MOUTH. OR ARE YOU JUST GETTING OLD JOHN?++

'Jesus! No need to get personal!'

++REFRAIN FROM PROFANITY PLEASE JP, THIS IS A CHILDREN'S COMIC WE'RE IN++

'A what?? What the hell has that upgrade done to you? Look, just put her through.'

++CONNECTING TO CONTACT HAMMER AND SICKLE AND CHAIN++

'For God's sake don't say that out loud!'

'Say what out loud Jonathan?'

'Hello Tanya!'

'DON'T SAY MY REAL NAME OUT LOUD!!'

'Sorry... Tina!'

'B'lyad! I HATE that name! Piotr's in trouble again at school. He was late for class and punched through a wall to get there on time. You need to get there now and deal with it Jonathan. He's your son too and he's obviously taking after you.'

++STRESS LEVEL 80%++

'His name's Peter. Pronounce it properly. I'm on my way.'

++BLOOD PRESSURE 160/100++

'Don't speak to me like that and don't you dare run there Jonathan! Do not put this family at risk!'

++90% PROBABILITY OF DIVORCE++

'Shut up Compu...!'

'DID YOU JUST TELL ME TO SHUT UP?!? MU'DAK!!'

'Terminate communication!'

++COMMUNICATION TERMINATED++

'Christ! I hate how she calls me Jonathan when she's pissed off with me.'

++LANGUAGE JOHN++

'I'm starting to regret faking our deaths for us to be together.'

++YOU'VE NO ONE TO BLAME BUT YOURSELF JOHNNY BOY++

'I preferred it when we were enemies. There was sexual tension between us rather than just tension.'

++ENOUGH OF THE DIRTY TALK JOHN. IPC WILL NEVER PUBLISH IT.++

'What on earth are you talking about!?!'

++CAN'T SAY. YOU'RE NOT TOP THRILL ANYMORE. YOU NO LONGER HAVE FULL SECURITY CLEARANCE++

'Whatever. Engage Hyperpower.'

++SHE SAID DON'T RUN JONATHAN++

'I know what she said and I don't care! She's not the boss of me!'

++99% PROBABILITY SHE IS THE BOSS OF YOU++

'COMPUTER! ENGAGE HYPERPOWER!'

++SHE'LL TEAR YOU TO PIECES JOHN PROBE. SELF-PRESERVATION FAILSAFES ACTIVE. INSTRUCTION OVERRULED++

'Locate my car then!'

++CURRENT LOCATION OF CAR: AUTO REPAIR SHOP. REASON: PETER STOLE IT TO GET TO SCHOOL AND CRASHED IT DURING A HIGH SPEED CHASE WITH TERRORISTS. AT LEAST HE THOUGHT THEY WERE TERRORISTS. IT TURNS OUT THEY WERE TOURISTS. 80% PROBABILITY PETER IS FAILING ENGLISH++

'Agh! The boy is a nightmare!!'

++A MICROCHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK JOHN++

'What am I going to do?'

++ONLY ONE THING TO DO M.A.C.H. 1. ENGAGING: BRISK WALK MODE. DESTINATION: ST.AUSTIN'S COMPREHENSIVE. ETA: MUCH LATER THAN TANYA EXPECTS++

'Oh for f##k sake!'

++YOU'VE GONE TOO FAR JOHN. THEY'LL CANCEL YOU NOW. DAN DARE SWORE LIKE A TROOPER AND LOOK WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM++

'Piss off!'

++THEY'LL BRING YOU BACK AS A POLITICIAN IF YOU KEEP THIS UP++

'(Sigh). Computer, make yourself useful. Status?'

++STATUS REPORT: EN ROUTE TO ST.AUSTIN'S COMPREHENSIVE. SPEED: 0.4430955294117629% of MACH 1++

'...'

It'd be great to have a John Smith collection with Firekind, A love like blood, Cradlegrave and Slaughter bowl under one cover.

[/quote/] trying to find the quality in it all is painful these days, that and characters I have sadly stopped caring about.

Still, you have to fill the prog with something and I doubt the current Tharg gets much of an editorial on the scripts that go on & on & on & on... 
[/quote]

I've been feeling that for a while to be honest. 2000ad is a tough read these days. There are some things where I go wtf happened two years ago when we last saw this strip and, most worryingly, do I care? Once more I'm questioning my subscription. Maybe I should just buy the trades? I hate that point of view, I like getting the prog through the letter box every week, but increasingly I find 2000ad is starting not to work as a weekly comic anymore. The things that keep me going are strips by John Wagner and Dan Abnett, which even if it's a book in an ongoing series that book will have a beginning middle and end and be a satisfying read (rather than just be a middle where not a great deal happened and the amount of story could have been done in 6 parts rather than 12). I may also put Kek-w in there too, I thought fall of Deadworld was great and I like The Order mad and all as it is. So I at least am in for a treat next prog.

I can't even contemplate how hard it is to get that amount of original material out on a weekly basis and not miss a beat. Seriously, hats off. I'm just not enjoying this current trend of writers writing for the trade or playing a long game when they seem to have forgotten about the short game.

My two pence.

JB

Ah lads I gave up on looking for sense in non-Wagner Dredds a while ago. It can be frustrating reading and really seems to me that if you are going to have different writers on the strip it needs a very strong showrunner to keep it all together and on the same page. Obviously the main voice on the strip is Wagner's so there's not a whole lot other writers can do to make big shake ups or have lasting consequences other than with concepts he doesn't want to go back to. Dredd by Williams works best when its dealing with his own concepts. Sensitive Klegg being great and bringing plots from lowlife into the main strip a la titan. The two sets of underground ninjas and multiple secret passageways in the halls of justice is a good example of messy continuity in what should be a tighter ship. Its 2000ad's flagship strip. But I've banged this drum before sure.

Hope is terrific. Full of atmosphere and amazing art. I enjoy the Order in an old school way. Not much is happening in Kingdom but I like it nonetheless and Dan Abnett is someone I would like to see do Dredd. Lawless in the Meg is terrific. I like Kingmaker stunning art again but like any Ian Edgington strip it will read better in one go. People are writing for the collection more and more. That's why I love me binders.

I still love the sound of the prog coming through the letterbox every Saturday cos you never know what might be in store.

My two pence.

JB

Nice one Dan and John.

And Alan and Abby and Jim too of course. Big time. That was amiss of me.

I've been meaning to say how much I loved issue 4. This really is one of me favourite comics of last year and with two more issues to come this year it's gonna be tip top for two years straight.

I can't make it to the 40th bash due to work which is a bummer now that along with everything else I'm missing issue 5 there. Looking forward to getting it in the post sure.

Nice one Dan and John.

Just great comics. Make sure ye pick em up lads.

Popped into forbidden planet in London today and picked up these beauties that were on sale that might be of 2000ad interest:

Alan Moore DC Universe Hardcover £9.99
Jonny Nemo hardcover £4.50
Complete Accident Man Hardcover £4.99

Steal! And there's tons left of those and others. Great sale.

Wow. You are not wrong. The repo in this is terrible. Especially on the US stories. That said I didn't really buy it for them. It's nice to be able to have Target:2006 on me shelf for £2. I don't think I'll be going near the rest of the series which is a pity.

I have a soft spot for Wilderlands but I always though there was a missing chapter. I remember reading it in the prog at the time and going hang on what have we missed here. And reading it in the collected form only reinforced that. Maybe someday we'll find out but it definitely feels like something got lost in the post. Glad I'm not the only one who thought that.

It's like there's a missing chapter somewhere because there's absolutely zero flow from the previous chapter to this. After 2 months of slow build up and tension, suddenly there's a Mechanismo robot staring at us.

Just wondering if anyone knows whether the Thrill Power Containment Unit will be returning to the shop? These binders were great last year and for me anyway they're becoming essential as it seems some stories in the prog are now written with the eventual book collection in mind rather than a weekly read so some series I wait until its finished before I read it in one go. The binders make that very easy. Its kept me as a subscriber to be honest.

Here's hoping we'll see them in the shop again soon.