Messages

Asylum wasn't attacking organised religion, Ashcroft was one insane individual who believed that god was telling him to wipe out an entire race, leading to an attempted genocide.

Rob

'I would like to see Rob Williams as a shitting vicar!'

Now there's a sentence I've never seen before.

I could come as a cube and Boo could come as a sphere?

How many other top artists didja get to draw a page for you in the early hours of saturday night?

Rob

As good as wilkinson is, everyone concentrates on him but, for my money, the best rugby player in the world is Richard Hill. England look a good but fallible side without him, they always look like the best team in the world with him. The same was true of the last Lions tour, when the series looked like being won until the 2nd test when the aussies pretty cynically took Hill out of the game. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see them trying to do the same thing Saturday.

Also, I see England have picked Tindall at inside centre, so they're expecting a BIG physical confrontation, not a dynamic, flair game - Tindall's just a crash-ball, hard tackling centre.

The last time England got to the world cup final they bought all the pre-match press about them being boring and tried throwing it wide. It didn't suit them and they lost. On Saturday I'll be surprised to see the ball go out past the inside centre.

Rob

England have the best forwards in the world game - that's why they're winning and why they'll win Saturday. They slaughtered the French up front in the semi-final. They're playing the percentages - the forwards go for territory, the other team has to give away penalties because of the amount of pressure they're under. Wilkinson kicks them.

Still, it is a little disappointing to see England appearing uninterested in going for tries.

The wallabies are much the same. They beat New Zealand through an overwhelming defence and an interception try.

I hardly think saturday's game will be a thriller. I expect England to grind out a win.

Rob

'Well he acts like a girl when you bellow at him at cons... but then a lot of artists are like that. Perhaps it's me...'

Gem used to be Uk kickboxing champion. any bellowing and I'm sure she well enact terrible retribution.

Rob

Gordon, I don't want a protecionist embargo. All I'm saying is there has to be a forum for new British talent if comics are going to survive in this country.

If 2000AD were filled with the likes of Bendis, Rucka and Brubaker, or Jim Lee and Adam Hughes on a weekly basis how is there going to be a place for people like a Frazer Irving or a Si Spurrier to get their break and show off their obvious talents?

As we all know, there's hundreds of american comics, so there's more room for newcomers there.

I'm aware of the contradiction of me pitching/working in the states to my argument, of course. I'm just saying that as we have one comics outlet in this country it would be self-destructive to, effectively, close it off to aspiring Brit creators.

2000AD has five spots a week for stories. At least one of those should, I think, be aimed at new talent.

Rob

'in fact the suggestion that their should be is kind of silly and quite possibly akin to racism... '

Now that's ridiculous, and I don't particularly appreciate being called a racist. We're just talking about 2000AD being the only forum for new British talent.

Rob

'just so you know;Judge Dredd has been written from day one by an American; John Wagner.'

Yes, but Wagner has lived and worked in the UK for many years. He's effectively a Brit writer. The same goes for the likes of Ezquerra - Spanish, but concentrated on the brit market for decades.

Maybe I should have made my point clearer. If you're an aspiring American writer or artist you have hundreds of comics/editors to aim your material at. If you're British you just have 2000AD. If you're English-speaking European, you can pitch for tooth, yes.

Of course, outside of this, there's a huge European market for comics, which we and the Americans largely ignore.

Rob

It's incredibly difficult to get into writing comics. There's the catch 22 scenario - no one will give you a gig unless they've read one of your comics, but how do you write a comic if... etc etc.

If you're British, then comics are 2000AD. This isn't the 70s anymore. There's no Battle, Victor, Tiger anymore. So if you're an aspiring Brit writer you aim for 2000AD. As many of us know, they don't have that many slots to fill, the established likes of Wagner are quite rightly going to have their regular stints, and so the competition for newcomers is extremely fierce.

My point is, if you fill the pages of 2000ad with the likes of Rucka, Brubaker and Bendis, and make a concerted effort to attract top talent from across the pond, the quality of the comic may improve (it may not), but where would the forum be for new British talent?

Without 2000AD the likes of Alan Moore, Grant Morrison, Brian Bolland, Garth Ennis, too many others to mention, may well have broken through into american comics and widespread acclaim, but, then again, they may not. American editors gave these people their break because they'd read their work in 2000AD. You do not, barring a miracle, get an American gig on spec with no previous comic work behind you.

2000AD is a vital showcase for British talent and British comics. The americans have hundreds of books. We have one. I don't think that's too much to ask. If you filled tooth with established american creators you'd be seriously knee-capping what is already a struggling British comics industry.

Now, having said all that, a monthly 22-page offshoot of, say, Dredd, with big-name US creators, aimed at the american market. That may be interesting, and it would push american readers to order the regular 2000AD.

Rob

'Rob (Cla$$war, Asylum) Williams has written a Wally Squad series called LOW LIFE'

With art by the utterly fantastic Henry Flint.

Rob

Homage or not that's a cracking cover.

Rob

I though From Grace was very good. Refreshingly un-2000ADish.

Rob

'It's not set after chewie's death is it?'

Nope. It's set two days before the start of Empire. the big hairy one's very much alive in it - wish I knew how to do attachments here. I'd stick up a page of art.

Rob

'Aw crap, not the Flinster.'

Don't panic, Henry's still doing stuff for 2000AD.

Rob

'How do you do Chewbacca dialogue? "Gnnnnngaaaaaaaaaaaa...." etc etc?'

It's largely a visuals only thing. it's a ghost story so I was trying to keep it silent and atmospheric in parts.

But, yeah, you do feel a bit silly typing in chewie's dialogue: Rrrwwwrrrr? etc. It's not exactly Mamet, in terms of dialogue.

Rob