Please get rid of Dan Abnett.

paulvonscott · 06 April, 2002, 04:47:38 PM

Uh oh.

I sense another classic character coming on...

Rambo · 06 April, 2002, 09:01:12 PM

lol

Tiplodocus · 08 April, 2002, 05:42:35 AM

Firstly, I don't agree with using antagonsistic statements such as "Get rid of X, Y and Z" to make criticisms.

Atavar: So if he's just woken up and he's a clone made by the big insecti-reptillian beasties, how did he learn all these human swear words and attitudes in the first place? Who educated him? I don't think they can clone memories yet but I've probably just missed some plot point - can someone poiunt me at it. For one glorious second when he said "Christ, A clone!" very early on and they replied "That word would be appropriate!" I thought they were referring to "Christ" and he was to be their saviour (if you believe in that sort of thing). A bit of swearing to make a valid plot point is good.

Swearing: Don't mind it if it's justifiable or witty. For example, I love the opening of the film "Way of The Gun" which has the most ridiculous amount of swearing but it made me laugh and told me a bit about the characters. I thought Atavar was eating humble pie in the most graphic way he could.

The other thing that winds me up recently is all the drug references. It's like being at a party with some first year students; all Bob marley posters and statues of gray aliens with big spliffs trying to make out how cool they are cos' they have a joint occasionally. Everybody knows it's not cool to brag about drugs!

Oh yeah, and lastly, who are these Andy Diggle and Dave Bishop that everyone is moaning at. Surely Tharg is the person to praise/blame.

paulvonscott · 08 April, 2002, 05:54:04 AM

Yes, get rid of X, Y is a moron isn't much help is it?

I agree about the Avatar thing. Where did he get that personality? And was that the best they could do?

I believe Diggle and Bishop must have been some form of editorial droids. No doubt they got up to all sort of scrapes and antics while Tharg was out.

I actually (looks about and contiues in a whisper) have a theory that Tharg's gone back to his home planet, in fact he hasn't been here since 198- No, I've said too much...

Oh and Paul, I've been accused of being you, or rather you being me. That's not true is it?

Rambo · 08 April, 2002, 04:12:03 PM

OK - Star Trek physics - how has the clone got a memory of a language he hasn't learned? Who knows. How can he speak at all? And if he's now speaking alien gobbledeygook, they'd be alien swearwords turned into human colloqialisms for us via the universal translator, wouldn't they?

Always best not to think too hard about these things. I'm enjoying it.

I hadn't even noticed the swearing until it was pointed out to me.

Did anyone watch that SouthPark? Shit that was one shit hot show. How the shit did they get to say shit so many shitting times? I nearly shit myslef laughing so shitting hard. Shit it was good. :)

Swearing? Get's a bit boring after the first couple of times, dunnit?

paulvonscott · 08 April, 2002, 05:19:58 PM

No, he seemed able to speak English and not alien at the start.

Obviously if he was just a clone matured to adulthood in a sac he would be incredibly messed up. They could of course been feeding his brain information while keeping him in a permanent vegetative state. But why not feed him the alien language too?

And then how are his muscles and limbs so well defined? He'd be a withered loon.

Or is it some sort of instant clone that you just add a biochip to?

Now, yes it probably is easier to ignore it, but its not exactly a complicated story at the moment is it? And I could understand it not being all deep and cerebral if it was full of lots of action. But it isn't.

It seems like a very good idea that has had a very loose treatment. If I was enjoying it of course I wouldn't care about all of the above. But its reading like a future shock premise made into a series.

I think if the central character did question who he was and there was more to that it might make me care about him. At the moment he's just some sweary bloke. Who is he?!! He's just some peeved irritated chap that has been brought to life from the ashes of humanity by an alien race.

AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGH!

5pts and an imaginary book token to the first person to say 'it's just a comic'.

Cheers

Paul

p.s. Oh and I caught the end of Gremlins 2 recently. They should kill that Gizmo, he's a biological hazard. He's worse than Hitler.

Tiplodocus · 08 April, 2002, 06:31:52 PM

No, I can't say I am you but I'm sure that if I was, I'd be a very nice person.

I've only just started to use the site and the message board so I'm still trying to get to grips with who a few of the "personalities" are and what their place is in the natural order of things. A Clinical Psychiatrist would probably have a field day examining some of the posting habits.

Still, I have found it interesting reading about all of the guessing games and tehories postulated about what goes on behind the scenes, who does what and why.

I thought the one of the points of a site like this was that you would occasionally get the creators mucking in with comments and find out the truth (when not libellous). I do get annoyed with "get rid of x because he's rubbish" comments because I think they will stop the creators contributing. But maybe they already contribute under "nom de ordinateur" and I don't know.

I'm also on a positive criticism kick at the moment because, like several of the contributors to this message board, I've submitted a Future Shock or two and enjoyed getting positive feedback in reply. It was probably remiss of me to start moaning about the quality of some of the Future Shocks a few postings back but the Kebab story did lack a lot of what I thought the stories should have. Bottom line: it was a jokey story; if you liked the joke, you probably liked the story and in retrospect, I can see why it would be commissioned.

I've got this theory that the 2000AD readership is about thirty thousand strong and every one of them is submitting Future Shocks. Judging by the quality of some of the postings here (and I include mine), I guess Matt and his team have their work cut out.

paulvonscott · 08 April, 2002, 07:34:47 PM

Well if I'm not you, who am I? And perhaps I am you anyway and... (where's a clinical psychiatrist when you need one)

I too hoped there would be more input from droids. They are out there... lurking on the edges of the outer darkness and at least one or two post under pseudonyms I think.

I think criticism does sometimes rage out of control. I'm sure people would be more polite if the person they were lambasting was visible. But you can't make everybody happy so maybe they feel it would be futile to get involved.

The amount of people who say 'X is crap' and 'Y is a big thickie' and 'I challenge Z' is quite minimal. There are a few. Stories themselves do sometimes get a kicking but there is always someone who will stand up for a story.

I think polls would be a great addition to the site.

One I would particularly like to see is have you ever submitted a future shock Yes/No. I suspect a lot of readers have at some time. I mean I think probably most people would have a good future shock in them. Then again, it would take a long time to get through 30,000 future shocks!

Dudley · 06 October, 2004, 10:13:46 PM

I dunno. Are we all losing the gentle art of conversation?