Thrills 101

[Emperor]

Following on from the various threads about people spreading the Word beyond these shores:

http://www.2000adonline.com/forum/index.php/topic,27524.0.html
http://www.2000adonline.com/forum/index.php/topic,27509.0.html
http://www.2000adonline.com/forum/index.php/topic,27558.0.html

A suggestion emerged in the last one that we could look at those (and take on board the queries of new fans joining up here) to gauge what the main questions and concerns are from people starting reading for the first time or those thinking about dipping in (as well as those returning to the fold). We can then run them past the Hive Mind and distil the wisdom down into easy to digest chunks and put them somewhere handy (a thread here or an area in the wiki?) to act as part FAQ, part guide and part scary brainwashing.

So feel free to throw in ideas for things to address (especially if it is something you've seen come up a number of times and it makes sense to answer it properly once and for all in an easily accessible place), link to other discussions where such points have been raised and dealt with, as well as anything else useful you can think of. No question is too... basic.

So your starter for ten is: What is 2000AD?

Other likely candidates include:

Where do you recommend I jump on-board the weekly?
What collections should I sample first?

It might also be an idea to look at: bagging/boxing collections (including folders?), that kind of thing.

Have at it!!

[Mike Gloady]

I'd also suggest that we divide our recommendations into DREDD and NON-DREDD.  Folks will have heard of Dredd and, while perhaps not having READ any, they may THINK they know the character and think it's not for them. 

Thus dividing up our recommendations that way would ensure that those who wish to dip a toe in Dreddworld a bit more can also direct their search.  For someone used to American style comics, I've always found it easier to pitch Twoth as a publisher like DC/Marvel etc rather than an anthology (although clearly it IS) - at least at first when recommending collections.

[radiator]

I would recommend the following collections to a newcomer (chosen for their quality, range and accessibility):

Kingdom: The Promised Land
Button Man: The Killing Game
Leviathan
Nikolai Dante: The Romanov Dynasty
The Ballad of Halo Jones
B.A.D. Comapny: Goodbye, Krool World
Glimmer Rats
Atavar
Caballistics Inc: Going Underground
Storming Heaven: The Frazer Irving Collection (specifically for the title story and From Grace)
Necronauts
Slaine: The Horned God
Strontium Dog: The Kreeler Conspiracy

For Dredd stuff, I'd recommend a newcomer to start with one modern graphic novel (The Chief Judges Man, Mandroid and The Art of Kenny Who? are all good introductions) and one of the Case Files (numbers 3,4 or 5). This way they can decide whether they want to concentrate on the new or older stuff.

[Mikey]

Good choices Radiator; shows the depth and range of strips.

I'd add some Rogue Trooper to the list, everything up to the 'Hit' series in fact. And for Dredd I really think America is a good introduction to the Meg and can tie in with the Dem movement.

M.

[Mike Gloady]

I think recommendations of trades or series to have a look at, while helpful, aren't addressing the questions Emp had in mind (if I read it right, feel free to slap me down).

Let's have a go at "What is 2000ad?" first perhaps?

My crack at our opening paragraph to start things off.  Ahem.

A weekly anthology comic published in the UK, 2000ad usually consists of five different stories per issue (or "prog") each story averaging at a 6 page episode.  The first strip slot is occupied by Judge Dredd with the other four split between established series, newer series and occasional one-off stories.  Unlike US comics, very few 2000ad series "cross-over" or exist in a fictional shared universe.  

What else do we need to say?  As a long-time reader, I find it hard to get inside the head of someone who doesn't know how British anthology comics work so help from recent converts is probably massively helpful.

[Mike Gloady]

Additional thoughts:

Given it's frequency and comparatively short episode length when compared to American format comics, 2000ad series tend to produce 24 pages every four weeks resulting in a similar output over the same time as US comics, but with more compressed storytelling and a faster pace.

[Jim_Campbell]

I'd add some Rogue Trooper to the list, everything up to the 'Hit' series in fact.

Oddly enough, I wouldn't. The strip was always a triumph of great artwork over huge quantities of Gerry Finley-Day cheese, and I don't think that time's been kind to it.

Cheers!

Jim

[Mike Gloady]

Agreed, Jim. 

It's only got nostalgia to recommend it now.  Apart from Rennie's fine run which was the first Rogue other than John Smith's Cinnabar (and the good Friday-era stuff) that I've enjoyed without reservation.  I mean - disco and short circuit robots?  REALLY? 

[Colin_YNWA]

I'd add some Rogue Trooper to the list, everything up to the 'Hit' series in fact.

Oddly enough, I wouldn't. The strip was always a triumph of great artwork over huge quantities of Gerry Finley-Day cheese, and I don't think that time's been kind to it.

Cheers!

Jim

Yeah mentinoed this somewhere else not long ago but I really don't think old Rogue Trooper is any good at all. Looks great but I'm far from a fan of the stories.

For an old school flavour I'd add the Flesh collection and the first Nemesis 'Case files' can't remember what it was called. I'd also invent a John Smith collection including Firekind and Cradlegrave but that'd be a weird collection!

[Emperor]

Good answer to the question, I'll have a ponder and see if there is anything to add.

One thing though:

Unlike US comics, very few 2000ad series "cross-over" or exist in a fictional shared universe.  

I think that might need to be saved for a separate question (possibly as we move into the more advanced FAQs, along with "How Many links are in Dredd's chain?") as there have been crossovers and some writers do seem to operate in their own fictional universe (the Millsiverse, the Smithiverse and... the Edgiverse?) which would need more in-depth explanation especially with the Millsiverse which does seem to occupy the same fictional universe as Dredd (which itself has crossed over with Rogue Trooper, Strontium Dog, Harlem Heroes and Skizz, bringing a lot of the stories together into some kind of multiverse) although, confusingly, this isn't acknowledged or accommodated by other writers.

I think recommendations of trades or series to have a look at, while helpful, aren't addressing the questions Emp had in mind (if I read it right, feel free to slap me down).

Well as we have covered that topic at least half a dozen times in the last handful of months it'd probably be easier to just dig out the various threads and post links here.

[Emperor]

A quick reworking of Mike's text gives:

2000 AD is a weekly anthology comic published in the UK by Rebellion Developments (and in the past by IPC and Fleetway). The comics usually consists of five different stories per issue (or "prog") with each instalment being 5 or 6 pages long, meaning that they can average the same monthly page count as an American comic book but usually told in a more compressed form with a faster pace. Although the order has varied over the years, the first slot is now taken by Judge Dredd. The dimensions and paper quality have also changed through its history from the rougher paperstock of the early years, with the only colour being on the front/back and centre pages, to the modern shinier paper and the ability to print all stories in full colour, although there are usually a couple in black and white (during the major upgrade in printing the entire comic would be in colour with heavy emphasis on fully-painted art, although now it is almost always separate pencils, inks and colours, even if the same artist does it all)

I thought it worth flagging the historical changes in case someone picked up an old prog and wondered what the Hell was going on.

Perhaps someone at some point might want to do something on the changing dimensions and paper quality - it gets some mentions in TPO, as it is an important aspect and is connected with fully-painted art, which became problematic due to time considerations (as it meant they had to build up an expansive buffer of finished pages).

[Emperor]

While reading through I did wonder about the need for a glossary, as having a number of invented jargons (cants??*) can be good fun for the insider but is off-putting for the new-comer. There was one on Wikipedia (deleted in 2007, round about the time the damn fine "list of made-up swearwords" went to the wall) and this is the rough copy and paste:

Betelgeusian

As Tharg the Mighty comes from Betelgeuse he has brought with him his own range of terms, including:

word       meaning

Borag Thungg    Betelgeusian greeting
Earthlets    term that Tharg used to refer to humans (whether they read 2000 AD or not)
Earthlettes    similar to Earthlets, but applied to females only. This caused a furore on the letters page and eventually was deprecated in favour of the now gender-neutral term "earthlets", though now "Terrans" seems to be in vogue.
Florix Grabundae    "Many thanks"
Grexnix    churlish person
Kril Tro Thargo    honour bestowed on those who have performed services to thrill-power (typically by converting non-readers to the cause, or by buying and shipping copies of comics to readers who can't buy them for some reason, say because they're in a far-flung country that doesn't sell 2000 AD)
Quaequam Blag    a strong expletive, exclaimed in moments of extreme anger or surprise
Splundig vur thrigg    farewell, common sign-off.
Squaxx dek Thargo (shortened to Squaxx)    friend of Tharg (any reader of 2000 AD, consumer of thrill-power).
Zarjaz    Similar to "Fantastic" or other praise. It has inspired the names of the fanzine Zarjaz and the record label Zarjazz.

Specialist terms

word    meaning

Prog    short for programme — a term used by the comic in place of "issue" or "edition"
Terminal Boing    A term used in Mega City One for a death related to the dangerous use of Boing - a device that allowed its users to bounce, bunji like, from excessive heights.
Thrill-power    measurement of the quality inherent in 2000 AD. Reading too many progs can lead to a Thrill-power overdose and a common enemy of Tharg are Thrill-suckers.
pavement burgers    a person or persons who've suffered lemming syndrome

Expletives

As it also touched on more adult themes euphemisms had to be created and this resulted in 2000 AD making a significant contribution to the world of fictional expletives and these include:

Word    Scenario    Comment

arsegike    Lobster Random    A corruption of arsehole (coined accidentally by the comic's artist, Simon Spurrier, when using Usenet — if you try to type HOL with your fingers shifted one letter to the left on a QWERTY keyboard, the result is GIK).
bastich    Judge Dredd, Lobo    A portmanteau of "bastard" and "bitch", and used in the same way as its source words. (Also used in the Oddworld video game anthology).
drok/drokk    Judge Dredd    A general expletive; likely modification of German/Yiddish Dreck.
funt    Sinister Dexter, and possibly other strips    Presumably a substitute for "fuck" and "cunt", capable of being used in the same way as both (e.g., "What the funt?" or "I look like a funtin' prat!"). Variant terms: "smugfunt", "funtwipe".
fuoco    Nikolai Dante    Presumably a substitue for "fuck". It is the Italian for "fire", but it does not mean that in this context.
grud    Judge Dredd    A general expletive; also a substitute for "God"
jovis    Judge Dredd    Used in the same way as "Jesus". (In Latin it is the genitive of "Jupiter".)
judas    Rogue Trooper    
scuzzpuck    Sinister Dexter    A generally dislikeable person.
skev    Rogue Trooper    Mostly used as an exclamation.
stak    Rogue Trooper    said by Norts when surprised or dismayed (often in "Stak! It's the Rogue Trooper!")
sneck    Strontium Dog    A universal expletive.
stomm    Judge Dredd    Meaning "shit".

Mega City One Slang

A list of the slang used in the Judge Dredd strips/graphic novels, largely in Mega City One

Word    Meaning

Aeroball    Played in the air using personal jet packs, it was a once fashionable cross between basketball and kung-fu,
Aggro Dome    Citizens could work off violent tensions against robots and machines in a specially built centre.
Bambo    A term of abuse; a stupid person, idiot.
Big Sleep    Extreme tactic used by the Judges to pacify unruly sectors by tranquilizing them with nerve agents.
Big Smelly    The Ohio River, now buried underground and inhabited by mutants and other outcasts.
Birdie    Hand held electronic lie detector used by Judges.
Black Atlantic    Formerly known as the Atlantic Ocean. So heavily polluted it keeps catching fire.
Bleeper    Used by Judges to follow Perps, it is a tiny electronic radio transmitter,
Blitzer    Hit man. Their premeditated kills are known as Blitzes. Agency Blitzers are often rigged with booby-traps to prevent them from being captured and interrogated by Judges.
Block War    War between one block and another, often involving the blocks city-def unit. Blockers are often fiercely loyal to their particular Block. All out war invovling multiple blocks is termed Block Mania.
Body Sharking    Illegal trade in the bodies of living humans who are destined for medical experimentation, slavery or to suffer having their brains removed and replaced by that of another, usually a wealthy eldster who wishes to savour a youthful existence once more. This often goes in hand with the crime, Organ-Legging.
Boing    Sprayed substance that forms a rubbery transparent bubble around the user; mainly for games in the Palais-de-Boing. The bubble is impervious to all but special boing-cutters. Fire tends to make the bubble melt and stick against a surface. Judges often use Hi-Ex against them to hold the perp in place. Death through dangerous misuse is termed "Terminal Boing"
Button Jock    Disc jockey or dj.
Chump Dumping    Lethal criminal practice whereby citizens are tricked onto starships with the promise of cheap holidays on other worlds, only to find themselves blown out of airlocks by the unscrupulous crew, or sold into slavery on some distant alien world.
Dunk    Pick-pocket or the act of pick-pocketing . Also sometimes called Dip or Dipping.
Eldster    Older/elderly person.
Fattie    Mega City One's obese food fanatics, who hold illegal eating contests, and protest for more food rations. They usually use a Belliwheel to prop up their stomach so they are still able to move.Often a member of the League of Fatties
Futsie    'Future Shock Syndrome', mental instability caused by the stress of living in Mega-City One often results in a spate of violence against city property and other citizens. Normal sentencing for Futsie-related crimes involves a duration in a Psycho-Cube and drugs therapy. Extreme cases - repeat Futsies - may require lobotomizing as a last resort.
Grud    God.
Gump    Low level criminal.
Iso-Cube    Standard for of imprisonment; a Block full of small, empty, plasteen cubes. Often referred to as just, the cubes. Example "You are going to spend the next ten years in the cubes!"
Jimp    Judge Impersonator
Juve    Juvenile
Lawgiver    The Judges' automatic, multi-shell pistol. Ammunition type selected by voice command: Standard, Armor Piercing, Ricochet, Incendiary, Hi-Ex, Stun or Stumm Gas. Coded to a judges palm print and will explode if fired by a non-judge.
MO-Pad    Mobile Home
Peeper    Peeping Tom
Perp    A perpetrator of a crime. A criminal.
Scrawler    Graffiti artist, an illegal activity.
Smokatorium    A large Block-sized building, which is the only place in Mega-City One where tobacco smoking is legal. Special permits are required for entrance.
Terminal Boing    Death through dangerous misuse of Boing(c).
Umpty Candy    A hyper-addictive, extra-sweet candy discovered by a sweet maker called Uncle Ump. There is no cure for its addiction, and so it has been declared illegal. Umpty Bagging is the illegal manufacture and sale of Umpty Candy.

Barney link:
http://www.2000ad.org/?zone=thrill&page=phrasebook

Looking through it, it might be better to break it down by series. So you'd group the Strontium Dog and Sinister Dexter material together, like the Dredd stuff.

* I knew a guy who formed a band called Cant - I asked "as in Brian" and he said "no, as in fakin'" (they were asked not to do the second half of their only gig in my local, even though it was the best thing I'd see in there )

[Mike Gloady]

Emp, well done sir.

I thought initially that brevity for the initial paragraph might be handy, but agree that flagging up the fact that these changes have occured is quite sensible.

[Emperor]

I thought initially that brevity for the initial paragraph might be handy, but agree that flagging up the fact that these changes have occured is quite sensible.

We can always split into two paragraphs with a simple definition and outline and a bit more detail in the second one.

[Mike Gloady]

KEW-ITE!