Sorry to lump these two together but it seems to me there's a great contrast between the two relaunches, one that is more to do with the original series rather than whats done with them now (well then).
Lets get the stuff thats the same out the way. They both look bloody great.I'm gone all gooey over Henry Flint before so I'm not embarrass myself again except to say he's bloody great again. Rogue as ever is served by a number of great artists. I make special mention of Staz Johnson and David Roach who somehow manage to make their art look like Colin Wilson, and Dave Gibbons AND on occasion even Brett Ewins. Its an incredible tribute that still retains its own style. Love their work here.
As for the stories, well Gerry Finley-Day wrote both the original and I have to be fair and say I'm far from his biggest fan, so I was intrigued to see what new, better writers handled his ideas. For me one worked, one didn't and its largely to do with the concepts.
I really enjoyed the VCs its a straight forward war strip and Dan Adnett choose to take it away from the original story and thus liberate it from too many constraints. Much like he did with Durham Red he left enough of the original there to tie them together while leaving the new story room to go its own way and to tell his own story. And a damned fine story he tells.
Rogue Trooper going back to its roots goes back to the restricts it always has. The best thing about the strip is the world and its warring parties, their equipment and the fun concepts that Mr Finley-Day came up with. Its trouble is the main characters are very dull and the spectre of the hunt for the traitor General hangs around the strip like a bad smell. That leaves Gordon Rennie no where to go and stuck telling the same stories with no real progression, just like the original.
Strontium Dogs sits somewhere inbetween the two BUT is damned fine fun. Maybe Tharg needed to be a little more considered in his trip down memory lane. Or at least don't use Bison as the showcase for new strips. Christ that'd leave anybody with rose tinted glasses to these old stories... maybe the fella is a genius after all!!!???
