MEG 295 : HOUNDED!

[TordelBack]

Sorry chaps, as a middle-class scrote of mixed proddy/taig origins living in the Republic, 'Norn Iron' is literally  what I hear whenever a native says 'Northern Ireland'.  No offense or confusion meant  - I fully understand if you thought the Fates had adopted metallurgy.

[JayzusB.Christ]

The Life and Death of Johnny Alpha will probably retcon it all anyway (boo! hiss!).

I know; I really hope it doesn't but I'm sure it will.  I loved the idea of Johnny dying a Christlike death to save mutantkind, and going into mutie history as a messianic figure.  I hope it doesn't all get pissed up the wall (ahem, Danny Franks, cough).

As for the Gronk, I just didn't like it, Norn Iron analogies or no.  The Gronk was always there as a sweet, simple foil for the violent and aggressive lives of the SDs.  Garth couldn't seem to get away from the idea that every comic character has to be a violent killer; even Jug McKenzie was murdering bulldozer drivers gleefully and never seemed to get in trouble with the law.

[Robin Low]

The Gronk was always there as a sweet, simple foil for the violent and aggressive lives of the SDs.  Garth couldn't seem to get away from the idea that every comic character has to be a violent killer; even Jug McKenzie was murdering bulldozer drivers gleefully and never seemed to get in trouble with the law.

I take your point, but I think the initial joke of a violent Gronk quickly passed. The Gronk remained a sweet and generally kind creature, but he became a much more functional character, balanced between his original cowardice and awakened aggression. That said, how much of this was Ennis and how much was Hogan I can't say without rereading the stories.

Regards

Robin

[JayzusB.Christ]

That said, how much of this was Ennis and how much was Hogan I can't say without rereading the stories.

More Hogan as far as I remember; I definitely noticed a slight return to the original Gronk personality.  Garth Ennis's Gronk was kick-ass tough guy all the way and it just didn't work for me.

[HOO-HAA]

I had to look up what Norn Iron was 

 

[Mikey]

I fully understand if you thought the Fates had adopted metallurgy.

I just voided coffee from my nose.

(have you seen the Norn Iron version of the ubiquitous Microsoft OS - 'Windies')

Monsters does read very obviously but I think Ennis can be forgiven; he was a young 'un at the time and isn't a lot of advice based on 'write what you know'?

M.

[colsmi]

It's fascinating reading everyone's discussion of past stories - such as those in the Strontium Dog strips - and noting how much has gone on in 2000 AD & the Megazine in the 25 years since I last picked it up. And without in any way wanting to say that continuity and backstory aren't important, I thought I might just add that one of the real strengths of the Megazine is that its main strips are immediately understandable & enjoyable to a newly-returned, long absent reader. Until I read all these posts, and saw how engaged everyone was with the history of these characters and strips, I never thought how fine it was that I've been able to step back & really enjoy the Megazine despite knowing not a fraction of what the posters here do. A difficult thing to pull off, I think, and to the Megazine's credit.

I would also add that the last page of the excellent Ewing/Collins Dredd strip was one of the most horrific and thought-provoking I've ever seen. Really good stuff.

[Mikey]

I was just thinking the other day about what a 'novice' would make of the current thrills - and here you are! Although I was thinking more of the Tour of Duty storyline...

M.

[colsmi]

Mikey: It's been an absolute joy not just to enjoy the current Dredd stories, but also to watch how absolutely rock-solid the story-telling craftsmanship has been. I knew nothing of the Mutie expulsions. I knew nothing of Beeny. I stopped reading too long ago for that. I'm only vaguely aware of P J Maybe. Rico? New to me, as far as I can recall. And none of that has mattered. And it's not just Wagner's work that's so well-constructed. Ewing and Morrison's scripts have similarly pushed the narrative forward without stranding the unfamiliar reader.

If I sound pleased, I am. There's so much incompetence in so many comic books, particularly where editorial offices are concerned. I never thought I'd have bought a subscription to 2000 AD after 25 years away, but it's been well worth it.

[Mikey]

Excellent! It's nice to hear it isn't impenetrable and it's as good as we knew it was.

M.

[Paul faplad Finch]

I haven't read the Meg for a goodly long while because of monetary concerns. Basically, I was skint, and unlike the Prog it just wasn't good enough to justify continuing to buy. This one I picked up though, purely on the basis of Monsters, since I've resigned myself to not seeing a proper collection of this stuff anytime soon.

But what do I find inside? It's actually pretty good. Tank Girl is as rubbish as I remembered it being when I quit, Tempest is part 4 and so I didn't have a clue what was going on and Alan Grant hasn't written a decent Dredd in years but none of that mattered. I still felt that I had got value for my money.
 
Why?, because Al Ewing is great on Dredd and a lead story by him is nearly worth the price of asdmission on it's own and that is joined by a bunch of articles that areactually interesting and on topic. Bravo.

Probably won't be back full time though cos of aforementioned money probs but if the time comes when another floppy catches my eye I won't dither quite so much.

As far as Pat Mills ressurecting another old character, I'm not really that fussed. My views on his work aren't a secret, but I will read whatever comes my way and maybe he'll surprise me. I just hope, if I'm honest, that it's not something I hold in particularly high regard. In case he doesn't. Surprise me, that is. That said, and to deflect charges of Pat Bashing I will say that I am actually experiencing stirrings of interest in the the upcoming new Savage. It's got a ways to go but the last series did start to win me over