That I'm looking at what the galaxy's greatest comic was up to exactly thirty eight years and one month ago.
I use exactly the same method to work out when to do it that they use to work out when Easter is. It's all highly scientific and I'll probably win a Nobel Prize for it.
It also means I have to wish everyone who visits this blog a happy Easter in between bouts of complaining that there's nothing on TV.
In fairness, there was something on the TV yesterday and there will be tomorrow because Dr Who returned last night and Guardians of the Galaxy is on BBC One tomorrow night.
I enjoyed the Dr Who return, although it was noticeably lacking in tension. It did at least tell a story in a straight line and Pearl Mackie did her job well. After severely disliking the last two Christmas specials and feeling heavily jaded during the last season of the show, it was nice to finally see a Dr Who story I enjoyed again.
I can't comment on the Guardians of the Galaxy just yet, not having so far seen it, so tomorrow will be my chance to find out at last what the fuss is about.
As for the all-important matter of 2000 AD, as always, I have no idea what was happening with it, as my memory's totally failed me. I do know the Judge Cal storyline was still ongoing, which means it may be even longer than the Captain Britain/Red Skull shindig. Having said that, I don't recall it outstaying its welcome and I remember finding it entertaining from start to finish, especially when Cal made his goldfish into a judge.
Admittedly, that might be because I'd seen I Claudius and therefore knew what it was they were sending up. If I'd not seen it, possibly the whole point of it would have bypassed me. Thank God I was allowed to watch TV shows that were inappropriate for children.
Apparently we've reached a point in the saga where Walter the Wobot becomes vital in the fight against evil. This gives me pleasure, as Walter the Wobot is a living legend and an example to us all.
Anyway, Happy Easter and these are the covers to the issues in question. Even if they lack the vital info needed by bloggers, they do at least demonstrate that you should never get in the way of an angry baby.
I wasn't reading 2000 A.D. at this precise point, and didn't start again (apart from a 9 issue run, but I can't remember if they were before or after the ones here) 'til I started freelancing for the comic at the beginning of 1985. So I couldn't tell you what was happening in the comic at this time either. Isn't it nice to have something in common?
ReplyDeleteThis is a genuinely terrible feature. I do feel that me doing it every month is like watching someone trying to wrestle a house and failing miserably. Given that I never have anything to say about the 2000 AD comics in question, I always wonder if I should dump it and do posts about another subject instead but worry that there might be someone out there who'd be disappointed by its scrapping.
ReplyDeleteNo way. I enjoy your posts that consist entirely of "I have no idea what happens", "I've never read this issue" or "I had this one but can't remember it". It's basically your catchphrase. :D
ReplyDeleteThanks, Aggy. It's nice to know my abject cluelessness can be appreciated. :)
ReplyDeleteThursdays and Sundays wouldn't be quite the same without reading "I have no idea what happens" at some point, Steve.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't worry - at least this feature can't now be as clueless as when the progs had supercovers, right?
Prog 103 is the start of the Fall and Rise of Ro-Jaws and Hammerstein, probably the best run of Ro-Busters stories. Not surprising really, with both Kevin O'Neill and Mike McMahon working on it.
Add Ian Gibson on Robo-Hunterith and Carlos Ezquerra on Strontium Dog and its obviously a stylish era for Tharg's organ.
-sean
Thanks, Sean.
ReplyDeleteI must confess I don't remember the Fall and Rise of Ro-Jaws and Hammerstein. In fact, thinking about it, I can't remember any of the the Ro-Busters' storylines.
Steve, you are a total (or at least relative) expert compared to me. I have never read a 2000AD and don't have any immediate plans to do so.
ReplyDeleteWhy would I when I realise that nobody else knows anything about it either?
To be honest, Steve, I don't think there was that much competition for best Ro-Busters storyline.
ReplyDeleteWhich is probably why it got (more or less) turned into ABC Warriors.
-sean (a nobody)
Like Colin B, I've never read 2000AD either - it's nice to know I'm not alone :)
ReplyDeleteAhem, apologies Sean. Not wishing to cast aspersions on 2000AD readers. You clearly exist :)
ReplyDeleteI wonder who the hell reads it now! I'm happy for Tharg that it's 40 years old or whatever, but I stopped reading roundabout 1981, and only occasionally dipped in after that.
ReplyDeleteI'm still amazed when I see it in newsagents ( though it has moved up to the top shelf round our way ) tho' it always looks like a particularly bad issue of Heavy Metal to me.
And who reads Heavy Metal these days either? It can't be kids, I assume it's the sort of fan who's grimly hanging on for dear life, 'cos they've got every issue since #1.
Is it me? Am I missing out?
Ahoy Mateys -
ReplyDeleteSteve - I love your totally novel approach to reviewing something yo never read! It's refreshing, honest, sincere... traits sorely lacking in today's ruff-and-tumble world of blogging!
Thanks, Charlie. And thanks to everyone else who's commented so far.
ReplyDeletePete, I stopped reading in 1984. The last issue I read, Halo Jones was trapped in a gigantic web and was about to be eaten by a huge spider. To this day, I still don't know if she survived or not.
I suspect she did but have no idea as to how.
She prob'ly stabbed it in the eye like Conan always used to. I find that usually works with giant spiders.
ReplyDeleteSteve, Pete - can I throw something out to your blogs as an aside? I am going to my first convention in several years. It's called C2E2 in Chicago.
ReplyDeleteWould any of your faithful be willing to look at the link below and tell me what they would "check out" on Sunday at C2E2? I think it may be the 2nd largest con in the USA after Comicon.
http://www.c2e2.com/
It's already a given that ole Charlie will have sensory overload in a couple hours and need to decompress for a bit with a soda, and then get back at it!
Cheers Gents!
Colin B - Doubt I'd believe I existed either if I wasn't me, so no worries.
ReplyDeletePete - Funny you should say 2000AD looks like a bad Heavy Metal as I finally gave up on Heavy Metal completely around the time they started reprinting stuff from 2000AD.
I was cured of even occasionally dipping into 2000AD by the first of the Grant Morrison edited issues I tried; apparently he now edits HM, so I'm unlikely to give it a go again any time soon.
Steve - Its been a while, but I think the giant spiders were just a dream sequence.
-sean
Hey All! Can I ask you UK gents why a soccer player puts his thumb in his mouth after scoring a goal? I'm looking at this photo of Ozil who scored a goal today... Nothing similar over here, from what I've seen. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteAhoy, Charlies - No need to worry about things like that so long as Arsenal won. Priorities, Charlie, priorities.
ReplyDelete-sean
Well Chicago Fire have won 3 straight with Schweinsteiger. I need to see him play before he's disabled, lol.
ReplyDeleteSean what's your thoughts on Wenger? Time to go?
If I score a really cool comic at C2E2 this weekend and start sucking my thumb like Ozil what will folks say/think???
No, Charlie, not time to go, unless he wants to. Who'd replace him?
ReplyDeleteThats the problem with regime change - theres no plan for what happens after.
And anyway he's earned the right to lose a game or two without getting the push straight away (I know, what kind of competitive attitude is that?)
But I might change my mind if Spurs win!
Its not just sucking your thumb - you have to do the thing with your other hand too.
Otherwise, people might think it was ridiculous, right?
-sean
Charlie, I had to enter the decompression chamber just from viewing the C2E2 website so I'm not help to you.
ReplyDeleteMy hunch is you would enjoy meeting veteran sellers who have stories to tell. But as to the rest of it, prepare to have your mind blown!
The Ozil thumb-sucking incident? Guessing that he (or a close friend) has had a baby. That and the rocking motion are quite regular features of the Premier League.
Sean, thanks for the Halo Jones info. At last I can sleep at night without worrying about her fate.
ReplyDeleteColin and Charlie, I believe he claims to do it for his niece. Why his niece wants him to suck his thumb, I have no idea.
Champions Leagues today and tomorrow mates! Go Leicester!!! (Our might Chicago Fire has won 3 in a row. Schweinsteiger has scored twice in the last 3 games, which is when he joined the team. I’m not sure what Shweini does for an after-goal celebration. Anyone speak German and can tell me what Schweinsteiger, which I would translate to Pig climber /mounter, refers to back in the old, old times???) I called FIFA and asked they reschedule these games to like 4 AM your time so that it would be convenient for us to watch the games. No dice.
ReplyDeleteColin – you are spot on about needing a decompression chamber for C2E2. In years past I used to go with “want lists” but it was just too inefficient. First you’d have to find a dealer with Avengers 93, then try to comparison shop, and then you can’t really compare side by side, and also (as we all know) you really should open it and go through each page… So, eBay certainly is a better way.
BUT – at shows the sellers often have “cheap stuff” displayed one way or another. And it’s digging through the cheap stuff that I will find the hidden / forgotten gems. Sometimes you’ll see random Silver Age for $2 each or random Golden Age for $5 - $10 each. They won’t be mint but… I just dig holding it my hands, seeing the cover, reading the story, seeing the ads, letters pages, the whole package!
Yep, how true Charlie. And what a thrill to see so many darn comics all in one place...so jealous. I remember attending cons and sure, it's good to pick up a gem, but I always enjoyed bringing home tatty old Charlton war comics for next to nothing :)
ReplyDelete