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Post by H_P_Saucecraft on Sept 22, 2011 19:33:54 GMT
Various - Judge Dredd case files vols. 1-3.
As I was born in 77, I missed the beginning & these volumes are great. vol.1 covers the robot war & others plus introduces 'Walter The Wobot'.
Volume 2 covers The Cursed Earth (minus the episodes that got certain fast food companies in a lather & had them bringing action for copyright infringement) & The Day The Law Died (Judge Caligula)epics.
Volume 3 is a mix of strips & also gives Judge Death's first appearance & I think Judge Anderson's first (though I had read this strip before).
Favourite artists so far - Brian Bolland, Ron Smith & Brett Ewins.
David Peace - 1980
It's still grim up north & the ripper still hasn't been caught yet. against this backdrop Peter Hunter aka Saint C.unt has been sent to investigate the west yorkshire force - not that they're too happy about that, hence the nickname. The story abounds with nasty characters & that's just the coppers.
There is one annoying part to the books, the repeated phrases cycling round (you'll know what I mean if you read them), I can see what was trying to be done, but it just got on my nerves. But, it's still a great book & it has to be doing something special to get me to read nearly 400 pages with few breaks.
Just started 1983 (the final book), then it should be onto the promised reviews.
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Post by andydecker on Sept 22, 2011 22:28:38 GMT
Various - Judge Dredd case files vols. 1-3. This must be nice editions. I just read about them on a blog where they are all reviewed. I also came late to Dredd, and I bought those hardcover collections they published a while ago, collecting the big sagas. Apocalypse War and Judge Death are really as good as most people say.
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Post by H_P_Saucecraft on Sept 23, 2011 0:20:37 GMT
They're large paperback editions, Andy. Haven't got them myself, been borrowing them from the library & I've just reserved volume 4. Library has up to volume 13, but seem to be missing volume 8. Good to be able to catch up on the Dredd strips though - also reserved Judge Dredd & The Angel Gang.
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Post by mattofthespurs on Sept 24, 2011 15:51:08 GMT
They're large paperback editions, Andy. Haven't got them myself, been borrowing them from the library & I've just reserved volume 4. Library has up to volume 13, but seem to be missing volume 8. Good to be able to catch up on the Dredd strips though - also reserved Judge Dredd & The Angel Gang. I have been buying 2000 AD since it's first issue and have every single comic, summer special, annual and spin off but I still buy these Judge Dredd collections. They really are superb and the early editions (1-8) are good value for money. Once the books become all colour and the rrp goes up to £19.99 I do have to think twice before getting them considering I do have all the material albeit boxed up and put away. They are upto volume 18 at the moment but don't forget to get the 'Restricted Files' which is all the Judge Dredd strips from the varies specials and annuals. There are 3 of those out. Rebellion (the publisher) also released a whole slew of these types of books covering 'Strontium Dog' (5 volumes), Nemesis (3 volumes and volume 3 sells for silly money), 'Judge Anderson (1 volume), 'Rogue Trooper' (2 volumes), 'Robo Hunter' (2 volumes) 'Ace Trucking' (2 volumes) and 'Ro-Busters' (1 volume). All good value for money and packed with great art and stories.
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Post by andydecker on Sept 25, 2011 12:58:37 GMT
I have been buying 2000 AD since it's first issue and have every single comic, summer special, annual and spin off but I still buy these Judge Dredd collections. I am impressed. The only comic I have a complete run - that is a series which still is published - is Hellblazer, I think. (And I don´t know how often I thought: this isn´t worth it any longer ) I started to read 2000AD and the Megazine in earnest with a subs 2001 or 2002 I think (too lazy to check), so I get it every saturday in the mail. Never rued this, even if the Megazine is at its worst at the moment. Even if the prog has moments of blah, alone a cover like that on 1752 by D´Israeli does wonders for goodwill In the same time I cancelled all american superhero comics I used to buy back when they were a)affordable and b) readable. Nowadays I buy only the odd trade if it catches my eye. But I know what you mean about the collections. If I really like something I tend to buy a trade later to have it in a better format. Did it with Dante, Shakara, Caballistics and Defoe. Just ordered the collection of America, which I only have in the german adaption which is not so good. (Every few years somebody tried to establish Dredd on the german market and failed after a short time. It just doesn´t finds an audience, like Dr. Who, which got cancelled after 3 series.)
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Post by mattofthespurs on Sept 25, 2011 17:45:01 GMT
I used to have a complete run of "Hellblazer" but binned it when it was going for silly prices on eBay.
Not much that I keep up with nowadays. The only US comics I get are Batman titles but I tend to bulk buy all the issues once a year off eBay. So much cheaper that way then getting them every month.
I still get Fangoria as I have a complete run of those too in binders. Luckily it's picked up enormously since Tony Timpone left 7 issues ago.
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Post by Shrink Proof on Sept 25, 2011 18:11:15 GMT
Just finished Kathryn Cramer's "Architecture of Fear", an 80s anthology of haunted building stories, which gets 7 out of 10. Best of the bunch are:-
Robert Aickmans's "The Fetch", where the narrator describes how the appearance of an old woman always foretells a family death if she is allowed into the house. Abandoned by his wife (and her lesbian partner), he winds up effectively imprisoned in the family manor in the Scottish Highlands, barricaded in while the ghost besieges the place.
Ramsey Campbell's "Where the Heart Is" where a thoroughly unpleasant & probably thoroughly deranged guy conceals himself in his former home, writing a sort-of suicide note to be read by the new occupants.
Dean Kootz's "Down in the Darkness", which features California's deepest, darkest & most extensive cellar. Seemingly provided for the narrator's personal use. And with the most predatory darkness...
Continuing my theme of catching up on stuff I missed first time round, I've now ploughing through Jones & Campbell's "The Giant book of Terror" from 1994, which seems to be Best New Horror 3 & 4 reprinted as one volume. Three stories in & it's profoundly depressing. No happy endings here at all. Wish me luck...
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Post by andydecker on Sept 26, 2011 9:00:13 GMT
I tend to bulk buy all the issues once a year off eBay. So much cheaper that way then getting them every month. Yes. I am firmly in the camp that has the opinion that 3.99 is grossly overpriced for a comic which you can read in 30 seconds. It is just isn´t worth it any longer. The dogma of writing for the trade has become off-putting. Of course it didn´t help that the approach of both Quesada for Marvel and Didio for DC has alienated me as a reader. They have perfected the production of something akin to Michael Bay movies, but who can stand a new Transformer movie every month while getting nothing else? I collected a lot of Marvel and DC since the 70s, but I don´t miss the new stuff. And if I get an acute case of nostalgia for things like Batman there are always trades which are cheaper than buying the monthlies. Frankly I didn´t knew that this is still published I had a subscription for a couple of years in the 80s. But in this day and age the only genre magazine I still buy is Locus and some special interest stuff like Cinema Retro. For the rest I use the Net.
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Post by jamesdoig on Sept 27, 2011 21:24:58 GMT
Just finished this - a real cracker Loved the film but never read the book before now.
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Post by mattofthespurs on Sept 28, 2011 12:32:13 GMT
Just finished this - a real cracker Loved the film but never read the book before now. One of my absolute favourites. Loved it so much I tracked down a first edition.
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Post by Dr Strange on Oct 22, 2011 13:58:53 GMT
About a third of the way through The Breath of God by Guy Adams, and so far it has been absolutely brilliant and I am totally loving it.
The story so far (no spoilers) -
Self-proclaimed "psychic doctor" John Silence visits Holmes and Watson with an account of a case of demonic possession and a warning for Holmes: "Your name is on the lips of demons". Of course Holmes doesn't believe in demons or Silence's weird theories, but then two very strange murders send him on a journey to meet another man who was apparently name-checked by Silence's demon - the notorious Aleister Crowley.
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Post by killercrab on Oct 22, 2011 15:33:45 GMT
Exactly half way through GHOST STORY by Straub. 250 pages to go! Might read an Agatha Christie next as I'm on a tv Poirot jag at the moment!
KC
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Post by mattofthespurs on Oct 22, 2011 16:49:24 GMT
I am also re-visiting Mr Straub's opus. Currently on page 334 of a pocket books US version. Haven't read it for about 15 years and I'm enjoying it immensely.
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Post by dem bones on Oct 24, 2011 5:29:13 GMT
Exactly half way through GHOST STORY by Straub. 250 pages to go! Might read an Agatha Christie next as I'm on a tv Poirot jag at the moment! KC do you have a particular Christie in mind, KC? i'm looking to have a crack at Hallowe'en Party. i'm liking the sound of this The Breath of God, Dr. Strange.
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Post by Dr Strange on Oct 24, 2011 8:08:24 GMT
i'm liking the sound of this The Breath of God, Dr. Strange. I am about half-way through now, and Carnacki has turned up - Guy Adams seems to have stuck with the original "personalities" and then filled out the details a bit, so while Silence seems quite serious and modest, Carnacki is very full himself and can be a bit of a pain in the arse. Anyway, the book is very, very enjoyable - I think that if you like the Peter Saxon Guardians series, you'll love this (though I would say this is much, much better written - though still essentially "pulp", I think).
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