Thoughts on collecting comics

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ISPYSHHHGUY
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Re: Thoughts on collecting comics

Post by ISPYSHHHGUY »

Well, vinyl records certanily seem to be enjoying something of a resurgance [I thought they went the way of comics, towards obscurity]: so hopefully the public will tire of seeing graphics onscreen and start appreciating the real thing again [paper comics].


This digital age has borne many wonders but there seems to be something of a backlash against the overall drop in standards it usually brings: ie compressed music on mp3 or as evident on here, the shortcomings of all-digital comics.

comixminx
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Re: Thoughts on collecting comics

Post by comixminx »

koollectablz wrote:Yeah it does seem to be the case that actual 'free gifts' as I remember them have gone the way of the dodo.

I've seen a child chose their comic for that week based on what the gift is, rather than what the comic was it was attached to.

Soon as I saw that, I knew comics were doomed!
To be fair, my sister says the reason she started buying Jinty in 1974 was purely based on the free gift on issue 1.
jintycomic.wordpress.com/ Excellent and weird stories from the past - with amazing art to boot.

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philcom55
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Re: Thoughts on collecting comics

Post by philcom55 »

I always had two comics on standing order, but free gifts often prompted me to try out a new title - sometimes inspiring me to adopt it at the expense of one of my regulars (especially as these issues were generally designed to be ideal 'jumping on' points with lots of brand new serials starting).

geoff42
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Re: Thoughts on collecting comics

Post by geoff42 »

The one thing I liked about attending comic marts back in the eighties was that my attention would be drawn to genres that I would not have accommodated otherwise; one namely was "the Prisoner" a tv series of the sixties - I garnered quite a few fanzines and consequently bought the series on video. I have yet to see anything like this since. Strangehaven tried its best in comic strip; I gather it has stagnated in the last decade; the next best thing I can think of is David Lynch's "Twin Peak" which sadly disappeared up its unfathomable anus. Granted, the Prisoner eventually ran up its rear end but, along the way, the journey was mind blowing and still reverberates within my mind today. Ode to Patrick McGoohan's unrealized dream... if only he had more time... but then, given the time, could he have finished it?

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Re: Thoughts on collecting comics

Post by Lew Stringer »

geoff42 wrote:The one thing I liked about attending comic marts back in the eighties was that my attention would be drawn to genres that I would not have accommodated otherwise; one namely was "the Prisoner" a tv series of the sixties - I garnered quite a few fanzines and consequently bought the series on video. I have yet to see anything like this since. Strangehaven tried its best in comic strip; I gather it has stagnated in the last decade; the next best thing I can think of is David Lynch's "Twin Peak" which sadly disappeared up its unfathomable anus. Granted, the Prisoner eventually ran up its rear end but, along the way, the journey was mind blowing and still reverberates within my mind today. Ode to Patrick McGoohan's unrealized dream... if only he had more time... but then, given the time, could he have finished it?
If there's one '60s TV series that did have a definite ending it's The Prisoner. The final episode, 'Fall Out' is superb.
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starscape
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Re: Thoughts on collecting comics

Post by starscape »

Well, I loved the TV series but the final episode was a massive let-down.
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Re: Thoughts on collecting comics

Post by Lew Stringer »

starscape wrote:Well, I loved the TV series but the final episode was a massive let-down.
Each to their own of course but I thought the way it worked on two levels (as an allegory and as a basic escape) was brilliant. I loved the way it challenged people's expectations and divided opinion. Just wonderful stuff.
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ISPYSHHHGUY
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Re: Thoughts on collecting comics

Post by ISPYSHHHGUY »

'The Girl Who Was Death' was another superior PRISONER episode, I thought.

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suebutcher
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Re: Thoughts on collecting comics

Post by suebutcher »

I liked "Girl Who Was Death" for two reasons: it seemed like a parody of the siller kind of Avengers story - dig the villain who thinks he's Napoleon! - and there's an extended sequence filmed at the Southend Kursaal. I love pictures of old-time fun fairs.

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ISPYSHHHGUY
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Re: Thoughts on collecting comics

Post by ISPYSHHHGUY »

the pacing of that episode is great too, Sue; not a minute of boredom anywhere to be had, with much surrealistic flights of fancy at many turns.

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Re: Thoughts on collecting comics

Post by alanultron5 »

"Living In Harmony" really stunned me! (I saw it back in Dec 67 on ATV Midlands) It was very innovative at the time! There was a 1970s western starring Jack Palance that copied the theme for its story!
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Shiner
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Re: Thoughts on collecting comics

Post by Shiner »

Back in the Eighties I belonged to Six of One which was the Prisoner Appreciation Society. Never before or after have I encountered such a quality fan experience. Each mailing not only included the regular magazine "Number Six," itself a wonderful glossy high end publication but also accompanying it would be all manner of freebies from badges to detailed episode guides, and shooting notes to replica Village newspapers. They even produced a gorgeous vinyl soundtrack album with beautifully produced gatefold cover. While it was only years later I got to Portmerion, thee was a real sense of community amongst the 1500 members. If anything, the TV series has become more revered over time. Sure, it's dated but its central themes of identity, society and central power exerted over the individual remain relevant.

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Re: Thoughts on collecting comics

Post by alanultron5 »

I was in it too Shiner! I went to Portmerion 1980 to 82 -each summer there was very chilly! The `Green` dome was black at the time! It was supposed to be re-painted, but in three years was still black!
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Raven
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Re: Thoughts on collecting comics

Post by Raven »

Wouldn't it be better if forum funsters discussed 'The Prisoner' TV series on a dedicated Non-Comics Discussion thread, rather than in the 'Thoughts on Collecting Comics' thread?

The thread topic was interesting but it seems quite derailed now.

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Re: Thoughts on collecting comics

Post by philcom55 »

Unlike Danger Man I don't think there were any British comic strips or annuals based on The Prisoner, but it did appear on one TV Tornado cover.
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