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Game
Tubal Hunter 1 (PlayStation £39.99).
This isn’t a review that’s going to suggest you buy this game. There are better 3D beat ’em ups on the market. and in terms of fighting, Tobal offers little new. So why bother with it? Hopefully, because it’s a sign of things to come. Apart from one-on- one battles, the game also ofi‘ers a Quest mode, in which you travel round a maze dodging traps and killing things. It‘s a cross between Doom and Tekken and although the graphics are very basic, and the action less than gripping, Tobal might just prove to be a glimpse of a brand new genre.
Benson
Mel Gibson has just turned down $33 million to make Lethal Weapon 4. It’s a pity, as he could have invested some of it in his latest blockbuster Ransom’s Web site. Although the site is functional. it just doesn't capture the excitement of the film. There’s the usual info on stars, the story, the premiere. and stuff to download. Unfortunately. some of these stars couldn‘t be bothered to answer the questions put to them in one section, and the use of graphics and Shockwave is limited. It‘s all just a bit sloppy for such a big film. http://wwrumovies.com/m/
Cosmopolltan
Cosmo is the latest of the glossies to get a makeover on the Web, and although currently a little thin, the site is due to be fleshed out. One promised innovation is the chance for readers to upload images and see themselves dressed in the latest designer gear. Cherie Blair and a scantily clad Norma Major are the uninspiring models currently illustrating the process. but this is exactly the sort of interactivity Web sites should aspire to. Pictures and words look and smell better on a glossy page than a screen, so Web magazines need gimmicks like those Cosmo has in the pipeline. . , http://www.designetcity/cosmopolitan/ (John Henderson)
98 The List 7-20 Feb 1997
's'on Cult sci-fi comic 2000 AD is twenty years old next month. Scott Montgomery grapples with the forces of darkness and celebrates
two decades of blinding future fiction
wenty years ago. British comics relied on titles such as Roy Of The
Rovers, Bottle and Action to entice readers away from American superheroes such as Batman and Spiderman. Then, on 26 February I977.
something happened to change all that. A weekly sci-ft comic called 2000 AD hit the news-stands. The idea was to capitalise on the hoped- for success of two promising sci-fi movie‘s. Star Wars and Close Encounters. As it happened. the first 2000 AD was so popular it made the front page of The Guardian. which described it as a ‘comic with thermo-nuclear impact’.
The new title had it all: superb writing, great art. black humour and a green-skinned alien named Tharg for editor. With issue two (or prog two as it’s known in the business) the publishers played what turned out to be their ace. introducing tough cop of the future Judge Dredd. Since then Dredd has become a popular icon and helped establish 2000 AD as one of the most successful comics of our times.
‘I think one of the reasons that 2000 AD has survived is that it has
evolved with
its readers.‘ says current editor David Bishop. 'Also. setting the stories in the future meant that there was an edge. compared to other British comics at the time. Another bonus was that the stories could be enjoyed on more than one level. They had science fiction and action. but they also had satire. Some of the stories were almost warning. prophecies of what the future could be like.‘
The early 80s saw the ‘2000 A I)- gate’ scandal. as the title lost many of its creators to American comics. ‘Thesc days we tend to lose them to computer games design or they go and work in movies.’ imparts Bishop. ‘2000 AI) is the world‘s greatest portfolio for honing your skills in public. It would be lovely if we could hang onto people forever. but people have to move on and grow creatively. and they certainly learn to do that in the pages of 2000 Al).‘
The comic recently launched an initiative that will bring its characters faithfully to cinema and television. 1995’s Judge Dredd movie was seen as a watering- down of the concept which Fleetway Films And Television (FFTV) hopes to avoid in the future.
The issue
anniversary (prog
Don’t mess: 2000 Ali's Celtic character Slélne Is a big guy
l()33) will see the title obtaining a slick new look: a far cry from the charmingly low-quality black and white paper of the 703. If you’re interested. a mint condition Issue One is now worth around £60. Twenty years ago it would have set you back a mere 8p (earth money). very reasonable even in them days.
Prog l033 also has a something of a Scottish flavour. as popular Celtic warrior Sldine teams up with William Wallace. in a story involving the Stone Of Scone. As Ben Elton used to say. topical stuff indeed.
The following issue has a treat in store for readers. ‘We’re doing 3000A!) — what Prog I would look if it were being created today. So we‘ve got the artists of 97 doing the stories of 77. We're re-writing the stories and updating them. and having fun doing it.’ says Bishop.
Finally. the dreaded (pun intended) question: what will 2000 AD be called in the year 2000? ‘l’ll let you know on 3| December l999.’ says Bishop. ‘The running joke was that it would never last and nobody would ever have to think about it. Well there’s less than three years to go. We shall see.’
2000 AD is published weekly by Egmont F leetway, priced £1.10. Prog I 033 is on sale from 5 Mat:
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