Alternate Perceptions

[Digifiend]

Strange. I only ever see Hull on geographically targeted ads. Are you not on Karoo?

[-MikeD-]

Strange. I only ever see Hull on geographically targeted ads. Are you not on Karoo?

Yeah...Karoo. And no proxy. I agree it's strange! According to the last ad, there are ladies in Leeds waiting to meet me, apparently. They're going to be waiting a looong time...

[Raven]

My concern is that some of the new members are mistaking this for a chat forum. We all know it isn't - it's a place where we can share our little bit of knowledge, learn from others, and discuss maturely (including some, or even a lot, of punditry.) Informed comment.

Yes, that's definitely one of the changes taking place here. When I discovered the forum, I found it a fascinating place, populated by comics experts and enthusiasts with an interest in all manner of British comics over their rich, varied history - it was packed with information, and insight on all sorts of titles from all eras, which almost always had you wanting to go seeking out the original issues. Now it's becoming much more like a chat forum; idle chat, sometimes, with posters going for quantity over quality, and some new members (possibly trolls) posting their every last brain-fart. The good stuff is being buried under all that, and I think most new visitors here might be inclined to flee after an initial scan.

Also, maybe because some of the newer members are, I think, younger - and nothing wrong with that; I think the younger folks' efforts getting their work up on Deviant Art and producing The Wizzo are fantastic and inspiring -they don't necessarily seem to have as much interest in comics outside relatively recent Beano and Dandy, which is what almost every post is now about, and which the forum often seems mainly focused on. Nothing actually wrong with that, either, but it may be why older members seem to be posting much less or staying away more.

I think there may be a risk of it finally becoming a chat forum with just the same very few members talking to each other - but I wonder if it could open up and become that comic researcher's dream again. Probably not, with the older experts' and enthusiasts' diminishing presence.

[-MikeD-]

My concern is that some of the new members are mistaking this for a chat forum. We all know it isn't - it's a place where we can share our little bit of knowledge, learn from others, and discuss maturely (including some, or even a lot, of punditry.) Informed comment.

Yes, that's definitely one of the changes taking place here. When I discovered the forum, I found it a fascinating place, populated by comics experts and enthusiasts with an interest in all manner of British comics over their rich, varied history - it was packed with information, and insight on all sorts of titles from all eras, which almost always had you wanting to go seeking out the original issues. Now it's becoming much more like a chat forum; idle chat, sometimes, with posters going for quantity over quality, and some new members (possibly trolls) posting their every last brain-fart. The good stuff is being buried under all that, and I think most new visitors here might be inclined to flee after an initial scan.

I didn't join all that long ago, but I read the forum as a lurker for a year or so beforehand. I always like to get a feel for a forum before I sign up and contribute. And, you're right, the place is packed with knowledge about British comics and lively and informed debate on the relative merits of artists, strips and eras. I'd hate to see that obscured by the smell of spontaneous brain farts.

But I have to admit I've enjoyed most of the discussion about recent issues - I actually used to find it a bit disconcerting when the 'latest issue' threads on current titles were not updated for weeks on end. I like to think this a medium that continues to evolve and is not in it's death throes!

[Raven]

But I have to admit I've enjoyed most of the discussion about recent issues - I actually used to find it a bit disconcerting when the 'latest issue' threads on current titles were not updated for weeks on end. I like to think this a medium that continues to evolve and is not in it's death throes!

I do agree - Comics UK should, of course, be discussing contemporary comics, and anything that's out right now. Just sometimes I think "there is more to the subject of UK comics than Beano and Dandy, you know!" The forum's scope used to range from this week's Beano all the way back to Victorian-style story papers.

[Digifiend]

To be fair, those two, 2000AD, and Commando are the most famous and most traditional comics still in publication. I'm actually surprised 2000AD doesn't get more discussion.

[Tin Can Tommy]

It's probably because 2000AD have their own forums but the other comics, especially the Beano and The Dandy, have no forums of their own so this is probably main place on the internet for them to be discussed.

Strange. I only ever see Hull on geographically targeted ads. Are you not on Karoo?

My geographically targeted ads usually give a different city/town every time i see them.

[stevezodiac]

The best thing is for the moderators to delete the meaningless or irritating posts ASAP and then we won't see them. If you paint over graffiti artists tags straight away it really gets to them. (I believe).

[AndyB]

Take your complaints about individual posts to the ! button, please.

We do NOT need established respected users turning every threads into complaints about other users. There are ways for you to report people in private without making the situation even worse.

[Digifiend]

It's probably because 2000AD have their own forums but the other comics, especially the Beano and The Dandy, have no forums of their own so this is probably main place on the internet for them to be discussed.

Not official forums anyway....
http://beanoforum.freeforums.org
http://dandyforums.freeforums.org

[Tin Can Tommy]

Digifiend you spelt forums wrong on your beanoforums link so it doesnt work. I did know those forums existed but they're not very active apart from on the day the new issues come out.

[AndyB]

And fixed!

[Phoenix]

My geographically targeted ads usually give a different city/town every time i see them.

So you get offered ladies from right across your region, not just in Leeds. Well that's the magic of the internet for you. Hello sailor!

[tictak]

I dont know if this counts, but i see Digifiend has posted something about a man thinking that his copy of the first beano was dated 1936. That's all!

[Digifiend]

It was a woman, and the mistake was probably the Sunday Mirror's.