Talk:Viz (comics)

Letterbocks
One thing I've always wondered about: Letterbocks. Almost every issue has letters that refer to other letters in the same issue. Are these people psychic, or are the letters faked by the Viz staff? I know that not all letters are, because I myself had a letter in once, but I was wondering if any are. J I P | Talk 21:48, 8 February 2006 (UTC)


 * Its a gag, and one of their better observed ones. The spoof is that similar pages in 'real' magazines are often patently written by staff. Do you realy think there are that many mentals in the popularion writing inane letters to the press? I like to think not, though, that said.... Coil00 23:46, 10 May 2006 (UTC)


 * I think it used to be that the vast majority were written by the editors - possibly to the extent of having an entire issue without a "real" letter. I wouldn't be surprised if it was still over 50% "fake" these days. — sjorford (talk)  16:12, 14 February 2006 (UTC)

Didn't Viz also have a strip about a park attendant? Din't see this in the entry. Perhaps if someone can confirm they should add him?

Yeah, 'The Parkie'. He's in the list.

Re: The Parkie. I added him a few weeks ago. Perhaps someone can make an article about him if they have the time.


 * The letters are apparently a mix of real and faked. Chris Donald elaborates in his book 'Rude Kids', which should probably be added in this entry. 193.195.87.117 09:49, 19 April 2007 (UTC)Matt

Shouldn't there be a reference to it not being as funny as it used to be? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.158.165.180 (talk) 17:37, 5 May 2014 (UTC)

Wanker Watson
I seem to recall that "D.C. Comics" (publishers of The Dandy and The Beano and Jack and Jill and Playhour etc) instigated legal action against Viz in the mid 90s? Due to Viz's obscene parodies of strips such as "Little Plums" and "Wanker Watson" ("wow! jazz mags!" etc etc). Hilarious stuff. Can anyone with some details make mention of it in the article?--feline1 23:27, 9 July 2006 (UTC)


 * It was Little Plumber, not Little Plums. It was not the Wanker Watson episode that got them into bother with D C Thompson, it was the rather provocative "Desperately Unfunny Dan" one - Viz could hardly moan about that one when they'd set out to wind them up in the first place. They tried it again with "Korky The Twat" later, but by then D C Thompson were twice shy Mark Boyle 19:51, 10 February 2007 (UTC)


 * DC Comics are American and publish stuff like Superman. DC Thompson are the owners of the Beano etc. After Viz were threatened several times, John Brown (the publisher at the time) promised DC Thompson Viz wouldnt make fun of their characters any more, on behalf of the writers, he only told the writers later though. They got angry at this and decided to mock DC Thompson themselves, creating a character called "DC Thompson, the humourless Scottish git", who gets angry when he see's things like "Little plums" for sale in a fruit shop. DC Thompson responded to this in the Dandy by reviving their old characters "The Jocks and the Geordies" (Viz being based in Newcastle), in a one-off strip in which the Geordies steal all the Jocks ideas during a cartooning competition, because they can't come up with anything funny themselves. Apparently relations between the two companies improved somewhat after that, though expressly blatant parodies of DCT characters are still a thing of the past in Viz today.86.145.229.205 (talk) 17:48, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Separate article for strips
The list of notable strips seems quite long and there are a lot of red-links to many of them. I'm thinking the whole Viz article would be neater if the Notable Strips section was just a brief paragraph mentioning and outlining the main ones (Roger Mellie, Sid the Sexist, etc), then with a link to the Category of Viz Characters. Otherwise the majority of the article is just a long list. Does anyone agree? Robert Mercer 20:32, 3 August 2006 (UTC)
 * Yeah.--Crestville 14:32, 4 August 2006 (UTC)
 * I agree.--ML5 15:58, 4 August 2006 (UTC)

Okay, done it. We could do with some pictures of the characters on the individual strips. I believe we can use single-frames of comic strips without running into copyright issues. The problem is, although I've got piles of Viz back-issues lying around, I've no scanner. I'll see if I can hunt some down on the web. Robert Mercer 15:51, 9 August 2006 (UTC)

For a complete list, see List of Viz comic strips ?
I think the list of Viz comic strips is a little misleading this really amounts to a list of Viz Characters not each comic strip.

Pleas can we have the title changed, but over all agree from previous discussion the list did need to be moved

NPOV
The opening paragraph features a rather non-neutral take on the modern incarnation of the comic. Also, there's confusion over its popularity, being cited as the third- and first-best-selling magazine in its hey-day. --82.15.46.131 01:33, 20 August 2006 (UTC)


 * Does this regard the text that keeps getting removed? I agree that it could probably be reworded in a more NPOV manner, but I think perhaps the point still stands.  Anybody fancy rewording it...?
 * -- Chris  ( blather  •  contribs ) Flag of the United Kingdom (3-5).svg 16:27, 29 August 2006 (UTC)

Hey. I removed the text about myself being the reason Viz is shit and the text about the Framley guys work not being as good as Chris Donalds. I think it is unfair and also, in some cases, untrue and unhelpful. Obviously I am a bit hurt at the accusation, but the comic strips in Viz are subjective. You like what you like. Some people like certain stuff, some people hate it. Other people like the stuff other people hate, and vice versa. There is no correlation between my work and a decline in sales. I don't know how Wiki works, so apologies if this editing was underhand of me. But yes, my draftmanship is a bit crude. You're right there. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 81.179.127.208 (talk • contribs) 16:52, 29 August 2006 (UTC).


 * Okay, that sounds like a pretty good reason, now that you point it out! I wouldn't class your editing as underhand, just that my first reaction to seeing something removed with nothing in the edit summary is that it might potentially be vandalism (especially with an anon IP: might be worth registering an account).  I'll revert my revert.  Apologies for that.
 * I hope you don't take my "the point still stands" comment too much to heart: it's all part of the "not as good as it used to be" ethos. :)
 * -- Chris  ( blather  •  contribs ) Flag of the United Kingdom (3-5).svg 17:06, 29 August 2006 (UTC)

Cheers for that. I have registered now so I don't come across as some sort of devious anonymous pervert in the future. I'm not well versed in all this technology. I just do comics that are good or shit or mediocre depending on your viewpoint. You clearly know your stuff though, so thanks for supporting it. Alex —Preceding unsigned comment added by Alex collier (talk • contribs) 17:16, 29 August 2006

First legal action ever taken against Viz
Was that the man who purportedly 'had sex with himself'? ('Fondled his own buttocks') Long time ago, and haven't got that issue to check. Notreallydavid 12:24, 6 December 2006 (UTC)
 * He wasn't named in the comic as I recall but rather they cut a picture of his house out of the classified ads and used that.
 * Didn't he settle out of court for beer or something? 85.210.110.46 (talk) 11:30, 21 March 2008 (UTC)

Requested move
Propose that the article be moved per the Naming conventions (comics) guideline, to fall in line with all the others using (comics). Anyone have strong feelings and good reason why not? M urgh disc.  17:29, 5 May 2007 (UTC)


 * I will oppose this change until the DAY I DIE, and if needs be I will declare holy war on Jimbo Wales until this travesty of an idea is shot down forever —Preceding unsigned comment added by 137.205.74.152 (talk • contribs)


 * You couldn't resist? It may seem as if I had it coming, but I asked for strong feelings AND good reason . M urgh disc.  04:36, 16 May 2007 (UTC)
 * Move completed. M urgh disc.  02:10, 18 May 2007 (UTC)


 * Move reverted. All the examples given under WP:NCC are comics series or publishers, for which the plural "comics" would be appropriate ("Fawcett comics", etc.). Viz is a single publication and always has been; there have been no spin-offs and there is no publisher named "Viz" releasing other titles that might justify a plural form. I have thus restored the singular form. Strictly speaking, Wikipedia prefers "(publication)" in disambiguation cases such as this. If you wish to move the article to this, you might find less objection to it. However, "comics" in this context makes no sense in English. Pro hib it O ni o ns  (T) 11:22, 8 July 2007 (UTC)


 * I disagree, hence the referral to the Naming conventions (comics) guidelines, which may be the better forum for you to raise your concern that the "context makes no sense in English". Your statement "All the examples given under WP:NCC are comics series or publishers" is simply not the case if you look deeper into it. You might find that the singular of comics has multiple meaning, and that this article's current name primarily indicates to cover a stand-up comedian named Viz isn't acceptable, so I don't see how this justifies your argument to revert 2 months after the fact. It is this title that doesn't fall into the naming conventions, so it must be changed, either to Viz (magazine), Viz (publication) or some better idea. M urgh disc.  13:12, 8 July 2007 (UTC)


 * I agree with ProhibitOnions here, simply because Viz themselves frequently refer to their own publication as "Viz Comic" and never as "Viz Comics" (indeed, for example, their postal address is listed in this month's edition as, "Viz Comic, PO Box 656, North Shields, NE29 1BT".) However, I would oppose moving the article to Viz Comic, as simply "Viz" is the actual title. Cheers, DWaterson 09:36, 31 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Agree with ProhibitOnions. Apart from the valid arguments stated above, 'comics' in this sense just sounds plain wrong to anyone familiar with Viz and lends the article an American air that is most certainly not in keeping with the humour and attitude of Viz.  'Viz (comic)' it has to be.  Juux 16:32, 31 July 2007 (UTC)

Seems like there's one rule for Viz (comic) and one rule for everyone else... Lugnuts (talk) 14:03, 21 March 2008 (UTC)


 * There seems to be a misunderstanding of WP:NCC. "(comics)" is not a description it is a classification (as in this falls within the remit of the comics industry) which we use for series, one-shots, characters, publishers, etc. It is only if there were other occurrence of the name "Viz" in comics that we'd disambiguate further. This is supported by a hefty consensus within the Comics Project, a consensus which also suggests one of the disambiguation terms that should be avoided is "(comic)". So not only is this wrong but it should be specifically avoided (and most other articles with this disambiguation have been moved). If anyone has a problem with this it should be brought up at [{WT:CMC]] as this is a widely agreed upon and implemented standard and I don't see any reason this should be an exception. (Emperor (talk) 17:17, 29 April 2009 (UTC))

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Profanisaurus editions
I've edited the recently added bit about Terry Jones providing the foreward to the published Profanisaurus compendiums, as I can only see Terry Jones being credited on the 2002 edition and my first edition heirloom quality 1998 print has no forward at all. Juux (talk) 14:40, 10 March 2009 (UTC)

Early Contributors
Some of the early strips - as featured in "The Big Hard One" - are credited variously to "Jim Biz" and "The Doc aka Johnny Shiloe". Anyone know who they are in Real Life? Mr Larrington (talk) 13:53, 2 June 2010 (UTC)
 * I believe their real names are James Biz and John Shiloe.DavidFarmbrough (talk) 05:03, 18 May 2012 (UTC)

Old Merger proposal
I have proposed that the unreferenced Rock Lobster be merged into this article. Narthring (talk • contribs) 17:14, 21 October 2010 (UTC)

Robbie Coltrane
I remember Chris Donald on a TV show (Jonathan Ross show) slagging off the Scottish comic actor. He said that back at the start he went from pub to pub in Newcastle selling hand drawn copies of Viz. In one bar, Coltrane was there drinking after a production. When Donald approached his group, the actor grabbed his comics, screwed them up and threw the copies on the floor, telling Donald to "fuck off"!


 * Coltrane's such a little tart after a few shandies. --OhNoPeedyPeebles (talk) 23:11, 9 June 2012 (UTC)


 * "... up-and-coming fat bastard. Those were the days" Martinevans123 (talk) 14:16, 10 August 2013 (UTC)

Paul McCartney's knackers
According to the article, Viz ran a story about McCartney having a "gonad-focussed violent encounter with Mr T and a 70's playground toy", which was called "BA Baracus in Macca's clackers knackers fracas". I remember it - Mr T had gone mad, cut off McCartney's testicles and converted them into a playground toy - I recall it was called "Crackers Baracus Turns Macca's Knackers Into Clackers". — Preceding unsigned comment added by 94.11.91.232 (talk) 14:02, 10 August 2013 (UTC)
 * A gross violation of WP:BLP if ever I saw it. BA would be furious. (are you on commission?) Martinevans123 (talk) 14:13, 10 August 2013 (UTC)

Verifiability
Remember this is not a fanzine entry but an encyclopedia. Anything we use here needs to be verifiable to a valid third-party source. The alternative is to have this article degenerate further towards being a collection of fan-sourced trivia. Anything that mentions a living person needs absolutely to conform to this, and there are additional safeguards. --John (talk) 10:39, 16 October 2013 (UTC)

Merger proposal
As of November 2013, there are many proposed with discussion(s) leading >>>here<<<. Please join the discussion:

GenQuest "Talk to Me" 23:56, 15 November 2013 (UTC)

Farmer Palmer Merger
Farmer Palmer was to be merged into Viz, but this has not yet happened. Thegreatgrabber (talk) 21:15, 17 May 2012 (UTC)
 * Do it yourself, you lazy bastard. We're not your fucking slaves. --OhNoPeedyPeebles (talk) 23:18, 9 June 2012 (UTC)
 * Last year's winner of the "Most Gracious Talk Page Reply" award. Martinevans123 (talk) 14:07, 10 August 2013 (UTC)

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