For a Few Troubles More

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"For a Few Troubles More"
ISBN 9781853862083

"For a Few Troubles More" is a

Troubles in Northern Ireland, focusing on the antics of smart-mouthed Dougie Patterson and half-witted Ivor Thompson, both introduced as supporting characters in "Troubled Souls". Ennis would later revisit the characters once more in his creator-owned Dicks series for Caliber Comics and Avatar Press
.

Creation

After the success of "Troubled Souls",

Troubles themselves into the background so they could "get into the dafter side of things". As Ennis had produced the religious-themed "True Faith" in the interim, he felt the move into comedy was "as much to avoid being pigeonholed as anything else".[1]

Publishing history

The six-part story was published in Crisis #40 to #46 (being absent from #44). McCrea fell behind from early in publication, and much of the colouring was provided by Wendy Simpson (wife of artist Will Simpson). Like "Troubled Souls" the story was compiled into a collected edition soon after publication finished; in light of the nature of the leads, the subtitle was changed from A Crisis Graphic Novel to A Crisis Accident.[2]

Ennis would later note he and McCrea's fondness for the characters - "Ivor's optimism, Dougie's fully justified pessimism, and their inherent inability to organise the proverbial piss-up in a brewery" - and subsequently chronicled their attempts to become private detectives in Dicks.[1][3]

Plot summary

Dougie is marrying his pregnant girlfriend Valerie, but his original best man Tom has left

poteen-brewing uncle Shuggie's pet snake. Ivor and Dougie then fall foul of local thug Big Billy after a snake-related understanding, and drop him on the Falls Road in the hope the local Fenians will sort him out - though the snake is accidentally ran over soon afterwards by an Army Land Rover
. Shuggie dies of a heart attack when Ivor tells him.

Ivor organises a stag party for Dougie which ends up with him tied naked to a police van, and the wedding day itself starts off just as poorly when Ivor accidentally smashes the officiant's face in with a car door. Nevertheless Dougie and Valerie marry, though Ivor's best man's speech is a drunken avalanche of bad taste before the pair leave for Torremolinos on their honeymoon.[5]

While Dougie is away - and dealing with an overdose of laxatives administered by his best man as a prank - Ivor finds himself left fulfilling Shuggie's poteen orders for local thugs. This is complicated by Ivor being haunted by the ghosts of both Shuggie and Shuggie's snake, and Ivor's habit of drinking the poteen. Nevertheless, he makes the order just as Dougie returns from Spain, hellbent on revenge - only to instantly forgive him. The pair are then found by a vengeful Big Billy. Having realised how powerful their friendship is, Ivor and Dougie square up to Billy and prepare to put him in his place. The pair are soon recovering in hospital with numerous broken bones, visited by Valerie and Shuggie's ghost.[6]

Collected editions

Title ISBN Publisher Release date Contents
For a Few Troubles More - A Crisis Accident 9781853862083 Fleetway Publications 1991 Material from Crisis #40-43 and #45-46

Reception

"For a Few Troubles More" has received generally positive reviews for taking a different approach to the Troubles, and for its bawdy toilet humour.[7][8][9]

References

  1. ^ a b Berridge, Ed (14 October 2008). "Four-Colour Classics: There's a Riot Goin' On - The Story of British Adult Comics Part Two". Judge Dredd Megazine. No. 275. Rebellion Developments.
  2. ^ Holland, Steve (2002). The Fleetway Companion. Rotherham: CJ & Publication.
  3. ISBN 9780954458904
    .
  4. ^ Garth Ennis (w), John McCrea (a). "Troubled Souls" Crisis, no. 22-27 (8 July to 16 September 1988). Fleetway Publications.
  5. ^ Garth Ennis (w), John McCrea (a). "For a Few Troubles More" Crisis, no. 40-43 (17 March to 28 April 1990). Fleetway Publications.
  6. ^ Garth Ennis (w), John McCrea (a). "For a Few Troubles More" Crisis, no. 45-46 (26 May to 9 June 1990). Fleetway Publications.
  7. ISBN 9780749082116
    .
  8. ISBN 9781414404417
    .
  9. ISBN 9781786189837
    .
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