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Are you ready for the great Nikolai Dante readthrough podcast? (Is the world ready?)

By John Freeman on March 2, 2021

Artist Simon Fraser and wife Edie Nugent have started a Podcast around their readthrough of “The Adventures of Nikolai Dante”, inspired, of course by the character he created with writer Robbie Morrison, for 2000AD.

“If you’re interested in a book club readthrough of my comic from the mid 90s and my American wife’s take on this, my career defining project, this might be the Podcast for you!,” Simon says, “All five of you!”

Two episodes of The Great Dante Readthrough Podcast are available so far, which you can check out via Simon’s web site (and through other channels).

In the first, Simon and Edie readthrough “The Adventures of Nikolai Dante” from Progs 1035 to 1041 and discuss the value of Imperial Seductress undergarments, attendance problems at the court of the Tsar, bathing with an audience, twincest, and a hidden homage to Lone Wolf and Cub.

In the second, spanning the strip as featured in Progs 1042 through 1049, Simon and Edie discuss: the dangers of sex in a library, the complicated economy of Rudinshtein, the unpredictable effects of “Chert” addiction, meeting your super-powered siblings, and the depths of Dimitri Romanov’s depravity.

All fun stuff!

For those who came in late, but who are still reading this, the “Nikolai Dante” ran in 2000AD from March 1997 (Prog 1035) through to July 2012 (Prog 1791). There have also been a number of spin-off novels.

Simon was the lead artist for the first three years of the series centring on the swashbuckling thief who was “too cool to kill”,, with support from artists including Charlie Adlard, Henry Flint, Chris Weston and Andy Clarke.

From 2000, the majority of the stories were painted by John M. Burns, until Simon returned to the character in October 2006, when the two artists began to alternate on different stories.

• The Great Dante Readthrough Podcast is on Simon’s official site – simonfraser.net – plus Spotify, various Apple Podcasts and several Podcast aggregators

• The Nikolai Dante collected editions are available from all good book and comic shops, including AmazonUK

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.