Never very good in the heat so I guess while you lot have all been lapping up the sunshine I've been hidden inside lapping up a double dose of thrillpower (2137 landed today for me too).
Another cracking Prog. Started really nicely with a Thrills of the Future. In just one panel the mighty Flint has got me hackering for more of his and Michael Carroll's 'Proteus Vex' whatever that will be.
Dredd continues to shine as Neimand and Johnson bring part 3 of The Samaritan. The partnership of Pats and Wrex just shines doesn't it. But those moments with Patsy ... somethings up here ... isn't it? Superb.
Thistlebone lets us know much more directly that somethings up and while a snarling black dog is a horror mainstay by George its put to great use here. As are the three kids and the main characters and the last panel... well every element of this story is just used to perfection!
Anderson - Martyrs is also much as it was. The art just isn't quite there for me, which is a shame as it doesn't allow what is a pretty good story so far to shine the way it might otherwise.
Unlike Scarlet Traces which concludes fantastically. Can't wait for this one to come back.
Absalom is also much as you where, playing much the same tricks as last week, but those are great tricks so all good with me. Loving the way this is cranking things up as we head to our climax.
So over all another top Prog. Two such in one day need to be careful and with Indigo Prime coming back next week we have much to look forward to.
(https://i.imgur.com/jEz7CnQ.jpg)
Tiernen Trevallion.
Posted from me holidays
No saturday prog at Stephens Heights.....
Still not liking the Dredd story like others are. This instalment has Dredd behaving in a completely inexplicable way. Why on earth would he attempt to stab an unarmed person who's giving him medical care? Why would he try to do that when he's too ill to move? Dredd's a stickler, yes, and might well arrest her after saving him but that carry on was just silly.
Scarlett Traces was great and looking forward to its return. Thistlebone is still underwhelming for me, it's taken up the slack left from Scarlett Traces old urban bigot with prejudice against country people inbred arseholes that they are.
Least said about Anderson the better really but old Harry is going great guns Trevallion is a great artist.
Mixed bag for me..
SIMON DAVIS IS AN ART-GOD SUPREME
What!!! That you can't just hand out a piddling half dozen episodes of Scarlet Traces and then leave us hanging...
It's a long walk to Oxford carrying a burning torch and pitchfork, but who's with me?
All subsequent posts on this thread are superfluous:
(https://i.imgur.com/nFIdnfB.jpg?1)
Brooker's been at the top of any list of Tharg's best available droids for years, but with this he's taken his place among the true gods. This is Sky Chariots and Nemesis Book One good.
I've long considered D'Israeli one of the best artists in 2000 AD's entire history. He's vastly under-rated. I'm not overly taken by his Dredd (I mean, it's fine, but it's not shoulder to shoulder with giants), but look at what else he's done: the superb Leviathan; Low Life; Stickleback; XTNCT; Scarlet Traces (which has been wonderful right from the start); Ordinary. His style shifts and changes, like a great band – you never know quite what you're going to get next, but you do know it's going to be fantastic.
But, yes, that spread ups the ante even for him.
I have the old Dark Horse WOTW and Scarlet Traces hardbacks. They are lovely items. But this new D'Israeli art makes me increasingly tempted to double dip – or at least to grab the newer volumes when they're made into trades. (How I wish Rebellion could have done the same format as DH, though.)
Dredd – This is plain and simple a great Dredd tale. I like the way that Mechanismo units are used in the story and for the first time becomes part of the Dredd-verse (outside Wagner's stories)
Thistlebone – The story keeps the mystique going and keeps its cards close to the chest. Classic stuff with Davis painted art just awesome.
Anderson – The story looks interesting and is enjoyable
Scarlet Traces – What a pity that this must come to an end and now have to for the next instalment. D'Isreali's art is pure comic porn. Pages 2 and 3 pure bliss.
Absalom – Roaring to its grand finale, great story great art.
5 out of 5, great prog
Quote from: IndigoPrime on 03 July, 2019, 01:20:26 PM
I've long considered D'Israeli one of the best artists in 2000 AD's entire history. He's vastly under-rated.
It's remarkable that, at almost any point in his career, if he'd settled on
that specific style, his work would have been phenomenal but, instead, we've been treated to this wondrous parade of experimentation and reinvention where,
every time, the results are just gorgeous to behold.
Prog's good for me right now, Dredd's fab, Thistlebone's a slow burner, and Scarlet Traces has finally given me Martian Tripods on a rampage (at LAST!). Absolom's gonna be great as a collected read (I've usually found that it's hardly thrilling on a weekly basis but incredible when read as a whole).
Only Anderson leaving me cold. When exactly is this set? And does anyone still give a toss about Psi-Judge Karyn, anyway? And hasn't she died several times over by now, anyway? Lots of talent on this strip, I'd rather see Beeby and co give us something a bit meatier.
I think Karyn has become an interesting character now that she's possessed. I don't mind reading a story or two about that.
I thought everyone loved d'Israeli ?
Certainly not 'vastly under-rated', that's a weird comment.
Quote from: Fungus on 04 July, 2019, 01:08:07 AM
I thought everyone loved d'Israeli ?
Certainly not 'vastly under-rated', that's a weird comment.
I dunno about 'everyone' - his work doesn't do much for me - but in that respect I am an undoubted anomaly. (Part of that may be that he's almost always paired with writers or stories I'm not into.) But you're right - maybe he's under-rated in the wider world of comics, but around here he seems regarded as an absolute favourite.
I see him as a modern-day Mick McMahon. He has rich and varied styles and to my mind should be living in a gold house. But as Greg says, in the wider world of comics he's still relatively unknown.
Bit of a mixed bag this week - Dredd and Absalom exquisite, Scarlet traces signing off for now with a spectacular double page spread, Thistlebone looking wonderful but perhaps not quite living up to expectations and Anderson PD rather underwhelming. Good to see a Carroll/Flint strip on the way.
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 03 July, 2019, 02:14:34 PM
Quote from: IndigoPrime on 03 July, 2019, 01:20:26 PM
I've long considered D'Israeli one of the best artists in 2000 AD's entire history. He's vastly under-rated.
It's remarkable that, at almost any point in his career, if he'd settled on that specific style, his work would have been phenomenal but, instead, we've been treated to this wondrous parade of experimentation and reinvention where, every time, the results are just gorgeous to behold.
I miss when he used to write messages around the edge of the page in Timulo - had to check the spelling - would you believe that was
thirty years ago this year?
I missed the Fishpaste!
Quote from: Greg M. on 04 July, 2019, 06:55:18 AM
Quote from: Fungus on 04 July, 2019, 01:08:07 AM
I thought everyone loved d'Israeli ?
Certainly not 'vastly under-rated', that's a weird comment.
I dunno about 'everyone' - his work doesn't do much for me - but in that respect I am an undoubted anomaly. (Part of that may be that he's almost always paired with writers or stories I'm not into.) But you're right - maybe he's under-rated in the wider world of comics, but around here he seems regarded as an absolute favourite.
I never used to like D'Isreali's art. I have come round to it now and quite like but don't think he would be in my top 30 2000AD artists.
And I really don't think his style his suited to Dredd (but then again I don't think Fabry's is either and he's my second favourite artist.)
I agree with you on both accounts that both D'Israeli and Fabry styles do not suite Dredd but they are both excellent artist. Fabry I always pen down as my numero uno for Slaine. Certain artist will always be associated with certain characters.
Not as enamoured of d'Israeli's recent colour work as most, it's great but sketchy in parts. Possibly this isn't helped by the story. For some reason (footnote fetishists might help here) it doesn't grab me at all.
D'Israeli's genius was really shown in Stickleback, the story worked better there too. His textured art is up there with Sky Chariots and Judge Death. Humblest of opinions...
Quote from: Fungus on 05 July, 2019, 09:31:55 AM
For some reason (footnote fetishists might help here) it doesn't grab me at all
I've written a series of lengthy blog posts on the topic, neebs (https://www.amazon.co.uk/SOWLFE-Visually-Impaired-Aluminum-Mobility/dp/B07QM89J43/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?keywords=white+cane&qid=1562326363&s=gateway&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1).
Until last week's Buckie-necking wee Neds in the Wood, I hadn't realised
Thistlebone took place in the
River City Cinematic Universe*. If only there was some kind of clue in the title.
To be fair to valued board member
Frank, ye dinnae get many
cannaes or
wulnaes fae Avril or Seema. Either they're Westminster cultural imperialists, discovering they can take our lives but they'll never take our furry demon, or - as the focalising characters - they're talking the variety of Scots dialect that forces newsreaders to pause and put the words
Oor Wull-aay and
taps aff in scare quotes before breathing a sigh of relief and finishing the sentence in their usual fur coat/nae knickers idiom.
Judging by the plot summary on the first page of the comic (https://i.imgur.com/A5iMN2E.png?1), Tharg hasn't clocked
Thistlebone isn't set in A Field In England either. In other nit-picking news, this week's episode reveals the events of
Thistlebone take place before May 2016 (http://ash.org.uk/information-and-resources/packaging-labelling-information-and-resources/standardised-plain-packaging/standardised-packaging-postcard/?fbclid=IwAR2gjopmTsYb76bIbj3D3Da0LOlNVO9_j1ACsHcE8-hTrTh9c-R9F5jBmVc):
(https://i.imgur.com/f8o5tYN.png?2)
... so maybe the horrific climax towards which Davis and Eglinton are building is the referendum. Thistlebone and his gang
do look like members of the Countryside Alliance.
* The first episode did feature a character called Mairi, but I've heard a number of square sausage bashers are lured south to fill vacancies in London's pissing yourself and threatening to murder commuters sector.
Trying not offer any opinions on 2138 until I score 2137 from some dodgy Skinner & Sloper outfit, but CHEESES H. CRUST THAT D'ISRAELI. My boy. My beautiful boy.
Beautiful comicbooking from the alien and his robots there this week.
That's great Dredd (I expect he attacked his saviour because he's single-minded and didn't expect to collapse) and I'm enjoying the Anderson story. Absalom is CREEPY AS FUCK and my favourite thing this prog, although Scarlet Traces runs it close, especially for the incredibly beautiful art. Thistlebone is a bit slow for me, but that's a symptom of this type of horror so I'm happy to be patient and do a big re-read later.
Superb prog.
For those who are interested in this sort of thing the twitter @KennethNiemand confirmed he is the real deal by correctly telling me the first line of this week's Dredd in advance (or at least confirmed that he is someone with droid like AI).)
https://twitter.com/KennethNiemand/status/1147440838944968704
All the other Slim Shadys are just imitators.
Good work!
Ask him if that's his real name.
Quote from: Trout on 06 July, 2019, 03:16:26 PM
That's great Dredd (I expect he attacked his saviour because he's single-minded and didn't expect to collapse)
My reading was that he had his concealed weapon and was biding his time, but when he learned his captor was a psi and knew about it he went with what element of surprise he could muster. It's hardly the first time he's been incapacitated through injury or in the hands of a telepath, so I reckon he played the percentages.
I'm loving Thistlebone so far. A slow burner, like Cradlegrave, which I seem to remember some mumbling spud-muncher on Eamonn's podcast say was one of his all-time favourite things in the prog. Just hope 'Bone can deliver the goods after all this build-up.
Loving the name Thistlebone too. If I ever buy a second boat, that will be its name.