PROG 1828 ALL YOU NEED IS BLOOD!

[JUDGE BURNS]

 A great cover by Henry Flint with the funny twist of the SC4RABS running across a zebra crossing with All You Need Is Blood in bold capitals.

Dredd is the highlight this week...the last panel is a real shocker, so I won't spoil it for you all.

The rest of the prog is moving along nicely, but I'm not a fan of Dandridge.

THrills of the future:  Age of the Wolf 111: Wolfworld

[JUDGE BURNS]

Oh I forgot to point out that the latest DREDD megazine 335 arrived this morning as well. 

[A.Cow]

Maybe I'm just being a miserable bugger but the last couple of progs have been distinctly underwhelming.

Can't give a hoot for Dandridge or this run of 3hrillers, and even Stickleback has vanished up its own postmodern backside trying to reference everything from Professor Challenger to Bride of Frankenstein.

And Zombo just seems a sprawling mess to me.

Like I said, it's probably just me...

[blixab]

Not exactly overwhelmed with today's Prog aside from a top cover by Henry Flint.

Dredd too easily the stand out strip.

Good support from 3hrillers & Stickleback.

Zombo & Dandridge just don't do anything for me - but hey that's why there is always a mixed bag in every issue. Lots more people seem to love Zombo than don't.

[moly]

Enjoyed dredd and dandridge this week 3thriller seem to skip and episode and zombie seems to be disappearing up its own backside to bonkers to make any sense

[Colin YNWA]

Well quite happy to buck the tread of this thread so far as after a couple of solid if unspectacular weeks for me this one hits the highs the Prog has known of late.

For a start we have a contender for cover of the year. Its bloody brilliant.

Stickleback is the only stumbling block for me. Its not bad and things are rattling along now, but I'm getting a little frustrated with so much being shown through flash back exposition. A bit of an Edginton trope of late. It looks great and the story has real potential, but we need a show not tell episode or two for me. The end gives me hope that might be coming, so fingers crossed.

Best episode of Dandridge I can remember this one (or since the original Future Shock), possibly as Dandridge is taken down a notch or two and it seems I liked that. Great villain to boot. Loved him, his name and the name given to him. Great fun.

Dredd is a real kick up in gear. Loved this weeks and its a great ending as has been alluded to already.

Then at the head of the Prog we have an almighty head to head for thrill of the week. Two absolutely outstanding thrills. Ghostship Mathematica shows ever 3riller to date how to do it. On its own this would have been a half decent little stand alone. In the context of just the opener last week its just brilliant. Oh and if the Dredd ending was good what about this. The story is going to have a sting in its tale regardless next week. It'll be over all to soon, but if it continues in the way its gone on that will be right and fitting. This is one of my favourite new thrills and I strongly suspect I won't want it back. Mind if it managers to spin itself into a position where a return would work I'll be so chuffed. Its genius.

Now far be it from me to say... but how can Zombo be said to be disappearing up its own arse. I love me some Grant Morrison but in four speech bubbles it made me feel he's an overblown toss pot (he's not he's a genius but this made me think that for a fraction of a second). This strip takes our idols and blows them apart with deft wit and skill the likes of which are rarely seen in any form of entertainment. Oh and while doing that [spoiler]it kills the FF[/spoiler] in such a delicious way that I'm not even missing Zombo's normal dialogue.

Oh and on top of that it Zombie planet controlled by a Walt Disney analogue charging on a collision course with Earth... oh and its drawn by Henry Flint.

If Zombo is going up its own arse I'm along for the anal ride that's for sure. That this strip isn't the standout by a mile is testament to the bold storytelling of Ghostship Mathematica.

The rest is fine stuff but with two strips this good the Prog is instantly elevated to classic.

[Darren Stephens]

Agree with everything Colin said above. Excellent prog. Classic cover. Ghost ship and Zombo just so, so good. That final panel of Dredd is genius cliff-hanger material, isn't it? 

[Mabs]

Wow, great review Colin! And i'm with you on Mathematica; it's drokking brilliant. I can't wait to get my hands on this come Wednesday!

[Proudhuff]

Great cover and a cryptic Damage Report 

A tophole Dredd with the exception of the distracting floating shoulder pads,

Danbridge has lost my interest I'm afraid, can't put my finger on why,

The Ghostship is a nice bit of storytelling, however I feel it would benefit from a one sitting read.

Stickleback is cracking, more of the love that dare n't speak its name, is this linked to the Damage Report?

Zombo is madness in spades and all the better for it, even the monkey in a Fez makes a Dingdong appearance.

[Mister Macheath]

Pretty good stuff this week, wrapped up nicely to boot. While I'm really not fussed on the way Zombo looks of late, I still think it's an absolute banger of a cover - very funny, plenty of depth and a really nice colour scheme; the sc4rab turquoise in the lettering/logo is brilliant.

Dredd and [/b]Ghostship Mathematica[/b] are definitely the highlights for me, both ending with really juicy cliffhangers. The wonky shoulders in the case of the former still give me the boke and it isn't my favourite story ever but this installment is firing on all cylinders.

The 3riller is just an absolute pleasure to read and I can't wait to see what the conclusion has in store. This story seems to be working as a gorgeous little vignette and I'd rather it was kept that way, don't think it'd benefit from post-3riller prog-time. What I would love is a different full length collaboration by Inaki Miranda and David Bailie. That'd be waaayyy better than more Survival Geeks. Way, way, way better.

Dandridge is pretty much losing me to be honest. It's a bad sign when a [spoiler]Videodrome-ish baddie[/spoiler] and a [spoiler]wanking gag[/spoiler] don't even do it for me.

Really glad to see Stickleback going places this week at last - the dichotomy between the Margaret-Mountford-haired doctor and the personality disorder [spoiler]monster doc[/spoiler] is by far the most interesting thing this story has had to offer so far. Less knowing nods and more narrative is the way forward here.

Zombo was balls to the wall splatter and that was grand. I really miss the way he used to look, but sure. A few chuckles, plenty of claret and a ludicrously trippy panel or two. And a third Beatles play on words, all three of which made me laugh. Granted, the Fab Four/Fantastic Four thing is getting pretty long in the tooth but at least it seems to be over in the case of the latter.

So aye, enjoyed this week's one a fair bit but I'm also keen to see all the stories wrapped up too.

[Proudhuff]

Anyone any the wiser about the Damage Report?




sound like CF and Vbox have had a little visit 

[Steve Green]

There were a few people moaning about a Judge who was a Muslim on the 2000AD FB page, and following on from the 'Is Dredd Gay' episode.

[Alien Goodness]

Flint's cover was eye catching and will be one of the contenders for 'Cover of the Year' I think.

Dredd had a great cliffhanger ending. No spoilers from me. As an aside, I'm re-reading some early Progs and after comparing logos, I was idling wondering when they stopped using the Judge profile for the 'J'? I'd like to see it return.

I enjoyed the Betamax jokes in Dandridge, though I'd welcomed a dig at the inferior VHS format 

3rillers also had a great cliffhanger. My thrill circuits are sizzling with anticipation for the finale next week.

I always slow down to read Stickleback and examine the artwork. Partly because the textured greys and white lines make it difficult at times to read. But also to seek out the hidden graphic references. Didn't spot very many this week. Hoping to see an Ice Warrior from Doctor Who after last Saturday's episode, but that was going to be a coincidence too far!

Zombo was a bit gruesome this week, wasn't he?!! His solution to removing acne was rather effective!

[Mabs]

There were a few people moaning about a Judge who was a Muslim on the 2000AD FB page, and following on from the 'Is Dredd Gay' episode.

Oh dear. People need to grow up, in my opinion. The fact is Muslims (from whatever race) are the second most largest religious group after Christianity. Surely there must be a Judge from a Muslim background (whether religious or not) in the future? We see them in all walks of life. I applaud 2000 ad for moving with the times, and it's refreshing to see a Muslim character.

[Taryn Tailz]

There were a few people moaning about a Judge who was a Muslim on the 2000AD FB page, and following on from the 'Is Dredd Gay' episode.

Which is presumably the reason behind this weeks Damage Report.