Main Menu

1434 - Dante/Horn Pun

Started by DavidXBrunt, 11 April, 2005, 01:52:10 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

DavidXBrunt

Cover - Robinson does Dante and whilst it's not bad it hardly grabs the attention either. Bonus points for reflecting the story contents instead of just being a random image. Blank background doesn't help.

Dredd - And there's Guthrie. Story rattles along, art maintains it's consistency and, yup, there's St. Patricks.

Sin Dex - I;m enjoying this. It's got Yeowell art, and that's never a bad thing. If the story is resolved by a shooto out though it'll be a bit of a cop oout. If the crash had robbed them of most of their ammo and they had to invent something 'A-Team' stylee it'd be more fun.

American Gothic - We're picking up speed now that the story has been introduced. The art on the flashbacks is sufficiently different to be efective and there's no way to fault the story telling. I'm interested to see how this pans out now, despite the similarities to 'Fables'.

V.C.'s - Story threads from the first episode of this series are being tied together and look set to make this run different from what we've seen before. Some nice background stuff this week.

Dante - I'm getting the impression that Robbie has been rereading early episodes and taken inspiration from some of the throw away ideas that abounded then. Last story we had the Rippers, this week the animal tribes. I'm glad Dante is back in the prog on a regular basis. You only realise how much you like something when you start to miss it...

Longish review. Sorry.

Skewsy

the return of Alias last week kicked serious ass. i'm getting ready for tonights epiosde.

McNulty

And now for my comments...

Judge Dredd: This story continues to hold my attention, the dark art with it red imagery compliments the script wonderfully. There's going to be a big fight with the undead!

Sin/Dex: Easily the best story for a while. "We're gunsharks, not Takeaway!"

American Gothic: This story could have been so much, but by the third page, it revealed itself to be what it is, just another Christian-bashing story. "Make no mistake, Mr Lachance, the Lamb of God is little more than a wolf in sheep's clothing." I know we've had this conversation before, but it's obvious that Christianity is considered by some as an easy target, something that can be condemned in this society, because it is considered untrendy or conservative. They fail to see that Christianity has also been a very positive force, not just for societies, but for individuals, but that won't sell magazines I suppose.

The V.C.s: This story keeps going on well. With some earlier questions being answered.

Dante: I'm enjoying this jungle adventure. (I thought Dante wouldn't be able to effect a Scottish accent, and now we find out it was his crest that was behind it!) I can't be the only one to draw a comparison with the last picture and The Planet of the Apes. I'm just wondering if he's going to say that immortal line next issue...

So, all in all, a very good prog, slightly marred by some questionable content in one of the stories.

Banners

Dredd - Great art, but it's just another fight with a monster (and coming too soon after Nosferatu), despite the prescence of Karyn and the other squad adding to it a little.

Sin/Dex - So that's where all the litter went. That's shut me up from last week.

Dante - Not much seemed to happen, but it was intersting to read. But what happened to the two Rhino fellas that went through the window too?

American Gothic - Not what I expected, but seems worthwhile.

VCs - Tears? Cissy.

M@

Funt Solo

I doubt very much that American Gothic is deliberately targeting Christianity.  Rather, the scenes of hooded figures torturing fantasy creatures seems to me a reflection of the KKK, witch-hunters and the Spanish inquisition:  all real-world occurrences that operated (or still do in the case of the KKK) under the assumed or actual banner of organised Christianity.

Not only that, but it is the character's viewpoint that is being displayed, not the writers.

Further, this is one character, on one page:  so it's hardly fair to label the entire series as "just another Christian-bashing story".

You're right about one thing, though:  a magazine or comic that only extolled the virtues of Christianity with no recourse to self-deprecation (whilst simultaneously brushing any negative connotations associated with their history behind the tapestry) certainly wouldn't be on my shopping list.
++ A-Z ++  coma ++

paulvonscott

This weeks prog was much more interesting than the last few months worth, it had a crease in it when it arrived.

MIKE COLLINS

'American Gothic: This story could have been so much, but by the third page, it revealed itself to be what it is, just another Christian-bashing story. "Make no mistake, Mr Lachance, the Lamb of God is little more than a wolf in sheep's clothing." '

See, no. I'm a Catholic, very aware of the Church's history. There's some utterly shameful periods in there. As 'fate' says, it's about whoever is in charge bringing down the strangers amongst them, and how it's perceived by one charavter in particular.

And this is just me by the way, I'm not speaking for Ian.

Trout

Fishy comments:

Cover: I tend to like Cliff Robinson's stuff, but this one seems a bit flat. It's okay; just not sparkling.

Dredd: The ongoing story is still great stuff. I like the Undercity and this one's got lots of nastiness and action. More Boo Cook Dredd art, please, Tharg!

SinDex: This continues to be diverting enough. I like Steve Y's work and this is full of decent ideas, if a bit sub-Dredd.

American Gothic: I'm a big fan of our new fantasy/frontier adventure/horror story.

The VCs: I've hated it for so long that it still feels weird to like the VCs. This latest story arc has continued well enough, but I still really dislike the art.
Is that the Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons in the last panel? Oh, well. Fair enough, then.

Dante: I agree with David - it's terrific to see Dante back for good. The nudity is gratuitous but, oddly, I don't care, possibly because the rest of the strip is so light-hearted.

Overall: another fine prog.

- Trout

Bolt-01

The problem with the cover is the pose that Dante is in.

Look at where Dante is being held. If he was being hoisted aloft by that in reality he would be dangling from it more. His centre of gravity is all wrong.

I like the linework and think a background would have helped, but the composition is weak.

Bolt-01http://www.2000adonline.com/covers/2000ad/mediumres/1434.jpg">

Tiplodocus

Enjoyed this Prog though it did seem a quick read.

Love Boo's art on Dredd - he doesn't cop out of the backgrounds even in the dark.  Guthrie looks nails but I don't remember this monster thing (not that it matters much).

VCs - is it just me or is there a big plot hole.  Didn't they say that the Facsimile's were virtually impossible to spot until you ripped their faces off? So how do they know there are 126 that have gone through Fort Bragg?  But other than that, Mrs Lincoln, I'm enjoying the show.

Despite last weeks Sin/Dex being engaging, knowing that they are just going to blast their way out next episode has effectively killed this for me. Hope for a shock next week.

American Gothic is great stuff. But I still want "the proper plot" to kick in.

Only Dante is a bit crap for me at the moment. The Humanimals just seem a bit crap.  And this doesn't have to be the case. The PanzerBjorn in DARK MATERIALS spring to mind as brilliant realised animal characters where as these in Dante just seem cheesy.
Be excellent to each other. And party on!

Tiplodocus

And while were at it - Dante appears to be wearing a skirt on the front cover. It's pleated all the way round - that's not what my kilt looks like. Burns seems to have drawn it properly in the strip but you can't quite be sure.
Be excellent to each other. And party on!

Funt Solo

The Cover:  

I like this cover - the work on Dante himself is reminiscent of Bolland (for me) and the pure weirdness of this character being held aloft by a rhino-headed bouncer reminds me of "The Synthetti Men Are Out To Get You" cover on prog 216 (which, as has already been pointed out, resonates strongly with the recent Meg cover).  

However, the plain background does let this down, which may be something to do with the shadow that has been computerised onto it.  If it's plain white, then your brain might just filter it out (as with prog 216), but by placing the shadow there, you are saying "this background exists as part of the scene".

Look:

++ A-Z ++  coma ++

Oddboy

"Make no mistake, Mr Lachance, the Lamb of God is little more than a wolf in sheep's clothing."

At first I really didn't like this line - but then I took it to be that he's not speaking literally: it's a pun. He means that religion has systematically persecuted them (which is believable...) rather then accusing the Christ of being evil, although that's what he is saying at face value. It's a play on words. The Church has done bad in the past. This is relating to a fictional group of people.

Good story, me likey.



Christian Oddboy
Better set your phaser to stun.

Bart Oliver


No one else notice Boo's YES or Hellboy/BPRD refs this week?


200th aniversary tour- Page 2 (Listening to Time And A Word as I write)

Decal - Page 6


B.

Obviously you're not a golfer.

Max Kon

Note the creative droids getting name checked in SinDex. Barnes, holden...