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Prog 2061 - Happy New Year, Bitches!

Started by Richard, 09 December, 2017, 02:32:57 PM

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Richard

Actually, that's not the real cover strapline, I just wish it was. It's really "LEADING THE THRILL-CHARGE!"

It's a good prog.

Judge Dredd carries on from where we left off last week. Don't want to say too much more about it here so as not to spoil anything, but it's taken an interesting turn. It's part one of a series.

There's a very good Fall of Deadworld one-off which introduces a new character, of whom I am looking forward to seeing more in later stories. There's also an advert for the first volume of Dark Judges hardback graphic novels, starting with Fall of Deadworld.

ABC Warriors gets off to an excellent start. Even if you didn't like the last series, give this one a go. Clint's art is beautiful, and Pat's writing is top stuff, and he makes his point well without being too preachy about it. I'm glad this is back.

There is a very funny Tharg-type one-off story about Starlord, by a new writer and some great art by Henry Flint. This made me laugh. (I wonder if Rebellion's Treasury of British Comics imprint will reprint anything from Starlord in its 40th anniversary year? Mind Wars was good.)

I've got to make this comic last for three weeks, so in saving the other four stories for later (I hope that's not cheating for thread-bagging purposes). But there's also Droid Life, a feature where creator droids choose their favourite bit of the prog over the last 40 years, and adverts for new Strontium Dog and Chopper stories in 2018.

The rest of the prog is Savage, Brass Sun, Bad Company and an Ace Trucking Co one-off.

A very good way to round off the year.

McNulty

My thoughts on the prog:

Dredd: More of a grim survivalist story than an action adventure this week. I found the constant jumping from the past to the present quite confusing, especially when speech boxes from one time were in panels from another. Hopefully future instalments of this story will be easier to follow.

Brass Sun and Savage both have the problems that they are starting up their stories after being away for a while, but from their standpoints no time has passed. If they were in collected graphic novels, this of course wouldn't be a problem, however because stories nowadays seem to end not with conclusions but with cliffhangers, this means that readers who are new to 2000ad are quite rightly lost in trying to get to grips with these stories. Regular readers also will feel the need to reacquaint themselves with the stories by going back and read them up to the point where they ended last.

Bad Company: A story that should have left alone in my opinion. The story had ended in a satisfactory manner and didn't need this convoluted way to bring back some favourite characters from the dead.

Deadworld: Has a good story that introduces a new character. If her story is expanded upon I shall be happy, but it could be a one off standalone story.

Ace Trucking: The only Christmas themed story in the whole prog. I like the story overall, but not the art. They still haven't found a worthy successor for the great Belardinelli. Okay, it's an impossible task I know. Gibson probably came closest in with his tenure.

ABC Warriors: This has the potential to become a major storyline within ABC Warriors. I can't take everything at face value, so we will have to see how this plays out. There were those who didn't believe that Blackblood would leave the Warriors, but he did and so did Mek-Quake. [spoiler]Caine and Dreadlock might actually destroy each other.[/spoiler]

I left the Starlord story last because I'm going on a rant.
I hated this story.
I hate this story with a passion.
I am one of the old guard. I was there at the start of 2000ad and I was there at the start of Starlord. I read both and I enjoyed both. And as such I despise the hatchetjob that Kenneth Neimand has done on Starlord and to a lesser extent on Tharg himself. Neimand would have been much better advised to do a tribute to a character from the founding days of British sci-fi comics instead of what twisted take he came up with. I am not a fan of retconns but this was on a whole different level. What makes it more sad is that Henry Flints artwork in this is still his usual excellence. That in itself made it more difficult to take. And in a Christmas special as well. I honestly haven't been this disgusted reading 2000AD since Judge Dredd killed Dr Who.
For Shame.

Richard

Wow, you took that one to heart! They were only joking!

Colin YNWA

I've only flicked through the Prog as I'm sawing it for the holidays BUT how excited am I about Baille and McCarthey teaming up for 'Back to Oz' which in my head will be Chopper meets Mad Max. Come on live up to my expectations you beauty!

Pete Wells

Quote from: McNulty on 09 December, 2017, 07:26:35 PM
I left the Starlord story last because I'm going on a rant.
I hated this story.
I hate this story with a passion.
I am one of the old guard. I was there at the start of 2000ad and I was there at the start of Starlord. I read both and I enjoyed both. And as such I despise the hatchetjob that Kenneth Neimand has done on Starlord and to a lesser extent on Tharg himself. Neimand would have been much better advised to do a tribute to a character from the founding days of British sci-fi comics instead of what twisted take he came up with. I am not a fan of retconns but this was on a whole different level.

I may be wrong, but with the nostalgic vibe I kinda assumed that Kenneth Neimand is Keith Richardson. I really enjoyed the Starlord story, the radicalisation angle made me chuckle.

Robo-K33F

Quote from: Pete Wells on 09 December, 2017, 09:27:15 PM
Quote from: McNulty on 09 December, 2017, 07:26:35 PM
I left the Starlord story last because I'm going on a rant.
I hated this story.
I hate this story with a passion.
I am one of the old guard. I was there at the start of 2000ad and I was there at the start of Starlord. I read both and I enjoyed both. And as such I despise the hatchetjob that Kenneth Neimand has done on Starlord and to a lesser extent on Tharg himself. Neimand would have been much better advised to do a tribute to a character from the founding days of British sci-fi comics instead of what twisted take he came up with. I am not a fan of retconns but this was on a whole different level.

I may be wrong, but with the nostalgic vibe I kinda assumed that Kenneth Neimand is Keith Richardson. I really enjoyed the Starlord story, the radicalisation angle made me chuckle.

Whoa there tiger - I'm innocent. Wish I did write it though as imo it was cracking!

Matt did edit out a Tornado moment in which the skin head Weetabix crew batter Big E to death with socks stuffed with snooker balls. The Green Cross code Man and Wolfie Smith just watched....and laughed.



SuperSurfer

Looks like it's the Christmas issue to me, not the new year one.

The Monarch

is it just me or bill savage without his "shootah" feels wrong

I, Cosh

Quote from: Eamonn Clarke on 09 December, 2017, 11:03:10 PM
Ken Niemand.
"I know nobody" of that name.
At least in Dutch anyway.
;)
And German. In fact, another way of putting it could be: Kenny Who?
We never really die.

MacabreMagpie

Great cover, that. Despite what some folk would have you believe.

Richard

QuoteLooks like it's the Christmas issue to me, not the new year one.

You're right, I'd forgotten the line at the top. I always think of them as new year progs because of the way they used to be numbered.

Jacqusie

Quote from: SuperSurfer on 10 December, 2017, 12:28:34 AM
Looks like it's the Christmas issue to me, not the new year one.


If they hadn't snuck in the word 'Xmas' on the top banner, you wouldn't know it's the Christmas Prog. The cover is more in keeping with the style of the jumping on progs.

Saying that it does have a retro stylee going on and we could be back in 1982 annual territory. Kano looks like he's got a nice vegetable patch going on with his head and Savage has a new 1930's Bugsy Malone shootah.

...They could have dressed Tharg as Santa at least eh? Bah Humbug...

;)

Art

Pretty fine example of THARG UNLEASHES THE THRILLS FROM HIS MIGHTY SACK if you ask me. Mighty sack implied.