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Topics - Tjm86

#1
Prog / Prog 2371 - Smash the State
24 February, 2024, 06:38:58 PM
Hi. Your friendly admin here. I've edited Tjm86's message to start this thread off with a warning. This thread will have major spoilers for Judge Dredd. If you do not want to know before you read your comic, don't continue with this thread.

Robinson's cover is a thing of beauty.  Total chaos and a cracking use of colour to focus attention on what Dredd is about to do.  Teague definitely knows his stuff!



Oh, Thrills of the Future announces the next series of Dreadnoughts over in the Meg!  Happy days.

But on to the prog ...

Judge Dredd: A Better World part 8

Okay, before getting in to this one I think it is fair to say that it deserves a spoiler warning.  A rather substantial event that should not be covered in detail until everyone has had a chance to read it for themselves.  So this is going to be a bit opaque in places.

Williams and Wyatt have upped the tension significantly over the last few weeks and now it explodes.  Flint is given the script he seems to revel in and it looks like he had a field day with this.  From those contrasting early scenes from an innocent child's eyes that are crushed Tianamen Square style to that shocking double page spread that serves as a freeze-frame for that moment, hammering home the impact, then Dredd's reaction and those final scenes ... Flint is the perfect man to represent chaos, to facilitate the flow of the narrative while still leaving the reader struggling with the whiplash of events.

In many respects there was an inevitability to events in this episode.  It is a convention of Dredd that idealism ends up brutally suppressed by the inherent tensions in MC1.  Whether it is the Judges, criminals or external forces, the outcome is always the same.  The question is always where will the blow come from.

There is also a sense of timeliness in this story.  Not that we are quite at the point depicted this week but the growing tensions in our country as populists inflame marginalised groups and jump on bandwagons is a very real issue right now.  The fears about how the mob might act at any moment are pushing politicians and the police in uncomfortable directions. 

Definitely. highlight this week.

Indigo Prime Black Monday Part One

Kek-W and Lee Carter deliver a far more action packed episode.  It certainly has that disjointed, surreal feel to it in terms of script and artwork.  Arguably Carter is one of the best suited of the current crop of artists for this strip and has been for a long time.  I can't think of many that can capture that Burroughs-esque sensibility whilst making things look so believable.

So we have double crossing, betrayal and an impending torture scene with that ultimate question: Duke or Then There Were Three?  Anyone else get the feeling Ken-W is not a Genesis fan?

What is impressive though is that after such a brutal Dredd, this episode still satisfies.

Full Tilt Boogie Book Two Part Five

De Campi, Oxana and De La Cruz have a real challenge living up to the standards of the first two strips then.  To be fair, they do a sterling job.  Ocana's colour palette suits the mood of the narrative; dark, moody and almost oppressive.  The handful of revelations this week actually serve more to raise further questions than provide answers.  It is ironic that are heroine is moving deeper and deeper into mysterious realms since that is precisely the direction of events this week.

FTB has arguably turned into one of the major successes of Regened.  It wears its manga-esque sensibilities lightly whilst fitting neatly in that long history of Tooth strips that push readers' expectations.  De Campi has created a fascinating universe, populated with intriguing creatures and characters.  Not sure where things are going right now but it is becoming far more compelling as we progress.

The Fall of Deadworld Retribution Part Nine

In some respects then it was inevitable that this was going to struggle then.  It is ironic that Ken-W has produced one of the weaker strips this week given what he delivered in IP.  Kendall's artwork is as gloriously disturbing as ever.  Ultimately though it is hard to engage with the confusion of the direction right now.  Where that chaos works admirably in IP, it does less so here.

It was always going to be a challenge to weave the tale of events that led to the lifeless husk Dredd and Anderson encountered all those years ago.  Now that we are bogged down in an alternate version of the Apocalypse War mixed in with Necropolis.  Comments others have made about how things seem to have gotten away from Kek-W are not wholly unreasonable.  It may work after a re-read but as things stand at the moment it is struggling to hold its own against the competition this week.

Thistlebone The Dule Tree Part Eight

This is particularly so when you consider what the prog is rounded out with.  Eglington and Davis continue to weave their Hammer tribute tale in their own inimical style.  Davis' artwork renders the horror spectacularly, conveying such disturbing events with his usual panache.  What is fascinating is how he can combine cartoonish imagery with such perfectly formed figures and scenery so effectively.

As always this tale burns slowly.  Eglington allows events to linger, leaving a palpable sense of dread at what is going to happen next.  Then the pace steps up multiple gears towards the end before delivering the cliff-hanger.

This series is rapidly growing in stature.  The first few tales were impressive enough but this one is shaping up into one to rival Cradlegrave as one of the most effective horror tales in the prog.

I think it is fair to say that as slowly as the year has started, this week marks a serious step up in quality.  There is a fascinating balance of hard-core action, drug-induced mayhem, mystery and horror.  Creative teams are delivering the goods in style and even the weakest is still effective enough to leave readers pondering their judgement.

As we've said so often, the prog has its waves.  The lowest still leaves the competition in the dust but when it starts to pick up we're left in no doubt as to the quality of its output.  I'd make a strong case for this week marking a palpable step change and if it is any indication of where things are heading this year I'd say that we are in for some serious treats.
#2
Prog / Prog 2367; A New Direction
27 January, 2024, 09:30:50 PM
Prog 2367 - A New Direction?

Mr Robinson on cover duties may be slightly ironic but only for those looking backwards.

Dredd; Better World

Okay, let's start with Mr Flint on art duties.  Simple: wow! This is absolutely someone who is at the top of their game.  Possibly someone this story deserves.

Williams and Wyatt on scripting duties.  Well, there have been comments about the issues this story is dealing with.  Most specifically the behaviour of a certain type of channel and presenter.  How it influences practitioners ... "the law is impatioanl above all else".

Isn't that the point?  Maitland is completely impartial.  She follows the data.  Her approach is predicated on data.  Dredd neglects politics because his focus is on the law. Layers upon layers and then we get to Major Domo!

3Rillers: the English Astronaut

These are always a challenge.An extended Future Shock but can it work over 3 issues?  Certainly you can't fault Helsby's artwork. (Unless you are being particularly anal about military uniforms of the '50s).  Where is this going?  Hard to tell from part 1 but certainly the idea of time anomalies is in play. Does that have implications for the present day?  Good question, well posed, deserves an answer ...

Full Tile Boogie
Ocean's artwork is impressive, to be sure.  In fact there is little if anything to criticise from that perspective.  From a script point then: nope.  This is laying out the challenges the crew face: an 'ancient regime' intent on exacting retribution, the implications of clonage (gosh, I've got "Friday" on my mind ... ) and all the political ramifications.

Now this is where Regened works to my mind.  It take the sensibilities of modern mange, merges them through the punk mind-set of Tooth and then extrudes the most extreme aspects of SF (TBH I'm thinking of Heinlein right now but I also get a Reynolds' riff).

Enemy Earth. Hmmm, a. it of a Chris Carter moment here.  So all of the events to date are predicated on the 'dinosaur killer' event of yore.  Not a problem because that just laid the scene for all of the events to date.  TLDR: things are seriously hotting up.

Thistlebone.  Davis captures that seventies film-making sensibility that many of its intended audience will appreciate.  Where are things going?  Isn't that the question?  Certainly there are plenty of questions.  Isn't that the whole point though?

TBH this has proven to be a far stronger prog than many of late.  Full Tilt Boogie is one of the stronger offerings from Regened and really does seem to capture the sensibilities of Tooth.  3fillers are always hit or miss.  It's a challenge to work out whether they should have limited themselves to a FS or pushed the script to its limits.  Two more weeks to see ...

Overall though, a far better offering than we've had of late.
#3
Books & Comics / DC 'Crisis Events'
16 November, 2023, 05:14:10 PM
I have to admit to being a bit ambivalent when it comes to DC's superhero output.  I've dabbled with Batman from time to time, even tried to get into Superman without much success.  I've always enjoyed their more eclectic stuff from the Vertigo imprint, Kelley Jones' Deadman work, the criminally under-rated pre-Vertigo Wasteland ...

One series I've always been curious about is Crisis on Infinite Earths.  Having not paid much attention to it back in the day, seeing it come up as often as it has in people's lists, I decided to give it a plunge.

... which inevitably led on to trying out some of the related series.  Having read Court of Owls and Batman Year Zero and being utterly baffled, I've been trying to make sense of some of the resets DC have played with.  This has led to an exploration of the related series: Infinite Crisis, Final Crisis and Flashpoint.

Unfortunately this has turned into a bit of a rabbits warren as each series works with so much baggage I found myself even more confused.  A bit of digging around turns up the sequence that links much of this together.  So Infinite Crisis leads into 52, which leads into Countdown to Final Crisis and then to Final Crisis itself.

That said, Infinite Crisis comes across as a story you are very much starting in the middle of and that is hardly surprising since it builds on events from about half a dozen mini-series plus the JLA linked Identity Crisis.  So there is more backtracking to get to a point where things actually make sense.

At least Identity Crisis seems to stand on its own.  As stories go it is fairly typical super-hero stuff but with a crime-noir sensibility.  At the heart of it though is a rather uncomfortable secret for the members of the JLA which is where things link to Infinite Crisis.  A decision made with regards to Batman has significant consequences.  (for those who haven't read it, I'm not going to say much more than that).

I have to say that overall it works quite well. Unlike many of the other series mentioned here, it's not trying to address myriad plot threads.  The artwork is a much higher standard than I've seen from DC in the past.  The plot moves along nicely, twisting and turning on its way, before dropping its ultimate bombshells.

Repercussions from events follow through the JLA title up to Infinite Crisis which is what I'm working through now.  It's interesting to see how the morality of the decisions made in Identity Crisis play out and actually makes for a far more engaging story than I'd ever given DC credit for.  Certainly worth a look.
#4
It does continue to amaze me how little love there appears to be for this series.  Anyone who has not had a chance to sample these seriously does not know what they are missing.  Each issue has been a true delight but this one has to be, rather surprisingly, one of the best.

Hellman has always been a popular strip, understandably so.  From the very outset it has been a strong concept with consistently high standards of artwork.  His recent outing in the Tooth mashup has given it a whole new dimension and in some respects Ennis does it again with this tale.

In Hellman of the Condor Legion, Ennis takes us back to Hellman's earliest adventures.  We also get a different perspective on the Spanish Civil War. Such tales as do exist generally focus on the International Brigades that fought on the Republican side.  The influence of Hemingway or Orwell is obvious.  German involvement in the conflict is generally epitomised by Guernica.

Yet Hellman has always been a nuanced character.  From the very start it is made clear that whilst he is German, he is not a Nazi.  Once more then we see this explored in the more youthful and inexperienced tanker.  Supporting the 'fascist' forces in a simple action against a small village, things rapidly unravel, forcing Hellman out of his tank.

The source of real conflict though is an Italian officer fresh from the fields of Ethiopia to train Franco's forces.  As with the Nazi officers Hellman often clashes with, he present an unsavoury attitude to conflict and the treatment of the enemy that a more naive Hellman struggles with.  Events force Hellman into a response he finds deeply disturbing. As events progress he faces even more disturbing circumstances that lead him into a fairly predictable response for him as a character.

This is Ennis' strength when it comes to his war stories.  He can be brutal and uncompromising but he also never holds back from the ambiguity and ultimate immorality of war.  In this tale he takes the Hellman we are familiar with, the staunchly honourable tanker who serves his nation without betraying his humanity but he also explores how that would play out in a far less experienced, idealistic Hellman.  At a time when the Nazis had yet to show their true faces on the battlefields of Europe, he had yet to face the most abhorrent aspects of man unleashed by war.  Here we see his first experiences, his earliest contact with his true 'enemy'.

Of course it goes without saying that the artistic support for this endeavour is equally exceptional.  Once again Mike Dorsey transports us into Hellman's world.  As ever the artwork is of the highest standard.  After literally decades his work shows no sign of diminishing in quality.

Nina Petrova and the Angels of Death: Night Will Fall is another piece in which characterisation is the beating heart of the piece.  Torunn Gronbekk is a writer with whom I must confess a lack of familiarity with.  A quick internet search turns up an array of Marvel titles she has worked on but much of these have been in the last few years when reading that publishers output became too expensive to continue. 

Once again though we are taken into a different aspect of former Battle strips to those we are familiar with.  Nina Petrova's appearance in Johnny Red was as one of the myriad supporting characters for his adventures.  One of Russia's female aviators that served the Rodina in outdated aircraft, she left a lasting impression on many who read the strip at the time.

The sheer brutality of the Eastern Front is nothing new to anyone with even a passing familiarity with the history of the Second World War.  In many respects it serves as a backdrop for this tale.  From an idealistic female commissar to desperate and depressed German infantry, nothing is held back.  No character emerges unscathed from the events.  Actions chew them up and spit them out.  They may come back alive but not unaffected.

Visualising this tale, Partick Goddard gives as good as Dorey.  Every aspect of the tale is delivered in his usual crisp, detailed style.  Whether it is the airwomen, infantry or the ancient biplanes, even frozen corpses.  Layouts zoom in and out on the action, colour emphasises scenery.  It is almost possible to feel the bitter cold emanating from the page.

Each of these has been a masterclass in the art of the war story.  Characters that have not seen the light of day in years are given a new lease of life.  Whether there is sufficient interest to make this a lasting ongoing endeavour remains to be seen.  Until now Ennis has been the beating heart of this project but one thing has been clear from the array of supporting writers; there are plenty of a sufficient calibre to breather greater life into them.

This run may be over for now  but we are promised a new run in 2024.  For those who have not yet taken in this run, that is an omission you would do well to correct.  Personally my only regret is that I will most likely end up double dipping with the inevitable collected hardback edition.
#5
Prog / Prog 2351 - Sam vs The Lawman
23 September, 2023, 03:54:42 PM
After all the action last week normal programming resumes with a jumping on prog. New stories all round.  What treasures do we have then?

Well, we start with a John McRea cover highlighting the potential grudge-match between Dredd and Slade.  Maybe it's just the sheer quantity of amazing covers we've had of late but this does seem a little below par.  [usual caveat about exceptionally high standards when it comes to tooth apply ...]

Judge Dredd: Poison Part 1 sees Dredd off on the trail of whatever killed Hershey.  Very much a 'laying out the stall' tale here from Williams and Holden.  Lots of talking heads and a quick run to the first clue.  Cue a potential conspiracy tale as the trail points straight back to the meg?  Will Williams blind-side us all with something completely different or is this another "deepest, darkest secrets in Justice Dept" tale?  Nowt much to hint at the direction of travel yet but certainly a decent enough opener with enough info to give new readers a bit of a hint as to what's going on.

Feral and Foe: Bad Godesberg lets the action do the introductions.  Abnett and Elson are back with the mismatched mystical bounty hunters.  Cue lots of blood, snazzy special effects and the sort of banter those familiar with a certain web-spinner will be used to.

Then the set-up for the big bad.  Some sort of automaton that needs to be transported to the big-shots to be understood. Hence an expanded cast that sees the ubiquitous heroes relegated to potential cannon-fodder.  With the final reveal of how 'fecked up' the situation is, we have everything neatly lain out except for exactly how 'fecked' our eponymous heroes are.

Now, I'm going to go out on a limb here because up until now F&F hasn't really done it for me.  Granted this is Elson on form with some amazing stuff.  True, Abnett delivers the banter in spades with some absolutely outstanding craven crawling "Ooh! Sir! Please, Sir! May I humbly crave your permission to command that transport? It would be a great honour!"  Truly, such brown-nosing has never been so effectively delivered.

This may well change my view of the strip.  If this is the standard of the run then I may well have to completely re-appraise my position.  As I say, it helps that Elson is the perfect fit for this one.  His colouring really hits the mood too.  With Campbell on lettering duty with his usual panache, what is not to like?

Helium: Scorched Earth.  Having actually missed the cover strip line-up this turned out to be a massive, and utterly welcome surprise.  There are times when not being too attentive has its benefits.  As a bonus for anyone (everyone?) who has lost the train of thought on this strip in the interval between this and its previous outing (progs 1934 to 1945 back in 2015!) there is a q-code for a free download of helium book one to catch up.

So what do E&D deliver up for us here?  As with Dredd, this one sets the scene but with an eye to what went long before.  Using the device of a lesson to deliver the information readers need about the circumstances that created the world of Helium works well but Edgington doesn't labour long before establishing, somewhat unsurprisingly, the back-story of the main protagonists.

D'israeli's stylistic world is spectacularly rendered with echoes of Czarist Russia.  The tale very much mirrors the fall of the Romanovs and leaves clear parallels with the myth of Anastasia.  All this before sling-shotting the reader back to the 'present' and the crisis that ended the last series.

This, as with everything else this week, serves perfectly to gently slide new readers into this world.  Adding the enticement of a digital download is a cracking marketing strategy, potentially opening up the world of Tooth to new readers.  For those of us that have long wondered if we would ever see this continue, it is an equally welcome re-introduction.

Judge Dredd vs Robo-Hunter.  It's hard to remember that way, way back in the day Sam Slade spent time in the Big Meg.  Of course his Brit-Cit adventures are far more familiar, lasting far longer.  That said, it always felt like a world slightly removed from Dredd's

Whenever there is a meeting of major characters the plot is fairly predictable.  When Johnny Alpha first entered the Meg the combined problems of being a Mutie and a bounty hunter guaranteed conflict which Dredd was more than happy to (repeatedly) deliver.  The big American publishers seem to have a weak-AI generator for their tales along theses lines.

With a strip delivered by Ennis and Flint the expectations are high for the ultra-violence.  It is hard to avoid being fearful for Mrs Gunderson as Walter becomes the latest target for Slade.  His role in a Brit-Cit robot revolt is the source of Slades' contract and as a bounty hunter of sorts, the telegraphed meeting with Dredd is pretty much guaranteed to be something memorable.  All this courtesy of Mr Flint's penmanship.

This one serves up a nice slice of nostalgia whilst at the same time erasing some of the worst memories of Robo-Hunter.  Add in the violence to which Walter is subjected and it is doubly nostalgically-satisfying for those readers who found themselves with a 'Wesleyan' distaste for Dredd's 'wobot'.

All round a cracking prog this week.  Surprisingly Dredd is the least-satisfying read but that is more because of the standard of the rest of the prog.  A nice balance of the new and old, easily accessibly whilst still leaving room for exploring the long and complex history of the prog.
#6
Megazine / Meg 460: Prepare for War
17 September, 2023, 04:57:34 PM
As the other part of Rebellion's exploration of what a mash up of Tooth and Battle might have netted, the Meg takes a slightly different tack since it carries on as normal with Lawless, Dreadnoughts, Spectre and the reprints.  It does lack the usual text pieces, giving the space for these over to the mash up strips.

Flint's cover is up to his normal standards and a wrap-around to boot.  Wouldn't mind it on a coffee mug like the old McMahon 'civil war' cover that it seems to homage.

The contents page doesn't list all of the mash up strips, dealing with them all as part of Dredd-world.  Not entirely unreasonable since that is where they are all set.  Return to Billy Carter sets the scene with a casting back to the second Dark Judges tale from Niemand and Percival.  Setting this back in the early post-Apocalypse War era works nicely too.  It serves as a background to the later Darke's Mob.

Rad Pack comes to use from Stock and McKeown.  It takes the old Dirty Dozen concept that inspired Rat Pack but recasts them as Muties used as an expendable team by MC1.  Can't fault McKeown's artwork really.  Lots of dynamic visuals and accurate rendering. Stock serves up a relatively predictable script that barrels along.  In many respects it is in keeping with the old one-and-done style of the era.  There is potential there mind.  It's been a while since we've had a decent Cursed Earth set tale and this one is up there as a better example.  It would be interesting to see this return as a series of one-shots to see if it can be fleshed out.

Strato Squad sees Carroll and Johnson take Lofty's One Man Luftwaffe and give it a Dredd-verse makeover.  In all honesty the original was fairly unremarkable and unsurprisingly didn't last long or see a revival.  Setting this during the Apocalypse War in East-Meg territory works really well.  Carrol's script plays to Johnson's strengths and whilst it does share similarities with Rad Pack in terms of the 'crisis of the week' approach, sets up an ongoing series as a possibility.  Certainly one worth following.

Anderson gets to take on the Fists of Jimmy Chan in the Wolf and The Dragon.  In fact this one is a three way mash up as Wolfie Smith gets folded into the mix.  Worley and Goddard deliver the goods here with a relatively familiar 'misunderstood heroes face off and fight before realising they need to work together' plot.  Jimmy Chan now has psi / mystical powers.  It's a quality read to be sure.

Then we come to Darke's Mob.  De Campi and McCrea take on creative duties as the old Darkie's Mob is moved to Dead-world.  Rather unsurprising since it was such a strong influence, the script is reminiscent of Bad Company.  the other one I found myself harking back to was Glimmer Rats.

Cue lots of obscene creatures, plenty of maiming and an absolutely insane Darke.  One could almost be forgiven for mistaking him for one of the Dark Judges in places.  Given that the DeadWorld series has shown the potential for stories set in that world, it is easy to see why the approach was opted for.  In some respects it works better than some of the other tales we've seen recently involving the Dark Judges.  The foreshadowing in the final panel leaves plenty of options open.

Overall the experiment between the prog and meg this week / month has shown the potential for the ideas opted.  In some respects the Meg has, for my money, taken a far more successful tack.  Not just in terms of the mash-ups themselves but also in terms of showing the untapped potential of much of Dredd-world.  There's plenty to pique interest in something ongoing, that's for certain.
#7
Announcements / 2000ad Mega Signing Sept 2023
08 September, 2023, 02:48:43 PM
Great to see the line up for this event.  A nice little promo around the country.  One thing that is a bit galling though; nothing in Wales again.
#8
Off Topic / Well, that was bl**dy stupid!
13 August, 2023, 12:32:02 PM
For perverse reasons I tend to keep track of what the headbangers on the Mail and Express websites are saying.  I'm not a great fan of echo chambers and find it helpful to have my preconceptions challenged.  Admittedly I find myself in desperate need of a 'brain-rinse' but there you go ...

Anyway, as to the title of this thread.  We all do things without thinking that justify a double or even quadruple facepalm.  Not off the charts stuff, just low level muppetry.

As an example, on my tour of news sites I mistakenly dipped into the Express website after having visited the Daily Mash and Newsthump (a site that really does seem to have take a dip of late ...).  So there I am, scanning the usual inanities about the likes of Meghan Markle and it took me all of a minute to realise that I was actually reading a 'legitimate' headline. 

Someone seriously thought that the singularly most important piece of information for Express readers was that somebody out in America believes the actress turned "demon-spawned enemy of the monarchy" was about to make a comeback with Suits.

My brain was still in 'satire mode' but struggling to see the punchline.  Well, it was probably something along the lines of "Barry from Essex is devastated at the news that Meghan "the ginge-stealer" Markle is set for a multi-figure screen comeback to rescue her failed Netflix career ..." Then the realisation hit me that this was not far from the truth and that people really are frothing at the bits over this.

Moral of the story ... do not visit the Express website after spending time on satirical news websites (ok, probably best just to leave it at "don't visit the Express website" but you know what I mean).

Like I said, that was bl**dy stupid!
#9
Megazine / Meg 459: Eagle Eyed
12 August, 2023, 09:03:40 PM
A semi-new line up under a nice Teague cover lands on the mat at the same time as the prog, making for a rather pleasant distraction from the sheeting rain. 

For text pieces there are interesting interviews with Wessel, Stokes and Sampson.  I've always found Sampson's art fascinating.  At one and the same time is seems gloriously precise and grotesquely distorted in a way that intrigues.  It's always interesting to learn more about the creators of our tome, even those from way back.

In terms of reprints we have an early of Thirteenth Floor as a shameless plug for the forthcoming graphic novel.  Not a problem of course.  Another episode of the recent Titan Johnny Red mini-series.  Bit of a hiatus in this episode with lots of talk and little action.  Then again that is not a problem with the reprint of the IDW Rogue Trooper ...

... which I have to say does impress.  I have to admit a considerable degree of sympathy for Ponticelli on art duty.  Trying to fill the shoes of the likes of Gibbons, Wilson, Kennedy, Ewins, Ortiz, Dillon or Johnson is an impossible ask.  That said, he does a decent enough job.  He puts his spin on most of old Rogue reasonably well. 

It's not the art that makes it stand out though but the script.  When you consider the absolute dogs breakfast of Fleisher era RT, the potential for disaster has been clearly established.  IDW have also produced some absolute stinkers with their Dredd stuff.  This is nicely paced, introducing the elements of this version of Nu-Earth bit by bit and foreshadowing developments with subtle nods to old RT.  Rogue does appear as a slightly more vulnerable character compared to our version who is pretty one-dimensional in many respects.  Have to see how far this goes considering how short-lived it was but a promising start.

so, on to the rest of this month's meg ...

Dredd: Fitting the Description. A one-and-done with shades of 'Alone in a Crowd' from way back when.  The idea of Dredd chasing down a lawbreaker determined to get free, onlookers shying away from involvement.  Not going to say too much about the script to avoid spoilers but certainly there are considerable differences between this tale and Wagner's old one of the brutality of life in the Meg.  Assirelli's artwork is a pleasure and suits the tale perfectly.  Hopefully this is a sign of more work appearing by this guy.

Spector bounces along with another action packed episode.  Cornwell continues to do an excellent job of the daunting task of filling Ezquerra's shoes.  An unenviable task to be sure.  Wagner continues to weave a tale of corruption, double dealing and intriguing.  Many of his old favourite themes coming to the fore here. 

Finally found the Eagle strip that this one reminded me of, Detective Zed (not the Comrade Bromski one I initially though of, although there are quite a few similarities).  This had been bugging me for a while but given that it ran in 1990, just before Eagle went monthly, it's not completely surprising that I'd forgotten it.  This take on the concept is a much better one.

Niemand goes old-school with Mega-City 2099: The Thin Blue Line.  Possibly a rare mis-step for Niemand as he tries to recapture the MC1 of early progs whilst updating it to a modern sensibility.  Given that by the time Dredd hit the prog, the idea of MC1 still having the remnants of the old-style police force had been abandoned, it is curious that he has chosen to make it the central focus of this tale.  The tale also rehashes quite a few moments from those early tales without really bringing anything new to it.

Perhaps the reason it doesn't work is Dreadnoughts though.  Carroll continues to develop that pre-Dredd world in a way that supports the idea that the police had pretty much been abandoned by Dredd's time.  Particularly when you factor in events recounted in Origins.  Perhaps Carroll's advantage is working in a world pretty much of his own devising and it works well.  Having Higgins on art is a definite help, mind.

Lawless: Most Wanted seems to be starting to bring things to a head with multiple players making moves and stepping out of shadows.  Cue moves, countermoves, threats and perils.  All gorgeously rendered as always by Mr Winslade.  There have been times on this run when it has seemed like this is taking a bit too long, characters moving in radical directions that don't seem to make sense.  It very much looks now like events are going to force them in directions that are perhaps truer to their identities.  Have to watch closely.

Overall then a strong Meg. Much stronger (personal take here) than it has been for a while but then Death Metal lost me quite a while back.  Some of the IDW Dredd stuff has been dire to say the least.  With that out of the way, new material coming through does seem to work better.

Next issue is the Battle Action crossover issue!  Not quite as insane as it sounds it would appear, given recent Dredd tales.  Intriguing to say the least.
#10
I am wondering if anyone else is reading this series.  If not, shame on you all.  The quality of writing and artwork improves with each and every issue.  This one is no exception.  In all honesty, I have to admit to being surprised given that half of this issue involves a character I've never particularly enjoyed.

Dredger kicks off the issue.  This is the one I was concerned about when I saw the lineup.  I never really enjoyed it back in the day.  It just seemed so hackneyed.

Ennis has demonstrated the problem though.  At his core, Dredger is a complete bar-steward.  In fact it is fair to say that he is actually borderline psychotic.  Written as such, he works so much better.

Add into that, Ennis recognises the total deviancy of too much of our political elite.  The contempt he has for our supposed superiors drips from the pages.  Where Mills was perhaps a little oblique in his contempt, Ennis wastes no time at all on this.

Perhaps it is the public school upbringing that makes so many aspects of this tale so appealing.  The pretentious gits that believed themselves superior simply by dint of their parentage.  The ritual humiliation of the sport field.  The obsequious pandering of those afeared of those at the top of the pecking pole.

All of those aspects are played with aplomb by Ennis.  Cricket comes into its own in this tale.  The thought of former fellow students on the receiving end of Dredger's 'game' ...

Aligned with this tale is that other counter-cultural figure, Major Eazy.  Perhaps it was the fact that back in the day Ezquerra was given the task of bringing this character to life.  That lazy insouciance
that he captured so well.  The regular humiliation of 'Rupert's.  His calm and collected movement through various battlefields?

Williams' tale captures all of these aspects perfectly.  To be fair, he does an admirable job considering that he is up against Ennis in the writer stakes.  Then again he possible has the far easier job, telling a tale of efforts to steal a march on Rommel's forces in the North Africa campaign long before America realised it needed to get involved.

No, the real challenge is for Flint.  He has massive shoes to fill.  Higgins was always going to outperform the old Dredger artists.  Flint has to meet up to Ezquerra's standards.

... and he does, in spades.  For a man who can create the absolutely insane alien landscapes of Proteus Vex, his ability to capture the reality of 1940's African battlefields is awe-inspiring.  There are few artists who could come close to the standards he had to meet, yet he does (increasingly Jake Lynch is becoming one of those artists, despite inauspicious beginnings).

So once again we end up with an outstanding issue.  Two standalone tales that demonstrate the potential of the characters / settings involved.  Mind you, they also set the bars incredibly high.  If Rebellion are seriously considering a long-term revival of these characters and strips, it is clear that the creative team need to be superlative. 
#11
In all honesty when I first read the line up for this issue I was prepared to be a little underwhelmed.  Crazy Keller was a strip that I never really connected with back in the day and D-Day Dawson felt like one of those early strips that didn't age particularly well.

What can I say.  The creative team on this issue managed to turn that completely on its head.  Both strips far surpassed my expectations and left me seriously impressed.  Both are standalone, in keeping with the series as a whole.  That said, it is clear that there is milage in both with the right team.

Crazy Keller meets Hot Wheels features a post-war situation.  A disgruntled German soldier determined to continue the fight even though Germany has officially surrendered.  A small group of Child soldiers.  A deal for an American tank and a plot to assassinate a high ranking American officer.

Burnham's art is perfect for the piece.  He captures dynamics, characters and backgrounds incredibly well.  There are moments when it feels a touch cartoony but that doesn't actually detract.  If anything it works in the moment.

Ennis delivers a plot for Burnham to illustrate that captures so many aspects of those early days of peace.  The damage the war caused, the shady deals that were making so many fortunes, the exploitation of idealistic youth.  In such a short space he packs an incredible amount in.  That plus an action packed script that screams along at the same pace as Keller often drives.

D-Day Dawson takes us to the other end of that final campaign, the early days after the invasion.  Perfectly understandable given the strip's setting.  This one is radically different, a simple vignette in keeping with the old strip's general pattern.  Dawson takes on a German platoon and cheerfully decimates them.  There is a sub-plot involving a French civilian and her fears over being discovered.  Like Crazy Keller though it is tightly paced tale, leaving little time to pause.

Winslade is on his usual top form.  It is interesting to see his work in full colour after we've seen so much of it in black and white in the meg these last few years.  His distinctive, detailed style renders the action incredibly well.  A minor gripe is the German helmets from time to time but that quibble is the height of pedantry.

All this under another first rate Burns cover.  Additional text features give a bit of background to the two strips for those less familiar with Battle during its heyday.  All round, this is another quality offering from Rebellion.
#12
Well the new series has begun and it's a thing of beauty to be sure.  Subscribing to this series was a definite no-brainer in light of the standard of the material that has come out in the last few years.  As always Ennis and Wagner show themselves to be superb writers with these two stand-alone stories.  Burns reprises art duties following on from the mini-series of a few years ago (and if you've not read that, why not????) with Cornwell picking up on Nightshade.  Wagner is right, he's filling big boots taking on from Western and Lloyd (one of the DC one-shots for Ennis' first Battlefields run featured Lloyd's amazing artwork, again something of a crime if you've not picked those up but again I digress).

The two tales are, as mentioned, one-shots.  Wagner opts for the reminiscing vignette approach with a former sailor regaling his grandson with tales of convoy duty.  It's a great intro for anyone not familiar with Nightshade and sets the scene nicely for future stories (or, and here I'm getting down on my knees and begging ... a series or two ...).  As with Holden on Stringbags (not going to say it but you know what I'm thinking ...), Cornwell's artwork fits nicely.  As the tale is a series of snapshots of life on the ship, it moves at a rapid pace.  The focus is on the constant brutality of convoy duty and he captures it well.

As for Johnny Red, Ennis opts for a a fairly standard plot that would have fit nicely in Battle of yore. In some respects the conclusion is fairly predictable as Johnny deals with a German fighter-bomber crew targeting lone fighters on landing.  That is not to sell it short though, Ennis delivers the tale with panache. There are some nice comic touches involving a flock of ducks and a real falcon.  The usual supporting cast are present.  Johnny is as vicious and cunning as ever.

Burns' cover, in this case the HMS Nightshade webshop exclusive, is exceptional.  In honesty his covers are of a higher standard than his strip-work.  Then again there is quite a difference between Burns and some other artists.  Langley for instance (and this is purely personal before I risk excommunication) produces amazing covers but his strip-work can be impenetrable at times.  It is just too dense.  Burns doesn't suffer from that.  There are shades of Henry Flint at times and the only thing that he suffers from is comparison with the original Battle artists.

If this is the standard for the rest of this series then it looks like we are in for a treat.  Perhaps the best thing about this is that the next issue is only a month away.  Then of course there will no doubt be the inevitable torture of the option to double dip with the collected edition.
#13
Other Reviews / Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon
08 May, 2023, 01:04:26 PM
Over the last couple of years I've become a bit 'obsessed' with the original strips for these two characters.  Digging into the history, I was more than a little surprised at how long Gordon has actually ran for.  Rogers, less so.  Although both seem to have had multiple reboots.

At the moment I'm on the original runs of both strips.  It is fascinating how different they are on some levels.  Both are clearly steeped in the sensibilities of their times with racism and sexism barely veiled.  Yet it is clear how different they are as well.

Where the early Gordon strips are visually stunning, Rogers' strips completely lack any sophistication.  Granted the first Gordon strips are weekly where Rogers was daily but even so, when you look at the daily Gordon strips that emerged a decade after the start, the artwork still leaves Rogers in the shade.

Reymond's artwork creates a rich and vibrant world.  It is a curious hybrid of high technology and medievalism.  Aristocracy abounds, as do bizarre creatures.  Architecture is a fusion of Olde Englande and Fritz Lang's Metropolis.  All rendered in that intricate style reminiscent of Robin Hood picture-books.  In terms of quality it is on a par with that of the early Dan Dare strips.  There is a painstaking attention to detail and accuracy. 

Calkins' artwork doesn't really hold a candle to Reymond's.  Backgrounds are simplistic, architecture much more straightforward but characters generally competently rendered.  The daily schedule may well have had a bearing on this but then some of the robotic figures are almost comical in their appearance.

Both are fascinating pieces of Science Fiction Comic History.  In many respects it's hardly surprising that Gordon attracted Lucas' attention and interest although that might be more down to the movie serials than the original comics.

Both serials have been gloriously reprinted by Titan Books and Hermes Press.  Titan's renditions are up to their normal standards and the Hermes books are pretty much on a par.  They are well worth a look although the Buck Rogers books had limited distribution this side of the Atlantic and are consequently both harder to find and significantly more expensive.  That said, some of the Titan reprints of Reynolds' run on Flash Gordon are now quite difficult to find and suffer from price gouging.

Another point of interest is possibly the relationship between these original strips and the film / television renditions we are possibly more familiar with now.  Leaving aside the 30's movie serials, the renditions from the 80's are probably far more familiar to most folks on these parts. 

The eponymous Flash Gordon film with its Queen soundtrack, Brian Blessed's iconic performance, Max von Sydow's hamming-it-up, Timothy Dalton pre-Bond as well as Richard O'Brien is probably seared into memory.  It's hard not to think of it without fighting an overwhelming urge to cry "Gordon's Alive!!!!!"
For all the film's faults, it has lasted well.

What is clear is how much Reynolds' work influenced much of the design.  The flying city of the Hawkmen is almost directly lifted from his pages.  The same is so of the twisted world of Arboria.  Arguably much of the visual sensibility of the film as well as its plotting is clearly influenced by the early comic strips.

Buck Rogers is a stark contrast to this.  Drawing its influence from then-current concerns about nuclear war, Rogers is cast into a post-apocalyptic landscape filled with high-tech oases.  Nothing of the visualisation of those early strips is translated.  Although several of the characters translate through (Wilma, Ardala, Kane ...) much else is radically transformed.  The Draconians are no-longer the racially insensitive pan-Asiatics of the original strip although some of the the visual sensibilities remain in the uniforms of the Draconian forces.  Ironically the cinematic version (or rather made-for-television version?) is just as inferior as the comic strip.

It's fascinating digging back into some of these strips.  Seeing how they differ from the versions of the characters we remember from our own youth (in some cases ...) and more recent iterations.  Although Buck Rogers was the first to arrive on the scene it is clear that Flash Gordon quickly outstripped it in many ways.  Both may well have survived in popular memory as a result of the Buster Crabbe films but it seems that Rogers was always the lesser of the two.  Certainly looking at those early strips, this is clearly the case.
#14
As has been mentioned elsewhere, next week's shenanigans have prompted an outpouring on anti-social media and in the more bizarre corners of the slowly devolving British media-sphere.  Auntie Beeb is dutifully trying to pimp events on Monday in London lest someone worse than Sharpie is foisted on them.  Meanwhile, a large chunk of the nation is displaying the sort of indifference to the event normally reserved for the Eurovision (post Wogan) song-contest.

So it seems only appropriate that we dutifully recognise this historic event as well.  It seems utterly appropriate to muse on such thoughts as:

- has anyone bothered to check if Elizabeth is still dead?  It does seem a while since anyone has devoted hours of viewing time to her and probably Charley boy might well be up for another check.

- in a nod to Mr Grimes of Gbeebies who feels we should recognise the importance of an institution that has lasted over a thousand years (not counting the small matter of Charley-1's rather sharp haircut), could we give some consideration to how the founder of our modern monarchy, William of Normandy, would have fared under a Home Secretary who wants to demonise all economic migrants as "Invaders" and pack them off to a part of Africa world-renowned for its welcoming attitude towards different ethnic groups?

- Meghan or Kate ... which of the brothers' 'significant others' is most deserving of sympathy over the scurrilous gossip spread by the same media that is now frothing at the bits over every possible slight to the monarchy?

- the tower, hung-drawn-and-quartered, flogging, hanging, birching, transportation, pilloried or forced to watch endless coverage of the Coronation, the death of Diana, the death of Elizabeth, the Prince Andrew Interview ... what is the appropriate sanction for those who refuse to "accept the invitation to recite the pledge of allegiance" and which circle of hell should those who have the temerity to actually protest on the day be sent to?

- who would win if it came to fisticuffs - Harry or William?

- does Andrew really not sweat?

- what should Meghan apologise for ... the Oprah interview, not bothering to show up on Monday or Suits?
#15
Other Reviews / Bloody Mary Ennis & Ezquerra
25 March, 2023, 12:00:10 PM
Picked this up for a bargain price the other day.  One of those series that I'd seen back in the day but for some reason never gotten around to reading.  So I figured, especially for the price on them, why not?

Well, it's Ennis and Ezquerra on fine form.  Sort of a futuristic Adventures of the Rifle Brigade but perhaps toned down a little by comparison.  You've got all of Ennis' favourites: bat-poo crazy characters, bucket loads of gore and violence, maiming, mutilation, thinly-veiled homophobia ...  All wrapped in Ezquerra's gorgeous art.  As always it manages to render Ennis' insanity perfectly.  Other than Dillon, I can't think of many artists that have pulled it off as well (okay, Flint, Jock, McMahon probably could, Belardinelli would be an interesting choice ...).

The story is fairly predictable in many ways, largely because of much of the above.  That said, it works as well as always.  Probably not something that could be published today in the current hyper-puritanically-politically-correct landscape.  Worth a look though.
#16
Well this arrived today and despite only planning on reading the introduction I found myself drawn in far further than intended. 

Molcher seems to be managing to walk a fine tightrope.  A lot of what the first chapter or so contains is probably incredibly familiar to long time readers, especially those who have read much of the material already published on the early days of Tooth.  So Molcher's focus on placing it within the wider narrative of the time relating to morality, policing and politics makes for an interesting slant.

It is also interesting how he manages to weave in what is potentially a far longer history of inappropriate policing than we tend to give credit.  We see events such as the Everard vigil as an aberration when they actually fit a decades old (or even older) record of such activity. 

Molcher reminds us of police actions during strikes back in the 70's or events such as the Notting Hill riots.  In his potted history of British policing he skims over many of the skeletons in the closet of the "Boys In Blue" such as the handling of the Suffragettes or the miners strikes of the early 20th Century (it is mildly ironic that the troops called in to support the police during the "Tonypandy Riots" displayed uncanny common sense in refusing to ride down the miners at the behest of the police.  Churchill may still be held in disdain for sending in the cavalry but it actually turned out to be a blessing for the miners).

All this is by way of placing Dredd in the context of the 'zeitgeist' of the times.  Granted it is something that has been touched on many times but not so much in relation to the reality of policing in this country. 

It has the added advantage of being written by someone who does actually 'get' Dredd and has a thorough knowledge of his history.  Quite a contrast to the Sequart book on Dredd that often reads like a set of failed GCSE essays.

It is going to be interesting to see how it evolves and whether he does succeed in delivering a convincing argument as to how accurately Dredd has foreshadowed developments.
#17
Events / Lawless 2023
31 December, 2022, 01:21:30 PM
I'm a little surprised that I've not seen this flagged up before now. Tickets go on sale shortly.

I'm going to be digging out the old "permission to go out" form to submit for approval.  Hopefully she will sign off on this and I can enjoy another great day.
#18
Film & TV / Fringe Binge
21 December, 2022, 06:21:33 PM
Well, given the current drought of new and inspiring television productions, I've turned back to my bookshelf and the (to my mind) highly under-rated "Fringe".

Having just finished the first series it is interesting how it compares to a number of related series of the time.  I have a passing recollection of someone having pegged it as "X-files for the 21st Century."  In some respects I can understand that.  There is the "mythology" of the series, clearly lifted from X-files.  Then there is the "monster of the week" motif.

One thing that strikes me after the first series is that the "monster of the week" approach is clearly different from the X-files.  In the latter, this is a "one and done" episode that can be cheerfully ignored.  With Fringe even this episodes tie in.  There are so many episodes that contain events related to the central theme.

Another thing is the issue of how to deal with the central "mythology."  It starts with the idea of "The Pattern" but by mid-season this has become the "ZFT."  Whilst there are clear similarities, the drop-off is a little jarring.  I do wonder if this is why I had issues with it first time round whilst on a second (and now third) viewing, it worked far better.

The Walter Bishop character becomes far more interesting as the series progresses.  Leaving aside some of the remarks about his willingness to abuse mind-altering substances (to the point of being admonished by Timothy Leary), his relationship with science and reality is fun to the least.  Definitely more than the "Alternate" of later series.  Arguably the influence of Babylon 5 with a long term view of a story is at play here.

Moving into the second series with the alternate universe becoming more of an issue is intriguing.  Clearly the series is finding its feet and becoming more confident in its future.  Where the first series almost paid lip service to the "mythology" until the tail end, this tries to play up to it right from the off. 
#19
Off Topic / 50th Anniversary Events
25 November, 2022, 08:59:05 PM
This may seem a little morbid and a little bizarre but I do wonder about how we would celebrate half a century of 2000ad.

For me top of the list would be the line up for the anniversary prog.  I would love to see a Wagner / McMahon Dredd strip that played to their strengths.  Should it be something harking back to Dredd's early career or a reflection on how much has changed in the half century since we first met the character?

It would be great to see Dan Dare grace the pages of the prog once more, reflecting on the fact that we are handling multiple landmarks for British comic history.  Will Rebellion and the DDC be able to square that circle? 

Savage has managed to establish himself as a lasting character from those early days.  Surely there is a case for his presence at that point.  Mr Mills' unique political perspective surely still has a place too.  Should that not be given its respectful place?

Future sport has struggled in the years since we first saw Harlem Heroes.  Leaving aside the racial dimension, attempts at reviving this trip have struggled.  That said, how would we acknowledge Gibson's artwork and (presumably) Mills' writing?  Arguably there needs to be some acknowledgement of the source, Action Comic and Rollerball?

Then again, much of this is looking back at the last 40 odd years with the sensibility of someone who has followed the prog from those early days.  This poses the question of how to pay respect to those who have "built on the shoulders of giants."  Not just in artistic but also in literary terms.  The talent we have enjoyed through the years is staggering.

Personally I would love to see Tooth doing what it has always done; delivering astounding quality week in, week out.  The 50'th anniversary prog needs to be something spectacular.  If it involved creators from the earliest days that would be amazing.  Regrettably Ezquerra is no longer able to deliver something but McMahon is.  Perhaps it is worth considering this before too many creators are lost to us.
#20
News / Subscriber Gift 2022 - Star-Lord Badge
21 September, 2022, 08:31:02 PM
As always the devil is in the detail but given my failing eyesight I might not be seeing clearly.  So it says print combo-subscribers will get the Leach collection, Star-Lord badge and 50% voucher.  Is that monthly and annual or just annual (I know in the past you've had to be an annual subscriber for some of the freebies). 

Just asking for a friend who has a monthly subscription and would dearly love to add the badge to his complete collection of Star-Lord #1's with stickers ...