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Spoilers => Prog => Topic started by: Andy B on 04 April, 2018, 03:02:48 AM

Title: Prog 2075 - In the Field of Battle
Post by: Andy B on 04 April, 2018, 03:02:48 AM
Saw the thread was unbagged, and couldn't resist it...

This new run of stories makes me feel like a bit of a dick for complaining about the state of the Prog over on that other thread: it's amazing what a difference good Dredd and a bit of John Wagner make.

So it was disappointing that we only got two weeks of Judge Pin: but I was pleasantly surprised by Dredd this week. A good old-fashioned Mega-City slice-of-life one-off, where [spoiler]Dredd turns up and cubes everybody at the end[/spoiler]*. Nice! I'm not a huge fan of Paul Marshall's cartoony style (is this really the same guy who drew Firekind?), but for this kind of story it works pretty well.

Jaegir is always quality stuff, and this week is no different: wonderfully moody art, nice pacing. The sheer age of 2000AD enables Nu Earth to have the same legendary, historic feel for us, as it does for the characters, and gives this series real depth.

Sinister Dexter takes top spot for me, getting back to the ongoing story after a couple of fun one-offs. It's amazing how fresh this series still feels: Dan Abnett just keeps delivering! It's bringing out the best in Steve Yeowell too: his art seems re-energized to me after a period of being a bit bland.

"What's going on?" asks a character in Anderson this week. Good question: I have no idea, and not really interested enough to put more effort into figuring it out. But it's always nice to see David Roach in the Prog, although I think his stuff works better in black & white: on my iPad anyway, this is a bit too garish.

Great to have Strontium Dog back as a going concern, and I'm excited to see where this is going. This week, Johnny is in a Daily Mail readers' dream come true (where everything was perfect until the AU made them take in a bunch of immigrants), and we get some interestingly weird new villains. Seems like sacrilege to even say this: but does King Carlos seem to be phoning it in a bit here? Second rate Carlos still pretty good, though.

All in all, 4 out of 5. Good Prog.

* this is the least spoilery spoiler ever
Title: Re: Prog 2075 - In the Field of Battle
Post by: Eamonn Clarke on 04 April, 2018, 08:11:20 AM
(https://i.imgur.com/VO64dSh.jpg)
Title: Re: Prog 2075 - In the Field of Battle
Post by: Dark Jimbo on 04 April, 2018, 09:53:00 AM
Quote from: Andy B on 04 April, 2018, 03:02:48 AM
Seems like sacrilege to even say this: but does King Carlos seem to be phoning it in a bit here? Second rate Carlos still pretty good, though.

I don't know about phoning it in, but I genuiney wonder (worry) if he's having trouble with his eyesight or something? It's all drawn using some incredibly thick, heavy linework and without the usual confidence or detail...
Title: Re: Prog 2075 - In the Field of Battle
Post by: Tjm86 on 04 April, 2018, 10:21:42 AM
Looks nice.  With luck my subscription prog will turn up today.  Bank holiday weekend has really thrown things for a loop.   :(
Title: Re: Prog 2075 - In the Field of Battle
Post by: wedgeski on 04 April, 2018, 02:04:07 PM
Quote from: Tjm86 on 04 April, 2018, 10:21:42 AM
Looks nice.  With luck my subscription prog will turn up today.  Bank holiday weekend has really thrown things for a loop.   :(
Ditto. :(
Title: Re: Prog 2075 - In the Field of Battle
Post by: broodblik on 04 April, 2018, 02:41:42 PM
Cover - So far the cover of the year for me

Dredd - really enjoyably once-off, reads like a classic Dredd tale of the 80s

Jaegir - I like the way the flashback is incorporated in the story. My favorite strip of the current run

Strontium Dog - The story is going great, the only gripe is that Johnny does not act like he does not care. But lets wait  and see where this is going.





Title: Re: Prog 2075 - In the Field of Battle
Post by: Tjm86 on 04 April, 2018, 06:00:29 PM
... and it did turn up.  Hmmm.  Have to agree on Dredd.  Amusing after a fashion.  Nice little filler.  Marshall on art ...  Aye, okay stuff.

Jaegir is far and away the stand out strip for me though.  Coleby's art goes from strength to strength and this captures the dark insanity of Nu-Earth perfectly.  Of all the attempts to find a quality strip to explore the full scope of that war, this one is it for me.

I can see the point with regards to Anderson.  There were times when I really couldn't track who was saying what to who.  Got a bit confused.  If Ezquerra is 'phoning it in' then I can think of a lot of other professional artists that should just give up then.  Even on Wilderlands, when he was playing about with computers, he shows more talent than a lot of the current crop of American 'big talent' artists out there.  I'm not going to comment again on his age though since it got me into a world of trouble last time!

SinDex does seem to be another strip that is reinvigorated by its new direction.  Humour, pathos, Yeowell ...

... overall I'd have to say, well worth the wait.  Plus, not long (hopefully) until the next prog.
Title: Re: Prog 2075 - In the Field of Battle
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 04 April, 2018, 08:24:12 PM
Can someone tell me what's going on in Anderson? Is Karyn possessed by a demon or a vampire? Is the King thing a vampire? The same one or a different one?

This would be a better novel.
Title: Re: Prog 2075 - In the Field of Battle
Post by: Colin YNWA on 04 April, 2018, 08:33:48 PM
Well from cover on that was I call Progage. While its all be excellent issues from the relaunch, there's always been a niggle here, a one waiting to get going there. This Prog, none of it. 5 for 5 brilliant stories.

Dredd is a neat, sharp, funny and pathetic (in the good way) one of Dredd and Geez Louise isn't Paul Marshal just getting better and better. Funnily enough I'm at the point in my re-read when he's a fresh young thing starting out and while its still recognisibly the same artist the difference in quality is quite something. He's a stunning artist.

Speaking of stunning artists, that Simon Coleby on Jaegir huh, fantastic episode all rounds are either put in place, or at least hinted at with a heady mix of first world war style violence.

And speaking of stunning artists a dark and gloomy bar has pushed the always brilliant Mighty Yeowell up another notch, Stunning work on a fun, funny and at the end tense opening to Sinister Dexter

The two I was waiting to get really in my head, well both are at the top of their game. Anderson having put its pieces in place has the chance to play with things in a little more room and is all the better for it, unlike others for me this cleared up the 'Huh?' moments and swapped them for some great little moments.

As does Strontium Dog, gets past its flat start with some great character stuff, developing Kenton and re-enforcing nuJohnny. Of and if Carlos is phoning those villians designs in it just goes to show how much you can do other a phone these days. Supreme design, gloriously realised.

Top rate Prog.
Title: Re: Prog 2075 - In the Field of Battle
Post by: Tjm86 on 05 April, 2018, 08:02:58 AM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 04 April, 2018, 08:24:12 PM
Can someone tell me what's going on in Anderson? Is Karyn possessed by a demon or a vampire? Is the King thing a vampire? The same one or a different one?

It took us a while to dig out the original storyline for Karyn since it happened a few years ago now, all the way back in Descent: 1432-1436, previously encountered in Asylum in the Meg (4.05).  Goes by the name of the Shadow King, originally introduced as Wurdolak.  Some sort of 'psionic vampire'.
Title: Re: Prog 2075 - In the Field of Battle
Post by: Blue Cactus on 05 April, 2018, 12:55:49 PM
Nice one-off Dredd although I found the ending pretty grim. I know Dredd often ends with a bit of dark humour and over-the-top sentences being given out for minor crimes, but [spoiler]'your major organs are riddled with inoperable tumours', you're family probably have them too, and now you're going to jail for the rest of your life for a crime you weren't aware of committing??[/spoiler] Geez that was depressing.

Jaegir and SinDex are ticking all the boxes for me. Loving this SinDex set up. I'm glad they addressed the issue of Ray and Tracy the other week too, seeing as their romantic relationship, which has lasted probably about 15-20 years, hadn't been mentioned at all since the sharks arrived in this reality!

I'm having a bit of trouble following Anderson too. Not so much the Karyn thing, though that could use a little explanation, and I thought the different coloured telepathy speech balloons worked well. I just need to go back and read the start of the story as I'm not sure what's actually happening! [spoiler]Also why is the doctor judge grinning while Anderson tells him he's under arrest? And how is Flowers able to catch a flying knife by the blade? That Justice Academy training is really thorough![/spoiler]

Stront is great, I though Carlos was on good form and the alien designs are ace. Love [spoiler]the thoughtful Johnny looking out the window at the violence and not going to sort it out. What's going on his mind?[/spoiler] Great subtle stuff.

This is my first post using spoilers so I hope I do it right and don't ruin the prog for hundreds of Squaxx!
Title: Re: Prog 2075 - In the Field of Battle
Post by: Blue Cactus on 05 April, 2018, 12:57:47 PM
Success! Although now I see I used an apostrophe wrong.  :-[
Title: Re: Prog 2075 - In the Field of Battle
Post by: sheridan on 05 April, 2018, 11:10:04 PM
Quote from: Blue Cactus on 05 April, 2018, 12:57:47 PM
Success! Although now I see I used an apostrophe wrong.  :-[
Congratulations!  Also, there was a stray 'e' in the same word :-P
Title: Re: Prog 2075 - In the Field of Battle
Post by: TordelBack on 06 April, 2018, 07:31:46 AM
Quote from: Blue Cactus on 05 April, 2018, 12:55:49 PM
I'm having a bit of trouble following Anderson too.... [spoiler]And how is Flowers able to catch a flying knife by the blade?[/spoiler]

That's essentially his psi-ability in action: he can foresee threats to himself, allowing him to know when/where the blade will be: and it is one hell of a big boot knife!  And I think the med-judge's leer is because he's perving on the dressing Karyn, rather than a result of his sentencing: possibly the panel would work better with Anderson and her dialogue on the right. Elswhere Roach fights a bit of a losing battle against the always-tricky positioning of shoulder pads, but I love how he depicts Echo's 'sight'.  As usual, I find Beeby's dense Anderson tales more inventive and engaging than Grant's later work.     

Agree that the Dredd was a bit too dark - [spoiler]sentencing a dying for deaths caused be not heeding a product recall was quite Dredd enough without adding the likely deaths of his neglected family[/spoiler].  Great little story though, and perfect choice of artist.

Loving the classic feel of Strontium Dog, and in particular Carlos' seemingly effortless art.  For a guy who used to densely render every surface, it's fascinating to see him convey all those same cracked and knobbly textures with loose energetic lines.  Quality.   

Same word could be applied to the whole comic this week.   

Title: Re: Prog 2075 - In the Field of Battle
Post by: TordelBack on 06 April, 2018, 07:41:13 AM
ADDENDUM: Quick shout-out for John Charles' colouring on SinDex.  I know I go on about this a lot, but no-one handles the challenging open nature of Yeowell's work quite as well as this guy - something about his choice of alternately strong and muted colours compliments Yeowell's signature sense of light and space perfectly. I'd like to see him try colouring Willsher too, another artist who sometimes seems to suffer from incompatible colouring, as long as it doesn't take him away from Sinister Dexter!
Title: Re: Prog 2075 - In the Field of Battle
Post by: Blue Cactus on 06 April, 2018, 09:32:34 AM
Quote from: sheridan on 05 April, 2018, 11:10:04 PM
Quote from: Blue Cactus on 05 April, 2018, 12:57:47 PM
Success! Although now I see I used an apostrophe wrong.  :-[
Congratulations!  Also, there was a stray 'e' in the same word :-P

:'(

Agreed on John Charles, he has done the seemingly impossible in colouring Yoewell and making it look great.
Title: Re: Prog 2075 - In the Field of Battle
Post by: Magnetica on 06 April, 2018, 09:45:14 AM
Quote from: TordelBack on 06 April, 2018, 07:41:13 AM
I'd like to see him try colouring Willsher too

I'd like to see Willsher back in the Prog full stop. If I am remembering correctly  the last thing he did for Tharg was a Judge Dredd in the Megazine which appeared last Feb, which was a bit of an origins story for NBK. Not sure why he doesn't get used more.
Title: Re: Prog 2075 - In the Field of Battle
Post by: DrRocka on 06 April, 2018, 09:55:00 AM
Like everyone else, I'm loving the prog again after a bit of a lengthy blip. Everything in it this week is a must read, even SinDex, which I've hated until recently.

Only gripe is that the art on Anderson makes it difficult to tell what's going on for the second week on the run. But it's David Roach though and he's one of my absolute favourites, so it's easily forgivable. It looks wonderful, but I find it hard to see what's happening in some of the action sequences. It is just 'cos I've forgotten where we're up to in previous stories?

All is great now though. Cheers THARG!
Title: Re: Prog 2075 - In the Field of Battle
Post by: norton canes on 06 April, 2018, 11:35:40 AM
Another high-quality prog.

Dredd: OK, more of a Future Shock with added Dredd. But no worse for it.

Jaegir: Another action/exposition mash-up. But no worse for it. Damn, those Nort suits look cool!

SinDex: Back to story mode. But no... OK. Lovely Call and return on the 'Gigantoconurbopolis' gag.

Anderson: Don't know who everyone is or quite what's going on but liking it anyway. David Roach's art is giving it a kind of Misty, teen horror comic vibe. And I've noticed he has a problem with buttocks. Some of the buttocks are all over the place in this installment.

Strontium Dog: Three episodes in and the story hasn't really settled down, but loving it anyway. Sure, maybe CE's art is a little less detailed these days but damn, his style remains impeccable!

Liked the comments on Annihilation in the damage report  :D



Title: Re: Prog 2075 - In the Field of Battle
Post by: sheridan on 06 April, 2018, 01:10:43 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 06 April, 2018, 07:31:46 AM
Agree that the Dredd was a bit too dark - [spoiler]sentencing a dying for deaths caused be not heeding a product recall was quite Dredd enough without adding the likely deaths of his neglected family[/spoiler].  Great little story though, and perfect choice of artist.

Timely, considering [spoiler] the death of the Russian spy's cat and guinea pig (non-linked as I think that breaks the spoiler tag) http://metro.co.uk/2018/04/06/two-dead-guinea-pigs-distressed-cat-found-home-poisoned-spy-7445253/[/spoiler]
Title: Re: Prog 2075 - In the Field of Battle
Post by: sheridan on 06 April, 2018, 01:11:08 PM
Quote from: sheridan on 06 April, 2018, 01:10:43 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 06 April, 2018, 07:31:46 AM
Agree that the Dredd was a bit too dark - [spoiler]sentencing a dying for deaths caused be not heeding a product recall was quite Dredd enough without adding the likely deaths of his neglected family[/spoiler].  Great little story though, and perfect choice of artist.

Timely, considering [spoiler] the death of the Russian spy's cat and guinea pig (non-linked as I think that breaks the spoiler tag) http://metro.co.uk/2018/04/06/two-dead-guinea-pigs-distressed-cat-found-home-poisoned-spy-7445253/[/spoiler]

Oh well, it made it in to a link automatically anyway.
Title: Re: Prog 2075 - In the Field of Battle
Post by: SmallBlueThing(Reborn) on 06 April, 2018, 01:45:46 PM
After long weeks of wishing everything would.. just... end, the junping-on prog delivered longed-for quality thrills and that has thankfully been continued in the progs since.
Just about every strip is of high quality at the moment, with only Anderson letting it down somewhat by being a bit incomprehensible. I may well give the previous episodes a reread before next week to see if I can make sense of it though, because it all looks very pretty.

Top Thrills for me are SiniDex and Jaegir. SiniDex because I have a deep and powerful love for the world, the characters, the puns and not enough is said about how it's definitely in the top ten percent of all 2000AD series, ever.  Jaegir has ratcheted up a notch this time as well, with Simon Coleby as always giving us 110% and there being something extra in the storytelling this time, that has hooked me more than previous outings.

Strontium Dog is blissful too- Wagner and Ezquerra doing what they do best. Yes, Carlos's art looks different to how it has been at times (and I'm speaking as someone who passionately loved his Wilderlands stuff, where the enthusiasm for- amongst other things- Kai's Powertools shone like a glorious nova) but literally anything The Master wishes to do is absolutely fine by me. And those designs! Is it possible to fetishize artwork? If so, that's what I'm doing.
Dredd was lovely, a clean one-off of the kind we too-seldom get these days. Anyone picking up a prog for the first time in thirty years would recognise it and feel satisfied not too much has changed.

Top proggage. Can't wait for next week.

SBT
Title: Re: Prog 2075 - In the Field of Battle
Post by: Magnetica on 07 April, 2018, 01:55:20 PM
I read all 3 episodes of Anderson this morning and it does make sense (I think).

I also finally got round to watching the extended interviews in the Future Shock DVD and Dave Gibbons acknowledged that the comic has changed from back in the day where each week you had a recap, this week's events and another recap all in 5 or 6 pages, to it effectively now just being longer stories chunked up. I think I now accept that re-reading previous episodes is the only way to get the most out of the Prog these days. On my recent re-reads, stories that had seemed impenetrable when read weekly all made perfect sense when read as one. Examples being Scarlet Traces and Outlier. And hey with this Anderson it's only been 3 weeks - ignoring the earlier Karyn story, as given my filing system digging that out would take some time.
Title: Re: Prog 2075 - In the Field of Battle
Post by: Magnetica on 07 April, 2018, 01:57:13 PM
You might not believe it, but I wrote my post whilst been unaware of what SBT just posted!
Title: Re: Prog 2075 - In the Field of Battle
Post by: Muon on 08 April, 2018, 12:06:12 PM
I'm enjoying everything in the prog at the moment after a while of only really looking forward to Brass Sun and Savage every week.

The mention of the "Astral Union" in Strontium Dog this week cracked me up. It struck me as classic 2000 AD satire in that it acknowledges the ridiculousness of the current times, then takes a step back and leaves the reader to respond in whatever way he wishes. I'm enjoying Carlos's art, too. I can tell he still loves the story and the characters.
Title: Re: Prog 2075 - In the Field of Battle
Post by: Eamonn Clarke on 08 April, 2018, 01:58:32 PM

Loving the artwork on Jaegir, particularly the washed out colours for the flashback sequences which reminded me of the way Carlos handled flashback in the Apocalypse War.
Title: Re: Prog 2075 - In the Field of Battle
Post by: Aaron A Aardvark on 09 April, 2018, 12:51:08 PM
Another quality prog.

Top thrill Jaegir for me. It's developed from an interesting spin-off into an excellent strip in its own right. Looks terrific, too.

Anderson & SD also excellent. Dredd a bit filler-y but still fun.

I'm even liked Sin/Dex. Which is a bit disturbing.

It can't last.
Title: Re: Prog 2075 - In the Field of Battle
Post by: IndigoPrime on 10 April, 2018, 11:37:31 AM
Just a note: probably don't read Damage Report unless you want Jessica Jones season two spoilered in a major way.