Prog 2093 - Infernal Engines

[Tjm86]

Unofficial but longstanding policy on prog review threads is that you shouldn't read them before you read the prog if you don't want spoilers.

Fair point but you would also have to extend that to the 'recent posts' thread since they would show up there too.  Providing you steer clear until you've got your prog you should be okay but it's an easy mistake to make.

[Magnetica]

The thing is some things are bigger spoilers than others and just as a courtesy one might want to spoiler stuff even in a spoiler thread.

But I guess it is a personal choice.

For example I knew there was something big this week, but not what nor in which story before I read the Prog, so I was looking out for it.

[Link Prime]

Apologies regarding the spoiler omission there...don't go all Armoured Jerubaal* on me chums!

*Whilst Googling the correct spelling of Armoured Jerubaal I ironically further self-spoiled the appearance of Armoured Gideon in The Order- the reveal image was on the same web page.

[broodblik]

The thing is some things are bigger spoilers than others and just as a courtesy one might want to spoiler stuff even in a spoiler thread.

But I guess it is a personal choice.

For example I knew there was something big this week, but not what nor in which story before I read the Prog, so I was looking out for it.

Since I am a digital subscriber my prog is only available on Wednesdays. I do read this blog beforehand, so I see it more of a case if someone reveal something or add a spoiler I have to life with it.  In most cases the guys who read it is very accommodating and mark the spoilers as such. In any case marking a spoiler adds to the intrigue.

[Frank]

Manco continues to excel on Dredd ... did I mention how good Manco is on Dredd... 

Manco's art is awesome

... fantastic art.

Judge Dredd: A Better Class of Criminal ... the more Leo Manco we see from now on the better.

Fifthed. The dynamic use of perspective and unusual angles makes some very good artists' work on the strip look pedestrian and disengaged.

Manco's leapfrogged his way to the top of the second order of Dredd artists, the group sitting just behind the holy trinity of Flint, MacNeil and Willsher^[1] when it comes to doling out art duties on the epics and 5 or 6 parters.

The Detailed Representational aesthetic isn't even my favourite kind of art, and I don't think it's what best suits the Dredd strip, but you can't argue with the quality of draughtsmanship and exuberant energy bursting out of every page^[2], here.

Like other artists who favour representational forms^[3], Manco's MC1 and cits look like 20th century USA, but his grasp of technology and use of forced perspective to frame it in exciting, original ways more than makes up for that.

Super-powered criminals is a lazy idea. Making a feature of the awful gang name is endearing, but when character & place names are where you're finding entertainment in a story, you might as well be searching the phone book for rude nouns.


^[1] Weston's up there these days, too. Obviously, assigning him to a 26-week epic would be lunacy, but his association with Williams mean he's co-creating some key stories.

^[2] Artists like Weston, Roach and Taylor all lavish similar loving attention to detail upon every single panel, but Manco seems to have successfully bridged the gap between what US readers refer to as the European style (lots of detail, undifferentiated line-width, often static) and the more stylised but impactful US art typified by sixties Marvel.

^[3] Giants such as Bolland, Smith and Burns among them.

[Magnetica]

Glad to see you have the same top 3 Dredd artists as me.

But a couple of points.

You have missed off Carlos.

You have misquoted me. And importantly I qualified my praise of Manco saying I don't like the way he draws the Judges' helmets.

[broodblik]

[spoiler]Armoured Gideon[/spoiler], was this ever collected ? I remember the series but I cannot remember the premises or anything about the story (only the art)

[Link Prime]

[spoiler]Armoured Gideon[/spoiler], was this ever collected ? I remember the series but I cannot remember the premises or anything about the story (only the art)

Two reprints, but I'm pretty sure that they don't include the entire series;
http://www.2000ad.org/?zone=covers&page=character&choice=GIDEON&Comic=reprints

A complete collected edition would be great, but I don't think it's a popular enough Thrill.

Art was absolutely wonderful.
I'm the proud owner of this Simon Jacob piece;

[norton canes]

Er. Wow. Yeah, as reveals go that was pretty unexpected - especially as The Order is a story that's really forged its own identity over its previous three books, creating a unique world and an extremely individualised tone. Having said that, the idea of a colossal mechanoid patrolling the interdimensional boundaries is very in-keeping with its themes. And it's a phenomenal piece of art from John Burns. Surely there's a cover on the way?

(BTW can anyone remind me which progs contained the AG story where strips from 2000 AD's past became intertwined in the narrative?)

As for the rest of the prog I've only read Dredd and M. Stopheles so far; the former is a great continuation of a fine story while the latter is... well, also a great continuation of a fine story.

[Trout]

My first thought on reading this episode of The Order was YAAAAAAAS BWAAAA HAAAAAA HAAAAAAAAAA!

My second thought was that [spoiler]Armoured Gideon itself was a multi-strip crossover, so this may mean the return of SHAKO![/spoiler]



Also the Rennie clan's demon robot story was excellent and I'm loving this Dredd story.

- Trout

[broodblik]

Art was absolutely wonderful.
I'm the proud owner of this Simon Jacob piece;

That is one piece of cool art, looks awesome

[Frank]

Glad to see you have the same top 3 Dredd artists as me (but) (y)ou have missed off Carlos.

I think they're great, but that was really more a list of artists Tharg trusted with his most recent epics.

Controversially, I adore Carlos Ezquerra's artwork. It is, however, almost a decade^[1] since he was Tharg's go-to-guy for an epic.

Rey Carlos now reigns over that second order I mentioned, of artists to whom Tharg entrusts longer, significant stories that aren't quite epics^[2] such as Block Judge & Ladykiller.


^[1] That's a combination of focussing on Strontium Dog, being 70 years old, losing a lung to cancer, and Tharg not really running much you could describe as an epic (in the Apocalypse War sense of the term) since Day Of Chaos. Not Tharg's fault and no reflection on Carlos's great work.

^[2] Weston, Holden & McRea would be other examples. Sexton seems to have landed right in there, Gallagher & Trevallion have a toehold, and Dave Taylor, Paul Davidson, and Paul Marshall are in the mix, too. Hopefully, Dan Cornwell and Jake Lynch can build on recent high profile stories to establish themselves alongside Manco as safe hands for big occasions.

[Dark Jimbo]

Controversially, I adore Carlos Ezquerra's artwork. It is, however, almost a decade^[1] since he was Tharg's go-to-guy for an epic.
^[1] That's a combination of focussing on Strontium Dog, being 70 years old, losing a lung to cancer, and Tharg not really running much you could describe as an epic (in the Apocalypse War sense of the term) since Day Of Chaos. Not Tharg's fault and no reflection on Carlos's great work.

I love Carlos on Dredd, natch, but it isn't as though there aren't other artists clamouring for a go. When it comes to Stront, though, I don't know if I want anyone else on that strip (maybe Colin MacNeil). I'd happily have him never draw a Dredd strip again to get as much Stront as possible before his eventual retirement.

[broodblik]

I love Carlos on Dredd, natch, but it isn't as though there aren't other artists clamouring for a go. When it comes to Stront, though, I don't know if I want anyone else on that strip (maybe Colin MacNeil). I'd happily have him never draw a Dredd strip again to get as much Stront as possible before his eventual retirement.

Well getting an artist or even a writer to take the mantle over on Stront is going to be a mammoth task. I still would like to see Carlos do some Dredd tough. 

[sheridan]

Hmmm, I said "Any other recent instances of crossovers between series?", AFTER reading your post regarding said crossover, hence the "Any other" part of my post.

[spoiler]Bunky[/spoiler] in [spoiler]Judge Dredd[/spoiler].