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Prog 2109 - Shark-Infested Waters

Started by Eamonn Clarke, 24 November, 2018, 11:12:05 AM

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The Amstor Computer

Quote from: pauljholden on 24 November, 2018, 04:29:32 PM
It's not my place, but shurely "Chums in the Water" would've been a good tag line on that cover...

:D

re: Gerhart. When Gerhart took the long walk in prog 2074, Rob had Dredd thinking about the need for allies like Gerhart in conflicts ahead (Smiley in particular) so there was a nice bit of foreshadowing there, and the hanging-the-Gerhart-on-the-wall in the earlier episode of "The Small House" made it clear he was going to be used later on in this story.

Unless I missed something in my initial read, I think the only quibble I've got is that having Gerhart in exactly the right position at exactly the right moment in a pretty fluid situation without the reader having seen any coordination between Dredd and Gerhart (beyond the mentioned-but-unseen-by-the-reader instruction for Gerhart to aim for that point when he took the Long Walk) tips a little into sacrificing internal logic for a cool moment. And it was a cool moment, but one I'd have found a bit more satisfying with a little more foundation in the story itself. Even just a brief scene later in the story with Dredd trying to contact Gerhart and failing, but resolving to keep to their plan  - something like "Gerhart knew there would only be one chance once they'd drawn him out. He'd be there waiting, as long it took..." - would have been enough, I think.

Colin YNWA

Oh what a lovely Prog, what a lovely Prog.

The line-up might be changing but the quality just isn't dropping a notch. Dredd - Small House ends magnificently and offers a wonderfully satisfying conclusion to the tale in itself, the tale that Rob Williams has been building for some time AND leaves things nicely open to run new things out from it. That's quite a balancing act. I'm really looking forward to where all this goes next and finding a time at some point to read the whole thing (the long form story) in one go. Just fantastic Dredd, which feels very modern and fresh while being utterly in place with the wonders of the past.

Oh and Eammon is right "THIS IS MY HOUSE" is the "I'm the man who knocks" for the Joe generation. Oh and I don't think we've seen the last of Frank Hershey and Dredd are on the outs and she's made it quite clear she'll do things to keep the city safe that Dredd isn't aware of, or would approve of. Absolutely no reason why [spoiler]Frank[/spoiler] won't be involved in one such plot and I think [spoiler]he'll[/spoiler] pop up when we least expect it... or maybe wearing a white horse costume when Dredd needs some support.

All that said I'm not sure its even the best thing in the Prog! Brink could be that. Its just fantastic, I love seeing Bridget twist and apparently squirm, though I think scheme, to keep herself alive and on the case. Just wonderful stuff.... so that's Dabnett 1...

...Dabnett 2 might also be the best thing in the Prog, 10 pages of the current master and the Might Yeowell is a joy. The Mighty Yeowell's art finds new ways to develop and grow and for me is a joy once more. The story is such a Bondesque delight and I can't wait to see how this goes next week...

...which leaves us Dabnett 3... yes he's got 20 pages in the Prog this week AND not one of thems a dud as Kingdom could also be the best thing in the Prog as well. Blinding episode, pulling everything together and driving things on for a thrilling conclusion next week. Just thrilling.

So basically everything in the Prog could be the best thing in the Prog and that's an honest assessment of the glory that is Tharg's organ these days.

IndigoPrime

The weird thing is, for its intention as a fist-pumping moment, Dredd's "this is my house" and the subsequent row with Hershey just made Dredd for me come across as an arsehole. Hey, Dredd, you've been offered the responsibility of the role multiple times, and you won't take it, because your place is "on the streets". You won't even take an official senior role. Perhaps wind your neck in a bit, then, rather than barking at Hershey to "consider your position" just because you've got annoyed at things she's done in the interests of the position. "You knew the job." Sure. So did/do you – and you won't step up.

Over the years, he's come across like no-one's ever managed to be quite right in that role, although he often went along with some seriously shitty orders (most notably under Silver). Now, with Hershey, he starts becoming full-on grump, and yet won't take the role himself? Shit or get off the pot, Mr Tight Boots.

Jim_Campbell

Quote from: Colin YNWA on 24 November, 2018, 05:15:10 PM
So basically everything in the Prog could be the best thing in the Prog and that's an honest assessment of the glory that is Tharg's organ these days.

True. We've had a fantastic run of progs and maybe there'll be a less exciting run in the near future but I wish the doom-sayers would remember that you're never really more than a couple of weeks away from a run that's this good.
Stupidly Busy Letterer: Samples. | Blog
Less-Awesome-Artist: Scribbles.

Jim_Campbell

Quote from: IndigoPrime on 24 November, 2018, 06:54:56 PM

Over the years, he's come across like no-one's ever managed to be quite right in that role, although he often went along with some seriously shitty orders (most notably under Silver). Now, with Hershey, he starts becoming full-on grump, and yet won't take the role himself? Shit or get off the pot, Mr Tight Boots.

This was one of things I really liked about Ewing's take on the Hershey/Dredd relationship.
Stupidly Busy Letterer: Samples. | Blog
Less-Awesome-Artist: Scribbles.

Steve Green

Quote from: IndigoPrime on 24 November, 2018, 06:54:56 PM
The weird thing is, for its intention as a fist-pumping moment, Dredd's "this is my house" and the subsequent row with Hershey just made Dredd for me come across as an arsehole. Hey, Dredd, you've been offered the responsibility of the role multiple times, and you won't take it, because your place is "on the streets". You won't even take an official senior role. Perhaps wind your neck in a bit, then, rather than barking at Hershey to "consider your position" just because you've got annoyed at things she's done in the interests of the position. "You knew the job." Sure. So did/do you – and you won't step up.

Over the years, he's come across like no-one's ever managed to be quite right in that role, although he often went along with some seriously shitty orders (most notably under Silver). Now, with Hershey, he starts becoming full-on grump, and yet won't take the role himself? Shit or get off the pot, Mr Tight Boots.

Great, now I'm thinking of Jacob Rees Mogg or any of the ERG as Dredd.

Magnetica

Great Prog yet again.

The Small House wraps up well and leaves me wanting me. Based purely on what was in the story it seems odd Hershey is allowing Dredd's insubordination. The Rob Williams interview from a couple of weeks ago gave an explanation - that she knows he has a point. But it would be good to have that explained in the story itself.

Brink just gets better and better, which is quite a trick given how amazing it is. Gentry seems to be taking quite a risk with his approach, but I guess it is the only way to keep Kurtis alive.

It is always great to have Sinister Dexter back in the Prog.

Quote from: The Amstor Computer on 24 November, 2018, 11:38:07 AM
Not sold on John Charles' colouring on Sin/Dex. It's good work, but in places it feels like it's obscuring Yeowell's linework. On some panels I'm not sure whether I'm looking at Yeowell adding pencil shading to his inks or something the colourist has added and the end result in some places is a very "fuzzy" effect that isn't very pleasing. I've enjoyed his colours on other Sin/Dex strips so maybe there was just a wobble here, or some experimentation that didn't quite work.

I actually liked the colouring and the "fuzzy effect". Yes they were obscuring Steve Yeowell's trade mark clean lines, but I though the overall effect was really good.

Yet more Abnett goodness in Kingdom.

Quote from: broodblik on 24 November, 2018, 12:11:17 PM
If Dan Abnett writes the epilogue next week for Dredd can we then call it 2000 ABnett ?

I wonder if a single writer has written a whole Prog before (not counting the single story Progs)? I guess if it has ever happened that writer was called Pat Mills or John Wagner (or Wagner - Grant partnership  - I guess that would count).

I don't often comment on the cover, but it seemed oddly similar to Prog 2102 to me.

Jim_Campbell

Quote from: broodblik on 24 November, 2018, 12:11:17 PM
If Dan Abnett writes the epilogue next week for Dredd can we then call it 2000 ABnett ?

It was a long-standing joke amongst 2000AD freelancers in the 90s that come the year 2000, the comic would be called 2000DA, after the man who seemed to be writing four out of every five strips in the prog at the time.
Stupidly Busy Letterer: Samples. | Blog
Less-Awesome-Artist: Scribbles.

Geoff

"This is MY HOUSE...creep!" Love it!

Yes, there are some pretty valid criticisms but overall I've really enjoyed the Small House. Good to see Dredd acting with some conviction and dishing it out rather than getting blown up or beaten to pulp. By recent standards the nasty gut-shot is pretty mild...

matty_ae

The Small House worked for me.
Havent been this interested in the prog since the end of Dante.
Prog is on fire.
Love it.

Woolly

Quote from: Leigh S on 24 November, 2018, 01:44:53 PM
The Dredd remained underwhelming for me I'm afraid.

[spoiler]So Dredd is not a simple tool, but a brilliant schemer because he told someone to hang around the Cursed Earth for months looking at a bit of the wall in the off chance he might see someone worth shooting?  This before Dredd knew he could get any evidence to bring Smiley out of the literal woodwork?That seems like a pretty naive plan to me.  And it ultimately WAS Hershey who saved the day and called off the ninja judges, so all that stepping about her seems to have been for nothing? If you squint a bit and don't think too hard about it, it is all very cool sounding, but under any kind of scrutiny it just doesnt have much weight to it.  Gerhart will tell Dredd one day how he got out of the completely hopeless situation he found himself in when last we saw him?  I assume it involved a horse riding Klegg...   I suppose it does at least clear away a few elements of Dredd continuity I disliked (Smiley and Kazan and ninja judges), so that's something  [/spoiler]

Apologies for curmudgeonness!

Yup, my feelings exactly.
Also,[spoiler] Dredd didn't know that Smiley had allowed the apocalypse war to happen until he saw the files. So why was he planning to kill Smiley via Conveniant Gerhart in the first place? Wouldn't it be better to, y'know, arrest him instead? Like a Judge would? [/spoiler]

Leigh S

From now on, I will judge any supposed Epic on whether Anthrax could do a new verse of I Am The Law based on it:


In the Halls of Justice, lived Judge Smileeeey!

With some digestives and a cup of teaaa!

Dredd had enough of invisible Judge Ninjaaaas!

So he blew some up and nicked their binoculaaars!

He just happened to find a hidden USB stiiiick!

concealed by Kazan's dead clone, what a priiick!

He met Judge Smiley so he could take him to taaaask!

Hershey sorted it 'cause he finally aaaaasked!




Greg M.

Quote from: Leigh S on 26 November, 2018, 02:13:07 PM
From now on, I will judge any supposed Epic on whether Anthrax could do a new verse of I Am The Law based on it

I used to think all this Judge Smiley malarkey was absolutely awful stuff - a real low point in my enjoyment or otherwise of Dredd - but the creation of your verse has single-handedly justified its existence and restored my faith in humanity.

BPP

Quote from: Woolly on 26 November, 2018, 01:22:30 PM
Quote from: Leigh S on 24 November, 2018, 01:44:53 PM
The Dredd remained underwhelming for me I'm afraid.

[spoiler]So Dredd is not a simple tool, but a brilliant schemer because he told someone to hang around the Cursed Earth for months looking at a bit of the wall in the off chance he might see someone worth shooting?  This before Dredd knew he could get any evidence to bring Smiley out of the literal woodwork?That seems like a pretty naive plan to me.  And it ultimately WAS Hershey who saved the day and called off the ninja judges, so all that stepping about her seems to have been for nothing? If you squint a bit and don't think too hard about it, it is all very cool sounding, but under any kind of scrutiny it just doesnt have much weight to it.  Gerhart will tell Dredd one day how he got out of the completely hopeless situation he found himself in when last we saw him?  I assume it involved a horse riding Klegg...   I suppose it does at least clear away a few elements of Dredd continuity I disliked (Smiley and Kazan and ninja judges), so that's something  [/spoiler]

Apologies for curmudgeonness!

Yup, my feelings exactly.
Also,[spoiler] Dredd didn't know that Smiley had allowed the apocalypse war to happen until he saw the files. So why was he planning to kill Smiley via Conveniant Gerhart in the first place? Wouldn't it be better to, y'know, arrest him instead? Like a Judge would? [/spoiler]

Because Dredd has dealt with enough wiley foxes to know they won't be taken easily. Because he dosent under-estimate Smiley And knows there is a long game and many solders if not exactly what.

Next thing you know you'll be doubting the existence of Kleggs and pondering just how a gun could laser out a whole intersection at the rate of 9.8ms (increasing).

Oh and the whole 'rob Williams horse' thing... bit off frankly lads, Henry Flint said he wanted to draw Dredd on horseback so Williams obliged. So slag it off as Henry Flint's Horse. For me it was a brilliant needle drop moment and part of an amazing section (the whole save the chief judge / dirty frank interaction). But I guess it's not for some. Nor it seems the frankly franktastic Small House. To those I'd ask - what exactly is?
If I'd known it was harmless I would have killed it myself.

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http://twitter.com/#!/FutureShockd

Richard

To be fair to Henry Flint, he didn't ask to draw an inexplicable horse, just a horse. He's not responsible for the writing.