Bloomin' heck, bloomin' Carlos hey, phonin' in those wonderful, powerful covers, its just not like the old... oh...
...hold on...
...that's pretty damned good isn't it!
The rest of Prog ain't bad either. Well Anderson dropped me again, this one really will need a re-read (if anyone is interested in when that might actually be please refer to the New Comicbook Day Megathread.
The Dredd story moves the whole Son's of Booth storyline along nicely and finishes the corrent tale well. I'm looking forward to the next part of this series of stories.
Jaegir finishes her latest story effectively enough. Where as Sinister Dexter finishes its current story with a horrific brutality whipped into shape with lashing of humour.
Strontium Dog see Fenton take on a little bit more of the Wulf mantal with a weaponry pick up as this story continues to get better and better and I can't wait to see what happens next week.
All in all a pretty fine Prog behind a cracking cover.
Mr Ezquerra's artwork on Stront has always been something special, hasn't it? Recently going through some of the Starlord work, it does stand as a strong contrast to stuff of recent years but it has always been a wonder to behold for me.
I think there are two challenges in Anderson for me; following who is actually 'speaking' at any point in the story and following the rapid jumps in the narrative. The PSI threat subplot doesn't seem to have been built up enough to cope with the main plot which makes it seem a little disjointed and push for a re-read to remind myself of what is going on there.
For me Dredd suffered from a similar 'flaw' (sorry). The revelation about SOB seemed plucked out of mid air (although I may have missed it in one of the earlier episodes). The reporter that they gulled could have done with being pulled in as well. Maybe I'm being a bit harsh, I don't know.
Other than that though, I'm with Colin on the rest of the prog.
(https://i.imgur.com/rAyZcsu.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/rOtB0zl.jpg)
And worth seeing it unadorned as well. A joy forever.
Hell of a cover.
Really like the cover. Carlos is a real master
A bit of a mixed bag this week.
Top thrills are Jaegir and Strontium Dog. Bit of a shame Jaegir is taking a break.
As an individual episode Sinister Dexter was only ok, but it does raise an interesting question for future stories.
I have now completely lost what is going on in Anderson and will re-read it when it is complete.
Bringing up the rear, sad to say is Dredd. This current story did nothing for me and I'm glad it is over. The reveal at the end isn't much of a reveal really and I won't be waiting with bated breath for this plot line to return.
Quote from: Magnetica on 22 April, 2018, 11:29:05 PM
A bit of a mixed bag this week.
Top thrills are Jaegir and Strontium Dog. Bit of a shame Jaegir is taking a break.
As an individual episode Sinister Dexter was only ok, but it does raise an interesting question for future stories.
I have now completely lost what is going on in Anderson and will re-read it when it is complete.
Bringing up the rear, sad to say is Dredd. This current story did nothing for me and I'm glad it is over. The reveal at the end isn't much of a reveal really and I won't be waiting with bated breath for this plot line to return.
I agree except for Dredd. I do not mind the return of the SOB
The prog powers on, with absolutely no complaints from me about four fifths of the stories. Dredd completes one of those little tales that you just know will resonate for the next year or so and eventually lead to something mahoosive- though it seems odd for something as potentially explosive as the living relative of Bad Bob Booth being introduced in a strip written by someone other than JW. Maybe Tharg is gently seeding the ground for when the big man finally decides to take the Long Walk from scripting. If so, I hope it's a premature act, because I want to be reading Wagner Dredds for years to come.
Jaegir told a visceral, fast-paced tale that seemed to be over too quickly- which is infinitely preferably to one dragging on forever (more of which in a bit), and went a long way to cementing this as a worthy (perhaps, shhh, superior) follow-up to Rogue Trooper, after decades of rubbish faffing around in that corner of toothiverse. As always, Simon Coleby and Len O'Grady worked together better than any prog art team since Andy Clarke and Dylan Teague, in my book.
I absolutely bloody love Sinister Dexter, so more is always a joy. The current run has even made me re-evaluate the work of Mr Yeowell, whose work I've not been particularly enamored with these last few decades since Zenith finished. I want SiniDex in the prog, on a weekly basis, til the end of time.
Strontium Dog was just blissful. I have nothing else to say, except I will reread this often, and buy it in oversized hardback should such a thing ever become available.
The only downer for me is Anderson- in which I am completely lost. I can't tell who is speaking, I can't remember who anyone is, or why they are where they are doing whatever they are doing. After rereading the first four episodes in an attempt to get on top of it, I did think perhaps it was an art problem- there were quite a few panels in which the composition or colouring seemed to actively work against the story being told, and once I'd figured that out I was better inclined towards the strip as a whole. Now though, with the change of artists, it has gotten completely incomprehensible. And I know there's nothing wrong with Collins and Robinson's storytelling nous. I can only lay the blame at the door of the writer and Tharg. It looks pretty- even more so these last couple of weeks, but doesn't seem to make any immediate sense. This is what I was referring to earlier about things dragging on. Too much to hope for a speedy rounding-up and for the next one by Emma Beeby to be a little more... straightforward?
Letters page always a treat- especially so as it features a Squaxx more senior even than most of us here, which gave me a huge grin and caused me to mutter "fair play to you sir" under my breath. It may be twenty years away, but I hope the prog is still around and printed on paper in weekly installments, when I'm seventy.
Astonishing cover by Carlos, too. Has he ever done anything dodgy? Man's an utter genius.
SBT
Anderson reminds me a bit of those 1990s tales in the Magazine, where you got the impression the writer had everything sorted in their heads, but it didn't quite make it to the page. I've felt something's off about this one as well, which is a pity since I've been a fan of Beeby's 2000 AD output to date. Perhaps a re-read when the entire series is done will do the job.
Sin/Dex has been the surprise for me of late. I'm not a big fan of the strip. For me, it's like wallpaper. But the factory reset has for once done interesting things, and I'm intrigued to see where everyone takes it.
Top dog over by the Ezquerra Droid.
Ya still got it old man- in spades.
Highly enjoyed SOB storyline and Jaegir all over too soon, SD great fun, Sin/Dex a step up from previous, just not getting Anderson...
(https://i.imgur.com/RhBTnAC.png?1)
I remember the days when Carlos got in trouble for his depictions of female anatomy.
Quote from: Frank on 25 April, 2018, 09:23:25 PM
I remember the days when Carlos got in trouble for his depictions of female anatomy.
Those were the days when we had imagination but unfortunately it has been replaced with cellphones.
That's another one for the 'things that went over my head' thread, in more ways than one. Is this Carlos trying to show us Johnny's true mutation?
If it's got a video camera in the end I'll be very impressed.
Can't really do more than go with the general consensus this week - SinDex excellent, Jaegir too but shame it's over, Dredd a little underwhelming, Strontium Dog great and Anderson just too hard to follow.
Apologies if this has come up already, but is anyone else reading digital and seeing boxes around sound effects and titles/credits? I've been seeing it for a few weeks, not sure if the printed prog has had them too. Looks like where the sfx have been digitally placed over the artwork.
Just curious if there's something wrong with my progs! I first noticed it a few weeks ago I think and it's everywhere.
Being a hard core luddite in this record that prefers a physical copy, I can't say that I have, sorry. Drop shadow does seem to be being used quite a bit on sound effects. Perhaps it is an artefact of that?
Mind you, I could be seriously hallucinating so please, don't take my word for it.
Going to have to stick up for Anderson here: I'm enjoying it immensely.
The plot (controlling Psis to act as hosts for Undercity 'Vampires') is a cracker, particularly the idea of drawing the various peripheral Psi Div characters together injects some relevance into older stories that otherwise seem to exist in their own little isolated bubbles, and continues Beeby's theme of presenting Anderson as the senior judge she is.
The babble of disembodied voices is a neat way of emphasising the peculiar WhatsApp-like reality of a gaggle of telepaths, and "who is speaking" issue is easily solved by noting the balloon colours: Anderson is yellow, Flowers is white, Echo is blue, Karyn/Vampire King is black.
I think it more than holds its own in a very strong line-up.
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 26 April, 2018, 06:43:43 PM
Apologies if this has come up already, but is anyone else reading digital and seeing boxes around sound effects and titles/credits? I've been seeing it for a few weeks, not sure if the printed prog has had them too. Looks like where the sfx have been digitally placed over the artwork.
Just curious if there's something wrong with my progs! I first noticed it a few weeks ago I think and it's everywhere.
Mine are fine.
Presumably, it's an incompatibility issue between whatever reader you're using to look at the comic* and the types of zeroes and ones Tharg's been getting from the wholesaler, lately.
* Assuming this recent development is the result of an update, another one that fixes the problem should be along soon. Or you could try using a different reader
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 26 April, 2018, 06:43:43 PM
Apologies if this has come up already, but is anyone else reading digital and seeing boxes around sound effects and titles/credits? I've been seeing it for a few weeks, not sure if the printed prog has had them too. Looks like where the sfx have been digitally placed over the artwork.
Just curious if there's something wrong with my progs! I first noticed it a few weeks ago I think and it's everywhere.
Mine is fine as well, I am reading it via the Apple app for iPhone and iPad
The slight boxing effect around strip titles, cover text, etc. has been there many months for me, possibly the whole time I've been digital (over a year). iPad Pro & Chunky. It's slightly annoying, but whatever.
Glad it's not just me then, although it sounds like it's quite rare. I'm using the 2000AD app on Android and now that I think about it the change might have coincided roughly with when I got a new tablet, and I maybe just didn't notice for a while. Could well be a compatibility thing then, might try another comic reader and see what happens.
As for Anderson, I'm having the same problem as others have mentioned, I just have no idea what's going on from panel to panel unfortunately. It totally lost me around part 2. I'm going to give the whole thing a read once it's done and hopefully it'll click with me and flow better, I suspect it'll work a lot better that way and it may turn out to just be me getting easily confused (as happens often).
I found my initial confusion on Anderson was reduced by a re-read of the first few episodes. As I've said elsewhere, I think there are two problems for me; firstly the thought bubbles and secondly the pacing. The story seems to chop suddenly at times with very little to hold onto, making development easy to miss if you're not careful..
Quote from: Eamonn Clarke on 21 April, 2018, 08:33:37 PM
(https://i.imgur.com/rOtB0zl.jpg)
And worth seeing it unadorned as well. A joy forever.
Calling it now. Cover of the year.
Quote from: Eamonn Clarke on 27 April, 2018, 10:25:54 AM
Quote from: Eamonn Clarke on 21 April, 2018, 08:33:37 PM
(https://i.imgur.com/rOtB0zl.jpg)
And worth seeing it unadorned as well. A joy forever.
Calling it now. Cover of the year.
I'm torn; next week's is a belter too. Less dynamic, but a thing of beauty nonetheless.
Consecutive Ezquerra/McMahon covers. Truly we are spoiled.
Quote from: norton canes on 27 April, 2018, 11:48:26 AM
Consecutive Ezquerra/McMahon covers. Truly we are spoiled.
Yeah having seen next weeks cover we really are being spoiled. Both are superb and very different, but I think... think I know my fav. But bloomin' heck they are both superb.
I'm generally not a fan of McMahon's modern style. And by modern I mean pretty much anything he has done this millennium. But this is a lot more in keeping with how he used to draw Dredd back in the day...but not quite. But yes it is excellent.
Must almost be time for Bolland's once every 5 years cover. ;)
So a reread of Anderson helped me but I fear it suffers from being too dense and compressed. Take the image of the Psis on the Lawmasters being pursued by other judges on Lawmasters and the psis are hurling debris to block the road. It could have done with another panel or two to establish the hunters, the hunted and the action the hunted are taking. So it jarred a bit. And I had to take a bit of time working it out. But I did because I think there is a great story and some cracking ideas in there. There have been a couple of such moments in every episode which I think has made it hard to follow for some people.
Rest of prog also hit the spot for me. Shame Jaegir finishing but gotta love a lava sub!
Thank you Tips. I thought it was just me. I think the somewhat sparing presence of the anti-PSI ninja Judge who turned out no to be Tempest but is supposedly a critical character is another example. Overall there are lots of great ideas in this story, perhaps too many?
Not sure that too many great ideas is something to complain about, but I know what you're getting at.
This story had to be told in 8 episodes, so it must have been a challenge to get everything in. A bit more space to breathe -- 10 or 12 episodes -- would have given Emma Beeby more room to manoeuvre. But with experience she'll get better at telling a condensed story in the pages and episodes allotted to her. So I'd say the solution is more Beeby, not less, in future.
I know what you mean, aye. I mean, we've got these Hondo City Judges suddenly running around. No idea where they've come from or why. I would definitely agree with the story needing more space to breathe. That and more Beeby. There's enough in this for two series of 8 episodes just about, arguably. Certainly lots of positives.
Good points, all. Personally I like a variety of pacing in my prog, from the deliciously restrained Brink, to the breakneck The Order, so I'm more than happy with superdense Anderson here.
But I do agree that even a few more panels would have given some big ideas and setpieces more room to make an impact. You can see this exact issue in early work from Rennie, Abnett and R. Morrison too: not quite balancing content and page space is a journeyman scripting quirk, I suspect. I've no doubt Beeby will rapidly hone her craft just like those three did, and in the meantime I'll take slightly over-stuffed concepts over thin gruel diluted across multiple pages.
Not in that latter category, but I did find the Dredd story a bit lacking in developments. A way-too-easy jailbreak (how we quibbled the ease of PJs latest escape, and that was Shawshank Redemption compared to this week's 'really big gangplank'), an odd choice of shot from Dredd (just shoot the van!) and the Literal Son reveal, and did the storyline move on at all from the second outing?
Still, not a bad tale. And I'm loving everything else to bits, especially that regal cover.
Quote from: TordelBack on 28 April, 2018, 06:00:08 PM
nd the Literal Son reveal, and did the storyline move on at all from the second outing?
Too many 'sons of' cropping up lately: Orlok, Wulf, Booth. It was enough for me the SOBs be metaphorical sons. Maybe the reveal will squeeze more juice out of it.
I agree Anderson seems a bit rushed and hard to follow at times but I've enjoyed it overall and it's cool how she has her own "family" to distinguish her from Dredd.
Jaeger the real stand out but SD also excellent.
SinDex doing their usual thing.
Dredd a big shrug of a story and a good example of how not to do a cliffhanger. Not sorry to see it end.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 28 April, 2018, 06:22:58 PM
Too many 'sons of' cropping up lately
I've been challenged recently for pointing to a certain inevitability but to me, the 'sons of' is perhaps the strongest narrative tool that most of our writers could use. Mr Ezquerra has drawn on the skills of his son and we have Leah Moor taking up the baton from her father.
There is an element in this of the passing of the torch, of the next generation taking ownership as is their right. They look at our experiences, at our understanding, at our culture, through their eyes and translate it accordingly. Certainly this is necessary if Tooth is to live on.
In so doing, they give birth to something new. In that, what we value lives on. Son of Booth, of Orlok, of Wulf, ... that inter-generational link is how we achieve longevity, rather than the sterility that we see in so much of American culture. Superman may have lasted for eighty years but it is a wonder at times. Sometimes it feels a little forced but for my money our creative team have got it right more often than wrong.