1935 - Under The Influence

[Dark Jimbo]

Can't help but think that this Dredd is an attempt to rehabilitate Ireland into the Dredd-world.

There was an undeniable tendancy to play up racial stereotypes in Dredd 25-15 years ago. (A hypocritical generalisation, I know). I'm thinking of Emerald Isles's spud guns and Guiness.

Murphyville was the exception, though - not only was there an in-universe reason for all the very broad stereotypes, the characters in the strip were actively conscious of how cheesy it all was, and the bad guys' motivation was to undo their country being made a laughing stock.

[Steve Green]

I have only read Dredd at the moment - but I really didn't enjoy it for the following reasons:

Dredd: The length of setup which lead to know real conclusion just drove home what a genius Wagner is, and how succinct his stories generally are, I know we shouldn't compare but I can't help but hold all others to this standard. Also, there was so much expository dialogue. Dredd at one point said ''why are you telling me this'' I mirrored that sentiment

The assassin - I felt he had no motivation as a character. If your mind had been effectively been destroyed then why would you have that job. Unless you were owned by someone and just used as a tool, and if that was the case then why not use a robot

He didn't start that way, maybe the chipping away of his memories to protect his identity has been so effective he doesn't even know why he does what he does, just that he must, or the most recent persona is running the show.

Could be his original motivations were totally different - it's just the rewrites have totally obscured that.


as for robots - they've not been 100% reliable either, or his contrators prefer organics.


Not something that stood out for me.

[robert_ellis]

Another great dense issue. Every story had a strong episode. Outlier seemed a bit talky for an opener but overall very good. It's great to see 2000ad on a roll!

[Mikey]

Like the cover.

Dredd continues well from last week's opener and keeps up the intrigue well, with a nice nod to the cold being felt on the slab these days. (No discussion on how to pronounce Grainne?  ). Not much elese to say apart from keep it up you droids!

Absalom - pretty much the same as what I said about Dredd. For a brief moment, I thought Harry was talking to Chapter and Verse in the pub, got me all excited!

Slaine felt a bit quick this week, but I'm still loving it. I always say this, but I find my enjoyment of Slaine is directly propotional to how much I like the art and don't think I've enjoyed the character as much for many years - no dig at Langley there, that droid done some of the finest Fomorians you could wish for, but I find SB is just the right choice for the Brutannia Chronicles considering the meditative mood found through it so far.

Outlier charmed me round during its first run, but I felt a bit confused during this. Couldn't work out what Carcer was at but maybe that was the point. Saying that it was a good reintroduction and has been well set up for the forthcoming strip.

Helium -

Helium, slightly shy logo aside,

I love the logo! It perfectly sums up the 'trouble 't airship' premise!

I liked it last week, but totally loved it this week. I already feel I know the complete world this is set in, so effective have the introductory episodes been. And the art...oh, the art! Such deceptively simple linework and the colour palette so subtly and beautifully deployed! It truly whisks me away on an airship full of thrills. Brilliant.

And the return of Kingdom on the horizon? It's a good time to be a Squaxx and no mistake.

M.

[mejustnow]

with a nice nod to the cold being felt on the slab these days.

Ah, I missed that! What a great little touch.

[Colin YNWA]

Helium -

Helium, slightly shy logo aside,

I love the logo! It perfectly sums up the 'trouble 't airship' premise!

But its teeny weeny.

[Mikey]

It's where you stick it Colin.

M.

[Bad City Blue]

kingdom retuening is the best news of all - my favourite new strip from the last decade at least

[Dark Jimbo]

Yay! Kingdom teaser!

The Dredd thriller is shaping up really well. I particuarly liked the chat about the Saint Joshua - wish we had more of this, writers creating a mythology of future events rather than the usual satires of current ones. And of course Macneil is always welcome in the prog.

On the downside the storytelling can be needlessly obtuse sometimes, particularly on page 3. Stonefish's escape attempt ended so abruptly I thought I had pages printed out of order; after Dredd and Joyce firing their guns the chap's suddenly strapped in his chair again with all his gaurds intact, and not a single character mentions the incident, making me wonder if it was supposed to be a dream sequence or drug-induced trick implanted by the Judges; apparently not, as we then cut instead to Joyce on patrol at some later point; he's abruptly ambushed by thugs in one panel and in the next he's suddenly replying to a question that Control haven't actually asked, after the fight has happened. The whole thing was a bit more work than it needed to be - the story clunked rather than flowed. The odd caption would help smooth things out.

Absalom ticks along in fairly low-key gear, but that's no bad thing after his last full-length story was so mental (as the next one presumably will be, if it's the teased 'journey into the Mills to get his grandkids back' outing).

Slaine plods rather than ticks. This stuff about Zana(?) has come out of left-field, particularly so late in the run. The reveal of the Primordial fell a bit flat for me, particularly after so much build-up, although Davis' design is terrific.

The first Outlier story didn't set my world on fire, and I can't say I was over the moon to hear it was coming back for (what I thought was) an unecessary sequel. But you know what? I really enjoyed this opener, despite myself. Did a great job of re-establishing the world while also setting up the plot-line to go forwards. I'm actually quite looking forward to this one playing out.

I enjoyed Helium this week much more than the opener (which I also enjoyed, for the record). I think this is bearing out what I said last week, about the format of a one-off serial playing better to Edginton's strengths - look how quickly we've got to grips with the set-up!

[ThryllSeekyr]

Slaine - The Primodial

[spoiler]So a Primodial is just another name for a Warped-One.[/spoiler]

I was alittle taken aback by the Post-Sloughed- appearance and the weird hair and eyes. More like a alien, which I guess isn't far from the truth if he is a Cyth-Lord. It could be that we're all really Cythron's underneath the skin.

So, Gort wears Hero-Harness over his face and [spoiler] he's the Monster.[/spoiler]

[ThryllSeekyr]

Things I didn't like about Slaine.....

I'm not sold on My Name is Slaine Macroth and I'm eminently severe in the work of violence!!!,

It's just the same as Kiss My Axe or I didn't Think it Too Many!.

Yet, that's the only thing  that irk's me.

I love the design for Mort's axe. It's at right-angles!

[ThryllSeekyr]

Things I didn't like about Slaine.....

I'm not sold on My Name is Slaine Macroth and I'm eminently severe in the work of violence!!!,

It's just the same as Kiss My Axe or I didn't Think it Too Many!.

Yet, that's the only thing  that irk's me.

I love the design for Mort's axe. It's at right-angles!

I'm not sold on My Name is Slaine Macroth and I'm eminently severe in the work of violence!!!,

It's just not the same as Kiss My Axe or I didn't Think it Too Many!. Obviously, but I think somebody might understand that!

[Magnetica]

Great Prog this week.

Word of the week is "fierce". More on that later.

Great old school cover. Reminds me of what they used to be like.

Great Dredd episode. I did n't have a problem with what other have said was an issue - supposed jumps in the story. I really liked the dialogue as well. I really like Mike Carroll's writing on Dredd and he is going to be very important for the future of the strip IMHO.

Absalom. Nice easy to follow episode - and I find that isn't always the case. Seems to be setting things up nicely.

Slaine. That's more like the Slaine of old that I love so much.

Outlier. I really liked the first series (I get the impression I am in the minority on this board with that one) and this was a good opening episode.

Helium. I have never been a massive fan of the Edginton and D'Israel double act, although I do like some of what they have done with other people well enough e.g. The Red Seas and Low Life, but this seems to be ticking along nicely. I thought this week's episode really build on last week's opener and expanded things a lot. D'Israel's deceptively simple art does seem to suit this sort of low tech far future type of story - so I guess they are winning me over. INJ Culbard's work on Brass Sun is another in a similar style that seem's suit this kind of (Edginton) story.

Now back to "fierce".

Great use of the word in Dredd. The use in Absalom felt, well a bit clunky and I think there should have been a comma between "fierce" and "unbreakable".

[DrJomster]

Brilliant prog this week! Well done droids! 

[Dominic O'Rourke]

Absalom - that pub, I'm sure I recognise it, is it The John Snow?