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Prog 2216 - High Noon!

Started by Colin YNWA, 23 January, 2021, 04:18:39 PM

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TordelBack

Under a memorable over, the knowledge that this prog is somehow in our hands on schedule despite its editorial droid being infected with Covid should give us pause. Very well done to Keith & Co, and a wishing a flawless recovery to Matt.

I'm not sharing the Dredd disappointment. Personally I thought Simpson's art was a nice change from  his action was suitably fast and violent and Dredd himself a obdurate stripey-socked rock in a swirly sea of chaos, as he should be.  That said I don't think either art or script made best use of the high-concept setting, a flying city of rope bridges in the Death Belt should have been something more than a barely-glimpsed idea, but the story ended well with some judicious child marksmanship worthy of Dredd himself.

Durham Red is a fine-looking thriller, Worley and Willsher's work the definition of clean. I still struggle a bit with Red's speech, something pitmatical might distinguish her as a product of the dialect-heavy Britcentric SD universe* instead of just another action-hero, and along the same lines I hope we get a bit of an indication of what makes this specific incarnation tick and where she might go before this engaging story is over.  But I have no complaints - this is good stuff.

Proteus Vex showcases some really accomplished action from Lynch, but I'm hoping we don't get bogged down with this location and the network of space-testicles for too long. This is a strip that is at its best when it's jumping from idea to idea. It's still the story I turn to first, and I'd like it to stay that way.

Sláine is great, Manco brings something really new to his dragon battles, and the reveal of the 'sacs' was much better than my speculation. Slough Gorm (mildly concerning use of Irish idiom there) is a truly magnificent creation, but surely a design that no artist wants to tackle for weeks on end!

The web of weird itself seems to be an oddly judeo-christian version of karma, but I'm pleased to see the baddies making use of it - the concept of generational-curse punishment was introduced in Brutannia Chronicles by the Archons, so it seemed odd to see Duban employing it. I hope we have time to see all this play out properly, but I am glad that this putative final story continues to develop the themes of family from the previous books.

Hershey is an exquisitely drawn morphine dream.




* Although I appreciate that this is a very fine line to walk, and they aren't making and more Wagners or Grants.



Woolly

I thought the current Dredd was really good, and generally loved the Simpson droid's art (one or two panels aside).
Should we be concerned that both Dredd and Hershey are in CB? Or is this just coincidence?

Swerty

Another superb cover.It's going to be difficult to choose cover of 2021.Im fond of Will Simpson's art and hope we get more from him soon.Dredd and Slaine keeping me buying the prog.

Judge Olde

That's not a great cover - like the return of the deadman or something, inside - some terrible art on Dredd, the odd panel is fantastic, but overall after wishing he'd be back for some time - I hope if/when he is back, it's better.

broodblik

Here is an alternative cover from Will Simpson:

When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.

Old age is the Lord's way of telling us to step aside for something new. Death's in case we didn't take the hint.

Colin YNWA

Wow those pencils are just fantastic and show Will Simpson's talent off so much more than the current finished painted work which I tend to find a bit loose and lose a lot of the wonderful definition and form we see there.

broodblik

I can not remember the last time that we had a Dredd strip where the focus was more on the art than the actual story. I always believe that good art can carry a mediocre story but the reverse really works.
When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.

Old age is the Lord's way of telling us to step aside for something new. Death's in case we didn't take the hint.

TordelBack

Quote from: Colin YNWA on 28 January, 2021, 10:02:34 AM
...the current finished painted work which I tend to find a bit loose and lose a lot of the wonderful definition and form we see there.

True enough, and thanks for the pic Broodblik! I do think that Simpson in B&W has always been an utter treat (Universal Soldier, Tyranny Rex, Oz,  the seminal Kraken tale Bloodline) but it's his simultaneously murky and bright paint that has been the really distinctive part of his art since at least War Machine.  I've really enjoyed the lurid energy of these past few weeks, and how different it has been from the more conventionally precise Blythe-coloured line work we're used to (although obviously there are many other notable exceptions).

I do however wonder if it was the best choice for world-building: the murky alleys and blurred neons of CB or MC-1, or the muddy shell-holes of Hill 392, perhaps need less definition to convey than a Swiss Family Robinson construction on top of flying nuclear-blasted rubble.

norton canes

Seems to be more disagreement than usual over which strips are hitting the spot this week. Which is potentially awkward for me because I'm like that guy from the pub in The Fast Show who constantly changes his opinion to match those of his mates.

"Will Simpson's art in this Dredd story is muddy and incomprehensible." - Yeah! Too right! You can't tell what's going on most of the time! "I know, but sometimes it's good to have art that's really exaggerated and lurid" - Yeah! It's brilliant to see someone trying a different style! 

"This Slaine story is just like all the others. Pat Mills is flogging a dead horse here." Yeah! When's he going to have some new ideas? So glad he's going! "Nah, he's definitely found a new angle on the character." Too right! Nice one Millsy, this is better than ever! Shame you can't stick around!!

"I can't believe they've resurrected Hershey, it ruins her death scene" &tc.

Fortunately I am an habitual fence-sitter and am perfectly happy to accept both sides of every argument, no matter how much double-think that involves.

I will say, without any equivocation, that it's great to see Simon Fraser continuing the tradition from chapter one of gradually altering the Hershey title banner.

TordelBack

Quote from: norton canes on 28 January, 2021, 03:09:14 PM
I will say, without any equivocation, that it's great to see Simon Fraser continuing the tradition from chapter one of gradually altering the Hershey title banner.

The only thing that everyone seems to agree on is that Fraser's work on Hershey is absolutely superb.

Swerty

Quote from: Judge Olde on 28 January, 2021, 12:19:19 AM
That's not a great cover - like the return of the deadman or something, inside - some terrible art on Dredd, the odd panel is fantastic, but overall after wishing he'd be back for some time - I hope if/when he is back, it's better.

Looks lovely to me

DrJomster

I thought Mike C's script on Dredd was very Dredd this week. Nicely done, Sir!
The hippo has wisdom, respect the hippo.

broodblik

The thing that is true the Dredd story surely got some interesting focus the last few weeks. Here is an article on how Will made the story:

https://2000ad.com/news/behind-the-art-will-simpsons-desperadlands/
When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.

Old age is the Lord's way of telling us to step aside for something new. Death's in case we didn't take the hint.

HeidTheBaw

Jesus.

Tough crowd.

I hope editorial don't take what is said on this forum into account when planning future line ups.

I expected to come on here and read gushing praise about Manco's next level art, and instead read comments that the strips are too complicated??

This is the strongest full line up in a single prog I can remember in a long time.

2 strips from Carroll, the return of a legend in Will Simpson, Mills adding yet more depth to Slaine with a multi layered blinder of a strip and still designed to let the incredible artist shine, Rob Williams & Simon Fraser reuniting to build out the world of Dredd in new and surprising directions, Jake Lynch continuing to evolve brilliantly, rounded off by a brilliant character & action driven siege strip from Worley & Willsher.

And not a bottom of the barrel shallow Skip Chaser,  McConville, Wyatt, or awful Di Campi strip in sight to stink the prog out.

For those struggling trying to follow some of the strips, try spending more than 5 mins reading a prog, that might help.

You won't appreciate what you've got until it's gone. With this regened crap gradually slipping it's way into the prog, there's a real danger of heading back to the 90s

TordelBack

Quote from: HeidTheBaw on 30 January, 2021, 11:29:34 AM
Tough crowd.

Not sure what review thread you're reading there HeidTheBaw, this one seems like a pretty varied but generally positive spread of reactions to me. And certainly no-one is anything but impressed by Manco's fabulous art.