Main Menu

Prog 2098 - God of Law

Started by NapalmKev, 08 September, 2018, 06:06:44 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

TordelBack

Quote from: TordelBack on 13 September, 2018, 10:19:14 AMAnd while I'm not looking forward to seeing the whole gang go gaga (or super-intelligent!) when the Stupid Gun misfires next week...

Oh grud. SPECULATIVE SPOILER: [spoiler]Linus is going to get zapped by the jury-rigged Stupid Gun and become super-intelligent, and instantly realise that Booth was a psychotic madman and repent his ways - but not before identifying the Judges as just as bad[/spoiler]. 

Proudhuff

Quote from: Frank on 12 September, 2018, 09:19:53 PM



Cover: You see, Dougal, the city looks small, but the judge is far away...*



or it could just be an 3d architect's model on a table in front of him  ;)
DDT did a job on me

Magnetica

The Prog is in fine form at the moment. I can't understand  comments (mainly over in Facebook) that it's "in the doldrums".

Grey Area is now a top quality thrill. I never really rated Survival Geeks before but it too has become a top thrill and I agree about the art - just great stuff.

Even The Order is to my liking this time round, Mechstopheles is a good new story and Dredd continues with remarkable quality 41 years in.

What's not to like?

norton canes

OK, haven't been posting in the review threads for a few weeks, because I was away for a fortnight and when I got back the nice man at WH Smith hadn't kept progs 2095 and 2096 back so I had to mail order them and so this is the first prog I've actually bought on release day for a month and so this is more a review of the stories over the past four weeks than a review of prog 2098 specifically but that's OK because it's mostly the same stories...

and breathe...

Dredd: The Sons Of Booth story has been good stuff, even though they all seem a bit gullible to present a real threat. Intrigued to see where the arc goes next.

SG: Great innit! Script and art are a delight, even though I'm not getting quite as much from the Slasher references as I did from the Who stuff in the last chapter. The 'Cabin in the Woods' is a parody referencing a parody, yeah?

Oh and Sam's socks gain a stripe in the final panel.

The Order: Maybe not quite up to the standard of previous books and John Burns' art looks a little bit rushed in places but still one of my top thrills.

Mechastopheles: A palpable hit, the sort of classic 2000 AD story that would have been at home in any era. Maybe there's a bit too much going on, which is why the crew have to be ported out en masse this week, but I'm sure the strands will all be given attention in time.

Grey Area: OK, I'll level with you - I'm not really that keen on the premise of Grey Area. It's all too much of an obvious immigration allegory and the characterisations of the protagonists are sourced directly from a dozen military training movies and stuff like Aliens. The plot developments are often a bit cliched too. But in the hands of Dan Abnett, one of the best dialogue writers in comics right now, it absolutely sings, and Mark Harrison's busy style provides the perfect artwork.

With the continuation of Brink and Kingdom in prog 2100, Abnett is cementing his place as the lynchpin of "))) AD's script droids.

TordelBack

Quote from: norton canes on 13 September, 2018, 11:47:43 AM- I'm not really that keen on the premise of Grey Area. It's all too much of an obvious immigration allegory and the characterisations of the protagonists are sourced directly from a dozen military training movies and stuff like Aliens.

Is it really an immigration allegory when it's explicitly about immigration, and attitudes towards immigration, and the characters are policing an immigrant detention area? By which I mean,  it's less of an instructive metaphor than it is a setting.

Frank

Quote from: TordelBack on 13 September, 2018, 10:19:14 AM
Vermin Stans

Only you and I get this joke. It is a very funny joke and I have now told you that.



Colin YNWA

Quote from: Magnetica on 13 September, 2018, 11:24:41 AM
The Prog is in fine form at the moment. I can't understand  comments (mainly over in Facebook) that it's "in the doldrums".

Yeah I'm a member of a few groups on Facebook and while some seem more open minded and fune, a few also seem so set in their ways and averse to anything that even vaguely challenging to read. Its a curiously negative place to follow the Prog - but Facebook giving them a place to bitch and moan keeps them out of our hair!

Mainly.

Blue Cactus

Millgate is great.

I am often rubbish at spotting the references to films and things in strips like Survival Geeks so I would like to take this opportunity to express my pride and smugness at recognising the Gargoyle miniature and combat dice from Hero Quest on p.1 of the strip this week. Having said that, you lot are probably all not mentioning it because you all spotted it and knew it wasn't worth mentioning.

Dredd's been quite decent this story, although I am really fed up of the 'Dredd and Hershey discuss the situation' thing that seems to happen so often now. Why not just have Dredd explain the plan to his pal Judge Mono/Mond, who's been with him this whole story but hasn't got a word in? The Chief Judge has more important things to be getting on with running a city the size of MC1 as head of Justice Department AND effectively Prime Minister, no? Staz Johnson is great.

Survival Geeks has been ok, it suits a short snappy storyline of a few episodes and this one has worked just fine. Googe is great.

The Order... I mean, yes, 'The Order has lost me a bit', which is a stock phrase every prog thread, but I'm still thoroughly enjoying it. Burns's Worm horses are wonderful. I really hate Armoured Gideon's new (old) face though, is that one red eye or two black eyes on either side of it, and the mouth makes it look like he's laughing inanely all the time because his bottom jaw is now attached to his chest. This is presumably an earlier model of AG than the one in the original series... John Burns is great.

Mechastopheles I'm kind of enjoying and I'd happily see another series. I'm genuinely not sure how this can work as a narrative long term in terms of setting/storyline - the wee humans are all more interesting than the big demonic robot, so the Rennie's having to create storylines that incorporate both in a satisfying way will be a challenge! I've enjoyed the last couple of episodes though - they've managed to have lots of characters running around doing things without it being confusing, although I'd like to see a wee bit more character depth as the series continues. Richardson is great.

Grey Area. Does anyone know how to pronounce 'Bulliet'? Is it 'Booleet' or 'Bullet' or Bullee-ay' or what? This is a wonderful series, they could run it for a bigger chunk of the year and I'd be happy. Harrison is great.

That effect they've given to the Alpha on the back cover looks ace!

Jacqusie

Quote from: NapalmKev on 08 September, 2018, 06:06:44 PM
Outstanding cover by David Millgate.


Yes it's rather good isn't it? I'm loving the old School paint job and the colours that seem somehow much more vibrant than the computer artwork.

I'm not impressed with the stuff inside though, it seems to suffer from ' jumping on prog clearout fade ' and I don't think much to the Artwork on display. I'm getting the sense of years gone by that we've been somewhat spoiled with some great artists, this stuff is pretty lame and middle of the road at best...

DrJomster

Survival Geeks and Grey Area top the prog for me. Nice stuff!

Roll on the next prog!
The hippo has wisdom, respect the hippo.

Tiplodocus

Still enjoying this run very much.

Regarding the shower/bed scenes in GREY AREA, I kinda like that they are used in just the normal day to day bits of the relationship showing intimacy.

Normally whenever you get nudity, especially in films, it's the big coming together (yes, I chose my words carefully) of the breeding pair; "It's you... It's always been you.". 

This is a refreshing change and is used as simple character stuff.
Be excellent to each other. And party on!

TordelBack

In terms of this specific couple the bathroom nudity has a particular significance - the whole relationship started with the rather excruciating clothed-Bulliet and naked-and-possessed-Birdy episode. To see them now so casual and relaxed together is great (if deeply ominous).

Tiplodocus

Be excellent to each other. And party on!

SmallBlueThing(Reborn)

Loved the cover- why can't we have David Millgate back on Sinister Dexter, eh Tharg?

Dredd is a good one, but Grey Area is the stand-out Thrill at the moment. Abnett's dialogue is pleasing to the ear and I genuinely care about the characters. This is the best "new" strip of the past few years. How long's it been going now?

Mechastopheles is okay. I'm not 100% sold, but it's not unwelcome.

Survival Geeks has finally found a story I like, so whereas I've hated it with a passion over the past arcs, this one is pushing the correct buttons. More like this, please.

The Order outstayed it's welcome many weeks ago.

Looking forward to the new line-up in 2100, though sad that Grey Area is disappearing for a few months.

SBT