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Spoilers => Prog => Topic started by: Eamonn Clarke on 16 February, 2019, 02:36:45 PM

Title: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Eamonn Clarke on 16 February, 2019, 02:36:45 PM
 (https://i.imgur.com/LPQ9zvP.jpg)

Cover is by Luke Preece and looks great, although there may be some chat about Dredd's back armour.

Machine Law continues to drop bombshells on us.

And we find out more about why Jaegir is in the Bonegrinder.

Plus 6 letters for the Beast.
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Richard on 16 February, 2019, 02:40:33 PM
That's Harvey, not Dredd!
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Richard on 16 February, 2019, 02:41:36 PM
I really didn't see that coming though. Wagner continues to surprise us, and to add layers to a story. This is a really big deal.
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: jabish on 16 February, 2019, 02:50:26 PM
Machine Law is just stunning. Pages 3 & 4 are nearly up there with America for me. Script and art just completely at one. Those two pages alone are unreal and then there's the rest of the episode! Bombshells is right. Imagine this was 20 parts long. We can dream. Worth the price of me sub to get to read this on a Saturday when it hits the mat.
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Eamonn Clarke on 16 February, 2019, 03:46:36 PM
Quote from: Richard on 16 February, 2019, 02:40:33 PM
That's Harvey, not Dredd!
D'oh! Can't see for looking. I should get myself to Specsavers.
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: broodblik on 16 February, 2019, 04:11:13 PM
Quote from: Eamonn Clarke on 16 February, 2019, 03:46:36 PM
Quote from: Richard on 16 February, 2019, 02:40:33 PM
That's Harvey, not Dredd!
D'oh! Can't see for looking. I should get myself to Specsavers.

No it is Randy   ;)
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Proudhuff on 16 February, 2019, 04:13:56 PM
eeek! Won't get my prog to Wednesday as off stravaging... trying not to look at this thread  :-\ :-\
And failing....
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Tjm86 on 16 February, 2019, 04:38:40 PM
Quote from: jabish on 16 February, 2019, 02:50:26 PM
Machine Law is just stunning. Pages 3 & 4 are nearly up there with America for me. Script and art just completely at one.

This really is where Wagner excels isn't it?  The juxtaposition of Dredd and Harvey, the irony of Dredd's position ...  The vignette of Dredd in action on page 3 just hammers home the point with all the subtlety of a TAD.  The ghost of Hershey looming over that final scene, Logan's expression as Dredd leaves ...

So Skipped Tracer really doesn't stand a chance, does it?  Nor does the (potentially quite topical considering this week's news but purely coincidental) Future Shock.  Especially sandwiched as they are between Grey Area and Jeagir.  This is the thing at the moment though, to stand out against some of the established strips at present is a major challenge.
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Colin YNWA on 16 February, 2019, 09:17:19 PM
Well at least with Brink over there can be no question that Dredd is the run away standout this Prog. Bloodly hell I don't know what took my breathe away more that splash page of Dredd - how the hell is MacNeil getting even better - or the revalation about Hershey. Just two absolutely mind melting moments. The thing is of course its the more thought provoking character stuff surrounding those moment that really rule the roost. The interplay between Dredd and Harvey, the introspection that creates and the intent between Dredd and Logan. Just sublime.

What happens next - at this stage anyone's guess.

Elsewhere Skipster skips on and is steadfastly okay but lacking its lead again.

Grey Area is great but does have a couple of Mark Harrison's storytelling lapses

Jaegir is fantastic.

The Future Shock is of course no replacemnt for Brink but is actually pretty enjoyable. At times the art lacked a sense of defination and depth course by a lack of distinction between layers but its pretty good and that issue can be worked on. The story simple but fun so not a bad effort.

So there's some good stuff in there but CHRIST ON A BIKE nothing is getting close to Dredd is it!
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: SIP on 16 February, 2019, 09:59:06 PM
Quote from: jabish on 16 February, 2019, 02:50:26 PM
Machine Law is just stunning. Pages 3 & 4 are nearly up there with America for me. Script and art just completely at one. Those two pages alone are unreal and then there's the rest of the episode! Bombshells is right. Imagine this was 20 parts long. We can dream. Worth the price of me sub to get to read this on a Saturday when it hits the mat.

Alas, the price of my sub didn't make it hit the mat on Saturday.
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Magnetica on 17 February, 2019, 10:42:02 AM
Absolutely awesome episode of Dredd.
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: 73north on 17 February, 2019, 07:31:05 PM
agreed Dredd when written by Wagner is superb  , and Grey Area was pretty great as well
I also liked the Future Shock , and Skip Tracer was not too bad , but for me , the highlight is still Jaegir
with the revelation of why Atalia was allowed to enter the equivalent of the
1944 Korsun / Cherkassy Pocket was breathtaking , the art by Simon Coleby is just superb - and Gordon Rennie is having a blast writing this |Future War story , 
I just wish we could have a Strontium Dog Story in the near future , but I guess
the Fanzine DogBreath is the only outlet for me .
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Magnetica on 17 February, 2019, 10:18:54 PM
The ending of the Future Shock didn't seem like much of a twist to me...or maybe I just being thick?
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Bolt-01 on 18 February, 2019, 10:49:09 AM
FShocks are horrendously tough on new writers. Personally I liked the twist on this one, but I think a slightly different route to it might have worked better.

Of course I'm not Tharg, so I'm not about to tell Him His job.

Elsewhere Dredd is just superb- I love to see Colin working on Dredd- it really feels like he's at his absolute best in that setting and he does not dissappoint. I'm curious as to the long term 'tweaks' this adds to the series as a whole and wonder if John [spoiler]is building to a final story for Hershey in light of the revelation.[/spoiler]- strip spoiler- you have been warned.

Really like the idea of the cover, but think that the Mech should be 'much' bigger.
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Woolly on 18 February, 2019, 12:00:00 PM
Dredd is currently as good as it's ever been.
I am also very pleased that the Macneil droid is giving Dredd chunkier boots. That single page splash nearly made me splash the single page!  :o
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Geoff on 19 February, 2019, 07:41:22 PM
Dredd, McNeil and Wagner - brilliant!
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Trout on 20 February, 2019, 01:36:25 AM
Holy shit, that is a great Dredd story.
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Fungus on 20 February, 2019, 02:28:51 AM
It's just a shame we're surprised !  :o
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Fungus on 20 February, 2019, 02:42:55 AM
Very happy with the prog at the moment.
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: broodblik on 20 February, 2019, 10:26:24 AM
A very good prog with the cherry on top Dredd. I felt spoilt with the quality of Dredd stories since September. Wow what great art we are seeing from Colin MacNeil.

Jaegir is just brilliant, great art and great gritty story. 

Future Shocks can be a very hit and miss affair. This was a good enjoyable shocker. I do not know why but this reminds me of a classic by Alan Moore and John Higgins "The Last Rumble of the Platinum Horde" prog 217.

Another good cover


Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Rately on 20 February, 2019, 10:44:33 AM
We really have been spoiled on the Dredd front in recent years, but Machine Law is just something else.

It is an event for me when John Wagner scripts Dredd, and this story, and the fact that we have Colin MacNeil providing the art just reminds me why I fell in love with the character nearly thirty years ago!

And a special mention to Chris Blythe, because his colouring is bloody superb.

I've already re-read it four times, so off to the rest of the prog!
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: I, Cosh on 20 February, 2019, 12:01:45 PM
Quote from: Trout on 20 February, 2019, 01:36:25 AM
Holy shit, that is a great Dredd story.
Yep. Second week in a row where Colin's turned in an absolutely astonishing splash page.
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: dweezil2 on 20 February, 2019, 02:16:49 PM
That revelation in Dredd?!
Holy drokking, drokk!!!!

I'm constantly bemoaning the fact that MacNeil doesn't create painted art anymore, but his work on Machine Law has been nothing short of stunning-ably complimented by Blythe's colouring!
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Judge Olde on 20 February, 2019, 02:19:22 PM
Dredd  :o :| :'(

That reveal [spoiler]about Hershey[/spoiler] :'(

I think we've been SO spoilt with quality Dredd for some time now. But this is just building & building.
Now I know how the Gronk felt
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: broodblik on 20 February, 2019, 03:04:23 PM
If you have read the Letters page it is mentioned in the comments that Abnett/Culbard is working on the next Brink book "Hate Box". Kingmaker is also returning next month.  Great news !!!
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Rately on 20 February, 2019, 04:05:51 PM
Quote from: dweezil2 on 20 February, 2019, 02:16:49 PM


I'm constantly bemoaning the fact that MacNeil doesn't create painted art anymore, but his work on Machine Law has been nothing short of stunning-ably complimented by Blythe's colouring!

It took me so long to get used to non-painted MacNeil, which was entirely my own fault, but the art he has been producing, and some of the stuff I'm just catching up with... Just magnificent work.
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: robert_ellis on 20 February, 2019, 06:35:29 PM
What off planet disease could be eating a certain person?
It's a puzzle! (6,7)
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Magnetica on 20 February, 2019, 07:02:35 PM
Quote from: broodblik on 20 February, 2019, 10:26:24 AM
Future Shocks can be a very hit and miss affair. This was a good enjoyable shocker. I do not know why but this reminds me of a classic by Alan Moore and John Higgins "The Last Rumble of the Platinum Horde" prog 217.

That's my all time favourite future shock...don't really see the similarity with this week's though. (?)

Quote from: dweezil2 on 20 February, 2019, 02:16:49 PM
I'm constantly bemoaning the fact that MacNeil doesn't create painted art anymore, but his work on Machine Law has been nothing short of stunning-ably complimented by Blythe's colouring!

Yes I'm alway bemoaning that too. When you have set the bar so high it's off the scale it's hard to compete with that in another style. But if this style means we get regular MacNeil rather than once every 5 years, then that's good enough for me. Still, I think his stint on Tour of Duty was his best non painted stuff.
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Richard on 20 February, 2019, 10:36:13 PM
Good one Rob
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: broodblik on 21 February, 2019, 03:06:21 AM
Quote from: Magnetica on 20 February, 2019, 07:02:35 PM
Quote from: broodblik on 20 February, 2019, 10:26:24 AM
Future Shocks can be a very hit and miss affair. This was a good enjoyable shocker. I do not know why but this reminds me of a classic by Alan Moore and John Higgins "The Last Rumble of the Platinum Horde" prog 217.

That's my all time favourite future shock...don't really see the similarity with this week's though. (?)


Both cases they where conquered by "themselves". But the whole setup is completely different.
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Trout on 21 February, 2019, 04:45:33 AM
Quote from: robert_ellis on 20 February, 2019, 06:35:29 PM
What off planet disease could be eating a certain person?
It's a puzzle! (6,7)

I wondered something similar. If not this, then something from the same world?
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Magnetica on 21 February, 2019, 07:36:00 AM
Don't think it can be [spoiler]Jigsaw Disease. [/spoiler] If it was she would have [spoiler]random pieces missing.[/spoiler]
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Richard on 21 February, 2019, 10:04:59 AM
He was joking!
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: norton canes on 21 February, 2019, 10:42:13 AM
Can't say much more about Dredd than I said a couple of weeks ago - this is one of the best comic stories I've ever read, simple as.

(Did anyone else read the line-up of strips and do a double-take? I counted five and thought no surely it's six and then slowly realised... Brink wasn't there :) )

By coincidence the other three regular strips were a bit slow-burn, with more exposition than usual. Good reads though. The F-Shock was a bit too verbose and overly intricately plotted I thought, could have been stripped back a bit and might have been more effective as a result.

And the cover... as I do occasionally mention I'm not a massive fan of guest cover artists. I know it's great for upcoming droids to get some exposure and variety is fantastic and all that but I just find that nine out of ten guest-drawn covers don't really work. I mean this one is fine and I'm honestly not denigrating the efforts or abilities of Luke Preece (give him a strip, Tharg!) but I'm guessing he didn't get the correct reference material 'cause that's clearly nothing like a Judge droid on that bike. Sorry but I'd rather have seen a MacNeil cover complementing the story </rant>.
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: robert_ellis on 21 February, 2019, 06:32:58 PM
I wasn't joking. Who knows what square shaped holes that giant chief judge shield's been hiding all these years? It would be just like Wagner to pick up a 40 year plot point!
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Leigh S on 21 February, 2019, 07:23:31 PM
Just read Origins, and I agree the public announcement aboout Fargo strikes as off, as they are quite clear that they are going to keep it their secret.  Maybe they had to come out with it but put some spin on it - like his body was returned, or something!

It was also interesting to see the interplay between Dredd and Hershey in the last page in light of this - anyone got a scan? The start of the falling out between them?
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Richard on 21 February, 2019, 07:54:02 PM
No, although they lied to each other they didn't fall out yet. Not long after that, she backed mutants' rights for him and lost her job over it when it backfired. Then Dredd didn't resign, even though he'd told her he would if he didn't get what he wanted. She was off planet for three years, during which she (prog 2119 spoiler) [spoiler]caught a fatal disease[/spoiler]. So no wonder things went downhill from there!
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Steve Green on 21 February, 2019, 08:49:32 PM
Quote from: robert_ellis on 21 February, 2019, 06:32:58 PM
I wasn't joking. Who knows what square shaped holes that giant chief judge shield's been hiding all these years? It would be just like Wagner to pick up a 40 year plot point!

I quite like that as a way to kill off Dredd. Lopez' revenge and the chin last to go obv.
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Tiplodocus on 22 February, 2019, 02:12:52 PM
Cracking prog. Really enjoyed it all but DREDD and Jaegir top of the pile closely followed by Grey Area then pretty good Skip Tracer and FS.

Again, kudos to Tharg for matching art droids to script REALLY well.
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Jim_Campbell on 22 February, 2019, 02:37:46 PM
Quote from: Steve Green on 21 February, 2019, 08:49:32 PM
Lopez' revenge and the chin last to go obv.

Better if Dredd suddenly starts sprouting a luxuriant moustache that grows back faster than he can shave it off. Eventually, he has to give up and ends up looking exactly like Carlos...
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: sheridan on 22 February, 2019, 04:03:14 PM
Quote from: Bolt-01 on 18 February, 2019, 10:49:09 AM
FShocks arReally like the idea of the cover, but think that the Mech should be 'much' bigger.


In relation to what?  The mech-head is pretty big and there's nothing to compare scale with on the be-biked mech.
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: sheridan on 22 February, 2019, 04:03:37 PM
Quote from: Colin YNWA on 16 February, 2019, 09:17:19 PM
So there's some good stuff in there but CHRIST ON A BIKE nothing is getting close to Dredd is it!


Nope, it was Harvey on the bike!
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Leigh S on 22 February, 2019, 04:27:56 PM
Quote from: Richard on 21 February, 2019, 07:54:02 PM
No, although they lied to each other they didn't fall out yet. Not long after that, she backed mutants' rights for him and lost her job over it when it backfired. Then Dredd didn't resign, even though he'd told her he would if he didn't get what he wanted. She was off planet for three years, during which she (prog 2119 spoiler) [spoiler]caught a fatal disease[/spoiler]. So no wonder things went downhill from there!

Yrah, falling out is the wrong word, but everything that has happened since has stemmed from them not admitting to each other what Fargo said, but going about trying to "fix things" (Dredd most notably on the Mutant issue, which Hershey felt compelled to go along with due to knowing what Dredd knew?)
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Tiplodocus on 22 February, 2019, 04:28:26 PM
I thought it would have been a cool idea to take one of the iconic DREDD covers from the past, but replace DREDD with Randy or Harvey.
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Leigh S on 22 February, 2019, 04:40:12 PM
Any Questions?


Quote from: Tiplodocus on 22 February, 2019, 04:28:26 PM
I thought it would have been a cool idea to take one of the iconic DREDD covers from the past, but replace DREDD with Randy or Harvey.
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: Steve Green on 22 February, 2019, 08:17:11 PM
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 22 February, 2019, 02:37:46 PM
Quote from: Steve Green on 21 February, 2019, 08:49:32 PM
Lopez' revenge and the chin last to go obv.

Better if Dredd suddenly starts sprouting a luxuriant moustache that grows back faster than he can shave it off. Eventually, he has to give up and ends up looking exactly like Carlos...

Hah!
Title: Re: Prog 2119 - Cops and Robos
Post by: titchard on 04 March, 2019, 09:28:16 AM
I am really loving this current Dredd arc - and hope its a proper long slow burner as its just so interesting at the moment!

Loving the artwork as well, enjoyed listening to Colin MacNeil on the podcast recently chatting about it.