Halloween comes early with a totally terrific/horrific Dark Judges wraparound cover by Nick Percival. This a great, spooky image, showcasing a spiffy new look for Death & his pals that fits in with the new storyline. It's good to see them constantly evolving - kind of like a Doctor Who regeneration after they were nearly destroyed last issue. (the free print looks great as well!)
Starting off we get a one-off Dredd by McConville and Clint Langley - a decent enough tale but I'm really waiting for a new Dredd epic to begin and I'm not 100% convinced Langley's art works that well on Dredd. He's great on ABC Warriors but this strip looks a wee bit weird for the lawman.
Lawless is solid and reliable as always with one hell of a battle scene in there this month. A classic case I'm sure of Abnett writing a one line description and then over to the artist to nearly kill himself drawing it! Would like to sometimes see a bit more black, shadow areas though as sometimes it's a bit overwhelming to make certain things out but does keep you looking, Where's Wally style!
Storm Warning has some nice spooky ghost stuff and I really like Broxton's European style of art, that'll he'll have to stop after Brexit, of course. He does some nice colouring as well.
Articles on the new Scream/Misty special & Sniper Elite comic are perfectly fine as is the one on the new Worlds of 2000AD tabletop games. I might actually take the plunge on these.
Blunt is nice and cheerful in style but really doesn't do much for me. I'm sure it has its fans.
And finally, The Torture Garden. I love how this is developing with Hine and Percival on board. It really feels like something different with the new Dark Judges, like it's all building up to something monstrous and epic. Superb atmosphere in the art - that double page spread is sublime - and now we're also introduced (Aliens style, it has to be said!) to a strange group of super-marines tasked with travelling to Dominion to take on the judges, while Rosco seems to have gone native living in tunnels and eating weird creatures. I'm so glad this is a longer series than before.
So after issue 400, the Meg is still blazing away putting most other comics to shame and the price is back to £5.99 as well. All good!
Not read mine yet but I'm starting to question the print a bit. Mine looked like it had been repeatedly kicked around the room, due to getting a battering in transit. Not the first time. I wonder if it could be printed at a smaller size or something.
(https://i.imgur.com/rFyJvVz.jpg)
And what the print should look like if the postie has been kind.
(https://i.imgur.com/iFLG9jn.jpg)
That print is a thing of beauty would buy this in a larger size
Yeah, the print / cover is awesome. Mine wasn't damaged but maybe they should actually put them in the Meg instead of loose, to protect it a bit more? (That cover scan is a really bad photo, by the way. Looks way better in the flesh.)
Try this one then.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DpT_VmVXcAAwJVo.jpg:large)
Quote from: Freddychopper on 14 October, 2018, 08:54:26 AM
Mine wasn't damaged but maybe they should actually put them in the Meg instead of loose, to protect it a bit more?
This! I think pretty much every print I've had the last few months has been ripped multiple times around the edges. I reckon it's where they tend to bundle post together with elastic bands so anything slightly wider / less resilient gets gouged. I'd be happier with the print slightly smaller and / or inside the meg to avoid this damage since it doesn't seem to happen with the mag itself (and let's not get started on the old 'please do not bend' issue!)
As much as I'm enjoying The Torture Garden- I do wish there was more 'definition' to Nick Percivals art. Too much of it makes me think my eyesight is worse than it is, which is a shame as his storytelling is first rate and his designs are superb.
Quote from: Bolt-01 on 14 October, 2018, 04:45:51 PM
As much as I'm enjoying The Torture Garden- I do wish there was more 'definition' to Nick Percivals art. Too much of it makes me think my eyesight is worse than it is, which is a shame as his storytelling is first rate and his designs are superb.
I had that very conversation with my son yesterday morning whilst looking at it........I really like the art....but I just wish it had a sharp line in it. It's like it's always blurry and just out of focus. I know it's the style, but it personally it makes it a little harder to read as my eyes feel like they're constantly working overtime.
Well then you'd also have to make the same comments about Langley's Dredd this issue as well. I know from reading stuff from a lot of artists (Percival included) have said that the paper quality isn't kind at all to painted artwork. The mainy shaes of colours and heavy blacks in fully painyed art bleed together and are absorbed by the paper when the inks are printed. You can tell a big quality difference between the digital images and the printed images and when things are on higher quality paper, they look a lot more defined. Another case for digital, I guess.
Or a case for buying the graphic novel when it comes out!
Quote from: Richard on 14 October, 2018, 11:07:26 PM
Or a case for buying the graphic novel when it comes out!
Yes. Much better paper on those hardbacks! :)
Decent floppy this month as well. Early Patrick Goddard Dredd / Johnny Woo stories, written by Gordon Rennie
Th art on Lawless just blows me away - absolutely outstanding and the highlight of the prog for my money
Quote from: Daveycandlish on 17 October, 2018, 05:27:21 PM
Th art on Lawless just blows me away - absolutely outstanding and the highlight of the prog for my money
That double page spread was just about the most jaw-dropping thing I've seen in comics for ages.
SBT
The meg again is of high quality and Lawless is the stand-out strip. The art on Lawless is just plain awesome.
Pretty damned fine Meg elevated by another absolutely classic episode of Lawless. I mean seriously can this series find new ways to get better? While we're seen Tharg present battles and desperate last stands countless times before, Abnett and Winslade manage to make it seem fresh, like something you've never seen before and in doing so make it terrifying and matter immensely.
Just sublime stuff.
There's lots of other good stuff to be enjoyed but in honesty it all pales compared to that.
The Dredd is solid if not astonishing. I'm really enjoying Storm Warning this time round, a much more interesting story than the first outing enhanced by some fantastic art by Broxton. I really enjoyed the first outing of Blunt and to date this one hasn't disappointed either. Finally Torture Garden is suitably chilling and continues the absolute redemption of the Dark Judges. The reason for Death World's distinct building is explained with brilliant horror.
Good text articles and I've started the pretty decent floppie which has the bonus of being new material to me... though wish we'd get back to the stuff from the archieve... maybe its selling to well and they decided they can squeeze more trades who knows?
So the rest of the Meg is in rude health but Lawless is something else
a solid Meg, with the battle in Lawless unexpected and beautifully executed (sorry) hoping it doesnt go all 'Bobby stepping out the shower' on us.
Some good, some not so much this month.
I don't think that art style really suits Dredd. I couldn't tell much difference to the protagonists in the panel where they first realise they are aging.
Storm Warning was ok, but for all the talking, it didn't really tell us much more than we knew from the last episode.
I am afraid Blunt is not for me. I have a vague recollection of what happened in the first series but am not invested enough in it to go back and refresh my memory.
Dominion is good. Maybe it is just me, but I don't think the new look Dark Judges look that much different to before.
The best thing, as ever is Lawless. Dabnett really is Tharg's MVP at the moment.
Quote from: SIP on 14 October, 2018, 08:30:25 PM
Quote from: Bolt-01 on 14 October, 2018, 04:45:51 PM
As much as I'm enjoying The Torture Garden- I do wish there was more 'definition' to Nick Percivals art. Too much of it makes me think my eyesight is worse than it is, which is a shame as his storytelling is first rate and his designs are superb.
I had that very conversation with my son yesterday morning whilst looking at it........I really like the art....but I just wish it had a sharp line in it. It's like it's always blurry and just out of focus. I know it's the style, but it personally it makes it a little harder to read as my eyes feel like they're constantly working overtime.
Turn it into an educational experience (not knowing how old your son is). Tell him that if he doesn't look after his eyes then everything will look like that wrap-around cover (well, a bit dark and blurry, not covered in rotting flesh).
Eeeek! I think you may have hit the bolt on the head nail, sorry nail on the head Bolt!
That's probably why I'm not keen on the art.. its me worrying the old peepers are wearing out :'(
Quick question, chaps: did Johnny Woo ever reappear beyond the stories in this month's floppy?
Think it was just that and a Hong Tong Ghost Story
https://shop.2000ad.com/series/story/a-hong-tong-ghost-story (https://shop.2000ad.com/series/story/a-hong-tong-ghost-story)
Seem to recall some Psi-Division conspiracy plot thread that was left hanging.
Thanks a million for the reply Steve!
Hang on, so the Hungry Ghost festival story in the floppy wasn't the only one?
Anyway, enjoyed this Meg a lot. Oddly the least of the stories was the DREDD tale itself. I don't normally like Dark Judges tales but enjoying this one. I've stopped reading Lawless until I've caught up with the collections.