Main Menu

Prog 2258: Necessary Force!

Started by IndigoPrime, 14 November, 2021, 06:00:18 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

IndigoPrime

An eye-catching old-school covers kicks off this Prog, whose Nerve Centre promises more The Order and then chats a bit about the current Meg. As for the strips, the Dredd tale quickly ends and whiffs of set-up for something bigger, while Diaboliks involves an entertaining fight and a trip back to a character's past. Dexter exists, Scarlet Traces continues to intrigue, and The Out hints at one possible future for the strip. Oh, and there's a letters page, which feels like a scrap over Regened. (Nice to see the Pandora Perfect love, and confirmation the next Full Tilt Boogie is awaiting the art droid to get started.)

It's an odd Prog after the recent highs. The Out and Scarlet Traces are the highlights for me. Dredd, I suspect, will work better collected with whatever Carroll chooses to do next (and he cuts Dredd as a very lonely figure within Justice Dept these days). I'm not as taken with this Diaboliks run as the previous one, though, and Dexter... I just wish it would stop. So:

Scarlet Traces > The Out > Dredd > Diaboliks > Dexter — Abnett at both ends. Overall, about a 3/5 Prog for me.

broodblik

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.

broodblik

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.

Barrington Boots

Crazy cool cover and news of more The Order - hurray!

Dredd Over before it started really. There's some interesting ideas here, both about the dreams and about Dredd himself, but this feels like a prologue to something bigger. I'm not sure about all this dream recording when the story seems to be more talking about memories - I'm pretty sure my dreams don't contain snatches of events and conversations I've had IRL, perhaps thats because I'm not rich and powerful!

The Diaboliks Better than last week largely because of [spoiler]the bloke getting taken out with a cricket ball - the Prog needs more 'Bok' in the post-Mean Machine era[/spoiler] - and someone called Lady Phantasmagoria. This is better than the Rome arc and there's some good character designs but the same problem remains that the protagonists I neither like nor care about.

Dexter Not terrible but so bland. It's amazing that this and The Out are written by the same person. Like IP, I too would prefer SinDex to stop, but if it is continuing then Tazio Bettin turns in some more lovely art and given how good his combat stuff was last time out I am looking forward to (hopefully) seeing him draw a robot fighting some dinosaurs next week.

Scarlet Traces Hard to comment on this each week without repeating myself on the art which is super lush. Story excellent and unexpected. Love the panel with the martians and given what's said there, it feels like this is winding up? Full marks.

The Out I had a small knock at The Out last week saying it was a bit too lightweight and suddenly you realise the plot was just taking a backseat. Two interesting developments here. I'll just go back to enjoying each week as it comes and stop my foolish critique.

You're a dark horse, Boots.

Richard

An interesting star letter this week.

broodblik

A good prog not the greatest but solid enough.

Dredd – Carroll successfully continues his narrative where Dredd is not the storyteller. The episode has a lot of action, but it sets the future story arc.

Diaboliks – Now that the stage has been set the episode can start moving into a more action-oriented scenario. A good background episode but only one observation is that it feels that Reardon's art has been more scratchy than usual. Still, I am enjoying this arc.

Dexter – As much as I liked the previous arc this feels like an endless loop which does not have an exit criteria. Another episode spend on a recap with a hint of action next week.

Scarlet Traces –One thing that stood out for me is how D'Isreali keeps on changing his style to suite the current narrative. As the episode end, we enter the world or rather the minds of the Martians. Loevely stuff by both Edginton and D'Isreali.


The Out – The story keeps on twisting and turning as the episode ends with a new twist to keep us absorbed and on our toes, great storytelling by both Abnett and Harrison.
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.

norton canes

All thriller, no filler this week in a gratifyingly ghafflebette prog.

A clever and unexpected twist to 'Tread Softly' sets up the promise of interesting developments in the Carroll droid's sector of the Dreddverse. Diaboliks pushes all the buttons for me - do I care about the characters? I do have a certain fondness for Ravne and Jenny, yes, being long-term protagonists from the Caballistics, Inc. days. Of all the current strips I think Scarlet Traces would benefit most from a one-go read-through, so I might save myself for that at the current chapter's conclusion. The Out is just... well it's literally as well as figuratively all over the place, isn't it, and deliciously so. Is that a real song being sung across the page banners?

Not sure why some people are down on Sinister Dexter. The Abnett droid clearly realises he's now writing it as intermittent filler but that doesn't stop him packing it with his usual compelling and easy-readin' dialogue, which means it's about as far from a chore as a strip can get. Plus, Tazio Bettin's art has injected a new degree of lushness. Does make me laugh though that this is captioned as 'Chapter seven' when each chapter has only been about three episodes long.

In fact can anyone link to a list of the Bettin droid's 2000 AD work? Just Googled and I can't find one.

broodblik

Quote from: norton canes on 18 November, 2021, 10:53:51 AM
In fact can anyone link to a list of the Bettin droid's 2000 AD work? Just Googled and I can't find one.

This is his first gig in the world of tooth
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.

Bad City Blue

Quote from: Richard on 17 November, 2021, 01:42:01 AM
An interesting star letter this week.

And one I pretty much agree with.
Writer of SENTINEL, the best little indie out there

norton canes

Quote from: broodblik on 18 November, 2021, 11:52:13 AM
Quote from: norton canes on 18 November, 2021, 10:53:51 AM
In fact can anyone link to a list of the Bettin droid's 2000 AD work? Just Googled and I can't find one.

This is his first gig in the world of tooth

Ah right, thanks. I saw a Dredd on his ArtStation pages and thought he might have done more.

broodblik

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

Saturday Prog - YAH!

BUT damnit its this weeks and I'm still waiting for 2258 to show up (quiet here I wonder if others are waiting too?) so even though I have 2259 nice and early I can't bag the thread as I can't read it until I get this one.

ARRHH - hate when this happens!

Proudhuff

As said above looks like Dredd is pulling together 'badges he can trust' in a Magnificent Seven sort of way.
Dexter I gave up on years ago... but even skipping over it, it looks very wordy.

Diobolox is great entertainment and great artwork

The Out makes sure there's going to be continue for a while.

Scarlet Traces is superb, and its the art that makes it.

So 3/5 for me too!


DDT did a job on me

Sean SD

My Top 3 for Prog 2258

Solid prog and like last week all thrills ok with no shockers, maybe Scarlet Traces as the MVP

1st - Scarlet Traces - Great use of colour by D'Israeli

2nd - Dexter - a bit wordy but I don't mind Dexter although I thought the 'stuck in a simulation in planes' a few series ago was not so good

3rd - The Out - setup for big finale


Colin YNWA

AT LAST - I'm back on the thrill wagon. Delays on Prog arrival, then football evenings and the as mentioned elsewhere boy child b'day means that I'm forced, FORCED to avoid thrillpower overload and have only read this one so far (no bugger speak to me tomorrow evening!). And its interesting to read a Prog 4 weeks after you read the last one. Gives you a good sense of how much the stories have embedded into you.

Dredd sprung back into my head and it was a fine ending to what was a fine and clearly memorable first part. What is the modern obsession with Dredd building a squad? Still Vansura is a great character so I can live with that.

Diaboliks took me a lot longer to get my head back into. Still it was a fine epsiode in its own right and worked a treat.

Dexter (nee Sinister Dexter) had the advantage of starting a new 'chapter' in Bulletopia and having one of those handy dandy Dabnett recaps. Still all the characters buzzed we got the low down on Kalinka (is there a twist there?) and dinosaurs at the end. Enjoyed this one more than I have any episode from this series of late. Let's see how much of that is down to circumstance.

Scarlet Traces set up the next phase of this tale nicely... even if I can't quite remember were we were up to it worked.

The Out... The Out, not a heart beat missed, but its so good a heart beat skipped. Oil me down and let me romp with this simply brilliant series. And that ending DAMN I can't wait to read the next part... luckily I won't have to... for long.

Damned fine Prog even after all this time.