Another fine Prog bursting out from behind a nice Neil Roberts cover.
The thing is the current line-up seems to be spliting folks and I can kinda see why. Mind that said I suspect one thing we can all get behind here is Dredd by Williams and Weston. Grest piece of set up which swings into high gear on the last page with [spoiler]some space (almost) apes[/spoiler]. What's not to love here?
Skip Tracer however continues to be what its always been a hook short of a good thrill. Its almost impossible to tell how much potential this strip has as I'm just struggling to engage with the led or the events that he dynamically blasts through.
The Order on the other hand while leaving some behind and in the cold has me utterly engaged and involved this is wonderful stuff and part one of a magnicient Kek-W double header this month.
Durham Red continues as was ... except it adds some nice elements to the leds mythos suddenly our heroine flashes into a more direct representation of her vampiric nature... interesting and while it might be a little uncomfortable I've enjoyed this more than enough to give it the benefit of the doubt.
We get Kek-W part two in the consistantly fantastic (these days) Deadworld as our story builds and builds the story and the world its inhabiting has many elements to play with. It could get this wrong and be leaving readers behind, but for me its juggling all this very, very well.
I can kinda see why all these stories (Dredd aside) might be dividing option but for me I'm luckily landing on a 4 out of 5 so I'm very much in the Tharg camp right now.
spoiler tag added — IP
(https://i.imgur.com/hsNfKHX.jpg)
An improvement over last week, mostly due to a much better Dredd.
Rob Williams and Chris Weston seem to be the best creative team on this recently. I just think Rob Williams gets the tone of the strip better than anyone else who isn't called John Wagner. I say that as someone who like Michael Carrol's Dredd, but this is just up a level. I was though wondering if Pin was going to make an appearance. :)
I can't believe Skip Tracer ends next week. If only because it feels like it is just getting going. For that reason would like to see more.
Equally it feels like Durham Red is wrapping up too soon. I want to see more, but with Ben Willsher back on it. Hopefully he is ok to resume drawing soon.
Kek-double U continues to bewilder and intrigue at the same time.
Cracking Dredd this week after last weeks dud (stellar art not withstanding). This has it all MC1 Craziness, intrigue, an interesting cast, all wrapped up in the best in the biz art.
And with that Williams/Weston Dredd, Tharg has my subscription for another year.
He probably had it just with the second panel on p4, but with the new Ape Gang appearing on the last page - oh joy!!
There were some other strips in the prog too I think...
Cover - another very odd pose, looks like he's riding an invisible chopper not jumping through a portal into an ambush. Still it's nicely executed.
Dredd - Williams comedy Dredd is the second best Williams Dredd (behind Williams angry Dredd) and Weston brings a real Casanovas style to the proceedings. Not too sure comedy judges work (the remarks about Dredd in front of him, the cadet gag) to be honest. Still good stuff.
Skip Tracer - all action this week. Not as much fun art wise and the episode didn't really push the story on. Still likeable but definitely need to find a hook for the lead to be of interest. I'm not actually sure why he's that bothered about the princess? I get he needs to make rent and dosent like being lied to but risking death constantly for that?
The Order - i'll like it when I read in all when finished.
Durham Red - I've no idea who thought this was a good idea. Her character is neutered muted and constantly changing ethics (one moment all empathetic, the next sneering at people begging mercy). Who is actually saying 'mommy mommy please i'm scared' on the final page? I guess the guy she's drained but the panel before would suggest he's dead already. Weird. Bring back the Bitch, this Red is rotten.
Deadworld - great series. Not overly convinced crashing into a sector house is the most sensible idea for all concerned but time to cull a few characters I guess. Great stuff all round.
Quote from: BPP on 02 July, 2018, 11:16:03 PM
Cover - another very odd pose, looks like he's riding an invisible chopper
(https://i.imgur.com/G46au1p.png?1)
Dredd – I really like Chris Weston's art. Nice detail on the city and it looks Mega again. I can remember my first encounter with Weston art on Indigo Prime and at the time I did not really like it at the time but gosh his art has grown into one of the best Dredd artists lately. The story is a significant improvement on last week dud.
Skip Tracer – This episode is action packed and now have a clearer path where it is heading towards.
The Order – one of my favourite recent thrills. Love the story and art.
Deadworld – great art that really suites the story. Kek-W keeps on delivering.
Durham Red – more of the same but I must agree that I preferred Ben Willsher's art
MODS!
Moderate this...
please spoiler that [spoiler]space (almost) apes.[/spoiler] in Colin's post, its an over the page reveal for a reason! It made me give a wee whoop when I saw the [spoiler]space (almost) apes.[/spoiler] emerge. Classic Dredd and a totally wonderful Dredd tale.
The rest of the prog left me cold I'm afraid, I try and read all four tales but I CBA about any of the characters, situations or indeed art, sorry chums colour me no interested...
Huff- I was going to make that a spolier- but frankly if you read the thread before the prog- then it's your own fault if you get a spoil.
Cover- I'd like it if Blake was looking along the sight line of one of the guns- as it is it looks like he's just leaped through the portal shooting wildly in the hope that he's visiting the den of the bad guys and not the playground of the local nursery.
Is the reporter at the start of the Dredd strip supposed to be Alan Yentob perhaps? Or some other sycophantic grifter I haven't recognised.... Mar-O-Larger will be reality in a few years, tenner bet :)
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 04 July, 2018, 01:16:15 PM
Is the reporter at the start of the Dredd strip supposed to be Alan Yentob perhaps? Or some other sycophantic grifter I haven't recognised....
It's brainbox bully/victim of bonkers Beeb PC Police (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3704136/Radio-star-Mark-Lawson-sacked-bullying-never-told-accusers-truth-GUY-ADAMS-explains-saga-paints-alarming-picture-goes-BBC.html) Mark Lawson. From Williams & Cook's
The Biographer (1537):
(https://i.imgur.com/VYA6ees.png?4) (https://i.imgur.com/DggaHHg.png?3)
Cover: Heh - only a couple of weeks after a discussion over whether a character was bursting through a portal, we get... yeah.
I'm sure no-one catalogs my pet peeves but one of them is that I prefer covers that are drawn by the strip's regular art team. Maybe only a couple out of every ten covers drawn by a guest artist really works (last week's attempt by Brendan McCarthy to capture Deadworld is a case in point). So a Marshall/Teague effort would have been infinitely preferable.
Dredd: Fun, most of the jokes work. The puns are a bit ersatz Abnett is places. The opening exchange concluding with "he don't like anything" is brilliant. Where's the pod actually going? A satellite, or something?
Weston's art is as incredible as ever.
Skip Tracer: So ridiculously retro, all it needs is a 'THRILL 2' card in the bottom corner of the first page.
The Order: TOP THRILL (let's assume that's the case every week unless specified)
Loving the new automaton's swivelly head.
Durham Red: Yeah, no slight on Lee Carter but Willsher was really flying on art duties. Hope he hasn't like lost any income while he's been laid up unable to draw. Do artists generally have insurance for this sort of thing?
I liked the fleshing out of DR's blood cravings, gives her an added dimension.
Deadworld: Great installment, again.
Quote from: Proudhuff on 04 July, 2018, 12:31:28 PM
MODS!
Moderate this...
please spoiler that [spoiler]space (almost) apes.[/spoiler] in Colin's post, its an over the page reveal for a reason! It made me give a wee whoop when I saw the [spoiler]space (almost) apes.[/spoiler] emerge.
Yikes my apologies Proudhuff should have done that but didn't think on.
Sorry
ZARZAZ!
This business about spoilers...I'm a bit confused.
This whole section is under the heading 'Spoilers'. People write their thoughts here after they've read the prog to express what they liked and didn't like about it.
Obviously people can read it before they read the prog but I assume that people expect spoilers from the heading and the nature of an amateur/fan review (as apposed to a professional tv/film/theatre critic's review) but read anyway...
I'm interested as my post contained a spoiler, but the main reason I posted was to say how much I loved what I referred to. I could have alluded to it rather than explicitly referring to it but I didn't think it was necessary...interested for future posts..
Absolutely adored Judge Dredd this week - stunning art from Weston, and that panel of Dredd brandishing that big gun saying "Sharks" - just perfect! The story was great fun, and felt like a real throwback to the hey day of the mid 80s. If the story was indeed published during that time, I can totally see Ron Smith on art duties.
Classic Dredd - loved it!
Quote from: Geoff on 04 July, 2018, 07:40:11 PM
This business about spoilers...I'm a bit confused.
I know what you mean, but folks will potter past and I always think its nice to put spoiler tags on any signifcent events / reveals as a courtesy rather than a necessity. As Proudhuff says this was a reveal teased nicely before hand and I should have been a little more considerate.
Most cases everyone is quite considerate regarding spoilers. I only get the prog on Wednesday and I will always read the site reviews and previews beforehand. So I know that sometimes someone will let the cat out the bag and I am fine with it.
Quote from: Bolt-01 on 04 July, 2018, 01:13:22 PM
Huff- I was going to make that a spolier- but frankly if you read the thread before the prog- then it's your own fault if you get a spoil.
It's a fair point. The only thing worth remembering though is that they will show up in the 'recent posts' thread as well. If folks are perusing the various different posts there then they might unintentionally see stuff from the spoiler thread. Not sure if there is a more effective solution than using spoiler tags to be on the safe side? :-*
I just noticed that Durham Red is back to part six or is this only for the digital version of the prog ?
It's in the print version too.
Quote from: norton canes on 04 July, 2018, 03:26:54 PMDo artists generally have insurance for this sort of thing?
Here's hoping, but I doubt most do. I only took out insurance of this sort myself last year, after a bout of something that could have seen me laid up for a while. Fortunately, I was OK, but it made me think that having some income rather than nothing would be a very good thing.
As for the Prog, I liked the cover, thought Dredd was a decent opener, thought Skip Tracer was fine, remain baffled by what's going on in The Order, hope Red returns soon, and that Deadworld continues for years.
Chris Weston's art is amazing, great to have him back. Next week's cover by him is arsom as well.
Skip Tracer just became a dull mess for me. Thankfully it finishes next issue but will return in Prog 2100. Drokk!
Quote from: Bad City Blue on 05 July, 2018, 02:06:18 PM
Skip Tracer just became a dull mess for me. Thankfully it finishes next issue but will return in Prog 2100. Drokk!
Skip Tracer seams like one of those stories where people either love or hate it. I believe that with a new strip we should give it some time to establish itself. I do like Johnny Alpha, Slaine and the more establish characters but I still want to read something new as well. Brink for example is something that never came running out of the blocks and was always a slow burner. Now before everyone get out their pitch forks and try to burn me at the stake, I am not comparing the two I am just trying to say just imagine Brink was canned because it was to slow for some readers.
I've been waiting for Skip Tracer to pull the rug out and provide a classic 2000ad twist to elevate it above the standard sci-fi tropes ... but it hasn't. Lovely opening to Dredd, fabulous artwork. The Order is totally bonkers in the best possible way. Durham Red is fine - can't put my finger on exactly why it isn't quite gripping me as it should. Deadworld is the best thing that's been in the prog for years and I've been loving every page of every instalment.
Quote from: broodblik on 05 July, 2018, 03:31:45 PM
Skip Tracer seams like one of those stories where people either love or hate it ... Brink for example is something that never came running out of the blocks ... I am not comparing the two ...
Steve Ross described
Skip Tracer as
Brink if it had run in the early eighties. *
I don't love it or hate it; it's okay. It's something new that feels like you've read it before, as if it was written to recreate the feeling of reading a Meg floppy.
* Probably scripted by Alan Hebden or Tom Tully. Despite the angry cow, it's not quite mental enough to rank alongside Meltdown Man, but then it doesn't test the patience in the same way as Mean Arena either.
Quote from: Bad City Blue on 05 July, 2018, 02:06:18 PM
Skip Tracer just became a dull mess for me. Thankfully it finishes next issue but will return in Prog 2100. Drokk!
Said the same thing on another thread but I never get tired of repeating myself: not loving
Skip Tracer but I'm very much in favour of Tharg giving new strips two or three runs in quick succession to see how they work out.
On the whole it's a bit of a nothing strip. Not heinously bad, but not especially engaging and in the overcrowded "investigating crimes on a space station" sub-genre it's old school action cliffhangers are blown out of the water by the talky but riveting Brink.
I'm not enjoying much of the Prog at the moment. Everything seems too backwards looking or maybe I'm just jetlagged.
I normally thoroughly enjoy a Rob Williams
Dredd but this one didn't hit the mark. Dirty Frank and Sensitive Klegg somehow stay on the right side of the absurd/stupid line for me but most of the attempted laughs here strain just a little too hard. Top marks for the Dredd/Filth crossover though. One of those Chimps has to be Dmitri 9...
Still, that was a lot better than the stuff we've had of late. Last week's effort reminded me of Vector 13 in that it was piled high with text boxes telling us about the story rather than simply telling it. That can probably be chalked up to a newish writer missing the mark for once.
No such escape clause for Paradigm Shift. Having presumably run out of Dredd minutiae to revisit and bring up to date, Carroll now starts sifting backwards and elaborating on stuff which really doesn't need it. A competently crafted story that went nowhere and did nothing. Tharg's threat of more of this stuff in the Megazine soon didn't go unnoticed either. I assume the Booth era Judge was called Deacon to tie into Fleischer's Harlem Heroes?
The Order I normally enjoy on a reread. This outing is already suitably convoluted.
Deadworld I've warmed to since rereading the story to date, but the number of Dredd/MC1 analogues popping up in this run has possibly gone too far.
Which leaves
Durham Red as the best thing in the current run. This story opened very strongly, went a bit sideways in the middle but I thought this episode's internal voice was fairly strong.
Quote from: Frank on 05 July, 2018, 05:04:17 PM
Steve Ross described Skip Tracer as Brink if it had run in the early eighties.
Hmm. Why did he need to be so concise when he could've blathered on like me.