Behind a magnificent Cliff Robinson cover lies a Prog on the ground work being laid out over the last couple of weeks.
Dredd is just magnificent. The fragile diplomacy providing a veil over motives as thin as a golden spray job. Quite now much character Wagner and MacNeil are able to imbue into our robotic dictator is wonderful to behold. Yet another masterclass from these two as we get the added bonus on Dredd slipping of to... well we'll see...
Defoe has lost me already alas and a low point in this otherwise stella Prog.
Brink I was speaking of masterclasses before and here's one in how to do an exposition dump, with only a tiny pretense of being anything other than that and make it compelling reading all the same. Adore the exhausted last page as well. Also nice touch having us look in through the HSD logo on that title panel. Should I be reading more into the fact it reversed other than that's our point of view?
Hope Under Fire is brutal and brilliant in equal measure.
The Fall of Deadworld is brutal and brilliant in equal measure.
Another 4 out of 5 but those 4 make it feel like a five-for.
(https://i.imgur.com/sIoiV0M.jpg)
Cliff Robinson and Dylan Teague
I like the little note-taking robot in Dredd.
For me, Defoe has clicked into place a little more this episode. I think Defoe, like many series, benefits from being around regularly. So this episode 'felt' more like it did when Leigh was drawing it.
However - nothing tops Dredd. As good as Dredd usually is, when you get an episode (or serial) as good as this one, it reminds you just how special Wagner and Macneil are.
Dredd again is a stormer, is that a new stylee of lawgiver on page one?
The persiflage and wee droid's amusing, all the while building up the tension, and the Happy Shrapnel droid continues to show how less means more when it comes to art.
very very happy with Hope and where its going, same goes for Blink, Defoe continues to intrigue, but just waiting for a healthy dose of Patsian haranguing to kick off.
Deadworld's not my cuppa,
so its 4 out of five from me Bob.
BORAG WANGG!
TAKING A HARD LOOK AT THARG'S HANDLING OF MEATY MATTER
(https://i.imgur.com/I2SXJuE.png?1) (https://i.imgur.com/ErXOO6l.png?1) (https://i.imgur.com/sGJYYZq.png?1)
I'm sure you remember instances of male full-frontal nudity I've forgotten*. If so, post pictures of your penis here.
I'm all for letting the little ones know what adult males keep in their pants, which is why I can't use council leisure facilities anymore, but Tharg probably needs to let more prudish readers know whether they're handing their own issue an issue of (space)Men's Health or Peppa Pig:
(https://i.imgur.com/H9PWKWE.png?1)
* Megazine doesn't count (375 (https://i.imgur.com/w46Nbjo.png))
An 8.30am breakfast post by Frank isn't something we need on the best of days, in particular when tucking into a plate of Superquinn sausages.
I'm here for the Dredd spoilers punks - won't get this Prog til Saturday morning.
Quote from: Link Prime on 09 October, 2019, 09:06:17 AM
An 8.30am breakfast post by Frank isn't something we need on the best of days, in particular when tucking into a plate of Superquinn sausages.
My old mum loves an Irish skinless.
Quote from: Frank on 09 October, 2019, 09:11:56 AM
Quote from: Link Prime on 09 October, 2019, 09:06:17 AM
An 8.30am breakfast post by Frank isn't something we need on the best of days, in particular when tucking into a plate of Superquinn sausages.
My old mum loves an Irish skinless.
Last time I was over your neck of the woods I was offered 'Irn Bru' and 'square sausage' for breakfast.
T'was like visiting a different planet.
Quote from: Link Prime on 09 October, 2019, 09:24:21 AM
[
Last time I was over your neck of the woods I was offered 'square sausage' ...
It's true, Frank's Mum does like to take charge.
That's awful! Irn Bru complements white meat, not red.
What'll really bake your noodle is that someone sells Irn Bru sausage (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/6704109.stm). Sadly, not square, as the Scottish God intended - why piss about slicing bangers doon the middle so they dinnae roll aff yer piece?
I mean, the bread's square, the sausage is square, slap a tattie scone on top as an extra buffer to absorb the grease and lukewarm sauce (brown) and you're good for a heart attack before you're forty.
Quote from: Frank on 09 October, 2019, 09:51:50 AM
you're good for a heart attack before you're forty.
What will happen to the 2000AD readership in the year 2000?
Just wanted to ask a question of anyone who is clued in with the history of 'Fall of Deadworld': How did Judge Death get deposed as Chief Judge? Is he supposed to be dead (?), and if so, how did he die? ("You cannot kill what does not live", notwithstanding!)
Many thanks anyone who can help.
Nasty little Tek scrote Casey conspired with the Sisters, who felt Sssidney was getting too big for his bones. Death was chopped up by the Elena-Kurakin-like Martinez, one of Jes' allies, and some of Casey's zombie-golems, and then Casey blasted him with a big gun. I think this is Sidney's first 'death' since he decayed into the role, but have no Fear, he'll work out how to possessss a new host shortly.
Progs 2090-93 cover it.
Quote from: Link Prime on 09 October, 2019, 09:06:17 AM
I'm here for the Dredd spoilers punks - won't get this Prog til Saturday morning.
You've already seen this story, buddy.
+++ SPOILERS +++(https://i.imgur.com/RBRvTLp.png?3)
(https://i.imgur.com/9W9lnp7.png?2)
1/ Dredd's female oppo is welcomed to the Grand Hall of a South American dictatorship by the Chief Judge's subaltern, but deliberately kept waiting
(https://i.imgur.com/ihseFgJ.jpg?2)
(https://i.imgur.com/gyeOg9w.png?2)
(https://i.imgur.com/B0czL4b.png?2)
2/ Granting them an audience, the gilded CJ is by turns sarcastic ...
(https://i.imgur.com/m3wrXtF.jpg?1)
(https://i.imgur.com/K8Y8XB2.png?2)
3/ ... then openly accusatory, betraying paranoia and an inferiority complex
(https://i.imgur.com/nsItcXU.jpg?2)
(https://i.imgur.com/L5ZY0QM.png?2)
4/ As Dredd's female lieutenant takes a car ride through the city, Dredd ducks surveillance to rendevous with a local contact
(https://i.imgur.com/DmwlEue.png?2)
(https://i.imgur.com/dAwlxSI.png?3)
Absolutely no complaints from me. If you're going to do the hits, play the great ones.Banana City, by Wagner & Simpson (623-625)
You can also see what's happening this time, which is nice!
Quote from: Dark Jimbo on 09 October, 2019, 01:11:33 PM
You can also see what's happening this time, which is nice!
I will fight you.
A very talkative prog this week but I enjoyed everything in it.
5 different artist 5 different styles – 5 out of 5
How the cover was made: https://2000ad.com/post/5942 (https://2000ad.com/post/5942)
Quote from: broodblik on 09 October, 2019, 02:36:53 PM
How the cover was made: https://2000ad.com/post/5942 (https://2000ad.com/post/5942)
Thanks for sharing. That was great, but it's not the same without innuendo about piles, kebabs and Michael Jackson.
Maybe Richard Bruton could get Steve McAmanus or David Bopish to give him a hand with the jokes?
Quote from: Frank on 09 October, 2019, 02:43:51 PM
Quote from: broodblik on 09 October, 2019, 02:36:53 PM
How the cover was made: https://2000ad.com/post/5942 (https://2000ad.com/post/5942)
Thanks for sharing. That was great, but it's not the same without innuendo about piles, kebabs and Michael Jackson.
Maybe Richard Bruton could get Steve McAmanus or David Bopish to give him a hand with the jokes?
I am sure no beer was harmed in making the cover
Cliff Robinson's writing is genuinely funny, would like to hear more from him. Hard to believe such self-deprecation coukd go with such a very excellent cover. Very good piece, thanks Richard.
Quote from: Frank on 09 October, 2019, 09:11:56 AM
Quote from: Link Prime on 09 October, 2019, 09:06:17 AM
An 8.30am breakfast post by Frank isn't something we need on the best of days, in particular when tucking into a plate of Superquinn sausages.
My old mum loves an Irish skinless.
Sadly, I never got the op.
Dredd is still outstanding. Wagner somehow makes yet another robot uprising in Dreddworld feel fresh and exciting.
Deadworld is brilliant, though I'm not quite sure I'm happy with Judge Fire talking like Frank Miller's Crazy Steve character.
Haven't read the rest yet.
Fantastic prog, another 5/5 for me: one of the best lineups in years, despite missing stalwarts Rennie and Edginton.
The page designs in Brink this week are outstanding, pick of the Prog for me, just gorgeous.
Hope didn't really grab me last series, but I'm loving this one.
Deadworld is such a rich feast of visuals and call-backs.
Defoe develops its world beautifully, and the artis worling perfectly now.
And Dredd is icing on an already very fine cake.
All under an eye-catching Cliff cover.
Keep it up, all!
Quote from: TordelBack on 09 October, 2019, 11:23:53 PM
artis worling
What a fabulous, Potteresque character name. I'm nicking that.
Nonsense, it's clearly a pen-name for Alec Worley.
A majestic Dredd from Wagner and MacNeil, it should almost go without saying now.
Strange situation with the remainder of the prog. Four of my absolute favourite current 2000 AD strips but none of them seem to be quite scaling the heights of previous chapters. Brink and Hope are superbly written but plot-wise they're both missing some kind of fundamental premise, even if it's a MacGuffin, to draw us in and get the characters motivated. Deadworld risks descending into the sort of erratic runaround that made Kek-W's recent Indigo Prime run so annoying. And I think the move to outer-spacery is a step too far for Defoe - it's reminiscent of the time Slaine suddenly stopped being an authentic Celtic epic and started being about multi-dimensional time monsters.
Plenty of time for all these strips to turn it around, and I'm confident they all will. But this week only Dredd truly hits the spot.
[q :ouote author=TordelBack link=topic=46073.msg1015069#msg1015069 date=1570633820]
Cliff Robinson's writing is genuinely funny, would like to hear more from him. Hard to believe such self-deprecation coukd go with such a very excellent cover. Very good piece, thanks Richard.
[/quote]
Couldn't agree more, hope Cliff get's a chance to comment on every cover he does, the are hilarious and informative in equal measure!
The guy is a 2000AD treasure and should be revered as such! :thumbsup: :)
Quote from: dweezil2 on 10 October, 2019, 11:44:36 AM
[q :ouote author=TordelBack link=topic=46073.msg1015069#msg1015069 date=1570633820]
Cliff Robinson's writing is genuinely funny, would like to hear more from him. Hard to believe such self-deprecation coukd go with such a very excellent cover. Very good piece, thanks Richard.
Couldn't agree more, hope Cliff get's a chance to comment on every cover he does, the are hilarious and informative in equal measure!
The guy is a 2000AD treasure and should be revered as such! :thumbsup: :)
[/quote]
He's amazing, and I'm really grateful he's stuck with the prog for so long. He's been in the prog since before I properly understood that 2000ad was drawn by different people, who had names.
Quote from: TordelBack on 10 October, 2019, 10:00:38 AM
Nonsense, it's clearly a pen-name for Alec Worley.
Kenneth Neimand?
Having read the rest of the prog now, I'll say that Defoe is lots of fun, and I can't wait to dive into this clockpunk space travel lark a bit deeper. It's not quite as intensely bizarre and original as Nemesis' Gothic Empire, but few things are. I'm still finding the artwork a but of a struggle though.
I like Hope a lot too, though not sure how I feel about the full-frontal view. Part of me says feck it, what'a wrong with the human body anyway, but another part would like to think that the prog shouldn't be totally out of reach to youngsters. Glenn Fabry managed to illustrate an entire army of nude Sessair at war without a single bollock in sight.
Haven't read Brink yet; I need to read it from the start as I missed a lot of it. By most accounts it's worth it.
All in all, I'm back to enjoying the prog again, and looking forward to the next one, for the first time in years. The inclusion of Wagner / McNeil Dredd and Deadworld alone makes this a glorious time for the House of Tharg.