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Spoilers => Megazine => Topic started by: Magnetica on 17 February, 2018, 11:11:50 PM

Title: Meg 393 - Hard Rain!
Post by: Magnetica on 17 February, 2018, 11:11:50 PM
My Prog didn't turn up today but at least that gave me a chance to read the Meg instead.

A fairly solid 2nd part to Judge Dredd which includes a bit of backstory for Harry Heston. The art by Jake Lynch looks more and more like Henry Flint with each story he does.

It just seems wrong to criticise Lawless but it seems we have been waiting months for Munce to launch the attack on Badrock. So it has finally started and it does seem a little [spoiler]unbelievable that Munce's Gunships could be repelled by ground fire. Lawson even says as much at one point.[/spoiler]

Devlin Waugh wraps up with a fairly cutting moment between the brothers.

Koburn is good fun.

Dredd moves on at a fair old pace (which is quite a contrast to stuff in the Prog over the last few weeks.) The name of one of the missing Tek Judges is a dead give away to what has happened to them.

We also get a letters page.
Title: Re: Meg 393 - Hard Rain!
Post by: Richard on 18 February, 2018, 12:34:15 PM
What condition was your issue in? Was it damaged?
Title: Re: Meg 393 - Hard Rain!
Post by: Magnetica on 18 February, 2018, 01:24:04 PM
No, it was pristine.
Title: Re: Meg 393 - Hard Rain!
Post by: IndigoPrime on 18 February, 2018, 02:34:10 PM
A solid Meg in all, although I've not yet bothered with the floppy. (I have a pile of the buggers to read.)

I really like the Heston strips – he's a fab character, and the to-and-fro with Dredd on the last page was excellent. Really good fun, and a little bit bonkers (of the kind people seem to think Prog Dredd is lacking of late). I had similar issues to Magnetica with Lawless, but it's still a great romp, and, well, who knows how well you could stave off some advances if they were driven in part by hubris? Benefit of the doubt there.

Devlin... I'm not convinced by this one. I get that people wanted more of the character, but for me Rory McConville didn't really nail the 'voice' of the strip, nor its very particular strain of weirdness. Also, that dangling 'better if never resolved' plot thread was yanked away in a manner that for me wasn't especially rewarding. That we'll see more doesn't excite me, and yet Smith-penned Devlin always did. A pity.

To my mind, Korbun is much more successful, and is already turning into an entertaining, action-packed yarn. The Meg finishes off with Dredd, which smacks a bit of fan-service, but you may as well go out with a bang. Since we'll never see Death in an Urban Dredd, why not wrap up the universe in the Meg by having an alternate lunatic hiss "You cannot kill what does not live", shortly before Dredd figures out a way to trap him in a jar? (Or perhaps Death will win out here. After all, this is the last Dredd, and so anything could happen.)
Title: Re: Meg 393 - Hard Rain!
Post by: Eamonn Clarke on 18 February, 2018, 03:12:51 PM
(https://i.imgur.com/eIWjnB8.jpg)
Title: Re: Meg 393 - Hard Rain!
Post by: Magnetica on 18 February, 2018, 04:03:13 PM
In a way in seems a shame this is the last movie Dredd. I'm certainly enjoying it more than the recent Prog Sov epic. And given we are probably still years away from the Dredd TV series, there is surely plenty of time to clear the boards for that. (As I write that I'm immediately questioning if that is true - not sure how far ahead multi part Meg stories get scheduled).
Title: Re: Meg 393 - Hard Rain!
Post by: A.Cow on 19 February, 2018, 01:29:39 AM
Quote from: IndigoPrime on 18 February, 2018, 02:34:10 PM
[...] why not wrap up the universe in the Meg by having an alternate lunatic hiss "You cannot kill what does not live", shortly before Dredd figures out a way to trap him in a jar?

I was really looking forward to this ... but the "forcibly re-imagined" origin smacked of Ultimate Marvel and left a sour taste for me.  (Still, it could be worse -- it could have gone the IDW route.)
Title: Re: Meg 393 - Hard Rain!
Post by: Bolt-01 on 21 February, 2018, 11:19:50 AM
Really liked the new creator article written by FQP alumnus Karl Stock, featuring FQP alumni Steve Austin & Paul Williams. That alongside everything written by FQP alumnus Rory McConville.

Also liked the mention in Cyber-Matts editorial of the arrival of FQP alumnus Nico Assirelli, too.
Title: Re: Meg 393 - Hard Rain!
Post by: IndigoPrime on 21 February, 2018, 11:38:05 AM
Quote from: A.Cow on 19 February, 2018, 01:29:39 AMI was really looking forward to this ... but the "forcibly re-imagined" origin smacked of Ultimate Marvel and left a sour taste for me.  (Still, it could be worse -- it could have gone the IDW route.)
Well, it was never going to be a retread of what we've seen in Judge Dredd – and that 'origins' has been messed with a bunch of times anyway, for better (Fall of Deadworld) or worse (cute Gibson-illustrated aliens arrive on Deadworld and get murdered for their D-jump tech).

I just find it a pity they're winding Dredd down entirely.
Title: Re: Meg 393 - Hard Rain!
Post by: Colin YNWA on 21 February, 2018, 09:15:41 PM
Well it was always going to struggle living up to last months Meg was it. I mean it does its best all the strips are good but none are quite of the level of last time... well that's not true is it Dredd (Judge) is quite superb this month and love the introduction (for me) of Serpico and some great fun had elsewhere, love this one.

And well its not true of Devlin Waugh either as this is a fantastic conclusion and I love that monologuing and the response it gets, just brilliant. I get the point IndigoPrime makes that this doesn't quite capture John Smith's tone in terms of story if not character, which I feel he does a great job of. I think that this story finds its own way is an interesting contrast to Kek W's Indigo Prime (series not boarder that is). Kek W went for a more direct emulation and did it well. I think however I prefer Rory McConville's way of keeping with the spirit of the series (no pun and all that) but finding his own voice... both have had real merit and have been great... mind I'd still welcome Mr Smith back with open arms.

So the biggest disappoint is Lawless, I mean don't get me wrong is a bloody fantastic action romp, but alas we've come to expect more than just bloody fantastic action romp from this series and this feels a bit one note. I mean its a fuckin' great note but there is just one of them. The thing is when this is read as one it will work better as part of a whole, just here, on its own, not as good as this series at its best.

Likewise Cursed Earth Koburn is good but doesn't live up to the promise of last weeks opening. Feels a little flat and uninspired. Still plenty of time.

Finally Dredd (no Judge) I really like the way this is playing with the Dark Judges and this is a fresh and fitting take on the characters, its still not 100% there though and just dripping with potential however and I'm very excited to see how it goes.

Text pieces are particularly good this month as well.

RIP Jim Baikie.
Title: Re: Meg 393 - Hard Rain!
Post by: MacabreMagpie on 22 February, 2018, 07:54:46 PM
Quote from: Bolt-01 on 21 February, 2018, 11:19:50 AM
Really liked the new creator article written by FQP alumnus Karl Stock, featuring FQP alumni Steve Austin & Paul Williams. That alongside everything written by FQP alumnus Rory McConville.

Also liked the mention in Cyber-Matts editorial of the arrival of FQP alumnus Nico Assirelli, too.

There's some kind of link there that I can't quite put my finger on... ;p
Title: Re: Meg 393 - Hard Rain!
Post by: Richard on 24 February, 2018, 12:03:22 AM
It's a good issue, and I liked Dredd's comment to Heston on the last page of that episode.

But I never, ever, ever again want to read a story where Dredd has to ask someone else for permission to kick down a door. He's not a cop.
Title: Re: Meg 393 - Hard Rain!
Post by: sheridan on 24 February, 2018, 08:46:02 AM
Quote from: MacabreMagpie on 22 February, 2018, 07:54:46 PM
Quote from: Bolt-01 on 21 February, 2018, 11:19:50 AM
Really liked the new creator article written by FQP alumnus Karl Stock, featuring FQP alumni Steve Austin & Paul Williams. That alongside everything written by FQP alumnus Rory McConville.

Also liked the mention in Cyber-Matts editorial of the arrival of FQP alumnus Nico Assirelli, too.

There's some kind of link there that I can't quite put my finger on... ;p

Is it gorillas?  Half the stories seem to feature gorillas these days (can't think of any stories in the last 41 years featuring gorillas, other than Krong, Ape Town and uplifts, so the balance is well overdue).
Title: Re: Meg 393 - Hard Rain!
Post by: TordelBack on 24 February, 2018, 11:32:49 AM
DeMarco,  Simping Detective,  Anderson:R*volution, Dredd: Gorilla/z, the entire House of Kong in Dante...
Title: Re: Meg 393 - Hard Rain!
Post by: Aaron A Aardvark on 28 February, 2018, 08:08:40 AM
I think Deadworld is the best thing in either publication right now.

All the other strips pretty good. I've never been a dedicated Megazine reader but I'm tempted to subscribe again.
Title: Re: Meg 393 - Hard Rain!
Post by: Proudhuff on 28 February, 2018, 01:30:31 PM
Every story excellent, even D'eath, extra lube to all the droids!!!  :D
Title: Re: Meg 393 - Hard Rain!
Post by: Robin Low on 04 March, 2018, 11:39:57 AM
Not often I feel the need to comment on 2000AD or the Meg these days, but I thought it was worth mentioning that I can't really find much fault with this issue.

Dredd was pretty good, both story and art. Lawless is a pretty good story (looking at the battle, I think Abnett's read David Brin's second Uplift trilogy), and I really appreciate the huge amount of detail Phil Winslade gives us. Devlin Waugh has been a pretty good series (I liked the ending) and again I loved the art. Not read Face the Future yet, but I'm sure it's interesting, because the Meg's articles usually are. I did read the Baikie article, though. It's good to see creator's lives and experiences recognised and remembered. Koburn is pretty good - I liked seeing the point made that you can explain or understand something without excusing or justifying it. Movie Dredd is an odd one. I've felt the previous ones have worked, but not so sure about this one so far, although it did give us last month's cover, and that was great.

In response to one of the letters, I'm more than happy to see stories like Wagner's Walk in the floppy. Rebellion have got a huge archive of stuff and not all of it's suited to trade collections. Seeing old comic strips released as comics again seems like a good idea to me.

On balance, I've been getting more from the Meg lately than the Prog.

Regards,

Robin
Title: Re: Meg 393 - Hard Rain!
Post by: Fungus on 17 March, 2018, 05:07:03 AM
Enjoyable Meg, even if Lawless & Koburn feel a bit 'light' and yet MORE milking of those Dark Judges shows a lack of ideas, nice though Flint always is. Jim Baikie obituary the clear highlight - RIP. The Meg has the space to do these things well.
Title: Re: Meg 393 - Hard Rain!
Post by: A.Cow on 17 March, 2018, 11:43:22 AM
Quote from: Robin Low on 04 March, 2018, 11:39:57 AM
In response to one of the letters, I'm more than happy to see stories like Wagner's Walk in the floppy. Rebellion have got a huge archive of stuff and not all of it's suited to trade collections. Seeing old comic strips released as comics again seems like a good idea to me.

Fully agreed.  The Megazine is no longer just a sci-fi action comic -- it has established a good reputation for exploring comics history in featured articles; long may it continue.

(Yes, mixing Dark Judges: Dominion with reprints of Ivor Lott and Tony Broke is a bizarre notion, but I'd imagine that two separate titles would be economically unviable.  And Megazine readers are hopefully mature enough to cope with both.)