Prog 1863: Mutant Massacre

Darren Stephens · 04 January, 2014, 06:43:49 PM

Really enjoying all the strips of the current line up. If I was being very, VERY picky...ahem, I'd just say, although the cover was beautifully drawn, that orange/teale colour scheme doesn't do it for me.

Maybe it's an attempt to get an action movie vibe....?

Proudhuff · 06 January, 2014, 05:41:58 PM

Judge Dredd: Titan: Great story, great art, great characters. this is how its done

Ulysses Sweet, not my bag, sorry chums

ABC Warriors: Return to Mars: I've really lost interest in the ABCs and their background/history continuity drive, still art is nice

Grey Area: good solid thrills

Strontium Dog: Dogs of War Top of the range thrills world changing events the way only The Big W can do.

Great prog overall

Dark Jimbo · 06 January, 2014, 06:23:43 PM

Dredd - A great episode that settled some qualms I had about the opening, namely that it was going to be another quite jokey Scavengers-esque outing - but it seems to be headed down a more 'straight', thriller route. I love Wiiliams' comedy as much as the next man but the big D's first actual outing to Titan is a big event (I'm sure Tharg's crew are in agreement, given the indulgent opening splash page last week) and deserves to be treated with some gravitas. Can't wait to see how this one pans out over the coming weeks.

Ulysses Sweet is jolly good fun. My only criticism really is that it tends to be too wordy for its own good - there haven't been any action sequences or the like to contrast against the many talking heads. It does make for a nice dense read though, and I'd take that over a decompressed five pages that only takes seconds to read.

A little of the magic has been lost from the ABC Warriors for me in recent years. This is beautifully illustrated and interesting backstory, but it is still backstory, and coming straight off the back of Return to Earth and Volgan War the chaps seemed to have entered a timelocked limbo of reminiscences, even though there have been some big changes to the status quo in that time. In a few years I have no doubt the ABC's Langley years will read superbly but on a week-by-week basis I am getting very tired of more recap and history. Another thing I can't help notice is that the series doesn't feel much 'fun' any more - Ro-Jaws, Mek-Quake and Blackblood are sorely missed. The remaining bunch have become a po-faced lot, I suppose a natural consequence of this current anti-war kick.
More positively, I continue to be astounded at how well Mills and Langely's rehabilitation of Happy Shrapnel is working. The very silly one-note character of yore has been endowed with real gravitas and depth in just a few short weeks that makes me quite excited to see what he brings to the team dynamic in future.

Grey Area is quality filler. It turns up, does its thing competently but not outstandingly, goes and is not missed (though never begrudged).

Stront, like ABCs, will I suspect read a little better in collected form, but this is still good stuff. Properly epic.

LorcanQ · 08 January, 2014, 12:31:47 PM

Hmm. isnt available on clickwheel, despite it being the 8th today :/

ChickenStu · 08 January, 2014, 01:41:59 PM

Strontium Dog and ABC Warriors is pretty good, but I'm all about Judge Dredd: Titan. I know it's early days but I think it has the makings of a classic.

Spikes · 08 January, 2014, 08:21:36 PM

Quote from: LorcanQ on 08 January, 2014, 12:31:47 PM
Hmm. isnt available on clickwheel, despite it being the 8th today :/

Nor could I find a copy in the real world. Hopefully only a slight delay??

James Stacey · 09 January, 2014, 08:28:51 AM

Not sure how logistics work and if they are printed near the offices or not but lots of Oxfordshire was underwater according to the news last night.

Grobbendonk · 09 January, 2014, 10:56:55 AM

I thoroughly enjoyed this prog. Nuff said.

Proudhuff · 09 January, 2014, 03:52:30 PM

Quote from: Grobbendonk on 09 January, 2014, 10:56:55 AM
I thoroughly enjoyed this prog. Nuff said.

Some poor bugger is propbaly making a raft from them even as we speak...

Grobbendonk · 09 January, 2014, 03:55:32 PM

Quote from: Proudhuff on 09 January, 2014, 03:52:30 PM
Quote from: Grobbendonk on 09 January, 2014, 10:56:55 AM
I thoroughly enjoyed this prog. Nuff said.

Some poor bugger is propbaly making a raft from them even as we speak...

This is my confused face $:-\$

BPP · 09 January, 2014, 05:43:01 PM

Holy Balls Titan is the best non-Wagner Dredd in ages. That Williams droid, he's the great (judge )whitey hope.

HOO-HAA · 09 January, 2014, 05:53:35 PM

Judge Dredd: Really enjoying this but since one of you lot mentioned how CJ looks like Jessie J, I can't get it out of my head!

Ulysses Sweet: Afraid I'm with Proudhuff on this one.

ABC: Continues to entertain me. I haven't followed ABC much to date so not comparing it with other stories. Just enjoying it for what it is.

SD: Really loving the epic feel to this. And those skinhead norms make quite the menacing foe for Johnny.

Mabs · 09 January, 2014, 06:04:51 PM

How dare they compare Hershey to Jessie J?! For starters, Hershey doesn't have a bottom lip, Jessie J does. And our Hershey isn't wearing a wig (as far as we know)!

Also I agree with BPP; Titan absolutely rocks!

DrJomster · 09 January, 2014, 08:06:53 PM

Hershey makes me think of Emily Strange! It's a good look!

Thrill-wise, loving Dredd, SD and Grey Area this week.

Frank · 09 January, 2014, 10:48:10 PM

You know how The Pit was only supposed to be an eight part story, and then reader reaction meant it turned into a 29 part epic? I could stand another six months of Titan. Those endless shots of Dredd tumbling through the atmosphere are enough to carry six pages by themselves, and I never realised until now how beautiful the upside down view of the judge helmet is - especially when Flint treats it as flat black and red geometry, as he does here to wonderful effect.