1645 - The House Of Bones

[locustsofdeath!]

Way back when, Marvel used to give out no prizes for spotting little gaffes in their comics - well, I would have had one today!

On the second page of 'Counts as One Choice', third panel, Vaz i slooking at a book called Goblin War 3: Cauldron of Chaos', while saying 'Goblin Moon 3: Cauldron of Chaos.' Anyway...sadly enough, I would probably enjoy reading that particular book...

[locustsofdeath!]

Done and done. Prog bought and read.

Cover: Okay. Three horror-type covers in a row - trying to bring in a new crowd? Well, go the extra mile and include a haunted vagina (what, that's been done already?).

Tharg's announcement on the inside of the cover is exciting - a little bit less so since I read it here on the forum first, but still exciting.

Dredd: Despite a brief appearance by Dredd, this is looking good. The first strip was a throwaway for me, rousing little interest, but this installment shows promise. The art is better as well. I'm interested to see where it goes.

Red Seas: Much, much better than last week. A little more action. The art was far and away superior to that of part one - my main complaint last week was that there was very little atmosphere and too much "white space". This week, the rainsoaked scenes really brough the mood out in this, and I liked the quirky robot (or whatever) character. Again, like Dredd, I'm into this now.

Sin/Dex: Ah, pass. Readable, but little more. Shame that the first episode had me hooked only to be let down these past couple of weeks. Oh well, can't win 'em all.

Terror Tales: More amusing than anything else. The titles of the fantasy books were a laugh - mostly because the cheasiness of them rings oh so true.

Defoe: Ah, Defoe takes a breather...to introduce a slew on new characters. This strip is simply chaotic - and I like it all the more for that. The characters are larger than life, cool in a Western Film way. The art is wonderful, so full of mood and atmosphere. The zombies on the last couple of pages are downright rancid - steaks, eh? - fantastic. This is the highlight strip of the Prog for me right now.

Letters Page: What? Oh never mind. Shameless pimping.

That's all for now. On to the Meg.

[Kerrin]

I don't subscribe yet so I didn't get any free stuff. GOOD! It all looks rubbish....so there. Mutter mutter, ooh if you subscribe we'll bribe you with badges and smelly comics, mutter whinge. I've heard the badges give you the screaming gribloids anyway so I'm glad I didn't get one. Mutter.

Cover - NHS dentist. "I'm glad to say that fillings are now a RECTAL procedure sir".

Dredd - Very enjoyable dialogue and scripting from the Ewing unit, love the last line of the politeness contest. Could it be there's an alternative Dredd? Nice.

Shed geas - EGAD! Now this is more like it. I think it's good when we don't have daring Jack Dancer and his merry band of misfits clogging up the place and Newton is an excellent character to expound upon. Superb use of "SPRRROINGG" as well.

Sin/Dex - All good. They've got to let this Bonehinge quack have a go at fixing Dex's little problem. Haven't they? And while we're at it. Isobel? Which one's Isobel?

Terror Tales - Superb. And all from the Weston droid, well apart from the lettering, but I mean lettering, pfft, it's just typing these days isn't it. Poor old Burt, ended up as a paperweight, cuh, the ungrateful green git.

Defoe - For fuck's sake, are we actually expected to remember all these bloody names. Minge Tickle is obviously the woman but she's not a woman , oh no, she's an undead clockwork fucking monkey. Called Mistress Spunkbucket. At least I'm reading it this time round, but I've got to say it's more out of morbid curiosity than anything else.

Good prog. Even if I didn't get a silly badge. Mutter.

[Dandontdare]

And while we're at it. Isobel? Which one's Isobel?

She was Kal's girlfriend - when he was working with Finnegan and Ramone, a contract was put out on her and rather unprofessionally, he pretended to have whacked her but didn't - When the boys found out, rather than off them both which would be normal procedure, they agreed to keep the secret and helped the lovers skip town. However the Mover snatched her and that's why Kal is still in Downlode working for him.

[Kerrin]

Aha, I remember now. On the train with Si Davis on art duties. Cheers triple D.

[ozebane]

Chris Weston really is a talented man. Terror Tales was brilliant in every way.
Solid stuff from Al Ewing, as per usual.
Sin/Dex was enjoyable. Definitely the story i'm most interested in.
Fantastic dialogue from Red Seas.
Defoe was entertaining than ever, but it is much better when it's predominantly action.

[Paul faplad Finch]

Right, here goes.

The cover features Sinister Dexter and isn't be Simon Davis so it has two things going for it straight away. Beyond that though, Williams has to be one of the most improved artists in recent years and this is another success from him. Lovely stuff.

As for Dredd, it's another cracking script from Mr Ewing and I for one am realy looking forward to seeing the alternate Dredd. It's gotta be coming hasn't it? Beautiful art too.

The Red Seas has been a favourite of mine since it's inception and this story is doing nothing to change that. I really don't care how long it takes for the Dancer plotline to kick back in. I love that stuff but this wider range of stories is just as good. I can take either version of this series and I'm sure that when they do merge it'll be a doozy of a story.

Sinister Dexter is ace. Always has been, always will be and this current slow building arc is probably the best it's been since Eurocrash/Downlode Tales. Pure gold.

Counts as one choice was a fun little read but I do have to point out that I was a member of one such club for a number of years without ever having a problem with them and when I did decide to leave they were nothing but helpful, so there.   Story was still funny though.

Defoe has nice art. As for the script, I despair, I really do. This really is poor stuff. When this run started I thought it had turned a corner. I didn't enjoy it but I could see how it would appeal to those more attuned to the whole alternate history/horror genres. Now i can't see how it would appeal to nyone. Stilted dialogue, far too many characters and pacing that would make Heartbeat look like 24. Awful.

[Comrade Aleksandr]

Dredd: Brilliant. Loved the image of the huge Russian with his little pinky sticking out. And I say scone as in stone.

Red Seas: Loving it. Though am I the only one to link giant sprin-legged robot guy with Spring-heeled Jack. Now there's an urban legend if there ever was one!

Counts as one choice: As has already been said, best thing in the prog. The "Pick up the soap" line was hillarious.
I will now never be tempted to jopin one of those clubs!

Defoe:

Defoe has nice art. As for the script, I despair, I really do. This really is poor stuff. When this run started I thought it had turned a corner. I didn't enjoy it but I could see how it would appeal to those more attuned to the whole alternate history/horror genres. Now i can't see how it would appeal to nyone. Stilted dialogue, far too many characters and pacing that would make Heartbeat look like 24. Awful.

I couldn't put it any better myself. Defore just doesn't work for me.

Still can't wait for the new Stickleback!
Aleks

[locustsofdeath!]

Now i can't see how it would appeal to nyone. Stilted dialogue, far too many characters and pacing that would make Heartbeat look like 24. Awful.

I feel so ashamed... .

[SmallBlueThing]

Well now- that was a bit of a blinder. I wasn't expecting to love anything in the prog quite as much as that, not so soon after Zombo and Cradlegrave, but 'Counts As One Choice' is probably the best one-off in living memory. Spectacularly good art, a witty script that was quite unnervingly close-to-home (I took advantage of one of those book club things once- and it's only due to a genuine fuck-up on their part that I didn't find myself in the same position as the guy in the strip). If 2000ad is even getting these singular fillers so brilliantly right, then I thnk all is right with the world.

The rest of the prog was up to the usual recent high standard- Dredd was massively entertaining- and again, the art was close-inspectionly good, SiniDex was probably the most fun and enjoyable of all the regular strips (I'm genuinely concerned as to where Ramone's trigger-clutziness is going to take the story), Defoe looks gorgeous, but seems to be written with the trade in mind as I'm not sure it's entirely working in short sections- and Red Seas is good, as it goes.

I've lost count of how many successive progs that is that have been fabulous. Have we had a duff one this year? Truly this is a golden age.

Steev

[Van Dom]

Yes, as you have all said already, brilliant prog, thoroughly enjoyable read last night with a cup of tea and some Nice biscuits.
Loved the Terror Tale. Yes, I was a member of one of those poxy clubs once and yes it was a fucker trying to get out of it! Never again!!!!

Defoe is great but bloody hell how many frikking characters and groups of characters does there have to be. Im sure it would be fine if read in a big lump but the weekly episodic format makes it hard to keep up. I still don't know who half the Dirty Dozenne are and then there was the Super Reeks (thank God they're all dead and I forget all those names), then those clockwork fellas, and now all these Vizard guys and the poncy dudes with the borrowed names in the order of whatever they are in. Its tough going! I really hope Torquemada turns up in this somewhere. As someone else said, its the perfect environment and setting for him.

I thought there was a new Strontium Dog story supposed to be hitting around now, The Mork Whisperer, but with the prog 650 line-up already out there, I don't know whats happened to that. Unless its just a 4 episode story to fill the gap, but that seems extremely short for a Strontium Dog story...or does it?

[Richmond Clements]

I'm genuinely concerned as to where Ramone's trigger-clutziness is going to take the story

Yeah, me too. I was thinking about this this afternoon, and amazed myself that I'm worried about him!

[TordelBack]

No time for a proper review, but are you people mad?!?  

Defoe is utterly fab. Barmy, but fab.   I have some sympathy with the problems of tracking a large and disposable cast over multi-book Millsian epics, but the very distinctively-costumed Spiriter was only in it a few weeks ago, suggesting to me that full attention may not be being paid, and that's hardly (entirely) Pat's fault.  Tut! 

And that's all I have to say about that.

In other news:  Dredd utterly brilliant, Sin Dex was cool, Terror Tale the very best of its kind ever, and Red Seas was top fun.  So there.

[Roger Godpleton]

Cover: When I saw it from a distance in the shop I thought "oo-er what's all this about" (in a good way). Very Good Stuff.

Dredd: Kinda feel like the therapy jokes were laid on just a mite too thick. Possibly feels like Ewing is cramming too many ideas into a mid-length Dredd story but this is only the second episode. Very Good Stuff.

Sin/Dex: My favourite soap opera. I would be quite happy for this to appear every week. Great Stuff.

FS: You know you don't actually have to join the club, right? Ah, I kid. Love Chris Weston's art just because it's ever so slightly surreal whilst being realistic. Best theing in the Prog. Great Stuff.

Red Seas: Had to jog my memory to remember that this was the fifth strip in the prog. OK Stuff.

Defoe: Essentially this episode was the old Ferrero Rocher ad with zombies at the end. Monsieur, with this cutting satire you are spoiling us, the Vizards wear silly masks and they are dependent on flashy histronics, just like US Superheroes. What a cutting and original observation. Ah, I kid, this is ... Great Stuff.

[Emperor]

Late as usual so I won't bother giving my full thoughts on proceedings (everyone has covered it by now), just a few random thoughts.

Anyone know what Rob Taylor is doing on Sinister Dexter? When it isn't broken down into inking and colouring (like Ezquerra jnr) I assume it is general helping with all aspects to keep the page production ticking over, but I could be wrong.

The posh asre more likely to rhyme it with Stone, not gone.

Possibly. I pronounce it rhyming with the former and I come from a working class background so maybe that's why I associate it that way.  To be fair I've heard Northerners pronounce it like 'gone' too and they were hardly posh.

Now while I think it is more of a North/Sarf thing (sgone vs scown) I do believe that Northern poshoes (and there are some) tend to go with scown. It gets a little mixed in Liverpool but while they say buck and cuck (not boook and coook) most still say bath, as opposed to barth, and grass, as opposed to grarse (although it might depend on how posh you are and if you went to public school).

Defoe A bit heavy on introducing new characters.

I'm not objecting to the sheer number of characters per se, as Pat Mills is one of the few that can make a team story work within the restrictions of 5 pages a shot, but I am disappointed that he throws out innovative characters and ideas with plenty of potential only to dispose of them in a couple of issues (the super reeks) or even the span of a couple of pages (the clockwork beasties in the last issue). Then again I suppose it keeps everything barrelling along at quite a pace (albeit one broken up by a round of introductions in this prog - it might have been better to spread that out over the next few as they circulate and try to discover who Mene Tekel is) and if I am asking for more then he has is clearly doing a lot of things right (even some things that may initially feel "wrong").

Way back when, Marvel used to give out no prizes for spotting little gaffes in their comics - well, I would have had one today!

On the second page of 'Counts as One Choice', third panel, Vaz i slooking at a book called Goblin War 3: Cauldron of Chaos', while saying 'Goblin Moon 3: Cauldron of Chaos.' Anyway...sadly enough, I would probably enjoy reading that particular book...

I think the biggest gaffe is surely having prog 1 without the Space Spinner still attached and such a big nerd wouldn't make that kind of slip (although to be fair he probably has a couple of copies ). Other than that - top thrill. Chris Weston has gone to an awful lot of effort to load it with Easter Eggs that require extra reading - the main downside is I want to see his Strontium Dog cover actually made into a cover (or is this some fiendish Easter Egg like the back cover?).