Prog 2051 - Twenty-Second Century Icon

[Frank]

Dredd: I mean, a cover this week from Colin MacNeil giving another perspective on one of the frames from the story would have been amazing.

There's a point. Although MacNeil's painted style probably works better for covers.

[norton canes]

Point of information for Norton Canes: it's a kid in the crowd that throws the smoke canister, not Joe

Oops! It looked like it was coming from some kind of projectile pod on the side of Dredd's bike.

[Frank]

THIS IS THE BEGINNING. THIS IS THE END.


As he was typing those words, there's no way John Smith could have known this would be the last episode of the series he created and only he has ever written. Apt, nonetheless.

As was the return of the literal Foundation upon which Smith's teetering edifice was (Jerry) built, the space suited Harry/Jerry Foundation. Clothed by Sagan, named by Schrödinger.

While I can sympathise with Magnetica's confusion when following Indigo Prime from week to week* and his reluctance to embark on a reread, I heartily endorse Pete's praise.

Your enjoyment of IP as a weekly read depends on how much you like being bemused, but a reread will confirm that, behind Smith's waterfall of language, the plot is usually straightforward.

Plus, there's a real pleasure to be had in seeing things like the bewilderbeast**, which just seemed like a throwaway item on Smith's glossolalia lists of novel terms, finally made flesh after thirty years.

Last week was our first glimpse of the much mentioned Nethermen, along with the dual visual gag/pun of Sgt Roque (geddit?), a snow leopard eating a Zoom lolly on a tropical beach.

Last week's tantalising glimpse of The Nihilist reinforces what a loss Smith's departure will be. We'll never know who the Nihilist was or what he had planned. Smith probably didn't know either, but whatever he came up with would have been typically original, inventive, and funny.

Here's hoping the end of Indigo Prime and Devlin Waugh doesn't mean the loss of a unique and irreplaceable talent.


* I wouldn't worry about being confused - Jerry/Harry Foundation can't seem to remember his name from strip to strip, so what chance do readers have?

** As a major plot point, too. Smith beat Badly Drawn Boy to that name by a decade; wonder if Damon Gough's a fan?

[A.Cow]

Point of information for Norton Canes: it's a kid in the crowd that throws the smoke canister, not Joe

Oops! It looked like it was coming from some kind of projectile pod on the side of Dredd's bike.

Thought the same here.  Would have worked better if he'd said "Smoke canister? Mond, start handing out some time!"

[Frank]

Trite observation: Jimmy Jinks is conscripted to the away team of Burroughs (Kirk), Dak (Spock), and Dr Crippen (Bones) as a red shirt. I mean he's literally wearing a shirt which is red.

He's standing in for the unconscious Redman as the council estate bloke among the fancy lads, undercutting their esoterica with a concern for fag breaks and overtime, like Ernie Hudson in Ghostbusters.

Dane McGowan* of The Invisibles is another reference point. There must surely be a scene where the high brow boys come up short and Jinks saves the day. 'SOD ALL THAT BOLLOCKS - STITCH THIS, QUETZALCOATL !'


* Given what a Morrison fanboy Smith is, maybe Jinks is a middle aged McGowan, who became bored of being Buddha and got a job with the stochastic equivalent of the council (Indigo Prime), as a street (entropy) sweeper. McGowan and Jinks are both members of teams led by bald blokes who like guns, too ...

[geronimo]

Ok,my turn as a returnee since prog 2000, but the bug has bitten so what can you do?

JUDGE DREDD- But it feels more like Im reading Constable Dredd or Dredd of Dock Green these days! He just doesn't have that superior human presence I use to love about him, the force of nature that defended HIS city. And this story is just another version of the Sons Of Booth, realtering a droids programme for propaganda purposes.

SLAINE-either Pat Mills is out of Awen or he keeps his best ideas for the French market! But Simon Davis is firing on all cylinders, every panel is lush and beautiful, but when you put them all together they feel a bit flat and slow. I would love to see Davis get a huge challange as he can paint BIG, like a  journey in the Underworld or the Egyptian gods! And Ukko, where are you when your prog needs you???

INDIGO PRIME-I don't know anything about this at all but this is some of the most brilliant comic art I have ever seen! Burroughs room is full of perfect detail and the character's are so well realized, so much work gone into this. Sorry that John Smith has gone amidst controversy but hopefully Kek-W can keep it on the rails, I am hooked. I appreciate too a more adult story in the mix as well as some can be a little too juvenile.

GREY AREA-not for me but I can see why others like it.

SINISTERDEXTER-I can't understand why this exists at all, at all.

That's my tuppence worth this week, all the best.