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Prog 2053 - Leap of Wraith!

Started by Richard, 14 October, 2017, 01:06:25 PM

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Richard

What an extraordinarily good prog this week!

A very good Dredd one-off by Arthur Wyatt and new artist Simon Roy (his style reminds me of the art on The Vort and Wastelands). I really liked this story, a strong plot, some good characters, good jokes.

But the real stand-out this week is episode four of Indigo Prime. Extremely disgusting, imaginative, top action, and it actually reads as if John Smith wrote it himself. I think that Kek-W has really found Smith's voice. Looking forward very much to see where all this is going.

Something actually happened in Slaine.

Absalom is back with a strong start.

Grey Area concludes with an action-packed finale, and sets up next year's story in a way that makes me wish we didn't have to wait that long -- and I normally don't even like this series.

Very good issue.


Geoff

Interesting style Simon Roy has on that enjoyable (if predictable) Dredd story.

One thing that was far from predictable though, was the CSI type Judge smoking a fag!! What's going on there..!?

Link Prime

Quote from: Geoff on 14 October, 2017, 01:47:02 PM
Interesting style Simon Roy has on that enjoyable (if predictable) Dredd story.

Simon Roy is a phenomenal artist, I'm a huge fan of his work on the reimagined Prophet series (itself something that would appeal to pretty much every 2000AD reader).

Hopefully this isn't just a once-off appearance in 2000AD for him.

Richard

Incidentally, does anyone know if the Scream and Misty special is out today or do we have to wait til Wednesday? There's an advert for it in this prog, but of course subscribers get it early. But the special might not be published on the usual weekly schedule.

A.Cow

Quote from: Geoff on 14 October, 2017, 01:47:02 PM
Interesting style Simon Roy has on that enjoyable (if predictable) Dredd story.

That's a very diplomatic way of putting it.

Don't get me wrong: always keen to see up-and-coming talent and the Roy droid clearly has potential.

Much of it was OK ... but a few panels looked more like what I'd expect in a free fanzine rather than a commercial publication (especially one with 2000 AD's reputation).  Particular low-points are page 7's 'Skazz', page 8's final panel grimace and page 6's "might need extra those helmets".

Having taken a look at some of his other work online, Simon Roy has talent.  However, something -- presumably time & deadlines -- has gone wrong here IHMO.

Art

One thing that was far from predictable though, was the CSI type Judge smoking a fag!! What's going on there..!?

Synthi-stick containing attention boosting nanites.

Geoff

Quote from: Art on 14 October, 2017, 03:26:50 PM
One thing that was far from predictable though, was the CSI type Judge smoking a fag!! What's going on there..!?

Synthi-stick containing attention boosting nanites.

Knew there must be some explanation ...


Colin YNWA

Well have to say I agree with Richard that was a cracking Prog which sees this line-up at the standard I was hoping... even if its a slighty changed line-up... and one of the series finishes... damnit.

First though what the heck is going on with the cover? Nowt wrong with the central image, nice one as I'm sure we'll see when it reaches Pete Wells Uncovered Blog no doubt and well timed for Halloween. No my beef, and with apologies to those involved, is the design its bloomin' awful! The text seems slapped on and takes too much attention from the image. That bar across the bottom is horrible and the shadowly thing across the top of it makes it even worse. The fact the bar is there looks really weird when the logo is obsured (I'll set aside my normal beef with this being the case and be specific here) making the design look really unbalanced. Sorry but not a fan at all!

Anyway inside as I say things are much better. As soon as I saw Simon Roy on Dredd I knew he'd be a marmite artist and the early reviews here stand as evidence of that. For me, a few too many open mouths with bared teeth aside, I love it. A fresh exciting take on Dredd in a fun and exciting story. Absolutely top stuff all round.

Again I'm with Richard in Slaine, this is a great episode, I'm just a little at a loss as to how its taken 4 episodes to get here?

Remember when John Session would improve a talk in the style of say Graham Green on Whose Line is it Anyway? It could be funny, charming, sharp and capture the essence of the person he was caricaturing , yet you still knew it was a caricature. That's Kek W on Indigo Prime that is. Still really good fun, but I want the writer to find a way to do this in his own voice some time soon.

Absalom has an American Werewolf in London style internal monlogue this issue. Its fantastic (Yes I know its not an internal monologue in American Werewolf but I think the comparison works... doesn't it?)

Grey Area finishes... what, yes, huh wasn't expecting that. Yet Dan Abnett uses five pages with almost Wagnian craft and skill so nothing feels rushed and so much is in here (see that Mr Pat 4 Episodes Mills, that's how its done and you used to do it). Its astonishing well done and sets up what's comigng next as well. Just brilliant.

So yeah the Prog is at last the absolute trimuph I've been waiting for and expecting since 2050. Just wonderful comics.

Magnetica

Quote from: Colin YNWA on 14 October, 2017, 06:33:03 PM
First though what the heck is going on with the cover? ... That bar across the bottom is horrible and the shadowly thing across the top of it makes it even worse. The fact the bar is there looks really weird when the logo is obsured (I'll set aside my normal beef with this being the case and be specific here) making the design look really unbalanced. Sorry but not a fan at all!

I think the return of Absalom is a big deal, given how popular it is, how long it has been since the last series, and how long the kidnapping of his grand children has been going on. Therefore would it not have made sense to have it as the cover image?

Taryn Tailz

Quote from: Magnetica on 14 October, 2017, 06:51:11 PM
Quote from: Colin YNWA on 14 October, 2017, 06:33:03 PM
First though what the heck is going on with the cover? ... That bar across the bottom is horrible and the shadowly thing across the top of it makes it even worse. The fact the bar is there looks really weird when the logo is obsured (I'll set aside my normal beef with this being the case and be specific here) making the design look really unbalanced. Sorry but not a fan at all!

I think the return of Absalom is a big deal, given how popular it is, how long it has been since the last series, and how long the kidnapping of his grand children has been going on. Therefore would it not have made sense to have it as the cover image?

I, for one, was fully expecting this weeks cover to be an 'Absalom' cover. Usually, it seems, when a popular strip commences its latest run in isolation (i.e. no other major strips are also starting in the same prog) it will get the cover.

Jacqusie

That's a stinker of a cover and the postscript on the bottom looks even worse, doing no justice to the return of one of the progs greatest strips.

I'm a huge fan of Tiernan Trevallion and his idiosyncratic style which complements Rennie's script beautifully. This strip and the art on Indigo Prime are examples of styles that I enjoy whilst reading the interesting stories that they tell.

I can't say the same for this weeks Dredd however. It's not the worse I've seen Dredd being represented, but it's almost there. It's harsh I know, bit when we've seen such great artists on this strip, this looks rushed and without care from Roy, but I'm glad that other people like it, although I do think Dredd deserves better.

That's what you get with 2000AD a bit of everything that suits different tastes and which continues to give divided opinion on styles and that's why it's still going as well as it is.

Which brings me to Slaine... good lord this is painful stuff... do we get 12 more episodes of this nonsense before the next book of the same?

...please bring back Stronty Dog... and that Rogue Trooper... that was good!  :)

IndigoPrime

Quote from: A.Cow on 14 October, 2017, 02:42:58 PMDon't get me wrong: always keen to see up-and-coming talent and the Roy droid clearly has potential.
Up-and-coming? He did Prophet, which started in 2012, and was superb. It's not like he's a new that's just been dropped into Dredd. In terms of his style on Dredd, it reminded me a little of Guy Davis's take on the character. Regardless, it's great to see Tharg managing to get such people illustrating for the Prog. As for the strip itself, it was for me a decent one-and-done.

As for the rest:

Cover: Not keen. The design doesn't really work for me, mostly because of the lettering, bar and drop shadow.

Sláine: To quote Willow, "bored now". Several episodes of people having a chat while fighting, one of them BELLOWING IN ALL CAPS. Feels like it needs an injection of rocket fuel, to recall Diggle. Or perhaps just let it breathe with less dialogue. The same art, but knock out 75 per cent of the ANGRY ARCHON STUFF and it might have some pace, rather than feeling stodgy.

Indigo Prime: If nothing else, Kek-W knows how to script some properly grim pages. As ever with Indigo Prime, it's probably going to need a reread to fully take it in; but I'm enjoying it, if enjoying is the right word. (It's certainly compelling, weird, and messed up – everything the strip was when John Smith was scribe. I've no idea if Smith will return – I hope he does. But for this series at least, it seems like IP's in good hands.)

Absalom: For a while now, I've got the feeling this is a finite tale, and Gordon Rennie does have a tendency to get bored with his own strips. So in a sense, I hope he wraps this up, and gives Absalom a proper ending, even though I'd be happy to see this regularly in the Prog for years to come. It's horrible, caustic, funny, and has superb art.

Grey Area: As others have said, Abnett is a deeply important mainstay of the Prog. Grey Area's also an interesting one for me, in that what was originally a perfectly good 'filler' strip of sorts has become something of a front-runner. It works in smart single-parters but also in longer arcs. I'm also very much a fan of Harrison's current style, which mixes the best of his earlier work with his more photographic period. His work now has an energy and character about it that's on an upward trajectory.

Woolly

Great Prog!

Covers growing on me, but like others I'm surprised it wasn't an Absalom cover.

Never seen the work of Simon Roy before - I like it, has a certain Dave Taylor/McCarthy vibe to it. Really nice colouring.
Story's good too.

Slaine [spoiler]wins by bleeding[/spoiler]. Quite sporting of the Archon to [spoiler]give him a day to get his shit together and leave, more like a cheated spouse than a Dark God![/spoiler]

Indigo Prime continues to be Indigo Prime, which is a very good thing. Kek-W seems a perfect fit so far.

Absalom returns and is as wonderful as ever.
QuoteFor a while now, I've got the feeling this is a finite tale, and Gordon Rennie does have a tendency to get bored with his own strips. So in a sense, I hope he wraps this up, and gives Absalom a proper ending, even though I'd be happy to see this regularly in the Prog for years to come. It's horrible, caustic, funny, and has superb art.
Yup, ^this^

Grey Area ain't my thing, but looks great when I flick through it.

And my 2000AD pin badges turned up in the post! Cheers Tharg  :thumbsup:

CalHab

Quote from: IndigoPrime on 15 October, 2017, 11:35:16 AM
Quote from: A.Cow on 14 October, 2017, 02:42:58 PMDon't get me wrong: always keen to see up-and-coming talent and the Roy droid clearly has potential.
Up-and-coming? He did Prophet, which started in 2012, and was superb. It's not like he's a new that's just been dropped into Dredd.

Prophet is possibly the best comic of the last ten years, so the guy clearly has more than "potential". I was very excited to open the prog and see his name. It's a great thing that Tharg is getting some of the most exciting people working in comics today in the prog. As you'd expect, the alien war opening sequence steals the show.