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Spoilers => Megazine => Topic started by: Ghost MacRoth on 16 January, 2016, 02:16:19 PM

Title: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: Ghost MacRoth on 16 January, 2016, 02:16:19 PM
Cover:  Nice, if a wee bit 'soft focus'?

Dredd:  Percival is back, and on form as always.  Like the cover, couyple of panels are a bit 'soft' or 'murky', but hey, that's his style eh?  Was a bit confused though....they find the ship, and climb on at a lower level....then at the end, it looks like the upper deck is at sea level?  Are they sinking?? 

Interrogation 1:  Skimmed. 

Cry Havoc: Extended advert for a different comic....skipped.

Demon Nic:  Entirely over this one now.  Will not be fussed if it doesn't show up again.

Interrogation 2: Skipped.

DeMarco:  Decent.  Think at this pace, it may be a tale best re-read in one hit.  We'll see.

Dredd 2:
Lovely art, likely my favorite in the meg this month.  Tale is moving along nicely, and I love that the madness of the classic Dredd is being combined so nicely with the stark realism of the 2012 film.  A great mix.

Floppy:  Ignored.

Really starting to lose faith in the meg overall. :(
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: Eamonn Clarke on 16 January, 2016, 02:56:25 PM
(http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r182/Caliban_photos/m368_zpstioxvpr9.jpg)
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: IndigoPrime on 16 January, 2016, 04:07:35 PM
By contrast, I rather liked this one. The lead Dredd is intriguing and a bit different, Demon Nic has been fresh and interesting (and I imagine will do well in a straight-through re-read), DeMarco's solid, and Dredd 2 (bar boob armour) is great to see. The text stuff is always a bit variable, but I happily read through the first interrogation. I even enjoyed the floppy, despite not remembering a great deal about Synnamon from its original appearance a decade ago.
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: Freddychopper on 16 January, 2016, 05:45:50 PM
The Meg is going strong.

Stunning cover art by Nick Percival. I love how we actually get a shot that focuses on the environment and makes Dredd seem vulnerable to what lies ahead. Not keen on the design bits though with the letters in the water. I like the pun 'Pacific Grim' but they seem to detract from the great art. Am I right in that I heard a new designer is working for 2000ad, etc?

Anyway, The Gyre is fantastic. Nice build up and it's great to see Dredd and Joyce in a completely new looking place. Real atmosphere and mood to the brilliant art and I love the word-building Percival puts into it with all the little details and texture. Carroll and Percival make a great Dredd team and I just wish they'd do more together.

Interrogation was a good read but does take up a fair few pages, along with the other text features. good for a toilet break, though!

With Demon Nic, still not really sure what's really going on but I've always loved Paul Grist from the Kane days (and Mudman was great). It's pretty bonkers but better than Reaper!

DeMarco is more Carroll brilliance with nice art. A tiny bit sparse but great storytelling. Carroll seems to be taking over the Prog and Meg these day, not that I'm complaining.

And how cool would it be to have a live action version of Dust (I know it won't happen) but it's great to see the movie world of Dredd expanded without the budget restrictions of live action. If only.

Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: Geoff on 16 January, 2016, 08:26:21 PM
Quote from: Freddychopper on 16 January, 2016, 05:45:50 PM


Stunning cover art by Nick Percival. I love how we actually get a shot that focuses on the environment and makes Dredd seem vulnerable to what lies ahead. Not keen on the design bits though with the letters in the water. I like the pun 'Pacific Grim' but they seem to detract from the great art.



Totally agree, great cover, like the pun, but those blocky letters in the water - urgh.

The Gyre really grabs me, the rest of the Meg...distinctly average I'm afraid..
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: Proudhuff on 17 January, 2016, 12:48:17 PM
Cover: Really not my bag at all, the text is uuugh! no focus in the image and why, oh why would Dredd stand there with a flamin  torch? really? to show the way? so he could see ahead? why?

Dredd: Enjoying this tale and great to see Dredd team up with his new sidekick again.
 

Interrogation 1:  Skimmed. 

Cry Havoc: read with interest

Demon Nic: Picked up at the end, loved the artwork just a bit nonplussed about the story.

Interrogation 2: Skipped.

DeMarco:  Decent, but I do wish there was more bite to the art.

Dredd 2: Enjoying the gritty feel to this  ;)

Floppy: Disliked at the time and can never be arsed with the whole idealised female warrior thing, I'll leave that to others on the board. ::)

Heads up BUtt'man there's a letter page, with someone wisely asking for a review of the whole interrogation text pages.

A fine Megazine worth the price of a pint :D
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: Ghost MacRoth on 17 January, 2016, 02:22:25 PM
Ya post theivin' bastich! :p
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 17 January, 2016, 04:51:33 PM
Now, you listen here you lot! Let's have no more of this, quite frankly, blasphemous snark about Demon Nic. Alright? Because it's bloody brilliant is what it is and i'll be here salivating for second, and thirds.

You can all go and play with your boring sexy ostriches if you like.  ;)
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: Ghost MacRoth on 17 January, 2016, 05:08:40 PM
Stuff demon nic right up the ostriches and flash fry them both. :D
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: The Monarch on 18 January, 2016, 01:53:12 AM
Synnamon can piss off into the back of the thrill sucker infested portion of the nerve centre archives
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: The Monarch on 18 January, 2016, 01:54:07 AM
Sorry guys that was aimed for the suggestions for the floppies thread
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 18 January, 2016, 11:12:39 PM
Quote from: The monarch on 18 January, 2016, 01:53:12 AM
Synnamon can piss off into the back of the thrill sucker infested portion of the nerve centre archives

I enjoyed it the first time around (I did, you can even search for the posts and everything) am actually keeping it, nay anticipating it, to enjoy once I've gone through the text sections in the Meg.
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: Magnetica on 20 January, 2016, 07:54:29 PM
Only read Dredd and Demon Nic so far.

I don't know what it is about Nick Percival's art, especially given the obvious amount of effort put in and the talent he has, but instead of reading it going "this is brilliant" and am reading it going "I should be thinking this is brilliant, but some how I am just not sure".

A couple of his depictions of Dredd left me a little non plussed as well. So what is up with the white whiskers on the bottom of the third page? And his teeth are a disgrace on the bottom of the sixth page - a visit to the Justice Dept hygienist is in order  :lol:

Dredd himself has made it clear a Judge should take care over his appearance and not have facial hair (Judge Lopez & the Oracle Spice for example).

I was really confused by the first three pages of Demon Nic. It seemed a non-sequitur with the rest of the story. So who is the guy with the ginger hair and why does Nic suddenly have horns (ok I know he is a demon, but he doesn't have them elsewhere). Hopefully a re-read will make it clearer.

Having previously defended the layouts on this forum, I did find them confusing this month - a couple of times I did not know what order I was meant to be reading the dialogue - the bit about his arrogance  and being trapped with him and the page where M'Gurk attacks Sister Mercy.

Anyway I really enjoyed DeMarco and Dredd last time, so here's hoping for a good 2nd half to the Meg.
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: Freddychopper on 20 January, 2016, 09:12:49 PM
Quote from: Magnetica on 20 January, 2016, 07:54:29 PM
Only read Dredd and Demon Nic so far.

"So what is up with the white whiskers on the bottom of the third page?"

-Unless Dredd has time for a wet shave on his mission (and electric razors won't work in the Gyre), then I think it's fine. I've always liked the slight stubble look on Dredd. Makes him look tougher and older than the average Judge and it's all really down to stylistic choices and artistic license, isn't it? And of course, young Joyce can't grow stubble yet!  ;)

Edited to repair quote—IP
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: Magnetica on 20 January, 2016, 10:13:03 PM
Yeah except he hasn't got there yet.

I am all for the artists interpreting him, the Lawmaster, the Lawgiver, blocks etc differently, but what I an referring to is a plot point written by Wagner and Grant.
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: Jacqusie on 21 January, 2016, 01:01:43 AM
Quote from: Freddychopper on 16 January, 2016, 05:45:50 PM

Stunning cover art by Nick Percival. I love how we actually get a shot that focuses on the environment and makes Dredd seem vulnerable to what lies ahead. Not keen on the design bits though with the letters in the water. I like the pun 'Pacific Grim' but they seem to detract from the great art
Quote


My first instincts too, I love the cover & Nick Percival is always welcome on Dredd for me, but the GCSE design lettering really does it an injustice. Which is a real shame. The Meg and 2000ad are hitting some really high notes at the moment, so why ruin a good thing design droids?

I notice that the prog has stopped the font nightmare that was blighting it (the Defoe cover -ugh) but the pesky lettering sprite seems to have found a new home to take a steaming poo on...

That's some great Dreddage tho...

Si
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: IndigoPrime on 21 January, 2016, 09:49:57 AM
The floating letters are probably a good example of 'seemed like a good idea at the time'. Frankly, I'm not against more experimentation with typography, because it can lead to interesting things. It didn't come off in this case, but there you go.

Oddly, the lettering thing that's bugging me right now is Ellie De Ville's backwards Qs, which I noticed recently and now cannot unsee. I really like her lettering, but quite why she's gone for Qs in that way is beyond me. (And, yeah, I know: the most minor of niggles.)
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: petesbeats on 22 January, 2016, 10:26:04 AM
Quote from: Proudhuff on 17 January, 2016, 12:48:17 PM
why, oh why would Dredd stand there with a flamin  torch? really? to show the way? so he could see ahead? why?

Is this not because the electrical storm in The Gyre doesnt allow the use of electrical Items like torches?  It states they can't use their lawgivers and could affect Dredds eyes.
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: Colin YNWA on 23 January, 2016, 04:00:37 PM
Well that was a bit... damp, I guess.

I read Demon Nic the other night and it ended as the series has be all along quite superbly, The only trouble is having read that today when I settled down to polish the Meg off all that was left was okay stuff. Nowt wrong with any of it, just nothing really had any bite for me.

Dredd ' The Gyre' was pretty good set up, if it felt a little fimilar from the Carroll droid. Dredd in a new underground kingdom on the chase with Joyce. All fine and nicely action packed but nowt to grip me especially. Its not helped that I do struggle a bit with Nick Percival's art. Nothing seems solid, or to gell together for me.

DeMarco has the opposite problem, loved the art but the story was a bit flimsy, just didn't told strong enough to really get me.

Dust, well alas neither art nor story felt anything other than standard. Not bad, just not good. Even the text pieces didn't entice the way they might have. I've read enough interviews with our Lord Spurrioso to not feel I needed this one and the other was fine but ... well that was all.

So yeah with Demon Nic gone I'm a little concerned what the Meg will off over the next couple if months. Still time will tell.
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: ZenArcade on 23 January, 2016, 08:25:55 PM
I'm confused (your natural state you say....bastards!), they send Dredd off to deal (badly as it turned out) with the Dark Judges, with a prototype Lawgiver. Now they send him off into Mad Max land on water wirh an electronic, computerised pistol!!! Could they not have used a little foresight and given him a tried and tested historical pistol or longarm woth some sort of reach weapon like a short sword (kukri, kindjal or machete).  Did Justice department not use some form of revolver even in the 2060's. Tenious stuff. Z
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: JUDGE BURNS on 25 January, 2016, 12:21:49 AM
I have still to complete reading the latest meg , but I am pleased that Demon Nic is finally over. It did take over far too many pages each month, and I'm looking forward to something new I can actually read and enjoy. It just wasn't my kind of thing.  Apart from that , the Meg is looking great .  That is all.
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: JUDGE BURNS on 25 January, 2016, 12:25:47 AM
forgot to mention about the floppy, Synnamon?  Really? scraping the barrel there I think.
Maybe time to end the floppy. 
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: Proudhuff on 25 January, 2016, 04:07:22 PM
Quote from: petesbeats on 22 January, 2016, 10:26:04 AM
Quote from: Proudhuff on 17 January, 2016, 12:48:17 PM
why, oh why would Dredd stand there with a flamin  torch? really? to show the way? so he could see ahead? why?

Is this not because the electrical storm in The Gyre doesnt allow the use of electrical Items like torches?  It states they can't use their lawgivers and could affect Dredds eyes.

I was just wondering how far one can see in a storm, at sea, clamped onto the rail of a heaving ship, by the light of a flaming torch? Having held one of these they tend to throw a small circle of light in all directions and half blind you at the same time, and let's not get into pitching and bow waves.  :D
much like the text choice mentioned above this should be filed under the 'good idea at the time' heading.
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: IndigoPrime on 25 January, 2016, 04:30:52 PM
Quote from: JUDGE BURNS on 25 January, 2016, 12:25:47 AMforgot to mention about the floppy, Synnamon?  Really? scraping the barrel there I think. Maybe time to end the floppy.
Thing is, it'd get replaced with nothing, and the cover price wouldn't change. Better to just give away the ones you don't like, surely?
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: Skullmo on 25 January, 2016, 05:32:42 PM
Quote from: Colin_YNWA on 23 January, 2016, 04:00:37 PM
Dredd ' The Gyre' was pretty good set up, if it felt a little fimilar from the Carroll droid. Dredd in a new underground kingdom on the chase with Joyce.

:'( not again!
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: Tjm86 on 25 January, 2016, 06:49:40 PM
Quote from: IndigoPrime on 25 January, 2016, 04:30:52 PM
Quote from: JUDGE BURNS on 25 January, 2016, 12:25:47 AMforgot to mention about the floppy, Synnamon?  Really? scraping the barrel there I think. Maybe time to end the floppy.
Thing is, it'd get replaced with nothing, and the cover price wouldn't change. Better to just give away the ones you don't like, surely?

Maybe this aint the best place to offer them up but I've found little appetite for them.
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: Colin YNWA on 25 January, 2016, 06:51:32 PM
Quote from: Skullmo on 25 January, 2016, 05:32:42 PM
Quote from: Colin_YNWA on 23 January, 2016, 04:00:37 PM
Dredd ' The Gyre' was pretty good set up, if it felt a little fimilar from the Carroll droid. Dredd in a new underground kingdom on the chase with Joyce.

:'( not again!

I should point out I don't mean underground in the literal sense, given the aquatic nature of the story that would be difficult! I mean underground as in off the radar.
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: NapalmKev on 26 January, 2016, 09:00:43 AM
Quote from: Tjm86 on 25 January, 2016, 06:49:40 PM
Quote from: IndigoPrime on 25 January, 2016, 04:30:52 PM
Quote from: JUDGE BURNS on 25 January, 2016, 12:25:47 AMforgot to mention about the floppy, Synnamon?  Really? scraping the barrel there I think. Maybe time to end the floppy.
Thing is, it'd get replaced with nothing, and the cover price wouldn't change. Better to just give away the ones you don't like, surely?

Maybe this aint the best place to offer them up but I've found little appetite for them.

Give them to a Hospital or Dentist for the waiting rooms. It's gotta be better than letting them go to waste and may even bring new/lapsed readers on board.

Cheers
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: TordelBack on 26 January, 2016, 09:19:41 AM
Quote from: Colin_YNWA on 25 January, 2016, 06:51:32 PM
Quote from: Skullmo on 25 January, 2016, 05:32:42 PM
Quote from: Colin_YNWA on 23 January, 2016, 04:00:37 PM
Dredd ' The Gyre' was pretty good set up, if it felt a little fimilar from the Carroll droid. Dredd in a new underground kingdom on the chase with Joyce.

:'( not again!

I should point out I don't mean underground in the literal sense, given the aquatic nature of the story that would be difficult! I mean underground as in off the radar.

Mike has set out his Dredd stall fairly clearly: he's been re-exploring Dredd's world pretty consistently for a few years now, with trips to the former MC-2, Emerald Isle, the Lawlords, Uranium City, the Undercity and now the Gyre.  In general he brings a lighter touch to these elements than writers in the heydey of wider Dreddworld adventures, using them as actual story elements rather than mildly tweaked contrasts with MC-1. He obviously enjoys developing his own supporting cast, and with the exception of never-quite-clicked Dolman I think this is a good way to go.

Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: TordelBack on 26 January, 2016, 09:23:33 AM
Gah, hit 'post' by mistake. Meant to conclude that both directions give him freedom to develop stories that broaden the scope of Dredd, and can have ongoing and overlapping plots. It's a welcome alternative to Hershey and Dredd bickering about the latest world-ending crisis.
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: Proudhuff on 04 February, 2016, 03:46:55 PM
'never-quite-clicked Dolman' where's he been since DoC I wonder?
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: The Adventurer on 04 February, 2016, 04:48:49 PM
Quote from: Magnetica on 20 January, 2016, 07:54:29 PM
Only read Dredd and Demon Nic so far.

I was really confused by the first three pages of Demon Nic. It seemed a non-sequitur with the rest of the story. So who is the guy with the ginger hair and why does Nic suddenly have horns (ok I know he is a demon, but he doesn't have them elsewhere). Hopefully a re-read will make it clearer.


It's a flashback.
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: BPP on 17 March, 2016, 12:28:23 AM
Finally found an evening t sit down and read through the 8 epsoides of Demon Nic.

Easily one of the best things to have appeared in 2015. The art is sublime, a joyous combination of Hewlit and Hunt with suitably chunky Mignola lines. The story is fun, nothing revolutionary as a tale but completely lifted by great plotting, wonderful sparse joke filled monologues and nicely placed temporal shifts (the talk with dead friends, the origins tale. Nic himself is a very modern 2000ad character (old, worn, cynical, bothered) and hell yes I hope this returns. When you see the US market get all excited by Headlopper and then read this you sort of sigh that this isn't the work getting the plaudits and sales. Should Paul ever stumble this way (I imagine that's doubtful) he has my deep thanks for a great great comic.
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 18 March, 2016, 10:43:19 AM
Paul Grist has apparently started work on a second run for Demon Nic, but is trying to focus on getting the new KANE book out, plus a few issues of Mudman.
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: Colin YNWA on 18 March, 2016, 12:40:17 PM
Quote from: Hawkmumbler on 18 March, 2016, 10:43:19 AM
...but is trying to focus on getting the new KANE book out, plus a few issues of Mudman.

He's been saying that for years now!
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: RaggedMan on 22 March, 2016, 10:38:52 PM
If I ever win the lottery I am going to shower Paul Grist in gold so that he may continue Jack Staff and Kane. In his downtime he can work on Nic and Mudman.
This is not a joke.
Though I may have a hard time explaining it to my better half.
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: Proudhuff on 23 March, 2016, 11:25:02 AM
Quote from: RaggedMan on 22 March, 2016, 10:38:52 PM
If I ever win the lottery I am going to shower Paul Grist in gold so that he may continue Jack Staff and Kane. In his downtime he can work on Nic and Mudman.
This is not a joke.
Though I may have a hard time explaining it to my better half.

Sign a prenuptial? 
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: TordelBack on 26 July, 2016, 02:43:11 PM
So my 50p sale Meg almost-catch-up heads towards conclusion.  Just wanted to register some praise for Demon Nic. I don't really know how I'd have taken it over 8 months, but over a few leisurely weeks it has been absolutely fantastic. It's very familiar territory of course, but just so deftly and charmingly done. Great characters, memorable designs, sharp but not overworked dialogue, distinctive voices, interesting twists and absolutely beautiful page layouts.  My first Paul Grist comic, but not my last. Welcome back in the Meg anytime.

While this edges into 2016, it's really one of the standout strips of one of the Meg's strongest ever runs, the latter half of 2015. Between Demon Nic, the sublime Lawless, el Maldito, some decent Anderson, some strong Black Museum... Just a fantastic lineup. The articles were good, Lob, Freaks and Tyranny Rex in the floppies, the end of the blight that was New Harlem Heroes (seriously Tharg, once was enough).
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 28 July, 2016, 09:27:21 AM
If you want more wonderful Paul Grist, I can't recommend Jack Staff enough! Quite simply one of my all time favorite comics, available in 4 lovely (and quite cheap) TPB's.
Title: Re: Meg 368: Pacific Grim
Post by: Colin YNWA on 28 July, 2016, 09:37:27 PM
Quote from: Hawkmumbler on 28 July, 2016, 09:27:21 AM
If you want more wonderful Paul Grist, I can't recommend Jack Staff enough! Quite simply one of my all time favorite comics, available in 4 lovely (and quite cheap) TPB's.

Yep this is true.