Prog 2304 - At the End of the World

[broodblik]

A good solid prog.

Dredd – The story jumps back to directly after Senteniod was apprehended.  Dredd tries to “recruit” Anderson to help find out what is going on in the world of Buratino. An interesting twist in the last page. Another good episode with Flint’s art still amazing.

Chimpsky – As Chimpksy starts to piece together what is going on with Judges on his doorstep, the twins step-up their little mis-adventure pulling on Chimpsky’s friends. Another great episode and just is turning out to be a gem of story.

Enemy Earth – The story moved a few inches but still nothing to grab my attention.


Hope – This was an intriguing episode as we now start to see who the real enemy is. What the plan is, is still hidden but it does not spell any good.


Hershey – Another good episode as Hershey investigates to source of the drug. Dirty Frank does he normal best by infiltrating the underground.
 

[broodblik]

Cover by Simon Fraser:

[broodblik]

Cover and Logo:

[broodblik]

B/W Cover:

[Barrington Boots]

I like that cover.

Dredd – I'm digging this story so far. Good to see Sentientoid is back and Buratino gradually becoming more sinister. Dredd's acting like a bit of a nob, as usual, and will be right, as usual. Henry Flint art is superb (not sold on his weirdly young Anderson, but amazing work nonetheless). Unexpected last page development and will be interesting to see how this ties into the first page of the last episode.

Chimpsky – This is really great on all levels - I'm totally invested in the story (unlike others in this Prog) and really want to see what happens next. Those kids are utterly vile and I really want them to get their comeuppance!

Enemy Earth – Really not enjoying this. The art is not to my taste and the 'snarky' dialogue at the start is just awful. My niece watches stuff where people talk like this, so it may be on the nose for a younger reader?

Hope – Not enjoying this either. It's very dark and horrible, which is good, but it lacks any kind of interest or engagement for me.

Hershey – In contrast, having not enjoyed the previous Hershey stuff I am enjoying this one. I'm over my indignation at her return and the story feels less daft than the boxing one. Having Frank back to being all Frank-y helps a lot. Stellar art from Simon Fraser.

[SmallBlueThing(Reborn)]

A really good prog in which i enjoyed everything- even Enemy Earth, which I think I've got a handle on now. The art had been bugging me, as it's (as you'd expect, seeing its origins as part of Regened) more influenced by the type of strip seen in comics designed for, er, 'Young People', than I would normally like. It looks like a strip for The Phoenix or an Image series that I wouldn't buy- but as I said, I've come to terms with that now and appreciate the storytelling. And, of course, it wouldn't be 2000AD if everything were in the same style. Any comic that could be a home to Bolland, Ezquerra, McMahon, O'Neill (in the same prog!) and later Langley, Roach, Burns and D'Israeli, among many others, has earned the right to print absolutely any art style it so chooses.

And, to repeat, I enjoyed everything this week. I love Henry Flints new style- very 'European'- and Hope was (for once) a straightforward read that hit all the right notes. Hersey in Antarctica is always going to please me, and this Chimpsky is the best so far.

So: Hershey>Dredd>Chimpsky>Hope>Enemy Earth... but with EE scoring a decent 7/10 in my entirely off-the-cuff and madeup rating system, everything is top tier.

Now will someone please open a thread for Meg 449 because I want to shout loudly about how utterly brilliant the floppie is. (I've forgotten the Meg's strapline this month and the comic is bagged and boxed, so don't want to open a thread that is untitled).

SBT

[norton canes]

Really nice prog from cover to cover. You can't beat an opening page where the only dialogue is "I am a horse". The figure in the globe on the second page of 'Buratino Must Die' is War from 'End of Days', yeah? On board with the new Glamderson a bit more now. The way she's drawn look a little like something from a John Burns strip. Enemy Earth needs, to reverse Elvis, a little less action, a little more conversation - or plot development, at least. I'd never really noticed but I do like the huge bags under Zoe's eyes, suggesting her predicament has been more gruelling than one might immediately think. Know what? If we hadn't had such an excellent Simon Fraser cover a better alternative might have been a close-up of the killer panel on the second page of Hope... with the tagline 'Truman kaput'. Sterling work once more from Williams and Fraser on Hershey, those colours are just phenomenal. And in the face of all that competition, Chimpsky once more comes out on top (doesn't he always..?)

'Helium'? This is one that's been on extended leave, isn't it?

[AlexF]

By gosh the art is unbelievable at the moment. Simon Fraser is on fire, but it's just possible Henry Flint may be burning even brighter! Jimmy Broxton is always amazing, I can quite see that it must take him some time to do what he does. PJ Holden continues to make it look effortless to fill each panel with so much detail and never lose sight of the storytelling - and while Luke Horsman is not in these guys' league, I'm really enjoying his basic style. The way he draws faces and hair is unlike anyone else and it's super charming.

[broodblik]

... and while Luke Horsman is not in these guys' league, I'm really enjoying his basic style. The way he draws faces and hair is unlike anyone else and it's super charming.

My main problem with Luke's art is, is that I struggle to determine the gender of the characters. I have to remind myself that Zoe is a girl (not that should make a difference in nay story). I also find his characters to "look" too similar. But it is still great that the prog embrace different styles. 

[The Corinthian]

The Dredd-verse strips (plus Dredd himself) are definitely the highlights of the prog at the moment. Given we're coming up to the tenth anniversary of Trifecta... and given Dirty Frank is still noodling over Smiley... does anyone else suppose we could be heading for a big crossover twist?

OK, just me then.

[Colin YNWA]

Getting behind on my reading, for reasons I won't bore folks with and only got to the Prog (last weeks) last night. While I know we'd seen it elsewhere it is lovely to see Helium in the'Thrills of the Future'box.

Dredd is decent an while I love Henry Flint on almost every level I'm in a minority (I think) of not liking his take on Anderson. Its a relatively small thing, but when you think of Flint as perfection as i do it really jars.

Chimpsky's Law remains brilliant, engaging and thrilling.

Enemy Earth I had some problems with the storytelling this week but the art is getting there. Finally we might have expanded our setting and its certainly action packed, not bad.

Hope remains grimly excellent.

Hershey continues to have stunning art and is a good story enjoying this.

Good prog.

[Link Prime]

This run has it's fans it seem, but only one Thrill in Five is doin it for me this autumn:

Dredd - Flint remains a living Deity, but all End of Days references should be Room 101'd.
Chimpsky - Not really my cuppa.
Enemy Earth - Enemy 2000AD reader, amirite.
Hope - Continues to be something I am interested in reading. Broxton can do the heavy lifting when needed, on occasion.
Hershey - I was out from Day 1.

Roll on the winter line up.