Main Menu

Prog 2081 - Homies under der hammer

Started by Colin YNWA, 12 May, 2018, 01:30:20 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

sheridan

Quote from: norton canes on 17 May, 2018, 10:29:04 AM
Which leaves Skip Tracer, making a snappy five-page debut. Definite shades of Brink in the setting - or even Topsoil from the Dan Dare strips. Not sure how to put this in a way that doesn't sound insulting (which I don't want to do, I loved it!) but it seemed a bit more of an easy read than most other 2000 AD strips right now. Might be barking up the wrong tree but I thought perhaps it was something written for 2000 AD Regened but upgraded to the regular prog instead?


Nah - there's nobody being killed in Regened, is there?  I thought that was one of the limitations on the Cadet Dredd strip - that it had to be shooty-free.

sheridan

Quote from: Mardroid on 16 May, 2018, 11:35:58 AM
Strontium Dog: As Silverman is a robot, with no DNA, how can they prove the job was done? Would camera footage be enough, in this instance? Actually, since he is a robot, covered in near indestructible armour, I reckon he's still alive out there. He wouldn't be able to do much, unless he's got some rocket boosters or anti-grab tech, and I guess he'll run out of power sooner or later (unless he is self charging* or solar powered) but there's a possible loose end which could be taken up in a future tale...)


It's a loose end I spotted too, as I was reading it - I was expecting there to be some sort of follow-up to that panel showing how the robot would actually be killed/destroyed.  The sequel story will have him bumping in to Edwin, during one of this long periods drifting in space.

JamesC


Frank

Quote from: Mardroid on 16 May, 2018, 11:35:58 AM
Strontium Dog: As Silverman is a robot, with no DNA, how can they prove the job was done? Would camera footage be enough, in this instance? Actually, since he is a robot, covered in near indestructible armour, I reckon he's still alive out there. He wouldn't be able to do much, unless he's got some rocket boosters or anti-grab tech, and I guess he'll run out of power sooner or later

I'm no science-talking guy, but the extreme temperatures and lack of air pressure are as much a part of the hostile environment of space as the lack of oxygen.

Dude's armour is Silveranium*, but any fluids in his hydraulics would boil off or freeze. Presumably, the chipset inside his cock-tip head is just as vulnerable to atmospheric extremes as my phone, which goes mental if I spend too long outside in Winter. Being teleported into space would probably be worse?


* not actual (made-up) name

Steve Green

Alpha could have plotted it for Silverman to go into the nearest star for safety's sake, I imagine it's more John thinking there could be mileage in bringing him back, and being a bit less trigger happy about offing villains and heroes these days.

norton canes

Quote from: sheridan on 17 May, 2018, 01:02:52 PM
Quote from: norton canes on 17 May, 2018, 10:29:04 AM
Which leaves Skip Tracer, making a snappy five-page debut. Definite shades of Brink in the setting - or even Topsoil from the Dan Dare strips. Not sure how to put this in a way that doesn't sound insulting (which I don't want to do, I loved it!) but it seemed a bit more of an easy read than most other 2000 AD strips right now. Might be barking up the wrong tree but I thought perhaps it was something written for 2000 AD Regened but upgraded to the regular prog instead?


Nah - there's nobody being killed in Regened, is there?  I thought that was one of the limitations on the Cadet Dredd strip - that it had to be shooty-free.

Well, that's what I was getting at - planned for Regened but ultimately unsuitable.

Mardroid

Quote from: sheridan on 17 May, 2018, 01:12:51 PM
Quote from: Mardroid on 16 May, 2018, 11:35:58 AM
Strontium Dog: As Silverman is a robot, with no DNA, how can they prove the job was done? Would camera footage be enough, in this instance? Actually, since he is a robot, covered in near indestructible armour, I reckon he's still alive out there. He wouldn't be able to do much, unless he's got some rocket boosters or anti-grab tech, and I guess he'll run out of power sooner or later (unless he is self charging* or solar powered) but there's a possible loose end which could be taken up in a future tale...)


It's a loose end I spotted too, as I was reading it - I was expecting there to be some sort of follow-up to that panel showing how the robot would actually be killed/destroyed.  The sequel story will have him bumping in to Edwin, during one of this long periods drifting in space.

I just noticed I wrote (or my phone e autocorrected, maybe) 'anti-grab instead of 'anti-grav'.

I shall leave it as it is. I'm easily amused.

The Enigmatic Dr X

No proggage this week at X Towers. I've had three of the last five arrive more than 5 days later! One Saturday I got two progs.
Lock up your spoons!

TordelBack

If you like well-armed blokes hunting crims, this is the comic for you!

Very much liked that Dredd. Sure, it relied a bit too heavily on longterm reader knowledge to land its punchline, but I'm actually more unsure as to how much the ordinary citizen/crazy would know about Feyy's prophecy, much less the City of the Damned alternative ending.  However, this was another very welcome return to street-level silliness, following the last fortnight's biker grannies, and it was a clever idea and a well-structured story, as well as looking great. Yet again, I beseech Tharg for more of this secret-corrupt-ninja-judge-free type of stuff.

Deadworld was as excellent as always.  Wot, two Judge Child references in the same prog? What's a noob to do?

Not getting anything original from Skip Tracer (yet), but it's solid work and I love coming to grips with a new strip.

Sinister Dexter didn't end this superb run on a particularly high note, but it was certainly fun.  As others have said, a bit more playing with design of a strong concept might have helped it along.

Strontium Dog was an utter pleasure start to finish, and if that's Carlos in a last-minute gap-filling hurry, I'd like to see more - I thought it felt light and effortless, perfect for the story at hand.

sheridan

Quote from: TordelBack on 17 May, 2018, 09:25:25 PM
Very much liked that Dredd. Sure, it relied a bit too heavily on longterm reader knowledge to land its punchline, but I'm actually more unsure as to how much the ordinary citizen/crazy would know about Feyy's prophecy, much less the City of the Damned alternative ending.

I did wonder about this, the Proteus side should be a bit more secret, but Old Stoney Face went around half the Cursed Earth (not to mention galaxy) showing people [spoiler]Owen's photo[/spoiler].

TordelBack

Heh, good point!  I did love the idea of the city living past its destined end (2120, I presume), and slowly rotting ever since.  The obvious echoes (distorted source?) of Feyy's vision in Necropolis (2114) and Day of Chaos (2134) have always fascinated me.

A.Cow

Quote from: norton canes on 17 May, 2018, 03:23:52 PM
Quote from: sheridan on 17 May, 2018, 01:02:52 PM
Nah - there's nobody being killed in Regened, is there?  I thought that was one of the limitations on the Cadet Dredd strip - that it had to be shooty-free.
Well, that's what I was getting at - planned for Regened but ultimately unsuitable.

I'm a bit confused at that.  What age range is Regened aimed at?  The early progs were packed with people being shot dead by the hero; they were (presumably) targeting 7-12 year olds at the time.  Even 'U' certificate Star Wars has a fairly high body count.

Timothy


Steve Green

I'd say things have reversed - 1970/80s 2000AD more violent than the films that kids would see - these days, the comics aimed at that age group less violent than the films they might get to see.

But even then you could see how there was a backlash against violence in films with Spielberg removing guns from ET or Lucas removing squibs from Star Wars special editions.

TordelBack

Quote from: A.Cow on 18 May, 2018, 12:15:33 AMEven 'U' certificate Star Wars has a fairly high body count.

Especially graphic too, if you consider BBQ Beru and strangled Captain Antilles...