Prog 1697 - Card Sharks!

[Dandontdare]

It's been a while since I did a full review!

Cover - Don't have my prog to hand and this site is still showing the last one. I suppose the fact that I can't actually remember what it was says something!

Droid life. Tee hee. I love this strip, it's the only thing I ever read on the nerve centre page. Got my poster last week too, which is superb.

Dredd - A workmanlike finish to a solid if unremarkable Dredd tale. Not sure if it really needed 3 parts though. I love the art, but this depiction has finally confirmed in my mind that I really, really don't like the new lawgiver design. The boxiness of it seems particularly exaggerated here. Give me the old mark 1 any day!

Savage - great action, superbly detailed b/w art. My only gripe with this series is that the character of Bill Savage seems to have been lost and it's just a generic war story now. Ever since he had plastic surgery and started adopting aliases, I've never been really clear as to which one IS Savage. The whole point of this story when it started was that he was an ordinary geezer, a lorry driver who just wandered around with his shootah causing mayhem and wasting volgs to avenge his family and his country. He had little time for the organised military side of the resistance, but now he's turned into some sort of super-spy.

Sin/Dex - highlight of the prog. I really hope they don't wrap this up too quickly. All those slow months of character placement and build up are finally paying off and I'm gripped. Also love the "this is what happens..." device used throughout. Top thrill.

Red Seas. CHOOOM! 'nuff said.
(p.s. - I'm not nautically inclined - is there such a direction as "larboard"?)

Strontium Dog. I'm guessing that finding the skimmer so quickly is no coincidence. It's a weird one this. I'm reading it with a mix of dread and excitement. I really can't decide how I want this story to end, and I'm beginning to fear for Middenface, but so far I'm enjoying the ride.

[Dark Jimbo]

(p.s. - I'm not nautically inclined - is there such a direction as "larboard"?)

Larboard is an archaic term for Port, presumably scrapped for sounding too similar to Starboard.

[WoD]

Card Shark - fairly common term (especially in Poker) - someone who plays a good game and 'eats' the 'fish' who are on the table...

Pretty good prog; enjoyed most of it...wasn't fussed on the last line of Dredd though.

[House of Usher]

Card Shark - fairly common term (especially in Poker) - someone who plays a good game and 'eats' the 'fish' who are on the table...

Card sharp vs card shark: apparently you can have both.  

Does 'sharp' have connotations of cheating though, vs 'shark'?

[WoD]

Not sure...I'd take them both to mean 'look out, this person is liable to take all your taxi / drinking money and you're walking home'...

[House of Usher]

I am still waiting for 'pedal stool' to catch on.

[WoD]

I just want to see the full version of the 'nearly all female' Star Trek...think it will be a DVD extra?

[Proudhuff]

Fine fine, prog, nice final panel to Dredd too.

Sindex, well we knew that was going to happen!

Savage:
'The colider has exploded! everyone on high alert'
'Excuse me Mr Mainwaring-ski can I go the the little boys room?'
'Off you go Pike-ski, and take Cpl Jones with you'

Red Knees, there just isn't enough of this in each prog, more Thargy baby. more!

Stronty: I'll a bad feeling about this... Hopefully Middenpus survives

[Ochs]

Not much to add, loved it all, apart from as others have pointed out, the first panel in Dredd. It works in the weekly format but will look really odd if collected. Mind you maybe I'm missing the point.

The worst thing is, now I'm going on holiday and won't be here to collect the prog for three Saturdays leaving me hanging on for all of the endings... BLOODY HELL.

[House of Usher]

I'm glad I'm not going somewhere nice for a fortnight. 

[Trout]

I am increasingly worried about Middenface.

[Roger Godpleton]

Cover: Not my bag. Bad Stuff.

DL: Dialogue is good, but the visual gag is a bit flat. I WANT VISUAL GAGS FROM DROID LIFE. Very Good Stuff.(DL scale.)

Dredd: An interesting choice not to drown us in tell when it comes to Spongey. Wouldn't normally approve of this style of art but KR pulls it off very well. As far as that last caption is concerned ... yeah. Good Stuff.

Red Seas: It's just stuff firing at stuff but it's executed well. Good Stuff.

Sin/Dex: Was appremistic about Dabnett's destined ejaculation and thankfully we were Sufi-ciently (as a the loosest of archetypes adopted solely to appease rhythmic compulsion) rewarded. It really feels like writer and artist want to challenge themselves to construct imaginative narratives. Nobody does captions better than Dan. Great Stuff.

Savage: More spurt, less blurt is what we are given to our relief. What's all that gold watch stuff about though? Stellar art. Good Stuff.

Stront: I enjoy the maudlin overtones somewhat more than the proceedings this week. Great Stuff.

[Alski]

Never mind the rest of the prog - Droid Life is chuffing brilliant! 

[Keef Monkey]

Savage: More spurt, less blurt is what we are given to our relief. What's all that gold watch stuff about though? Stellar art. Good Stuff.

I might be wrong but I think it might be a callback to something someone might have said about that character during his introduction 39 episodes ago. Damn my memory.

[Jared Katooie]

I think it's a reference to the previous episode, when he freaked out after someone tried to buy his watch.


Cover: Eh. 0.45/1

Dredd: Fair enough. 0.50/1

Red Seas: More of the same. 0.39/1

Savage: Fair enough. 0.47/1

Strontium Dog: Great. 1/1