The completely self absorbed 2000ad re-read thread

[Colin YNWA]

The first relaunch of 2003 is a pretty decent thing. Prog 1336 gives us three strips, Dredd and the trial of Orlok, ABC Warriors and Snow/Tiger. Prog 1337 sees Caballistics Inc and Interceptor join them.

What strikes me is quite the wonderful balance and variety on offer, yet in that classic 2000ad way there is a tone and style that permiates. I'll start with ABC Warriors as the three episodes I've read of this so far are some of Mills best for a while. I can be a bit hard on Unca Pat but its times like this, the beginning of Shadow Warriors remind you this incredible talent and imagination. Accompanied by Carlos, who I mustg admit I've never thought was a great fit for ABC Warriors we see similar themes and ideas just delievered with more precison, craft and energtic fun than so much of 2000ad's father work at this time.

The high tech chaos wonders of Mars are contrasted by Snow / Tiger ... interesting by another ex 2000ad editor I've not always had the kindest words for. But Snow / Tiger starts really well. Its a modern terrorist thriller and feels a little different in tone at first as it feels very contemporary ... but under that its adjacent to the future robots. Its tight, sharp and just like ABCs full of energetic fun.

Interceptor I seem to recall doesn't stay long but the first two part move at a brisk lively pace as alien battle in a hospital and a doctor gets caught in the middle. Again energy and fun drive the tale and it starts really nicely with lovely art by Steve Pugh.

Next Caballistics Inc adds its dark, horror blend to the mix. Again though energy and strong character sass runs through.

It takes GRennie and Paul Marshall's cute Cal opera Dredd to inject some out right humour to the mix in a fun tale. What I like about this line-up is while on the surface these are pretty different there is such a clear and typically 2000ad vein through them all and that's something I love about the Galaxy's Greatest. This might not be a hailed line-up. It wouldn't appear on anyones (well there's always someone - another joy of 2000ad is the diversity of fandom) all time list but its so satisfying solid and enjoyable, so full of that energy I've mentioned often before in this post.

Heck run of the mill 2000ad is streets ahead of the rest.

[Colin YNWA]

Slipping in a quick one tonight. Been interesting to see how the none Wagner Dredd's are coming on. Grennie is coming on a treat and Progs 1339 - 1341 has a very strong three parter by Robbie Morrison - Hard Day's Night. Which sees Dredd take a rookie for his final exam, after just having lost this original examiner. Moreno the rookie is clearly out for revenge... but revenge for what? Its tight, sharp and gripping, aided by some great Patrick Goddard art its a minor trimpuh.

We also see the current line up start to wrap up at this time. Caballistics Inc ends a short story really well in Prog 1340 and the current book of ABC Warriors ends after only 6 episodes in 1341 and it remains immense fun to the end.

So with subs being brought on already can Tharg keep this excellent start to this season up?

[TordelBack]

Slipping in a quick one tonight.

And you had the energy to do a quick review too!

[broodblik]

This is the point from where I have all the digital progs. I enjoyed the Dredd vs Aliens story with some great Flint art.

[Colin YNWA]

This is the point from where I have all the digital progs. I enjoyed the Dredd vs Aliens story with some great Flint art.

Is Tharg still scanning or has the digital archive been there for a while?

Anyway its a good place to get on board as this is such a solid period of thrill power.



There's nothing straightforward about straightforward thrills

The only real surprise during this period how short Snow / Tiger is its only 7 parts I thought it was longer... and I don't think it comes back. Does this mark the end of Andy Clarke's time in the Prog too? Shame if so. This is just a straightforward action piece, but pretty entertaining for that.

The other surprise is how long Interceptor is at 9 parts - I thought this one was much shorter like 'Scrap' and that car one, but not so. Its nothing to astonishing, its a fun character thrown into world beyond their comprehension and they have to learn to cope and bash the aliens. Writer Ian Edginton and artist Steve Pugh try to throw in some much needed diversity by making the lead a woman of colour. They do forget that by making her a pretty straightforward hardass action hero they do kinda reduce the impact of that alas. For all that I really enjoyed this thrill and was surprised I didn't really remember it.

As thrills come and go they are joined by more straightforward thrills. Rogue Trooper... which is a great action thriller and is only surprising in that its a really good Rogue Trooper story. We get some straightforward Sinister Dexter as well. But then straightforward Sinister Dexter is of course bloody good comics.

They only thing that's not solid and straightforward is Judge Dredd - Revenge of the Chief Judge's Man by Wagner and Burns. That is simply magnificent. And the far from straight forward Lobster Random which I'll talk more about next time...

...but these exceptional thrills are the exception at this time of solid, entertaining 2000ad stories. The thing is a time of solid dependable 2000ad stories only serves to remind you how lucky we are. See solid, straightforward action adventure from 2000ad is so comfortably ahead of 90% of the comics out there. This period has really done a job of making me reflect on the fact if half these strips (or more) than come out in 22 page format from Image or such I'd be raving about them. The time that Tharg gives us so much great stuff, so often can make us over look how good he is to us and this period mid 2003 has really do a job of making me reflect on that.

[broodblik]

This is the point from where I have all the digital progs. I enjoyed the Dredd vs Aliens story with some great Flint art.

Is Tharg still scanning or has the digital archive been there for a while?

Anyway its a good place to get on board as this is such a solid period of thrill power.

The digital archive has now been existing for at least the last 5 years. They started releasing it per year on almost monthly basis and stopped when they reach 2003. It is a pity since I would like to go back to the point where I stopped buying the prog in 1995.

Yes this was a great time to get on board some solid thrills and the years to come was even better.

[Colin YNWA]

So this excellent run comes to an end. Couple of points of note. I'm already wrong about Andy Clarke as here he is again introducing Kal Cutter in Sinister Dexter and now I think we get another story (at least by him) featuring Kal. Another surprise in this story is the introduction of Charon. For some reason I really wasn't expecting him so soon. Always felt more could have been done with him. Still that's a ways off.

Anyway that's all preamble. Welcome to


And as we head into a relaunch Prog at 1350 there is really only one thing to talk about... well given I kinda covered how good 'Revenge of the Chief Judges Man' is already and that's new thrill

Lobster Random

I love this thrill. Its quite brilliant and if I could get one creator back to finish a story in 2000ad it could very well be Si Spurrier to give us more of this glorious thrill... well maybe a beardo mage and this artist partner might edge it... anyway its great.

What has struck me is how this story of a aged expert torturer, with two additional lobster limbs grafted onto him and his fettish for robot lovin' is actually another example of a solid, dependable thrill...

...well okay its not is it, but there is a link I'll get to.

First though lets just revel in how this story offers something so untypical. Fair to say we have some of the characteristics of our lead already setting that up. But we have more. The story mianders quite wonderfully. From the simply magnificent opening episode when our led is rescued from a regression death that gives us possibly the best introduction to a character's past ever in the Prog. From here it quickly turns into an imaginative heist caper. Before ending as a bitter revenge thriller. All of these are balanced perfectly.

Si Spurriers bold and pulsating story maybe the star, but its brought so magnificently to life by Carl Critchlow's art. He seems almost born for this strip. I mean I love his work at the best of times, here though his tight earthy angles hold the story firm and keep it grounded and seemingly impossibly real. The chaotic and kinetic edges and shapes also push the story effortlessly to all the imaginative and mind expanding places it takes you to.

This glorious combination of art and story is no better exemplified than in the story's eighth episode when Lobster Randon loosens his connection to his dimension so he can pass through a wall. He has to hold himself together and pays the price for doing so as he loosens his grip all the pain he hasn't felt since being turned into a super solider is shaken loose too. The whole thing sounds extraordinary and in its delivery its superfically surreal and psychodelic. Yet so perfectly crafted its easy to follow, has emotional impact and feels natural and grounded.

Its just brilliant.

This combination of the extreme and 'crazy' and plain expert delivery makes it all so human, humourous and humunously good is also why it has elements of a 'typical' 2000ad thrill. For all the things Lobster Random is as described above he is also such a typically wonderful 2000ad character. In the stories of the 90s he'd have been a shallow badass. All clinched buttucks and crappy hard dialogue. Here he's from the leftfield where Tharg finds his best, but also a typical action bad ass, with a gloriously sharp line in wit and twisted wisdom. Yet he's also human and real hidden behind the kick ass fun. He's typically atypical in that way only a typical 2000ad story can manage.

This strip will be back relatively soon as I recall and I for one can't wait.

For now though after a short break we'll get back to some really typical 2000ad characters as 1350 brings us an all a list line up of Dredd, Slaine and Strontium Dog.