So this Prog should go a long way to quelling talk of 2000AD being in decline. That was just cracking with both stories and art (mostly) on top form.
A
Greg Staples cover always feels special.
That was the best episode of
Dredd in a very long time. With art like that Chris Weston has truly reached the same level as Bolland. And I never thought I would say that when reading Killing Time or Canon Fodder.
Jaegir as always shows up the line that there are no good new stories. This one did though feel a bit more like an old Rogue Trooper story than before.
The
Future Shock features some great art from Dylan Teague. I don’t recall him drawing a story before, knowing him more for his colouring work. I am sure someone will be along soon to enlighten me.
Dan Abnett stretches out one joke to 5 pages in a way only he can on
Sinister Dexter. I thought the unusual (for 2000AD) panel layout worked really well.
A strong opener for
Anderson featuring a welcome return for the Roach art bot. I had a nice chat with him at the 40th last year and would like to see him feature more regularly again. But as nice as the art is, I do (just) prefer the black and white stuff that featured in Prog 2000, especially the panels that featured the pencilled look. With this episode I think Emma Beeby has found the correct tone for Anderson. (I say that having just reread Shamballa this week).
Quick couple of questions: can someone remind me who those girls are Anderson and Flowers go to see are and have we seen Ilsa before?
Dan Cornwell also shows progression in his art on
Judge Fear. I can see shades of McMahon, Flint, Bolland, Robinson (Cliff not Hilary

) and Lynch in this. Good story too. Who says there is no mileage left in the DJs?
And so we come to
Strontium Dog. Firstly it is a cracking story, well told. But, and I say this knowing it will probably be controversial, but to my eye it’s not Carlos’s best art. Now I love his stuff but to me it’s not up to his usual standard.
There are some interesting comments earlier on the thread about other artists maybe doing Stront, but for me it is so ingrained as Carlos’ strip that I don’t want to see anyone else do it. If some one else has to do, then for my money no-one else has come close to the one Brendan McCarthy did in one of the Starlord annuals.