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Prog 2217 In a Crime-Ridden City... ...He is the Law!

Started by McNulty, 01 February, 2021, 02:46:54 PM

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McNulty

Dredd: The most wonderful thing about Judge Dredd strips is that they can be literally anything - From high drama to low comedy. Sedate, ponderous musings on the essence of existence or zany, fun-filled action that doesn't take itself too seriously. It can gently get you to think about a relevant topic of the day or just aggressively push an agenda in your face and tell you to believe what the writer tells you. Every week they story can change and I wouldn't have it any other way. This week's offering is a great fluff piece not to be studied too closely, but great fun for what it is. Strangely enough, the most confusing element about this week's story is that I can't tell what sex the protagonist is. The name suggests male but the ponytail suggests female.

Durham Red: I was getting Die Hard II vibes from this week's episode.

Proteus Vex: Still getting used to new art style in this strip. Story's coming along well though.

Slaine: Can't fault the art this week. Very exciting action. I have a feeling Mr Mills is trying to send a message with the treatment of the condemned that may be his way to speak about another persecuted minority, not just an anti-imperialism message of this overall story arc.

Hershey: [spoiler]What did she expect was going to happen? Frank is a seriously damaged individual, dealing with a huge amount of guilt for deaths at his own hand. Did she think she could just keep giving him orders and it would be all okay? [/spoiler]

All in all a very above average prog. I know that Slaine, Durham Red and Hershey have been getting flak on this forum for a while now but I have no problem with them as stories.


Barrington Boots

Best prog this year for me.

Dredd: Like McNulty says above this is a fluff piece and one where [spoiler]the humour comes from someone trying not to look at Dredd's daystick.[/spoiler] Dredd in the grav-tube is my favourite bit. I really enjoyed this: I dig a bit of farce in my Dredd, it's a daft concept and a fun read. Dan Cornwell's art is lovely: his cits and perps are wacky, Hallam's facial expressions rule, and Dredd's arse is in a lot better trim than mine. This is the sort of Dredd I wouldn't want to read every week but when one comes along once in a while it's a delight. Top thrill.

Durham Red: This is doing what it's doing and doing it well. The panels in the snow look cool. Didn't see the last panel coming either. Cool stuff.

Proteus Vex: As usual there's a lot going on here and the plot is thickening. Interesting that Vex being [spoiler]a flesh pilot was not known to his Imperium bosses. Does this mean the 'real' Vex is the little dude, rather than the host, and he could jump hosts Altered Carbon style in the future?[/spoiler]

Slaine: Much better this week: nicely told all-action strip without any of what I've disliked about the previous episodes: it feels snappy instead of turgid.[spoiler]Slaine goes a bit Hulk after first picking up a chariot and hitting some guys with it and then being all "I'm a monster": not sure about that second bit but we'll see where this is going[/spoiler] The real world analogy is about as subtle as a sledgehammer but so what? As ever the art is stupendous and, despite no dragons, I think better this week for the palette and more open backgrounds. I've been a critic of this series but really enjoyed this one.

Brilliant cover from Dan Cornwell. Dredd looking gnarly: the Meg looking 80s!

You're a dark horse, Boots.

broodblik

When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.

Old age is the Lord's way of telling us to step aside for something new. Death's in case we didn't take the hint.

broodblik

When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.

Old age is the Lord's way of telling us to step aside for something new. Death's in case we didn't take the hint.

broodblik

Interesting fact about the cover is that this is Dan Cornwell first cover for the prog. I was actually quite surprised when I read his twitter that this is his first cover.
When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.

Old age is the Lord's way of telling us to step aside for something new. Death's in case we didn't take the hint.

Leigh S

Great Dredd, though it does feel like Niemand has filled up his "Psychic Citizens" card for the foreseeable.  I was thinking how the story might have played out if the guard had been an actual perve with x-ray implants, with Dredd cottoning on in classic "arrest everyone" style.  Perhaps less original, but also less psychic!  Good stuff though and what a missed cover opportunity - "I am the Raw"?  I really like Cornwells Dredd, but do wish his inking style would develop a bit - still feels a little.. raw?

Slaine was also an improvement and I liked the Shoggey saving, contrasting with that early McM tale of shoggey-cide.  As others ahve pointed out, the idea of family as being the arc of Slaine feels like a good hook to being the tale to an end, if end it be.

Red next on the list - well told, solid stuff - not earth shattering, but well crafted.

Proteus Vex had a good episdoe too - still not sure that Michael Carroll is a step too caught up in the world  he has created and as a reader I'm one step behind his enthusiasm, partly because he can see why I should be excited, but I haven't been given (or have missed) the hooks to grab me fully in, but still, enjoying this all the same.

That only leaves Hershey as a miss for me, for reasons that have been expressed many times previous

Colin YNWA

Quote from: broodblik on 01 February, 2021, 04:07:07 PM
Interesting fact about the cover is that this is Dan Cornwell first cover for the prog. I was actually quite surprised when I read his twitter that this is his first cover.

He seemed genuinely chuffed over on Facebook and rightly so. No only is it his first cover its an absolute doozy as well.

As for the Prog itself - yep that's a doozy too. Indeed an absolute humdinger.

Dredd one of this golden Dredd's from yester-year. Cheeky, funny and perfectly crafted. An absolute delight.

Durham Red a different type of delight, but equally (almost) as enjoyable. Energetic, thrilling with a suitable hard action edge. Wonderfully rendered too.

Proteus Vex continues to be fantastic as pasts and plots start to be revealed and Vex's position seems trickly. All this delivered with a fantastically alien vibe.

Slaine the only muh in the Prog. That first page was so refreshing. Different palette, different pace, I held hope. Barely a page later the superhero violence is in full swing and while the palette has changed no much else has.

Hershey unlike in Hershey all about lose and change and you have to embrace that or you'll spend time shrilling that its not how Hershey would do this or that. That's the point, it is a different Hershey and older, sadder, beaten Hershey... who keeps going and is finding a way. If you are struggling with this just read the scene end of page 3 into page 4, that's this story, that's this Hershey and that's why it needs to be our Hershey. This is brilliant stuff. And then we get the same with Frank.

Great prog. As Barrington Boots says its the best of the year. Not cos the others have been weak, far, far from it just that in this one almost all the stories hit their perfect stride.


Leigh S

Quote from: Colin YNWA on 01 February, 2021, 08:26:31 PM
If you are struggling with this just read the scene end of page 3 into page 4, that's this story, that's this Hershey and that's why it needs to be our Hershey. This is brilliant stuff. And then we get the same with Frank.

See, for me that very scene just drove home how this wasn't my Hershey at all

broodblik

Quote from: Colin YNWA on 01 February, 2021, 08:26:31 PM
Quote from: broodblik on 01 February, 2021, 04:07:07 PM
Interesting fact about the cover is that this is Dan Cornwell first cover for the prog. I was actually quite surprised when I read his twitter that this is his first cover.

He seemed genuinely chuffed over on Facebook and rightly so. No only is it his first cover its an absolute doozy as well.

Yes great stuff. For a first cover this is awesome. That people is a chin, a Dreddsmiley :) This cover will be high-up for cover of the year.
When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.

Old age is the Lord's way of telling us to step aside for something new. Death's in case we didn't take the hint.

JayzusB.Christ

Quote from: broodblik on 01 February, 2021, 04:03:26 PM
Cover by Dan Cornwell:



Looks quite relaxed for a man falling to his death.

Brilliant cover though.  Dan Cornwell keeps getting better and better, and I can see him becoming as indispensable to Dredd as your Flints and Willshers.
"Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest"

broodblik

When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.

Old age is the Lord's way of telling us to step aside for something new. Death's in case we didn't take the hint.

Bolt-01

That cover is just stunning. I keep looking at it and noticing new things, like the road networks throughout the buildings. It is fantastic and an early runner for cover of the year? I think so.

Colin YNWA

Quote from: Bolt-01 on 02 February, 2021, 09:09:46 AM
That cover is just stunning. I keep looking at it and noticing new things, like the road networks throughout the buildings. It is fantastic and an early runner for cover of the year? I think so.

Yeah the Manta Tank and the depth he gives it with levels of roadway - its just amazing the way things pop out at you.

ming

Seeing new Prog review threads is making me a little frustrated now...  No 2211, 2213, 2214, 2215, 2216 or 2217...  Makes me feel like my subscription has lapsed (it hasn't); maybe time to get onto someone at subs about this but I suspect they'll turn up eventually and it's just the vagaries of international postage at the mo.  I really don't want to switch to digital but the lack of a Prog of any description since early December (other than the Christmas issue, which somehow made it through) is getting me down slightly.

norton canes

That is one phenomenal cover. Quite a way for the Cornwell droid to break his duck. Hope there's an article on how he created it. I bet he's drawn a whole mass of roadways in the centre of the buildings even though they're obscured by Dredd.