Prog 1716 - Ampney Crucis Investigates...

[TordelBack]

Just got mine.  Enjoyed it all, but the stand-out (and this in a Prog with Kingdom in it) was Dredd. That's a story that could have been plucked straight from Casefiles 5 or 7, just swap in some art by Wilson or maybe Ewins and you'd never know the difference.  There is no higher compliment in my comics vocabulary.

[Woolly]

Just got mine.  Enjoyed it all, but the stand-out (and this in a Prog with Kingdom in it) was Dredd. That's a story that could have been plucked straight from Casefiles 5 or 7, just swap in some art by Wilson or maybe Ewins and you'd never know the difference.  There is no higher compliment in my comics vocabulary.

Yup, couldnt have put it better myself!
Tharg's latest droid has hit the floor running at light speed! Awesome stuff 

[radiator]

I liked the Dredd until the ending which I didn't quite get - was it implying that OCD is contagious?

[Mardroid]

I liked the Dredd until the ending which I didn't quite get - was it implying that OCD is contagious?

I think so, although I wouldn't take it too literally (like a real disease*). Merely an ironic little twist that the neighbour irritated by the other chaps OCD was in fact showing signs of it now himself. The unhealthy psychological baton has been passed, so to speak.

*That being says, who knows! I thought it interesting that a certain car that had been shot up really was up to no good, and things would have been worse had it reached it's destination. It suggests our strip's main character, for all his nuttiness might have been psychic. Or it was just a coincidence, as Dredd states, but we know such people do exist in this world. If he is psychic, if his mind goes beyond the mere foretelling, maybe he has other psi powers too. Like suggestion... albeit unintended.

I like this kind of strip that doesn't have definite answers but give you something to think about.

[Colin YNWA]

I liked the Dredd until the ending which I didn't quite get - was it implying that OCD is contagious?

I read it more as the fact that the pressures of Mega City One could break anyone. The OCD was just the specific. Mind I have a record of reading these types of thing wrong!

[I, Cosh]

It was a joke.

[Richmond Clements]

It was a joke.

Yes, that's what I thought.

[radiator]

It was a joke.

Well, obviously - just something about it didn't quite ring true to me.

Something I wondered about this episode - the guy on the magazine cover - was that a reference to the nutty janitor/Tek Judge bloke from that story from before Christmas?

[Greg M.]

Something I wondered about this episode - the guy on the magazine cover - was that a reference to the nutty janitor/Tek Judge bloke from that story from before Christmas?

Yeah, it was Montauk from John Tomlinson's story.

[House of Usher]

It was a joke.

Yes, that's what I thought.

* House of Usher likes this.  

[DrJomster]

The catch up continues...

What a top prog! Particular things I'm going to have to mention are:

- another great Dredd from Mike. Think it benefited from fewer panels per page compared to the previous one. Lovely art.
- loving the alien design in Shakara. Nice to see lushly portrayed aliens obliterated after only a few pages!
- gorgeous art in Ampney. Really suits the story
- Necrophim is really shooting up in my books on this run. Think it's a slight tweak to the art? Must look back on old progs & ponder...
- Kingdom for me is always a quick read. It's low on dialogue and quite kinetic so it's always worth a second look through for me to better appreciate it.

Top lettering throughout.

Ah. I've mentioned everything haven't I? 

[Dog Deever]

I'm finding much of the prog a bit ho-hum these days- they are very lightweight and aren't taking a lot of time to get through. It just leaves me wanting more to read and I rarely go through it a second time nowadays as nothing is really sucking me in.

Cover was ok, nothing special but certainly not bad.

Mike- this was a great slice of life Dredd, well done mate, you're really making an impressive start- mair power tae ye. The artwork from Ben really does it some Justice too. The droid gets better and better- his Dredd faces are great. I think this was probably the best story in the prog this week, for me.

Shakara has fantastic art as always, but I've never liked the story and wouldn't care if I never saw it again. I don't care about any of it and would love to see Flint move onto something else. I get the distinct feeling I've read this story before, even though I know I haven't.

Ampney wasn't as humorous as it often is, but it's still developing. Cracking art and looks sumptuous. Overall, I think if we are going to have a 'foppish dandy aristo-detective' story, it's this or Bix Barton for me. Normally, the snappy, tongue-in-cheek dialogue shows Dandridge how it should be done- and in terms of art, colour & design too.

Kingdom is something I read. It takes about a minute and I've usually forgotten what happened by a couple of hours later. Like Cosh said (last week?) I really don't see why people think its so great. It's there, it's okay (if a little trite) but I really have nothing invested in it as it's over before I get the chance to care every week. Not that I want it to be any longer, mind.

Necrophim is just boring- weeks of talk, talk, talk, talk. I don't care about any of the characters, I've lost all sight of what the plot was meant to be about and I don't have the time or inclination for anyone to explain it to me- I'm not interested enough to care. I wish they'd all just kill each other and not come back. I find the art stiff and dull- but that's probably only because there is nothing really for the poor guy to draw except people talking, which is absolutely the worst thing for an artist to be saddled with. Could be done with upping the contrast a bit.
I gave it a chance, take it away- please.

DEAR THARG-
CAN WE GET A COVER BY ALEX RONALD NOW PLEASE, THANK YOU.

[Emperor]

Overall, I think if we are going to have a 'foppish dandy aristo-detective' story, it's this or Bix Barton for me.

What no Devlin Waugh love? 

DEAR THARG-
CAN WE GET A COVER BY ALEX RONALD NOW PLEASE, THANK YOU.

Amen. As an ex-droid it wouldn't take long to recommission him, all the chips, tags and electro-wotsits are still in place, a few high voltage jolts and the threat of Mek-Quake and... Bingo.

We had Siku back in April 2010 with a cracking Ichabod cover, so old droids can return.

[Colin YNWA]

DEAR THARG-
CAN WE GET A COVER BY ALEX RONALD NOW PLEASE, THANK YOU.

Amen. As an ex-droid it wouldn't take long to recommission him, all the chips, tags and electro-wotsits are still in place, a few high voltage jolts and the threat of Mek-Quake and... Bingo.

I'll see your amen and raise you a 'Hell yeah!'

[Dog Deever]

What no Devlin Waugh love? 

Devlin is a Meg character though, is he not? I was meaning the Prog specifically.