Prog 1817

[moly]

Judge dredd really nice story with good art by doweling if this was in anything other than a comic there wouldn't of been any fuss very touching story

Savage gruesome ending but showing war how it is

Strontie dog moving along nicely still think there might be a twist with this with the entity in alpha head

Letters are back

[Tjm86]

Judge dredd really nice story with good art by doweling if this was in anything other than a comic there wouldn't of been any fuss very touching story

The subject matter may not have been to everyone's taste (certainly not to mine) but as a standalone it worked well.  It was interesting to contrast the lead character's struggle with his personal feelings with the anarchy and chaos of recent events.  For me it was more an exploration of the complexity of personal experience and a successful one at that.  Doherty's art has matured incredibly well over the years and suited it nicely.

Boo's 'homage' to Ezquerra was a nice touch for the cover.  I'm still struggling with this current storyline though.  Not entirely sure where it is going.  There seems to be a bit too much going on at times.

Other than that Red Seas, Crucis and Savage - enjoyable enough.  Be glad once Red Seas is finished but that's just personal taste.  Not a bad read just not my cup of char as it were.

[strontium71]

I love Strontium Dog almost as much as Dredd , but even I have found this story hard going. I reckon Alpha works better with Red or Sternhammer , and - don't ask me how - it'd be a lot better with one of them back as his partner. I still reckon it's read better in one volume , but it just seems to lack oomph. Which is odd considering the creators involved.

[A.Cow]

For what it's worth, here's my ha'penny's worth:

Front cover -- Book Cook's art is always a bit muddy for a front cover IMHO, but in this case it is damaged badly by the clutter of the logo and lettering.  I had to look twice to work out what was going on which Johnny's right arm, and that's not really what good cover art is about.  Also, what was Cyber-Matt thinking? "On the occasions when 2000 AD is good, it's a bit better than mass-produced American comics."  Not exactly a snappy advertising strap-line.

Dredd -- Throwaway one-off story.  Liked the intent and the imagery but nothing special.  However, the final page had me in stitches: [spoiler]"Five to a cube! Ooh!"[/spoiler]

Savage -- OK, but I think it would have worked much better if they had [spoiler]shot Savage in the leg[/spoiler], leaving him frustrated at being unable to stop the slaughter.

• (There you have it: me, someone who had a Future Shock almost considered, once ... telling a 50-year comic veteran how to write a story.)

Ampney Crucis -- OK, so [spoiler]Alan Turing[/spoiler] as-a-fictional-character has been done to death in recent years, but this is now moving somewhere and I like it a lot.  Highlight of the prog for me.

Red Seas -- Please!  Make it stop!

Strontium Dog (part six): The Life and Death of Johnny Alpha, chapter three: Mutant Spring -- I've only just noticed the relationship between the title and the amount of time it's taking to go anywhere specific.  It's only my love for (and faith in) Wagner & Ezquerra that is keeping me reading this.

[Jim_Campbell]

Doherty's art has matured incredibly well over the years

It has, but this is Mike Dowling...

Cheers

Jim

[Tjm86]

Doherty's art has matured incredibly well over the years

It has, but this is Mike Dowling...

Cheers

Jim

damn, you're right.  Apologies all round!

[Steve Green]

And more of him in the prog please, really great art on Dredd.

Enjoyed the Dredd story, maybe [spoiler]Fear claiming his Homophobic Dad was a bit too on-the-nose, possibly?[/spoiler]

As for the rest, I'm a bit cool on Savage and Red Seas, (strangely much preferring the flashforward to the main strip), love Ampney and good to see a certain real person turn up, particularly in this prog.

Stront rumbles along - I think I'm going to prefer this as a trade.

Nice nod to an old cover, although that pose with Alpha's raised arm and shoulder pad looks a bit awkward to make work.

[The Enigmatic Dr X]

I found the prog oddly imbalanced. Savage, Red Seas and Strontium Dog were all very heavy on the action with a resulting slow-down in story progression. The prog felt too quick and a bit of a cheat because of this.

[Hawkmumbler]

No prog due to snow. Balls.

[Dark Jimbo]

I found the prog oddly imbalanced. Savage, Red Seas and Strontium Dog were all very heavy on the action with a resulting slow-down in story progression. The prog felt too quick and a bit of a cheat because of this.

I found much the same last week with Red Seas/Ampney.

[Rio De Fideldo]

First time in a long time that there's been no prog on a Saturday. I. Hate. Snow!

[mygrimmbrother]

Think it took about 18 seconds to read Red Seas this week. Loved Dredd, thought it was a lovely, well written little tale. Dowling's art is very easy on the eye too. The furore surrounding this story has grated a little personally, but I appreciate that any publicity is good publicity. Like others, feel strangely detached from Strontium Dog. Indifferent to Savage and, I'm afraid to say, Ampney at the moment.

[The Enigmatic Dr X]

I thought the Dredd was played a bit too...straight. No futuristic club? No outlandish law? No real sci-fi? Given the action bias of the rest of the prog, and the (hopeful) spike in readers with this prog, could more have been done with Dredd - or the other tales - to sell the prog? I fear Dredd comes across as a bit procedural while the other stories hark back to 80s CRASH BANG WALLOP story telling.

[House of Usher]

Good Prog, carrying no passengers, I thought.

The Judge Dredd story was a lively read and quite clever, although I find the homophobia in Dredd's world very disappointing. However, I read it, like the universal acceptance of same-sex attraction in Doctor Who, as being more about sexual politics and identity now than in 2135 AD. I enjoyed the punchline, although with their harsh sentencing for trivial offences at a time when they need all hands to the pumps the judges risk tanking their economy as surely George Osborne.

Savage was great entertainment. The heavy losses are unsurprising bearing in mind the resistance fighters don't seem to have any proper plan for assaulting the Volgan security bunker.

Query about 'Ampney Crucis Investigates': the Prime Minister bears the likeness of a 1970s/80s TV and film actor, doesn't he? Any ideas who I'm thinking of and what he was in?

Red Seas and Strontium Dog were, as The Enigmatic Dr X says, action all the way.

[JUDGE BURNS]

Boo Cooks cover I thought is a superb homage to Ezquerra's original cover of prog 220.

Dredd: the subject of the story is not to my liking. Art work was good though.

Savage: Okay this week with a bit of action but am looking forward to seeing the hammersteins back.

AMpney and Red Seas: Want them to end !

Strontium Dog.: There seems to be something missing i this storyline. The humour and spark isnt there at the moment . I hope it picks up as it is a great favourite of mine , Besides DREDD.