Prog 2337 - Welcome to Azimuth City of the Imagination

[Colin YNWA]

Now that's what I call a Prog - superb stuff. All the more so as it has two new (or newish) thrills that I've bought into already. That's what make's Tharg's organ the Galaxies Greatest the restless innovation and we see that here as rarely before.

...and then there's Dredd, fine in the surface but always reminding me.... Look I've had that whine enough so I'll leave it there.

Void Runners continues to intrigue as it engages. I like Captain Alice already. He plays off wonderfully against the Subjugators. There imagination and wonder abound. This is turning quickly into a top tier thrill

Durham Red then adds glorious contrast by being hard, bitter and violent. In a good way! Its more typical but just as thrilling.

Azimuth throws you straight in but gives you more than enough to not feel lost but being endlessly intrigued and engaged. Its similar to Void Runner in its glorious use of ideas a plenty. Yet it feels so familar in a way I suspect I'm way off on BUT don't all the puns really remind you of Sinister Dexter? We're clearly in some sort of computer / virtually developed world so we ... well we can't be being 'Maloned' here .... could we. I was way off with a guess I made about The Out after its first episode and am almost certainly doing the same here... but just can't quite shake that feeling. Either way blindin' opening.

And just as Void Runner is followed by Durham Red, so Azimuth is gunned back down to Earth by Rogue Trooper which continues to be wonderful and gosh that what fina revelation are we going to get. Amazing stuff.

So yeah 4 out of 5, the 5th isn't that bad, on the surface at least and those 4 are stunners. What a superb Prog. Just to uplift we needed after the flump that was last weeks issue.

[broodblik]

Cover by Tazio Bettin:

[broodblik]

Cover and Logo:

[Richard]

Azimuth's first episode is brilliant and intriguing. Reading it reminds me of my first exposure to other weird and wonderful series like Halo Jones, Nemesis, and The Dead. I'm looking forward to the rest of this!

Really like where Rogue is heading too.

[IndigoPrime]

Great cover. Dredd is fine, but a bit trope-y. BIG EXPLOSION! Gosh, I wonder whether Dredd has been blown up? And while he's a stubborn git, I would have imagined not hand-waving away the medics in this case might have been his actual position. Still, it's fine.

Void Runners continues to build, although I'd half forgotten what was going on from two weeks ago. The strip seems like a good fit for Cook's art style.

Durham Red deftly continues its reinvention of the character. I understand that it's divisive, but the horror is working for me. (That last frame if Red is quite something.) And it adds some actual depth to the character. Plus this is the first incarnation that actually looks like she could do her job, rather than being a page three model in the Ezquerra incarnation or a barely dressed stick during Harrison's art run.

Azimuth is really in 'too early to tell' territory, given that it's episode one of a new series. But I'm really digging the start. The art is great. The script is interesting. And the lettering looks very different from usual 2000 AD fare, and yet fits really well with the story. It all feels quite... European?

Rogue wasn't my favourite episode of this run, but it's still good. I'm not thrilled about the swearing, mind. It seems unnecessary and I actually quite liked all 2000 AD silly replacement words. Not only did they give strips a bit of their own character, but also swearing is something that rapidly evolves. Oh well.

One other thought hit me on reading this Prog: we have here three female leads out of five. When was the last time that happened in the Prog? (More female creators would be good, too. Hopefully more will come through.)

Anyway, I liked all of this. Nothing bad and a lot that was really good.

Azimuth > Durham Red > Void Runners > Rogue Trooper > Dredd

[Jim_Campbell]

And the lettering looks very different from usual 2000 AD fare, and yet fits really well with the story. It all feels quite... European?

As soon as I saw the heavily Euro/Moebius vibe Tazio was bringing to the strip, I asked The Mighty One if I could try something that leaned more heavily into that feel. His Verdant Majesty liked the sample page I showed him so much that he only docked me half an oil ration, and off we went.

[JayzusB.Christ]

And the lettering looks very different from usual 2000 AD fare, and yet fits really well with the story. It all feels quite... European?

As soon as I saw the heavily Euro/Moebius vibe Tazio was bringing to the strip, I asked The Mighty One if I could try something that leaned more heavily into that feel. His Verdant Majesty liked the sample page I showed him so much that he only docked me half an oil ration, and off we went.

That cover is lovely alright, and definitely has more than a touch of the Metal Hurlant type Euro-comics.  Looking forward to seeing your approach to the lettering, Jim.  (Hope you've enough oil left to wash down all those barbecued steaks I see on Instagram... )

[broodblik]

This was a good prog with all stories firing on all cylinders.


Dredd – That tingling Dredd-sense in action as Dredd feels something is wrong but nothing points to what it can be. Lovely story from Carroll and Marshall which focus on the intrigue of the mob-world.

Void Runners – Worm- sighting, the spice mélange and the dunes of Arrakis/ Pleroma, Kali's Dust, the outer rim of space: So far it almost feels like the story is more focused on Boo's psychedelic art. The world looks interesting and intriguing.

Durham Red – Great action focus episode. Worley has redefined Red for me in a good way and moved away from the pin-up doll to a person you must fear.

Azimuth – This is early days, but it is another great start to another Abnett series. The art works superbly with the story and kudos for Jim on the lettering as well. The story pulled me in with each panel and I am truly intrigued to see where this is going.

Rogue Trooper – Must agree with colin here and no need for the swearing.  Except for this minor complaint the story is really heating up with some awesome action scenes from Goddard. That last splash page is like an invitation to get the next episode. Superb stuff.

[Barrington Boots]

Arrived late this week, but well worth the wait.

Dredd - I'm enjoying this Dredd tale a lot. It's pacy and lacks exposition so there is a certain amount of needing to check back on who is who at times but its a riveting read and a rare tale that makes both the justice department and the perps look competent - although if Dredd just drove 20 or 30 guys into the stadium not expecting it to blow up, I'll retract that.

Void Runners – Neat dialogue and superb visuals that's a really good fit for Boo's art. Some cool concepts here. Last couple of panels where Bartleby is absorbed are great.

Durham Red – I had a re-read of this after Alec's excellent article. This isn't a story for me, because I don't want to read about this horrible character, but it's a terrific story, if that makes sense, and really ramps up everything from the previous ones. Horrific stuff and really visceral art. 

Azimuth – Only one epsiode in but brilliant start. Intriguing. Everything already feels like a fully formed world that we're getting our first look at. Art is stupendous and very much in that Euro style and the lettering enhances that, nice one Jim! Very excited by this. Colin's comments on the joke names is a minor cuase for concern though - this better not all just be the AI from Sin/Dex.

Rogue Trooper – I thought this was an excellent episode, really heating up towards what I think will be a real downer of an end. Art is so good - that final splash page is fantastic. Agree on swearing comments. This is the story I hoped it'd be and my moaning over the first five or six episodes can get in the bin.

Top notch!

[nxylas]

My first thought on Azimuth was that it is to Sin/Dex what Spector is to Judge Dredd - created by the same writer and in a broadly similar genre, but different enough to be its own thing.

[broodblik]

One thing I have noticed on Azimuth the Credit Card is a Dredd version and not a 2000AD version, maybe it is nothing just a mistake or even more interesting it is part of the Dredd-verse

[Hawkmumbler]

Another thumbs up for Azimuth. Not been pulled by a first part this enticing since...shit, Absalom, maybe?

Which is to say, yeah this is very much my thing.

[norton canes]

One thing I have noticed on Azimuth the Credit Card is a Dredd version and not a 2000AD version, maybe it is nothing just a mistake or even more interesting it is part of the Dredd-verse

Good spot. I guess Azimuth was originally intended to bring some SinDex style action to the Megazine? Have to say it caught me completely off-guard - from the cover image previewed a few weeks ago I imagined this would be more up the Out side of the Abnett-o-meter, something quite detached and abstract. Didn't expect more hired killer stuff and outrageous wordplay from the pen of the Pun-issuer. It's all fantastic of course, he has a verbose style but it's so easy and natural to read, and the art, colours and lettering are top-tier. I see this is part one of an arc - does this mean that like SinDex, we'll be getting Suzi's tales in shorter chunks?

As people have said, the whole prog is pretty awesome this week with Red as usual pulling no punches and from Void Runners, "We see only shades of grey... we do see a lot of shades".

Rogue, though, triumphs with an astonishing final panel that gave me a real lump in my throat. Writing stories based in WWI can't be easy, you have to treat the subject matter with respect, and Garth Ennis looks to have got the balance between excitement and sentiment absolutely spot on.

A proper showcase prog, one for the ages.

[broodblik]

...Didn't expect more hired killer stuff and outrageous wordplay from the pen of the Pun-issuer. It's all fantastic of course, he has a verbose style but it's so easy and natural to read, and the art, colours and lettering are top-tier. I see this is part one of an arc - does this mean that like SinDex, we'll be getting Suzi's tales in shorter chunks?

That is my understanding as well, if you read the following interview with Dan: https://2000ad.com/news/what-is-azimuth-talking-to-dan-abnett-tazio-bettin-about-their-new-2000-ad-series/

[norton canes]

Ah, I should definitely read more interviews.

Don't know if it counts as a clue but that little grey thing by the orange cables in Papa Legday's room doesn't half look like one of the little wheeled service robots on the Death Star.