Prog 1310 SPOILERS

[sigu]

Who said thought balloons were unfashionable?

SiG

[Smiley]

I dunno, didn't hear anyone... maybe you thought they did? ;p

[Leigh S]

Prog first

The good news: The cover's nice - much better than the standard pose covers we see far too much of these days.

Dredd:  Possibly the worst art ever on Dredd?  It's  incomprehensibly bad - like something drawn on the back of a toilet door.  A hideously advanced case of  Regressive Bisleyitus, that I'd hoped we'd seen the last of a long time ago.  NO MORE!

Future Shock:  "There are an infinite number of tales waiting to be told", apparently.  So why this shit ever made it into the comic I cannot fathom.  Inpenetrable art from McCarthy doesnt help, but the story is such an old cliche.  Once again this old cynic's head was shaking in disbelief...  

Luckily the Scrap remains interesting, though Rogue still appears to be going nowhere at present - another bunch of near identikit norts appear. The setting is "Nu Earth" enough, but theres an intangible feeling of something missing.  The swearing still doesnt help...


The Megazine, thankfully, is a revelation.  Good strips for McNulty and Durham Red.  Scarlet Traces is just fine and makes the Megazine an even meatier read.  As PVS said, the TPO article seems very - erm - tactful this month, not commenting on McKenzies plethora of writing credits, or on the Fleischer factor..... but I foresee interesting stuff next month hopefully.

[paulvonscott]

Look, I'm not taking the piss but could someone explain this week's future shock to me :)

[Oddboy]

PVS - it's really quite simple:  IT JUST SUCKED!

[roystead]

I'll just repeat my reference (on the other thread) to "Roald Dahl's Tales of the Bleedin' Obvious" and leave it at that...

[paulvonscott]

So the answer is no.  Okay.

[Smiley]

Well, if you're serious... here's how I read it.

The cruel emperor holds exams for prospective staff, and no matter how well the entrants do, they end up on the choppin' block. Our hero, disgusted at this seemingly vile sport at the expense of noble and learned men, vows the emperor must die!

Although he is warned by his wise uncle not to be hasty, our impetuous hero goes ahead with the assassination attempt, and gets as far as the imperial bed chamber. Gasp! The emperor's really host to a demon, and it's not new staff the demon wants - he wants a new earthly vessel for his own unspeakable ends!

Double gasp! The wise uncle was really under the demon's control, our unwitting hero was doomed from the start! Y'see, it was all a vile charade to spur someone suitably strong into action, and our hero has passed this 'real' exam with flying colours... and his folly is realised as he becomes the demons new host.

"!"

[paulvonscott]

Yeah. Last comment on the subject...

"!"

[paulvonscott]

Anyway, back on track...

I forgot to mention that it was nice to see Jim Mcarthy's weird stuff in again.

Every week, I keep expecting Scrap to take a nose dive and it does the opposite.

Nor did I mind the art on Dredd, which seemed to fit the rugrats style story.

Couldn't bring myelf to read sin dex, but the parkhouse pictures meant I did look at it.  I'd like to see Parkhouse on another series, maybe even trying a Dredd.

Rogue.  Well, there may be a war on, but is there any need for that kind of language!?  Please stop the swearing

But norts in bone armour?  Yeah, that's okay by me.

[Buddy]

Really didn't kilr the Dredd art this week, the stroy was also poor.

I thought we had seen the last of the Bisley clones, and this was a particularly bad one... or is this another part of the whole 'retro' thing???

[Leigh S]

I'm with Uncly on this one (And Tharg didnt get your name wrong, you arrogant young pup - you did - change it immediately!)

A funny story isn't made any funnier by the artist drawing in silly sound effects and generally drawing in very childlike way - just the opposite.  "Sensible" art would have made this story even funnier, or failing that a 'cartoony' artist who can still put some convincing design elements together (as opposed to some badly thought out scrawling), such as Gibson or McMahon.

No more Bisleyists please, especially Bisleyists who cannot draw.

[Oddboy]

Didn't think this looked particulary Bisleyclone. Millgate's done 'Bisley' before (LaDonna Fever) but I reckon this was quite a different style.

And I like Bisley's stuff.  It is good, you know.

[Leigh S]

Well Bisley was alright cos he could draw - Millgate can't - I mean look at his designs, his backgrounds - they are like something a child would come up with..

[Trough]

There was a time when Bisleyclones were all around us, and visually it all got rather boring.

To be honest, I found Millgate's style rather refreshing, in a cartoony, one-off kinda way.