Prog 1313

John Caliber · 14 October, 2002, 06:06:04 PM

COVER: Kev Walker - Nice.

JUDGE DREDD: Judge Prager returns. What do you mean, who is Judge Prager? The guy from the 'Cry of the Werewolf' story from ages back. Comparisions between this new story - a sequel to COTW - and the original have to be made. The Carl Critchlow art is shabby and not suited to the story material. Frazer Irving would have been the ideal choice.

ASYLUM: The art has its moments, but the panel designs are boring.

RED TIDE: Good art, good story. Nice old fashioned feel, a welcome change from the drab sci-fi strips of recent months. Reminds me most strongly of the fantasy novel 'On Stranger Tides' (pirates and black magic).

SINISTER DEXTER: Simon Davis returns as artist - I understand he is the most popular SinDex guy? I hope SinDex are not going to take up the role of intergalactic hitmen, a la Rogue Trooper in 'The Hit.' Flogging a dead horse? Could be.

paulvonscott · 14 October, 2002, 06:29:10 PM

Dredd: Enjoyed it, made the bloody dreadful mistake of looking, at the inside back cover before Dredd and it spoiled the whole thing for me, nice looking cover though. As a lot of covers have been recently, very muted colours, which is slightly thrill dampening and camoflaged for news racks.

Critchlow, well that seems to be where his arts at (from the recent Thrud comic) it's simplistic but pleasing. Maybe if the colouring had more to it, it would stand out more. A good story, enjoyed the art (decent sized chin mostly) and almost a surprise :)

Asylum: "What the Hell is going on?" Did Torquemamda teach us nothing? Send them all to the vats. Cue revelation that the aliens are all being slaughtered and this is an extremination camp rather than an camp for illegal immigrants. Worse still, they are all being pulped to create some uber beasty. All in a cool youth sylee way. Save us Torque, why haft thou forsaken us!

Red Tide: Yeah, I like it, a bit slow perhaps, but for some reason I quite liked the pace. Arts very nice, Yeowell's style seems to be going backwards in time to the mid-seventies. And where are his knockers know?

Sin Dex: Abandon hope all ye who funt. Can anyone really believe that this is AD's biggest story next to Judge Dredd? That without Dredd, it would be this strip that would be the leading light? Think of all the good that could have been done in its place.

This issue we had three full page 2000AD ads. Why not make than 1 & 1/2 pages of 1/2 page ads, (or have a back page which is half Dreddcon, quarter subs, quarter next prog) and have half a page of Thargian Cooking Recipes, half a page of galactic hobbies and half a page of Tharg Late Review of an item that is avaiable in the shop and one that is only avaiable to the inhabitants of Quatlam Beta (a nice fetching snoog cover, to prevent it snapping off during the harsh hundred year winters they have). 5 panels a page, few words, expansive ads, full page nerve centre and input pages, why, these modern progs have space to burn.

Adrian Bamforth · 15 October, 2002, 07:38:48 PM

This prog justifies itself on the rectal probes line in Sinister Dexter.

However, best part of the Prog might just be next week's cover, possibly the best cover of the year for me.

Cheers,

ADE

Matt · 15 October, 2002, 08:06:25 PM

Quite a tasty prog this week. Good to see a sequel to COTWW. I went back and re-read the original last night but found i was missing the penultimate episode (must have spent my pocket money on jaw breakers that week), so I never did find out where the white werewolf came from. Anyone care to shed some light before next weeks issue?

Asylum looked good, as did SinDex for once. SB Davis back on pencils raises the standard of what has become a really bollocks series.

Red Seas was cool. Errol Flynn style swashbuckling and Zombies, what more could anyone wish for.

Slippery PD · 15 October, 2002, 08:14:19 PM

A good prog. Wasnt it????
Dredd - I loved COTWW when it came out and I like this. Prager looks such a hard b@st*rd after spending nearly 25 years in the uncersity and I did like the art too.
Asylum - Had a good little intro, theres really nothing much more to be said as it is an intro into the story. Solid start.
Red seas - This reminded me of soemthing from battle or action or such like. Yowell's art seems to hark back to that era. But the intro has been good and there zombies and pirates. Like someone said previously, you cant go wrong with that. Can you???
SinDex - Well everyone know how much I dislike this strip. But I managed to read it this week, which is a plus.

- yer Slippo

Slippery PD · 15 October, 2002, 08:27:54 PM

Oh and I almost forgot. I belive a message board regular has got a letter on the imput page. Putting down in black and white (white and green:-)), how I feel about bison anyways.

So who is it???

Mudcrab · 15 October, 2002, 09:23:22 PM

Roy Stead wasn't' it? Or was that last week?

DavidXBrunt · 16 October, 2002, 05:32:39 AM

Red Seas. Can you say double page centre spread?

roystead · 16 October, 2002, 07:05:02 AM

"Roy Stead wasn't' it? Or was that last week?"

Nah, that was a couple of weeks ago.

This week's prog:

Dredd - loved it. Liked the art, like the way the story's shaping up. Is Wagner looking to retire, though? I hope not, but with the return of Vienna, the upcoming Orlok trial, partnering with some Diggler person and now this sequel to Cry of the Werewolf...Well, it makes me wonder...

Asylum/Red Seas - too early to say, so I'll reserve judgement for now.

SinDex - shoot them now. Please. With a *very* big gun, preferably some kind of disintegrator so there's no doubt. I used to *like* this pair, right up until Downlode Tales finished, that is.

petemaskreplica · 16 October, 2002, 08:25:57 AM

"Red Seas. Can you say double page centre spread?"

oh yes.

as for the rest:

Dredd: It's been said elsewhere, but surely this whole werewolf thing is a big red herring.well, we'll see. and I liked the art!

Asylum: A nice start, if it can deliver a few suprises on what's being set up, it'll be worth it.

Red Seas: well, it's Steve Yeowell, isn't it? Anyone else reminded of all that pirate stuff in Watchmen?

SinDex: Actually, this wasn't that bad, better than the last few, anyway. But this is definitely their last chance.

Oh, by the way, what was that Tharg said about Bison? "a story that appears to have divided Squaxx dek Thargo"??? I thought this was one of the few things everyone agreed about...

Overall, quite a decent prog, I thought.

Tiplodocus · 17 October, 2002, 01:29:22 AM

I really enjoyed this Prog. I thought it the best since the Summer Offensive and SIN CITY etc.

Thought DREDD was a great start to what will hopefully be a medium length story - anybody know how long it's going to run? And is CREEP (from the Megazine) still alive in the undercity?

Can't say much about RED SEAS and ASYLUM yet but they both had good solid starts and wasn't that double page spread in RED SEAS a lovely suprise - we should have more of these.

SIN/DEX was the low point but even that was just about readable. Am I the only person who dislikes SB DAVIS' style?

And hurrah, I'm on the letters page. I thought it might be nice to capture some of (some of) the BOARD members views about BISON seeing as all the other letters printed about it have tended to the positive. I feel I should share out the postcards among the people that hated it most (especially as I already have a set).

Interestingly (actually it isn't), the original letter title was changed from "BISON OR BULL"

Anyway, well done Tharg, if the next few progs are as good (and I like the sound of the future PAST IMPERFECT) then I'll be a happy squaxx.

paulvonscott · 17 October, 2002, 03:58:34 AM

Hi Mr Tips. The Dredd is 4 parts, cool eh? nice meaty story, something to get our teeth into.

Etc.

Tiplodocus · 17 October, 2002, 06:09:20 AM

I howled with laughter when I read that.

Marbles · 17 October, 2002, 05:52:31 PM

Only just read this Prog. I'd agree its the best we've had in a while.

Dredd story is intriguing (I havent read the original story - or if I did I can't remember it) but still its enjoyable. Critchlow's art is nice.

Asylum - great art, premise sounds a bit hackneyed but its early days.

'Red Seas' again shows a lot of promise but the art really leaves me cold - its functional at best and the centre-spread didn't cut it for me.

As for 'Sin/Dex', I'm not a lover or a hater. Its ok, a bit of fun, but they really have had their innings by now.

Mudcrab · 17 October, 2002, 08:32:52 PM

"'Red Seas' again shows a lot of promise but the art really leaves me cold - its functional at best and the centre-spread didn't cut it for me."

Yep, once again I was left feeling that Steve Yeowells art should be 'blythed' for sure. As with Demarco in the Meg, it's just too flat, or even 'Invisible' :o)