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Prog 2230 - Takin' Care Of Business

Started by NapalmKev, 01 May, 2021, 07:13:43 PM

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Leigh S

Maybe Niemand is working up to introducing Mega-city's own Super Hero team - The Altruistic 8!

broodblik

All I can say is that I am sure we will see the Penitent Man back maybe as The Evil Genius maybe as A Man of constant Sorrow or just maybe Working 9 to 5
When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.

Old age is the Lord's way of telling us to step aside for something new. Death's in case we didn't take the hint.

Link Prime

Quote from: Leigh S on 05 May, 2021, 06:45:28 PM
Maybe Niemand is working up to introducing Mega-city's own Super Hero team - The Altruistic 8!

The Do-Gruders

Colin YNWA

Curious prog this one.

Dredd - I really like Kenneth Niemand's work on Dredd, its hitting a pattern and tone that different, while not feeling jarring. The thing is its hitting a consistant tone and again we have a really nice Dredd, beautifully realised by Tom Foster that uses Dredd as the vehicle to tell someone else's story. That's great but this all needs to be mixed up a bit. We leave this with another character in the ever growing portfolio. There's nothing not to like and I've enjoyed this, just a littel cautious of what might be next and how that might stretch things.

I'd also like to see more of the SJS stuff, Niemand could do all that by having Dredd and Buell crack down on them, with Dredd driving the who thing. Smash these corrupt SJS stories one and for all and cleatrhouse. Let's see.

Thistlebone cranks it up and goes full speed towards it conclusion now. Is it all pizzen or is there something darker in the woods?

Visions of Deadworld - well these are meant to be fun stand alones that add depth. This one feels like a prologue of what's to come. Mind does the grim fun fine.

Intestanauts - we're meant to get the reference right? This is harmless and entertaining but I can't see it being more.

Feral and Foe smacks down on the action, keeps the funnier and seems to rev up for something more. This has been fun but I'd kinda like it to knuckle down and get to the meat of things now.

There was absolutely nothing wrong in the Prog but someone its all made me a little nervous about where these are all going for one reason or another. Still the next two Progs are going to tell us a lot.

Barrington Boots

Like Colin, this Prog didn't quite hit the highs of recent ones for me.

Dredd - I felt like this story just kind of finished. We don't get the fight, we don't really get much of a followup with the SJS and there's a nice little wrap up. I suppose a lot hinges on Asher and his motivations - my reading of this was that he wanted to return to serve the city and at the end he is doing so, therefore his story is resolved. Others have seen it as more of a 'now I can begin my real work' type ending and whilst I still lean towards the former, either could work.
My mild disappointment here came from expecting more from the story. Asher's story looked to be a fresh an interesting one but this story but was good but not great. I know that's a bit of a lame whinge really!
Also can I add to the plaudits for Tom Foster, he has been fantastic here.

A side note on Kenneth Niemand, I really like the way he tells the tale from the citizens viewpoints with Dredd not being the main character (and indeed often an antagonist) but agree with Colin that this does need to be mixed in with other stories.

Thistlebone Definitely picking it up a bit. Everyone mentions the pace every week, but the visual storytelling is where I think the tension is at - the red eyes appearing again (this time on the pub sign) and the imprint of the light on Seema's face calling back to the cage motifs throughout the story. Looks bad for Murray!

Deadworld - Sadly the dark judges turn out to be rubbish, especially the wolf judge who just gets beaten up by a bloke with a pipe, whilst the humans seem a bit flippant. It's all standard action fare this week and there's nothing wrong with it, but based on previous Deadworld stuff I expected better (and grimmer). As a setup for another Deadworld tale this is fine but felt like a step down from the horror of last week.

Intestinauts - Loved this. Packs a lot in, looks great - Pye Parr's grimy futuristic setting is well realised but it's all bright and cheerful all action excitement within that. Carnage and Venom references too, and is that WBA graffiti on the toilet door?

Feral and Foe Again I was kind of expecting a cleverer or funnier resolution to Wrath and Bode's plight than Krodgun smashing up Thistlebone bear with his axe - not as good as previous weeks, but this is still a fine episode and it looks so cool. I'd read a Shako reboot if Richard Elson drew it and the bear looked like this. 

Writing it out I feel a birt churlish, but I just found this one a slight step down from previous weeks. That said, looking forward to the next installment of all these Thrills next week!
You're a dark horse, Boots.

norton canes

Infestinauts (and cover): Damn, those little botty-bots look great! Funny how a story about micro-mechanicals  that operate up the fundament can be so ripe with possibilities. Looking forward to plenty more passage-pounding droid-on-'roid action.

Plus - 'prog-rock noodler'?! You need to bone up on your post-punk electronic bands, Tharg!

'A Penitent Man': I guess it's a case of 'justice reserved' for Kerubo and we'll be catching up in the hopefully not too distant. Weird how the drama of the stand-off was undercut by that panel of Kerubo actually whistling a cartoon quaver like something from the Beano.

Liked the terse dialogue. Helped the tension. Very Wagner. Very Styx.

Thistlebone: Possibly the most 'really needs to be read in collected form' 2000 AD strip ever. I got the window leading shadows on Seema's face thing but it might have helped if we'd actually seen some leading on the windows. Any ideas what "Ghuukdi... syh... pluh" might mean?

Deadworld: I thought it stuck the dismount pretty well, though those last couple of panels were a bit vague.

Feral & Foe: "Once a mercenary for hire... now a warrior in search of his soul!" Looking forward to the Krod spin-off.

Barrington Boots

I think the lines on Seema's face are from one of those lightbulbs-in-a-cage over the table. It's seen on page 1 and again on page 4, but it's not very obvious.
I did wonder if these were also sort of mirroring the blood on the face of Murray's assistant, but I think I might be reading too much in there!

Quote from: norton canes on 06 May, 2021, 10:35:51 AM
Any ideas what "Ghuukdi... syh... pluh" might mean?

I reckon this means "Help, I am being kidnapped by a cultist nutter"
You're a dark horse, Boots.

broodblik

Quote from: Barrington Boots on 06 May, 2021, 11:00:44 AM
Quote from: norton canes on 06 May, 2021, 10:35:51 AM
Any ideas what "Ghuukdi... syh... pluh" might mean?

I reckon this means "Help, I am being kidnapped by a cultist nutter"

Nope i think it means "Who is gonna water the plans now !?#%$"
When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.

Old age is the Lord's way of telling us to step aside for something new. Death's in case we didn't take the hint.

The Corinthian

Quote from: norton canes on 06 May, 2021, 10:35:51 AM
Any ideas what "Ghuukdi... syh... pluh" might mean?

In his house in Ghuukdi, great Pluh lies sleeping.

Sean SD

My Top 3 for Prog 2230 :)

1st - Thistlebone - ramps up the drama somewhat, [spoiler]prob best not to meet nut job cult peeps by yourself[/spoiler]
2nd - Intestinauts - great fun esp amongst the darker thrills in this prog

Solid top 2 for me this prog and 3rd could go to any of the other thrills but this time I've gone with

3rd - Visions of Deadworld - humes team up, Psi Wolf was cool like to see another one in another thrill