Messages

Which leaves Skip Tracer, making a snappy five-page debut. Definite shades of Brink in the setting - or even Topsoil from the Dan Dare strips. Not sure how to put this in a way that doesn't sound insulting (which I don't want to do, I loved it!) but it seemed a bit more of an easy read than most other 2000 AD strips right now. Might be barking up the wrong tree but I thought perhaps it was something written for 2000 AD Regened but upgraded to the regular prog instead?

Nah - there's nobody being killed in Regened, is there?  I thought that was one of the limitations on the Cadet Dredd strip - that it had to be shooty-free.

Well, that's what I was getting at - planned for Regened but ultimately unsuitable.

I thought this was one of the most satisfying progs for a while - which isn't meant to denegrate recent efforts, as things have generally been excellent since the jumping-on prog. It's just that the stories this week particularly hit the spot.

Some nice humour in Dredd, especially the bits about what really went into Puke, and the cluelessness of the cult members. SinDex was wrapped with aplomb. Looks like we're going to be in for another gripping volume of Deadworld (sorry, Damned). Strontium Dog concluded with the ridiculous humour and lightness of touch that only John Wagner can bring.

Which leaves Skip Tracer, making a snappy five-page debut. Definite shades of Brink in the setting - or even Topsoil from the Dan Dare strips. Not sure how to put this in a way that doesn't sound insulting (which I don't want to do, I loved it!) but it seemed a bit more of an easy read than most other 2000 AD strips right now. Might be barking up the wrong tree but I thought perhaps it was something written for 2000 AD Regened but upgraded to the regular prog instead?

Anyway Kingmaker's on the way back too, it's going to be a great summer.

Cover: Nice work from the Roach and Teague droids

Dredd: Really enjoyed that, a great resolution to last week's kinda-OK setup. Genuine laugh out loud at the panel with the missile firing off in the wrong direction.

SinDex: Excellent, showcasing the strip as a template for all kinds of crazy sh*t

Anderson: What's the opposite of a snowball effect? Something that gets less effective the longer it goes on?

Future Shock: Gonna have to just re-read that one more time. Have ta say my favourite Future Shocks are the straight-out creepy ones rather than the 'Aaaaah!' plot twist ones.

Strontium Dog: 'The Son' has weirdly meandered but what it's lost in focus it's gained in contrast and variety. Sad to see it go next week, hope there's more on the way soon.


And, bring on Deadworld! Knowing what else is coming up, hopefully this means we'll get a few progs with a dream line-up of Dredd/SinDex/Deadworld/Brink/The Order.

Ah, thanks.

Not a bad prog, though i am missing Jaegir.

The cover is obviously a classic but who's Kimble? His name doesn't appear with the others on the Class of 79 Roll of Honour.

No idea if it was intentional but 'The Slavers of Drule' makes sense when you consider homonyms of 'slavers' and 'drule'.

Consecutive Ezquerra/McMahon covers. Truly we are spoiled.

Don't want to offend fans of space spinners or biotronic stickers but this was always my favourite of the first three free gifts.

If it's got a video camera in the end I'll be very impressed.

Can't really do more than go with the general consensus this week - SinDex excellent, Jaegir too but shame it's over, Dredd a little underwhelming, Strontium Dog great and Anderson just too hard to follow.

Have I already replied to this thread? Can't remember.

Anyway, since prog 1. I'd been getting Krazy comic for a few months and though I'm not sure where I saw 2000 AD's inaugural issue (it might have been the TV commercial actually) I was an immediate convert. 

Not so many reviews this week. Is the post-jumping on thrill surge wearing off already? 

Cover: Looks great, really impactive, not sure how much Anderson Raid71 has seen though since it doesn't really capture her. Had a look at his website raid71.com, he's done some incredible stuff.

Dredd: Still not quite feeling this story, and the concrete head stuff seems a bit far-fetched (literally 'Old Stony Face' huh). Still let's see how it resolves. Great work from Staz Johnson on art duties.

Jaegir: Like the best strips, this seems effortlessly great. Need to get me 'The Beast Within' collection.

SinDex: Similarly, this just breezes along and is a total blast.

Anderson: Enjoying it, though at this stage I'm afraid I've literally lost the plot. The Collins/Robinson art is fantastic though. Anyone think David Roach is in a padded cell now screaming "But it doesn't make any sense?!"

Strontium Dog: Usually I hate hallucinatory appearances by dead characters but this brought a little tear to my eye  . The line "plenty of other women in Milton Keynes knew Wulf's charms" cracked me up. Wagner you genius.


In summary: +++ Thrill content maintaining peak levels +++

Anyone know anything about this new strip 'Skip Tracer'?

I really like the idea of this being Crisis on Infinite Anderson-Substitutes, and for the first and probably only time I would welcome the return of Judy J'Anus

Judy J'Anus? Not heard of her and not sure that's a name I should Google here in the office

It's a shame that with Lamia appearing only a few weeks ago she isn't there to bump up the complement.

Cover: Another stunning Alex Ronald effort, putting Dredd in the background to great effect. Someone on FB mentioned that the colour pallet appeared to be taken from a tin of Quality Street

Dredd: Good, but, I've not been massively taken by any of the Sons of Booths stories yet. Here, with the focus being on two blocks, I don't really get a sense of city-wide tension. Let's see how it pans out though.

Jaegir: Let's just say that Hunted has been firmly relegated to the realm of bad memories! A really nicely conceived kidnap plan, and a great bit of humour with the robot. Must admit I've never thought of the Norts actually speaking a different language, apart from the odd "Nain!!".

SinDex: But... what... Sin's dead? Or what?? Shit! Exciting.

Anderson: Sure it's a bit of a dog's dinner but I'm loving every frame!

Strontium Dog: I think if there is a problem here it's that there are too few panels to the page. I'm enjoying it but there just isn't enough of it!

Overall things must be going well as I've used six exclamation marks in that review.

!

Excuse the cut and paste, but...

Forktail is a musical project by artists Si Davis and Boo Cook exploring the themes of folklore/folk horror/ancient history and the allure of The Horned One.



Influences: Wicker Man soundtrack, Broadcast + the focus Group, Sex Witch, Goat, folk horror films

Forktail on Bandcamp
FaceBook page

For my own part all I will say is that they are absolutely magnificent.