Prog 2303 - Swarn Enemy?

[Colin YNWA]

Two days, two Progs. With any luck we might be getting back on schedule, but I'll not count my chickens.

I'm not going to do regular running order as I have some Rob Williams issues, while both episodes are good they... well we'll get back to that.

Enemy Earth disappoints as it seemed to be exploding outside, which it needs, but no it dragged back in. Next week surely. Still not too bad at all.

Chimpsky's Law continues to delight as does Hope but both in such very different ways. Two great thrills, so contrasting in tone, style and art (all excellent) and yet perfectly at home back to back in the Prog. This is why we love the GGC isn't it.

Now the Prog is bookended by two Rob Williams Dreddworld strips. Both with glorious art - Henry Flint on Dredd seems to be trying something new again that is generally superb... except that Anderson pic page 4 is a bit... something ANYWAY. No issues with the art at all. Just fantastic. The stories too, particularly Hershey. My issue isn't that its just once again Rob Williams drawing on the backstory he's been developing for years now.

It fine, its his to do but its beginning to really make his take in the Dreddverse feel really limited and restricted. I'm bored of things refering back and back and back. Yes he's pushing the storylines forward, adding new elements but he has the world world to explore and wish he used more scope in doing that.

All that said both great episodes so yah know that's just me whining!

Good Prog.

[broodblik]

A good prog and it is always special when you Flint and Fraser on art duties.

Dredd – Aaah mister Flint is back on Dredd and that is always a good sign. Interesting start to the new arc but we spend most of our time after the events of End of Days.

Chimpsky – What a fun “evil” story. Enjoying this one. Keep it PJ and Ken.

Hope – This is getting more intriguing as we also get a more background on the alternative second world war. Hopefully we also get more insight on the purpose of the reel soon.

Enemy Earth – At first, I tough it was just mainly the artwork that I am not liking but in essence nothing stands-out for me to tell read me, read me.  The story has not moved an inch and is starting to tread water.

Hershey – So Rob is pulling in storylines from way back and it is quite interesting how the whole Enceladus event will be used. As always Simon’s art is top-notch.

[broodblik]

Cover by Luke Horsman:

[broodblik]

Cover and Logo:

[broodblik]

B/W Cover:

[Barrington Boots]

A nice surprise to get my prog on Tuesday. WFH today so read most of it with my morning cup of tea.

Dredd – That Henry Flint art... magnificent. His Anderson is so striking here, his Dredd pretty iconic. Dredd's got a bit of cheek running down Izaaks for what he did in the war considering what he himself did later. Otherwise, the prospect of harking back to End of Days doesn't really excite, so I'm hoping this takes a different direction.

Chimpsky – This is lots of fun and really horrible at the same time. I can't think of a recent villain in the Prog I've wanted to see get their comeuppance as much as these little rats. Their actions at the end of this episode have just seriously escalated things, I think. Great stuff.

Hope – Intriguing episode, still in setup mode though and no real reason to engage in the story. Interested to see what's next.

Enemy Earth – Sadly this is doing nothing for me at all. Agree with broodblik above saying the story feels like it's treading water.

Hershey – Digging the call-backs, Thing-esque grotesquery and the art on this. Looking back to the previous story in South America really highlights Simon Fraser's work with colours and how they contribute to the atmosphere.

[IndigoPrime]

Dredd was a solid start, although the art was a bit odd from Flint. It reminded me a bit of Frank Miller. Not sure we need Anderson to look like a 20-something in high heels either, but there you go.

Chimpsky continues to be great and my favourite thing in the Prog. Hope should be on a par, but I’m still unconvinced by this entire run, even though this second half started well.

Closing out the Prog, Enemy Earth is fine, but needs to differentiate itself. And Hershey remains quality production, even though I’m very aware how divisive it is.

Chimpsky > Hershey > Dredd > Enemy Earth > Hope

All readable this week. Three very good and two with potential.

[nxylas]

Not sure we need Anderson to look like a 20-something in high heels either, but there you go.

I did wonder why Anderson looked so young. I know it was a flashback, but only to a few years ago.

[norton canes]

On catch-up here, Smiths had this in stock so looks like the problem with prog 2302 was a one-off.

All good: Hope... remains wonderfully demented, Hershey seems to have found a direction and Chimpsky is of course peerless. Enemy Earth continues to inhabit a weird limbo between all-ages and old-ages. It would be nice to have Rob Williams cut loose on a story that wasn't beholden to his earlier works. Has Anderson undergone a complete rejuvenation after her 'rebirth' in End of Days?

[Proudhuff]

Do you think that Anderson is a wind-up by Flint? Its been about 40 years since I wrote to tharg about this, looks like I'll need to get the green biro out again...