Prog 1351

[paulvonscott]

No controversial letters this week ;) but an achingly good prog.

Dredd is really well written, I could have stories like this, Chief Judges Man, Sin City all the time.  The arts well drawn, but a bit perfunctory.

Leviathan, foolishly missed the first page as I was avoiding the Bek and Kawl.  Yes, I like this.  Wasn't really bothered about Interceptor ad Red Seas was fun enough, but the Scarlet Traces team have pulled off another good story here I reckon.

Slaine.  Doh.  It's Dagon, I only realised when it started saying that they had taught mankind civilisation.  I feel such a nana.  Double nana as I only realised there was a wraparound cover just now when it told me in the Nerve Centre.  So there is.  Nice.

Stronts great.  

Well, I'll subscribe again on the strength of these four, it won't last, but what does?

Oh and the megazine cover, who has drawn that, can't be bolland surely?

[Leigh S]

Greg Staples methinks

The Watcher, still awaiting his postie....

[Leigh S]

Got 1351, but no Meg....aaaaargggh.... never mind - something to look forward to tomorrow.

Nive to see lovely cover paper AND extra pages still here this week - This should have been better advertised IMO, even if its only to this prog - I'd assumed it was only for prog 1350...

[paulvonscott]

I don't have the meg yet is it due?  I just was commenting on the Advert in 2000AD.  I also thought Greg Staples possibly, but there are a few touches which just scream original Bolland Death.  Either way, it's very very good.

[Trout]

Hooray! The mighty fish begins a Meg review thread!

I've only dipped into it so far, just popped a fin in, but I had to read Death first thing.

It's great stuff; gorgeous art and creepy storyline, but:




spoilers




spoilers




spoilers






Death on a quad bike?

Scojo's going to be insufferable! It'll be monster trucks, frag grenades and dustbin-lid shields next.
:-)

- Trout

[W. R. Logan]

http://www.2000adonline.com/covers/megazine/mediumres/209.jpg>
Its definitely Greg Staples, Take a look at the big pic of http://www.2000adonline.com/index.php3?zone=prog&page=cover&Comic=Megazine&choice=209>209 and you?ll see Gregg?s signature on the dead hitchhikers backpack.


La Placa Rifa,
http://www.2000ad.nu/classof79/>W. R. Logan.

http://www.2000ad.nu/classof79/images/Co79_logo.gif>

[ukdane]

I got meg and prog this week- no review just yet. It is indeed Greg who is credited for the cover (don't like the take line under the image).

 I notice PVS has had a letter printed, as has Matt (IIRC), but Floyd has out done you again chaps, with a letter in both the Prog and the Meg- just how is it you get one printed almost weekly Floyd? And what do you do with all the mousemats you get sent (I'll have one :-) )?

Review to follow...

[GermanAndy]

Cover: This is a nice one. Great art.

Dredd: Tale comes along nicely. I like the thoughtful Dredd.

Bec& Kawl: After Lobster I wanted to give this a chance, but sorry, it is just dull and not funny.

Leviathan: Talk about high concept. Even if I don?t believe the facts one moment this is an intriguing beginning. And the art is great.

Slaine: beautiful artwork, a bit too dark at times, but the story ...?

Strontium Dog: This is fun.

Good prog.

[Capt.Zeep]

Sumptuous wraparound cover featuring Lemmy as Gael/Odacon, managed to get the cards off without ripping the cover and will give them to the next 11 year old I see...

S
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Really rather good Judge Dredd story, the old guy get's more and more vulnerable by the week. Interestingly chunky artwork.  Thumbs up!

Haven't read all the letters yet, I see there's one from that Paul Scott chap...no backlash to last week's anti-pc rant but I guess that will follow shortly...

Bec & Kawl, well it makes me chuckle...liked the references to Wicker Man and the Stepford Wives, yeah it's lightweight stuff but OK by me.

Leviathan looks pretty cool so far, not un-Ancient Mariner-like in its plot...recent stories like Cab. Inc have brought me around to a likng for good b/w artwork, and this fits the bill, though I feel we should see the "sick, bilious yellow" sky at some point...a cover, perhaps?

This Slaine story is fantastic IMO, Langley's art is just superb especially the rendering of the Quinotaurs, the sequence of 3 panels following (ahem) "kiss my axe" are breathtaking, the way the guy's skeleton is ripped out by the departing demon.  Fabulous.  And there is enough complexity about the invaders to make it hopefully more than just a "Slaine kicks the baddies out" scenario.  What's the bets he gets off with the princess at some point though?

And a good look and feel to Strontium Dog too.  Not too much to say about this other than I like it.  I always liked Wulf, nice to see him get a fairly decent part.

Zarjaz!  Right, I'm off to read the letteres now ;)

Z

[chrisr]

I haven't posted anything ages so I thought I'd post a quick 1351 review now I'm back online.

Dredd: Nice story and I'm enjoying a more thoughtful Dredd and Adlard are is nice.

Bec & Kawl: Witty script with some great use of media refrences, nice to see some new characters introduced and the artwork by Steve Roberts is beautiful I'd really like to see more of his stuff in 2000ad.

Leviathan: Interesting start and some nice art, too earlt to tell whether I'm going to like it though...

Slaine: Slightly over the top story that seems to be out to shock rather than entertain and I find Clint Langleys art to be a bit messy and confusing.

Strontium Dog: Nice if a little slight story and Esquerra art is always nice altough I think I prefer it in black and white rather than computer coloured...

crr

[Trout]

This has been the most enjoyable lunchbreak I've ever had.

That prog's bloody fantastic - I plead a full, five-out-of-five hit rate for its contents!


Dredd's moving along well, and remains interesting and a little spooky.
It's properly moody and we're getting one of the best insights into Dredd's character we've ever had. Damn good art too.

Bec and Kawl was genuinely funny, IMO, with an actual plot and again strong art. Hoping for more of a Wickerman link as it goes on, especially a landlord's daughter. :-)
It also picked up a mood I always enjoy in fiction. I bet people in Inns... brook no such silly incomers...
Sorry. Couldn't resist.

Leviathan? F*ck. Wow. Sh*t. That's incredible stuff.
I'm so bloody excited by this one. The art is wonderful - take a bow, D'Israeli!
That cross-page view of the ship just takes the breath away.
The concept is fantastic, too. It's clear there's still a class system on board the ship, as a sort of whisper of what doomed so many on the Titanic.
This already looks better than Scarlet Traces. It's the best debut I've seen in years, even better than Random.

Have I gushed enough? No? Then here's more...

Slaine was excellent, too. I love the art.
The pathos of these villains makes them the most believable the strip has ever seen.
Then, as if that's not enough, Slaine turns up and actually gets my blood pumping with his axe-work this time. I'm sold.
Plus evil sea creatures? *sniff* I'm even personally involved.

Finally, Strontium Dog is action-packed and visually gorgeous. Hooray for Carlos, back at his peak!
The Unrighteous Brothers clearly owe something to the Stixes, but that's no bad thing yet.


Overall, with a splendid wraparound cover (despite the unnecessary, IMO, free gift) this prog is getting rated at a full ten out of ten for me, despite the appearance of at least two and possibly three message boarders on the letters page. :-)

There's just the right mix of new and old talent, old-school and very original thrills.

Congratulations to Tharg and his droids for the best issue in years!

- The embarrassingly enthusiastic Trout

[Tex Hex]

Wooee! What a prog! Here goes...(in the order I read them)

Dredd: Investigation coming along. Some wierd stuff happens. No action to speak of but getting there. I really like these stories where the narrative is all dredds, its much more personal and shows up cracks in the stonework. I was pleased to read in the "Incoming" part of the meg that this goes on for at least six parts.

Leviathan: Awesome! Wierd and wonderful with that ponderous witty flow that made Scarlet Traces great. Nowt happens but we meet out protagonist and his predicament. My joy at this was only eclipsed by the bonkers but delightful XTNCT in the Meg and also drawn by D'Israli (sp?).

Slaine: I laughed quite a lot at the skeleton bit.  Develops the relationship between Gael and his beasty parasite thing, And slaine chops. Pretty awesome stuff.

SD: Alpha and wulf take on the unrighteous brothers. Is it me or was one brother shot only for all five to be in a panel further on? Good classic western action.

Bec and Kawl: I underestimated this this week. B&K are getting pretty good. Better than most pishy future shocks and TOT. Its a shame that it is in such a good prog though, cos it might have stood out more in a weaker one.

Overall and really strong prog. It makes me happy that these great progs are way more frequent than they used to be. Again, awesome.

Tex-hex.

[Trout]

"Is it me or was one brother shot only for all five to be in a panel further on?"

Hex, I wondered that too, but I think they missed him.
Look carefully at the panel. Alpha and Wulf have just hit the hand-rail, I think.

- Trout

[longmanshort]

Hrumpf, haven't got mine yet, but I'm sure the postman hides round the corner until he sees me go to work. I really confuses him when I'm on holiday - in that case he seems to actually hold on to my post until I come back.

[paulvonscott]

Glad the extra pages are a keeper, even if we can't afford the lovely cover.  Definite improvement!