Prog 2253 - Empire state of emergency!

[Colin YNWA]

I mean they've worked that tagline haven't they!

Well its pretty much as you were isn't it - which given we were in a good place is no bad thing at all.

Dredd remains a solid action adventure thrill. A bit more harking to the past from Rob Williams, personally would like him to rope that in a bit but this one is undeniable fun - of little more.

Diaboliks is a dark and nasty action adventure thrill this week, but the dark tones do hold a little more. Its hellish hard not to love this one.

Pandora Perfect remains a frothy, zesty action adventure romp, Pandora escapes and visits new worlds and this story mines the world of fun (see what I did there) - its just delightful.

Scarlet Traces becomes a very effective wary action adventure this week, all explosions and counter attacks on martians. Ian Edginton doing what he can sometimes forget to do - so not tell. Excellent episode.

The Out remains the strip that defies the rest! Its a wonderful episode again as Cyd finds a new way to go out to try to reclaim her missing bag and... well nice cliffhanger. Its hilarious and just fantastic.

So yeah another winning Prog and an up tick in Scarlet Traces mean its improved event on a fine Prog last week. RESULT!

Empire State of emergency though TUT, even I struggle with that one!

[broodblik]

Cover by D'Israeli:

[broodblik]

Cover and Logo:

[Barrington Boots]

I really like the tagline this week. It's the kind of laboured joke I can get behind. Pretty solid Prog inside.

Dredd Great stuff. Maitland and Dredd are very capable in this story, which is good: the naked futsie assassin fares about as well as you'd think but I hope that isn't the end of Sentienoid who has been my favourite character so far. The assassin reveal at the end could be very interesting depending on how it goes. I don't think we've had enough of this kind of Dredd take for a while. I'm into it. Jake Lynch is killing it on this strip, too.

Diaboliks Reading it every week but nothing in it working for me sadly. The Caravaggio though! Argh!

Pandora Perfect The structure is a lot looser than the single episodes and I think that's to it's detriment. The plot is moving at a real pace though and it's unpredictable and interesting enough to keep me engaged. Just lovely work by Brett Parson throughout.

Scarlet Traces All about the visuals this week. Really beautifully realised. Is the guy on the first page weeping for the loss of his alcohol on the molotov cocktail? Top notch.

The Out Another change of tack, good as ever without being outstanding. However, for me, this strip isn't as as funny as it thinks it is so I'm hoping this will be balanced by a bit more drama. I do like the lack of exposition around anything alien - it makes it so.. alien!

[broodblik]

Interview with Dan Abnett on The Out:

http://www.multiversitycomics.com/interviews/the-out-dan-abnett/

[broodblik]

A good prog as we have all stories delivering. 

Dredd – The action continues, and Dredd is in a pickle how will he rescue the day? This feels old-school but in a good way.

Diaboliks – Many jokes start we have three people off the cloth one demon-nun, a real priest and a lost priest how do……… forgot the punchline but that just some nice action and a great last panel.

Pandora – Well the episodes is in warp-mode as the episode wizzes by. Rather enjoying this silly fun as we have a great escape, travel by wormhole, holographic fool-ya-once planet, and a dark creepy tunnel all in one.

Scarlet Traces – The war has final arrived as the episode is highlighted by D’Iraeli’s awesome battle scenes. This was more a visual stunner than a plot mover. Top-notch stuff

The Out – A great episode and we would say that in the future that luggage will still be a problem. That dreaded feeling when you are the last person watching as the baggage carousel comes to a halt and you know deep down that you will never see mister blanky again.

[O Lucky Stevie!]

Interview with Dan Abnett on The Out:

http://www.multiversitycomics.com/interviews/the-out-dan-abnett/

Great interview, but that Asimov cover is the work of Bruce Pennington copyist Ray Feibush, not Chris Foss.

[IndigoPrime]

So often people hark back to 2000 AD’s past to argue that only then did you get five Progs fizzing along with a superb mix of action and intrigue. But here we are with, to my mind, a selection that rivals anything from the comic’s glory days.

Dredd is old-school and quite by-the-numbers, but entertaining and amusing. If nothing else, it’s a reminder Dredd doesn’t always have to be a grim and gritty procedural. This is an unashamed action movie, but with some brains and smarts.

Diaboliks continues to be horrific in the best way, and I’m liking the art. Scarlet Traces has an episode that’s slight on plot but gorgeous from a visual standpoint and moves things along. Pandora remain fun and that last panel was suitably off the wall.

The Out, as ever, remains my favourite thing in the Prog. I’m not sure where it would stand in my all-time 2000 AD strips list, but it’d be close to the top, despite its (so far) smallish page count. Wonderful stuff.

The Out > Diaboliks > Scarlet Traces > Dredd > Pandora — but, again, everything here is really good.

[Link Prime]

Not sure if it has been a regular thing before or not, but I noticed that the Comic Hub app connected to my LCS doesn't have 2000AD listed for this week either.
Any ROI readers still getting the Prog via newsstand (i.e. Easons)? Just wondering if they are similarly affected.

[wedgeski]

Interview with Dan Abnett on The Out:

http://www.multiversitycomics.com/interviews/the-out-dan-abnett/

The interview also confirms that we might be seeing more Grey Area, if there was any doubt whether that story had run its course.

[norton canes]

So often people hark back to 2000 AD’s past to argue that only then did you get five Progs fizzing along with a superb mix of action and intrigue. But here we are with, to my mind, a selection that rivals anything from the comic’s glory days

This, basically.

I'm not sure it's even worth me running through the stories individually, as that description applies pretty equally to them all.

So I won't.

[Sean SD]

My Top 3 for Prog 2253

More of the same from last week, i.e. all thrills going well

1st - The Out - can almost smell this episode lol. This thrill always keeps you wondering when you turn the page. Well done

2nd - Dredd - enjoying the Lynch and Boswell artwork and colours on this thrill

3rd -  Scarlet Traces - Amazing colour and battle scenes

Scarlet Traces Is the guy on the first page weeping for the loss of his alcohol on the molotov cocktail? Top notch.

Yeah gave me a chuckle that molotov cocktail joke

[Tiplodocus]

Top stuff. What a run we are on.