Only knowing Critchlow from Thrud, I was surprised to see him pop up on Lobster Random when I came back to the Prog. Not in a good way. I really didn't like his work at the time: too many lines everywhere for my tastes. Not sure what happened but somewhere along the way that changed and I really liked his Dredd work: Out of the Undercity and the stuff he was doing around Tour of Duty in particular. He seemed to be in regular rotation for a while and then just disappear. Anyone know what he's up to now? I'd love to see him back on a Dredd story.
Simon Fraser, on the other hand, is inseparable from Nikolai Dante and my unconventional love for both knows no bounds. One thing I find quite interesting is that Fraser isn't afraid to let characters' faces bend and distort away from their normal shape as a way of conveying emotion. It's a cartoonish effect that I really like but sometimes seem odd alongside the astonishing architecture and backdrops.
With The Strip That Dare Not Speak Its Name, it was a bittersweet thing to see his work back in the Prog. Recognisably the same but maturing with age. The use of spot colours and an exceptional command of panel structure and layouts are delightful.
A result that reflects the strength of the winner rather than the weakness of the loser.
Fraser 4 - 1 Critchlow
