Prog 2195 - Master of Puppets

[Andy B]

The Order is, as always, completely opaque and confusing to me.

'Opaque' is exactly the right word. I have the same issue with 'Deadworld': I really want to like these stories, but for some reason they just bounce off me: I can't seem to remember who everybody is, or figure out how consecutive scenes relate to each other. Maybe one day it will just click.

Other than that, the Prog is great stuff at the moment: Dredd picking up nicely after a bit of a 'meh' start, and 'The Out' turning out to be a Grade A thrill. Plus, a Prog with 'Sinister Dexter' is always better than a Prog without 'Sinister Dexter'.

[broodblik]

After the highs of the last few weeks the prog is a bit of a let down but maybe that is expected as most of the stories have either wrapped up or about too wrap up. We also entering a mini break with the upcoming regen prog next week.

The Dredd story is now in its full stride and it gets better with each episode. The Out is difficult to determine where it is heading but maybe that is what makes this such an interesting read. The Order ends on a cliff-hanger and we will have to wait to see where this is going.  Sin/Dex just feels like it cannot lift off, too many interruptions and stoppages.

[I, Cosh]

So the Angel of Death was [spoiler]Oola Blint[/spoiler] all along, eh? Didn't see that one coming and not really sure that it makes any sense or that a reread is going to do this story any favours.

After last week's closing page I was looking forward to Al Swearengen being the latest historical figure to appear in the The Order. Hopefully he'll make it into the next series.

I seem to be only not completely in awe of The Out. It's perfectly fine and better than anything else this week, but I'm not totally convinced.

[norton canes]

Yeah it's a bit like the brakes have been slammed on this week, with the next Regened imminent. End Of Days latest chapter gets one of those "Ah, you didn't expect that!" low-key resolutions, and with Death apparently on Luna-1 that must blow the theory that it's Dredd? SinDex infuriatingly gets yet another recap instalment, and the infection seems to have spread to The Out too, which spends a lot of time reminding us what happened last week. Thankfully The Order arrives to save the prog with a touching final episode. Oh yes, and... Quilli.

You know when you see the new prog's cover tagline on the index page of the 'prog' section here and play a little guessing game (if you haven't seen the actual cover), trying to work out which story it belongs to? Let's just say Quilli was a long way down my list of guesses. Once again, Tharg, I implore you - please put this sort of stuff in the Regened prog!

[norton canes]

Oh, one other thing... at the risk of turning this into a scene from Father Ted, am I the only one to not have realized until now that the angel's head in End Of Days is big, and far away?

[JayzusB.Christ]

Death's hardly going to be, well, [spoiler]Death[/spoiler], is he?  AFAIR he's still wandering round space somewhere.  Admittedly space is quite a big place, but it includes the moon.
Also, I'm not sure if anyone's commented on it before, but [spoiler]Anderson in a coma [/spoiler]again? Really?  Dredd must be sick of reporting that by now.

[Link Prime]

So the Angel of Death was [spoiler]Oola Blint[/spoiler] all along, eh? Didn't see that one coming and not really sure that it makes any sense or that a reread is going to do this story any favours.

Seriously?

[Richard]

Anderson was only in a coma for five minutes, and I think this may have been an in-joke rather than a serious plot point.

[JayzusB.Christ]

Anderson was only in a coma for five minutes, and I think this may have been an in-joke rather than a serious plot point.

Fair point.

[JimmyNailz]

Dredd - Ichabod has another purpse. Giant still doesn't have any #PrayForGiant.

The Out - Cyd parties hard to try and get over the trauma of finding out what had happened to her. I'm very much a fan of Harrisons art. I think when it's overwhelming, it's done with purpose and work really well. Particularly this week in "alien clubland"

Sin/Dex - part two of a big catch-up (that too be fair I required) before the roadtrip sets off. SinDex has QUITE the continuity!

Terror Tales: Qullivision - not been a fan of past Qullisodes and not won over by this one.

The Order - Whats going on with that massive arm on the second to last page? Is it a statue in the foreground?

Quite looking forward to Regened next week. Dredd and Rico looking great on what I assume is next weeks cover and intrigued by the previews we've been shown in the Nerve Centre in weeks gone by.

[Goosegash]

I have to admit to being a bit disappointed with the current run of The Order, this volume didn't really feel like a self-contained story like the others but more like it's just arbitrarily stopped in the middle of the action. I guess there may be practical reasons for that but it feels a bit cheap to resort to a cliffhanger somehow.

Also although I felt like I was up to speed with everything having done a full re-read recently, I have to admit at first I was confused as to whether the scene with Ritterstahl and Daniel arguing was taking place in their shared mind-space or in the real world, and I couldn't even remember when Daniel was wounded (it was three episodes back). Reading back it seems clearer though, Ritterstahl's consciousness was shutting down, allowing Daniel to finally die - we see him start to fade away as he leaves.

[Colin YNWA]

What kinda barbaric waste land have I returned to?

Just got home from a lovely holiday in North Yorkshire bounced into the house full of the joys, pretending to be happy to be home, seeing the cat etc etc secretly really just chuffed that it'd be that most wonderous of things a two Prog weekend... only to see last weeks Prog i.e. this one, hasn't landed. I'm bereft.

Life is not worth living.

At least its a Regened Prog today (hopefully - posties not come yet) so I can read that out of sequence.

Oh and see Ultimate Collection and Comic Bargains threads for my other salvations...

[Dandontdare]

I noticed the Regened advert - is this back to being a special rather than a weekly prog-replacement? Only reason I ask is that the price is £4.99

[broodblik]

I noticed the Regened advert - is this back to being a special rather than a weekly prog-replacement? Only reason I ask is that the price is £4.99

The regen prog is replacing the normal run, the regen prog is prog 2196. Yes we will have to wait two weeks fro both The Out and End of Days to continue.  I think we will also see the return of Diaboliks in prog 2197 as well.

[Richard]

Regened is more expensive because it's more pages.