Prog 2201 - Fiendish Origins

[NapalmKev]

Fiends cover by Tiernen Trevallion.

Judge Dredd - Carry The Nine, Part 2. Maitland sees some action in this episode and Justice Dept. need to build better Robots. Like the design of it, though; reminds me of Conrad from Blunt. Great artwork with one panel in particular being quite the masterpiece - Dredd looming over Maitland, I'm looking at you!


Stickleback - New Jerusalem, Part 2. Another great strip which has taken too long to return. Like others I wasn't sure about the Holmes reveal and the end of the last series but I think it was handled well in the long run. Beautiful artwork, so very different from much in the Prog but eye-pleasing all the same.


Skip Tracer - Hyperballad, Part 2. Nolan Blake fights Monster of the week and uses his psychic blast to incapacitate them. This strip is not for me but it must have quite a few fans for it to keep returning with a frequency we don't see with other strips... Where the Drokk is Brass Sun?


Fiends Of The Eastern Front - Constantia, Part 1 Dialogue heavy opener which is fine by me because I found it intriguing. I must say though, it seems like a bit of a trudge to go for a pint. Stunning artwork!


Hookjaw - 2. I never read the original strip this is all new to me whatever spin has been put on it. Two episodes in and I'm finding it interesting. I'm a fan of Horror and this slow burn approach is something that seems to work well in the Prog. I'd also cite Hope... and Thistlebone as examples. Beautiful artwork again but the Prog is rarely in short supply anyway.


Cheers

[NapalmKev]

I forgot the Prog number. Would a kindly mod be able to sort it out please?

Thanks in advance.

Cheers

[Something Fishy]

Being in Cornwall I really didn't need to see Hookjaw arriving here in 2020.. should have expected it though really 

[Barrington Boots]

Lovely prog this week and especially lovely to be able to read it in bed Saturday morning with a mug of tea.

Dredd - Maitands plan seems a bit naive but I'm enjoying this. Agree with NapalmKev about the great shot of Dredd on the 5th page, radiates authority and menace. Very America-esque.

Stickleback - I'd forgotten how much I like this story. Amazing artwork. The last panel is great with all the 'spirit selves' on display. Literally no idea where this is going and very keen to find out.

Skip Tracer - I'm not as down on this as some and this tale looks more like how I hoped the strip would be: lower key action orientated Shadowrun-style bodyguarding / bounty hunting antics rather than all the stuff with military experiments and psychic brothers. Doesn't reach the heights of the other strips this week perhaps but not unwelcome. I an digging how India is drawn all manga style unlike anyone else.

Fiends - This rules. Recaps and sets the scene. Amazing artwork again - looks incredible with all the gnarly Romanians and the tapestry with Constanta in his Gary Oldman Dracula armour.

Hookjaw - also brilliant. I like the way this is starting a creepy build like a horror movie, really different take on the series. Brilliant artwork yet again. More evidence I think that it's not a literal shark behind the killings but no idea where this is going either and I really like it.

Really strong prog and very welcome after the last run of tales which didn't engage with me quite as much as much. Can't wait for next week, which I think is the ideal on how the Prog should leave you. 

[broodblik]

The cover by Tiernan Trevallion which tells us a story within a story:

[broodblik]

The cover plus logo:

[Colin YNWA]

Interesting Prog this one - don't know quite what to make of a strip or two. Others typical second parts, after a storming opening we get things to settle down as things need to develop.

Anyway Dredd is an example of that (typical second parts) after a superb opener and that fantastic ending things have to stew a little to develop and alas so does Maitland. Still its all really rather well done and the use of Dredd is just fantastic. Really enjoying this and its great to see Rob Williams doing brilliant Dredd again.

Stickleback another one of those second parts as we get a tour of The Library and seeds are sown and mushrooms consumned to glorious effect by D'Israeli. Good stuff.

As should Skip Tracer but I'm still not invested and not sure how this can turn it around as this really isn't bad at all. Nice exchange between Polly Alloy (I think I called her Polly Anna last week - some Sinister Dexter fan am!) and mr hard pants.

Fiends is a good set up no more no less... well except excellent art huh.

Then Hookjaw just drifts, nah storms into leftfield. I have no idea what this strip is doing yet, where its going, what its tone will be. That's no bad thing and we'll see how this one settles down, if it does. Certainly as far from a typical second part as you can get.

The Prog isn't blowing me away yet but its not doing anything wrong either. Let's see how we develop.

[broodblik]

Dredd – One opposing stans from Dredd should remind us of what a fearful character he really is. Currently I am not sure which direction this is heading but the build-up is still good enough to keep us intrigued. A good start to the Dredd story.

Stickleback – The art is fantastic the story still reads like an introduction for what is too come.  All in all, it is juts great to have this back.

Skip Tracer – Currently I am not sure what to make of this arc and although it is readable, I just feel disconnected to the story currently. It might be that I feel little series fatigued; too much in a short period of time. 

Fiends – Interesting build up for the story. The art is fantastic as always with Tiernen.

Hook Jaw – The vagueness of the direction and what it is about makes this more and more interesting. I cannot wait to see where we are swimming with this one. Bring it on.

Not a bad prog but we are still very much still in introduction phase here. All the stories feel to me on the same level where the direction is not yet clear and can go in any direction. Let us see how everything unfolds the next few weeks.

Where the Drokk is Brass Sun?

I am the same page when will we have this back ?

[Timothy]

Am I alone in seeing a bit of a DKR mutant gang vibe in the perps at the start of Dredd?

[Jim_Campbell]

I am the same page when will we have this back ?

I liked Brass Sun a lot but I'm not sure I can get on that page if it means taking the Culbard droid away from Brink…

[Colin YNWA]

I am the same page when will we have this back ?

I liked Brass Sun a lot but I'm not sure I can get on that page if it means taking the Culbard droid away from Brink…

Yeah if was Brass Sun or Blink you go Brink everyday but man I miss Brass Sun, a great series. Tharg just needs to crack down so he does nothing else (well that's not life sustaining) and that way we can have both.

[broodblik]

I am the same page when will we have this back ?

I liked Brass Sun a lot but I'm not sure I can get on that page if it means taking the Culbard droid away from Brink…

Yeah if was Brass Sun or Blink you go Brink everyday but man I miss Brass Sun, a great series. Tharg just needs to crack down so he does nothing else (well that's not life sustaining) and that way we can have both.

Naturally Brink is great but I still would like Brass Sun to return

[judgeurko]

I am the same page when will we have this back ?

I liked Brass Sun a lot but I'm not sure I can get on that page if it means taking the Culbard droid away from Brink…

Yeah if was Brass Sun or Blink you go Brink everyday but man I miss Brass Sun, a great series. Tharg just needs to crack down so he does nothing else (well that's not life sustaining) and that way we can have both.

Brink is good but Brass Sun is superb. I need to reread it.

[broodblik]

Since we all like Brink and Brass Sun I suggest we clone Culbard. Problem solved

[JayzusB.Christ]

My prediction - The Chief Judge will have look at Maitland's calculations, then go 'ohhhh yeah! Never thought of that.'  Then money will be redirected and crime will be wiped out; then the judges will be defunded.  Dredd, lacking direction, will go back and find that woman that fancied him in Guatemala (options being thin on the ground for octogenarians) and get married.  The strip from then on will be like a South American sitcom, focusing on the hilarious exploits of a young country woman and her elderly city-boy husband.  Occasionally, though, we'll go back to MC1 to look at the comedy antics of the other judges as they struggle to find new jobs in a city without crime.

Ohhh, I don't know. I enjoyed the story anyway; looking forward to the rest of it. Haven't read anything else yet, I'm saving it for later.