Prog 2326 - Rogue's Return

[Barrington Boots]

Delighted to get a Monday Prog and whipped through it on my tea break. Based off a first reading, one that promised much but for me, but didn't really deliver.
All kicks off with a glorious cover from Cliff Robinson. I'm a real fan of cover art that incorporates the logo in new ways and this is a great striking image.

We get the cold and cruel authoritarian depection of Dredd from Niemand and Dyer. Great little story, I especially liked the last page which is almost dialogue free. Bleak stuff, in a good way.

Durham Red is a setup episode. I'm afraid the last series soured me hugely on this character. I guess we'll see where it goes. Some terrific art - page 3 and 4 with the static shots of red, and then the savage armbreaking scene - are ace.

The Order is another all action episode. This does feel like it's buidling to a conclusion, and its a shame that it seems to be ending with a giant robot battle - one of the less good aspects of the strip. Usually I'm all in favour of a giant robot battle but the stuff with the worms, and the various historical personages being in secret societies has long vanished and this was the more enjoyable incarnation of the strip for me. It's all still quite pulpy and fun, even though I don't care for Berg and have long forgotten the names of the other two guys with him and Clara.

I didn't realise Enemy Earth was back. I didn't enjoy the last series so unsurprisingly I didn't enjoy this episode either sadly.

Finally Rogue Trooper. I feel Rogue is one of those characters who is pretty much used up in terms of story and has been a case of diminishing returns for a good while now. However Ennis and Goddard seem to be the perfect team to change this. The Rogue / Biochip chatter is handled really well, and it looks fantastic, but this goes in a direction I really did not see coming and am not a fan of. Still got faith in the creative team so we'll see where this goes too.

[broodblik]

Cover by Cliff Robinson and Dylan Teague:

[broodblik]

Cover and Logo:

[IndigoPrime]

Monday Prog here too. Lovely cover. Fun logo 'redesign'. First up: Dredd. Bloody hell, that was bleak. Niemand's Dredd here seems like a level of arsehole we haven't seen for a while. Almost a throwback of sorts. Horribly topical also. I didn't like this at all, but in a manner that meant it properly landed.

I'm on the opposite side of things to Mr Boots regarding Durham Red, which I've enjoyed. I thought this episode was a great set-up. Great art. Blazed along. Looking forward to more.

The Order remains vaguely coherent pulpy fun, but, man, it feels harsh to make Burns draw an entire army of robots. Honestly, I've barely any idea what's going on now, though.

Next up, Enemy Earth. This was an odd one, because I liked it in Regened, but it didn't quite click in the Prog. I'm not sure why. This set-up worked well enough though, and I'm happy enough to see it back (although I really hope Tharg has also commissioned another, ooh, 56 episodes of Pandora, which remains for me the best thing out of Regened).

Last up, Rogue Trooper. Never a character I'm excited to see back in the Prog, this one Rogues the Rogue, much as you'd expect, right up until the point it doesn't. Unlike Boots, I grinned at the twist. I'm excited to see where it goes.

Also, you know, seeing Garth Ennis's name in that credit box again feels good. He was heavily present during some of 2000 AD's worst years. But he has a level of self-awareness and ability to reflect that certain of his contemporaries have always struggled with. He understands the value of British comics, and seems to wish he could have done things differently at the time. I do struggle with some of his work, but the war strips are relentlessly solid. And so he seems an ideal writer for this strip, and it's great to see him back in the comic.

So: for me, this is a quality Prog – nothing bad in the mix at all.

Rogue > Red > Dredd > Earth > Order I never thought Rogue would lead a Prog for me...

[Barrington Boots]

Always enjoy reading your thoughts IP!

Reading your post I realise my review is actually perhaps a little harsh. I very much agree re. Ennis and I'm quite hopeful on Rogue. I don't want to spoil anything but it looks initially like this won't be the best use of the setting, and I think the setting is much more key to a good RT story than Rogue himself who is Blandy McBlandface.
Ennis and Goddard are a bit of a dream team though and there's obvious love for the strip: I was well impressed with the story calling back to Prog 327, almost 2000 issues ago.

I enjoyed the Durham Red reboot initially and want to like it still, hoping this run gives me a reason.

[broodblik]

A good prog with one not so good one average and three good


Dredd – A dire Dredd story with Dredd being himself and a complete dick. Not my favorite Niemand scripted Dredd.

Durham Red – Great to see the return of Red and we are still very much in the build–up phase but we can see where this is going. This is my favorite interpretation of Red well done team.

The Order – The story continues its roller-coaster ride to its finale. It is a battel royale as Gideon's clash with Bacon's aerial assault.

Enemy Earth – Quiet surprise to see this return so early, one of my least favourite thrills since my return more than a decade ago. Well, I will give it another bash. First episode does not give me hope at all especially on the art front.

Rogue Trooper – Awesome, so glad to see one of my favourite classic returns and being used as part of its original continuity. Goddard was born to draw this, and the artwork is just top-notch. I like the ending of the story like a time-twister. Great work from Ennis glad to see his name in the prog again.

[The Corinthian]

The Order remains vaguely coherent pulpy fun, but, man, it feels harsh to make Burns draw an entire army of robots.

It does seem a bit perverse in a series that seems to have been created specially so that Burns can draw the stuff he likes drawing.

I'm a bit torn on Blighty Valley. On the one hand, Garth Ennis should be an ideal Retro Rogue Trooper writer; on the other, it's so far feeling a bit over-familiar and settled into a comfort zone. But we'll see.

[The Monarch]

that was a bloody good dredd story this week. its nice to be reminded that Dredd is suppsed to be a piece of shit most of the time

[Link Prime]

I won't be picking this Prog up for a few weeks alas - what's the Rogue Trooper 'twist'?


Beautiful cover from the Robinson + Teague btw.

[Colin YNWA]

After a trip away I get to an interesting Prog under an interesting cover. I mean when you look at all the bits it's clearly Cliff Robinson, yet somehow when I look at it as a whole there's something very atypical of Cliff Robinson about it. I think it may be the placing and postion of Rogue ... but it might not be... who know. All very, very good, just really a curious one to me.

Inside Dredd is a perfect example of Niemand at his very best, ably assisted by the superb as ever Nick Dyer. Brilliant and very moving.

Durham Red - very good opener to a series I have very high hopes for after last time. Tied things nicely to last time while at the same time very neatly moving things on to the next. Great stuff.

The Order continues to be magnificent fun and a rollocking wrap up.

Enemy Earth quickly gets to the very things that last series failed to get to with any sense of urgency - that the actual Enemy Earth itself. So I should like this - so far just decent set-up but immediately exciting at least. Still some issues with the storytelling but then who can make a SUV on the back of a lorry driving into a giant death plant immediately clear!

Rogue Trooper I've long said that the least interesting thing about Rogue Trooper is the Rogue himself but this seems to acknowledge that, whip past the set up and intro with some obligatory bickering and cuts straight to the most interesting thing about Rogue Trooper being what a messed up place NuEarth is and BOY does this set that up well. Just great stuff AND OH WOW Patrick Goddard is the perfect artist for this, a series always well served by brilliant artists. Superb stuff.

So yeah that's a pretty top notch Prog if you ask me and that's a Prog that's just lost The Out so that's saying quite something!

[Barrington Boots]

I won't be picking this Prog up for a few weeks alas - what's the Rogue Trooper 'twist'?

I'll PM you Link, not sure what the deal is with spoilers on here nowdays.

[Batman's Superior Cousin]

I won't be picking this Prog up for a few weeks alas - what's the Rogue Trooper 'twist'?


Beautiful cover from the Robinson + Teague btw.

The twist is the fact that you're reading the story at all!!

[Link Prime]

I won't be picking this Prog up for a few weeks alas - what's the Rogue Trooper 'twist'?

I'll PM you Link, not sure what the deal is with spoilers on here nowdays.

Thanks pal.

Surprising premise / unsurprising setting.

[IndigoPrime]

I'll PM you Link, not sure what the deal is with spoilers on here nowdays.

The tags are all broken. I can only assume they were some custom CSS thing.

[spoiler]Dang it.[/spoiler]

[Jim_Campbell]

I'll PM you Link, not sure what the deal is with spoilers on here nowdays.

Last time we discussed it, I'm sure the consensus was: spoilers are fine, and no real need for spoiler tags (even if they did work). If you haven't read the prog, stay off the prog review thread if you don't want spoilers. (I'm on a digital sub these days, so I steer clear until Wednesdays.)