Sinister Dexter in 2002

[Colin YNWA]

People have said that Sinister Dexter should have parted ways with the Prog long ago. I for one don't agree with that as I really enjoy the current stories, all be it seemingly crammed into whatever space needs filling. Having read the Progs from 2002 I can however see where this feeling may stem from.

Sinister Dexter is a fantastic strip with legs, because just like Dredd and Dante it can accommodate all sorts of stories be it short light hearted flights of whimsy, dark biting stabs at suitable targets, or harder more emotional bigger tales. I have loved so many of the brilliant short done in one stories and have alluded to the fact in the section before. It does however need to get the balance right and left going too far down one root it limits its appeal.

During 2002 it does this for me and the numerous short witty little ditties dominate the strip. Sure they are fun and very well written but it reduces Sinister Dexter to a pleasant distraction and it can be so much more. I was really looking forward to the longer "The Off-Lode Experience" hoping it would give us back some of the depth the strip has shown. Alas it didn't, the last two parts aside it's more of the same, in space, thank you very much and this felt pretty disappointing.

I'm going to spin off a little and mention the art. I said elsewhere that it appeared that Sinister Dexter was getting used as a try-out strip for artists during 2002. Almost immediately after that I come across runs by Steve Parkhouse and Simon Davis to prove me wrong. Good to be proved wrong sometimes huh. I do need to make special mention of how indecently attractive Simon Davis makes Billi Octavia. Heavens to mergatrode the cover 1319.

Anyway straightening myself up again I'm looking forward to Sinister Dexter getting its balance right and hope it's not too long in coming?

[The Monarch]

The off lode experience is (though we didn't know it at the time) the beginnings of what is currently happening at the moment

[Mike Gloady]

I love your take on the vintage thrills, Colin.  Always well worth reading.

How far off is "The Off Lode Experience" from appearing in the trades?  I'd really like to know as they've finally run out of stuff I've NOT read until my return nearly 2 years ago.  

[The Monarch]

Well depending on how much they skip (god I hate those trades)

The offlode experience should be either the next trade or the one after that

[Mike Gloady]

Thanks for the info, Monarch.

It annoys me how much they've skipped so far, particularly the entireity of "Downlode Tales" but we've done this dance a fair few times......