Prog - 2218 - Beaten to the punch!

[Colin YNWA]

SATURDAY PROG
OH SATURDAY PROG
YOU MAKE ME HAPPIER
THAN A LOVELY DOG


Okay so the Dredd isn't quite as strong as last week, but in all other ways this is another absolute winner.

Dredd - so yeah not as good as last week but I mean that doesn't mean its not really good - it is its a smasher in the genre of that well trodden genre of the city bringing a citzen to his knees. Just in this case he doesn't even have his knees to be brought down to... ,lovely art by Simon Colby with a decently bleak Rob Williams script.

Durham Red - Well tables are turned, villians amass and this is a stonking episode. In weaker Progs this could well be thrill of the bunch. Superb stuff.

Proteus Vex - The flesh pilot is put to a task and then we get a fantastic piece of back story

"The future is fexed, immutable: What is destined to happen is what will happen.

But past events are open to interpretation -- and to erasure or alteration by the record-keepers. The past is fluid"

Brilliant stuff and this episode twists and turns on such ideas. Wonderful and probably the Thrill of the Prog.

Slaine - A quieter episode without Slaine wielding an ax, wagon, dragon, whatever and slayer a gazillion folks while not thinking it too many. And all the better for it. This chance to breathe is therefore the best and mosr refreshing of the series to date.

Hershey - Another blinder as Frank finds a dramatic way to end it all. Hershey comes out blazing and Simon Fraser stella art charges us towards this series thrilling (I assume) conclusion. Absolutely top stuff.

Cracker of a Prog to cheer a damp Saturday.

[Leigh S]

A very good prog - I can see why Frank doesn't want to get in the boxing ring with those Trump hands, though!

Dredd is very good - the final gag/panel felt a bit flat and the "CAse closed" ending of page 5 would ahve been better served by Dredd being proactive in working out what was going on (which may be the case, though it also seems to suggest it was the other Judge) - maybe even a quasi happy ending of him getting his (presumably) stolen legs back.

Red ramped up at least two gears and I despite being yet another narration heavy Vex, I appreciate the strip's awareness that 2000AD is and always will be a 4th Dimensional Solid household!

Slaine had a good episode, but it did feel a bit of a jump agin - perhaps an episode of Slaine encountering the  fickle tribes who have turned against him and him setting his mind to leave them to their fate?  If this was written before Pat decided to call it a day, I'm not sure, but it did remind me of the overly quick way Nemesis Book X raced to the finish line.

Hershey remains not my thing.

[broodblik]

Cover by Simon Fraser:

[broodblik]

Cover and logo:

[Richard]

A perfectly good Dredd story. A bit of a sad one.

[Barrington Boots]

Got my Prog Saturday too. I much prefer reading it in bed to reading it at work.

Dredd - After last weeks daft and enjoyable Dredd, a bleak and enjoyable Dredd. Cool stuff and a Wally Squad cameo at the end there too. I'm with Leigh that page 5 might have been a better ending - I'm not sure what the ending here really says? But it's all good.

Durham Red - Cranking it up week on week. This is getting really good. Didn't expect the ending:I thought the other prisoners would end up as cannon fodder defending the prison with Red, not turning on her. I really like the way the colour in the panels differentiate between the stuff in the snow and indoors. As tensions escalate this has escalated from me from back up to top thrill this week.

Proteus Vex - Feels like a very dense episode. This is not a bad thing. Digging it.

Slaine - Cool episode again. Art lovely, story feels like it's moving along nicely, Slaine feels a bit more like he used to be. Nice to see Ukko again too. I like the villains in this and whilst I'm not into Durban being Slaine's new spirit guide it keeps the story moving.

A quick note on Hershey - whilst my previous issues with the strip haven't gone away and the boxing setup is dire, Dirty Frank being himself again is making this tale a lot more enjoyable than the last run and his actions this week are spot on. Even my curmudgoenly self couldn't help but enjoy it.

[JimmyNailz]

As with previous weeks, I'm here to pretty much say "I agree with everyone else and am #TeamHershey"

Dredd - I really like a cit-centric story where Dredd is more of a presence. Loved the art, and the story generally, but felt the last panel fell a bit flat as a "his thoughts remain private - like his health care - geddit?" gag.

Durham Red - I continue to absolutely love this! Artwork that pops with action and back stabbing. I reckon she'll have the prisoners on side by the end of next week, but for now, loving the pace and story telling of this one.

Proteus Vex - I just LOVE the design of Lil Vex so was thrilled to see him pop out. Like Colin, I was forced to pause and ponder the wisdom of fixed and fluid nature of the present and future. The growing tension of the arrival of Citheronians has me very excited. Great stuff!

Slain - I'm really enjoying it. Loads of great art with action and monsters. Particularly liked the page with Ukko with the Celtic design flowing through it. Plus, the ghosts haunting the palace guards were terrifying. I'm glad the final Slain adventure I'll read is THIS good.

Hershey - I've been enjoying it (though always with one foot in the "its just a deathbed dream" camp). Particular enjoying the boxing. I hope Frank gets to fight back next prog. I really do. And hopefully Hershey will learn something about the nature of revenge and nobody will hurt Joe

Well done Toby Willsmer on the Art Stars pin-up. Though I always thought Sam Slade was best as a girl (I'm kidding! I'm kidding!). I might have a go at the ABC Warriors one, just for the fun of it (though I do this that every time)

[broodblik]

Dredd - After last weeks lighter side of Dredd we get a darker grittier Dredd story. This was a particularly good one-shot from Rob. The art as always from Simon Colbey is simply great. I would love for Simon to do another few rounds of Jaegir but I like his art in any storyline. 

Red – Another good episode with nice new twist in our tale.

Vex – The world of Vex is just getting more interesting as elements of the past is revealed.  Some great world building by Carroll. Top thrill this, let us not forget that Lynch is also arranging this party.

Slaine – This was a good episode which focus more on Slaine’s inner struggles than blazing action scenes. Nice few pages with the return of his old acquaintance Ukko.  As we seen before the visuals are striking and a treat for your eyeballs.

Hershey – Frank just decides he had enough and takes the choice out of Hershey’s hands how the next part of the chapter will play out. The action ramps-up. A good episode and it looks like we might be heading to the final act next week.

Yet again we have a very good prog on our hands. Great stuff all-around.

[Timothy]

Good to see that Cameron is still around in Wally Squad.

[DrJomster]

Great prog, team.

Particularly liked Dredd though. It felt “very Dredd”, if you know what I mean.

Love the action in Durham, the “out there” in Proteus, the awesome art in Slaine, and the “I wonder how this is going to wrap up” in Hershey.

Things are firing on all cylinders, so no droids for Mek-quake again this week, I’m afraid!

[broodblik]

Cover in B/W, actually it works much better than the colour one for me:

[norton canes]

Cold and fed up in Canes Towers today. Thankfully an excellent prog has provided welcome respite.

The cover is a brilliant canvas for Simon Fraser's art, especially his awesome colour palette, and the colours are as bold and striking as ever in the strip itself. Plot-wise I'm not quite sure why Frank went through all that boxing rigmarole just to announce his presence as soon as he stepped into the auditorium... wouldn't it have been easier to just sneak in..? Or have I missed the point (probably)

Working in reverse order Slaine continues to impress and Vex is as weird and wonderful as ever but it's Durham Red that takes the Top Thrill honour this week. It's been consistently fantastic but with it being carved into five-page slices I don't think I've really appreciated the various twists. Definitely going to have a full re-read once it's done.

A nice Dredd that perhaps sits a bit awkwardly between pathos and black comedy when it could have come down more decisively on one or the other.

[Sean SD]

Another very strong prog - not a weak thrill to be had 

My Top 3 for Prog 2218

1st - Durham Red - enjoying the visual storytelling and space (ie less text)
2nd - Hershey - space in the storytelling as per Durham Red, colour palette 
3rd - Proteus Vex - enjoyed the back story of the Silent, a bit of "the winner writes the history books" feel

The Proteus Vex series has got me wanting to do a visual dictionary post or similar to keep track of all the cultures, civilizations, locations etc etc. Whether I get around to doing it or not is another thing lol

[Jacqusie]

I'm a bit behind on my progs & just read this. Did anyone notice the Switcheroo eye patch on Dirty Frank from the flash back to present day?

Is this a mistake or was his eye patch always on his right eye in the past and he changed it to the left later on?

I never notice any thing like this normally!   

[TordelBack]

Look closely, the answers you seek are there.