Prog 2186 - You Got a Bone to Pick ?

[Colin YNWA]

Arh the simple pleasures in life and the joy of a Saturday Prog.

PRAISE THARG
HAIL THE PHOENIX

They are still doing it week in, week out.

Alas simple pleasures aren't without frustrations at times and here I still have them. I should be loving this line-up, but I'm still not getting it at the level I want. Don't get me wrong this is bad or anything, but its not gripping me in the way line-ups of late have.

Mind everything is behind a suitably intimidating and grim cover.

Dredd - well its fair blasting along isn't it. We're three episodes in and we have a brute squad formed and we're away on the desperate last dash mission. I just feel this still feels a little disconnected. I think it will still pull it back, like it has dropped us in, cut us off a little but can still provide more of a context and a sense of why all this matters... I mean sure the apocolypse, but ... well daft as this sounds that has to matter more than this does when we are just thrown into it?

I've loved Dabnett and The Mighty Yeowell's stuff on Sinister Dexter to date, absolutely loved it... so why am I struggling a little here. I guess its similar to Dredd, but slightly different. After the exposition last time we're straight at it, guns blazing, Poly chopping and chopped. These two need to settle into their stride a little more?

Full Tilt Boogie has creep into me a little more this time. I'm settling into this, read it with last weeks and its dropped into place and I'm loving it. Art is wonderful and its developing nicely. Still has a little to do in terms of where we go but this is now a very good start.

The Order takes the breather that Dredd needed, but strangley, even though this spun us straight into things, I've not felt this needed. Though its utterly welcome and the superb moment dealing with Franklin's relationship with slavery was unwittingly superbly timed. Fantastic episode. Burns art remains a delight.

The Diabolicks is hard and its leads suitably rotten to the core. Trouble is this leaves it feeling cold and harsh to read. Who do I care for or about? Its entertaining all the same, but its deliberate dark edge has consequence. Interesting then to compare Dom Reardon's art having just seen this water colour work in the few episode's of 10 Seconders he did. Here it it perfect, sharp and monochrome just what the tale needs, but in the emphasising the issues have with it.

There is absolutely nothing bad in this Prog and two stories that are very good. The problem is with a line-up like this I was expecting more... I'm being greedy I know but that's how good Tharg has been with us lately.

[Richard]

I've just re-read the Full Tilt Boogie episode from prog 2130, and it's really helpful. Episode 1 last week picks up exactly where it left off.

[Colin YNWA]

Dredd - well its fair blasting along isn't it. We're three episodes in and we have a brute squad formed and we're away on the desperate last dash mission. I just feel this still feels a little disconnected. I think it will still pull it back, like it has dropped us in, cut us off a little but can still provide more of a context and a sense of why all this matters... I mean sure the apocolypse, but ... well daft as this sounds that has to matter more than this does when we are just thrown into it?

Self quote as I've added links to a couple of interviews with Rob Williams that pretty much answer my bitchin'

https://forums.2000ad.com/index.php?topic=46544.0

Pulled them out in their own thread as they are interesting and deserve a clear focus. But what he says does feel relevent to what I whined about above.

[broodblik]

A highly enjoyable prog so thank you Tharg !!!

Dredd – The team has been selected the first level boss has been identified. The set up has been done and now the real story can start. I always liked Rob Williams take on Dredd and cannot wait for the rest of the apocalyptic tale to unfold. Great stuff.

Sin/Dex – The talking heads has been replaced by a full out action-fest. The real disappointment for me rather is the fact just as the story starts, we must wait a few weeks again for the rest.

Full Tilt Boogie – We are only in the second episode and I am already fully invested in the story.  Ocana's art suits the story.

The Order – The story has not gone complete weird on us yet so in that sense I am little bit disappointed, but it is giving us the initial set up for the main story. Enjoying this as always. Bring on the wacky-molly rollercoaster ride Kek-W.

Diaboliks – Now that the team has been selected the target has been identified, wait did Rennie and Williams share notes......?  So far so good, good start to the new Caballistics spin-off. 

[norton canes]

Yeah, great prog - 'End Of Days' hurtling along nicely, Full Tilt Boogie shaping up to be a proper classic, The Order and Diaboliks really good. Shame that SinDex has gone on hiatus already - I thought this was supposed to be the start of a multi-part epic?

[Colin YNWA]

Shame that SinDex has gone on hiatus already - I thought this was supposed to be the start of a multi-part epic?

I wonder if it was pushed forward to allow time for 'The Out' to get ready?

Given changes to what was expected from solicitations and what not it seems there have been scheduling problems. You can well imagine why in these times and maybe Sinister Dexter was being used to keep the train moving while others things were ready to leave the station?

Utter speculation of course but it would be entirely understandable in these times. It is a real shame that a big Sinister Dexter story will be broken up but needs must and all that...

... well if any of that is correct of course???

[broodblik]

This was always been my main problem with Sin/Dex the small chunks of stories. Just as the story starts to get into its stride it stops. But as you say it can also be due to the current worldwide issues