Hi. Your friendly admin here. I've edited Tjm86's message to start this thread off with a warning. This thread will have major spoilers for Judge Dredd. If you do not want to know before you read your comic, don't continue with this thread.
Robinson's cover is a thing of beauty. Total chaos and a cracking use of colour to focus attention on what Dredd is about to do. Teague definitely knows his stuff!
Oh, Thrills of the Future announces the next series of Dreadnoughts over in the Meg! Happy days.
But on to the prog ...
Judge Dredd: A Better World part 8
Okay, before getting in to this one I think it is fair to say that it deserves a spoiler warning. A rather substantial event that should not be covered in detail until everyone has had a chance to read it for themselves. So this is going to be a bit opaque in places.
Williams and Wyatt have upped the tension significantly over the last few weeks and now it explodes. Flint is given the script he seems to revel in and it looks like he had a field day with this. From those contrasting early scenes from an innocent child's eyes that are crushed Tianamen Square style to that shocking double page spread that serves as a freeze-frame for that moment, hammering home the impact, then Dredd's reaction and those final scenes ... Flint is the perfect man to represent chaos, to facilitate the flow of the narrative while still leaving the reader struggling with the whiplash of events.
In many respects there was an inevitability to events in this episode. It is a convention of Dredd that idealism ends up brutally suppressed by the inherent tensions in MC1. Whether it is the Judges, criminals or external forces, the outcome is always the same. The question is always where will the blow come from.
There is also a sense of timeliness in this story. Not that we are quite at the point depicted this week but the growing tensions in our country as populists inflame marginalised groups and jump on bandwagons is a very real issue right now. The fears about how the mob might act at any moment are pushing politicians and the police in uncomfortable directions.
Definitely. highlight this week.
Indigo Prime Black Monday Part One
Kek-W and Lee Carter deliver a far more action packed episode. It certainly has that disjointed, surreal feel to it in terms of script and artwork. Arguably Carter is one of the best suited of the current crop of artists for this strip and has been for a long time. I can't think of many that can capture that Burroughs-esque sensibility whilst making things look so believable.
So we have double crossing, betrayal and an impending torture scene with that ultimate question: Duke or Then There Were Three? Anyone else get the feeling Ken-W is not a Genesis fan?
What is impressive though is that after such a brutal Dredd, this episode still satisfies.
Full Tilt Boogie Book Two Part Five
De Campi, Oxana and De La Cruz have a real challenge living up to the standards of the first two strips then. To be fair, they do a sterling job. Ocana's colour palette suits the mood of the narrative; dark, moody and almost oppressive. The handful of revelations this week actually serve more to raise further questions than provide answers. It is ironic that are heroine is moving deeper and deeper into mysterious realms since that is precisely the direction of events this week.
FTB has arguably turned into one of the major successes of Regened. It wears its manga-esque sensibilities lightly whilst fitting neatly in that long history of Tooth strips that push readers' expectations. De Campi has created a fascinating universe, populated with intriguing creatures and characters. Not sure where things are going right now but it is becoming far more compelling as we progress.
The Fall of Deadworld Retribution Part Nine
In some respects then it was inevitable that this was going to struggle then. It is ironic that Ken-W has produced one of the weaker strips this week given what he delivered in IP. Kendall's artwork is as gloriously disturbing as ever. Ultimately though it is hard to engage with the confusion of the direction right now. Where that chaos works admirably in IP, it does less so here.
It was always going to be a challenge to weave the tale of events that led to the lifeless husk Dredd and Anderson encountered all those years ago. Now that we are bogged down in an alternate version of the Apocalypse War mixed in with Necropolis. Comments others have made about how things seem to have gotten away from Kek-W are not wholly unreasonable. It may work after a re-read but as things stand at the moment it is struggling to hold its own against the competition this week.
Thistlebone The Dule Tree Part Eight
This is particularly so when you consider what the prog is rounded out with. Eglington and Davis continue to weave their Hammer tribute tale in their own inimical style. Davis' artwork renders the horror spectacularly, conveying such disturbing events with his usual panache. What is fascinating is how he can combine cartoonish imagery with such perfectly formed figures and scenery so effectively.
As always this tale burns slowly. Eglington allows events to linger, leaving a palpable sense of dread at what is going to happen next. Then the pace steps up multiple gears towards the end before delivering the cliff-hanger.
This series is rapidly growing in stature. The first few tales were impressive enough but this one is shaping up into one to rival Cradlegrave as one of the most effective horror tales in the prog.
I think it is fair to say that as slowly as the year has started, this week marks a serious step up in quality. There is a fascinating balance of hard-core action, drug-induced mayhem, mystery and horror. Creative teams are delivering the goods in style and even the weakest is still effective enough to leave readers pondering their judgement.
As we've said so often, the prog has its waves. The lowest still leaves the competition in the dust but when it starts to pick up we're left in no doubt as to the quality of its output. I'd make a strong case for this week marking a palpable step change and if it is any indication of where things are heading this year I'd say that we are in for some serious treats.
Robinson's cover is a thing of beauty. Total chaos and a cracking use of colour to focus attention on what Dredd is about to do. Teague definitely knows his stuff!
Oh, Thrills of the Future announces the next series of Dreadnoughts over in the Meg! Happy days.
But on to the prog ...
Judge Dredd: A Better World part 8
Okay, before getting in to this one I think it is fair to say that it deserves a spoiler warning. A rather substantial event that should not be covered in detail until everyone has had a chance to read it for themselves. So this is going to be a bit opaque in places.
Williams and Wyatt have upped the tension significantly over the last few weeks and now it explodes. Flint is given the script he seems to revel in and it looks like he had a field day with this. From those contrasting early scenes from an innocent child's eyes that are crushed Tianamen Square style to that shocking double page spread that serves as a freeze-frame for that moment, hammering home the impact, then Dredd's reaction and those final scenes ... Flint is the perfect man to represent chaos, to facilitate the flow of the narrative while still leaving the reader struggling with the whiplash of events.
In many respects there was an inevitability to events in this episode. It is a convention of Dredd that idealism ends up brutally suppressed by the inherent tensions in MC1. Whether it is the Judges, criminals or external forces, the outcome is always the same. The question is always where will the blow come from.
There is also a sense of timeliness in this story. Not that we are quite at the point depicted this week but the growing tensions in our country as populists inflame marginalised groups and jump on bandwagons is a very real issue right now. The fears about how the mob might act at any moment are pushing politicians and the police in uncomfortable directions.
Definitely. highlight this week.
Indigo Prime Black Monday Part One
Kek-W and Lee Carter deliver a far more action packed episode. It certainly has that disjointed, surreal feel to it in terms of script and artwork. Arguably Carter is one of the best suited of the current crop of artists for this strip and has been for a long time. I can't think of many that can capture that Burroughs-esque sensibility whilst making things look so believable.
So we have double crossing, betrayal and an impending torture scene with that ultimate question: Duke or Then There Were Three? Anyone else get the feeling Ken-W is not a Genesis fan?
What is impressive though is that after such a brutal Dredd, this episode still satisfies.
Full Tilt Boogie Book Two Part Five
De Campi, Oxana and De La Cruz have a real challenge living up to the standards of the first two strips then. To be fair, they do a sterling job. Ocana's colour palette suits the mood of the narrative; dark, moody and almost oppressive. The handful of revelations this week actually serve more to raise further questions than provide answers. It is ironic that are heroine is moving deeper and deeper into mysterious realms since that is precisely the direction of events this week.
FTB has arguably turned into one of the major successes of Regened. It wears its manga-esque sensibilities lightly whilst fitting neatly in that long history of Tooth strips that push readers' expectations. De Campi has created a fascinating universe, populated with intriguing creatures and characters. Not sure where things are going right now but it is becoming far more compelling as we progress.
The Fall of Deadworld Retribution Part Nine
In some respects then it was inevitable that this was going to struggle then. It is ironic that Ken-W has produced one of the weaker strips this week given what he delivered in IP. Kendall's artwork is as gloriously disturbing as ever. Ultimately though it is hard to engage with the confusion of the direction right now. Where that chaos works admirably in IP, it does less so here.
It was always going to be a challenge to weave the tale of events that led to the lifeless husk Dredd and Anderson encountered all those years ago. Now that we are bogged down in an alternate version of the Apocalypse War mixed in with Necropolis. Comments others have made about how things seem to have gotten away from Kek-W are not wholly unreasonable. It may work after a re-read but as things stand at the moment it is struggling to hold its own against the competition this week.
Thistlebone The Dule Tree Part Eight
This is particularly so when you consider what the prog is rounded out with. Eglington and Davis continue to weave their Hammer tribute tale in their own inimical style. Davis' artwork renders the horror spectacularly, conveying such disturbing events with his usual panache. What is fascinating is how he can combine cartoonish imagery with such perfectly formed figures and scenery so effectively.
As always this tale burns slowly. Eglington allows events to linger, leaving a palpable sense of dread at what is going to happen next. Then the pace steps up multiple gears towards the end before delivering the cliff-hanger.
This series is rapidly growing in stature. The first few tales were impressive enough but this one is shaping up into one to rival Cradlegrave as one of the most effective horror tales in the prog.
I think it is fair to say that as slowly as the year has started, this week marks a serious step up in quality. There is a fascinating balance of hard-core action, drug-induced mayhem, mystery and horror. Creative teams are delivering the goods in style and even the weakest is still effective enough to leave readers pondering their judgement.
As we've said so often, the prog has its waves. The lowest still leaves the competition in the dust but when it starts to pick up we're left in no doubt as to the quality of its output. I'd make a strong case for this week marking a palpable step change and if it is any indication of where things are heading this year I'd say that we are in for some serious treats.