Prog 2329: Fruiting bodies!

broodblik · 27 April, 2023, 09:40:33 AM

So for the cover Luke has this to say:

So for the final piece, to make it a bit more B-Movie'ish and "designed", I dropped back the colours to a 2 tone style and added a few paper stock blending layers to bring it all together.

The full article on the cover:

https://2000ad.com/news/2000-ad-covers-uncovered-frightful-fauna-attacks-in-luke-horsmans-latest-enemy-earth-cover-for-prog-2329/

Link Prime · 27 April, 2023, 10:11:24 AM

Quote from: The Corinthian on 26 April, 2023, 09:41:49 PM(not being funny, but Burns is 85 now)

Feckin hell, based on his long career it was clear that The Burns Droid was no longer factory fresh, but 85?
He's phenomenal.

norton canes · 27 April, 2023, 11:00:11 AM

It's a fantastic cover with loads of lurid detail. Think I've got a slight preference for the greened version because with them being plants and that, the brown one looks a bit like they're all dying

Anyway

I'm really on board with 'Blighty Valley', not finding it drags at all - to the contrary in fact, the Ennis droid seems to be pacing it perfectly for what will be a 10(?)-part story. Apart from Joe Colquhoun I'm getting a bit of veteran war strip artist Mike Dorey in Patrick Goddards's art. 'Disciples of Death' turns out to be an entertaining entrée for thrills to come, but I must say I'm a purist who doesn't really like the Dark Judges' more humorous outings so hopefully the plat principal (thanks, Google Translate) will focus on the cult's demented doings. Stunning final panel, I have to say. And completing a triumphant triumvirate, 'Mad Dogs' (hmm I seem to be sticking to story titles this week) continues to hit the head on the nail with another inspiring instalment of its exhilarating action spree.

Finally the end of The Order, and alles ist gut. Can we have the Netflix adaptation now please?

broodblik · 27 April, 2023, 02:14:17 PM

Blighty Valley is set for 13 episodes

Blue Cactus · 27 April, 2023, 11:26:08 PM

Has the Megazine ever done a feature or interview with John Burns? If not they really should, he's an absolute star.

Southstreeter · 28 April, 2023, 05:16:04 PM

Sorry to see The Order go, though at least there is an ending. I'm not sure we ever found out who created Ritterstahl? My assumption is that this happened in the future and he was sent back in time (along with the seed stuff) to found the Order and fight the wurms, using historical knowledge of their incursions. This did all get a little lost in recent series, however.

Goosegash · 28 April, 2023, 07:03:29 PM

Quote from: Blue Cactus on 27 April, 2023, 11:26:08 PMHas the Megazine ever done a feature or interview with John Burns? If not they really should, he's an absolute star.

Yes they did, back in Meg 224. The first of the Alan Barnes reformatted square spines era I think, a mere...19 years ago! Who'd have thought Burns would still be going strong after almost two decades?

IndigoPrime · 28 April, 2023, 08:08:23 PM

Would be nice if they'd do another interview, if he's willing. It'd be really interesting to hear about an artist who's worked two decades into theoretical retirement age, and who's still going strong. Here's hoping he has many more years to paint – and is able to for as long as possible.

dan200 · 28 April, 2023, 10:45:34 PM

Mega City Book Club managed to get an interview with him in 2021, it was quite interesting:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2o3wA8YGkjtVSGSXRvGgut

Blue Cactus · 29 April, 2023, 10:43:27 AM

Oh, nice. Thanks for the info Goosegash and the link there Dan200. There's something very comforting about seeing Burns's work when you open up the prog. I'm all for new artists appearing and developing too of course. One of the joys of the comic is having someone long established like Burns running alongside a newcomer like Horsman. There can't be many comics that are comparable in that respect, if any.

Jim_Campbell · 29 April, 2023, 11:03:46 AM

Quote from: Goosegash on 28 April, 2023, 07:03:29 PMWho'd have thought Burns would still be going strong after almost two decades?

Working on this final series of The Order was the first time I'd lettered John Burns pages since the stunningly gorgeous Classical Comics adaptation of Wuthering Heights, which was waaaaay back in the distant mists of 2010 (and which I steadfastly refuse to believe was thirteen years ago).

Richard · 29 April, 2023, 04:57:43 PM

Thank you Jim, I didn't know that existed. Bought.

Jim_Campbell · 29 April, 2023, 10:55:49 PM

Quote from: Richard on 29 April, 2023, 04:57:43 PMThank you Jim, I didn't know that existed. Bought.

Oh... honestly — it's a long way from my best lettering job, but John's art is just ravishingly good.

Grush · 30 April, 2023, 01:08:43 AM

The cover. Is "Fruiting bodies" a pun on something, or just a phrase I have never heard?

Dredd is a lot of fun, really like the art. Also the script.

Rogue and Durham Red very good, my first exposure to this version of Red and very much enjoying.

The Order leaves and leaves me befuddled, no idea what is going on. Enemy Earth also present. Someone must like it a lot as it came back quick and gets lots of covers, maybe it sells well when on cover

Jim_Campbell · 30 April, 2023, 09:12:13 AM

Quote from: Richard on 29 April, 2023, 04:57:43 PMThank you Jim, I didn't know that existed. Bought.

Oh... I should probably have added that there are two versions of the book, a simplified version of the text for less able readers and the 'original text' version, which is pretty much the entire novel. (Artwork is the same in both versions, though.)

Possibly also of interest to squaxx from Classical Comics, is a fairly magnificent version of 'Dracula', illustrated by the prog's own Staz Johnson. Again, I'd suggest that the original text version is the one to get.