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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhNshgSYF_M&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Neill Blomkamp's upcoming film, looks like a cross between Wall E and Appleseed!

Looking forward to it! 

Looks like our very own Dredd gets a name check in the Metro today!



Regarding the 2011 riots, Dr Hannah Quirk of Manchester University said: "The CPS are prosecutors and not Judge Dredd."

Hmm, admirable! 

Edit: Balls, I think I should've posted this in the 'General News' thread...

I had a little stroll down Brick Lane (East London) earlier today. The place might be famed for its curries, but there's also a lot of awesome street art to behold on the walls!

As a lover of art, I thought I'd share some of the stuff I saw.

First up, this superb tribute to the late Nelson Mandela, people were stopping by to have a look and I'm sure you guys will agree its really quite something.



Also, this art of an armed Mickey Mouse with the caption "Fight the rich and not their wars".



There was a wall where people could leave their messages (mainly from shifty looking tourists!), I thought I'd add my own Thrillpowered input...



And here it is again:





So that was quite an enlightening stroll! I also had a chance to take a picture of the famous Spitafields Hawksmoor church, which of course was made famous in Alan Moore's comic masterpiece - From Hell.



You can see the church in the background and a shot of the Brick Lane mosque in the foreground (which was a synagogue before it was renevated into a mosque). I think this shot  encapsulates the multicultural make up of London, or indeed U.K.

One thing I love about East London is the rich history. My grandparents were immigrants who came to this country to work, and settled down becoming part of British society. I grew up with a deep love of history about my city. Politically yes, there's many things wrong with our country, but it's the people which make it a special place. And for me, nothing signifies the social and economical change, the history and diversity better than when you're walking down Brick Lane.

I hope you guys enjoyed reading about my little walk!

Official Teaser Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THVFkk-sEus&feature=youtube_gdata_player

The Wachowski's back doing sci-fi again. I must say I'm looking forward to it, but will it be the next Matrix, or more a case of Matrix Revolutions?

Plus Mila Kunis and Sean Bean both of whom I admire, not so much Chaning Tatum though.

Yep you heard me right;

http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?FID=137814

Going on the review I must say I'm really looking forward to seeing this.

Since last night my wordpress blog seems to have developed a glitch.

On my mobile view (which I use frequently) all the contents have gone to the left, with some blank space on the right. What's worse is I can't even use the freaking dashboard or settings because as soon as I click on it, it comes to the same or blank page. This is really starting to annoy me now. Sometimes I wish I never opened a wordpress account, and should've gone with Blogger.

Is anyone else who has wordpress, having the same problems?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

http://www.againwiththecomics.com/2011/02/jar-jar-binks-story-by-tony-millionaire.html?m=1

I just happened upon this while browsing earlier. It's one of the funniest strip I've read! Jar Jar sure makes for a good laugh, just look at his skit on Robot Chicken....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdS2kCUGvfo&feature=youtube_gdata_player

But the thing I found of big interest about the comic, was that it was coloured by our very own Jim (or at least I hope it was our Jim!)

Great job! 

Wowzers! I just got an email from Fay after posting a comment on Pat Mills' blog regarding her art.

I must say -  like the title of the thread says, she is an exceptional talent. Meg readers would probably be glad to see the back of American Reaper, but most will agree Fay Dalton's artwork on the Reaper Files were the standout from the series. In fact, at times it eclipsed the main strip altogether!



I would love to see her as main artist on a future story, so Pat Mills if you're reading this, then please make it happen!

If you guys have the time then I urge you to check out her site;

http://www.faydaltonillustration.com/

There are some sensational stuff on there!

I just finished reading Mick McMahon's magnificent 'Howler'. I have to say that's the worst beating I've seen Judge Dredd ever take! It's prompted me to wonder, has there been any other instances which you guys remember when Dredd took a hell of a pummelling? Is Howler the worst (or best!) or does Stan Lee deserve the accolade for best arse kicker? Your thoughts would be very welcome, and it just might prompt me to seek out other stories! 

[Come on Tharg, make it happen!]

I just finished a really excellent Interrogation by Michael Molcher of Jesus Redondo, in Meg #296.

The guy truly is special. I loved the way he described his love of paper to that of photoshop;

"..perhaps if I am clever enough, it might be possible for me to learn how to use photoshop, but there is one problem for me - I like paper. I think it's very lovely to be able to hold it in my hands, the smell, the feel, I like very much. If you love a girl at a distance, it's like the screen. With a book I think it's like I have the woman in my hands. If I feel the skin, the smell, it's different. It's more intimate."

God I love Jesus! 

He also ends the piece by saying he'd love to work for 2000ad again. Come on Tharg, make it happen! Even if it's for a special one off, this guy is truly one of the greats and it's the least he deserves!

(on another note, Alan Moore if you're reading this, then you best reply to that letter Jesus sent you some time ago!)

As some of you may know, I am a massive fan of Rich Corben.
I was hoping to purchase a few particular books by the maestro, so if anyone has a copy of any of the following and is ready to depart with it at a reasonable price please drop me a PM;

The Last Voyage of Sinbad by Corben & Strnad
1001 Arabian Nights
Mutant World
Den 2 Muvovum

And any Corben books in particular

I have the following in my possession already;

Neverwhere
Jeremy Brood
Den #1
Creepy Presents
Mavel Max Haunt of Horror

Cheers

[#300 - #315]

Since I've been enjoying Geckodroog's Megs which I received a few days ago, I' m really interested in getting all the Megs from #300 - #315 WITH the floppies, mind. A Meg without a floppy is like a pineapple without its leaves!

I would also love to obtain the following Megs to fill in my collection;

#320, #321, #324 - #328.

If anyone has these and is willing to part with them, or knows someone who does then please PM me, or get in touch via this thread. I'd be willing to pay for 'em plus p&p, at a reasonable price of course!

Thanks.

[Judge Dredd Day of Chaos: Endgame Review]

Judge Dredd Day of Chaos: Endgame Review



The first collection of the Day of Chaos arc was one of my favourite comics of last year, so you can understand my excitement when I finally managed to get my hands on this book, and it was just as awesome a read as The Fourth Faction.

This time round the Chaos Bug has been released and the Justice Department are having a field day trying to control the outbreak and remain in control. But as Judge Dredd tries to search for the perpetrators of this heinous act, other elements enter the fray, adding more complications to the chaos.

John Wagner with his talented array of artists such as Henry Flint, Leigh Gallagher and Ben Willsher has created an epic which is quite possibly the biggest event in 2000AD's history since The Apocalypse War. It is utterly enthralling and thrilling a read, full of twists and turns. Just when you think things cannot get any worse, Wagner trumps it and introduces elements into the story even more spectacular. It is quite a dense read and in order to appreciate the story fully, you cannot rush it. You must take your time as I did, to let it all sink in.

The collection is split into six acts, or arcs which connect with one another in the wider scheme of things. First up is "The Assassinaton List". The artist on duty here is one of my favourite, Leigh Gallagher who is famous for his breath-taking work on 2000AD's zombie epic "Defoe". We start off with Elmore Yurges and his family, who've been kidnapped by Borisenko to extract the details of the Chaos Bug. Yurges of course is the scientist who engineered the Chaos Bug and he is key to the story. Back at Mega City 1 the psychic Cadet Hennessy continues to have premonitions about the impending disaster, and her twin sister Gabrielle tries to assist the Judges, but will it be too late to avert what will surely come to pass? This was a great opener, full of heart-pounding moments, and the realisation of the horrors which are yet to come. Things are made doubly hard by undercover East Meg agents intent on silencing key figures...Dredd included. The artwork is great by Gallagher, I had become accustomed to his black and white artwork reading Defoe in 2000AD right now, so it was a pleasure seeing some of his coloured work which is equally great.

Next up was "Eve of Destruction", this is where things start really getting serious. This act makes up much of the meat of the story with not one, but three artists on duty namely Henry Flint, Ben Willsher and Colin MacNeil. We start off with undercover East Meg agents being given the Chaos Bug phial's to take into Mega City 1, before using it on themselves to spread the disease amongst the public triggering widespread devestation. Key among them is Titiana, who is Borisenko's aide. We also glimpse what the Chaos Bug is capable of causing in its victims, from the flu like symptons to memory loss, bleeding and rage. Dredd is also hard at work trying to uncover the Chaos Bug conspiracy and find Borisenko. Add to that other terrorist factions such as "Total War" and "Rage against the Meg" causing havoc, and an East Meg agent stirring up the anti-Judge media with falsified evidence and you have a city in widespread panic and anarchy. Oh and to top it all off, the Dark Judges have also been released to add sparkle to proceedings! It was simply an enthralling read - full of twists, turns and havoc upon havoc. And the artwork on show by all three mentioned artists is simply awe-inspiring. From Henry Flint's stunning style, with so much detail and character, some of his images have seered themselves onto my brain. I would spoil the story if I mention which panels but it needs to be seen to be believed. Ben Willsher with his scratchy, visceral style, and Colin MacNeil whose work is just a joy to behold. His appearance in the book is short, maybe 24 pages in total, but boy are they memorable. His depiction of the Dark Judges is just an absolute treat to witness.

"Tea For Two" follows straight after. It's very brief at just 6 pages, but very enjoyable. We have Dredd going through the devestation wreaked streets to the block where his niece Vienna lives. He persuades her to move into a more safer block, as they share tea and biscuits but Vienna is reluctant to go. I really enjoyed this brief little gem, Wagner's script showed how the Chaos Day  had affected Dredd, his thoughts on the city akin to the fall of civilization was really insightful. The artwork by Edmund Bagwell is simply magnificent, whether it be the look of the streets, the block squalor or the characters themselves. It looks like something the late Moebius would conjure up.

Next up was " Wot I did during the worst dissaster in Mega-City history". Here we drop in on my favourite seriel killer, P.J Maybe to see what, well what the title basically says! We last saw him in the first book, getting up to all manner of mischief and worming his way to a elderly rich lady's heart. Well he seems to be holding up pretty well at home during the chaos outside, with plenty of food and whatnot. But his peace is rudely interrupted when the Dark Judges come a-calling! I must say this was a really welcome inclusion! Not only was it funny, but Henry Flint's artwork again was superb, especially the way he rendered the apparitional Dark Judges. Although brief again like the preceding story, it was great fun.

"Chaos Day" and "The Days After" were the last stories in this fantastic collection. In the first, the Academy of Law is attacked by terrorist groups. And we see other shocking acts of killing and chaos. Henry Flint's artwork is just magnificent, capturing the anarchy and devestation in beautiful detail. Especially eye catching is the shot of the city at dawn, with train wreckage strewn and refugees walking in line almost silently like lost souls. Or two children holding one another, but suddenly we see they are infected and Dredd has to shoot them. Not to mention the image of Dredd himself, head lowered, his face obscured in shadow. A broken man.

This whole collection was an absolutely rivetting read, there were moments which hammered home the severity of this disaster and the implications it will have on Mega City 1, not to mention Judge Dredd himself. He sums it up clearly at the end when he says he has let the people down "Protect the citizens. The one thing above all we're supposed to guarantee....and we couldn't get that right". It is obvious he feels guilt on his part for the disaster. The Mega City he knew is gone, he will have to move on but one thing is for sure, it won't be that easy.

And so ends the stunning conclusion to one of the biggest episodes in the history of Mega City 1 since The Apocalypse War. I really enjoyed this collection, there is so much depth in Wagner's storytelling and scope via the talented group of artists on show. Special mention must also go to the awesome cover by Henry Flint (originally released on the cover of Prog 1781). It is just as eye catching and superb as Greg Staples' cover for the first book. It's a great package again from Rebellion who are one of the best when it comes to publishing top quality trades.

Overall, magnificent stuff!

5/5

[Defoe: 1666Written by Pat MillsIllustrated by Leigh GallagherPublished by Rebellion]

This review was originally published on my blog. Please feel free to make any suggestions or corrections.



Defoe: 1666
Written by Pat Mills
Illustrated by Leigh Gallagher
Published by Rebellion

With the start of the new series in 2000ad, what better way than now to get aquainted or even re-aquainted with the preceding storyline and the exploits of Titus Defoe? This trade consists of the first two arcs originally serialised in 2000ad, '1666′ and 'Brethren of the night'.

The story is set in an alternate London, in the year 1666. It is two years since the passing of a comet over the capital, and the Great Fire which caused widespread devestation. And from this cauldron of fire and ash the undead 'reeks' started to rise, hungry for living flesh. Zombie hunter, Titus Defoe is tasked by the Crown to protect the people from the undead hordes. But it soon dawns upon him that something or someone is guiding the dead. He puts together and leads a band of zombie hunters known as the 'Dirty Dozenne', with them by his side and help from Sir Isaac Newton and his various contraptions of war, Defoe plans on getting to the bottom of this zombie epidemic.

I must admit it took me a while to get into this collection. But once I did, I was flying through it in no time! The main thing that grasps you immediately is Leigh Gallagher's black and white artwork. And my, what a thing of beauty it is too. There is no grey tones involved instead black line strokes used to depict shading and depth – and boy does it look magnificent (his style is very reminiscent of John Ridgway's work on 'Tales of the Dead Man'). The sense of atmosphere which Gallagher's artwork evokes is simply awe-inspiring. Whether the damp squalor of the streets, the towers, the rivers, the skies, or the pungent decay of the 'reeks' (Zombies), you feel at times you really are present in London circa 1666 albeit in an alternate reality.

Pat Mills' writing is also excellent, setting up a London which is both historically sound and fantastical at the same time. For example the class division (Defoe himself is from a working class background, a 'Leveller' and later a soldier prior to becoming a zombie hunter), politics, royalty, skullduggery, and basically everything Mills is known for in his writing but with steampunk, horror and magic to add to it. At times it feels like a medieval version of his ABC Warriors - with the Dirty Dozenne very evocative of the Meknificent Seven, albeit a bit more crazier! And he weaves everything together, with twists, thrills and dark humour aplenty to create a truly 'fantasmagoric' experience. Even the language used in the story is a delight to see, words which have long become dormant in the English language. And cameos by historical figures such as Sir Isaac Newton (which I touched upon), King Charles II and so on. The coming together of all this fantastical elements such as magic, popery, flying 'cars', big ass weaponary (which could even give James Cameron wet dreams) not to mention the zombies (lead earlier on by the decapitated head of Oliver Cromwell!) and the characters themselves, whether friend or foe - make this collection a truly enjoyable read.  I am a huge fan of history, horror and steampunk (or pre - steampunk in this case) and I lapped it all up with joyous gusto! And being a born and bred Londoner, it's always a joy to see London depicted in this interesting and exciting way in comics, not only Defoe here, but Absalom and From Hell also come to mind.

This is a series which grows in strength, because the second volume (Queen of the Zombies) is even more enjoyable, not to mention the new series (The Damned) which has just started in the pages of 2000ad.

I must also add that the cover art for this trade is absolutely stupendous indeed by Gallagher. Those interested in learning more about how he went about designing the cover should check out this awesome entry in his blog:

http://leighgallagherart.blogspot.co.uk/2009/08/making-of-defoe-1666-book-cover.html?m=1

Superb stuff!

4/5

--------------------------------------------------



Defoe: Queen of the Zombies
Written by Pat Mills
Illustrated by Leigh Gallagher
Published by Rebellion

The last time we saw Defoe, he was on the trail of the Queen of the Zombies, who managed to escape his clutches. In this volume we go deeper into the zombie conspiracy. We discover some startling revelations about both foe and ally.

For me this collection was far more superior storywise (and even art wise) than the first collection (1666). Pat Mills has again crafted a story bursting with ideas, non stop thrills and twists aplenty. It's almost like Shakespeare crossed with Steampunk and zombies!

This time round Defoe and his 'Dirty Dozenne' not only have to stop La Voisin (Queen of the Zombies), but also defend the Tower of London from the invading hordes of the undead, add to that a hungry crocodile in the Tower's moat and a Seraph (fallen angel), not to mention the un-masking of Mene Tekel, the main mastermind behind much of the chaos in which Defoe finds himself engulfed in.

And Leigh Gallagher renders all the above again in his magnificent black and white art. His style is very suited to the steam-punk/ horror trappings of the story, in fact it elevates the story to another level. If the first trade was spectacular, here it is doubly so. There are some awesome double page spreads and one page reveals in this collection, the most notable of these being the unmasking of Mene Tekel (that page just left me gasping with disbelief!), and the two page spread near the beginning of the 'Super Zombie's' lair (one of them even looks like a zombiefied Captain America – Pat Mills clearly couldn't resist!). Not to mention the zombie hordes themselves who are just some of the most ghastly and stomach churning ever to be realised in comics – and what makes them stand out is the fact they have other 'demonic' powers such as walking under water and even flying (the panel where we first see this amazing feat is very eeriely done).

To sum it up, Gallagher's artwork is just sublime, no other way to describe it. The guy is something else entirely, you can see he pours his heart and soul into each panel, and he clearly relishes the challenge of bringing this world to life via his artwork.

This collection is great, great fun and a big thank you to the awesome Leigh Gallagher for recommending it to me in his blog. I can understand now why this is his favourite collected work thus far.

Magnificent stuff!

5/5

Something's amiss here in the forum.....

Something doesn't feel right these past few days...

It's Goaty. Where are you man? This place isn't the same without you!   

[Honour Be Damned - Nikolai Dante (v.1) Review]

Honour Be Damned - Nikolai Dante (v.1) Review

The Mighty Tharg bestowed this great gift upon me after my letter was published in the Prog (1827). And what a gift it is too - one of the most enjoyable and hilarious comic that i've had the previlage of reading!

I was familar with Nikolai Dante for a while now, and was conscious of the fact that the strip was a fan favourite amongst my fellow Zarjazers, but i never got round to reading it. The thing i noticed immediately was the line-up of talented names on the cover; Robbie Morrison and Simon Fraser of course, but also Charlie Adlard, Chris Weston and Henry Flint.

As for the story well what can i say? It was an absolute blast from the first page to the last! I was thrilled by the opening stories 'Nikolai Dante' and 'The Romanov Dynasty' where we learn about Dante's origins; the rivalry between the two main ruling dynasties; Tsar Vladimir (of the House of Makarov) and Dmitri Romanov (of the Romanov Dynasty), and i was howling with laughter in others, such as 'The Full Dante' and 'Russia's Greatest Love Machine'! tears of joy and laughter streaming down my face at the rip roaring exploits of Nikolai Dante; lovable rogue, serial womaniser, swashbuckling hero and Russian revolutionary with a heart of gold!

As well as the ruling elite, we are introduced to other key (and memorable) characters such as Jena (daughter of the Tsar) and her intriguing love/hate relationship with Dante, not to mention his hilarious attempts at trying to woo her. We also meet the psychotic offspring's of Dmitri Romanov ([spoiler]who we learn is also Dante's father[/spoiler]), and other smaller groups such as The Devil's Martyrs; a group who worship Rasputin and are notable for the fact both the men and women of their group are heavily bearded! In 'Moscow Duellist' we meet them again (after Dante's hilarious encounter with one of them in a preceding story) on top of an assortment of other hilarity.

The vivid setting of Dante's world is briliantly realised by the artists mentioned, it is more different than the Mega City of Judge Dredd or Great Britian of Strontium Dog. It's reminiscent of steam punk stories but different because of the futuristic setting, ie Russia circa 2666. I loved the awesome vehicle and building/ architecture designs (a jalgemation of the past and future) such as the flying Steed's and the Tsar's floating Imperial Palace. All of these amazing imagery was very evocative of Moebius' work, of which The Incal comes to mind. We even have the Crest - an alien symbiote/ technology on our protagonists arm which speaks to him a la the mysterious Incal inside John DiFool in Moebius' mentioned work. That is one of the aspects of Nikolai Dante which i loved; a sort of blending of the old world with sci-fi/ comedy with a sprinkle of Moebius for good measure. Henry Flint's art on the last story entitled 'The Gulag Apocalyptic' was especially evocative of the late French artist. Simon Fraser's artwork was also a joy to behold, the two page spread of 'The Face of the Empire' in The Moscow Duellist was simply stupendous to behold.



Awesome stuff indeed.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this trade, it was a great introduction to Nikolai Dante and his many hilarious romantic and adventure filled exploits. And on this evidence, i can firmly say that the fun is just begining.

Once again, my heartfelt thanks to you oh Mighty Tharg!

5/5

[The Incal]

The Incal



For me, Mœbius is a god.

Ever since i was a young boy i had been fascinated by his artwork. I was an avid reader of Asterix and Tin Tin at a young age, and it was around that time that i came upon an article in a magazine about Mœbius. I remember being fascinated by it and the corresponding artwork with the article- it was then that the name of Mœbius became forever imprinted in my mind. As a teenager i carried on reading comics, my tastes had varied by then and i was more interested in sci-fi literature and comics (not to mention films aswell). Two of my favourite films growing up were Blade Runner and Alien. After digging further i was surprised to see Mœbius' name attached to both projects. Ridley Scott (an accomplished artist himself) was a big fan of the French artist and looking at the films you can clearly see his influence on them stylistically. The concept art he did for these films (especially Alien) was superb. My attempts at finding Mœbius comics however proved futile due to the rarity of it and any i did come across were always in French.

Anyhow, fast forward many years later and finally someone had the decency to publish one of Mœbius' famous works; The Incal. U.S publisher Humanoid released a hardback edition of The Incal, but on closer inspection it proved to be an unfaithful translation because some of the panels had been re-coloured, so it could be more 'palpable' to U.S readers, not to mention the censoring of nudity. Both these poor decisions in my view tatamounted to sacrilege. Would someone re-colour the Mona Lisa to make her appear more appealing? I very much doubt it. Then why the need for this I do not know. Thankfully readers in the U.K seem to have more sense because a more faithful translation was released by SelfMadeHero; with the colouring and nudity intact. And this is the version which i managed to purchase and had the previlage of reading. To understand The Incal, first you have to understand a little about its writer Alejandro Jodorowsky. He came to prominence via his acid western El Topo and later, Holy Mountain. But his dream was to direct Frank Herbert's Dune. I say Frank Herbert's Dune but Jodorowsky's version was to be very different from the novel. He had gone so far as assembling all the artists (Mœbius among them) and actors (i use the term loosely, afterall I doubt Pink Floyd or Salvador Dali had any acting credentials to go along with their main talents). But alas, due to financial collapse it was not meant to be. Jodorowsky was left devestated, almost everyone agree's that it would have been one hell of a film. But all was not lost; he decided to team up with his colleague Mœbius and release his own version of Dune via the comic format. And thus, The Incal was born.

But how best to describe The Incal? It is very hard to put this masterwork into one category. I feel The Guardian newspaper summed it up perfectly; 'a dance on the edge of meaning and meaningless' (http://m.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2011/jan/25/alejandro-jodorowsky) and i wholly agree. Like i said you cannot lump the work into one category- so dense is its story. It's like a dream, a journey, a song, a poem, an odyssey and at heart, a comedy. And my, what a journey it is too - unlike anything i had ever read before. Not forgetting awe-inspiring, bordering on the mindboggling moments; From sun devouring black eggs, a child who turns into a spaceship, giant Jellyfishes to John DiFool's intimate encounter with a mass of gloop and soonafter a meeting with the ultimate light - or god himself; The Incal is a visual and literal assault on the senses.

We first meet our protogonist, John DiFool in some 'trying' circumstances as he is dropped headfirst into 'Suicide Alley'. Slowly we backtrack to find how he came to be in this predicament. When we first meet him John DiFool is quite unlikeable as a character. A class R detective, he is a coward who likes nothing more than drinking himself to a stupor and sleeping away his life with Homeo-whores ('replicant' hookers). But then he encounters The Incal; a mysterious object that beckons him to a higher calling in life. During the course of his journey he starts to realise how a decision which may seem insignificent comes to have a larger bearing on the galaxy. In tow is his ever faithful companion Deepo; a 'concrete seagull' who is the closest thing to a friend he has and provides the comics light reliefs. And on their trail; a wide array of dangerous and colourful characters from the wolf headed 'Kill Wolfhead', the 'Metabaron'; the greatest bounty hunter in the universe to the bird like alien race, the Berg's and the insane Clone Prince.

A journey which starts at the upper levels of the world soon descends into the very core of the planet, where we meet others along the way, such as Animah the Rat Queen. It is here, due to an impending attack by some mutants, Kill and the Metabaron, characters who are at first unfriendly to DiFool put their differences aside to help one another (one of the aspects i loved about this story), against much powerful foes such as the mutant hordes and the possessed Prince.



But all these dangers seem trivial in comparison to The Darkness; an all consuming evil so great that only the power of The Incal stands in its way. And thus begins a journey through many worlds, space and time in an epic adventure quite unlike anything i had ever witnessed.

The story by Jodorowsky is no doubt the doorway to this intriguing world, but Mœbius' artwork is the key which makes it all a possibility. No other artist at the time could've matched Jodorowsky's 'mind-warping' storytelling,  but Mœbius proved a perfect match; drawing the 'prophet's' visions down on parchments was like second nature. Each feeding one another ideas, until the collaboration bore this magnificent work, a work of breath taking artistry, vision and guile. Reading it i was left dumbstruck on several occasions, awed by Mœbius' majestic artwork, seering itself into my brain. The level of his artistic miracle growing in strength page after page, panel after panel. Whether it be the details of every rubbish piece in the depth of DiFool's world, or the astonishing detail of the arena and its occupants in the Bergs' home planet, or the magnificent yet deadly water world, Vitavil H20, concealing a beautiful mystery at its depths -  the comic is full of stunning moments which just takes the breath away.



Reading The Incal it is clear to see how its influence reaches far and wide. Filmmakers and artists have been influenced by it, most notably Luc Besson who was sued (unsuccessfully) by Jodorowsky for copying some of the ideas from the comic for his film, The Fifth Element. While i myself thought the similarities were very loose (other than the whole dark vs light storyline and some vehicle, costume and character design) you can still see Mœbius' influence on the film, even the colour palette which is reminiscent of his comics. The Incal also reminded me of Brian K Vaughan's sci-fi series, Saga. Both having weird and wonderful characters and settings and even a few similarities between the character 'The Will', a fearsome bounty hunter who seems very close to The Metabaron of The Incal. Or even Brandon Graham's Prophet series seems like it is paying tribute to The Incal at times (e.g, Prophet's 'Vagina Chicken' encounter is evocative of DiFool's liasion with the Proto-Queen). What is clear and without question though, is that this comic has influenced so many people since it was released in 1981. But a word of caution; The Incal might not be catered for everyone's taste. There are moments when  it does get very surreal especially midway through, and reading it can be tricky at times because of the way the speech bubbles (or boxes) are arranged, but if you can persevere and not rush it (which is key) - then the reward is one of the most enjoyable, memorable and enriching.

5/5

[JUDGE DREDD VS ALIENS: INCUBUS]

JUDGE DREDD VS ALIENS: INCUBUS



For me, crossovers are a bit of a hit or miss. There's been some poor stuff over the years, but also memorable ones such as the first Alien vs Predator story (the films in comparison...well lets not go there). And then there are of course the Judge Dredd crossovers (Judge Dredd vs Batman, Predator vs Judge Dredd). But Incubus was my first foray into the Judge Dredd crossovers...and what fun it was too!

I'll be honest, my decision to buy this collection was more to do with the fact it was illustrated by Henry Flint, one of my favourite artists working in comics today, rather than the fact it was Old-Stoney face up against the galaxies most terrifying monsters (much as i love the Alien films). But what surprised me reading the collection was that the the story by Wagner and Andy Diggle was so strong. Maybe not on the same strength as America or The Pit, but still a damn enjoyable read. And of course the artwork......

Lets just say when my eyes graced Henry Flint's awesome artwork for the first time, i felt i had died and gone to Zarjaz heaven! But i'll start with the story first. The reason why Incubus is such a joy to read is the characters, whether it be the Verminators (pest controllers), or Judge Dredd and his team, especially the character of Sanchez (I believe this was her first appearance in 2000ad, we see her later in the Origins storyline). She brought a bit of humanity to the 'unhuman' nature of the Judges. You can see she is scared by the Alien catatrophe but slowly she developes along the way until she comes out stronger by the end. Her character reminded me of Anderson in the recent Judge Dredd film, a character also who also harbours doubt and fear but developes into a tough nut toward the end. The villain of the piece was also quite memorable, sort of like the 2000ad version of Two-Face. We learn about his motives, and how he became the 'daddy' to the xenomorphs! His base of operations which is located in the ruins of the old world beneath MC1, is a visual delight. With remnants of New York like a graveyard, the skyscrapers side by side like giant headstones, it is here the outcasts and muties dwell.

Which brings us nicely onto the art; Henry Flint does a stellar job indeed. This being one of his earlier works, at first i noticed some similarities between his style to that of Carlos Ezquerra's with the 'obsessive' details and line works, but Flint makes the style pretty much his own. Looking at his work now, especially his work on The Cold Deck (Trifecta) and comparing it to his earlier stuff such as his fabulous work on ABC Warriors and this comic, you can see how he has matured as an artist and how he has devoloped his style. I commented on his blog recently and he was kind enough to get back to me, he said that his inspiration was from earlier black and white works on 2000ad, and it shows - he is one of the most versatile artists around and you can see several influences from that period in his work over the years. But now he has mastered his style to the point his recent works and especially his work on the Chaos Day storyline, can only be called his own. Its the Henry Flint style.



There were a lot of standout moments in the comic; the Alien skydive with a series of panels depicting an Alien falling from a great height before exploding into a fireball mid-air and crashing down into the ground, leaving a huge hole in the process. The depiction of this thrilling moment was expertly conveyed by Flint, panel by panel. There was also some really nice artistic touches such as the opening panel. We see rows of 'power towers'; structures which resemble the Aliens with their iconic hissing mouths. Not to mention some injokes such as the Harry Dean Stanton block! Also, i don't know if anyone who has read Incubus before noticed, but i swear the tech guy 'Benson' looks like Sly Stallone! It probably serves him right that he gets to do the gruesome work;  punishment for crimes commited in another life perhaps?

I was surprised by how fun this comic was, it was well written, funny, tragic, beautiful - everything you'd expect from a strong writer such as Wagner. And of course Flint, his artwork - especially for the Aliens- some of the best i've seen. There was a nice foreword by Simon Pegg in this trade, as well as a 'deleted scene' with some nice sketches by Henry Flint. Overall it was a nice package by Rebellion. On this evidence i am looking forward to reading the other crossover stories, notably Judge Dredd vs Batman. Now excuse me while i give this comic another read...

5/5

[The Dead Man]

The Dead Man



I made one of the greatest errors in my comic reading lifetime, and that was reading this terrific comic after i had read Necropolis before, so i pretty much knew about the big twist going into this book. And what a twist it is too. Not only one of the best in 2000ad's 30 plus year history, but in the comic book genre as a whole.

The story starts with two kids making a startling discovery. Yasser Povey and a friend come across a man whilst out hunting for food in the outbacks of the Cursed Earth. He is in a very bad state, his skin burnt to a crisp and death just one short breath away. But Yasser's mother and father and people from their community take the man back to their home to see if they can have a remote chance of saving him.

Yasser lives in his tatooine-ish hut with his 'mam' and 'pap', and his uber intelligent dog. From his thoughts we learn about his fears and his nightmates. The fear of hearing the screams "like a saw scraping on glass" at night. These nightmares start as soon as the Dead Man is brought to their home, but is there a link between the two? The man is christened the 'dead man' by Yasser because of the state he found him in, and whisperings start afoot that he is bad news for their community especially by one of the supposed Christian resident. But Yasser's mother who is deeply Christian herself, doesn't relent. Pretty soon the Dead Man is conscious, but he has no recollection of who he is and where he came from. He is 'interrogated' by the villagers but he sounds like someone who isn't from around here.



Thus begins a journey, with Yasser and his dog in tow, to get to the bottom of the Dead Man's true identity.

I must say that although a short read at 92 pages, it was still a very enjoyable and gripping story by Wagner. When this story was first serialised in 2000ad, Wagner hid his name and took the moniker of Keef Ripley, so the readers wouldn't get suspicious  - and it worked. It was also very refreshing to see a black charactet in Yasser Povey, take centre stage.

The b&w artwork by John Ridgway is astoundingly beautiful. His work is  reminiscent of  Eddie Campbell's outstanding work on the seminal From Hell. His line drawing helps to convey a sense of time and place, you can almosy feel the desperation and bleak existence of the small communities in this harsh environment. Not to mention the feeling of dread and forboding when we enter the Grunt Wood, where evil lurks. Or the burnt desolation of the small township of Crowley.

Reading it it reminded me of Cormac McCarthy's The Road with the Dead Man, the boy and his dog on a journey through a bleak unforgiving landscape. Also John Hillcoat's The Proposition with its bleak de- saturated feel and shots of the Australian outback (which could easily double up as the Cursed Earth on film). The supernatural angle especially toward the end when we come face to face with two fearful apparitions, reminded me of acid westerns or supernatural westerns such as Clint Eastwood's High Plains Drifter, with a character much like the comic, coming back from the dead. In fact, the dead man looks like Clint Eastwood, both with his squinted look and his speech. The only thing missing is a chewed cigar and you'd have the genuine legend himself! I feel this demonstrates the strength of John Ridgway's art that it manages to evoke to me the reader, all these works of literature and film.



Toward the end we learn who the Dead Man is, but at a price. Its a really affecting moment in the comic because the revelation is so mindblowing but also at the same time, we are worried for the safety of our characters and one of them out of the three, has to pay a price. Having read Necropolis and especially Tour of Duty: The Backlash TPB i know how it turns out, but even as a stand alone story its a really impressive story, and one i thoroughly enjoyed reading.

5/5

I'm just halfway through reading this awesome trade and i have to say its been one hell of a ride. The story grabbed me by the b*lls from the opening page. Artwork by everyone connected is just stupendous; in particular Colin Macneil and Henry Flint's works, not forgetting Ben Wilisher aswell.

The design and quality of the trade is beautiful, Rebellion have done a great job (as always). It has to be the one of the most handsomely presented trades i have had the pleasure of holding in my hands in the last year.

I'll do a full report on the collection after i finish reading it, but on this evidence this is a stellar comic. And a great introduction to the Day of Chaos arc, especially for someone like myself who came on board 2000AD much later.