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[Dredd]

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Much as you were really. Three good strips, nah GREAT strips, two a bit mah BUT a slight untick in many and we're all okay.

Dredd. Great ending to a really nice story. But the question remains who is that masked writer?

I'll come to Brink.

Skip Tracer - has a good un. Nice fast paced action, but we still need to care more.

3riller - The Scorched Zone - "but we need to care more"... yep. This still happened.

Fiends - Aerial bat creature fight. So now all you need to do is ask yourself is that enough for you to know this is GREAT? If not maybe 2000ad ain't for you any more!

Back to Brink heavens to Betsy this is superb. Just superb. The plot is out, the villian reveals and launches his plan and its just quite supremely delivered. Lines gifted us by Dabnett like "He wasn't ready to hear. Mainly because he was a bit of a dick." combined with INJ Culbard's quite uncanny ability to show the madness behind folks eyes and "...you're all absolutely batshit crazy." has never, NEVER been so magnificently crafted in the history of comics. If it wasn't for Lawless this would be the greatest ever...

[Dredd]

Middling Prog, which faced with the standard of late feels like a bit of a let down.

Dredd new writer to me Kenneth Niemand, anyone? Also the return after a LONG time of Jeff Anderson doing some nice work on a decent story. Niemand does well to avoid the cliche of having Dredd bemoan and warn against the last social experiment in Mega-City One. Giant VR(ish) Block Buds to support community spirit. Its a fun idea and the story uses it well. Mind its not hard to predict what AI representations of neighbouring blocks are going to end up doing!

Brink - Hurtles along in fine form. Does do the cliched goodies about to be shot [spoiler]and the gun fire is heard but its the baddie whose need shot by an coming rescuer. [/spoiler] Still we can forgive this gem that little fault.

Skip Tracer is falling back into the bad habits of last time and Nathan is turning back into a shallow 90s style hard man with attitude but nothing to make you care. Shame after the progress last time but lets see how we go.

3riller - The Scorched Zone happens and that's all that's worth saying. Stuff occurs bit I couldn't really give two hoots! Nothing to engage here.

Fiends of the Western Front does make me care and is immense fun.

Thistlebone looks good doesn't it!

[Dredd]

I think its going to get quiet around, it always does when the Prog is good, who needs to here folks just saying week in week out. This was great, that was great etc etc. Well when the Progs this good we really need to be shouting it from the roof tops. As loud and proud as we can.

We are more than capable of whittering and moaning like a Facebook mob whenever we have a beef and I don't exclude myself from that at all, so when Tharg proves beyond a doubt why this comic is called the Galaxy's Greatest we should be just as vocal and not drift from coming here and showering praise. If we've learnt nothing this week its that we must take things for granted.

The Prog is once again superb, just superb.

Dredd is three fantastic 2 page scenes each offering something different, each moving the whole masterfully forward.

Brink is just a masterclass. It once again returns to its MO of using tight close conversations to drive a bigger world view while reminding us how close and tight the world we are watching is. Just genius

Fiends is a glorious balancing art of action and tension and then a lovely line at the end to throw the night world this story takes us to open.

Skip Tracer is basically since last time the new story I enjoy at these times. Its almost unrecognisable, has given me more reasons to care than then a fantastic 'dreamscape' to fire my imagination.

Kingdom is just Kingdom and that's classic 2000ad at its best.

The entire Prog is a masterclass in art. The Prog as a whole is a sublime mix of different and familiar and when its this good we must never get tired of saying so.

[Dredd]

Well well well now that's good Proggage.

What makes it all the more impressive is one of the few problems of last issue, a fantastic comic in itself is resolved. At last in the space of 5 page of deft writing I have a reason to give a toss about Nolan Blake (even bothered to learn his name now), I've engaged with him as a character and hence engaged with the series. See its simple isn't it! All it took was a bit of family backstory, a reason to understand his anger and hardedness and a situation which I could symphise with and feel his desperation. All crafted in a beautiful first page, an action packed couple and a final couple building the story and creating the conflicit. Glorious stuff and one that makes this Prog a five out of five, the very best of progage.

The rest of the strips are as you were from 2100 and therefore magnificent.

A glorious Dredd and Smiley works Dredd, Frank gets into bother and [spoiler]Sensitve Klegg[/spoiler] returns.

Brink is just crafted, creepy glory. Such heavy atmosphere with a comic bit of world building in the last panel.

Fiends of the Eastern Front is sublime both on a visual level but also the tension it so quickly builds and the action that quickly gives it form.

Finally we have more brilliance in Kingdom and Gene does what he does best... but .. well doesn't go as well as normal and I'm completely hooked... which with this series is no surprise.

You know it was discussed that 2100 could be the best Prog ever, see this one, this one makes a case too!

[Future Shock]

Its all about those endings this week...

... well aside from a very effect Future Shock, from new blood, that for me was actually a better Terror Tale, but we're splitting hairs there.

The Dredd end frustrated me. Stuff happened, things were revealed, Dredd left some folks behind that make me want to re-read this and to check but I'm sure there should have been more arresting. It lacked power and felt rushed.

Survival Geeks was... okay, kinda fun, but there's no real bite to this strip so its ending aren't ever going to have that much impact.

Mech-wotsits might have been a pretty good ending but I'm not that invested and this needs a re-read.

So we're left to the end to get a satisfying ending. The Order plays a blinder again just great stuff. It felt both incredibly open, but almost as if it was being wrapped up. As if it was that kinda there is so much more to tell, but this is all you'll see... I hope I'm wrong and this one is back soon as its a delight.

So for me a pretty weak Prog but then if we look what we'll get over the next 7 days I suspect this will be more than made up for...

A few years ago I would have had such a nerdgasm about this. Even though my reaction is a little more tempered now this is stuill bloody exciting news (via 2000ad Megaverse on dat der Faciebookis)

https://www.newsarama.com/41621-tharg-recruits-george-perez-for-2000-ad.html

Or did you all know this already and I'm being daft?

[Mechastopheles]

And so a bit of a shuffle starts as we approach 2100 and I assume a relaunch Prog.

Mechastopheles leaps from 3riller to full series and while there have been many more 3rillers I'd have been happier to see make the change this story starts well enough, but lets see how it develops.

Dredd continues well enough, its a pretty good story but not yet blowing me away.

Grey Area has a more settled episode and while the character work is great it too is just pretty good... well actually this is very good, but...

...its the Kek-W double bill that does the blowin' and the awayin' this week. Both The Order and Deadworld continue to be at the top of their games. This week Deadworld takes the honours, lets face it with an ending that if your enjoying the series will have you hackering for more. Last week we got Death's apparent [spoiler]death[/spoiler], though I'm not sure and a storyline bursting open there.This week the final page seems to kick start a plot thread that's be gloriously dangles in front of us for some time now. Can't wait for this to be back, so much good stuff going on with it and the way it toys with Dredd's history is just delicious.

Good Prog.

So I know we have an insider on this one and I think a few other readers BUT Giant Days heard good things but only today saw that it's set in Sheffield University... is this actual University of Sheffield as in Yorkshire and does it reference the city much?

[Dredd]

Well that is another good Prog, with one absolute belting standout and one bait and switch missing ... I mean he really went and did it, didn't he!

Anyway we'll get to that. Dredd is brutally functional opener, its harsh and sharp artwork fitting for a story that feels so weighed down by function and technic that its lost a sense of fun and story. Still I've bought in and we'll see where we go with this.

The Order just keeps layering on the story, throwing more and more in, but doing it with a guile and energy that it never forgets its sense of fun and story.

A Terror Tale which feels a little out of time, is none the less really fun and engaging, and when it needs to be suitably creepy and why don't we have more David Hitchcock in the Prog plase?

So last week's Grey Area, the title of this two story don't seem to be the bait and switch I was expecting... though there is one panel, thrid page, third panel, that makes makes me think that its still to come and I'm really enjoying this so I'm giving Dabnett and Harrison the benefit of the doubt on this one.

But let's be honest if you've been enjoying Deadworld to this point this is the story to storm to the top of your charts this week. Bloomin' brilliant and this turn of events, assuming its not going to twisty turn on us is most welcome and opens the series up quite supremely. Just fantastic stuff.

So over all very good Prog, thank you Tharg... if you have to keep that bait and switch you owe me a little longer so be it, entertain me like this and I'll happily wait...

[Dredd]

Okay we're going to use spoiler tags properly on this one. We're going to need them...

Love the cover, really striking (I decided not to go with arresting so you should count yourselves lucky)

Dredd - nice little one off. Nothing special but fun if it felt a little bit done before, just turning out a new way for the Meg to grind you down.

The Order - continues to be magnifient - no need for spoilers there as if you don't know that already you are daft! But we're going to need them...

Terror Tales... well again no real need for spoilers here, this looks great and I really enjoyed it but when the twist is clumsily slapped on us, very clumsily, its main saving grace is we'd seen it comin' like the 88 Bus down Eccie Road. For all that as said actually really enjoyed this?!?

Deadworld - again no need for spoilers here as I've said all you need to know in my review for The Order. Great stuff.

Finally the magnificent return of Grey Area... I want to wax lyrical about how happy I am about its return. How much this has a fun opening, how it mixes snappy amusing dialogue with high octane action. I want to do all that but[spoiler] IF YOU KILL OFF RESTING BITCH FACE[/spoiler] I will be [spoiler]MOST BLOODY ANGRY[/spoiler].... don't you dare [spoiler]KILL HER OFF.[/spoiler].. or I'll go all caps lock on [spoiler]YOUR STUPIDLY TALENTED ASSES[/spoiler]... you hear me, you hear me [spoiler]DON'T KILL HER OFF.[/spoiler].. I'm not sure you will [spoiler]BUT DON'T[/spoiler]...

[Dredd]

Another fine Prog bursting out from behind a nice Neil Roberts cover.

The thing is the current line-up seems to be spliting folks and I can kinda see why. Mind that said I suspect one thing we can all get behind here is Dredd by Williams and Weston. Grest piece of set up which swings into high gear on the last page with [spoiler]some space (almost) apes[/spoiler]. What's not to love here?

Skip Tracer however continues to be what its always been a hook short of a good thrill. Its almost impossible to tell how much potential this strip has as I'm just struggling to engage with the led or the events that he dynamically blasts through.

The Order on the other hand while leaving some behind and in the cold has me utterly engaged and involved this is wonderful stuff and part one of a magnicient Kek-W double header this month.

Durham Red continues as was ... except it adds some nice elements to the leds mythos suddenly our heroine flashes into a more direct representation of her vampiric nature... interesting and while it might be a little uncomfortable I've enjoyed this more than enough to give it the benefit of the doubt.

We get Kek-W part two in the consistantly fantastic (these days) Deadworld as our story builds and builds the story and the world its inhabiting has many elements to play with. It could get this wrong and be leaving readers behind, but for me its juggling all this very, very well.

I can kinda see why all these stories (Dredd aside) might be dividing option but for me I'm luckily landing on a 4 out of 5 so I'm very much in the Tharg camp right now.

spoiler tag added — IP

[Dredd]

Well betting on Red here is another safe bet, as is 2000ad at the moment, the story's qualities are pretty predictable, not that the stories themselves, but there's little here to change my opinion about whats good and what's not and even why.

The two endings give their stories conclusions on a parr with what's gone before. Dredd is excellent, wraps things up really well while still feeling like its opening more doors. This has been a great story by Mike Carroll (sorry Michael) and Jake Lynch is rapidly becoming, well has become, one of my absolute favourite current Dredd artists, well 2000ad artists generally. He's the perfect mix of Flint, Baikie and most importantly Lynch, so comfortable yet unique. Survival Geeks looked great too, but telegraphed its easy ending which in keeping with the series as a whole felt twee. As did the developments in ... two folks who have that might, they might they not relation thing going on... can't remember their names, which says it all really!

The other problem is I still don't care about fella me laddio in Skip Tracer, so however exciting it might be, it fails to be.

However I'm fully engaged with both Deadworld and Durham Red. DR in particular has a really effective episode, quietly and closely developing story and tension, really well. The change in artist to Lee Carter works absolutely fine and all in all this is a joy.

So 3 for 5 and a good Prog with an advery for the return of The Order next week just being the icing on the cake!

Well I'm making my way through 'The Fleetway Files'  and have been very intrigued by the article on Wildcat. Has anyone read it? Was it any good, worth searching out? Seemed like an interesting idea and while I seem to recall I wasn't to impressed with the pullout in 2000ad back in the day that was a long time ago and its caught old Colin's imagination.

Any thoughts, feelings, or indeed warnings?

[Dredd]

Well its really a case of as you were. So little difference between this week and last... well there is a little if you look close.

Dredd is still fantastic, juggling two intriguing storylines the one set in the past a particular winner and I'm really tempted by the prose book set in this era now.

Skip Tracer is still fun and fine but its not doing anything new... well that surprising leftfield final panel aside and I'm still not engaged with its led, which is becoming an increasing problem.

Survival Geeks - if still twee fluff that every so often does something to delight and amuse...but no enough to make it worth it. Its chompin' at those low hangin' fruit and since I'm reading early 90s 2000ad in my re-read at the moment I've got quite enough of that in my life at the moment.

Deadworld changes scene, but doesn't change from being emmense fun and buiding a really compelling story. Oh how my view of this series has grown!

Durham Red just great stuff, this is so 2000ad it aches, it a good way. What this is doing so well is each episode really does feel like its own little story yet is building the whole. Looks great, reads great.

So we have three winners, an okay has potential but beginning to drag and an irritation that can even charm at times - so its almost the perfect 2000ad mix!

[Dredd]

Prog is still good - great. Not really much change from last week really.

Oh and I should say while I'm far from Survival Geeks biggest fan but it certainly gives good cover! Enjoy the cosplay spotfest that is the back cover.

Inside Dredd continues to skillfully build a wonder adventure dripping with intrigue. Enjoying watching this make reveal... well we don't know but I'm enjoying not knowing.

Skip Tracer still building well but it needs to make me connect with the led soon or its going to just be a series of fiun events and I might drift off. Still has time and still building its story well but I did notice this week I'm pretty unengaged by the led at this point.

Survival Geeks had some cute moments but also at time felt too twee pastiche of references. Its so okay.

Deadworld on the other hand is defo pastiche but by heck its bloody a romping one. Its not doing anything new but its not doing anything new soooo well.

Durham Red not quite as good as last time but by George it gives us our mission, throws in action and fun character and sets a nice atmosphere for next time. I means its not doing a bad job in 5 pages is it. Great stuff.

So yeah strong Prog and a nice summation of why 2000ad is the Galaxies Greatest from Tharg in the Nerve Centre

That's the 2000ad experience and its a reaction no other anthology [he should just have said comic here] can instil in its readership. Excitment, dislocation, unease, joy... its not unknown to run the whole gamut of emotions whilst consuming a single Prog.

Ahem Tharg, ahem.

... but did anyone notice in the latest Thrillmail the logo top left of the 'Sniper Elite' advert... I mean that is the old Battle logo isn't it... isn't it... so do you think we might be seeing a return of the title, even if its as an imprint for some Rebellion stuff...

... I mean I'm not getting carried anyway am I... well I am clearly but UUUHHHH that's intriguing.

I have no interest in Sniper Elite but if any marketing droids want to convince me that by buying this I could add to the possiblity of the comic coming back... well every sale counts right!

[Dredd]

Well that was a great little Prog. Beginnings, endings, and one offs. A nice little balancing act there.

Anyway under another wonderful Ezquerra cover we have a really fun one off Dredd. I'm really enjoying Rory McConville's work and his Dredd is great. This is a really fun light throw away gag done really y well and I've said all that needs to be said before about how great Dan Cornwell is and he's just getting better.

Arh Sinister Dexter. Its been so great to have you around for this extended run. Dan Abnett has been so ably assisted by the Mighty Yeowell this really is S&D at its very best and the final episode in the run doesn't disappoint at all/

Skip Tracer is such a proficient openner. Peatty and Marshal, set up our over crowded dystopian world and we don't have time to worry about the fact that it might be a little cliche before we have some blistering action and a nice bit of intrigue at the end to pull us back for more. 5 pages used very professionally and I'm optimistic this one could go places.

Deadworld likewise neaty sets the scene, clearly recaps without reallyfeeling too recappy and then set up our challenge which is one that has me very excited. Great return... christ to think I didn't used to get on with the strip. The last few stories have really cemented this one as a fav.

Finally Strontium Dog ends what's been a very interesting story which got better and better... until... well if I'm honest it kinda fumbled the ending a little, as if Wagner wasn't quite sure how to draw a neat line under it. Still fun episode and really looking forward to this one coming back. 

So that's been a great run of stories, segwaying into some good looking new stuff with the promise of other good stuff and Survival Geeks next week and made all the sweeter with an advert for KIngmaker's return.

Nice!

[Anderson]

Bloomin' heck, bloomin' Carlos hey, phonin' in those wonderful, powerful covers, its just not like the old... oh...

...hold on...

...that's pretty damned good isn't it!

The rest of Prog ain't bad either. Well Anderson dropped me again, this one really will need a re-read (if anyone is interested in when that might actually be please refer to the New Comicbook Day Megathread.

The Dredd story moves the whole Son's of Booth storyline along nicely and finishes the corrent tale well. I'm looking forward to the next part of this series of stories.

Jaegir finishes her latest story effectively enough. Where as Sinister Dexter finishes its current story with a horrific brutality whipped into shape with lashing of humour.

Strontium Dog see Fenton take on a little bit more of the Wulf mantal with a weaponry pick up as this story continues to get better and better and I can't wait to see what happens next week.

All in all a pretty fine Prog behind a cracking cover.

Well this could be interesting!

http://royoftheroversofficial.com/news/6

Found via Rob Williams Facebook feed.

Over on Facebook one of our chums posted some very good news from Molch-R.

Well, a couple of stellar progs (neatly demonstrating the same thing that's been true for the last 40 years: if there's a run you're not enjoying, something else will be along shortly) don't seem to have materially improved the mood in this group, so here's a bit of good news for the doom-mongers to chew on, shamelessly cribbed from MOLCH-R's FB feed...
The Megazine is the only top 20 title in its category ('teenage comics', apparently) to record a sales increase over the last 12 months. Meanwhile, although 2000AD's newsstand sales have dipped slightly, the number is more than offset by a surge in subs. In fact, 2000AD's sales are "rising faster than at any time in the last 20 years".
Digital subs are significant, but still a very small percentage of revenue, and the future of the prog unquestionably remains as a print magazine.
All of which cheered me up no end. Feel free to vote on this news in the handy poll below...

Now just you lot be grateful you don't have to wade through the Faceswamp to get this. Some folks - in the face of good news bucking the negative message that can pre-dominate - decided to suggest it might be fabrication. Let's just enjoy the positive vibe.

Sigh.