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Prog 2228 - The Slayer & The Slain

Started by Leigh S, 17 April, 2021, 11:16:50 AM

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Leigh S

A good prog this week - can't bring to mind what is missing from last weeks to make way for Slaine?  I;d presumed we'd be waiting for the end of the 3riller


Dredd is well wrtten, but I'm really havinng to pretend a lot of the previous "evil SJS" tales had ever happened - I suppose that really isnt that great a hardship - Imagine this story taking place in a universe without those and it's a solid thriller, though Asher's use of applied violence on citizen is one thing,on SJS judges quite another! Wonder what he is up to with his big wrench - off to the Undercity if he has any sense!

Feral and Foe remains enjoyable, sometimes falling over the wwong side of meta for me (side-quests), but solid entertainent again


Slaine is glorious to look at and exciting stuff, but not really what Pat was promising - finished in a way no other writer will ever be able to take him on?  Erm, if I hadnt read Pat's Twitter, I'd still be eagerly awaiting the obvious Book 2 of this, resolving all those dangling threads.  Not that it isnt an "end" of sorts, but a "final" end? I like the idea that Slaine   [spoiler] can't stop the British Empire, beause, we know that's true, but he can "drag it's name in the dirt" - Slaine as Internet Troll?  [/spoiler] Hmmm


broodblik

When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.

Old age is the Lord's way of telling us to step aside for something new. Death's in case we didn't take the hint.

broodblik

When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.

Old age is the Lord's way of telling us to step aside for something new. Death's in case we didn't take the hint.

Tjm86

Billing this as the end of Slaine?  TBH it reads a bit more like ... just packing it in and leaving it there.  Feels a bit like the ending of Lost if i'm honest.

Sorry.   :(

Jacqusie

Is that Ukko I spy on the cover?

A bit of a pointless cameo if he didn't even make the story, which finished in a rather odd fashion I'd say. I'm guessing this wasn't the planned ending as has been debated on here. Perhaps he was originally meant to die, go on to the Goddess etc. and it was changed to this ''sort of' ending.

It would have been nice to get some of the old characters back to tie up plot lines including his son and of course Ukko narrating the tale. Instead Slaine just sort of appears from nowhere to some people and has no confidants, supplies, food, a residence or toilet roll of any sorts and jumps around a lot flying on dragons.

The whole delay and breaks in the story including the regened prog, has made it all a bit of an anticlimax to a saga and it's wonderful finale artwork, which have deserved much better. I know it's a bit churlish to say, but there is a slight dip in quality of the art from Manco this week, which don't get me wrong is still superb, but holding it up to the first episodes it has a different and more loose feel to it.

Dredd is great and I love Tom Foster's fantastic art, the SJS vs Dredd tale is always good Clint Eastwood - Wild Western stuff for me.







The Corinthian

Slaine dies in the final part of The Horned God. Later episodes are Ukko writing fan fiction to pay the bills, keep the memory of his friend alive and - most importantly - in the hope of getting off with Nest.

Dark Jimbo

Quote from: The Corinthian on 17 April, 2021, 12:30:40 PM
Slaine dies in the final part of The Horned God...

But he does actually die at the start of Demon Killer (and then again at the end).
@jamesfeistdraws

The Corinthian


Dark Jimbo

@jamesfeistdraws

IndigoPrime

I wonder if that last page of Slaine was an addition that caused the delay. Kinda feels like it.

Magnetica

A mixed bag this week. The good: Dredd, Feral and Foe carry on as before, providing great entertainment.

There other two stories aren't bad as such, it's just nothing much happens.
And given they are final episodes, that's not great really.

The 3riller was eminently forgettable, and indeed I'll probably not give it another thought.

As for Slaine, it doesn't really end, so much as just stop. It all feels very sudden, as if Pat just decided one day to just not write anymore, rather than wrap anything up. And given his recent Twitter pronouncements, may be that is the case....who knows?  It all seems rather a tame end for one of 2000AD's leading characters. But to be honest I stopped caring years ago....which is kinda the bigger shame.

And as for Pat leaving the story in a place where it can't be continued - I don't get that. It seems to me, the only thing stopping it continuing is the agreement with Pat not to. So let's just leave it there and move on.

Magnetica

Sorry mean to include Thistlebone in the good.

The Monarch

yeah that was an anti-climax wasn't it? rest of the progs fantastic though

Colin YNWA

Well I was going to make snarky comments about being saved from Thrillpower Overload when having a double header on my return from holiday by the end of Slaine, but on reflection... well I'll come to that.

Dredd - I'm bloody loving this.

Thistlebone - Remains horrible in the best possible way.

Slaine - personally I've been done with this strip for a long time BUT this is of course worthy of more comment. Firstly it was interesting to see Tharg reluctant to let go - just referencing this as the last of the 'latest Slaine adventure' - I doubt he nows any more than us at this stage but maybe he just knows the fickle ways of Uncle Pat. Either way at first I thought this was an utterly lukewarm ending as has been suggested a stop in a chapter with more to come but little more. The more I've reflected on it assuming this is it it could be a lot worse.

There have been a couple or three points through Slaine's history that would have made for more complete full stops but this one works really well on its own terms and in the terms of the strip. Rather than being a definitive end, or Slaine dieing. Or Ukko keeling over and we have a declaration that no more was written or whatever. We get a nice open ended and his legended continued sort of ending which given the timeless and mythical nature of the series really works. Particularly underlined by the dynastic nature of those last couple of pages. I actually think the ending is really fitting and works. Slaine essentially riding off into the sunset into who knows what adventures.

Don't get me wrong while this series has had technically astonishing art its bored, as has Slaine for the longest time to be honest. It maybe that lack of emotional investment that allows me to appreciate this more open ending. Either have to be brutal and say glad its over, though sorry for those who still love it.

3riller - Chorus and the Ring talk about a 3riller in reverse. Often 3rillers open with a great intriguing opening episode, only to then slide away as the tale progresses to not quite land that potential. Here 2 episodes and 3 1/2 page in and I was astonished by just how run of the mill this was. A bit like 'Killer' (if you remember that one) as if someone was trying to cram as many standard 2000ad elements into a story without ever having actually read 2000ad....

...BUT THEN that last page and 1/2 kind saved it and added an extra level that I really appreciated and I think curiously open the world up and I want to see more. Assuming we won't did the last 1 1/2 make the preceding 13 1/2 worth while. Well no, nice art aside, but its fascinating to see a story I've had no interest in land so well!

Like a gymnast whose fallen off the beam twice, during a pretty low tarriff routine BUT then pulls off an pretty fantastic dismount. I mean its not going to save them from a low score, but you'd like to see them try again in case they can do it better next time!

Feral and Foe - Charmingly dangerous still.

What a fascinating Prog - think if I didn't really enjoy it, its certainly engrossed me and made me think - about craft at least!

WhizzBang

I enjoyed this Slaine story. The above criticism reminds me of when I came back to the prog and found lots of people here being very negative about Return To Ro-Busters which I thought was great. It seems like some people never get bored of saying 'I don't Like Pat Mills latest stuff as much as the early stuff'.