What can we say Lawless is back, Wagner is back. A good end to the year meg
Dredd – It starts as a very generic story but by the end we have Dredd back on form being a complete d**k. As per normal Niemand gives us a good Dredd story with adequate art by Austin.
Dead Cap – A good start to a new revenge story a lot of action and a good setup for what is next. I previously stated that I am not the biggest fan of Boo's art, but I must say that this was really good, and I really loved how the flashbacks where done.
Diamond Dogs – A good start to the next arc as we see how Armitage will influence the story.
Lawless – As always what is not to love about this great first episode as we are introduced to the different parties.
Surfer – Wagner script -check, MacNeil pictures – check. What a great opener from the two maestros.
Cover by Lee Carter:
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FGKnwboXMAAo1kN?format=jpg&name=large)
Cover and Logo:
(https://dyn.media.forbiddenplanet.com/WtpgTNE5VxyZ0DENfi926jRuNtw=/trim/fit-in/779x1024/filters:format(webp)/https://media.forbiddenplanet.com/products/83/ee/5f982a5de64e94e3d55eb30ab5fd0c8fd00a.jpeg)
I've only read some of this so far, but a few things stood out:
Dredd was a massive arsehole here, to a degree that was quite disarming. Perhaps I've got used to a slightly more reasonable take on the lawman, but in this strip I was really blindsided by how it ended up.
Lawless made me feel old, in the sense I don't remember how we got to this point. And I really love this strip. When did Lawson quit? I assume this will eventually shift back to the status quo, mind, when the SJS march about the place shooting everyone.
Surfer brings back Wagner and provides a reminder of why his writing style is so missed when he's absent from the Prog. I'm intrigued to see where this goes and happy it's about a new character rather than Chopper, who must be getting on a bit now.
The floppy is a bunch of festive tales, which I'm sure will find Dredd bringing the good citizens of MC1 plenty of Christmas cheer, right? Right?
Quote from: IndigoPrime on 15 December, 2021, 09:03:35 AM
Lawless made me feel old, in the sense I don't remember how we got to this point. And I really love this strip. When did Lawson quit? I assume this will eventually shift back to the status quo, mind, when the SJS march about the place shooting everyone.
At the end of the double-length musical extravaganza...
(https://i.imgur.com/AEUoUwQ.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/NEpKHWM.png)
Ah. Now I think about it, I never read all of that, because once I got part-way through and realised the audio was online I'd always planned to sit down and listen to it. Oops. So just old and forgetful in an entirely different way.
Lovely X-mas Meg behind a nice Lee Carter Cover - according to the Thrillcast his first, how the hell is that the case?!?
Leads off with a hardcore Dredd from Ken Niemand. Leaning in hard into the Dredd bastard trope, but does so nicely.
Death Cap... well its set up as a typical revenge western, set up nicely but I suspect this will take us somewhere a little more interesting down the line? I mean I love a revenge western so I like this, but its going to become something more ... right...
Diamond Dogs - its just so okay, well art aside, I love the art, its just so okay.
Lawless well with the cast Dabnett and Winslade can pretty much do anything, play with things as much as they like can't they and they show that here. They just spin the series into a wonderfully different place and it sharp and funny as we've come to expect and then sets up more at the end. Perfert comics
Surfer interesting opener, but has place to run, or surf before I get exactly what this is going to become.
Decent text pieces and an interesting selection in the floppie... but we all just waiting for Hawk the Slayer there right!
Good meg which if a couple of stories develop as I hope they might will become a stella line-up I suspect.
I liked the Dredd - the Niemand droid is filling Al Ewing's regs nicely on Dredd, but the end was a bit harsh. We haven't really seen that side of Dredd for a while, and I've never been a fan of the Alan Grant school of making Dredd a mouthy bigot. What happened to his 'keen sense of justice'?
Lawless is great stuff, of course.
Dead Cap - bit light on story, but it's early days yet. Is it going to be an Unforgiven homage? Garth Ennis will be sending his lawyers round - only one person is allowed to rip off Unforgiven.
The only other one I read was Surfer. Now we're talking, my fellow squaxx - this is Wagner and McNeil at their best, and that's saying something. Mega-citizen banter, mouthy robots, and, well, sky-surfing - no one writes them like Wagner. I like the 'fugging' thing too - for some reason I prefer the Judges to keep 'drokk' and the citizens to have their own swear words. It struck me that the dad could be [spoiler]Flip Tillis[/spoiler], though maybe that's a bit of a stretch. Can't wait to see how this pans out.
Haven't read the text story or Diamond Dogs yet, but that Juvie Jovus nativity story in the floppy is a reminder of how brilliant Al Ewing was at the Dredd one-offs.
The surfer meta-joke about writing choppers death was too good. Great xmas Meg.
I've read the rest now. Death Cap in all honesty makes me realise these days how intolerant I am of stories that fridge children. I'm not up with that. Perhaps the story will improve, but I don't really care at this point, which isn't ideal for something that only just started. Diamond Dogs is fine, but is just kind of there. I don't mind it, but it hasn't really excited me and I suspect it never will now.
The floppy was fun—a selection of 'festive' Dredd tales. It's also interesting to see how different interpretations of Dredd can be.
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 15 December, 2021, 09:43:11 AM
Quote from: IndigoPrime on 15 December, 2021, 09:03:35 AM
Lawless made me feel old, in the sense I don't remember how we got to this point. And I really love this strip. When did Lawson quit? I assume this will eventually shift back to the status quo, mind, when the SJS march about the place shooting everyone.
At the end of the double-length musical extravaganza...
I rate that as one of the most incredible things the Meg or Prog has ever published.
It's brilliant on its own, but when combined with the actual songs on Soundcloud, it reaches new heights of awesomeness.
I heartily recommend anyone who hasn't yet done so to read or re-read it alongside the soundtrack:
https://soundcloud.com/2000-ad/sets/lawless-the-musical
A warning....the songs are real earworms! You'll find yourself humming them for weeks.
Here is a nice interview with TC Eglington & Boo Coo about Death Cap (which will run for 8 episodes): https://2000ad.com/news/bloody-revenge-and-fungal-horror-collide-talking-death-cap-with-tc-eglington-boo-coo/ (https://2000ad.com/news/bloody-revenge-and-fungal-horror-collide-talking-death-cap-with-tc-eglington-boo-coo/)
Quote from: Colin YNWA on 15 December, 2021, 09:14:33 PM
Lovely X-mas Meg behind a nice Lee Carter Cover - according to the Thrillcast his first, how the hell is that the case?!?
Leads off with a hardcore Dredd from Ken Niemand. Leaning in hard into the Dredd bastard trope, but does so nicely.
Death Cap... well its set up as a typical revenge western, set up nicely but I suspect this will take us somewhere a little more interesting down the line? I mean I love a revenge western so I like this, but its going to become something more ... right...
Diamond Dogs - its just so okay, well art aside, I love the art, its just so okay.
Lawless well with the cast Dabnett and Winslade can pretty much do anything, play with things as much as they like can't they and they show that here. They just spin the series into a wonderfully different place and it sharp and funny as we've come to expect and then sets up more at the end. Perfert comics
Surfer interesting opener, but has place to run, or surf before I get exactly what this is going to become.
Decent text pieces and an interesting selection in the floppie... but we all just waiting for Hawk the Slayer there right!
Good meg which if a couple of stories develop as I hope they might will become a stella line-up I suspect.
This ^^^^
My first Meg for a while, jumping back in for Lawless and ready for Hawk the Slayer. Saving the floppy and text bits but already been through the comics and it's a good read.
Enjoyable Dredd although as many have said here, Dredd is a right bastard here and it did come as a bit of a shock as it's been a little while since we've seen him this harsh. Good stuff.
Death Cap I was looking forward to this based on the previews but a bit like IP I found the killing of [spoiler]Goya's daughters[/spoiler] to really take me away from the enjoyment. This is probably because I'm old now. Some fantastic mutant designs on the Horse especially and the fungus guy.. promising, anyway.
Diamond Dogs - I read the first episode of this way back and then nothing else so skimmed this one.
Lawless Lawless rules!
Surfer Really good opening episode. There's very little actually happening, but the story still pulls you right in. I also really liked the 'Choppers death being a better ending' gag.
Most of this has been said by previous posters but here is my two cents:
Dredd – I had my heart in my throat at the end of page one. [spoiler]"Oh God, it's one of Buggo the Brave's mates".[/spoiler] Nice story overall with Dredd now totally at ease with the Mark 8s...but what a rug pull at the end. Just plain nasty.
Death Cap – Despite the incredibly unnerving villains (the worst case of [spoiler]Grubb's disease[/spoiler] so far?), this looks like it has serious legs. Redemption in spades awaits for Goya.
Diamond Dogs – I really do try and like this, indeed anything that Armitage appears in, but I just tuned out about three months ago.
Lawless – Hit the ground running after the big break and immediately launched four or five plot threads. Superb.
Surfer – Lovely to see Wagner delving back into the treasured past with a story that does not revolve around the Apocalypse War. I can feel this really is going to be a good thrill.
Floppies - Great collection of festive Dredds, the standout for this cit being Death Row: my first time reading....and a absolutely sublime Wagner bait & switch.
A fabulous end to the year.
Just read the Lenny Zero text story, thought it was excellent.
I'd forgotten all about it- thanks for the reminder! I'll read it right now.
Quote from: broodblik on 15 December, 2021, 08:42:22 AM
Cover and Logo:
(https://dyn.media.forbiddenplanet.com/WtpgTNE5VxyZ0DENfi926jRuNtw=/trim/fit-in/779x1024/filters:format(webp)/https://media.forbiddenplanet.com/products/83/ee/5f982a5de64e94e3d55eb30ab5fd0c8fd00a.jpeg)
Every time I read that title I have The Clash's Guns of Brixton in my head... not a bad thing and a suitable image.
Quote from: BPP on 18 December, 2021, 12:32:50 PM
The surfer meta-joke about writing choppers death was too good. Great xmas Meg.
This. Proper laughs at that one, and so true.
Quote from: IndigoPrime on 15 December, 2021, 09:03:35 AM
I've only read some of this so far, but a few things stood out:
Dredd was a massive arsehole here, to a degree that was quite disarming. Perhaps I've got used to a slightly more reasonable take on the lawman, but in this strip I was really blindsided by how it ended up.
I've noticed there's a trend here in Niemand's Dredd. He's undoubtedly one of the best Dredd writers, but his Dredd is a meaner, more callous character. I mean, you could have told pretty much exactly the same story, but without Dredd calling the natives 'goons', 'cave-freaks' and 'dumb alien simps', and even making his motives more ambiguous (are the resources merely his official justification for doing the right thing in protecting the natives?).
I've been on the cusp of dropping 2000AD and the Meg for a number of years now, but I'm wondering if the time has finally come. I only buy them for Dredd, and if this is the way Dredd is going then I don't care anymore. (Trouble is, you occasionally get something like Ian Edginton's
Dez Rez in the previous issue, and you end up thinking just one more month...).
Regards,
Robin
My Top 3 for Meg 439
1st - Lawless - political machinations aplenty
2nd - Surfer - Wagner and MacNeil
3rd - Death Cap - Cook on fire with colours and widescreen panels.
Enjoyed the Lenny Zero text story and the collection of Christmas-themed thrills too.
Juvie Jovis story was excellent.