(http://i.imgur.com/HSxJp8t.jpg?2)
Nice one off Dredd from the Whyatt droid in the black museum (sort of)
Brink wraps up its current arc
Grey suit returns with a text page to bring us up to speed.
The ETC crew are in the fragging area again in Grey Area.
And Hunted continues to bring the big final panel reveveals.
Neil Roberts scrummy Mummy cover btw.
Check out the Pete Wells block blog for more bandaged details. (http://2000ad.com/post/2016)
Notably, Greysuit gets a full-page 'previously'. Handy for new readers. (And for people who've forgotten what's going on.)
The Dredd was a fun yarn (with the obligatory bad pun at the end) and hasgreat Tom Foster art. Brink is still the high point of the prog for me, hopefully it'll be back soon.
Nosho week again for the prog. That's two weeks in a row. :(
Now that's what I call Thrill-power 2040 - or what a difference a week makes.
Last week we had an okay Prog, this week we have a blinder. The differences. Well a classic Dredd for one. All the hallmarks of an early Wagner and Bolland one parter. Sharp, fun and action packed. Simple quality and yep Tom Foster's art is getting better and better and heading slowly towards Bollandesque. Great stuff all round.
The other big difference is the Mills swap from Defoe (boo) to Greysuit (yah!) always enjoyed this thrill and after a handy recap we get an action packed opener really throwing everything in but the Millsian tropes of class 'rebellion' and laboured social commentry are washed down with a healthy dose of violence and chaos (or given this is Mills should that be Khaos?).
Dabnett's wonders are as you were really, Grey Area has a fantastic episode openning up the story to what appears might be a larger arena, even if its wrapped up next week though this has been a blast. Brink alas does wrap but but man does it leave us on a high. Nicely tieing up (well given the neck ripping mabe nicely isn't the right word!) everything from this story and coolly setting up the next. Just sublime stuff and an absolute top thrill. I'm about to make the case for Dabnett being the best writer currently working for Tharg and possibly the best of this decade.
The only downside is Hunted that felt like it was heading somewhere last week only to squarely pull the rug from under us, but not in a good way. In many cases this twisty twist might have been fun. Here its just not really getting me to invest enough to care.
So yeah 3 very good and one Blindin' thrill only one poor one mark this as a good Prog in my eyes.
Quote from: Colin YNWA on 15 July, 2017, 04:36:45 PM
I'm about to make the case for Dabnett being the best writer currently working for Tharg and possibly the best of this decade.
Yes totally. I have been thinking the same (Wagner excluded of course), no-one comes close to Dan Abnett. Lawless, Brink, Insurrection - you just can't beat them. I also continue to love Sinister Dexter, and I class it with the others I have just mentioned as an all time 2000AD classic (I know others don't though.)
His Wikipedia page is sadly out of date. It says he stopped working for 2000AD in 2008!
Quote from: Magnetica on 15 July, 2017, 08:01:46 PM
I also continue to love Sinister Dexter, and I class it with the others I have just mentioned as an all time 2000AD classic (I know others don't though.)
Yeah the wrong one's you mean. As I've said here before I'm a BIG fan of Sinister Dexter and I'm completely with you on this one! Hope its back soon. People bemoan the absense of a regular strip that appears often in a nice variable way that accompanies Dredd...
hello Sinister Dexter folks... well it used to be. Been horribly irregular of late, love to have it back more often.
Yes I know you like it. You and me have posted our love for it many times. It is indeed them other folk...
Quote from: Magnetica on 15 July, 2017, 08:01:46 PM
Quote from: Colin YNWA on 15 July, 2017, 04:36:45 PM
I'm about to make the case for Dabnett being the best writer currently working for Tharg and possibly the best of this decade.
Yes totally. I have been thinking the same (Wagner excluded of course), no-one comes close to Dan Abnett. Lawless, Brink, Insurrection - you just can't beat them. I also continue to love Sinister Dexter, and I class it with the others I have just mentioned as an all time 2000AD classic (I know others don't though.)
His Wikipedia page is sadly out of date. It says he stopped working for 2000AD in 2008!
No need to be sad - the whole point of wikipedia is that anybody can update it!
True, but no-one has bothered with this particular page. And I'm not going to be the one to do it either - I don't have all the necessary info.
Quote from: sheridan on 15 July, 2017, 11:18:21 PM
Quote from: Magnetica on 15 July, 2017, 08:01:46 PM
Quote from: Colin YNWA on 15 July, 2017, 04:36:45 PM
I'm about to make the case for Dabnett being the best writer currently working for Tharg and possibly the best of this decade.
Yes totally. I have been thinking the same (Wagner excluded of course), no-one comes close to Dan Abnett. Lawless, Brink, Insurrection - you just can't beat them. I also continue to love Sinister Dexter, and I class it with the others I have just mentioned as an all time 2000AD classic (I know others don't though.)
His Wikipedia page is sadly out of date. It says he stopped working for 2000AD in 2008!
No need to be sad - the whole point of wikipedia is that anybody can update it!
p.s. skim-read the article, but couldn't see anything saying he'd stopped working for 2000AD in 2008. What it did say was that he signed an exclusive contract with Marvel in 2008 which still allowed him to continue writing when it isn't direct competition (i.e. British work for Games Workshop and 2000AD). Anyway, I've updated with a bit of his 2010s work for 2000AD - what else should I add other than Brink and Grey Area (or of course, any of you can edit the page as well).
Ah - perhaps it was the 'Dan Abnett bibliography' page you were referring to - corrected (but not updated with 2010s work).
I really liked that Dredd, both script and art. A fast-paced tale, everything tied together, and art indistinguishable from Bolland's. More from both of these droids please.
Yes sorry it was the bibliography page. The banner at the top said 2000AD 1991 to 2008. Thanks for updating.
I guess Barney is as good a source as any for his works ( but even that used to have the Prog numbers for the first series of Brink wrong - now corrected I believe).
As for mr review of the Prog:
Great cover.
Dredd: great art. But I'm sorry the "story", such as it was left me completely cold. It all seemed to be based on getting to that final pun. I want a bit more than that.
Brink: it's getting boring saying it: just superb, best thing in the Prog.
Greysuit: actually runs Brink close. Really enjoyable. The recap page really helped and was just the right length and level of detail. I actually remembered all of it apart from the bit about the sheep ( what the ...?)
Grey Area: also superb. Much better than the last couple of weeks. But I like how those last few weeks have seeded things that are now being used. Another example of the Dan Abnett master class.
Sorry posted that before I meant to.
Hunted: nah. The "reveal" was a massive "so what".
Quote from: Magnetica on 15 July, 2017, 09:41:06 PM
Yes I know you like it. You and me have posted our love for it many times. It is indeed them other folk...
You count me amongst your number. I'm always happy to see Sinister Dexter in the prog. :)
A good Dredd one-off, but surely a missed opportunity to show a Judge on the loo running out of paper.
I almost forgot Greysuit was 90% sheep jokes.
Im afraid Im taking a break after this prog.For a while,probably.
Quote from: Timothy on 19 July, 2017, 07:33:03 AM
A good Dredd one-off, but surely a missed opportunity to show a Judge on the loo running out of paper.
They did that gag in Book of the Dead.
Quote from: Steve Green on 19 July, 2017, 08:19:25 AM
Quote from: Timothy on 19 July, 2017, 07:33:03 AM
A good Dredd one-off, but surely a missed opportunity to show a Judge on the loo running out of paper.
They did that gag in Book of the Dead.
I know. My comment was intended as a joke referencing that dark time in the prog's history. The internets does not do sarcasm well.
After a couple of decent efforts that didn't quite hit the mark I thought it was very nice to start with a nifty Dredd one-off that let our man do some off the cuff thinking and finish on a snappy one-liner.
Completely agree about Abnett's position at the moment. Sad to see Brink go but hopefully it'll be back again before the end of the year. Beautiful looking and brilliantly crafted.
After a bit of adjustment to the new situation, this week's Grey Area is an outstanding episode.
It's a crying shame to see something as beautiful as that last Higgins/Hurst panel of our man leaping from a waterfall accompanying the tripe of Greysuit. At least Tharg throws us the bone that this will be the last story.
The first series of Hunted wasn't something I was too excited about but I'm always happy to see a Rennie story in the Prog. Unfortunately, this follow up has been a bit of a mess. Juggling a big cast of characters has always been one of his strong suits but here everything has been disjointed and unclear. More Jaegir would be far more welcome.
I might be completely wrong here, but I think that as Simon Coleby is off drawing cars we won't be seeing any Jaegir for a while. I think this is one of those occasions where Tharg is letting the body of work build by the original creators rather than get another artist in.
Quote from: I, Cosh on 19 July, 2017, 09:25:02 AM
Completely agree about Abnett's position at the moment. Sad to see Brink go but hopefully it'll be back again before the end of the year. Beautiful looking and brilliantly crafted.
After a bit of adjustment to the new situation, this week's Grey Area is an outstanding episode
'Gestalt-right' wins the Eighties Pat Mills memorial prize for services to amusing naming convention *. Surprised Bulliet missed the open goal of Hallard declaring she needed her back door plugged, and what did Kevin Smith do to upset Mark Harrison?
I'll join the orgiastic praise regarding the art and writing on
Brink, even if the concentration on building atmosphere left some episodes of the middle section feeling as cavernously empty as Galina habitat. Nice use of the pathetic fallacy with the weather in the last pages.
And yes, Abnett is Tharg's most valuable player by a significant margin. **
* Although ideological conformity is a charge more often levelled at the left. Not sure it applies to people who can't even agree to scrap health care legislation they all want to scrap.
** Wagner and Williams now being restricted to coming off the bench for the odd ten minute run out
That shot of a 'Henry' on the shelf of artefacts made me chortle! :lol:
Quote from: dweezil2 on 19 July, 2017, 02:00:01 PM
That shot of a 'Henry' on the shelf of artefacts made me chortle! :lol:
In Judge Dredd, that is!
Quote from: Frank on 19 July, 2017, 01:57:32 PMSurprised Bulliet missed the open goal of Hallard declaring she needed her back door plugged...
:lol:
Quote from: dweezil2 on 19 July, 2017, 02:01:43 PM
Quote from: dweezil2 on 19 July, 2017, 02:00:01 PM
That shot of a 'Henry' on the shelf of artefacts made me chortle!
In Judge Dredd, that is!
Anyone know if the bust from the dictators of Zragg is based on something from an old strip?
Quote from: Bolt-01 on 19 July, 2017, 01:41:45 PM
I might be completely wrong here, but I think that as Simon Coleby is off drawing cars we won't be seeing any Jaegir for a while. I think this is one of those occasions where Tharg is letting the body of work build by the original creators rather than get another artist in.
Yeah. I get and respect that but it doesn't help when I enjoy one story and not the other.
Quote from: Frank on 19 July, 2017, 02:40:45 PM
Quote from: dweezil2 on 19 July, 2017, 02:01:43 PM
Quote from: dweezil2 on 19 July, 2017, 02:00:01 PM
That shot of a 'Henry' on the shelf of artefacts made me chortle!
In Judge Dredd, that is!
Anyone know if the bust from the dictators of Zragg is based on something from an old strip?
Was it just a name drop that Tharg used to use in his editorials or am I misremembering?
There is a touch of the Alan Moore's aboutvit though!
Looks a bit like the alien that Bolland used to draw on the old Forbidden Planet ads. Nose is different though.
Quote from: Frank on 19 July, 2017, 01:57:32 PM
And yes, Abnett is Tharg's most valuable player by a significant margin. **
** Wagner and Williams now being restricted to coming off the bench for the odd ten minute run out
Best and most prolific writer definitely, but I think you could make an argument for Henry Flint as MVP as well. Let's call it a draw.o
Quote from: Frank on 19 July, 2017, 02:40:45 PM
Quote from: dweezil2 on 19 July, 2017, 02:01:43 PM
Quote from: dweezil2 on 19 July, 2017, 02:00:01 PM
That shot of a 'Henry' on the shelf of artefacts made me chortle!
In Judge Dredd, that is!
Anyone know if the bust from the dictators of Zragg is based on something from an old strip?
Well, they don't look like that bust, but I think Cal may have had some influence on them...http://www.2000ad.org/functions/cover.php?choice=386&Comic=2000ad (http://www.2000ad.org/functions/cover.php?choice=386&Comic=2000ad)
Quote from: Magnetica on 19 July, 2017, 07:05:34 PM
(Abnett is Tharg's) best and most prolific writer definitely, but I think you could make an argument for Henry Flint as MVP
D'Israeli versus Flint would have to be decided by penalty shootout.
Tharg enjoys an embarrassment of riches in terms of artists; great writers are thinner on the ground, and therefore more valuable.
That's true of comics in general, not just
2000ad. An artist who's also a good writer could really clean up - I'm sure this forum in particular will all agree that the world would be a better place if there were more Frank Millers.
You know, I wasn't looking forward to more Greysuit, but this a brisk, engaging opener. If the villain had actually been carrying a terrified lamb it would have been perfect.
Quote from: Magnetica on 16 July, 2017, 02:35:18 PM
Hunted: nah. The "reveal" was a massive "so what".
Yeah. If the series - or at least an episode - had focussed on those two characters, the betrayal would have had more of an impact. As it is, I can't even name either of them.
Still too many typos slipping through the net, I'm afraid - this week we have "Build a giant temple to the demon space-gods they worship and fill it will [sic] a human population as a sacrificial offering", spoiling a classic slice of Abnett, and, "Nu Earth. Where the answer to an age-old question may about to be discovered." But then, "may be about to be" is pretty clunky anyway.
Quote from: Frank on 19 July, 2017, 09:38:37 PM
I'm sure this forum in particular will all agree that the world would be a better place if there were more Frank Millers.
As long as they all retired at the age of 43, sure. But if we're firing up the cloning machine, let's just run off a few more Abnetts and have them write the whole prog like Wagner and Grant used to.
Cover: Really great, it's got a proper pulpy feel about it that's emphasized by its lurid turquoise hue. The texturing on the bandages is a nice touch too. Although... I know from the story inside that it's not actually a mummy, but given that the unfortunate judge has just had their life forces drained away, should they really have immaculate teeth?
Dredd: OK first things first - you can't use the same pun on the cover, and as the story title and as the punchline! That's just lazy editing (or sub-editing or whatever).
Notwithstanding that the story is impressive, an inventive idea and well told, but it really needs two episodes, it's a bit rushed. It could have ended with the revelation that the bandages were alive, in a large panel with them attacking the judges, and there could have been a bit more tension in the second installment as it hunts them round the museum. As it is, the resolution seems a bit pat. Ah well. Tom Foster's art is getting better and better, would love to see him on a longer Dredd or his own series.
Brink: Hmmmmm... got to say, it's not absolutely the kind of ending I hoped for - I was holding out for something a little more cataclysmic, or at least not so open-ended. Still, it's been a fine read right through - let's hope book three isn't too many months away.
Greysuit: I'm calling bullshit on this. There's no way this script would have got anywhere near the prog if it didn't have Pat Mills' name on it.
Grey Area: Not quite as much fun as last week's one-shot but let's see how things develop. Someone's been watching the ghouls battle from Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger!
Hunted: Burbling along without any real direction or impact.
Quote from: norton canes on 22 July, 2017, 11:52:45 AM
Cover: given that the unfortunate judge has just had their life forces drained away, should they really have immaculate teeth?
Just what I was thinking, that mummy's dentist is much better than mine.
I was also thinking that Greysuit was dog poo, close to your assesment, but having read this weeks episode (The Tourette's singing) if it wasn't Pat Mills, it wouldn't even be slush pile material... oh dear, 9 more weeks of this... :|
I absolutely loved that Dredd! Fabulous art and pun -tastic story. Brink I enjoyed if very wordy for an ending but I found myself struggling with grey suit. Hunted was fine and Grey Area still to read. Oh, classic cover too.
Quote from: Jacqusie on 22 July, 2017, 12:06:27 PM
Quote from: norton canes on 22 July, 2017, 11:52:45 AM
Cover: given that the unfortunate judge has just had their life forces drained away, should they really have immaculate teeth?
Just what I was thinking, that mummy's dentist is much better than mine.
I was also thinking that Greysuit was dog poo, close to your assesment, but having read this weeks episode (The Tourette's singing) if it wasn't Pat Mills, it wouldn't even be slush pile material... oh dear, 9 more weeks of this... :|
I must confess to never having read Greysuit before, but I'm already struggling to get over the name 'Bolivaria'.
Quote from: Taryn Tailz on 23 July, 2017, 11:46:55 PM
I must confess to never having read Greysuit before, but I'm already struggling to get over the name 'Bolivaria'.
But ever and I mean EVER made up country in comics has a terrible name. Its some kinda unwritten rule... or maybe some one wrote that rule and I've just not seen it?
Quote from: Colin YNWA on 24 July, 2017, 09:08:59 PM
Quote from: Taryn Tailz on 23 July, 2017, 11:46:55 PM
I must confess to never having read Greysuit before, but I'm already struggling to get over the name 'Bolivaria'.
But ever and I mean EVER
You sure you don't mean every? ;)
Quote from: Taryn Tailz on 24 July, 2017, 09:55:29 PM
Quote from: Colin YNWA on 24 July, 2017, 09:08:59 PM
Quote from: Taryn Tailz on 23 July, 2017, 11:46:55 PM
I must confess to never having read Greysuit before, but I'm already struggling to get over the name 'Bolivaria'.
But ever and I mean EVER
You sure you don't mean every? ;)
No I think I made it clear I mean EVER,
EVER,
EVERIf you want to throw random Ys about to try to make my comments make sense, actual cold hard sense, well that's your business.
Pah! Sense...
Maybe Mr Mills should add some extra 'y's into Greysuits then :lol: I want to like it I really do.
The only 'y' as far as Greysuit is concerned is 'y' it's in the prog at all.
Quote from: James Stacey on 26 July, 2017, 08:50:45 AM
Maybe Mr Mills should add some extra 'y's into Greysuits then :lol: I want to like it I really do.
New character: The Y Front Ninja. Y for 'yes' man for the powers that be.
Has the ability to render said Y fronts invisible due to his conditioning, and a lot of clenching. As long as he's not wearing any trousers during that period he'll be effectively invisible since the mentality of average Johnny Public* tends to cancel out the vision of Johnny Thomas flapping in the breeze, and a man running around without a crotch is automatically cancelled out of any recognition. Scientific fact.
Sorry. My mind went to a rude silly place.
*Could Johnny, be the first name of a certain General, I wonder. Cross-over potential maybe, involving Blackblood learning some new skills from our new saucy ninja?