Prog 2221 - Taking the Biscuit!

[McNulty]

As soon as this week's prog was opened this morning I instantly saw the reference to a much earlier cover by a great master 2000AD artist. PJ Holden even managed to incorporate Ezuerra's trademark broken black lines into this homage and I for one greatly appreciated seeing this again.

The Dredd story in itself sets out another adventure for everyone's favourite Chimp do-gooder who vows to give justice to one of his fallen. Surely it must be only a matter of time before there is a Chimpsky/Heston crossover story!

Slaine: Continues apace with an amazing final panel or explosive art.

Thistlebone: I'll be honest, the horror stories in 2000AD aren't really why I buy it, but I understand that this is an anthology and some people like to be creeped out.

Proteus Vex: An exposition heavy episode

Durham Red: This episode fundamentally changes Durham Red as a character for me. Before she was a character driven by a bloodlust but confined herself to sating that urge on the guilty. When she was young she fed on her parents with their permission, then on the homeless but not enough to kill them. After which she was recruited into the S/D agency by a veteran Stront. But now I learn that even with the opportunities this life gave her to keep her bloodlust in check, she would still resort to drinking from the innocent and worse than that she would murder them while doing this. This new character and the one I knew before this at at odds. In this week's episode she justifies her actions and blames it on the thirst. Sorry but I'm calling BS on that. In all her interactions while she was a Stront I didn't see any evidence of this at all. Outside of giving Ronald Reagan a bite, I've never seen this thirst drive her to the extent  that a feral beastial side would take over and she would murder without hesitation. Going forward I am going to be veiwing this character very differently.

[Batman's Superior Cousin]

Spoilers for Dredd there NcNulty

[broodblik]

Cover by PJ Holden:

[broodblik]

Cover and Logo:

[BPP]

That's a cracking cover. PJs in,ing really suits the Ezquerra black slug too. Excellent.

[Colin YNWA]

Saturday Progs are really becoming a thing again. We're 3 out of 4 I believe. And another doozy.

The returning stories slip comfortably back into place after the Regened break, which is a sign of their quality, in the main anyway.

Dredd - kick off a new story and while its a spoiler, we are in a spoiler thread so the [spoiler]return of Chimpsky[/spoiler] in the final panel doesn't need spoiler tags. The build up to the reveal is wonderfully handles. The problem. Well the biggest problem is a combination of the 'blams' placed on the side of both Bike Cannons and the colouring used for the Lawmasters lights made me think that Dredd was firing from his bike's fire arms, which confused me until a quick check made clear what had happened... see that's the size of the problems. Its a fantastic opener.

Slaine - How is this going to wrap up and be a satisfying end to the series in a week... well after another OH NO SLAINE FACES UNBEATABLE ODDS - oh no he's fine as he's a cool fighter - moment the bigger question is can I bring myself to care?

Thistlebone from the moment I caught the eyes of the fox on the left of the first establishing panel we're in. The strip has already established the tone and atmosphere of the first series. It just gets better from there. Very happy this is back with such a strong opener.

Proteus Vex - the mystery reveal and still the tension raises at the end. Just fantastic stuff.

Durham Red - wow this thrill somehow finds a way to be the best thing in a fantastic Prog. A wonderful character piece making clear who Warren Hardladder the 'boss' from last time is and why he wants Durham Red. I suspect its not what you expect but man its a fantastic piece. Only after that dioes animal thrill burst into action. Just an exceptional episode.

4 out 5 Prog BUT when the 4 are this good its at least as good as many a 5 out of 5 Progs.

[Link Prime]

That's a cracking cover.

It really is.

[IndigoPrime]

A great cover, with those lovely chunky black edges that I miss so much. I just read the Ezquerra Hachette book last night and, well, *sniffle*. As for the story itself, top stuff, as expected.

Elsewhere, Proteus Vex continues to mildly baffle and Durham Red is suitably grim and interesting—even if I agree this feels now like a different take on the character from the one in the Strontium Dog stories. That said, there were plenty of times where she was vicious, and who's to say those stories weren't somewhat 'sanitised' so we could keep the sexy Smurfette Stront? (Red now seems terrifying, which is more interesting.) Thistlebone is in set-up territory, but I did like the first series and so am glad to see it return.

Sláine exists. My problem with it now is it's just quite boring to read. It looks pretty, but for something with so much action, it's kind of a trudge. And it never feels like Sláine himself is threatened in the slightest. It's going to be a weird swansong if this is it. (Arguably, the strip could have finished on a high after Horned God, or after the surprising high of Book of Invasions 3 or The Wanderer.

So this one for me is Durham Red > Dredd > Thistlebone > Proteus Vex > Sláine.

[Barrington Boots]

Monday is the new Saturday where the prog is concerned now.

Dredd - Great opener. I'm shocked Cookies didn't get killed before now, hearing about his MO.

Slaine - Not a lot to say on this that I haven't on previous weeks: looks immense but it's a turgid read from an inexplicable attack on universities to oh hey it's the Gae Bolga popping up again. There were a couple of episodes in the middle of this story where things slowed down a bit that i really enjoyed but since then it's been a bit nothingy. A shame really.

Thistlebone - It's a setup episode but how good is that double page spread. The fox on the first page is what sets the tone though, staring right out at the reader. Glad this is back.

Proteus Vex - This strip is so dense, I've enjoyed it a lot. Another setup episode but unlike Thistlebone this is moving pieces into position for a big reveal... and surely that giant space weeble is going to kick off.

Durham Red - I'm with McNulty in that this seems like a big fundamental change in Red's character. I'd assumed, when we started with tales of her atrocities, that we were looking at some unreliable narrator / twist to come, but if she is flipping out on occasion and randomly killing innocents Elric-style then it's a big jump, not only from depiction in earlier tales but also character-wise as it changes her from sympathetic badass to amoral murdering badass. I suspect we're going for the tragic angle here but wouldn't someone prone to murderous rampages who was full of regret not do stuff like, say, get a job as a security guard on a big spaceship full of people?
It sits ill with me, but this strip has not been predictable so far so we'll see what happens.

Second the comments on the cover and the Ezquerra homage - really cool stuff.

[Richard]

I quite like psycho Red tormented by the guilt of her involuntary murders.

[broodblik]

So far Worley's version of Red is my favourite interpretation of her.

[Tomwe]

Anyone else have the Wallace And Gromit theme going through their heads during the Resyk scene

[Wilko10]

Dredd -- An effective start to a promising series. It was nicely paced with a reliance on dialogue, building anticipation for the following entries. Dare I say I was thinking of Watchmen with its 'murder mystery' tones. Absolutely exquisite colors from Quinton Winter and, as always, Niemand is proving time and again why he is rightfully a recurring writer in this world.

Slaine -- More of the same, I guess. Amazing art that feels as if it's compensating for the story's shortcomings. Can't say this is something that floats my boat so I'm glad it's finishing soon.

Thistlebone -- I felt this was a tightly written introduction regardless of previous continuity. Simon Davis' art is effortlessly complex. I wouldn't say it's one that lasted long in my memory, but I appreciate its effective writing.

Proteus Vex -- Nah. More exposition for a change.

Durham Red -- A very satisfying change of pace. Seeing Warren Hardladder (perhaps a touch ridiculous there) and Durham Red render themselves vulnerable was incredibly restraint for what has been an enthralling action comic.

Prog Rating -- 3/5

[broodblik]

A good solid prog after the regen prog. 

Dredd - A solid kick-off to the new story arc. I like the away the story unfolds revealing on the last panel our favourite new citizen [spoiler]Chimpsky[/spoiler].

Slaine – Not sure how this will all warp up in one episode. This feels to me more like it was designed to be multiple books rather than one series. Art as always is fantastic script wise it is okey but not really grabbing me.

Thistlebone – The first episode is more off a setup but still keeps you engaged to want more. The last few pages keep the intrigued on high alert.

Vex – Great story great art. Over the last few episodes more and more has been revealed about the Flesh Pilots and Carroll continues the world building.  I have read that he has started on the third series.

Red – The story is hurtling to its conclusion and what a great ride this was. Red tells us more about he drive and the layers in her armament. This is not the same Red that started those many progs ago but a completely different "beast".

[The Corinthian]

I'm not sure that Johnny Alpha would have had time for this version of Red.

Also, is the mercenary chief related to the bloke in the final panel of Strange & Darke?