PROG 1837 END OF DAYS

[Proudhuff]

. Really enjoyed the art style here and would love to see more. Has Graeme Neil Reid appeared in the Prog before?

I don't think GNR will mind me pimping his wares here, His other 2K work can be seen here:

http://www.gnreid.co.uk/

Blog here:http://gnreid.blogspot.co.uk/

and here's a  commission taster:

[TordelBack]

There aren't many artists who can give as good Johnny as that.  Even the dreaded Doghouse, Carlos' trickiest design, comes off well.

[Frank]

^ Pop and Jimmy, yesterday. I really enjoyed this week's Dredd, perhaps because I always preferred Scooby Doo when the storylines concerned themselves with the machinations of scheming housekeepers who were trying to convince the owners of creaky old mansions that they were haunted so they could snap them up for a bargain price themselves, and I notice Wilson (the man in-back) only got a dunt on the heid during the 'turf war'. Scrappy Doo showed up in the form of Beeny; it's nice to see her again after all these months, and I suppose there's a good chance I'll learn what Rico, Logan and the rest of the gang have been up to if they arrive in the mystery machine.

I can see what Pop Culture means about Dave Taylor's background architecture, but that's a trifling complaint when you see the detail and integrity of the design when he focuses on the specifics of Valentino block.  The solid establishing shot of the block in isolation gives way to a fully realised environment with a fantastic sense of space and its own internally consistent visual logic. The sequencing of the sky surfer attack on the real estate party is framed with the flair for visual storytelling of beautifully elaborate film storyboards, from the very Star Wars shot looking out from the interior of the security bay and its reddish light, to the careful build from distance shots of the surfers, to the shock of impact in the tight shots of the melee.

Each member of Taylor's cast maintains a stable design and characterisation; the artist never veers off-model and manages to convey where each character is in relation to each other throughout, with the clear line work and considered choice of angles allowing each character to enjoy their own wee story during the course of the assault - the reveal of the woman in the Pierrot hat having a Riff Raff haircut was an unexpected wee bit of oddness. The deft storytelling means you're always sure who's doing what to whom, and where they are, which has sometimes been a problem in recent Dredd stories.

The design of the characters themselves was lovely too, with the guy in the wide-brimmed fedora serving as an unusually dense piece of intertextual Dredd imagery, recalling as he does the time Bolland loaned Dredd Rondo Hatton's face to go undercover and that weird long-faced mutant (top right) the same artist clad in a similar hat and coat in The Cursed Earth.

[dweezil2]

Only read the Dredd tale so far but just stunning! Just exemplary storytelling from Mr Wagner.
The art's bloody gorgeous too!
Can't wait to see where the plot is headed and sky-surfers?! I mean sky-surfers?!

What's not to love?

[Verence]

Aside from all the stories it was good to see an advert for a new series of Kingdom

I was wondering only the other day when or indeed if it was coming back

[Goaty]

Wagner on Dredd!


Love it!

[Frank]

Only read the Dredd tale so far but just stunning! Just exemplary storytelling from Mr Wagner. The art's bloody gorgeous too! Can't wait to see where the plot is headed and sky-surfers?! I mean sky-surfers?! What's not to love?

That panel at the top of the last page, where the sky surfers are viewed from a low angle, looks familiar:

[Proudhuff]

Learn from the masters!

[Frank]

Learn from the masters!

Speaking of which, how about the name Onan Starbux for an example of compressed storytelling? Is there a classier or more succinct way of communicating to the reader that the character's a rich corporate wanker? By the way, I only just figured out that if the Dad's called Onan Starbux, that makes his son, Jimmy ... Jimmy Starbux. Unfortunately and unpleasantly topical.

Layers, and layers, and layers ...

[JOE SOAP]

Maybe John Wagner just likes cream in his coffee.

[Frank]

Maybe John Wagner just likes cream in his coffee.

DISGUSTING! The problem with letting Starbux buy a property in the neighbourhood is you know within a few months they'll have another one at the opposite end of the street. If Al Ewing was writing this one Dredd would bring in Maitland to bust Starbux for tax evasion.

[Mikey]

This week's prog starts off with a good cover from Weston. Personally I'd have liked it more without Dredd if I'm honest, so we could have a good look at the ruins.

Dredd was a good opener. One thing I notice is that when Wagner writes it, it seems to last a lot longer than 6 pages. Lovely MC1 design by yer man Taylor as pointed out in full by sauchie (is that an A for Andromeda remake avatar btw?) so yeah, looking forward to the rest naturally.

I'm also really enjoying Anderson at the minute too. It's so effortless to read which is something considering the subject matter, and it reminds me of some of the older Dredd strips that were about some mental crime or other, played for the fun of it. Good stuff.

Sinister Dexter I've always enjoyed but I'm feeling a bit 'meh' about it right now, I fieel a bit tired out with it even though I've often called for longer runs. Also, as good as the art is I don't really personally like how Finny looks so maybe that's putting me off.

The best by a country mile this week however is the sublime Defoe. Just wonderful stuff from Pat and Gallagher. Going to have to buy the trades, I don't think this has ever missed a beat for me.

I wasn't so keen on the Future Shock meself.

Overall not a bad prog, Tharg. Really brought to worthy levels by Defoe.

M.

[Link Prime]

Wagner & Taylor on Dredd is the news of the week for me.
Would have happily read 32 pages of that.

[Frank]

sauchie (is that an A for Andromeda remake avatar btw?)

Not sure, to be honest. Yesterday was the hottest day of the year and I'm Scottish; something involving albinism seemed appropriate - away the factor 50!

[Bat King]

My review, up late... Nephew, beers...

http://judgetutorsemple.wordpress.com/2013/06/20/2000ad-prog-1837-general-release-190613-spoilers/