Meg 434 The Radlands Raiders !

[broodblik]

Well this meg was ok not great just ok saved by Devlin and Angelic. Surely missing 3 strips which I will not name but we all know I am talking about.

Dredd – In some sense the theme of the Dredd story is not my favourite, and the story is carried by Staz’s excellent art. The episode does carry some interesting events and it would be interesting to see where this will end up.

Diamond Dogs – This episode felt a bit empty, and it would have been nice to have certain parts given a little more background. So, this one was a bit of a step backwards in the storyline.

Angelic – As I enjoyed the previous run (I cannot even remember when last this was in the meg), this arc starts on a right foot.

The Returners – This story feels like it is leading me in the wrong direction, and it might be that I am starting the loose the direction and what is going on. Currently it feels like events are happening without any reason or purpose. I might have to re-read the whole arc or something.

Devlin – Well mister Waugh you have an interesting set of choices or rather a choice to make. A deal with the Devil is always lopsided. Great stuff from Kots, he is surely now established himself that can take the strip forward.

[broodblik]

Cover by Cliff Robinson and Dylan Teague:

[broodblik]

Cover and Logo:

[Goosegash]

Afraid I'm feeling a bit cold on The Meg at the moment, feels like we're in a "marking time" period without an outstanding strip to really lift the rest of it. The next Lawless or Megatropolis or Dreadnaughts really can't come quick enough

I feel like I barely know what's going on in The Returners because my eyes just kind of skim over it every month without taking anything in. It doesn't help that the script is entirely averse to recapping anything that's happened or give any motivation to the characters beyond "Oh we're here now, let's argue a while before we go to the next bit." It looks absolutely gorgeous, I just have no idea what is supposed to be happening or why. I wish I could say I was enjoying it more as it's Si Spencer's last job, but it's a struggle.

Maybe I'm just getting old as I had trouble with the Dredd strip as well, I'd completely forgotten the set-up with the time-travel tech, and the reappearance of Dan Francisco threw me a bit as I wasn't sure if he'd already been mentioned

[WhizzBang]

I have not received my copy of this yet but am very happy to see Angelic is back.

[Colin YNWA]

Interesting Meg. The interview with Roy Preston, someone I know very little about was fascinating, I wish we'd learnt a little more about his transition to Puzzle guru post comics work, but guess its not really the focus here. The rest of the text pieces where fine. Interesting to see the Encyclopedia seem to be on a stronger footing - I wait to see what the final product comes out as.

But to the meat not the bread in the sandwich, the strips. Dredd was really interesting, the most impressive thing was I couldn't really remember the last episode yet this one stood perfectly on its own two feet and filled in all the blanks and helped me find my feet and remember what had gone before. Alas this is damning with faint praise though as the first part clearly didn't leave much of an impression. I'm really intrigued to see what happens next and how this one has embedded.

Diamond Dogs is a frustrating beast, it doesn't really read like the weaker Skip Tracer episodes, but at the same time I'm just not invested. Here I do think that a re-read might sort that as the world feels more 'solid' and the characters more interesting (than early Skip that is the new stuff has been good I should note). One for future consideration.

Angelic - enjoyed this last time and this one is a brisk and entertaining start.

Returners has a very strong episode and that ending was fantastic.

The real triumph though is of course Devlin Waugh which continues to be drakly atmospheric, fantastically realised by Mike Dowling - and this episode more than ever before and full of great character. Devlin is of course the star, but as I've said before I feel sorry for folks who can't see past the fact that Titty is a dildo, to see the more important fact that they are first and formost a fantastic character. Shown no more so than in this brilliant cameo at the end of this months beak episode. A chilling piece of comic relief to 'lighten' the mood.

Good meg, why isn't it great, well a couple are, or could be just needs a bit more bite in a couple of the strips to completely convince.

[Funt Solo]

Titty the Demon Dildo is one of the best characters in the comic (even if some people do think he's only bollocks) - it will be fun to see him inserted with all the other characters on the next montage cover. Perhaps plunged into a solo series, in which he battles other possessed sex toys - it could be called Orgy of Damnation.

Or he could be an occult investigator himself - a private ... eye - attempting to penetrate the world's mysteries. The character arc could take us from demonic miscreant to upstanding [that's enough - ed.]

[gameluvah]

Have the earlier runs of Angelic ever been collected?

[broodblik]

Nope, no collection so far

[Funt Solo]

I wrote a couple of mini-reviews for the first two series, just in case those are helpful to anyone in providing context...


Angelic (megs 356-359)
Something of a tour de force, this re-imagines Pa Angel as a somewhat sympathetic character by telling a tale of his early years (pre-Angel Gang), up against a group of corrupt Texas City Judges who've murdered his wife.

Visions of the future from a mutie psychic suggest that this could be an alternate timeline, and the plot structure demands that we pay attention with a flashback within a flashback to contend with.


Angelic: Home is the Hunter (megs 377-380)
Mad Max meets The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, as the alternity backstory of the Angel Gang tells us a second chapter. There's some weird mash-ups, as a character very much like the original Pa Angel is introduced, along with his collection of misfit "boys" - like a be-horned guy that looks a bit like Mean Angel, a critter in a pit for all the world Fink and a mean cuss that could be Junior. But these are the Kreegs, and the actual Pa Angel of this tale is making an honest living in a nearby town, trying to do the right thing.

Well, as with all good westerns, the peace is upset and good intentions don't amount to much against the devilry in the hearts of men. In some ways, you could still see "Mister Angel" and Linc form the Angel Gang we know. The critter we meet here pretty much is the nascent Fink. The seeds are sown for the idea of operating on someone to turn 'em mean. Part of the interest here is wondering how this history could fit into the one that exists - or even if it means to.

[broodblik]

I enjoyed the Angelic series so far but the biggest problems is the time between them. It has literally been 54 months since the last series has been published.

[Sean SD]

Well this meg was ok not great just ok saved by Devlin and Angelic. Surely missing 3 strips which I will not name but we all know I am talking about.

Have to agree with the above broodblik

My Top 3 for Meg 434

As per last month not the strongest Meg for me but my top 3 thrills are:

1st - Angelic - glad to see this back, great Cursed earth western action.
Love the art by Carter and Rennie's use of Linc in the story "Bad Men! Bad! Bang! Bang!" as well as panel layout variations and space to let the story breathe

2nd - Devlin Waugh - great use of colour in Devlin and The Lord of the Lies scenes at the start of the story

3rd - Dredd - not the strongest thrill but a bit of espionage gets this one into third