Sinister Dexter - Death shall have no dumb minions

[DavidXBrunt]

Well I've got to say I've been enjoying the current tale, and surprisingly so have a lot of people.

Building on plot threads laid out over the last couple of years and particularly the longer story that ran throughout the summer we've had a sense of momentum, tension, drama and imminent doom.

There's even been speculation that this may be the last Sin Dex tale, that Finny or Ray might bite the bullet.

So what do you think will happen in the next episode? Mt speculation follow. If they're spoilerific then at least you've been warned.

I don't think the next part will be the last episode ever because there are so many plot threads that need to be wrapped up, even if there's a double episode agead of us.

For a start there's the resolution to Finny and Billys escape and Rays face of with the D.C.P.D. to wrap up. As well as that there's Ron's vow of revenge, the identity of The Mover, Appelido's fate, and what exactly is on that disc of Kal's?

The Mover? I have two theories about this, either could be wrong. At one point I thought he'd be the alternate Moses from the parallel universe stroy. If he is then there's going to be a face off with Appelido which would plunge Downlode into war and maybe bring the Sharks out of retirement to save the city. Again.

Or it could be Ron himself. Perfect disguise to allow him to get close to the action without facing the risk of betrayal.

Billy? I reckon she's a gonner, I hope not but I think her fate is sealed.

I also think Ray might be arrested and sent down, that would provide an interesting problem for the characters.

Dunno. Rambling. People post weith more sense.

[Woolly]

Yup, Sin/Dex is actually good again!

Im hoping this isnt the end for them, just the end of them being gun-sharks for hire.
This is good chance to change some of the more dubious moralities of the strip for the better.

I reckon Rons definately the Mover, and the Mover is definately the alternative Moses. (if that makes any sense!)

[Lord Running Clam]

I've been injoying this story aswell.I doubt next weeks is going to wrap up the story and just hope that there isn't going to be any kind of deus ex machina to ruturn the sin/dex to what it was before.

On the identy of The Mover,I thought at one point it might be Billy.Thought thats a long shot.

[Max Kon]

i read it yesterday. It was good. If i say anything at all about it i will spoil it so i won't

[the shutdown man]

Could The Mover perhaps be that guy from the same storyline in which the alternate Moses appeared, I can't remember his name but he was Finny's old mentor or something? Pure speculation, but that could be interesting... Either way, I'm really liking this story, it's been a while since Sin/Dex have had something this good.

[Jared Katooie]

I figure Billi will die and the two of them will leave the city "for good", only to return in the next story to kill Apellido because he's trying to kill Kal.

I'd prefer if they both died though as this is the best story they've had in ages.

Also, I think Abnett's either forgotten about alternate reality Moses or he's planning to use him in a totally different storyline. Otherwise things would get a little confusing.

[Funt Solo]

For this thread:  I'm enjoying the main characters being in peril.  

For me:  what alternate reality Moses?

Anyone want to attempt a brief summary of Sin Dex (start to now)?

[The Amstor Computer]

Must admit, I'm quite baffled as to the positive reception this story has been getting.

Are readers just so happy to see a Sin/Dex story that isn't rubbish that they're rushing to embrace this fairly dull tale?

[Queen Firey-Bou]

Noooo they can't kill off Billi, too much sister history repeat..

hmmm this cloning malarkie could yeild some very interesting ideas, or of course some really stupid overkill armies of each other fighting everyone else typr rubbish.

I'm really enjoying it , well worth the wait.

[DavidXBrunt]

Fate - Moses Tanenbaum - mob boss, Demi Octavo nightclub singer dragged into crime world, arm candy for Moses, Moses kills Demi's lover, Demi hires S/D to whack M.T., Russian ex army cyber crocodile bonds with Demi as her pet instead of killing her, Demi fills power vacuum, hires S/D as body guards. Demi's sister Billi wants to be gun shark, gets scared out of it, baddies try to destroy city, S/D and Billi (computer genius) save the day, Japanese try to move into Downlode, Demi dies, S/D split up. S/D get together again. Billy becomes info broker. Aliens make first contact. S's mentor Croak turns up, on holy crusade for aliens get's killed. Other aliens hire S/D to kill first aliens on the way back they end up in parallel universe with another M.T. and Croak. S/D escape. S/D meet Kal Cutter, offer to train him. S/D hired by new crime boss Appelido. Kal Cutter falls for girl on job and doesn't kill her, saves disc of Appelidos. Zombies attack S/D and it's revealed that the alternate M.T. is trying to break into Downlode for revenge. Appelido tries to kill Kal, fails. Death shall have no Dumb minions.

[Large48]

Oh don't worry the story gets better in 1468 and beyond.....

It would be wrong to lay a spoiler down but just to let you all know the artwork in 1468 and 2006 is as superb as ever!!!!!

Nuff respect to SB

[Funt Solo]

Cheers Mr X.

Fecking good job, by the by.  Proof, if proof be needed, that just about any years-long 2K saga can be summarised on the back of a beer-mat.  If you write small.  And if beer-mats still exist.

Now that I've been reminded, I sort of remember Croak, the aliens and the alternate universe - but I thought that was all a joke.

And I thought the cyber-croc belonged to Billi - memory playing tricks on me.

Here's one for Dredd:

"Judge Dredd is judge, jury and executioner in MC-1.  A disaster befalls the city and despite the odds JD saves the day.  Repeat."

[Carlsborg Expert]

Well if we haven't had quote of the week yet then the first page of Sin/Dex should be nominated.

Going a little like this...

Sin; BILLI LISSEN TA ME. YE DON' WANNA SHOOT HIM.

Billi Octavio; YOU COULDN'T BE MORE WRONG FINNY. LIKE, RILLY.

Sin; OKAY,BUT YE AIN'T GONNA SHOOT HIM.
( There's that lovely thin exhalation of smoke from him.)
Billi; I LIKE TOTALLY AM.

Billi; YOUR VONE'S RINGING.

Sin; LET IT RING. BILLI... ...I AIN'T GONNA LET YOU SHOOT HIM.

 Sinister's shades are looking awsomely painted. Si Davis is really getting the hang of that perpetuate relective!

And just what does that skull on a plinth stand for,Simon?

^-^Very fleshy . Very remembering Dan Abnett, from now on.

[DavidXBrunt]

Ah, after Demi died the Croc locked onto Billi cause they shared D.N.A.

[Thursday]

... Damn, man...

Tried writing something about this yesterday and couldn't manage anything more articulate than "Nuhh... fuhh... ".  Can't promise this'll be any better, mind you.

This has been the first story in a very long time where I genuinely didn't know whether the characters are going to live or die; more to the point, I actually cared.  

When SinDex took on an entire army of cloned gunsharks in Slow Train to Kal Cutter I barely batted an eyelid.  Hails of deadlead, overwhelming odds... seen it before.  "Can our heroes survive?!"  Well, yeah, probably.  They usually do.

But Mr Abnett has twigged that there are far more effective things to threaten characters with than mere death.  Their relationships can be killed off just as nastily, and can hurt just as much.  The status quo can be irrevocably changed without putting the main cast in the morgue (compare and contrast to other comics where characters live, die, and live again, all without altering the established order in the slightest).

When Ray and Finny mentioned retirement I was actually chilled; for the first time it seemed like the end might be drawing nigh one way or the other, and it was a fair bet it wouldn't be pretty.  

For my money this has been a damn near perfect SinDex story.  I love the way that it's gone back to basics with Ray and Finny in Downlode doing what they do best: being amoral hired killers.  And I love that it's this, more than anything else, that has finally dumped them in the shit at every turn.

They alienated Kal with their cold-blooded professionalism and insistence that he adhere to their code.  Their employment as Appelido's prime gunsharks made them targets for the Mover and his people; now including Kal, thanks to their earlier treatment of him.

And then they finally break their own code.  Finny and Billi get shot to hell as a result and, in his desperation to help them, Ray becomes a cop-killer and the woman who loves him is forced to shoot him to save him from being gunned down by a vengeful police force.

All of this flows perfectly naturally from the characters' chosen profession: like all the best tragedies, they've brought it on themselves.  There's nothing contrived about it, no mysterious conspiracy to bring them down: they're just nasty people in an even nastier line of work, and it's finally caught up to them.

And if that were the sum total of the plot, it'd still be a damn fine thrill.  But wait, for there is more.  

Mr Abnett has worked into the plot elements that date pretty much from the beginning of the strip, almost a decade ago.  In the hands of a less able writer this would be overly confusing and laboured, but here it just adds more depth and meaning to the situation.  Not many people could work clones and alternate-reality versions of the same character into a grim'n'gritty crime story without completely destroying the tone, but Abnett does it more than competently here.

And the art.  I mean, damn, man, what's to say?  It's just about perfect.  The compositions and layouts are excellent, and the portrayal of the characters is just superb: by making them seem more realistic, more human, it makes the danger they face seem all the more threatening.  Mr Davis' ability to illustrate both action and emotion has raised the story to the ranks of the all-time absolutely fecking outstanding.

So... yeah.  Not bad, I thought.