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Prog 2239 - High-Speed Summary Justice!

Started by Barrington Boots, 06 July, 2021, 10:02:04 AM

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Barrington Boots

Saturday prog and a glorious wraparound cover from Stewart Moore. This cover is the sort of thing that pulled me into 2000ad in the first place: it's just mental.

Dredd wraps up a but quicker that I'd thought / hoped it would but I'm not going to criticise Wagner and MacNeil. Dredd here is brutally efficient and it's actually quite refreshing to see him / the Justice Department acting like the well oiled lawbringing machine they are supposed to be. Tonally this has been the perfect mix of humour and horrible murder. Bick himself is a character I'd like to see back, being both badass and mildly hapless, and I very much hope his story is not done. That last frame of him is great and definitely promises more.. doesn't it?

Aquila There's a lot happening in this! Barrels along at a pace with fighting, plot, cool concepts, a little visual joke all in five pages. Looks great as you'd expect from Patrick Goddard: a neat touch with Felix fighting dirty against the big axe-wielding dude (Thanatos? Already forgotten).
I know the name Ephialtes and as Scarabatus thinks it's a thing, I think I can guess what's coming there.

Department K - My favourite episode of the run this week. Much more interesting on the plot front, and as ever looks brilliant: Kirby-isms and great alien designs all over the shop. Interested to see what's next.

Skip Tracer I was a bit unkind about this last week: this episode is better, as Nolan needs a bit more about him than generic dude with a power, and it looks like we might get some here. As with the previous series I do think this would benefit from being told at a faster pace or with more of a definite tone: is it all action, is it detective noir? It's kind of none of these things and I think it's running out of time to 'click' which is a shame especially as Paul Marshall's art is all crisp and cool, his aliens are weird and his Hastings is lovely.

Chimpsky's Law The plot has gone a bit crackers: I must admit I was a bit thrown when the expected murder-mystery plot got subverted but this has been consistently engaging week on week and it's always left me wanting to see what comes next. The visual storytelling in it is great: this and Chimpksy's narration really win it for me. Next week, Chimsky kicks off?
You're a dark horse, Boots.

CalHab

I remember Saturday progs back in the before-times. We were so young and innocent then.....

broodblik

When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.

Old age is the Lord's way of telling us to step aside for something new. Death's in case we didn't take the hint.

broodblik

When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.

Old age is the Lord's way of telling us to step aside for something new. Death's in case we didn't take the hint.

BPP

Moore does such a striking colour palette it really stands out. Nice.
If I'd known it was harmless I would have killed it myself.

http://futureshockd.wordpress.com/

http://twitter.com/#!/FutureShockd

Colin YNWA

Well it another good Prog and while last weeks was about good Progs become great Progs this week we have those almost intangible down ticks.

Dredd I thought the end of a bit flat. I'm not sure what I expected but Dredd just catches perp wasn't it... I shouldn't be surprised, the craft is there as always ... but after what had been I expected something different. Maybe Bick will be back. I kinda hope so this introduction (?) can become more.

Aquila now don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with beautifully rendered pirate ship slaughter but this just feels a little like glorious violence for glorious violence sake! Nothing more. I guess its a bit like Dredd where a fantastically crafted end ot a crime caper leaves me a little unimpressed. Here intership combat has the same affect. I've been over indulged by Tharg I suspect. Loved the last page mind.

Department K origin story of the Locust corpse and the frustration of it being cast between dimensions. I know, I know same old sam,e old. Very good stuff!

Skip Tracer well this could get interesting. If we cast our mind back the second Skip Tracer story about his brother was still the best of the lot as it gave us stake to make us care about the otherwise bland Blake. So here introducing... well read it... could be a very good move. Its just not yet. I still think Peaty and Marshal are trying to make the boxy city thingie a thing. A character in the way Mega City One is or Downlode. They really need to work on that!

Chimpsky is the best thing here. it remains charming brilliant. Inventive, compelling and thrilling. The scheme is revealed and it wasn't what I was expecting at all. So much to love here.

So yeah nothing wrong with this Prog at all. its all about slight downticks in some key thrills that mean its not as great as last weeks.

broodblik

Nice and solid prog wrapped around by a good cover

Dredd – Well done and dusted although I thought this might run a little bit longer all wraps-up quite nicely. Good stuff.

Aquila – A great action-oriented episode and adds a little twist at the end. Two episodes in and I am fully emerged in the word, super stuff.

Department K – A good backstory that starts filling in the blanks. Plainly put a great episode with Cornwell's art adding to the life to the story.

Skip Tracer – Nice episode with some more background on Nolan (just one thing that I picked-up my understanding is that his physic powers only developed recently and not so far back in the past). Interesting last page daddy dearest.

Chimpsky – What an interesting plot change, not what I expected. Enjoying this romp and we heading to more action next.
When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.

Old age is the Lord's way of telling us to step aside for something new. Death's in case we didn't take the hint.

broodblik

I see that Wagner is back on Dredd next week. This is the one I though would start in prog 2234: Now that's what I call Justice ! art by John Higgins.
When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.

Old age is the Lord's way of telling us to step aside for something new. Death's in case we didn't take the hint.

matty_ae

John Wagner's been back for the last 4 issues...

Link Prime

That's a great cover.
Hopefully a sign that Stewart K. Moore will continue working for the Galaxy's Greatest.

norton canes

Very much carrying the quality through from last week, excellent.

Lovely mischievous wrap to 'Removal Man' - as has been mentioned, Justice Department were on top of the case throughout and it was only a matter of how much carnage Bickford could cause before they hauled him in. Aquila was tons of fun (I'm sure there used to be another 2000 AD strip about a warrior from antiquity... what was it called... no, it's gone) and Department K really blossomed with a great instalment brought to life by phenomenal art and colours from the Cornwell and O'Grady droids. Five pages of soothing Skip Tracer AMSR and a cracking Chimpsky round off a wonderful prog.

And that cover! Wow, wow, wow.

Dark Jimbo

Quote from: norton canes on 08 July, 2021, 09:54:25 AM
Lovely mischievous wrap to 'Removal Man' - as has been mentioned, Justice Department were on top of the case throughout and it was only a matter of how much carnage Bickford could cause before they hauled him in.

Wagner seems to be about the only scribe (maybe Al Ewing, too) who knows how to write Justice Department as a credible, competent police regime, while also finding enough wiggle room for the criminals to run entertaining rings around them for a few weeks before (usually) being caught.
All too often the answer to having your criminal protagonist get away is to make the Judges (and, worse, Dredd) incompetent, braindead stooges.
@jamesfeistdraws

Tiplodocus

 Just caught up on the last few progs.  They've been really good and have enjoyed it all; DREDD and Chimpsky being my favourites but others not far behind. And a fine set of covers too. The front of the SK Moore one put me in mind of Ron Smith... the back very much his own thing.
Be excellent to each other. And party on!

wedgeski

Tagline for the next summer special:

"Summery Justice"

Proudhuff

Quote from: Tiplodocus on 11 July, 2021, 11:18:13 AM
Just caught up on the last few progs.  They've been really good and have enjoyed it all; DREDD and Chimpsky being my favourites but others not far behind. And a fine set of covers too. The front of the SK Moore one put me in mind of Ron Smith... the back very much his own thing.

This from met  too ^^^^

only downside was the PSU Judge who had the time to read Trade magazines then info dumped the 'why' on Dredd, still its the Mighty W so we can ignore that!
DDT did a job on me