Flying Heads & Bodyparts

[Matt]

God it's been months since I last visited the board, let alone posted on it. Fatherhood and my Nintendo DS have pretty much taken up all my spare time. Anyway the reason I popped back in for a look was to see what you guys made of the latest Dredd story arc. The artwork is shite but the story is cracking. As for which character dies, well it pretty much looks like all of them at the minute. And did Rennie have to ask John to let him massacre his supporting characters? Anyway, nice to be back, even if it's only for today. See you around.

Matt

[The Amstor Computer]

My guess based on this week's prog:

Giant - dead
Guthrie & Rico - horribly maimed
Vienna - survives

[Bad Andy]

I hate to say this, but I don't care. The artwork has taken all the joy out of this storyline for me.

But....

Maybe these maimings are red herrings and Hershey is up for the chop? I can't see Dredd being given the heave-ho by this artist, although the artwork is that bad maybe he has been and none of us have noticed.

[opaque]

It's annoying isn't it. He's really good at some bits (Vienna for a start is fairly good) but with others (Pasha is just Vin Diesel) especially the Judges it's not good.
I think his artwork would be fine for a MC1 story but not one that involves Judges.
Makes it look too cartoonish!
Certainly not someone that deserves to be bumping off major characters.
For a story that is a continuation of the very well done Fire and Ice story it's a massive letdown.

[IndigoPrime]

I actually reckon Rico and Giant will survive, but Vienna and Guthrie won't.

[opaque]

Rico will survive, hard to tell who'se head it was that came off but it wasn't Guthries or Giants but then they were closer to the blast.

I think Vienna might die. But one thing I've been thinking of, what do they expect Dredd to do in exchange? Give us your city and we'll let her go? He'd never agree to that but really what's the point behind it all? It's not a war so what?
I hope we find out!

[paulvonscott]

Anything so obviosuly set up as 'A Major Death!' to me smacks of the sort of gimmicks people criticise American comics for.  We simply shouldn't know.  We should always be aware that whatever is happening, a judge's life is at risk.

As it is, I reckon Rico will survive, but wounded.  Giant Will survive.  Guthrie or Vienna will die, depending on which one John Wagner isn't bothered about losing.  

Personally I'd be tempted to think Vienna.  Wagner wrote those stories then handed the Rico/Vienna stuff over to Gordon.  Maybe there's some qualms about whwther Dredd having a civilian family member really works.  Uisng some of that rational, it could be rico, but personally I think everyone injured so far will pull through (apart from the extras) and Vienna will bite it.

I haven't been a big fan of the story, the plot has ranged from ludicrous to not badly done.  The art overall is pretty good, but lets itself down every now and then.  The rico explosive gargle and the flying head were pretty embarressing.

I'm probably just being a predictable curmudgeon by saying all of the above and that Wagner does it so much better.  I much before the dryness of his writing to the slightly hysterical soap opera/thriller feel.  Having said that, beyond Wagner, Wagner/Grant and early Mills Dredd, Gordon's stuff is about the best were likely to get.  I don't really see anyone else who gets it right half as often, and there's more Dredd material required than one writer could manage on their own.

It seems an awfully long time since the joys of Total War now.  But we've had some nice PJ Maybe in the meg, and really looking forward to Mandroid.  It's funny, I have quite mixed feelings about the Dredd strip these days.  Every time I'm about to give up on it we get something really good.

Anyway, sorry for the ramble.

[The Amstor Computer]

Well, trying to decipher the explosion sequence, it does appear that Giant shielded Guthrie from the blast so I'm guessing he's a goner.

Vienna surviving would be interesting, as it would force Dredd to confront what keeping in contact with her & having an interest outside the law has done: killed two of his closest colleagues and best judges, and maimed his clone-brother.

[paulvonscott]

"I much prefer the dryness of his writing"

Sorry, it's hot, and there's loads of other typos in there as usual, I just can't be bothered to check em.

[paulvonscott]

Actually, a good result would be one of the judges dying - Rico, and then Vienna being facehanged and packed off to brit cit.

[Dudley]

But surely Guthrie would keel over with a heart attack at the slightest hint of trouble?

Or maybe just run off and start charging at windmills...

[The Amstor Computer]

"Anything so obviosuly set up as 'A Major Death!' to me smacks of the sort of gimmicks people criticise American comics for."

Good point. Both Dredd & the current Sin/Dex have been pimped by Tharg as being "event" stories, IIRC, and I don't particularly like that.

It's a horribly artificial approach that slaps a "This is going to be a BIG story with WORLD-CHANGING REPERCUSSIONS!" label on the tale.

[Wils]

Vienna becomes brain dead and Rico's brain gets transplanted in her body? ;)

[The Amstor Computer]

Guthrie's shameful secret:

http://www.3ene.com/drawing/objects/fine_moustache.jpg">

[Oddboy]

Wasn't the death predictions for Blood Trails *only* from Gordon's 2000ADreview interview?

As such, it's not official HYPE! for the story - but leaked insider knowledge. Yer average squaxx on the street who doesn't keep up with us internet folk wouldn't know.