1935 - Under The Influence

[Bad City Blue]

A mightily satisfying prog in general, something for everyone.

Dredd carries on nicely, and so far no sign of The Emerald isle having the piss taken right out of it.

Absalom, surely Rennie's greatest hit, digs deeper at the mystery of the murders,

Outlier returns with great art and a simple set up for what is to come.

Slaine is colourful and sets up a techniclolour finale next week.

Finally, Helium delivers more info about this strange future and is looking like being one of Edginton and D'israieli's more accessable tales.

Spoiler free for everyone!

[Hawkmumbler]

Cover tag line....could be Absalom or Outlier?

[Zenith 666]

It's Outlier.i could post cover but I'd be threading on eamonn's toes 

[Steve Green]

Great prog, bit of a tie between Dredd, Absalom and Helium for top spot.

Good to see a bit more background to Murphyville beyond spud guns and theme parks, and a nod back to an ongoing plot thread.

[Steve Green]

Also: Plebs...

[Richmond Clements]

Also: Plebs...

That was beautiful.

[Eamonn Clarke]

Better late than never

[Pete Wells]

I done wrote a recap of Outlier 1 on my blog today for those with short memories.

[Mattofthespurs]

Greatest Damage Report ever.
Feel the burn 

[Colin YNWA]

Well after the wonders of last week as is often the case we see a bit of a dip in form with the second parts starting the heavy lifting after the more nimble, intriguing openings.

Were as the action last week gave us an exilarating punchy start in Dredd here it felt misplaced and forced as Mike Carroll and Colin MacNeil built the pieces of the story to come perfectly effectively. As did Gordon Rennie and Tieran Trevallion in Absalom building the framework of the story to come.

Slaine however well embedded in its story felt meaty and exciting by comparison. Unlike the one opener we had Outlier, which I really enjoyed last time and for which I have high hopes, here though didn't seem to master the openings we had last week. It felt very in tune with the rest of the thrills this week, a solid second parter settings up. Unfortunately that means its kinda slipped the excellent burst of excitment and intrigue that the openers last prog so wonderfully mastered.

Helium, slightly shy logo aside, does much the same as the rest, but I have to say this is the thrill that does so with a far defter touch and its a beaut with a fantastic ending to boot. By far the best thing in the Prog this week.

So yes a bit of a downturn, not really the fault of anything, just were we are in the stories. I suspect things will start to diversify a little more next week, as story length starts to play into where we're at a little more. Still fine Prog. Oh and made all the more enjoyable by a very exciting 'Thrills of the Future' the return of Kingdom is indeed something to look forward to.

[Ghost MacRoth]

Cover: Very nice.  Eye catching.

Dredd: Building back story perhaps?  Rolling along nicely, look forward to the next bit.

Abolsom: Yeah, seems to be going at a good pace, art's nice, but yet to proper grab me. Expect it may do so as we gain a fuller understanding of who'd doing what to who and for why.

Slaine: More of the same, blah de blah de blah.

Outlier: Did enjoy last outing, hoping to do so again with the new run.

Helium: Just can't get on with the art at all.

[Geoff]

Blimey O'Reilly I'm enjoying Dredd.

Helium follows up the opener well and closes with menace. Really taken with the whole idea of the top world and now news of others. I like the art and think it suits the story well but I can see how some may not get on with it.

Hopeful about Absolom..

Slaine is the usual. Didn't get into Outlier before and not sure I will this time. Not wild about the cover either.

Still a reasonable prog overall.

[The Enigmatic Dr X]

Can't help but think that this Dredd is an attempt to rehabilitate Ireland into the Dredd-world.

There was an undeniable tendancy to play up racial stereotypes in Dredd 25-15 years ago. (A hypocritical generalisation, I know). I'm thinking of Emerald Isles's spud guns and Guiness. Same for Africa and South America*.

I wonder if, in our more-PC and adult comic world, these throw-away gags haunt Dredd writers?


* What happened to Crazy Barry / Little Mo? Can't remember.

[Ghost MacRoth]

Died.  Tracked to Banana City by Dredd, tried to trick him into opening a booby trapped case of credits, ended up choking on the gas from the trap himself.

[Skullmo]

I have only read Dredd at the moment - but I really didn't enjoy it for the following reasons:

Dredd: The length of setup which lead to know real conclusion just drove home what a genius Wagner is, and how succinct his stories generally are, I know we shouldn't compare but I can't help but hold all others to this standard. Also, there was so much expository dialogue. Dredd at one point said ''why are you telling me this'' I mirrored that sentiment

The assassin - I felt he had no motivation as a character. If your mind had been effectively been destroyed then why would you have that job. Unless you were owned by someone and just used as a tool, and if that was the case then why not use a robot