Meg 430: The New Flesssh!

[Freddychopper]

Just starting this off with a stunning Alien Dark Judges cover from Nick Percival!

[Freddychopper]

And the one without the text

[Colin YNWA]

Wow no actual review of the Meg yet? Its a good Meg. Any comic is going to miss Dreadnoughts but the addition of a healthy and interesting Devlin Waugh - again a dining room of characters used to set the scene and tone. We need to see where this goes to, but its a good start. No Dreadnoughts yet, but time for this to develop.

Elsewhere we have two thrills defined by some bright colouring. Dredd's art by Karl Richardson art that seems bright and joyful telling a bright and joyful tale of aging and death... well it is Dredd after all. But Rory McConville gives fun Dredd and this one is bouyant.

The Returners uses Eva De La Cruz sharp and defined colours to contrast Nicolo Assirelli dark and powerful art to shift the tone around wonderfully. The story is of course all the more poignant as the issue marks the sad passing if Si Spencer. The ending is curiously fitting, a dark departure that leds to the new and bright something we can't yet explain. I understand there is no afterlife, but what makes us will become something new and we don't yet know what. Sorry I'm blathering but thinking about this story a bit... I really like The Returners and will re-read it again when its finshed - Si Spencer has written the next, final part, so we'll get to read it as a whole which I really look forward to as I suspect it will get new resonances.

Deliverance too uses moments of sharp colour tones and bright spots of mixed tones to create a queasy, uneasy feel the story deserves. Its great stuff.

The best thing however is the focus on Cassandra Anderson in Megatropolis with dulled light tones mixing with the other colour shifts as scenes change. Its wonderous stuff and the 'Dredd' bursts out on the last page to set up a finale (I assume) its delicate and invigourating at the same time. Love this one.

There's some decent text pieces and the next part if the Encyclopedia, which continues to intrigue on the choices of what gets one page, what gets two. I'm flicked through and will read chunks of this, but it looks better again.

The main comic is finished off with a lovely tribute to Si Spencer, which is very touching. The Returners offer a tribute in and of itself but this obituary does have impact.

Good Meg full of colourful adventure, but also marked by sadness.

[broodblik]

A good meg but suddenly feels quite empty with the lost of Dreadnoughts. But we have a few things to look forward as well: the return of Wagner on scripting duties for Dredd and naturally more Lawless


Dredd – One of those stories that highlights the silliness of citizens.  A good enjoyable one-shot the ending put a smile to my face.

Megatropolis – As the investigation heats and more truths are revealed the story is heading for its grand finale. What I like we have already as setup for the next arc. Dave Taylor usage of colour supplements the mood and direction of each panel brilliantly. Top notch storytelling from Niemand.

Devlin – Another interesting new chapter starts with a lot of talking around the real origins of Titivillus. 

The Returners – A good chapter to end the current arc and we are already transported to the start of the next. The next arc starts in 432 and is also the series finale.

Deliverance – The gore-fest continues, and the Dark Judges are almost ready for the final act. The next few chapters promise some action. Nick Percival’s art as always is gory dark and moody and works fantastically with the theme.

In the latest Judge Megazine (430) you will find a nice article related to both Dave Bishop and Robbie Morrison’s latest venture into novels.

[IndigoPrime]

Wow no actual review of the Meg yet?

Mine hasn’t rocked up yet.

[Dark Jimbo]

I really like The Returners and will re-read it again when its finshed - Si Spencer has written the next, final part, so we'll get to read it as a whole which I really look forward to as I suspect it will get new resonances.

I really hope Tharg collects the lot when it's done.

[SmallBlueThing(Reborn)]

Without Dreadnoughts, The Meg seems on first impression a little flat this month. That said, there have been many times of late where the only real standout has been a single strip- Lawless- so an issue where everything is hugely readable and the main concern is that *one if the best things the comic has ever run, has come to a temporary halt* can only be described as "a damn good Meg".

Megatropolis still soars above everything else, and unless replaced with the aforementioned Lawless, or an unexpectedly quick return of Dreadnoughts, will be catastrophically missed when it ends. The Dredd story sees Rory McConville seem to up his game and deliver a Dredd that would have fit anywhere in the established history and be hugely entertaining. The Returners, which has at times felt like the awkward fit in the lineup, tragically receives an ending that no one wanted- and I'm so glad that we have another series to enjoy and to cement Si Spencer's legacy. As for Deliverance- which for me succeeds or fails on your opinion of Nick Percival's art- delivers another episode that deserves to be shoved under the eyes of anyone who casually dismisses the craft of the comic artist.

Replacing Dreadnoughts with Devlin Waugh and his controversial dildo demon, was always going to be problematic. But I very much like this particular version of Waugh, and this one was excellent. If you'd asked me at some unspecified time in the distant past if I'd ever accept a Devlin Waugh by anyone other than John Smith I would have laughed in your face. But, do you know what, this run under Ales Klot is- okay I'll go there- as good as anything in that past. This, along with putting Alec Worley on HookJaw and Durham Red, shows why Matt Smith is probably the best editor working in comics today.

SBT

[Sean SD]

My Top 3 for Meg 430

1st - Megatropolis - with the 1,2 punch of Megatropolis and Dreadnoughts minus DN in this Meg then this thrill wins it easliy
2nd - Devlin Waugh - not a huge fan of possessed dildo stories but this was the best Titivillus episode so far for me
3rd - Deliverance - Frrrrk?, Um and Whisper into 3rd this week with Whisper maybe inspiring Rosco to brave deeds

Don't really love the encyclopedia but i make sure I read every word that I've paid for lol
Find it interesting which thrills get left in the drawer for a long time with some never returning.

Holocaust 12, The Inspectre and Juliet November all sound like strips that would appeal to me should they come back.

[BPP]

Literally can’t wait for the next Meg for the conclusion of Megatropolis. I thought some of the character call-backs were a bit over the top fan service but the key players nicely deployed and the art and tone just brilliant. Thanks to all involved in it for some seriously excellent fun comics.

If you’re nit reading the Meg you need this collected ASAP. 

[JimmyNailz]

My Meg got lost in transit but  the lovely customer service droids at the Nerve Centre were kind enough to send me a new one.

Loved Dredd this month! A classic tale of Mega City craziness complimented with some outstanding artwork from Karl Richardson. The first page with the blurred backgrounds look incredible and really POP.

Megatropolis continues to be my favourite thing in the Meg at the moment. Niemand can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned. Hi srecent run of Dredd's in the prog were fantastic but THIS is a masterpiece. Dave Taylors artwork is utterly gorgeous. LOVE! IT!!!

Devlin Waugh is a lot of fun. The opening panel is a lovely homage to a Dutch painting by Pieter Claesz called "A still life with a roemer, a crab and a peeled lemon" (currently on display at Art Gallery Of South Australia) and then we get more artwrold hi-jinx as the story unfolds. Mike Dowling's artwork is once again fab-u-lous!

Returners I need to (and will) read the first run of to know what's what but I do like the way the larger artwork jumps off the page.

Deliverance feels a bit sickly as its meant to. Nice to see the Dark Judges wear some new threads, but I hope its permanent. Fear without his helmet just isn't as cool looking.

All in all a top Meg even  without Dreadnoughts or Lawless. Tis truly a Golden Age!

[DrJomster]

An excellent Dredd this month. What’s not to love about competitive ageing? Some gorgeous art too. Sometimes, having pencils, inks and colouring all under one person works rather well. “You ever think of getting involved in competitive ageing, Dredd?” Was just purest gold!

Megatropolis continues to impress, it really does. Definitely going to to re-read the lot when it’s finished and quite probably pick up the collected edition.

Devlin could be back onto safer ground, now that Titivilius has found a more standard vessel to inhabit… great art as always.

As others have mentioned, a touching tribute to Si. Gone too soon.

Another good Meg, my droids.