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Prog 2240 - In with a bullet!

Started by Colin YNWA, 13 July, 2021, 09:09:22 PM

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Barrington Boots

Speed review from me this week as work is aaaaargh

Whilst the cover IS quite 90s it's striking and I quite like it.

Dredd – Bloody hell, this is good. I didn't twig that it was [spoiler]Gort and Simson[/spoiler] in the church but once you know all the clues are there: good spot guys. 

Aquila – Quieter episode after two weeks of craziness. I have always assumed we're supposed to think Felix is vile. Good to see Goddards take on some earlier stuff from Leigh Gallagher's lovely run on the strip. So what does Aquila himself forget in the river?

Department K – We're seven episodes in and I am not feeling it: it just doesn't have anything that interests me beyond Dan Cornwell's absolutely great art.

Skip Tracer – Having read other Squaxx's comments, I'm in agreement that this is both a good episode (this really shakes things up) and not so good (Nolan is an utter bellend). Things can go either way from here.

Chimpsky – This felt a bit unsatisfactory to me on the ending. I'm not sure if I thought this would be something other than it was, but it seemed like a lot of setup with no real twist or anything at the end? Not that this was an unexciting ending or anything: I can't help but feel maybe the disappointment is on me for anticipating something that was never promised. Anyway, overall I've enjoyed this, especially the visual storytelling / art throughout and it's a suitably optimistic finish. I'd be happy to read more Chimpsky but I do think he's worked better away from Dredd, so hope that continues.
You're a dark horse, Boots.

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.

PsychoGoatee

Quote from: broodblik on 14 July, 2021, 04:29:29 AM
Wagner Dredd

The sweetest words in the English language! Very exciting.

BPP

Genuine question - does the lawgiver only eject casings on covers? I'm sure I've seen it before om covers but not that I've seen it in stripwork.
If I'd known it was harmless I would have killed it myself.

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Southstreeter

I recall Gort and Hester Hyman (leader of the Dems, right?) but not the kids. Did they feature in the original democracy storylines?

Leigh S

In both - in the orgiinal story I think there is an altercation with the whole family in the Block Park with a judge (not sure it is Dredd) which Hester sites as one of the reasons for fighting?

and in the REvolution story, doesnt Dredd threaten to have them both inducted into the Academy unless Hyman denounces the movement?


Quote from: Southstreeter on 17 July, 2021, 12:01:09 PM
I recall Gort and Hester Hyman (leader of the Dems, right?) but not the kids. Did they feature in the original democracy storylines?

Colin YNWA

Quote from: BPP on 17 July, 2021, 08:25:36 AM
Genuine question - does the lawgiver only eject casings on covers? I'm sure I've seen it before om covers but not that I've seen it in stripwork.

Have you seen PJ's started a thread to answer this? Just in case you haven't

https://forums.2000ad.com/index.php?topic=47699.0

norton canes

Quote from: Leigh S on 14 July, 2021, 06:05:44 PM
The cover is none more 90s, but not in a  good way for me.

To continue my contrarian streak, I'll say Skip Tracer hits  new low for me in this episode - It's already a Fleischeresque strip, but making the main character a total arsehole just pushes it completely into Junker territory - Denying a child is his, shouting at the mom and generally being a dick about the situation.  Doesnt help that Nomrod reminds me of Fleischers version of Artie Gruber.  Also there's a weird emphasis on the last panel of page 1 "HER name is Eden" - as if Nolan had referredto the child as a "he", which he doesnt. 

Aquila is fine even with a bit of casual homophobia to add to the 90s vibe from the cover and Fleischery ST (and yes, I'm aware that makes the character homophobic rather than the strip, but even so - not quite Ducky from Millar Robohunter, but not sure its a good look for the main protagonists sidekickto be the one expressing it?

Dept K is not really grabbing, but Chimpsky is good, if only wrapping up in a way that wasnt entirely unexpected.

But that Dredd is a super smashing great enough return to the 80s to overlook the 90s stylings elsewhere

Just going to echo all this, it sums up my opinion pretty well, would probably add the obligatory kudos to the Cornwell droid for its stunning artwork.

MumboJimbo

Why did Hastings arrange a convoluted abduction of Nolan, involving a staged accident, when he was on his way to see her anyway? Yes, it happened last prog, but I was kinda holding out for a decent explanation in this prog, but all we got was "it's important to cover your tracks when you're on the run". Clearly it was just to clumsily crowbar some action into the last episode. It's this kind of lazy use of action movie tropes that's always put me off the series. I want to like it, honest. Having a partner, daughter and a beard (in that order) is going in the right direction in actually one day furnishing the lad with a personality.

With that moan over, the rest of the prog is tops. A good first outing for Noam Chimpsky in his own strip, and we're being spoilt with all the Wagner Dredd in recent weeks. Department K is kind of Black Science for a slightly younger audience - Blackcurrant Science, if you will - but no less enjoyable for that.

Aquila is developing nicely, though I'm a little concerned this story will mostly be a journey through the underworld with various battles and sundry other encumbrances on the way. I guess that makes it quite different from the previous series, which was a real breadcrumb trail of McGuffins. To find Amit, speak to Nero, who's in the underworld, so find a decapitated head to find some witches who will tell how to get into the underworld but only if you tell them the real name of Yahweh and to that you have to infiltrate a Jewish fort under siege, but they've all killed themselves so you have to perform a spell to bring one of them back, but now you're blind! Etc etc. Blimey. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it (as you can probably tell I re-read it recently) but it was hard to keep it all straight in your head. I'm not really sure why Aquila and the witch woman became mortal enemies. I guess Felix did cut her son's head off, but before that they were both trying to access Hades, so I can't really see where the original beef came from. Anyway, I'm wittering now...

MumboJimbo

Also, what became of Mille Ploog-Jepperson, the mousy distant member of the Jeppersons who just wanted some money for her mom's operation? That bit of the plot never seemed to go anywhere. Could she be the one currently interfering in Chimpsky's business?

Barrington Boots

She's seen floating amongst the dead in Prog 2239, so that didn't go anywhere sadly!
You're a dark horse, Boots.

MumboJimbo


Sean SD

My Top 3 for Prog 2240

Solid prog all round with something to enjoy in each strip for me

1st - Dredd - Wagner back again, as said above three 2 page stories in this one, and I'm keen to see where each of the threads end up

2nd - Aquila - enjoying this travel through the River Hades.

3rd - Chimpsky - Love the last three pages summing up Chimpsky's goal to help others in MC1. Great call back to iconic cover of Prog 2178 in the last panel.

As a digital sub just had to order myself a physical copy of Prog 2178 a few days ago (plus a TPB or two) Prob will end up framing the cover, its a classic

Honourable mention to Dylan Teague for great colouring work on Aquila and Skip Tracer this prog