Only read dredd for now.
Nice conclusion. [spoiler]Dolman to rejoin the system maybe[/spoiler]? nice touch.
Mr Carroll. You really get Dredd.
We have letters Buttman.
V
Forgot to add.
Thrills of the future.
[spoiler]ABC Warriors: Return to Earth.[/spoiler]
Quick quibble on the main arc of the Lenny Zero story.
Why would the Jay's pool all the monies collected from all over the city into one place then transport them en bulk. Why not just send them indiviually. Waste of recources if you ask me.
V
For the fifth week running the prog is full of brilliance. Still loving every page of it. The highlight this week is surely the graffiti in Lenny Zero. :lol: Will Droid Life retaliate?
I liked the Chopper graffiti. I have the mind of a 12 year old boy.
Lenny zero shows exactly how to do a story in Dredds world. Just enough context to make you feel it post DoC. I wish Anderson has the same continuity. Her stories just feel like random Annual tales.
Clint langleys abc work looks amazing here in the tease.
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 11 August, 2012, 01:15:52 PM
I liked the Chopper graffiti. I have the mind of a 12 year old boy.
What about the reflected graffiti?
Yeah.... we'll get him back, the bastard!! :lol:
subtle shoutout to the Megacast girls on the same page as well
Quote from: vzzbux on 11 August, 2012, 11:57:57 AM
Quick quibble on the main arc of the Lenny Zero story.
Why would the Jay's pool all the monies collected from all over the city into one place then transport them en bulk. Why not just send them indiviually. Waste of recources if you ask me.
V
Why would they have money at all. It's all but extinct already. It's just a conceit to build a story I guess.
Quote from: bluemeanie on 11 August, 2012, 03:21:03 PM
Yeah.... we'll get him back, the bastard!! :lol:
subtle shoutout to the Megacast girls on the same page as well
Heh. Filth.
Just noticed another cameo in the poker game as well.
what a fun Prog. The only real changes we have is a slight shuffling of the order of my favourites. Though I find Lenny Zero a little cliche its still great fun and a nice distraction, with lots of nice nods of the head in the art (or maybe the script? Who knows). The Dredd ended well even if it could have used maybe just one more page as it all felt a little rushed, just the tiniest touch, still a fine Dredd and I salute the Carroll and Holden droids for a cracking post DoC story.
Red Seas ended up fantastic, wrapping things up cutely while setting up the finale well, spectacular stuff. Aquila was fine if a treading water a little with a lot of back story, cool enough back story but little more.
The highlight this week was without doubt Ichabod which was simply sensational on every level this week.
I wonder if we're due another 3riller next week, with a gap and three weeks to 1800, always nice to see these if so...
... excited to see what heading our way in 1800 (from the box this week and the Tharg CBR interview) but with the Prog on such fine form in no rush to get there.
Quote from: Colin_YNWA on 11 August, 2012, 06:03:38 PM
I wonder if we're due another 3riller next week, with a gap and three weeks to 1800, always nice to see these if so...
Ooh! Now you've got me excited. I've become really fond of those...
Quote from: Steve Green on 11 August, 2012, 04:26:25 PM
Just noticed another cameo in the poker game as well.
Good spot of [spoiler]Citizen Snork[/spoiler]!
Bah humbug! No prog for me until Friday. Because I'm 190miles away from Home. Holidays can be right rubbish at times
People are spotting so much in Zero that I've barely noticed! Must go back and look through -
Didn't really enjoy the heavy-handed design references to 300 in Aquila - shudder.
Dolman story was perfect. Carroll is the deputy king (THERE IS SUCH A POSITION) of Dredd at the moment. Really getting into the swing of Izrael as well. More of this sort of thing!
Quote from: Buttonman on 11 August, 2012, 06:26:28 PM
Quote from: Steve Green on 11 August, 2012, 04:26:25 PM
Just noticed another cameo in the poker game as well.
Good spot of [spoiler]Citizen Snork[/spoiler]!
YES! I knew I wasn't the only one. Lenny Zero is wandering into the fan service area with these cameo's, reference's, and returns. Loving it.
yet another cracking prog this week.
lenny zero still my top fav at the moment.
Cover! Lovely. Ben Willsher is perfect for Lenny Zero.
Dredd! I agree with CFM. Mr. Carroll has truly jumped in at number 2*, edging above Al Ewing. This story should have been the one to run immediately after the DoC finale. Maybe we can go back and adjust history, George Lucas style.
However, I must say that I think the cartoony art style didn't suit this particular story -- especially this last part -- and has undermined the storytelling somewhat. It's been difficult telling where things are (especially the block toppling a prog-or-so back and the "up-the-tubes" bit this week) and that's a bad thing when you're juggling half-a-dozen characters in three different locations.
Aquila! Going well.
Red Seas! I stopped bothering with this some time ago. Wasn't the Canary Wharf 'pyramid power' thing done to death in the 1990s?
Ichabod Azrael! Nope. Haven't got the foggiest.
Lenny Zero! Great stuff, especially the graffiti and in-jokes. Can somebody explain to me how each page is packed with stuff and yet Andy Diggle's never-ending thing in the Meg has had practically nothing happen for six months? I'm presuming that the Meg thing was written for the US market and that Mr. Diggle knows exactly how to milk them for every penny...
---
* (Of course, Gordon Rennie always has a seat reserved just below John Wagner ... but I'm guessing he's unlikely to park his posterior there again.)
Quote from: bluemeanie on 11 August, 2012, 03:21:03 PM
Yeah.... we'll get him back, the bastard!! :lol:
subtle shoutout to the Megacast girls on the same page as well
Hope They aren't offended, especially ti...... ahem :-[
Loving having Max Normal back and looking so good! Nice one Mr D and the Willsher droid.
Great finish to a great Dredd, the action seemed a wee bit muddled towards the end, but no so much it spoiled the tale.
Enjoyed the Red Seas a couple of nice twists there and the Yeowell droid working well on this strip.
Aqulia, nicely done and I liked the 300 nod and the statue nod too
Ichabod seems a wee bit disjointed this week but will no doubt read well when collected
And Lenny Zero is a dream, hopefully there a few new twists awaiting us on the standard hiest movie theme.
Overall a cracking Prog for me, aided by the Buttman free letters page :D
My main issue with Lenny Zero is [spoiler]why would they want to employ a known nark? His association to Dredd would be well known I'd have thought, especially by an ex judge.[/spoiler]
Quote from: James Stacey on 13 August, 2012, 03:44:55 PM
My main issue with Lenny Zero is [spoiler]why would they want to employ a known nark? His association to Dredd would be well known I'd have thought, especially by an ex judge.[/spoiler]
Isn't that the point? he does grass to Judge Pal.
I appreciate that, but what's to stop him tipping the nod to the dept. about the heist. [spoiler]I appreciate he's their 'in' to get the cred note inside, but does that make him any more trustworthy [/spoiler]?
I'm sure Mr Diggle has all bases covered however.
Could be that the whole Pal thing has basically undermined him, and he's reduced to using that compared to when he had the ear of Dredd.
Quote from: Steve Green on 13 August, 2012, 05:08:36 PM
Could be that the whole Pal thing has basically undermined him, and he's reduced to using that compared to when he had the ear of Dredd.
When did Max last speak to Dredd? Twenty years ago?
Quote from: Steve Green on 11 August, 2012, 04:26:25 PM
Just noticed another cameo in the poker game as well.
Quote from: Buttonman on 11 August, 2012, 06:26:28 PM
Good spot of [spoiler]Citizen Snork[/spoiler]!
I reckon it's [spoiler]Herbivore Bung, the man with the
second biggest schnozz in the Meg[/spoiler]. We've seen [spoiler]Citizen Snork quite recently and he didn't have any obvious stitching on his beak[/spoiler]. Also, he was being interviewed on a TV talk show (I can't remember the story but it was in the last couple of years) and didn't look down and out.
This is [spoiler]Bung[/spoiler], bitter and desperate, trying to win his fortune.
Did I need all those spoiler tags I wonder...
[spoiler] no [/spoiler]
Quote from: Cactus on 14 August, 2012, 02:23:31 AM
Quote from: Steve Green on 13 August, 2012, 05:08:36 PM
Could be that the whole Pal thing has basically undermined him, and he's reduced to using that compared to when he had the ear of Dredd.
When did Max last speak to Dredd? Twenty years ago?
Can't remember, suspect it's been longer than that since he was seen - there were a couple of stories just after the apocalypse war, no idea if he appeared after that.
I think he may have last appeared in 'The Art of Geomancy' - the one where a female assassin takes revenge on Dredd for his humiliation of Stan Lee. Max is blackmailed into setting Dredd up to be captured. That or the Megazine 'Middenface McNulty' story: in fact, a quick check of Barney gives the latter - May 1992. I also remember a really good text story in one of the annuals around the time - think it was written by Pete Milligan.
Didn't he have a Whatever happened to...story in the Megazine more recently?
Cover - Love it. Great to see Max's return celebrated, and he's looking pretty good as a distinguished older gentleman. Top stuff.
Judge Dredd - Dredd without his shoulder pads and badge is disconcerting: on him, that looks half-dressed. This comes to a good conclusion, though I must admit I found the action a bit confusing towards the end. I hope Dolman doesn't rejoin the Judges, or at least not permanently - it seems like a real shame to waste the concept of a Dredd clone escaping the system. Would be glad to see him stick around in some other capacity, though. Dolman for Mayor!
Red Seas - Well, I didn't have much idea what was going on, but that probably has to do with me having missed the entirety of Red Seas before this point. I felt like the art stepped up for these last two weeks and there were some good lines, so I can't complain.
Aquila - Expositiony! But well done. This is ticking along nicely, I just don't have much to say about this episode that I haven't said in previous weeks.
Ichabod Azrael - "Mind the giant demon dragon" is a great line. Very cinematic episode with some great imagery.
Lenny Zero - This continues great, although Buell sounds oddly formal and polished compared to the Buell that I'm used to. Maybe it's an effect of the brainwashing? Some interesting bathroom graffiti there.
To be honest, not much to say this time around because everything continues very much like last week. But considering last week's prog was great, no problems with that!
Quote from: a chosen rider on 15 August, 2012, 10:56:36 PM
I hope Dolman doesn't rejoin the Judges, or at least not permanently - it seems like a real shame to waste the concept of a Dredd clone escaping the system. Would be glad to see him stick around in some other capacity, though. Dolman for Mayor!
If Dolman does get reeled back in, he could perhaps take a non-street Judge route. It would be interesting to have a Dredd/Fargo clone as Chief Judge one day.
If they do make concessions for Dolman then that gives many more ex judges window to rejoin, if they have surrvived DoC. Return for DeMarco maybe.
V
Quote from: vzzbux on 16 August, 2012, 09:27:09 AM
If they do make concessions for Dolman then that gives many more ex judges window to rejoin, if they have surrvived DoC. Return for DeMarco maybe.
Liking this idea
Hell, I'm now thinking it'd be cool if they were desperate enough to give some Titan Judges a second chance. Could sow the seeds for some good power struggle stories down the line
Quote from: Cactus on 14 August, 2012, 02:23:31 AM
Quote from: Steve Green on 13 August, 2012, 05:08:36 PM
Could be that the whole Pal thing has basically undermined him, and he's reduced to using that compared to when he had the ear of Dredd.
When did Max last speak to Dredd? Twenty years ago?
So we're DEFINITELY not counting the audio dramas as canon, then? ahaha
Quote from: bluemeanie on 16 August, 2012, 09:34:22 AM
Quote from: vzzbux on 16 August, 2012, 09:27:09 AM
If they do make concessions for Dolman then that gives many more ex judges window to rejoin, if they have surrvived DoC. Return for DeMarco maybe.
Liking this idea
Hell, I'm now thinking it'd be cool if they were desperate enough to give some Titan Judges a second chance. Could sow the seeds for some good power struggle stories down the line
Thats a really good idea.
Maybe partner every available Street Judge with a former Titan prisoner, a Mechanismo or a young clone?
like Old Stoney Face will stand for that? no chance!
Quote from: Proudhuff on 16 August, 2012, 03:27:12 PM
like Old Stoney Face will stand for that? no chance!
If dredd can reform mutie laws then he can change on strict regime of the academy. If that means back squadding a few cadets to get them street worthy or bringing back afew drop outs then so be it. With the academy virtually empty of recruits then there has to be some give.
V
Another cracking prog this week, even if it doesnt quite hit the spot like the last 3 or 4 issues.
Dredd felt a little bit rushed this week, with the last page feeling a bit too compressed. Liked the dialogue on page four were [spoiler]Dredd says they was gonna turn a blind eye, until they was forced to step in. Shows just how thinly spread the Judges are, at the moment. [/spoiler].
Lenny Zero is just fantastic. Loving Ben Willsher's art - (superb cover as well), Nice to see Max Normal back. Though it does make you wonder just how do these characters survive all these disasters over the years. Not sure about the Graffiti though. :-\
Red Seas, Ichabod and Aquila round off the prog in fine style.
Quote from: vzzbux on 16 August, 2012, 07:48:48 PM
Quote from: Proudhuff on 16 August, 2012, 03:27:12 PM
like Old Stoney Face will stand for that? no chance!
If dredd can reform mutie laws then he can change on strict regime of the academy. If that means back squadding a few cadets to get them street worthy or bringing back afew drop outs then so be it. With the academy virtually empty of recruits then there has to be some give.
I agree where those examples are concerned but that's a long way from bringing back Titan judges, i.e. not just those who didn't make it but criminals in their own right.
Anyway:
Cover: Nice.
Dredd: I enjoyed it, but I agree that the panels were sometimes hard to follow. One thing that puzzled me was when the lady told Dredd that the gun wouldn't work - something they borrowed from the judges. I understand what she was referring too (i.e. some kind of handprint scanner I guess, except this gun doesn't fire instead of exploding) it's just... well... Dredd was firing the gun a couple of panels before. So was it a timed thing? Or does it only stop functioning when she, specifically, is not the target?
Okay, I'm probably being a dunce-breed and just reading it wrong but then we're back to the panels being hard to follow for some readers, and that includes those of us with the IQ of a Brussel sprout like me. ;)
It was an enjoyable story though and I managed to follow most of the stuff in the end.
Ichabod: Enjoyable enough. I'm certainly interested in seeing how it ends, but I'd have preferred a more straightforward Azrael in the real world story without the reality flipping. (Leave that for the final volume where things go all kerbluey. But then again, maybe this is a real the final one?
Aquila: The semi-immortal killer with the girly name. (I'm sure I've seen a woman in the bible of that name! No wonder he is over-compensating.) I may seem to be mocking but it's all in fun and I'm enjoying this strip a lot. I am curious as to why Aquila thinks the Spartan has escaped their mistress's hold though. So what is different about this souless black eyed killing machine to him? Maybe this will become clear next week, or I have just forgotten something mentioned in a previous episode. Regardless, as I've said, great stuff. This could easily have just been a mad gory romp, but there's mystery too, and I like that in a story.
The Red Sea: Good. Johnny Alpha would approve.
Lenny Zero: The grafitti made me chuckle. And the name and appearance of Max Normal rings a bell, although I can't quite place him. I'm enjoying this caper a lot.
Quote from: Mardroid on 17 August, 2012, 08:50:29 PM
One thing that puzzled me was when the lady told Dredd that the gun wouldn't work - something they borrowed from the judges. I understand what she was referring too (i.e. some kind of handprint scanner I guess, except this gun doesn't fire instead of exploding) it's just... well... Dredd was firing the gun a couple of panels before. So was it a timed thing? Or does it only stop functioning when she, specifically, is not the target?
If it makes you feel better I was confused about the exact same thing thinking it was a built in feature of the gun. On a second read though, and you'll probably kick yourself how obvious it is too, the panel before she shouts "WEAPONS BLOCK!" and some guy in the back shouts "Done" so it's a manual lockdown of the weapon
Quote from: bluemeanie on 17 August, 2012, 09:05:15 PM
If it makes you feel better I was confused about the exact same thing thinking it was a built in feature of the gun. On a second read though, and you'll probably kick yourself how obvious it is too, the panel before she shouts "WEAPONS BLOCK!" and some guy in the back shouts "Done" so it's a manual lockdown of the weapon
Ah, right! I, um, though she was directing him to a section of building where the big gun was being controlled... (As in 'the weapons block'.) Dear me, what a div I am, that makes so much more sense.
Good cover.
Dredd was fine but I thought it odd baddie leader wasn't the one hoovered into the mass driver to be fired out as a blast of bloody and guts.
Red Seas was mad but still kept me reading. Ichabod lost me a while back so I look at the fine images and art.
Aquila built things up a bit more but Lenny Zero despite some talkie and little shootie was best with the return of Max Normal, Judge Pal and the fabulous ultra- tank credit transporter.
The defining metaphor of this current round of strips is that of Michael Carroll's mass-driver. Just as Debris's focused gravity well sucks up the rubble left by past stories and spits it out again, all five of the current crop of tales are essentially regurgitating elements of familiar narratives. Nothing at all wrong with that- it's all any creator ever really does- the only meaningful distinction is how well it's done.
Rob Williams is using David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas to navigate his way through territory already mapped by Highlander, with occasional scatterings of narration and some (intentionally) hilarious anachronistic dialogue serving as the trail of bread crumbs which lead us back to the author. The humourous architectural detail which Ian Edginton has built into Red Seas makes it a fun place to look around, and Steve Yeowel's superb draughtsmanship gives the story's more ludicrous features a solid foundation in reality- although when this week's story knocked-through into Strontium Dog's intellectual property, the little concrete patio Carlos Ezquerra constructed for his victims was curiously absent.
Gordon Rennie's managed to come up with a strip that allows Blackhawk to romp lustily and promiscuously with the tarty tropes of previous Slaine stories (and 300 and Spartacus). The dialogue doesn't appear to be finger-fucking fantasy fiction's faux-Shakespear 'thee and thou-ing' in the same way Ichabod does, though; suggesting Rennie's playing this inherently camp, homoerotic material disappontingly straight- making the story a lazy Sunday wank that had better get to the vinegar strokes pretty soon.
If the defining tropes of old school 2000ad were lasers and robots, the latest crop of authors seem to favour deathless characters who exist across all times, in worlds governed by the use of magic, and in bricolage narratives that consciously promote inter-textual connection to the work of other authors in the mind of the reader. Each story manages to do something very different with their set-up, but it's really 2000ad's noble tradition of encouraging artists to develop their own wildly individual styles that means each strip feels original and distinct.
Dolman should have been summarily executed after shooting that Judge in the leg!
Cover Yet another classy cover ,with Max nicely tipping the nod to the readers.
Dredd A reasonable tale in the end, but the artwork seemed to get worse and worse as it went along, becoming just 'cartoony' as I think someone else has said, by the conclusion.I prefer Wagers Dredd where all judges are strong compentant characters, not just side salad to make Joe look good.Still waiting for a meaty post DoC story to bring us up to speed as to where we are with everything.
Lenny Zero Still the highlight for me as the other stories haven't appealed I'm afraid.Seems to have it's own 'Easter Eggs' every episode -Citizen Snork has been spotted -has anyone spotted to toilet sign top right as Lenny goes in, I thought that was hilarious, nice touch. In fact thats the point about Lenny so many 'nice touches' it's a real pleasyre to read.
Letters Page Wish we had this every week.ALL with answers again.WHY does that never happen in the Meg-this month there was one sarcastic reply thats missed the point the author was making anyway.??
So in summary Lenny saves the day again.
Pleasantly surprised at how well the Max re-intro is being handled in Lenny Zero. Sometimes these "and here's a character from the 80's I'm bringing back" schticks really don't work for me (Sherman for example) but Mr Diggle has his ticking along quite nicely. Mr Willsher is doing fine work on the art duties too, he really is.
A quick shout out for the Holden/Carroll Dredd while I'm typing. Thank Tharg for a post DoC story that actually feels post DoC! I'm starting to think PJ's Dredd art is getting its own identity quite nicely and could become one of THE iconic looks in due course.
Another strong Prog, not quite up there with last week's, maybe.
Cover: Lovely image from Willsher, fair tugged at the old nostalgia strings when I saw it.
Dredd: A somewhat cluttered ending to a really excellent story, and the first episode I've had any sort of niggles about at all.
Basically I feel that events on the last two pages really needed more space, and despite PJ's confident storytelling the two parallel sequences, and the denouement, could have use something to clearly distinguish them - maybe a colour cue between the bottom and top of the block, and another for the calmer moments of the aftermath. I also didn't get the impression that Dolman had been injured until the last panel (although that he would be was obvious), and Dredd's hand was mysteriously healed, even before he sent someone to help the legless judge, which seemed... odd.
Leaving aside why Easter didn't just shoot Dolman after he hobbled her man, I couldn't understand why Maxell deferred to Dolman, and indeed why he was there at all - he seemed totally passive and surplus to requirements, and his little accident could have been dumped to allow the climax to play out in more considered fashion.
Still, that was a bonzer little epic, very well done to all concerned. I don't think Mike has quite knocked Al off the current number 2 podium, but he's only one or two emotionally-engaging tales away. I'm always saying this, but the stable of non-Wagner Dredd writers has never been stronger, not in the whole history of the strip.
Red Seas: Nice conclusion, even if it does dredge up some unhappy Dr Who memories, some good surprise turns and Yeowell at his very best. Liked this a lot.
Aquila: There's no point me commenting on this, like Flesh! before it, it's pure green kryptonite for my inner pedant. Hell, I even like the lettering. Do you hear me, Tharg? This is what I like, and plenty of it.
Ichabod: Love the design of the beasties, and really enjoying how this is ramping up now.
Lenny Zero: Yeah, this is how you do it - witty, well-balanced and dense. Again, I'm not sure that the post-DoC setting was a good idea, despite Diggle's manful attempts to make it fit. This series really is Willsher's moment - streets ahead of anything he's produced for us so far, the greytones solidifying his figures and his cheeky design sense running wild. Great to see Max play his part. Lenny gets the coveted Top Banana this week.
Should any of you be interested in reading my ramblings on this Prog then the review is now up on the Brit Cit Reviews blog:
http://britcitreviews.wordpress.com/2012/08/20/prog-1796-normal-to-the-max/
Lenny Zero, love it, Ive said it before, Willshers art is just brilliant, he is fast becoming one of my 2000ad favourites.
All the rest were enjoyable too, special mention to Aquila, a new story and its top of the prog for me, and please Tharg, please give Mike Carrol his own series. He has delivered the goods on Dredd, once upon a time writers had to prove themselves before the Dredd gig was handed. Mike has done it backwards, and done it well.
David
Quote from: DrJomster on 19 August, 2012, 11:07:01 PM
Pleasantly surprised at how well the Max re-intro is being handled in Lenny Zero. Sometimes these "and here's a character from the 80's I'm bringing back" schticks really don't work for me (Sherman for example)
Wash your mouth out
SHERMAN WILL RETURN! ;) :D
Just read this prog, don't want to be negative but I think this Dredd story has been terrible. The action has been totally confusing, the characterisation just B-movie 'A-team' fare and the stuff with the shooting of Dredd's handcuffs just well, kiddie-comic. Couldn't understand who was where in the last episode at all, took about 3 reads to get Dolman goes up the Gravity-well (yeah, with all those rocks, more A-team logic). Worst of all it relied on added too many unrealistic implausibles for no purpose - Dolman shooting the judge in the leg without any come-back, that was unnecessary, unlikely and would have had different consequences 'in reality'. Here its just superfluous unrealistic 'cool'. It reminded me of the same problems the California Babylon story from a while back.I know MC reads these boards and I don't want this to seem as an attack but I just don't get it and I hope its seen as fair enough to explain why. I certainly wont be repeating it ad nasueam like some creators have to endure. Maybe its just me.
However - the ending of (pt 2?) episode with all the boots appearing, that was great, very visual flare to show so little of them but ramp up the menace, and the 'arrest yourselves' line was excellent too.
Everything else in the Prog was top dollar.
So happy to see Max Normal back. It seems like anything I want to happen will happen eventually in 2000AD, might take years, but they'll try anything. :D