And we're back. And what a way to get back to the regular Prog.
Dredd - new story from Mike Carroll and Simon Coleby and its a really interesting start. Love the narrators (Judge Vanzura I assume) critic of Dredd as the story builds nicely. Excellent opener.
Saw the winner of the Art Star comp and posted it here but DAMN does it look fine in the Prog itself. Superb image by Peter Yong.
The Diaboliks was brilliant this week as we shift scenes (and artist as Dom Reardon is back) and the tone moves with it. Its still dark, but this has more of a comedic edge and Jake's return is very welcome. Fantastic stuff.
Scarlet Traces continues to build nicely as we get some background and then the conflicit moves on in the final scene.
The Future Shock is decent, with some fantastic art by new comer (???) Rob Richardson.
So far so good and then we get to The Out which is bloody magnificent as Cyd goes to a gig, meets a star... and ... well that doesn't get close does it...I mean its what happens but it the genius with which it happens that makes this truly wonderful. You know those annoying superfans at gigs (well when its not me!) - turns out they're universal! Just wonderful comics.
So anyone not happy with the Regened, well hopefully this will be salve to their woes!
Cover by Mike Dowling:
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FDV8pXlXEAAltZJ?format=jpg&name=large)
Cover and Logo:
(https://dyn.media.forbiddenplanet.com/YcU6rM-IvNiVn9yRbk8LnNf3R1c=/trim/fit-in/779x1024/filters:format(webp)/https://media.forbiddenplanet.com/products/21/a8/20f11de16400fe37cb4899b931c0639ab85b.jpeg)
It's all gone a bit Pete Wong.
[I'll get me coat...]
Pete Yong, I mean. Sorry, Peter if you're out there :-[
Oh no it all went a it Pete... you can do the rest yourself!
Probably best to just let this thread Peter out, then.
Quote from: Colin YNWA on 06 November, 2021, 07:47:57 PM
The Diaboliks was brilliant this week as we shift scenes (and artist as Dom Reardon is back) and the tone moves with it. Its still dark, but this has more of a comedic edge and Jake's return is very welcome. Fantastic stuff.
Can you remind who Jake is?
Jake is the rockstar magic type.
Quote from: Colin YNWA on 07 November, 2021, 07:07:03 PM
Jake is the rockstar magic type.
He was introduced in prog 2197-2199 in the storyline
A Crooked Beat
Thanks
Great to see Dom Reardon back!
A good prog after the bairn edition.
Dredd – The story is written as Dredd is a guest in his own strip, well told with an interesting premises. Good to see Coleby on Dredd again.
Diaboliks – Well as we move the scenery from Rome to London, we also move artists. I am quite intrigued where Rennie is heading for the arc so bring it on.
Scarlet Traces – As always visuals are stunning and Edginton keeps on giving us more back-story. The action will now start to heap up as it looks like it is all or nothing.
Shocks – A good short to the point shocker with some nice art by a new art droid. Ooh and I see Colin has been thunderstrucked.
The Out – Another top-notch episode with Harrisons visual extravaganza blowing your eye-sockets to a kaleidoscope of colors.
Nobody going to mention the fact that the baby in Scarlet Traces has the same name as [spoiler]the main protagonist of one of Ian Edginton's other stories[/spoiler]?
Quote from: M.I.K. on 10 November, 2021, 05:01:34 AM
Nobody going to mention the fact that the baby in Scarlet Traces has the same name as [spoiler]the main protagonist of one of Ian Edginton's other stories[/spoiler]?
The great Crisis in the Infinite Edgverse gets nearer...
Really cool cover this week, brilliant stuff.
Dredd Very nice opener, I like the tack this one is taking with someone (Vanzura?) seemingly giving evidence or otherwise critiquing Dredd... nice to see a very different take on Dredd's way of thinking. I suspect this will be a grim tale. Keen to see what happens next.
The Diaboliks This starts off better than the stuff set in Rome but I still have no reason to care about these horrible characters. The first run of Diaboliks I rather enjoyed and I'm not really sure what the difference is but very muych dislike this.
Scarlet Traces More of the same as last time out: looks incredible, moving things forward. The babys name is VERY interesting... Enjoying this a lot.
Future Shock Decent little tale, nothing outstanding but worked well for the format, cool stuff.
The Out Less keen on this episode compared to the ones we've had of late. Visually it's striking but the stuff about concerts superfans just seemed a bit... like it could have been in another strip with something potentially less interesting to say maybe? This strip seems to have settled down into a fairly lighthearted groove and whilst I appreciate it for what it is, I think it's less good than the first run for it as it all feels a bit lightweight. So it's good stuff, but I don't think it's the stunner that it started off as, if that makes sense? Anyway, solid episode here.
The loss of Pandora means the Prog takes a small dip for me this week, but I still found it to be a very solid Prog. Like Mr Boots, I'm struggling a little with Diaboliks, but not to the point of actively disliking it. Dredd has interesting framing. Scarlet Traces blazes on. The Future Shock was good. The Out... not the best episode (and it feels a little less weird with the human quest) but it's still one of my favourite strips to ever appear in 2000 AD.
This week, then: Scarlet Traces > The Out > Judge Dredd > Future Shock > Diaboliks
Quote from: Colin YNWA on 10 November, 2021, 06:19:41 AM
Quote from: M.I.K. on 10 November, 2021, 05:01:34 AM
Nobody going to mention the fact that the baby in Scarlet Traces has the same name as [spoiler]the main protagonist of one of Ian Edginton's other stories[/spoiler]?
The great Crisis in the Infinite Edgverse gets nearer...
Yeah I did spot that and thought about it for a bit [spoiler]as in is the Earth in Scarlet Traces now meant to be the one in Brass Sun? And indeed the whole solar system. But given that's clock work one, I don't see how that works. And so I rejected that notion. Unless ST is headed in the direction of explaining how the clock work solar system came about. :-\[/spoiler]
Maybe Edginton just like the name
That has already been explained though, and it wasn't the Martians. Also that happened centuries before Wren was born.
You're right- it doesn't make any sense to link ST and BS.
Can you remind me what the explanation was in Brass Sun?
So that cover is just phenomenal - Ravne's brooding presence, and the way that tentacle caresses Jake's cheek. I was comparing it to the version previewed on the inside back page of last week's Regened though, don't know if it's the printing process but the current version has more of a turquoise tinge. And come on, but doesn't the nice sans-serif caption last week look massively better than the nasty font used on this one?
A nice grisly Dredd kicks off with an intriguing plot. Although, are the dreams of the wealthy actually going to be any better than those of the poor? In fact when you think about it surely the dreams of the wealthy are going to be less interesting then those of the poor because the wealthy have more stuff and therefore have less likelihood of dreaming about it...? Hmm.
Diaboliks absolutely rocks, the shift to London makes this feel like a return to Absalom, but with Caballistics, Inc. style art. The fantastic splash page means this clinches TOP THRILL
I'm afraid Scarlet Traces is losing me a bit on plot-heavy weeks like this so not such a great instalment. Nothing wrong with the Future Shock that a few charred skeletons to bring the twist home wouldn't fix - the Richardson droid acquits themself well on their debut and I can see myself enoying their run on a weekly strip if TMO decrees it should come to pass.
Finally The Out riffs well on the well-trod trope of reclusive pop star. Ha, just noticed 'A stereo space odyssey' in the corner of one frame - an excellent reference for anyone who enjoyed listening to the flipside of their Star Wars soundtrack LP (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl0doG0CRsw)
Just back from a week's holiday, and I see it's still not arrived. Mind you, the previous one (Regened) only arrived while I was away, so at least a week late.... Won't expect 2258 for another week then.
My Top 3 for Prog 2257
Tricky choice for me this week with no real clear winner.
Each thrill was ok and none had a shocker
1st - Dredd - darker Dredd tale with a great startup ep. So used to seeing Coleby's art in the Rogue Trooper universe so it was good to see him on Dredd. Dream Police episode tag coming up maybe?
2nd - The Diaboliks - nice setup episode for next series in London with a crew of opponents to battle
3rd - Scarlet Traces - pips The Out to third with neither having their strongest ep this time round. Scarlet Traces gets the bronze for the story flow from panel to panel.
Loved the first couple of pages of the Future Shock but it finished all too quick for me.
also some great Art Stars work by Peter Yong :thumbsup: