Mid afternoon and no reviews. Is everyone out Christmas shopping?
I wasn't expecting a Meg today and I always feel disappointed when I get one and no Prog. The free poster, while nice, doesn't make up for it.
An excellent downbeat Christmas Dredd from the Ewing droid. Pulling in some elements from earlier in the mutant storylines and putting a neat twist on some of those developments. John Higgins' art here and on the accompanying cover is excellent as always. I was initially surprised that he'd toned down his usual penchant for purples and greens until I saw the muted colouring on the strip was handled by someone else.
Tempest wasn't a favourite of mine, but it was decent enough to warrant another series. This first part is daft fun, reveals why Al was asking about The Art of Geomancy a while ago and displays an extraordinary step up in quality and detail from Jon Davis-Hunt.
The Lost Cases is a reasonable filler, but no more. Obviously, there's a lot of scope for untold Dredd stories from history, but I don't see that there's a need to tie them all into major existing events. This story is better than Grant's last few attempts at Dredd, but that's not saying much.
Stuff I didn't read:
Tank Girl
Interviews
Reviews
Thought the Lost Cases was an great tribute to Mr Kennedy. Thought the art was his at first glance. The skysurfers posture gave it away though. :) Having only been back on the meg for a year, who the hell is Tempest. Dresses a bit like a judge, and I assume from the story its set in the undercity but doesnt look like it. Whatsit all about ?
I'm sticking with the Meg pretty much for the main Dredd as I couldn't bear to miss it. This month's is really good. One point of interest - it seems that as well as the four new townships, Dredd has been given jurisdiction over the existing mutant towns ion the area. A classic tackle of the human stories behind the mutie laws.
Tempest and the Lost Tales were pretty good too, but the all rest are just filler as far as I'm concerned. Rufus Dayglo's talents are wasted on Tank Girl, which was nice to see briefly as a nostalgia thing, but wore out it's welcome long ago.
What's the bagged GN?
It's Rogue Trooper: The War Machine Volume One.
What we need here is a cover preview......
Quote from: Dandontdare on 05 December, 2009, 04:12:26 PM
A classic tackle of the human stories behind the mutie laws.
Ahem - that should have been a classic
tale...
I am going to buy this purely for the reprint.
Wasn't expecting the poster, shall I bag it or put it up on Robbies wall.
V
One of the best Megs of the year Ridgeway interragated, Gaiman double page, Frank Millar ripped apart, sorry reviewed, Tank Girl artwork is just so fabby but wasted I feel on a too-too light story, Dredd's a wonderful Xmad story, Tempest warms the cockles with a couple o chuckles, even the Film reviews made sense! all what was missing was a letter from Buttonman ....again
thats it give up for £5.00 a month just for one judge dredd strip a month not enjoying the rest i had hoped the lost case files would be set before dredd had got his full eagle just going to stay with the weekly from now on
The best reprint for months! I liked all the comic strips, especially the first Dredd and Tank Girl, and I think Nick Dyer's art is getting better and better.
Not a bad Meg, although I've not bothered with the text stuff. It's not what I buy it for.
- Trout
QuoteI was initially surprised that he'd toned down his usual penchant for purples and greens until I saw the muted colouring on the strip was handled by someone else.
No it wasn't! It was done by John and Sally like always.
Great Meg- the Lost Case was superb and had a great Dredd moment [spoiler]with him falling to his death and calling on the surfers.[/spoiler]
Biggest surprise though was the quantum leap in quality of Jon Davis-Hunt's work on Tempest. Outstanding!
Quote from: radiator on 05 December, 2009, 04:24:38 PM
It's Rogue Trooper: The War Machine Volume One.
I'm buying it just for this.
I'm an on off Meg buyer. Depends what's in it as I'm not overly interested in a lot of the stuff. The last time I bought was for the Insurrection series, but I've been after a collection of the War Machine story for ages. Great Christmas bonus there.
Quote from: moly on 07 December, 2009, 04:59:51 PM
thats it give up for £5.00 a month just for one judge dredd strip a month not enjoying the rest i had hoped the lost case files would be set before dredd had got his full eagle just going to stay with the weekly from now on
Do you think you could use some of the money you save to buy some commas and a few full stops?
Ta!
Jim
pedant. :)
You can tell he is deadly serious. He didn't say 'cheers'
A pretty good Meg this month! Nothing amazing, but the best in a while.
Dredd: Liked this one. Not the best Christmas tale, but very entertaining with some good art.
Note: the ad for issue 2010 looks wonderful - can't wait!
Interrogation: A nice read, very informative. I especially found Ridgeway's views on Twoth to be interesting.
Tank Girl. Go. Away. Just disappear, vanish, evaporate, begone, blast off, ect...
Dreddline: How much did Rebellion pay John Doolan to write "...it's a shame you feel the need for (the graphic novels) to justify the cover price. The Meg is worth it anyway."?
Interrogation 2: Neil Gaiman is a tool. Loved his Sandman stuff. Everything else is tomfoolery, or, er, toolfoolery.
Tempest: Okay. Will give it another go.
You Should Be Reading: A nice little write-up. Won't seek out the Daredevil volumes, but a goddamn well-done blurb nevertheless.
New Comics: Loving 'Victorian Undead'.
New Movies: See Tank Girl.
Dredd: Nice to see Dredd in black & white again!
Quote from: locustsoflove on 09 December, 2009, 07:02:28 PM
Won't seek out the Daredevil volumes, but a goddamn well-done blurb nevertheless.
You should absolutely get the David Mazzucchelli stuff -- every page the man draws is just a masterclass in comic storytelling.
Cheers!
Jim
Quote from: His Lordship rac on 07 December, 2009, 08:14:07 PM
QuoteI was initially surprised that he'd toned down his usual penchant for purples and greens until I saw the muted colouring on the strip was handled by someone else.
No it wasn't! It was done by John and Sally like always.
Ah. That's me showing my ignorance. I took JH & SJ Hurst to be some sort of colouring brothers. Like the Wachowskis, maybe.
The first of the "lost cases" was a surprise for me - a recent Alan Grant Dredd that wasn't terrible.
Another great Meg!
The lead Dredd strip was very good, tough I found it a little meandering in parts. Though it was nice to see how Giant is holding up I felt it would have had more impact by just focusing on the sniper's tale. It has to be said that John Higgins is probably one of my least favourite 2000ad artists - perfectly good art and storytelling, but I just don't really get on with his style, and especially his colouring.
Tempest was great fun and put a smile on my face - as other have said, Davis Hunt's art has really improved since the last series. In the past, frankly I thought his work hasn't been up to professional standard - but this is a big jump in quality.
Tank Girl was enjoyable nonsense as always, and the art was gorgeous - would still love to see Rufus on Dredd again, though!
The Lost Cases was pretty good stuff, and the first Alan Grant material I've enjoyed in ages. Nick Dyer's art was a treat as ever, even better than usual now that he seems to have kicked his penchant for manga-esque oversized eyes. Look forward to seeing more of these.
Reprint was a welcome choice, and something I'm happy to have in my collection again, and the text articles are something I'll skim read over the month.
I genuinely thought it was a different artist on Tempest this time - find it really interesting when an artist's style develops so much in between strips. Liked the art on the first run of Tempest, loving it now too.
Xmas Dredd was great, fantastically downbeat stuff from Ewing, and Higgins & co-conspirator showed some restraint on the colours which is nice.
Lost Tales - loved it, had a real old-school dredd feel to it. Nick Dyer is one of my favourite new artists, it was in B&W and it had a heart-warming tribute to the great Cam in it too.
Tank Girl - haven't read it.
pretty good Meg.
Still haven't finished it yet. It's one I always pick up now and then.
I have no idea who tempest is, so didn't 'get' much of the second half, but the first have was loads of fun.
Dredd was good (both strips), and Tank Girl I like (please don't hate me!)
I am annoyed at myself though, as I read the John Ridgway interrogation which has spoilt who 'dead man' is (a story I'm currently reading in a bunch of old progs I got given! Bah!
And as someone else mentioned, who gives the 'you should be reading' column to someone who clearly doesn't like Frank Miller? Ed Berridge might well have just written 'Frank Miller's run on Daredevil is a classic. But he's shit.'
Haven't read the bagged Rogue yet, but I think I've started reading it recently (it's in the same progs as 'dead man'), I wasn't a fan. It had none of the normal humour or characters (if it's what I'm thinking it to be.) that I love about Rogue. It's basically 'war is shit' thumped into your face for six pages at a time.
QuoteEd Berridge might well have just written 'Frank Miller's run on Daredevil is a classic. But he's shit
And the problem with that is..?
I may be wrong, but you seem to be complaining that an opinion column contains an opinion you disagree with..?
When I picked up meg I saw the owner putting copies of Tank Girl on the shelf. Felt like picking it up as I'd already paid for it, but didn't. Didn't read it the first time, won't read it now. Yawn. Is there ANY HOPE at all of this being dropped any time soon?
Mmmm, nice.
War Machine was as good as I remember, although it takes a while to get your eye into the art at the slightly reduced size. When you do though, it's magic stuff.
Dredd was fabulous, understated and evocative. I just re-read the early episodes of The Judge Child with the Texas City Mutie Clearances, which impede Dredd's pursuit of the Angel Gang. I notice that Dredd never once agrees with the TC Judges when they enthuse about catching up with MC-1 in this regard, a nice backwards resonance I hadn't noted before.
Tank Girl seemed to be going somewhere plotwise and then ended on a sour note with a poor one-liner. Pretty pictures, though.
Lost Cases. Hmmm. Nice art, Grant's best script in some time. I'd always imagined Chop as John's character, but this is as decent a treatment as he's had since Supersurf 10. Still felt like slightly pointless stuff, but by no means the disaster I'd been fearing.
Tempest. Wow, there's an artist who's upped his already pretty good game. Interesting start, undermined a bit the recent glut of psycho pandas in the Meg. Let's hope Al can rescue Deathfist from the daft supernatural corner he was written into last time.
Articles were fun, good interview with Ridgeway, and a nice soft poke at Miller.
Almost forgot: what are the odds that there are two 2000AD artists called Simon Coleby? :-*
Quickly:
A nice, worthwhile Meg. Good Dredds, good Tempest, excellent interview with John Ridgway- including a "nice fact" about his "mistreatment" at the hands of Panini and the recent DWM editors/ collections. More fuel to my (f)ire.
Also the opportunity to shout "TWAT!" at the page and fume about Neil bloody Gaiman- what more could a boy want?
Haven't read the Rogue thing yet- and had forgotten all about it, actually. One to stuff in my overnight bag for this weekend of Nights. And a poster! That was odd. I wonder why.
But better than it has been of late. Here's hoping we're on the up.
SBT
Very enjoyable Meg this month. Especially enjoyed Al Ewing's Dredd. I especially liked how [spoiler]Judge Bennett, who has featured in a lot of Al's Dredds, has been demoted to meat wagon duty. It seems like the sort of petty and vindictive thing Sinfield would do.[/spoiler]
I absolutely loved three of the four stips in this Meg and kinda liked the other. As I stated in the prog review thread, I thought the Dredd was wonderful. Al Ewing's writing is absolutely brilliant, he and Wagner seem to be complimenting eachother so well, Al filling in the blanks as it were...
Tempest was a frikking hoot! From the Kill Bill suited monkeys to the sexy bird at the end I was hooked! Kung Fu Panda in there too, hillarious!
Nick Dyer's Mega City One was a treat, and Grant's script was a wonderful and well deserved tribute to an amazing artist. The splash page in particular was great. Top stuff!
As for Tanky, it was okay I suppose. The first part of this tale was great, really full of intrigue and mystery, the second left me a bit disappointed. I don't want to knock the strip as I do like it but it is quite frustrating seeing Rufus drawing this. It's like seeing Bolland doing Chronos Carnival. As I said previously, Dyer did an amazing job on the Cam Kennedy strip, imagine if our Rufus was doing something set during Blockmania or the Cursed Earth! It would be a dream come true for me! Still, Old Rufus is obviously having a ball playing in the Tankyverse so who are we to moan!?! I just wish he'd done more Dredd...
Don't want to end this on a dower. I thought it was a cracking Meg, worth a fiver of anyone's cash.
I'd write my thoughts about the Meg but besides Dredd I havent read it. It arrived I opened it, read Dredd and put it down on the bedside table and its still lying there.
In recent months the Meg just hasn't done it for me and at some point before the next issue I'll have worked my way through it.
In days of old the house would have been quiet as i poured through the Meg and no one would have dared disturb me whilst I was reading it, now i just lack thye energy to wade through all the stuff that I don't like and can't see changing.
Ewing's Dredd was, as they always are, amazing. I love his take on things so much and it's fun that he's filling in elements that have only been skirted around before in Wagner's ToD stuff.
QuoteIn days of old the house would have been quiet as i poured through the Meg
Can I just ask when this magical period was? When it was half filled with
Necropolis? It's time as 'Britain's Hardest Comic' (when it was mostly reprints of US comics) or during volume 2 or 3 - the era of
Harke and Burr, The Creep, Harmony, Sleaze n' Ryder, Maelstrom and some of the most poorly written and drawn Dredd we've ever seen?
Quote from: His Lordship rac on 10 December, 2009, 11:50:56 AM
QuoteEd Berridge might well have just written 'Frank Miller's run on Daredevil is a classic. But he's shit
And the problem with that is..?
I may be wrong, but you seem to be complaining that an opinion column contains an opinion you disagree with..?
No it's not that, it's the fact the column is called 'you should be reading', so personally I think whoever is writing it, should write something their passionate about, spill their little hearts over something they've read, loved and want to share. reading a column trying to get you to read something while simultaneously slagging it off doesn't work in my opinion.
Quote from: radiator on 11 December, 2009, 10:15:27 AM
QuoteIn days of old the house would have been quiet as i poured through the Meg
Can I just ask when this magical period was? When it was half filled with Necropolis? It's time as 'Britain's Hardest Comic' (when it was mostly reprints of US comics) or during volume 2 or 3 - the era of Harke and Burr, The Creep, Harmony, Sleaze n' Ryder, Maelstrom and some of the most poorly written and drawn Dredd we've ever seen?
Seconded.
Volume 1 was pretty consistently good.
Quote from: radiator on 11 December, 2009, 10:15:27 AM
QuoteIn days of old the house would have been quiet as i poured through the Meg
Can I just ask when this magical period was? When it was half filled with Necropolis? It's time as 'Britain's Hardest Comic' (when it was mostly reprints of US comics) or during volume 2 or 3 - the era of Harke and Burr, The Creep, Harmony, Sleaze n' Ryder, Maelstrom and some of the most poorly written and drawn Dredd we've ever seen?
Well said, Radiator! The Meg may not be a bed of roses, but at least it has some flowers in it these days. Also, I like that I'm still picking at the gristly bits a few weeks after I buy it.
I liked harke and burr...
Quote from: The monarch on 11 December, 2009, 03:49:32 PM
I liked harke and burr...
I could never work out what was going on through Dean Omstons art. The main characters appeared to be wading through mud or in a deep fog continually
Quote from: The monarch on 11 December, 2009, 03:49:32 PM
I liked harke and burr...
But you also like Canon Fodder, Indigo Prime, Tyranny Rex etc and so you've proved yourself wrong in one fell swoop! [/sarkygit]
Quote from: amberkraken on 11 December, 2009, 10:50:10 AM
Quote from: His Lordship rac on 10 December, 2009, 11:50:56 AM
QuoteEd Berridge might well have just written 'Frank Miller's run on Daredevil is a classic. But he's shit
And the problem with that is..?
I may be wrong, but you seem to be complaining that an opinion column contains an opinion you disagree with..?
No it's not that, it's the fact the column is called 'you should be reading', so personally I think whoever is writing it, should write something their passionate about, spill their little hearts over something they've read, loved and want to share. reading a column trying to get you to read something while simultaneously slagging it off doesn't work in my opinion.
Just to clarify, but I think the Daredevil work (which is what I was writing about) is bloody fantastic, some of the best funnybooks ever produced within the mainstream American comics industry, as is his work on Ronin, Dark Knight, Year One and Born Again; not so keen, though, on the public image that Frank Miller likes to project (something akin to 'Ayn-Rand-Punching-Osama-Bin-Laden-In-The-Goddamn-Face-With-The American-Flag'). I think around the time of Sin City, that Mickey Spilane style he favours just got out of hand and Frank seemed to start believing his own hype (I mean, the art's gorgeous, but the stories are just piffle, IMHO). Dark Knight Strikes Again was never going to be anything but a disappointment, as all belated sequels must be according to Caine's Law (so named after the anti-genius that was Jaws IV: The Revenge), whereas All star Batman and Robin was just beyond batshit crazy. And
really slow. That said, I'd still rather read most anything by Miller than Dan Slott or whoever else they've plucked from the washroom to write superhero comics these days.
So, in conclusion, I
do like Frank Miller, just not unconditionally. Kind of like Jesus, in that respect.
Caine's Law! Like it.
I remember Spitting Image sketches when Michael Caine recieved a yellow pages through the letter box and immediately phoned his agent screaming "I'LL DO IT!"
As bad as people think some incarnations of the Meg have been, I used to always read it cover to cover, through the reprints, the stuff that may not be considered classic but I did read it generally in one go.
Now it just sits there looking up at me and I've just about given up with it, if it wasnt for the main Dredd story and interview It'd be off my christmas list and Mrs Logan could spend her money on something else.
I really liked Harke & Burr too, thought Dean Ormston's art suited the story perfectly and never had any trouble following what was going on.
I can, however, totally understand why it wouldn't be to everyone's taste. Got to be a contender for one of those Megazine graphic novels though.
Agreed. Not brilliant by any means, but fun and a bit different. And for me, anything Dean Ormston had anything to do with was a joy.
Just reread the Dredd Christmas tale - and I've suddenly realized how damn good it is! What a heart wrenching story with so much more emotion than the "Grumpy Dredd" strip we're used to getting. That final scene - breathtaking. Well done! Very well done!
I loved it. Mr Ewing does fine work on Dredd once more.
Another excellent Al Ewing Dredd. I'll give it another re-read, something I rarely do with comics these days.
[spoiler]Token mutie boyfriend; "You're blockin' the light, lady."[/spoiler] Love it.
The atmosphere reminds me of Alan Moore's Greyshirt stories, especially the [spoiler]clock striking twelve sequence[/spoiler].
Interesting John Ridgway interview. Can't say I was ever a fan of his art but interesting to hear his views. I like 2000AD for exactly the reasons that he doesn't (or didn't) like it.
Quote from: SuperSurfer on 13 December, 2009, 12:36:04 AM
The atmosphere reminds me of Alan Moore's Greyshirt stories
And by extension Will Eisner - good catch, Supersurfer. In fact, the whole of Toleyville and its tragic inhabitants has a Dropsie Avenue feel to it, and the themes aren't a million miles from A Contract with God, albeit with more shooting. Kultchur with yer Christmas!
I agree that the Al Ewing Dredd tale was a stand-out piece of writing. It simply oozed atmosphere and attitude. Probably the best Dredd I've read since I returned to the 2000AD fold.
Was surprised to see Giant. Wasn't he killed in Shimura a while back - or I have I got that completely wrong?
M@
What happens in Shimura stays in Shimura. But no, Giant Jr. lives on.
OT: Was just reading my shiny new Casefiles 13 yesterday - the Young Giant story really is great, despite me having read it and bought it innumerable times. Carlos' art just leaps up at you out of that volume - along with Cam Kennedy's Cardboard CIty.
Quote from: vzzbux on 05 December, 2009, 09:07:12 PM
Wasn't expecting the poster, shall I bag it or put it up on Robbies wall.
Saw this advertised in Prog 2010, but no sign of any poster in my Meg. Unless it's embedded somewhere amongst the film reviews. Was it for subs- or UK readers-only gift?
Damn stoked to see Giant again. I've been wondering what has become off him in ousting of the Hershey's regime . Seconded to a one-dimensional cariacture of a judge? Awwww man, that's
harsh.
& intentional or not, Oldham doesn't half read as a scathing critique of other writers' inability to understand Dredd. I can't help but be reminded of this advice given to a young Giant, "That's what makes us different from creeps like this -- creeps who
enjoy it."
Quote from: moly on 07 December, 2009, 04:59:51 PM
thats it give up for £5.00 a month just for one judge dredd strip a month not enjoying the rest i had hoped the lost case files would be set before dredd had got his full eagle just going to stay with the weekly from now on
How about getting the e-version from clickwheel? "Only" £1.99?