2000 AD Online Forum

Bit of a clearing the decks feel this month, as two series conclude to make way for the Christmas issue. Colin MacNeil's cover art sets you up for an unsurprisingly grim finale to Insurrection. I've not been as wowed by this strip as many readers, but it's certainly been a solid performer throughout its run, and one of the better war stories in the Meg (or, indeed, 2000 AD in general).

The lead Dredd is Worley/Willsher, and is quite by-the-numbers, but nonetheless a decent one-shot, with some dynamic art. It also feels suitably messy, taking place in the remains of the city after Chaos Day. Underbelly concludes the other Dredd, in what feels more like a three-issue experiment than a vision of Dredd that's going to stick around. After this conclusion, I'm still unsure what I thought about Underbelly—it seemed oddly flat at times; still, I'd be enthusiastic to see more movie-universe Dredd, given that it's unlikely we'll ever see more on the big screen.

Elsewhere, Ordinary continues to me my favourite thing in any 2000 AD title (fantastic art and a script that's rattling along at a fair pace), there's an in-depth and insightful interview with Will Simpson (and a shorter one with Warwick Johnson Cadwell), and an amusingly satirical festive Dredd pic that I assume is next month's cover.

On the way: a Carroll-scripted Christmas Dredd, Anderson, DeMarco (also by Carroll), Ordinary, and a Simon Harrison interview. DeMarco gets the next trade, and Lobster Random's this month's, collecting 1411–1419, and then bundling a couple of bonus Future Shocks.

Really enjoyed this issue. Maybe more so because 2000 AD failed to turn up so it was this or nothing.
Enjoyed the Lobster thing floppie too.

Great review. Post it to your blogs.

Hail me.

Really like the Meg alot this was another solid issue i always read this before 2000AD when they arrive

The last few pages of Insurrection had me welling up. Great storytelling from Abnett and McNeill, as always. Ordinary is wonderfully insanely marvellous. Slugs for hair!  :lol:

Check out the names on the badges on the last page of Judge Dredd (not Dredd). A nice touch considering the week it goes on sale.

Really need to catch up on my meg reading. I hope the price of back issues drops if there is a christmas sale.

"Lab On" (and the accompanying slogan) made me gufffaw! I thought this was a good solid Dredd, as was the conclusion to Underbelly.

Insurrection came to a suitably grim conclusion, top work from script and art droids.

Ordinary is just amazing - I am loving everything about this strip. I tend to rush through it first to see where the story's going and then go back for a detailed perusal, especially all the background supers.

gad! my subbie has ran out and not yet got the squandids to revive it...

will have to trawl FP per issue meantime

Dreddlines update anyone?

no Dreddlines this time  :'(

Ordinary really is fantastic, isn't it.

I continue to rate Insurrection as one of the best ever strips in the Megazine, but I didn't quite get the emotional kick that the finale seemed to demand. I understand that's it down to MacNeil's health, which is totally not his or anyone's fault, but the art sadly suffers in comparison to the sumptuous panting from books I and II.

That said, I am very intrgued to see where Abnett will go next with this - anyone got any speculation about the jnew story hinted at? Will Dredd/a dredd clone/Hershey get involved in prosecuting war criminals? It would be a crying shame not to see more from the uplifts and the droids in particular.

Quote from: Hawkmonger on 17 November, 2013, 04:10:51 PM
Really need to catch up on my meg reading. I hope the price of back issues drops if there is a christmas sale.

I'm happy to pass mine on at much cheapness (plus postage) if you'd like to PM me what you'd like?

I thought the Dredd sequel was brilliant and was sorry to see it ending. That double page by Flint was chuffing marvellous and I can't believe I've never seen it done before. Brilliant.

Ordinary is probably my favourite current strip, though I think the Meg's on cracking form overall right now.

M.

I popped into my local W.H Smith's to pick up my copy of this months Meg, but would you believe it, the idiots do not have it! Out of all the places you'd atleast expect to find it there....but all's not lost. I did pick up this week's prog, so the Meg'll have to wait till next week. Arse.

You can't kill ideas...good meg generally Insurrection bows out well, the two Dredds are both suitably grim and Ordinary whilst it will never be my favourite overall at least has a lovely last panel... :o Lobster is mad and zany and I liked it a lot  but king of the caps boxes or what.

meg review
http://eamonn1961.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/2000ad-megazine-342.html

Quote from: eamonn1961 on 27 November, 2013, 01:06:50 PM
meg review
http://eamonn1961.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/2000ad-megazine-342.html

doh! I wanted the medic's take on Lobster's 'bits'  ;)

The Meg is currently Brilliant, I look forward to the next issue with fingers crossed- I hope the new batch of stories can carry this on.

In this months Meg, a lot of the running stories will conclude with new ones waiting to take their places for the Christmas edition. And just like the past few months, this month we also have another excellent Meg on our hands.

Let me begin with the cover;  I always look forward to Colin MacNeil's covers but this right here is simply jawdroppingly, saliva droolingly magnificent. With the deep sepia toned background (with a 'magic hour' vibe to it), and the droid, bullet ridden but still standing in salute to a character off cover, it is at once a beautiful and sombre work. And quite possibly one of my favourite of the last few months.

We begin with Judge Dredd: Duty Calls, by Alec Worley and Ben Willsher. I have to say that I am on the fence regarding Willsher's art, I do not find it appealing yet do not dislike it either. One of my issues is with the ability to discern what is going on a lot of the time, no doubt it's very visceral but the rough scratchy style  just isn't  my cup of tea. Having said that, I did enjoy the story which revolves around Judge Dredd and a fellow Judge (Garrick) being holed up in a war ravaged area under attack from a rogue Judge, who looks like a cross between the Green Goblin and the Silver Surfer, taking pot shots at them from his Powerboard. It's a nice little tale, with a brilliant last panel showing the sacrifice made by all those who dies upholding the law. There's also a nod to some past Doctor Who's in one panel (what with it being the show's 50th Anniversary and what not) which I thought was pretty cool.

We then have an Interrogation with artist Will Simpson, which I enjoyed reading. I normally read the interviews/ features after finishing the strips, and this was another really informative and interesting piece by Mike Molcher looking into Mr. Simpson's upbringing and work through the years.  I can't say I'm familar with it (his work) , but what it does do is give me the desire to go and seek it out. He seems like a lovely bloke by the way!

Insurrection III (Part Nine) is up next and I must say I was trying my damnest not to choke up. It was a beautiful and heartbreaking finalé to a magnificent series. I have read the second and now this, the last series, and I can comfortably say that it has been one of the best stories in the Meg during the last few years. I am saddened to see it end, but Dan Abnett gives it a memorable sendoff. I  had come to grow fond of the characters, from Simeon, Freely and Luther to all the droids and mutants which made up the Liberty brotherhood.

One thing I noticed during my reading of this series and the last one, is that we do not see the enemy, the Zhinds, face to face other then a shot of an arm (like here) or two. I wonder if that was that a conscious decision by Abnett and MacNeil? Nevertheless, I feel it works really well. Afterall, the real story is about the Insurrectionists and their persuers, and the characters on both sides.

Colin MacNeil's art is simply stunning, from the opening panel (where we see the title at the start rather than the end), to those quiet moments between Simeon and Freely which nearly brought a tear to my eye,  and the closing moments with the 'hooded figure' who relates the story. It's superb work indeed.

I will really miss this strip. I hope when we see it collected in a trade, we see the entire series in one book; how about a hardcover like Trifecta? That would be perfect. But for now all I can say is thank you Dan, Colin et al, for a marvellous, memorable story.

Ordinary (Part Three) follows soon after, and we have another mindbogglingly mad (not to mention delightful) episode! Our hero Richmond Cle...er, I mean Michael Fisher still carries on with his quest to locate his son, while the world around him goes bonkers. From those in high places, to those on the streets, nobody has a clue what is going on with everyone exhibiting his/ her own extraordinary powers except for poor old Michael. But as is demonstrated with his encounter with a human bomb, not everyone has it easy. This is another fun packed episode from Rob Williams, and some lovely art from D'Israeli. I'm looking forward to seeing how the story developes next month.

Next up, another Interrogation, this time with Warwick Johnson Cadwell. I really enjoyed reading it, although slightly shorter than the first interview. There's some lovely art on display from Cadwell, and I'd love to seek some of it out. Well done to Matthew Badham and Mike Molcher for two really enjoyable Interrogations!

Finally, Dredd: Underbelly (Part Three). I must say I was really disappointed with this concluding episode. There are some excellent panels on display by Henry Flint, not least that double page splash of the block interior (it reminded me of Minority Report's Spyder scene), but Arthur Wyatt's script for this episode was so....uninspiring. I mean it started off pretty well, I enjoyed Part One and Two, but was not overly bowled over by it. As soon as I thought things would get interesting, it bloody ends. That's the problem, the story felt too brief, not to mention no way near as exciting or thrilling as the movie. In fact, if this was a live-action sequel, it would probably be a really poor one. I mean sequels....they're rarely good. Hopefully the threequel (if there is one) will fare much better.

So a pretty strong Meg overall. Ordinary and Insurrection were the standout for me. It'll be interesting to see some of the new line ups next issue, and I'm looking forward to it too!

Before I finish, a small word on the floppy - Lobster Random; I fragging loved it! This is some trade quality stuff, I'm surprised to see it in the floppy. I'm not a big fan of Spurrier's work, but his creation of Lobster Random is inspirational stuff! The story was laugh out loud funny, with some eye popping artwork by Carl Critchlow. I say it again, how on earth was this not in a trade?!! It boggles the mind!



:lol:

The extra Future Shock stories at the end were also a blast, not least 'Big Red', with its futuristic take on Moby Dick!

Judge Dredd Megazine: 4/5
Lobster Randon: Tooth & Claws: 5/5

Some minor corrections; Inability, not ability. Died, not dies.  Typos are like roaches - sneaky little buggers!

Also I feel I must clarify my position on Simon Spurrier's work; I find I cannot engage with his stuff most of the time, whether it is the style of his writing I do not know, but it might be a factor. For example, I could not for the life of me, get into the recent Lowlife story which made up 1/3 of Trifecta. Or even Numbercrunchers, whilst amusing (with some lovely art by P.J) I couldn't really get into, although it did have its moments. That is why Lobster Random took me totally by surprise, I thought I wouldn't enjoy it but by Jove  was I wrong! I hope we get another series soon as the floppy ended with the possibilty of a future story.

Also Ben Willsher; I know he is a highly talented individual, his work on the Day of Chaos storyline will testify to that, but sometimes his style can be a little distracting for me. It's just individual taste I suppose. I know a lot of you guys would probably feel different about his artwork and probably admire it, and that for me is a good thing. We all have differing tastes and with me, I tend to go for  a more 'tidier' style, such as the works of Colin MacNeil, D'Israeli, David Roach and so on.

Correction; The Simping Detective, not Lowlife (which I enjoyed).

I think I'm losing my mind....

Triple post Mabs - the sentence is death!  ;)

Yeah, the Meg continues to be really good this month.  I enjoyed the Dredd tale and personally really like Mr Willsher's artwork.  Insurrection ended well but this episode didn't have the same impact as last month's.  Ordinary goes from strength to strength with some great dialog and interesting super-powers.  Underbelly also concluded - I am a big fan of Mr Flint's artwork and that double-page spread was a beauty but perhaps this has all been a bit short and would have been better if it were longer. 

The Lobster Random floppy was a great addition.  Some of the dialog in this was great and Carl Critchlow's artwork is really stunning.  I have recently read the first Lob tale (no gain, no pain) and would say that I enjoyed this one a bit more.

So, a great Meg but I always get nervous when we have a couple of stories end as it will be all change next month.  And still no news of that Below Zero floppy!  >:( 

Quote from: Recrewt on 29 November, 2013, 10:13:34 AM
Triple post Mabs - the sentence is death!  ;)

Sorry! I'd blame the edit button....or the lack one!  :D

Does anyone have any idea what Dr. Tara McDonald's powers are in Ordinary? The vice-President asks her "what exactly are your powers? I don't see one", and she replies "yes, as a matter of fact you do". Forgive me for saying so but have I missed something as she doesn't exhibit any powers?!

It's yet to be revealed!!!!

Oh is it? I thought I missed something!   :-\

Cheers!

Oh my word, it's another brilliant Meg! Great work folks. It's a pleasure to see the Meg having a good strong run. Very generous giving Lobster Random as the floppy.

I thought the whole point of Ordinary is that his ordinariness (is that a real word?!) IS his power.   Everyone has a different power, and his is that he maintains his original state of being - which I'm sure will come in handy what with all the craziness going on.

I really didn't enjoy the Dredd movie sequel - it just didn't do anything for me - I couldn't get over the chin, which seemed more exaggerated than in the main strip, and could be quite offputting to those new to the comic version - and the ending was a bit of a damp squib. 

Insurrection was the absolute highlight of the meg for me, followed by the Will Simpson interview - I've always wondered what had happened to Will as he drew many of my favourite comics back in the day.  The lobster floppy (oo-err missus) was the icing on the cake - can't go wrong with Carl Critchlow on art, even if the story doesn't always live up to the art.

Quote from: jackstarr on 13 December, 2013, 08:04:59 PM
I thought the whole point of Ordinary is that his ordinariness (is that a real word?!) IS his power.   Everyone has a different power, and his is that he maintains his original state of being - which I'm sure will come in handy what with all the craziness going on.

Dr Tara is the woman talking to the prez, she has a power: stating the obvious perhaps?  ;)

And yes the leads ordinariness makes him unique, and needed by the state as Dr Tara states.

Is 343 out this Wednesday?  If so, can I somehow find the money to get 342 before it's -sob- gone from the shelves.

I could do a sponsored shut-the-feck-up.  For every 5 euro received in my PayPal account I won't post for one whole day.  Just think, for only 50 euro you could see the sense-to-bollocks ratio of this site soar between now and Christmas.  Don't you owe it to yourselves to have a peaceful festive season?

Alternatively, I'll type dirty to you for very reasonable rates on my premium-rate PM channel, message me now for the very hottest in Scott-on-Roger fantasy prose action.  Terms and conditions apply, satisfaction not guaranteed, Roger's Mom is not part of this offer, your details may be passed to a third party or parties for prosecution in relevant jurisdictions).

Capitalistic filth! You disgust me! :P

If it's any conciliation Senior Tordels, i still have to pick this meg. And if paypal wasn't taking an age to verify my account i'd have payed Proudhuff for that lovely stack of back issues he sold me. >:(

Since no one has opened a thread for this months new Meg, I might as well say it here;

THANK YOU JUDGE DREDD MEGAZINE!

Why? 'cos I only got my letter published for the upcoming issue!  :D

Slight little problem though, I got a gift; Judge Dredd Case Files 14, and unfortunately I already own a copy! So here's what I'm going to do, I'll keep the copy that I received from the good folks at the Meg, and swap or sell my old copy with anyone who's willing. If anyone had has a double of a 2000ad book, that I've yet to read I'm happy to swap the case file for it. If I don't hear from anyone then you can take my old copy for a fiver, including P&P (it's in excellent near mint condition if anyone is worried about about swapping/ buying).

In the mean time, I'm going to give the copy I received a re-read, afterall, Necropolis rocks!

And a big thank you to everyone at the Meg, I really appreciate it!  :)

Cool Mebs I'm reading the Meg and have gotten to the letter page :lol:

Quote from: IronGraham on 14 December, 2013, 04:41:32 PM
Cool Mebs I'm reading the Meg and have gotten to the letter page :lol:

Heh! Nice one! Could you tell me which of my letter was printed? The one where I defend the floppy or the one where I pour my heart out regarding Insurrection? Thanks mate!  :D

Floppy

Ah. Thanks Graham! :-)

What a waste of my hard earned money!

Sure, most of the Meg was top notch, but in the Will Simpson interview they misspelled Neal Adams first name as Neil. I demand a refund!