I'm not the first to get it am I????
you certainly are, and a good couple of years ahead of everyone else too. That chrono-delivery service you use must do wonders ;)
CU Krestel
Bugger!!!!
why has the title corrected itself on your last post, didn't know it was possible still should stop confusion, and every second poster making a dumb joke like mine.
CU Krestel
I changed it in the subject line. Didn't know you could so I gave it a try..
Had a quick read of the prog. Looks OK, I liked Shaun of the Dead. Will have a proper read later as I'm in the office on my own today..
WoD
Is it an extra thick prog or do we skip a strip this week?
Ooookay. Interesting prog. Glossy covers back, which is very nice indeed. The recent (or only noticed recently by me at any rate) trend for tying the colour scheme of the cover to the nerve centre continues and legibility continues as well. Which is nice. Droid life made me smile.
Dredd - nice twists, could be heading for a rapid conclusion though. Hope there's some double parts ahead of us.
Sin Dex - continues in the improved style of recent weeks with the comedy elements toned back and the serious dramatic parts foregrounded. I must say I'm enjoying this. Clarkes art is perfect for this sort of thing. Kal has been just what this strip needed. If you've not been reading this current run because you got burned out but used to like Sin Dex, give it a go again.
Bec and Kawl - lovely art and a few chuckles. Earned it's place in the line-up then.
Rogue Trooper - This weeks episode feels like the calm before the storm. Interested to see how things pan out, which is good.
And finally - Shaun of the Dead. Great cover, very striking. The art work is as good as youd expect from Frazer. The story felt quite slight to me, but then what else could it be in 5 pages? Has it worked in making me want to see the film? I wanted to see it anyway. But I'll be looking out for Mary now, so it probably did the trick. Reads well and on this form I'd be interested in seeing more. Is it too small a turn around for an extended run to tie in with the D.V.D. release?
Oh, and Durham Red too. Speaks volumes that I forgot it so quickly. Art looks nicer this time around and while very little happened it feels like we're heading towards a resolution. Here's hoping.
hopefully mine's upstairs
OK, slightly longer read so...
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Dredd. It's kicking off, quicker than expected, but I suspect we have a traitor in the mix (maybe someone who had been a prisoner before who now has Sov loving tendancies).
Sin Dex - Nice
Droid Life - I like a logic problem that causes your head to explode!
Haven't read Bec and Kawl.
Rouge - Happy that he's been portrayed as a killing machine over the last couple of progs caue that's what he is, not a deep, thoughtful and ultimately troubled but gentle soul.
Red - Too much techno babble for me.
And I've already said I likes SOTD, and I did on the second reading too.
WoD
Dredd - Liking it, liking it a lot. Wouldn't it be nice if another war started, and simultaneously the NMA attacked Mega City 1 in the meg? Sweet double front action... Oh well. Page 4 stood out because 'Think they're knew we were coming?' doesn't make sense really.. :-P
Sin Dex - This really is working better than any other incarnation of Sin/Dex I've read. It's just right, and while there are funny parts, theres a lot more emphasis on the actual job. It's more like how a strip about gunsharks SHOULD be.
Bec and Kawl - Sorry, but I'm REALLY enjoying this. Loads of silliness, granted, but it's not weak. Great chuckles and great art.
Rogue Trooper - Good installment, but it didn't go quite how I saw it. Looking forward to next week. Art, as ever, astounding.
Durham Red - Kind of a quiet episode before the fight starts, but loads of explosions, consistently great art, and odd 'Red kisses everyone' stuff which made me smile.
Shaun of the Dead - Very nice cover, better than I'd expect from a movie tie-in. Artwork is great, though I already wanted to see the film, so I wasn't needing conversion. It has deepened the film ever so slightly for me. And I'm sure I recognise one of the zombies from the trailer...!!
And you've all missed a crucial point: DROID LIFE! This week dealing with the effect of logical paradoxes on machines. (ie, someone's head explodes)
Sonme jokes in the Shaun of the Dead strip would have been a novel idea, seeing as how the film's supposed to be a comedy, and all...
The first Monday arrival of a prog for a few weeks has put me in a damn good mood.
The comic's quite good, too.
Yet again, I laughed out loud at Droid life, but somebody ought to tell P14 he work has been included in a prog! :-)
As for our excellent Dredd story, I'm still loving Gulag.
After last week's revelation that it was a trap, I read this with a horrible sinking feeling which was quickly confirmed. I'm still impressed by the pace of the story.
The art's still lovely, too. I really like the judges' snowsuits, and was pleased to see a slight redesign for the Sovs.
That's Kazan Junior! I'm telling you it is!
SinDex was again quite good.
I enjoyed the art, and the slight gallow humour of the apprentice killer learning his trade.
I was also chuckling a bit at Bec and Kawl, which, although not sparkling stuff, is a perfectly serviceable comedy comic strip.
I'd love to see the work of Steve Roberts on other strips.
Has he done much else for 2K? I must look at his profile later.
There was an improvement for Rogue Trooper, which at least has the main character questioning his actions, plus lots of intrigue.
The only bit I shook my head at was the "Take him prisoner - I want to see him face-to-face" ending, which, although often necessary, is always a bit pants, really.
I liked this week's colourful computer work on Durham Red, but I'm afraid I still don't have much time for the strip.
It was always obvious those ships were going to be tragic cannon fodder, so, without any real surprise being involved, I can't get too excited.
However, I always like a space battle, so I suppose this was better than before.
It ends when? Next week or the one after?
Finally, the Shaun of the Dead story was a nice bonus.
Simon Pegg's a lucky bastard to have himself depicted in the prog by none other than the great Frazer!
The story lacked substance, but of course it couldn't manage much more because it can't spoil the film.
As an appetite-whetter it worked very well. I'm twice as keen to see the film now.
Finally, that advert on the back page looks familiar.
Jamie, is this why the doors to the last Dreddcon didn't open on time?
Were you taking pictures?
:-)
Overall, a very good comic. I'm going with a strong 7 out of 10, despite the lack of a letters page.
- Trout
That was a picture I took from *outside* the venue, when the auction started :(
J-Bo-1
:-)
Rat's cocks! I just wrote a funny and erudite review, gently poking fun at Mr. Rennie and praising the talents of Abnett and Clarke, and the damn thing wouldn't post. Arses! Good prog tho'
Cover---Excellent...who needs photo blah....8
Droid Life..very funny..P14's developing a stoopI notice...7
Dredd..story just warming up nicely..Adlards arctic art is superb..i felt cold reading it the explosion when it came nearly burnt me.. big up Charlie..8
SinDex..as was stated in an above review Sindex had become a bit flat..this story isnt...although Sinister doesnt seem to be doing much except talk on phones..very good tho..7
Bec and Kawl..wasnt a fan of this before ..nothing ive read so far has changed my opinion..now feg and constantine have gone so has my interest i'm afraid..just reading all those lispy sentances gave me a headache..4
Rogue..Has long been flagging..this story is better than some of the latest ones tho but hasnt really rekindled any Rogue enthusiasm..6
Durham Red..Red looks positively anorexic in this episode..her bum doesnt look big in that shoelace she wears..Stories dragging a bit, nowts happened for 3 episodes!!..The Offspring take the bus did he?..hurry up and get there son..6
SOTD..Hellfire that was bit bleak..The media friendly buzzword is RomZomCom isnt it?..I think the film with its comedy will disappoint me now after that story..I wish the film would have taken that style..9
Can't be an auction photo - FAR too many people there...
Looks more like the bar, taken from the barman's point of view?
Early prog this week, late prog last week.
Anyhoo, ace cover.
All the stories seemed fairly slight this week apart from some backstory in Bec & Kawl, which in itself is good throwaway fun. Dredd was just a pre-amble to next week's shootout, Rogue stood on a ramp while the top Nort explained stuff for latecomers and Durham Red held another fireworks display for Games Workshop.
Shaun Of The Dead reminded of those strip ads for films like Roar (see Tippi Hedren as drawn by Steve Dillon!) or Willow, and probably coulda been done in half a page too.
Overall a snack prog.
but queen Bou gets a name check ! woo hoo woo hoo !
damn, why did i have to have a name of some historical wifey, so i will never be able to claim all the name check glory to myself ?
OY, SI !, next time its "queen Firey Bou", okay ?
grea prog btw.
Something is *very* wrong.
Not only am I enjoying the current Sin/Dex- but I didn't enjoy Frazer's artwork this time around.
Help?
Take pills, man.
- Trout
Don't worry... THE COLLECTIVE CONCURS
Hmph.
The collective can piss off.
I make my own decisions, then tell the rest of you what to think.
- Trout
You don't think that Frazer's usually mighty work was a bit less than show stopping in this instance then, Trouty? I found it less mental and more than a little bit David Lloyd, I'm afraid. Not *bad*, but nothing to get excited about either. It had an almost- dare I say it- rushed look about it to me.
Somebody order up another jillion volts into the head of the Frazer Droid- sanity is *clearly* returning. It must be swept away at once- at *once*, I say! One man's mind is a small price to pay for exceptional artwork...
As for Sin/Dex- I don't want to like it because I'm a small minded petty bigot who fears change. I'm still enjoying it though.
CRAZY!
The Shaun of the Dead strip was arranged _very_ late in the day for making it into the prog coming out the same week as the film opened.
Frazer's deadline on that story must have been insanely tight.
I thought it might be something like that. Not shit, by any stretch of the imagination- just lacking the usual *ooomph*!
Give Frazer the jillion volts anyway. In the interests of science. And art.
I didn't notice any drop in standards.
I did, however, see it as a "cleaner" style, and just thought he was trying something new, as he does every time he takes on a new strip.
He's posted about that policy here, before now.
I certainly didn't think it looked rushed like, for example, Carlos' work on ABC Warriors.
- Trout
Give the fish a jillion volts too. For fun.
:)
I actually prefer it to the style he used for the Death series, which wasn;t grabbing me at all. Supercool cover too.
I really ought to get the meg...
The cover was great, wasn't it?
You can see it again in this month's Empire magazine, where their "to do this month" list includes a recommendation to read the current prog.
Also, their feature "My Secret Shame" - all about bad films their critics admit to liking - includes a justification of the Dredd film.
Empire writer David Hughes apparently believes, "Its time will come."
Oh dear.
- Trout
yes and chronos carnival will be back for a twenty part mega series
Prog: 1384
7 thrills this week - Tharg is spoiling us!
Droid Life: ++
Dredd: +++
SinDex: +
Rogue Trooper: +
Bec & Kawl: ++
Durham Red: +
Shaun of the Dead: ++
Dredd's the best at the mo'.
Shaun was pretty good, but not much really happens in it - still; looking forward to Friday.
Finding it hard to care about Durham Red, Rogue Trooper, Sin/Dex and Bec & Kawl, Dredd's latest story is still entertaining enough. I was kinda dissapointed by Shaun of the Dead to be honest. Didn't notice any major slip in Frazer Irving's artwork but the story failed to impress. I loved Spaced and I'm sure the film will be great but this was a pointless little mood piece that didn't hold up on it's own. Just a five page advert really and a bit of a wasted opportunity. Nice cover though.
I'm with the chimp (do you have a hat?) and I didn't like the Shaun of the Dead thing. Everybody has been pretty polite about it so far but I'm feel that if SOMETHING ABOUT MARY had been an unsolicited TERROR TALE (that didn't have the name of the film attached to it), it would have been thrown out of the submission pile about a microsecond behind the toss that I submit. As promotional tie-ins go, I hope it boosts the circulation because it did nothing about the thrill levels. I thought it very poor.
DREDD - GULAG - this is playing out rather well - our time isn't being wasted with extended set ups before getting straight into the action. I like it.
SIN/DEX - best I've read for a while (which may sound like I'm damning with feint praise) but as someone else above said - If you skip passed this out of habit, this darker incarnation may be worth a read.
DURHAM RED - Mark Harrison should just paint one of those irritating little sound effects that run across the page in faint spidery lettering. It should say "yaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwnnnnnnn!"
BEK and KAWL - The failings on my part, I'm sure, but I just can't like this strip despite the great art. I thought Lobster Random was a funny strip - why can't I get into this.
ROGUE - Sorry, failing to like this as well. Am I alone in disliking the art? What's up with the Marshall's face? Is he half-lixard? Why is Rogue drawn as some kind of pinhead half the time? WHat is it with people appearing to be half a mile away and then, next panel, being close enough to hit. And that grey wash just seems weak and weedy (especially in comparison to the original Gibbons art - he must have used half of the ink in India to get it so bold and black).
Oooh - you'd think from reading all of the above that I didn't enjoy the prog. But I did, sort of. Strange.
I thought the prog was one of the best in a long time, although, am I the only person in Britain who hates Irving's artwork?
Really? Even the colour stuff he's been doing lately?
Right then,finally read my prog so here I go.
Cover - Mmmmmm...nice.
Dredd - Oh this is good aint it?
Sin/Dex - Love the art and am surprised Im actually enjoying the story as I've never been a fan of these two
Bec&Kawl - OK last week.Weak this week.
D.Red - Looks like somethings going to happen next week,maybe.
Rogue - Still like this and the arts great.Old Skool.
ShawnoftheDead - Nice to see Tharg giving some new writers a chance,and that Irving droid will go far.
Two ad's relating to SOTD & no Input,hang your head in shame Tharg.
All in all an ok prog...6/10.
Aye but this time the sacrifice of input has gained us an extra 5 pages of thrills for no increase in cover price. Big up Tharg!
if SOMETHING ABOUT MARY had been an unsolicited TERROR TALE (that didn't have the name of the film attached to it), it would have been thrown out of the submission pile about a microsecond behind the toss that I submit
But it wasn't meant to BE a terror tale. It was supposed to be a movie tie-in that went hand in hand with the film to give it a little more depth.
"It was supposed to be a movie tie-in that went hand in hand with the film to give it a little more depth."
I'd be a bit concerned if I'd made a film and needed to produce a 5 page comic to give it a bit more depth. My feeling is that it existed as a bit of marketing for the film and 2000ad, but I don't see why it couldn't have been a decent story in it's own right. I don't want to sound like I thought it was rubbish because I didn't, but it was incredibly slight and for me lacked any real point - it didn't scare or shock me, I didn't get a laugh out of it and it was predictable. Considering the talent involved I'd hoped for a bit more.
"(do you have a hat?) "
a lovely green woollen one:)
well good story or not, it entered by head enough to give me a spaced zombie rabid monkeys post apocolyptic london wierd dream, so i'm going to sue Tharg for thrill warping my pysche.
if SOMETHING ABOUT MARY had been an unsolicited TERROR TALE (that didn't have the name of the film attached to it), it would have been thrown out of the submission pile about a microsecond behind the toss that I submit
have to admit, i agree with this. entertaining-ish, but it didn't blow my hair back.
dredd was enjoyable
becandkawl and droid life made me laugh.
rouge was good, liked how he killed him and didn't choose the sissy option, am mildly excited about how it continues
sindex - i'm bias i always like them
red was okay, sad smile with the red gol...er...what's his name interaction...sadder smile as she and her son hugged, laughed out loud when he gave what'shername a smacker on the lips :)
but a question on red - what is the point of half of the characters, he son was doing nothing up until a week ago and that bitchy baldy woman has only served two purpouses so far, for red to nick a pair of cool glasses from, for red to kiss. what's the point?
what is the point of half of the characters?
wha haaaaaaaaaaaa haaaaaa!
wait & see, wait & see !
early next prog smug Bou.
Presumably they'll all die at the end, as pathos.
well i certainly hope someone puts some pants on them first so they can die with pathetic dignity. I mean.. i mean, imagine when they stand up from the space ship seats, they'll be sweaty arse cheek imprints everytime... what if they stick completey? or do they carry around soft cloths to place under their booties before sitting ?
Hahahahahaha.... I'm never going to get the image of sweaty arse cheek imprints out of my head now! :D
For what it's worth
Cover: Great
Dredd: Excellent
Sin/Dex: Very Enjoyable
Bek & Kawl: Hoh Hum... don't really care for it
Rogue: Very Good
SotD: Very Good. A nice little intro. Perhaps will mean more when the film has been seen.
Droid Life: S'altight
Overall 7/10 a good prog with extra pages to boot (Thanks Tharg)