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This will cheer you up

That's just distressing!

I love Erasure but didn't realise they'd made videos for all the Abba-esque EP tracks, so ta for that.

['Working Girl']

The good news is I'm over my inexplicable thrill-slump of last week. The even better news is that 'Working Girl' continues to ramp up the tension and excitement to almost unbearable levels. This is genuinely a top-tier Dredd that I'd include in any single volume featuring the lawman's very best stories. That panel with the Lawmasters dropping out of the Manta tank is absolutely epic - must've stared in awe at it for at least five minutes.

Have to say I'm on board with the consensus that some of the ongoing strips are rumbling on with no signs of conclusion. If I were Tharg I'd strongly consider imposing a blanket five or six chapter limit on every thrill. A possible exception might be Brink, as it looks like we're going to have chapters told from the perspective of other characters, addng variety and extending its shelf life. I feel that the Kek-W strips Deadworld and The Order particuarly are starting to get a bit directionless - the former has at least gained a new lease of life (or death) with the 'Visions' one-shot format, but the latter doesn't look like it's building to anything and the roster of characters with whom we're expected to be familiar grows longer (and our familiarity lessens with their absence). The first three chapters were some of my favourite thrills ever so it would be nice to regain a sense of momentum. I understand of course that constantly demanding new thrills from the script droids puts them under pressure but surely, it also allows them to fire up their square-one creative curcuits more frequently.

So while The Order withers a little this prog (and that full-length panel of the Gideon golem is awful, sorry), Proteus Vex and Kingmaker hit a sweet spot in their third chapters (they are their third chapters, yes?). PV remains a particular delight, Jake Lynch's slyly humourous art complementing Mike Caroll's baroque script. An intriguing return for Saphir - it looks like this is one strip geared up to deliver its thrills in serial format.

Excellent cover from the Roach Droid. Along with Cliff Robinson he's one of the prog's longer-standing artists whose work I didn't click with for ages, but who've now evolved seriously impressive styles.

Blackhawk, all day long

['Working Girl']

'Working Girl' was comfortable the stand-out this week - tightly focussed, tense, funny, exciting, and with stunning art from the Goddard/Teague combo, including that amazing cover. I don't care what else ends up in the Mega-City One TV series as long as episode one has a huge scene where a Manta tank chases a sky-surfer.

Got to say I thought the rest of the stories rumbled on a bit this week without much reward. I won't single any of them out and it's probably just me. I'll come back to them after half a dozen plastic cups and a new thrill-filter.

Pat Mills mentions this in 'Kiss My Axe'. Apparently the guy who put it together failed / chose not to credit Pat Mills anywhere

Ha! That's hilarious.

[Lenny Zero]

Never heard of The Scrap, which is a shame given the creative team involved.

Lenny Zero was ace. Lenny Zero

Just out of interest, what's "something like" The Alienist or Counterfeit Girl? They seem pretty radically different kinds of strip to me.

[Proteus Vex]

Got to start with Proteus Vex, because those clones are utter genius. They're like something out of a nightmare version of Wallace and Grommit! The whole scene with them and the little purple aliens is wonderful; in fact the entire episode is excellent, and if it continues in this vein then perhaps our newly-crowned third-best strip of 2021 (non-Dredd) could move further up the podium in 2022. 

And the cover's cool too! I love when the Robinson droid takes on characters from a strip where the artist has a completely different style.

Elsewhere 'Working Girl' is a definite win - I'm actually feeling for Mona as the supervisor droid metes out its feeble sanctions, and by the last panel I'm super pumped to see how the chase unfolds. Great to see more exploding head gore too. Read it and weep, Joko-Jargo!

(Did I just use the phrase 'super pumped'? Sorry.)

Kingmaker continues to impress - the silent moment is lovely and there are some fantastic panels from the Gallagher droid, particularly the gaping faces of the docking bays. The Order kind of treads (under) water with an all-action instalment, hopefully there'll be more substance next prog.

Finally The Out shows just why it's the board's current runaway favourite, with a horrendous twist and some absolutely berserk art from Mark Harrison.

They're totally going all-out on the anniversary stuff, aren't they. So much so in fact that it makes me wonder how they're going to top it for the really big one in five years' time.

1. Mayflies
2. Pandora Perfect
3. 'Splorers

PP really came into its own in the regular prog but in the Regeneds, Mayflies had the edge. Liked Enemy Earth too, hopefully after a few more instalments it'll be good for a vote.

[1]

The results are in - and The Out is 'not out'...

	1	2	3
The Out	9	4	4	39
Thistlebone	3	7	2	25
Proteus Vex	3	3	3	18
Feral and Foe	4	1	3	17
Visions of Deadworld	2		3	9
Jaegir	1	2	2	9
Chimpsky's Law	1	2	2	9
Pandora Perfect	1	1	2	7
Sláine	2			6
Hershey		3		6
The Diaboliks	1		2	5
(Sinister) Dexter		2		4
Scarlet Traces		1	1	3
Durham Red		1		2
Aquila			2	2
Department K			1	1

2021 Best 2000 AD strip (non-Dredd): The Out




Was the result ever in question? Well... for a few hours, perhaps, as the first eight voters all placed different strips in first place. But after that The out asserted its dominance and though unlike last year it didn't score more then double the points of its nearest challenger, its massive popularity remains evident.

Props to Thistlebone for working its magic to score a solid second place, while Proteus Vex sneaks above Feral and Foe for a deserved third.

The bad news for every other strip including The Out is that this year brings us an epic chapter of Brink. Will anything rise to the challenge? Keep your thrill-receptors tuned and your voting circuits on standby.

I've actually got a spreadsheet already set up to do exactly that...

Oh well, a year off!

Woah! Eight voters, eight different first places. Didn't expect that. Feel a bit guilty now I won't keep the chain going...

1. The Out
2. Pandora Perfect
3. The Diaboliks

Pandora Perfect and Department K have been amazing in the regular prog but the individual instalments in this year's Regened progs haven't been their best, so...

1. Enemy Earth
2. Mayflies
3. 'Splorers

Of all the 2021 newcomers it's definitely Enemy Earth that looks like it's got the most potential as an ongoing strip.

Okay, here we go with the annual procession to victory by a huge margin by Dan Abnett's latest strip non-Dredd (and Cadet Dredd) 2000 AD strip of the year thread.

Please rank your favourite three 2000 AD strips from 2021, choosing from the list below. Your top choice will be awarded three points, your second choice two points and your third choice one point.

I've compiled the list from the prog breakdowns on the 2000 AD shop pages - please let me know if I've missed anything. According to my calculations there are 32 strips in the running this year, their numbers bolstered by Regened newcomers. Actually I was wondering if it might be worth running a separate poll for the Regened stories, so they get a chance against each other on a level playing field, so to speak? Feel free to start a voting thread if you agree!

I've grouped Future Shocks, Terror Tales and any other variation on one-shot stories together, but included the various 3rillers as separate strips. In an annoying volte-face from last last, I haven't included the strips which started in this year's Xmas prog. Don't worry, they're ongoing, so you'll get a chance to vote for them next year!

[Edit: sorry, should say - 'Visions of Deadworld' includes all Deadworld stories - I can't remember if they were all 'Visions']

I'd be grateful if you could only vote using this format (although obviously feel free to add comments!):

1. [Favourite strip - name of strip as in list]
2. [Second favourite strip - name of strip as in list]
3. [Third favourite strip - name of strip as in list]

No reverse orders please as it invites mistakes on my part. Also no joint rankings, thanks. My Excel skills are being tested to the limit as it is!

A reminder of previous years' results: 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017

The result is in your hands! Get voting!

Action Pact
Anderson, Psi-Division
Aquila
Chimpsky's Law
Chopper
3riller: Chorus & the Ring
Department K
The Diaboliks
Durham Red
Enemy Earth
Feral and Foe
Future Shocks/Terror Tales
Hershey
Intestinauts
Jaegir
3riller: The Mask of Laverna
Mayflies
Mechastopheles
3riller: Nakka of the S.T.A.R.S
The Out
Pandora Perfect
Proteus Vex
Scarlet Traces
Scooter & Jinx
(Sinister) Dexter
Skip Tracer
Sláine
'Splorers
Strontium Dug
Thistlebone
Visions of Deadworld
Viva Forever

I'm guessing Norton will do a 2000ad vote (???)

Sure! I'm on it over the next couple of days, expect a thread soon