Messages

Need to clear some space, so I've put a few things on eBay:

Megazine Volume 1 & 2 (15 issues)
I already have an offer for these, so they'll be gone by 10pm tomorrow unless somebody hits the Buy It Now button.

Judge Dredd Megazine Volume 2 (13 issues)

Complete Judge Dredd (14 issues)

Meg 342

Underbelly one-shot

A somewhat knackered copy of Prog 1811

Plus Spawn #100 (bought in another life when I thought Spawn was cool), some Samurai Jack DVDs and assorted Warhammer bollocks.

I don't really know what most of these are worth, so don't be put off if the Buy It Now prices seem high - feel free to make me an offer (here or on eBay).

I've listed them as joblots for convenience but I'm happy to split them if you want specific issues.

Pats on the back all round (extra pats for Eamonn and BCB)

1st: THE LEGENDARY SHARK - Killmaster - attention-grabbing presentation and some neat gags (like Tooly Aite being posthumously reprimanded - I nearly marked you down for that pun, mind)
2nd: BAD CITY BLUE - The Race - not just for the sentiment but also the very Wagnerian commentary
3rd: EAMONN CLARKE - Hotdog - action-packed and crying out to be illustrated
HM: Mike D - Everyone Loses Sometimes

Bonus points to Shark, Baggins, Panther and Jacqusie for their varied and original interpretations of the theme. Speaking of which, mine was originally going to be about a chariot race (working title: Ben Hurt) - I didn't realise until half an hour after submitting it that it had ended up being about two black ex-slaves confronting a white slaver. I'm not sure if I've been accidentally clever or incredibly gross and crass

2. The Legendary Shark

But which one, Eamonn?

I love this comp, but I hate having to cut the entries down to just 8...

1st:   Andy Lambert - Survival Geeks: Trump City
2nd:   Brian Corcoran - Mine's a MacMac
3rd:   MikeD - Ace Trucking Co

HMs
Ben - Finger of Suspicion - You can see the fear in his eyes!
Sally - Crazy Chrissie - Excellent pose!
Adrian Bamforth - Mind the Thrills, Marlon
allied72 - D.R. & Quinch Go to Washington
James Newell - Harke & Burr

Hey Jacqusie, are you in a mad rush to finish too? I think we might be taking the brief too literally

I dunno, two months' lead time and inspiration waits until literally the last day to strike. I cut the intro I mentioned, and most of the race too. Sometimes a story wants to go in a different direction, you know?


BIRDS OF PREY

The finish line was in sight. Cassius lashed the horses with renewed vigour and recalled the sacrifices he had made - mostly other men's blood, he had to admit - to make this victory possible. For a centurion to become a charioteer was almost unheard of; to be crowned with the champion's laurel wreath in the presence of the Emperor himself was unprecedented. The crowd roared in anticipation as Cassius raised a triumphant fist into the air.

Without warning, a dark, cloaked figure leapt from the crowd and collided with Cassius, knocking him from his chariot and thrusting him to the dirt track. The man, a massive Nubian with terrifying, pure white eyes and an imperial eagle carved grotesquely into his chest, lifted him effortlessly off the ground and placed his sword beneath Cassius' chin. His low, measured voice was audible even over the din of the horses and chariots thundering around them. "I am Aquila, Butcher of Rome, and I have it on good authority that you know where a man can find his soul."

Before Cassius could speak, Aquila was distracted by a strangely familiar cry. He looked up and saw, circling overhead, a great, dark bird, much like those he remembered from his homeland.

"Hold! This man's life is mine to take."

The call came from behind him. Aquila spun on the spot, causing a gurgle of fear to escape Cassius' throat as the blade pressed more firmly against his neck. Striding towards them across the track was a centurion. Like Aquila, he was a Nubian, not quite as tall nor as broad, but no less imposing a figure. And, like Aquila, he had the blank, featureless eyes of a man without a soul.

"Do you mean to fight me for this coward?" asked Aquila.

"Only if I must. His true name is Crassus. I have traveled far to find him. Many years ago, he captured me and made me a slave of the Roman Empire. And when I won my freedom, he sold me into the service of an altogether different empire. I have discovered that he is in league with... creatures; demons who took my soul from me." At this, a look of recognition passed between the centurion and the charioteer, who let out another terrified croak as his last shred of hope abandoned him.

While the two were talking, a squadron of guards had gathered around them, their weapons drawn but each reluctant to be the first to challenge the intruders. One coughed awkwardly, as though embarrassed to interrupt.

"It seems we have the same goal," said Aquila, "but there is still a battle to be fought. I suggest we turn these men into corpses and find somewhere more private to continue our discussion."

The man known as Black Hawk nodded and drew his sword. Cautiously, the circle of guards moved in closer. Aquila flung his helpless prisoner over his shoulder and stood back-to-back with his new ally.

"You know, I think this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship..."

Yeah, what Zippo said. I can't believe nobody's done a Supersurf or Mega-City 5000 story yet. Mine's coming along, sort of. So far I have a 200 word intro, which features no racing. Even when I'm working, I'm prevaricating...

H is for Hover and Pat is for Patrol, right? Or is that just my own headcanon?

54 is far too young. I loved Preacher in my student days and discovering Steve's 2000 AD work over the last few years has been a joy. One of the definitive Dredd artists and one of the all-time greats.

Dredd definitely smiles while talking to Walter in A Night in Sylvia Plath, prog 1892.

Its not even all that good a cover some of the faces are....unnerving

That's precisely what I love about it! Dredd looks like he doesn't know how to smile, like Arnie in T2.

COUNTERFEIT:  Very Milligan set of ideas make this ideal for Rufus - always love a prog that spills out onto the back page!

When was the last time we had a story go to the back cover?

I can't actually think of one since the Cam Kennedy Traitor General / Bland and Brass story (I want to say Eye of the Traitor but not too sure).

Pretty sure there's been one much more recently than that. I seem to recall one of the last Nikolai Dante stories went to the back cover...so sometime around 2013?

That must be the last time as I don't remember seeing a story on the back page since Prog 2014* when I jumped on board the Thrill Train. No ads this week either, just wall-to-wall comics - well worth the extra ten pence!

really pleased to see Jim Murray back and no spoilers out there beforehand to make a nice surprise, great stuff indeed (although I'm not sure what's going on with his eagle!)

I'm not familiar with Murray (due to my years spent under a rock) but this reminds me of Bisley and Kev Walker's best. I love the crazy-paving shoulder eagle despite (or because of) the fact that it wouldn't really work as interior art.

Solid Dredd, although the reveal of Anderson was no great surprise - to be fair, the subterfuge was more for the Sovs than the reader - and, as Geoff suggests, she's looking somewhat younger and more waiflike than her last appearance in the prog.

Elsewhere there's plenty of old-school baddassery on display, from the Traitor General taking dudes out while ON FIRE, Claw Carver icing a quilled raptor (kudos to Langley for aknowledging current scientific consensus where Jurassic World chickened out) and Savage pumping his boomstick. With Counterfeit Girl shaping up nicely too I'm feeling very optimistic about the next few weeks.

* That's the Prog 2014 published in December 2013, not the one coming in January 2017. So confusing...

I thought this one would get loads of entries - feel a bit guilty about only responding with a gag now

There's usually a few entries in the last couple of days before the deadline from slackers like me and Jacqusie

Bumpity bump bump

Not sure a sound effect is enough to qualify as an entry, but it is quite evocative

I just realised that's Max's umbrella over Dredd's shoulder. Lovely stuff

1st Whatley - Rogue Trooper
2nd Andy Lambert2 - Dreamweaver
3rd Andy Lambert3 - Shades of Blue
4th Ben Sullivan - Rogue Flag
5th Mark Higgins - Stealth Rogue

HMs
Adrian Bamforth - Belligerent Ghoul
Anthony Coppin - Black Rain
Leigh S - Rogue
The Last Interceptor - Gone Rogue
deadman1971 - Engineered, Betrayed

Great work everyone

I just can't digitally colour as well as you other chaps, so I've included the original black and white version and I'll let you decide which is the better of the two...

The colour helps sell the gag - not just the blue skin, but the green smurf hat too. Great stuff either way though!