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The Dead Man

Origins for me

[Ratchet & Clank]

Classic action platformer Ratchet & Clank, which was also free from Sony, and while I have played this in various forms over the years, I didn't realise this was such a major overhaul of the original game rather than just a HD upgrade.  I never liked the gadget-switching or backtracking to older levels as a game mechanic in this or other games, but this is a serious chunk of entertainment for a freebie, neither too easy nor too hard and will likely keep you occupied for weeks.  The framing story and narrative device - based on the recent movie which was in turn based on the original game - is also impressive.

Ratchet and Clank is fun and for me as a sometimes gamer 'neither too hard nor too easy' is my level
Still can't get the top two trophies on the hoverboard track lol

My Top 3 for Prog 2224

First of all what a cover by John McCrea and colours by Enrica Angiolini. The action really jumps off the cover well done 👍🏼 A strong contender for cover of the year along with 2215.

All stories were fine so one unlucky thrill will miss out.

1st - Feral and Foe - great to have this thrill back and the 'open mic night' was a great way to get us back up to speed with what happened last time out. Great storytelling DAbnett and co
2nd - Thistlebone - tension is building and love the different art style for flashbacks as well as the lettering styles
3rd - Dredd - not as strong as the previous Chimpsky series but still a good finish to this one. Especially the quotes on the last page

3riller - Nakka of the S.T.A.R.S - did nothing wrong and as per last week would like to see this more regularly in the GG

My Top 3 for Meg 430

1st - Megatropolis - with the 1,2 punch of Megatropolis and Dreadnoughts minus DN in this Meg then this thrill wins it easliy
2nd - Devlin Waugh - not a huge fan of possessed dildo stories but this was the best Titivillus episode so far for me
3rd - Deliverance - Frrrrk?, Um and Whisper into 3rd this week with Whisper maybe inspiring Rosco to brave deeds

Don't really love the encyclopedia but i make sure I read every word that I've paid for lol
Find it interesting which thrills get left in the drawer for a long time with some never returning.

Holocaust 12, The Inspectre and Juliet November all sound like strips that would appeal to me should they come back.

My Top 3 for Prog 2223

1st - Durham Red - Strong ending, what is Red up to I wonder?
2nd - Proteus Vex - Keen to see more adventures of Vex and co. My top thrill of the year so far. Will have to reread from book 1 to remind myself of all the planets etc. I think Jake Lynch has been great on this
3rd - 3riller - Nakka of the S.T.A.R.S - Would like to see this more regularly in the GG

My Top 3 for Prog 2222

1st - 3riller - Nakka of the S.T.A.R.S - very enjoyable and McCarthy art
2nd - Proteus Vex - Action a plenty, Vex can handle himself in a scrap
3rd - Dredd  - Part 2 of Noam is back. Enjoy these stories and art. Don't mind them being part of a Dredd strip rather than a spin off. He's a fun way to look at the meg from a different angle

currently reading 'Trail of the Catwoman' by Darwyn Cooke and Ed Brubaker.
Have read a fair bit of Brubaker but first book for me by Cooke.
They work well as a team, did they work on any other books together?

Don't know if he did any other work with Brubaker but I can certainly recommend some of Cooke's solo work. New Frontiers is as good as folks say - and folks say its very good. He also had a very good 12 issue run on DCs The Spirit - which is probably as that character has been outside of the Matt Wagner run - since Eisner of course.

I also recommend the work he did with Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti on Jonah Hex he did a good few issue across there run on the title - and All Star Western as it became and its probably the best stuff artistically in that series after the wonderful Jordi Bernet (I bet I regret saying that when I think of some of the artists who did the odd issue or two!).

I've seen folks rave about his adaptions of Parker, but I have to say I found these pretty unpleasent and hard going, I suspect due to the source material.

His art is just wonderful so anything he draw - and he did a lot more good stuff than those I've referenced - is worth checking out.

Cheers Colin
I keep hearing about Parker which I will have to check out.
Didn't know about All Star Western so thanks for that tip.

Incidentally, a run of All Star Western led me to Lawless which led me to being a prog and Meg subscriber 

Honestly, I think if you want to watch some Anime without having seen any before, your best bet is to do some research.  Look up some lists of recommended Anime and find something that sounds interesting to you.

Sounds like a plan. Thanks 

I think if anything my fave genres to try in Anime would be futuristic stuff and lone warrior/quest/space western type material

[Cowboy Bebop]

After rediscovering a load of (mainly horrible) early 90s anime that I used to be into, I've just started watching Cowboy Bebop, what must be the most recommended-to-me-anime-series of all time, and it is excellent. I should have watched this sooner. Curse my reactionary spirit!

what anime do you recommend? Never really watched any. Not sure if Speed Racer from the 70s counts lol

currently reading 'Trail of the Catwoman' by Darwyn Cooke and Ed Brubaker.
Have read a fair bit of Brubaker but first book for me by Cooke.
They work well as a team, did they work on any other books together?

Solid prog this one, tough to pick a top 3 anyhow here is:

My Top 3 for Prog 2221

1st - Thistlebone - edges into first place.  Very good start episode for Book 2.
2nd - Dredd - A certain simian is back  Nice work on last page PJ
3rd - Proteus Vex - very busy story wise but tension is building up nicely between Vex and his superiors

My Top 3 for Prog 2220

1st - Mayflies - nice work by Carroll plus Coleby and Teague's work keeps it gritty looking
2nd - Viva Forever - this would work for me as an ongoing
3rd - Future Shock - not so subtle message but well done I thought

Regened - as in wearing a pair of 'jeans'

Lol at Carroll's Regened prononciation by Tharg as in 'Reginald with no 'L''

aside from this prog the Regened strip I remember most is Finder/Keeper, so more Finder/Keeper pls

My Top 3 for Meg 428

1st - Dreadnoughts - the Carroll droid wins the Niemand/Carroll trophy this week.
2nd - Megatropolis - the art (chefs kiss)
3rd - Dredd

Strong Meg again, loved the floppy too. Had read The Gyre before but not the other story.

I have read the first 13 case files and enjoyed it at the time so my one vote goes to.
1. Luna City