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Yeah I noticed that Grant. I've actually avoided the last couple as it was right where I was up to. Before it was always stuff ahead that I kinda thought I knew roughly what it was about and soon it'll be stuff I've read (which will but an interesting different spin on how I read it I don't doubt just as it was when I over took the Prog Slog) so that'll be cool. But while I was sitting right on top of it I figured I'd avert my glance to try to avoid it colouring my opinion too directly.

Looking forward to catching up on Thrillpowered Thursday - and probably being reminded of stuff I'd missed I should have spotted or thought a little more clearly about!

Well, well, well - that was certainly an interesting Dredd story. At first I was really uncomfortable with the way Dredd was portrayed, I mean this was Wagner so I had to go with it but it was weird that he seemed to be being played and played using his softer emotions. Anyway this morning as I was about to crack on with the last couple of parts I had a little think about it and my oh my while it was a bit of a seachange it all made sense. Now in the space of a day I'm thinking its a bit of a minor classic.

The Wagner Dredds building up to this have all been playing on Dredd self reflection, taking stock of his life, making changes and settling things from the past. Meeting Rico, leaving Rowdy Yates, facing questions his destruction of East Meg 1. Therefore to have him left exposed emotionally makes utter sense. The fact that its a demon that does it neaty side steps any idea that its a little convenient that after all this someone tries this type of attack on Dredd that would normally be counter-intuitive. Its all played wonderfully.

Then the coup de grace, sure Dredd's been played, sure someone used an emotional attack using Dredd's recent self reflection against him but you know what when it comes to the crunch Dredd knows full well he ain't a 'good guy'. The terrible things he's done, sure he's reflected on them and you know what most of um he can justify to himself, even though he knows they ain't the actions of a 'good man'. Brillant brillant stuff.

Then when all that done we see what he has learnt after all this self reflection that he knows he is missing something, he's fine with destorying an entire city but the more personal stuff he hasn't quite dealt with, some sense of family is missing... kinda leads into the stuff in Origins as well now I think about it.

Looking forward to finding out where this leads to next.

Wow Chris that fair leaps out the screen!

This is already turning into a blinding month... or is it 6 weeks these days?

That's bloody fantastic Mark.

I'll have you know I'm on coke tonight. Obviously the rest are all pissed as farts 

Well just look at that Commando Forces starts hanging around with a few comicbook celebrities for an evening and already he's on the class A's

Over at Bleeding Cool Rich Johnson has linked to a comedy sketch about Alan Moore. the only problem is for ignorant little old me is its in Spanish and mines dodgy to say the least. So if anybody does have decent Spanish this might be worth a view... I wouldn't know I got lost after 'Hola'

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2010/03/27/alan-moore-the-spanish-impersonation/

Now I've no idea how literally this is meant to be taken but I'm just reading Golamh, book 2 of the Books of Invasion and Princess Meritaten says she's the daughter of Pharaoh Akhenaten and Queen Nefertiti (who indeed had a daughter of this name it would seem). If this is taken literally that places us somewhere around 1350BC - 1300BC.

Take that was you choose - by the way didn't see this with a quick scan through this thread but apologise if I missed it as it was only a quick scan.

US comics legend Dick Giordano, aged 77

He was indeed a legend. He drew a fantastic Jonah Hex issue (51) only a few months ago and his inking was incredible still.

The Progs been on blinding form for the last few weeks and this weeks is no exception. I'll start from the bottom up.

Damnation Station is yet to grab me but there's plenty enough there to make me think it will in time. Interesting aliens at least and a promise of more to come.

Zombo, yes Zombo next. And Zombo is bloomin' as great as ever, if a little choatic, entirely appropriately but there's so much going on. This is great stuff.

The Time Twister is one of my favourite one offs in a long long time. Blinder. So much packed into this taxi drivers tale. The way its told however means that it all gets across effortlessly and entertainingly. Nice to see Neil Roberts on interiors.

Judge Dredd. Now these days its saying something that a Wagner Dredd so fantastically crafted isn't my favourite thing in the comic. Its a brillant episode and barely a Joe in sight.

The pick of the crop was Ichabod Azrael. I've said before that I'm pre-disposed to be a sucker for a western but this is something else again. It genuinely feels different and everything about sings (plays the harmonica) to a different tune to everything else in this Prog. The art is so simple yet effective as to be the best in the issue and we got Henry Flint in here for christs sake! Its sparce bold lines are so atmospheric that you can taste the dust and you know the dust don't taste right. The flash of colour has massive impact and that last page is just a joy to see. The script is so compelling and the whole thing just sits in the leftfield for 2000ad and yet feels so at home in the Galaxies Greatest. I had high expectations for this thrill but so far its more than matching them. Its early days yet so I just hope it can keep this up.

Better than great Prog (and I ain't just saying that so as not to up set any driods!)

Hello there, have fun.

I still can't believe they let Dave Taylor slip through their clammy fingers...

He's doing a Batman project right now (or are you refering to Tharg's clammy fingers?)

From Bleeding Cool

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2010/03/25/dc-comics-gunning-for-direct-market-top-spot/

If this is right I wonder if they'll be another head hint of 2000ad talent. The comics always survived these things, and indeed thrived as it finds new talent. Just be a shame to see any number of the regular 2000ad artists working over seas again . Only the other day I noticed that Richard Elson has started doing pages on Thor at Marvel and I have to say it looked great.

I'm talking from a purely selfish perspective of course and good luck to them all in finding the work that suits. Just don't forget us over here!

Well knock me sideways was I wrong about Nu Old Rogue. Well Ghouls anyway it was bloody great. It would appear that Gordon Rennie after playing a little in the restricted field that is old Rogue has also been building a new set of plots that really break off the shackles of the old stories and allow these new stories really generate excitment of their own. The art has been amazing throughout and having got to the end of 'Ghouls' for one of the first times I can remember (aside from the numerous breaks in 'War Machine' maybe) I'm left really looking forward to Rogue's return.

Well struggling through a 'proper' book has really slowed my progress but back on track now. Anyway The Spring Assault (as it it might have been an attack I lose track of these seasonal labels) in 2003 was a bit of a mixed bag for me. Dredd and other regualrs were on form but many of the thrills, particularly the new ones just didn't inspire. 'Interceptor' and 'Snow/Tiger' (which I think many like?) just kinda passed me by, not bad just not great, both pretty to look at but didn't engage me. Likewise ABC Warriors. Then just as I was getting twitchy 'Lobster Random' comes along and sticks me one.

Blooming heck did I love this strip it was fantastic. So good it could have been written by John Smith and anybody who trudges through my reviews knows what high praise that is from me. I've often come on here and bemoaned how the shorter, punchier strips that were the focus of Andy Diggle's time as Tharg's little helper, feeling the brevity often stifled great ideas and didn't give stories and characters with potential time to blossom. Well chuff me if Lobster Random doesn't turn all that on its head.

In the first two parts the characters is introduced magnificently while a plot is slowly brought to the boil in the background. What a fantastic opening. To be honest things don't let up from there. Each individual part offers something new and different be it a character bit, a psychedelic concept whatever while pushing the plot forward so that by the end of part 8 you have a completely rounded tale wonderfully told, just leaving you hankering for more...

... all that and I've not even started on how great Carl Critchlow's bold, simple yet expressive art is.

Loved this one.

Snappy.

Hello there - have fun.