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Have just read it and can't regard that particular scene as anything other than gratuitous and self indulgent.

That kind of sexual encounter being depicted  makes me feel like I'm reading a lads magazine with scenes being played for pure sex factor and lad giggles.

I know what you mean - the panel could have just been Lenny's reaction to what he saw. It did make me raise an eyebrow (and that's all, I swear), though the Judges were gettin jiggy last week all over the place so it's not out of context if you ask me.

M.

Well played all you winner types - like the Q&A, I was late on this one.

M.

Prog firing on all cylinders this week. Every story a pleasure, nothing a chore, but it's Dredd that deserves the special mention. Finally, finally, finally we have the sort of post-DoC story I was waiting for - the city actually feels (and looks!) like it's been brought to it's knees; it feels like a place where 350 million people died and the survivors are living in the dust and ashes of their bones. Dredd looks like he's been pulling 36-hour shifts, we get Hershey, McTighe and some cracking character dialogue all round wrapped up in a nifty little noir thriller. Extra oil rations for Messrs Williams and Campbell.

Yu huh. That's some brilliant art on Dredd right there - but don't forget the Blythe droid!

As the Dark One says, everything on top form. Next amongst equals are Ichabod and 3rillers this week, but still loving Aquila and Lenny Zero.

M

Brilliant! There's a signing in Belfast!

I'm going on holiday that morning.



M.

I've only become aware of this and the whole ask a question thread it stemmed from. I've also pretty much tried to ignore the film threads but hear me now: I will never, ever, take a break form the board at such an important time again!

Great questions from everyone and especially great stuff from Alex hisself (and Molch-R) - now we just have to wait for 7th September! Hoorray for 2000ad and Dredd!

M.

Not-quite-so cool: Had to pay a €20.67 customs charge, plus a €6 post office handling fee. There's a chance this wouldn't have happened if whoever posted it hadn't marked it as a gift instead of a sample of merchandise, thereby raising the suspicious of the customs people. So I can't see myself buying any more 3A figures from that crowd. Grr.

Sorry to hear about the Customs Mike. 3A information flow being what it is, you had no way of knowing this but on Bambaland, there's a 'Special Instructions' box where you can request how your package is marked etc. Or you email 3A Customer Service after the sale. It's no guarantee Customs won't scoop it, but as a Droid I imagine if you got it marked as a merch sample you can argue it's work related. It says something that either Ming, Wellsy or meself have to pass this on to people, but if you're tempted by something else at least you know now! The hoops they place are sometimes invisible.

I take it these are the larger Ro-Jaws and that the smaller ones are due later in the year?

Don't hold your breath for the 1/12 this year, there's been no word on it at all as yet. Things seem to move awfully slow on the 2000ad line then pop up without much warning. News as and when there is any will be spread...

M.

Hurrah for Jimbo! Nice work fella.

And the shoulders are definitely ball joints, just really tight unfortunately.

M.

Haven't read any reviews, but I can imagine some of the criticisms centre on the [spoiler]rampant islamaphobia, survivalist gunporn and obsession with Walmart[/spoiler], but I got over those hurdles pretty rapidly myself and went with it.  The enormous set-piece ending is undoubtedly contrived and flagged well in advance, but very exciting nonetheless.

My one gripe would be that the [spoiler]titular plot and its instigator seemed to get dropped entirely 3/4 of the way through[/spoiler], which was a pity.  Less of an issue was the way everyone seemed to forget about [spoiler]the helicopter cops that got blown up [/spoiler]near the end.

Bingo on the reviews pretty much, also the lack of Big Ideas as summed up in Zula's line [spoiler]"When will the pirates on dinosaurs show up?" [/spoiler] I don't know about the [spoiler]Islamophobia so much - they came across as mostly scumbags which fundamentalist terrorists undoubtedly are and I found Jones at least a convincing antihero.[/spoiler] I was ok with the [spoiler]gunporn and survivalists[/spoiler] and I take the [spoiler]Walmart (does that really need a spoiler? Ach, it get's one anyway)[/spoiler] thing as a mark of consumerist ubiquity, and despite their lofty ideals the terrorists see no irony in buying from it.

M.

Lovely pages anihilate and nicklarr. I'd forgotten how bloody good Barry Kitson was.

M.

Arsebiscuits! I'm lying by the pool in Gran Canaria, topless hotties frolicking in the pool in front of me, and I just wanna go home for a toy. Is this normal?

Depends on the type of toy you mean .

M.

[YES! HE HAS LANDED!]

YES! HE HAS LANDED!

I fuckin love him. Swear to Tubal, I might like the other 3A stuff but there's nothing like a 2000ad fig. I've such a grin on me face!

CF - the shoulder guard on the side with the TAX badge - is yours fully moveable? (Mine moves on the other side but appears jarred on that side, it sits in).

They should both move ok - mine are stuck on both sides. It'll be paint lock or somesuch, you could either force it or leave it for a while and it will usually correct itself.

Fuckin Ro-Jaws! Anna turd!


M.

[Dredd]

That's a tasty, tasty cover wrapping the prog this week.

Dredd is great stuff, and I actually said 'yeah!' out loud at the reveal. The yarn is a cracking bit of work if you ask me, it's good fun and action packed.

Ichabod and the Dead was brilliant this week too but went by too quickly. Great deadpan moments and I was really happy to see [spoiler]she's real(?). [/spoiler] Nothing is ever at it seems here though,so we'll see. Really loving how this is connecting with the first strip and I never thought Dom's scribbles would be improved by adding colour, but by heckin flip it just looks gorgeous. I'm really looking forward to reading it all in one go from the start.

Red Seas continues to surprise me by being enjoyable!

Aquila is continuing it's strong start - I really lap this strip up. I said it before now, but it's like when Slaine was fresh; gory, exciting and fun. Brilliant.

Aquila keeps toying with inaccuracy that's pointless worrying about given that you know in all the books of the time I've read there's been no mention of a giant spartan demon warrior (or whatever) but you know since I have read a lot around this period I do sometimes fight the niggles in an otherwise great story.

I thought you'd know by now this here place thrives on peoples niggles, my man. If you can't be a pedant on the internet...

Zero's 7 was great also. This is working just fine and it's a treat to see that freak back on the scene. Good 'Dreddworld' strip that feels like it's of  Dreddworld, rather than pasted over it (even though it's a heist romp).

And a groan inducing (in a good way) Droid Life? That's some fine prog you're peddlin there Tharg. All cylinders in fine working order if you ask me.

M.

News! Ro-Jaws is starting to ship next week. Probably a week or two after that before he lands in UK.

M

Great stuff Ming, thanks for sharing it. Loving the detective work too, and that the various creator bods have been happy to help out.

MOAR!

M.

That's a lush page Jack (and MacNiel), not surprised it's become your favourite. Thin paper's not a problem when you frame 'em  My ABCs pages are on tracing paper as it happens, got the pencil roughs on normal paper too.

M.