Prog 2008 - Cosmic

[TordelBack]

Dredd was perfect

It really was, wasn't it?  After a week of re-reads I still rate this as one of the top Dredd episodes of all time.

[Funt Solo]

::"the Simpsons reference in Stickleback"

Please elucidate.

[Buttonman]

I didn't spot it first time myself but I think he's refering to the big Olmec head (Omlopokettle?) that the Simpson's have in their basement that shows up on page six. Strictly speaking this is more an Olmec reference than a Simpsons one, but seeing as it's in Stickleback's lair I can see the (alleged) connection.

[Proudhuff]

I saw that but didn't know if the Simpson's had lifted it from else where, or in fact if I had remembered the Simpsons correctly, if you see what I mean

Huffdski

[Rex Banner]

'more an Olmec reference than a Simpsons one'

Yes but Simpsons is far easier to spell without looking it up than Xt'Tapalatakettle!
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k25/lisa_loppit/140px-Xttap.jpg">

[The Adventurer]

Well I got to read Prog 2008 last night thanks to the magic of the internet.

So I can put my thoughts down on paper.

Short Opinion: This issue was KICKING RAD. Seriously there was nothing bad in this book, NONE. Every strip was exactly what I want out of ol' Tooth.

Long Opinion: Let me break it down...

JUDGE DREDD: THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS - This was pretty good. Nice references to Ambrose/Maybe who is sure to become a real threat in the coming year. Dredd's take down is a little by the numbers, but that's good for a jumping on strip. Actually, that's what this strip excels at, it's the perfect jumping on point for Dredd because it brings all the major Meg plot points and important characters to the surface subtly. It sure would be nice if MacNeil would paint something again, as I think he's only an average Dredd artist when he's being normally colored.

SHAKARA: THE DEFIANT - Oh look. The history of the Shakara. And presented in such a fantastic way too. I've loved this strip since it's inception and have been chomping at the bit for the next installment. And now that it's here it's as good as I'd hoped. Interesting use of colors and Flints art is amazing as always.

KINGDOM: THE PROMISED LAND - Kingdom was a bit of a breakout hit for me last year. It started off really slow, but by the end it had really grown on me, in particular the character of Gene Hackman. This looks like a very promising start to the next act. Though I do wonder how Gene walked all the way to Richmond so easily. I mean, he walk over half the world to get there!

NIKOLAI DANTE: DESTINY'S CHILD - Not bad. I love Dante and aside from a few cryptic comments by the Psi-girl at the end this felt a bit filler even to me, honestly I expected the girl to die horribly by the end. But that didn't happen. Burns is still a fantastic artist.

STICKLEBACK: ENGLAND'S GLORY - Stickleback, unlike Kingdom, was a bit of an Enigma to me last year when it ran. I liked it. But it wasn't a strip I was chomping at the bit to see again, unlike Shakara. But here we see our title character in the lead and I'm liking how things are developing. D'israeli is an amazing artist as always, so it does have that going for it.

SINISTER-DEXTER: INNER WALDORF HIRE AND DICE - Now this, this was comedy gold. I see people complaining about the actor likenesses. And I say you obviously missed the joke. It's the perfect anti-Hollywood action movie comedy piece with the excellent framing of having our intrepid heroes heckle it.  Simon Davis really needs to draw these characters more, though I like Anthony Williams, Davis's painted style just fits it more.

CABALLISTICS INC: THE NATIVITY - I wasn't expecting this to be be back so soon, but unlike others I knew the Cabs store was far from over after the last series. This sets up the current events nicely for new readers and sets up the new status quos for the team. I hope this series is back really soon.

STRONTIUM DOG: THE GLUM AFFAIR - I really liked Traitor to His Kind, and finally seeing some fall out from that mini-epic is sure swell. Carlos's art is top notch, maybe better then his work on Origins. I hope this is a good long run, instead of another short jot like the last few SD outings.

Like I said. Over all, Amazing Prog. Never a dull moment in all of my favorite 2000AD strips.

[TordelBack]

Looks like someone didn't like it much...

Link: http://savagecritic.com/2007/12/mind-oranges-marlon-douglas-looks-at.html" target="_blank">Mind the Oranges, Marlon...

[Dan Kelly]

Were the strips he mentioned really that incomprehensable if you haven't read earlier episodes?  Stickleback? Shakara?

Thought that they were fine as starter stories - but gave more if you'd read earlier series.  Dredd I'll accept has more worth as part of the last years run

[Funt Solo]

Seems like a perfectly reasonable critique, as well.  I hated the name "Gene the Hackman", till it was integrated into the storyline.  Cabs is slow going, and this opener did contain a lot of talking heads.  

And "2000 AD" is a silly name for a fantasy / sci-fi comic published in 2007.  (I know, I know - it's a recognisable brand.)

[TordelBack]

Seems like a perfectly reasonable critique

Annoyingly reasonable, certainly.  It just seemed a bit odd that the author reports beings enthralled by the disconnected snippets he first read as a youngster, but seemed annoyed by equally out-of-context sequences now - as much a case of a change in the reader over time as the comic itself.  Imagine dropping into Nemesis at the start of Book III (as I did) and saying "feck this, it doesn't make any sense, this comic has gone to the dogs, I'm off" (as I didn't).    

In particular, dismissing Kingdom because he doesn't like the very-2000AD name Gene the Hackman seems a bit silly.

It is pretty interesting as an example of early reaction to the Clickwheel experiment.  Time to watch the blogosphere closely, methinks.

[Mardroid]

Were the strips he mentioned really that incomprehensable if you haven't read earlier episodes? Stickleback? Shakara?


I haven't and they weren't. Incomprehensible I mean.

I actually have encountered Stickleback before, but it was the last 2 parts of the previous story, which was when I started getting this comic. And coming in at the end of that story with two strange underground tree creatures (the London Fathers?) was a lot more confusing than starting on this new story.

[Hoagy]

The Colin MacNiel art is fantastic. His devised angles are more easily read with conventional colouring and loosening up his almost obsessive grip on his characters is making them more and more believable.. Let them flow Colin.

If he paints again I hope it isn't like his nineties style but that of a crusader of boundary busting to a more confident zeal.

[Dark Jimbo]

If he paints again I hope it isn't like his nineties style but that of a crusader of boundary busting to a more confident zeal.

You type like a poet, Krom. Beautiful.

[Proudhuff]

'Were the strips he mentioned really that incomprehensable if you haven't read earlier episodes?'

I thought they were well structured as intros myself: there wasn't much reference to back stories etc and Stickleback showed us he was a Kingpin and the setting was obviously Ye Olde England with steampunk/supernatural influences.
Saka-ka-ka-ka what a fine, almost self contained tale.A couple of good jumping on spots me thinks...

lucky he never picked up a copy with London zombies and the ABC warriors wordathons ;p

[Goaty]

but in STICKLEBACK, is that Wild Bill?????