Meg 309 - Tripping the Psight Fantastic.

[Pete Wells]

Another strong Meg with the Death of Dredd question being addressed strangely early.

Cover - A great S B Davis cover which holds great intrigue for the Anderson strip.

Dredd - for some reason, Tharg can't bring us the final part of Hot Night in 95 (aaaaaagh, I can't wait another month to see what's the matter with Hershey!) so we're treat to 'Dredd Set.' Liam Shap's art, for the most part is freaking amazing, just like the James Bond episode in the Christmas Issue. However, some panels near the end lack the incredible detail of the rest of his work. I wonder if he was asked to submit his work early to compensate for Hot Night? Still a fun story with some cracking in-jokes and, in places, breath taking art.

Anderson- A real action-packed starter with, as you'd expect, lovely art by Boo Cook. There's a nice nod to the Judge Minty film in panel one and a superb DPS that's filled with fun little Dredd references - Pie In The Sky, skysurfers, weather control, Chopper and more. I can't tell you how much I love Boo's colouring, it makes my pages glow! All good stuff!

Numbercruncher - I adore this, it's genius. The premise itself is clever enough but then add the accident gun, iskins, organic architecture, triple crosses and recirculation algorithms all wrapped up in PJ's ingenious two tone artwork. Just brilliant.

Insurrection - speaking of brilliant, this strip takes a very sinister turn this month. The rebels continue to find clever ways to get one up on the evil Justice Dept. but I fear face hard decisions in the future. Colin's artwork is magnificent and I can't for the life of me work out how he's made those simple robots on the last couple of pages so unsettling. Ace!

Not read the articles yet but we've got - interrogation of Lawrence Campbell, a review of a new Alan Moore biography, an article on Flesh, Dreddlines and film reviews. There's also a fabby Ian Gibson Dredd-based floppy, yay!

A cracking Meg.

[Steve Green]

Ah yes, this is what Christmas Eve used to be like...

[Large48]

Whistles noncon nonchen nonte

Just fucking whistles ok!

[mygrimmbrother]

Pete - I wondered the same thing about Dredd Set - although I have to admit I quite like the 'unfinished' look of those later panels. Maybe even prefer them.

[Proudhuff]

letters page with NO Buttonman again 

[Buttonman]

letters page with NO Buttonman again  

Bang wrong once again Tom.

My issue arrived with the letters page including the following classic :


Dear Dreddlines,

Well done on a cracking Meg 307 - even the heavy anchor of Samantha Slade in the bonus book couldn't stop this one being a winner.

The cover was a bit confusing though - the mutated, staggering freaks made me think you'd sent me a Greenock holiday brochure by mistake!

It was great to see John Wagner on the Dredd and the story already looks like a classic in the making. I could've done with less of Logan wittering on about his replacement arm but I'll reserve judgement in case we find out that it fires lasers and saves the day in part 4. Dredd does seem a bit indulgent however and I'd have expected him to cut through the small talk with a well placed 'bugger off'. Nice to see Hershey back in the fray and it would be good if she became a series regular, especially if we can delve a bit deeper into her character.

'Number Cruncher' and 'Sam Squad' continue to intrigue and I think both are a fine addition to the Meg's thrill roster which has been lacking a few returning hits for a while. Speaking of hits 'Insurrection' was great despite there only being 20 words of non-aarrgg dialogue in the first four pages. Colin Macneill's work is so lush and detailed that it doesn't come over as a quick read, especially when every page is worth salivating over.

The features were their usual mix of information and complaining and Pete Hogan certainly surpassed my pre-expectations by seeming a nice and friendly chap. His work was always a little offbeat for my tastes but his continued success is testament to his undoubted talent and he certainly belongs in the firmament of 2000ad stars who have genuinely 'cracked it'.

The movie reviews were a lot more balanced than the recent slash fests although ballet movies may a step too far in the other direction! Still she's got creepy eyes so we'll let that go!

Anyway, thanks again for a great issue and I can't wait for the Megazine year to come.

Regards

Stephen Watson


OK the paper didn't match and there was Prit-Stick all over the place but I was happy!

[Steve Green]

Great Meg, with Numbercruncher and Insurrection really hitting the spot.

And yay, I spotted the helmet on a post in Anderson!

[Mel Horton]

Has anyone else had a badly printed meg 309? On the second to last page of Insurrection the lower half of the last panel is missing in my copy.

[mogzilla]

not read it yet but scanned the floppy during lunch does gibbo get royalties for his reprints? are rebellion sweetening him up for a possible return to the prog?

[SmallBlueThing]

An adequate Meg, enlivened by some yummy art by liam sharp, more entertaining numbercruncher and a flesh feature.

Anderson though; sorry, i know she, alan grant and boo cook have their fans, but this really isnt for me. A simplistic, dull, story that doesnt even reward me with a cliffhanger, rather it's just a chopped up trade. The episode could have ended at any of the pages previously and it would have had the same (lack of) impact. Boo Cook's art is okay; nice and colourful certainly, but does nothing for me whatsoever. How old is Cass supposed to be now? The woman portrayed here is 25 tops, which goes against the script and the minor bits of characterisation Grant puts in.
As for Insurrection, i remain to be convinced. Colin's art is chunky and gorgeous as ever, but i'm not feeling the story this time around.
Reviews of films i shant be seeing, a fairly interesting interview with lawrence campbell, whose art looks nice, and a letter that made me seethe (which is the best kind).
The floppy was just dismal, too.
All in all, middling. But i did like the new numberbox on the cover. How long's that been there?
Oh, and no missing panels in mine!
SBT

[Large48]

Ah, perhaps the Minty thing I was thinking of is in a later Meg. :-(

[Steve Green]

It's the gift that keeps on giving

[IndigoPrime]

Gotta say, I agree about Anderson. Maybe her time in Boing froze her age or something. Ranson was, for me, the only guy who really nailed the art for a middle-aged Cass. Boo's art is great, but it's like Anderson from another time—or after quite a lot of cosmetic surgery.

[Proudhuff]

Pinky, are you pondering what I'm pondering?

[Steve Green]

Was that a gag about the Ma-ma Dredd thing in the queue? That's pretty obscure