Prog 1784 - Rex on Fire

[Toni Scandella]

Dredd was, as is usual, brilliant.
Flesh I just can't get interested enough to follow any more, especially when cardboard cutout standard evil preacher man is in it. It's a shame as the original was so much fun, and Texas started off decently. It's not so much that it is bad - just not very interesting with some great bits and some terrible bits.  I'm not skipping this story, but I am sort of tutting when I come to it.
ZoZ... I appreciate it. I understand that it is very well done, and the art is great.  I just didn't really warm to it very much - possibly because I did not like any of the characters or care about any of them.
Terror Tale - I could not figure out what was happening, and nothing about it made me want to reread it more slowly to see if I could make sense out of it.
Anderson - This was OK. Nothing groundbreaking but with lovely art and an engaging enough story line.

[JUDGE BURNS]

I just love the weekends where the Prog and the Meg arrive together, don't you.

Anyway, back to business..... Great cover I have loved Flesh since prog 1, and at last this weeks stroy has started to move ahead now.

DREDD is in top form and outstrips all the other stories. When will the carnage end?

Zilk...pass....still not my cup o' tea.

Terror Tale,  lovely artwork from the Harrison droid, but the story was a bit flat for me.

Cadet Anderson..a bit more action here this week, and I really like Steve Yeowells' artwork.

Over all DREDD stands out..8/10

[IndigoPrime]

Terror Tale - I could not figure out what was happening, and nothing about it made me want to reread it more slowly to see if I could make sense out of it.

Kitsune is Japanese for fox. In Japanese folklore and mythology, foxes are magical beings that can take on human forms, and they become more powerful as they age. In some cases, the spirits are essentially evil, which I guess covers the one in this story. (They're fairly common in Usagi Yojimbo.)

In this strip, it's said Kitsuneland ('Foxland') was haunted and that a boy saw a kitsune suit without anyone inside. As the girls wander around, Drew meets the spirit, who encases her in a balloon, which flies away. Anna then takes a photo in a mirror and the flash lights up the dark night, showing kitsune behind her, and she too is turned into a balloon. The security guard then finds her camera with the imagine of the kitsune character, holding balloons, ready to encase Anna.

I also quite liked "I doubt they even have security". Well, there's a bloke with a dog and also a malevolent spirit that turns trespassers into balloons. Kinda reminds me of some of the older Future Shocks.

[Tjm86]

Haven't noticed anyone mention this so far, but that "Next prog" line for Dredd?

[spoiler]"An Interlude in Hell"? Wonder if the recently-discorporated three will make a bid to recover their brother for a fresh assault on Mega-City One?[/spoiler]

Had the same thought myself. [spoiler] Trying to remember when the storyline consigning Judge Death to hell was.  Seem to remember it was one of the more forgettable periods in the meg's history.[/spoiler]

[IndigoPrime]

Tjm86: see here for issue numbers.

[Toni Scandella]

Terror Tale - I could not figure out what was happening, and nothing about it made me want to reread it more slowly to see if I could make sense out of it.

Kitsune is Japanese for fox. In Japanese folklore and mythology, foxes are magical beings that can take on human forms, and they become more powerful as they age. In some cases, the spirits are essentially evil, which I guess covers the one in this story. (They're fairly common in Usagi Yojimbo.)

In this strip, it's said Kitsuneland ('Foxland') was haunted and that a boy saw a kitsune suit without anyone inside. As the girls wander around, Drew meets the spirit, who encases her in a balloon, which flies away. Anna then takes a photo in a mirror and the flash lights up the dark night, showing kitsune behind her, and she too is turned into a balloon. The security guard then finds her camera with the imagine of the kitsune character, holding balloons, ready to encase Anna.

I also quite liked "I doubt they even have security". Well, there's a bloke with a dog and also a malevolent spirit that turns trespassers into balloons. Kinda reminds me of some of the older Future Shocks.

Now _that_ makes me want to re-read it - thanks

[lborl]

I may be reading too much into this but is no-one else disturbed that [spoiler]the burning Blocks in this week's Dredd[/spoiler] are named after the installment's creators? Mega-City Block names are usually playful, ironic or obscure, and a [spoiler]'John Wagner Block' and a 'MacNeil Block'[/spoiler] seems worryingly direct. Almost as if [spoiler]there may not be any Blocks to honour people with[/spoiler] for a while, and they're getting theirs in while they can. It isn't very heartening either that the main locale in the story is named (albeit with an extra 'n') after an actor mostly known for [spoiler]reconstructing the Globe*[/spoiler] (thanks Wikipedia).






* Admittedly as in the Theatre. But if anything that only makes it sound more war-ish.

[Pioneer]

I may be reading too much into this but is no-one else disturbed that [spoiler]the burning Blocks in this week's Dredd[/spoiler] are named after the installment's creators? Mega-City Block names are usually playful, ironic or obscure, and a [spoiler]'John Wagner Block' and a 'MacNeil Block'[/spoiler] seems worryingly direct. Almost as if [spoiler]there may not be any Blocks to honour people with[/spoiler] for a while, and they're getting theirs in while they can. It isn't very heartening either that the main locale in the story is named (albeit with an extra 'n') after an actor mostly known for [spoiler]reconstructing the Globe*[/spoiler] (thanks Wikipedia).

Abso-blooming-precisely what I thought when I saw the page - when have we ever seen blocks named directly after the creator and one of the best artists to contribute to the strip? The fact that they're also burning is deeply ominous, I actually felt a shiver down my spine (and not a pleasant one) when I read that last page and the realisation hit me. Definitely there for the shock value. Wagner and MacNeil must be creasing up.....





* Admittedly as in the Theatre. But if anything that only makes it sound more war-ish.

[Pioneer]

And there's that lovely iPhone compatibility at full performance again....

[I, Cosh]

So, Tharg's been to a special screening. Surprised he hasn't been on the film thread to let us now what he thought.

[vzzbux]

Was nice to see two members of 'Mystery inc' cop for it.






V

[Proudhuff]

Blown away by Dredd this week, there really is no way back from this, othe rclassics have seemed to hit a re-boot/default button and MC is back to normal, but i feel there is no chance of this happening now, suddenly the whole Dreddverse is up in the air, no wonder Mr W is interested in how other writer are going to respond in post-DoC stories.

Zultan of Zulk was a groovy kooky little number and I for one and happy to see its madness light up the prog.

Flesh is just... well, lets just leave it

Terror tale was fine but a wee bit of Basil would have helped

Anderson is really just padding, if it stopped now would anyone care?



 

[Mikey]

Dredd continues to be worth the cover price alone. Tough times indeed for MC1. Fantastic stuff with special mention to the pet spider in the eldster's apt, made me chuckle amongst the misery!

ZoZ was a superb addition to the Prog line up. It felt very individual and called to my mind eating cheese sandwiches while watching Jamie and his Magic Torch. In a good way. It was like a gobstopper with a rotten egg in it's core. In a good way. Much as I liked it, I'm not sure if I'd be keen on another outing, it would be nice to have it as a stand alone I think.

Flesh - a good episode with plenty going on. I have lost track of whys and wherefores, but there you go.

Time Twister - loved the artwork, excellent atmosphere. Neat yarn altogether.

Again, Anderson felt too short, but I'm loving the art duo on display.

Good Proggage Tharg.

M.

[Alski]

Once again, Dredd takes the honours of Top Thrill, but I have a feeling that's going to be the case as long as Day Of Chaos continues, as it's the comic equivalent of a judge boot to the knackers. Flesh has certainly outstayed it's welcome (as did series 1), and hopefully Mills will let it die off (more Savage, please Pat). Zaucer was a mini delight which really must return, whilst Anderson is solid as a rock at the back. Future Shocks or whatever they've been called have been humdrum lately, and I look forward to a full prog of ongoing thrills.

Full review to come at ECBT2000AD

[W. R. Logan]

Dredd needs nothing more said about it but the rest of the Prog just pure disappointment.