Prog 1827 - Heavy Metal Headbang!

[coastguardjackuk]

A medium to lower end of high dose of thrill power for me this week. It's taken me a few days for the cover to grow on me but I love it now and people on the train have been staring at me more weirdly than they normally do. The Davidson droid is a revelation and I hope we see a lot more of him. Agree the "condolences on your loss" line the out loud funny moment this week. Also, as an old Wham! fan from back in the day it's niced to see Drew Ridgely block. This Dredd story is excellent.
Dandridge is fine, Ghostship Mathematica looks extremely interesting and Stickleback is of course excellent.
Zombie just doesn't do it for me anymore. The insanity is all good I suppose but I'm not laughing like I have done. Having said that it's worth it just for the SC4RABS.
Letters excellent as always. Top marks to Adrian Banfield and Mabs Ahmed both making extremely valid and good points.

[Albion]

The Octopus's Garden gags in Zombo were hilarious. 

[Bat King]

My review.

Not enjoying Zombo as much as I feel I should... could be me...

http://judgetutorsemple.wordpress.com/2013/04/10/960/

[Alien Goodness]

Cover - Didn't do anything for me, but I can see its appeal to a certain type of mind!
Dredd - Enjoying this story. I think it's good that Muslim references are being used to reflect the multi-cultural world we live in
Dandridge - This character, and the world he inhabits, is growing on me. I didn't like his previous run in 2000AD
3hrillers - My favourite story of the Prog this week (like the previous 3 weeks). I sometimes get the feeling that writers for regular strips drag out their stories (for example Wagner on the recent SD). In the 3hriller, the writer has to cram everything, thus increasing the thrill-power quota on each page IMHO.
Stickleback - D'Israeli's artwork is fantastically unique. Having said that, I find it a little hard to read, with all the mottled greys and white lines. But I'm willing to put up with it as it's refreshingly idiosyncratic.
Zombo - Makes me titter rather than laugh. Gags are fired out with the accuracy of Sir Les Patterson with a machine gun. Some hit the mark, while others whistle pass the studio lights to ricochet ineffectively in the high roof.

[Hawkmumbler]

Anyone think the good doctor in Stickleback is related to Max Winwood at all?

[ChickenStu]

Liked the Dredd and am enjoying the Dandridge story. Ain't had much of a chance to look at the 3hriller yet. The Stickleback story isn't really doing it for me I'm afraid. I WANT to get into the Zombo one, but I know other readers are finding it a bit inpenetrable. I want to see the previous graphic novels to get up to date on what this thing is all about...

[Mister Macheath]

I want to see the previous graphic novels to get up to date on what this thing is all about...

Anticipating the return of Zombo I picked up the first one in order to get clued in (or as clued in as it is possible to be with Zombo), and lordy it is very good. Unlike the current stuff there is at least a semblance of a narrative, and the art is much tighter than the recent ones, very pretty. There's still a massive gaping hole in my Zombo knowledge though as I believe the second TPB isn't out until October.

I quite like the latest stuff too, I should add, even if it is utterly loopy. As someone up above mentioned, it fires a lot of gags out and not all of them stick, but for me enough of them get the laffs. I just really wish it looked as lovely as the early stuff.

[Mabs]

Prog 1927

We've discussed the cover in length in the other thread but i'll stick by my initial thoughts -  which is i think it's a great cover! I love the fact it's created a lot of talk, some for and some against Nick Percival's artwork. It's quite evocative of horror tales from the past (Washington Irving's 'Sleepy Hollow' comes to mind). I love the look of the two 'tin men' getting their heads bashed together, not to mention the use of colour and detail. Definitely one of my favourite covers of the last few weeks.

Judge Dredd (Suicide Watch Part 2) was a great read. We're slowly getting closer to uncovering the mysterious figure who seems to erase people from history (and apparently it's not who i thought it was in the last issue). Again, Paul Davidson's artwork is really great as is the story by Gordon Rennie & Emma Beeby, i'm really enjoying this story. Again we have some stand out moments such as Judge Hamida's encounter with the ghosts of the past atop the underpass, and the chilling last panels.

Dandridge (The Copper Conspiracy Part 4) was really great. The first week or two i wasn't too sure about the strip, but since last week the story has really picked up, and i found myself enjoying it quite a bit. Of course Warren Pleece's artwork is a large part of the reason why i'm enjoying it, but so's the story by Alec Worley. I loved the macabre/funny scene of a headless body (Shelley) pummelling the robot hordes to oblivion! As for the rest, well lets just say the mystery is deepening, conspiracy indeed.

Tharg's 3rillers (The Ghostship Mathematica Part 1) was an absolute joy to read! Seeing all the animal/alien characters sitting around in the opening page was like the Mos Eisley Cantina scene in Star Wars; in a word, awesome. The story is also very interesting and it had my attention from the start (Treasure Island comes to mind). Just as his work on Judge Dredd was fantastic a few Prog's back, so is Inaki Miranda's artwork just as good here. I must say i'm starting to become a big fan of his work. The panel where we see the Ghostship for the first time was absolutely brilliantly potrayed. Very atmospheric for a single panel i must say, and i couldn't help but drool over it. Again the character designs are awesome, i love the look of the lizard/robot captain and his 'Blacksmith' sidekick (who strangely reminds me of Orko from the He-Man cartoon series i loved watching as a kid!).

Stickleback (Part 4) was okay. Interesting to learn more about the Lizard Queen and her offspring from the mad doctor! As for the spotting game, didn't spot anything that floated my boat, but the Eye of Hastur reference was interesting. Hastur being the demon which i remember from another of Edginton's story, Leviathan.

As for Zombo (Part 4), sadly there was no such enjoyment for me in this weeks instalment, as there was in the last. I just found it very....uninteresting (too put it kindly). Henry Flint's artwork was very well done, but that was as far as i could enjoy in regards to thrill factor. I hope the story picks up next week. Also, having read the collected trade (and loved it) i must say seeing Zombo in a grey colour palette somewhat detracts from the 'awesome' factor for me...

Last but not least, the letters page! I always love its inclusion in the Prog. But this week i'm particularly honoured to see my letter up there - i still feel in awe of seeing my name in the Galaxy's Greatest, It's a special feeling indeed and one i shall treasure....so thank you Tharg!

Overall a strong Prog with Judge Dredd, Dandridge and Tharg's 3riller being the standout for me.

4/5

[Mister Macheath]

....the Eye of Hastur reference was interesting. Hastur being the demon which i remember from another of Edginton's story, Leviathan.

I'm unfamiliar with Leviathan, and up until this current run unfamiliar with Stickleback, but Hastur is a name most often associated with the Lovecraft/Cthulhu Mythos, originated by Robert W. Chambers.

It has been used to refer to both places and supernatural characters, although in modern parlance (in Cthulhu Mythos RPGs/board games for instance) generally refers to an Elder deity, also known as The King In Yellow.

Not that any of that has any real relevance, just thought it was worth mentioning as an aside, given that Stickleback is incredibly reference heavy as it is.

[Dredd Head]

Loved this prog. Ghostship Mathematica is a great story and love the art. Zombo was awesome this week as well.

[Zarjazzer]

the Thrillers tale is just so good I can hardly praise it enough. Will have to steel myself to wait for the next episode. Dredd was fun as was Stickleback. Zombo finally began to kick into gear for me but still seems too much of a scattergun but the line "you're not really a traitor if your side wins" made me lol. 

[Mabs]

My panel of the week;

http://nexuswookie.wordpress.com/2013/04/13/2000ad-panel-of-the-week-prog-1827/

[chris_askham]

Another cracking prog.

'Condolences on your loss citizen' - Genuine laugh out loud moment.

This was my panel of the week - a great line, and a cracking action shot.

[Mabs]

I'm unfamiliar with Leviathan, and up until this current run unfamiliar with Stickleback, but Hastur is a name most often associated with the Lovecraft/Cthulhu Mythos, originated by Robert W. Chambers.

I highly recommend you pick up the Leviathan trade, it's an awesome story and D'Israeli's artwork is something else.

[Mister Macheath]

I'm unfamiliar with Leviathan, and up until this current run unfamiliar with Stickleback, but Hastur is a name most often associated with the Lovecraft/Cthulhu Mythos, originated by Robert W. Chambers.

I highly recommend you pick up the Leviathan trade, it's an awesome story and D'Israeli's artwork is something else.

Aye I've been meaning to since this story started. Maybe next week, already splashed out on £60+ worth of trades this week, a habit I'm rather keen not to get back into!

Also...

Another cracking prog.

'Condolences on your loss citizen' - Genuine laugh out loud moment.

This was my panel of the week - a great line, and a cracking action shot.

^ This!