Pretty damned excellent Prog. For a start it all looks wonderful. The one thing that baffles me is why its Prog 2130? If this was a relaunch Prog then fine. As it is its interrupted ongoing stories BUT isn't on comic shops for FCBD? Has Tharg just fumbled the timings or is there smarter marketing moves in play that I'm just not getting?
The way I see it if this was in the stops today, with loads of families coming in to get their free stuff, so was Prog 2129 this would have been an incredibly smart move. As its interrupted regular stories I can't see why this didn't happened. Of course the kids are getting free stuff today, so maybe its best in the shops when the free stuff has bitten them and they want some more comicy goodness... oh I don't know just as I see, from a point of ignorance, its a real shame this was there for folks to see today as its aces...
....well okay its not perfect but its still pretty damned aces. The only real problem is that the best new story Full Tilt Boogie, is way too much of an introduction and doesn't feel like a story in its own right. The art by Eduardo Ocana is simply stunning and the story perfect all ages 2000ad fodder. Money collecting gibbon bears catching down cool young characters, saved by creepy magic face dude summoning from goo caccoon a black clad ninja warrior dudette its just perfect stuff. Really kinetic, fun and sassy. Loved it BUT it was too open, too loose at the edges and I want more... but its a tease.
Finder and Keeper doesn't feel quite so perfectly 2000ad but is pretty good all the same. Cool characters and nice premise. Doesn't quite catch fire the way Boogie does but its a much more satisfying tale in itself.
There's also a frankly excellent Future Shock, looks stunning and while the ending isn't exactly shocking its entirely satisfying and if I was a kid reading this I think I'd love it... as a grumpy old man reading it I certainly did!
The other highlight is a glorious Cadet Dredd by Chris Weston. Fantastic call back with Krong, superb relationship between Dredd and Rico, giant thespian killer lizards, high comedy and thrilling action. Its just briliiant stuff.
Add to that entirely enjoyable Anderson and really pretty great Rogue Trooper, particularly like the way both kept the high levels of violence and action yet managed to soften the actual visceral kill toll, both in different and smart ways.
So yeah this is an absolute trimuph and Tharg... I mean Joko I demand more more MORE. Its just fantastic and I'm sure something of the quality, verve and thrillpower would find an audience if produced as a regular all ages comic.