Prog 2131 - The Ape of Good Hope

[Jim_Campbell]

A top prog in every respect, but I can’t articulate how much I’m enjoying D’israeli’s art job on Scarlet Traces. Reminiscent both of those amazing McMahon art jobs in the 84/85 Dredd annuals and Cam Kennedy’s Light and Darkness War art, in the way he uses washes in areas that would normally be solid black/colour.

[TordelBack]

Completely agree with Jim's praise and observations there, and if I remember correctly there's an extra layer to this, in that D'Israeli provided the (very different) colours for some of Cam's later Dredds?

[broodblik]

Spot on Jim, D'Israeli's unique artwork plus his coloring makes Scarlet Traces a joy to read. You mentioning Cam just  points to me how much I miss his artwork in the prog (he is certainly one of my favorite artists of all time).

[Tjm86]

More to the point, his work on Light and Darkness was sublime, on every level.  I doubt very much it would have worked as well with many other artists.  How many artists could take the hard core tech of Vietnam and merge it with Da Vinci's Renaissance tech?  My greatest shame is that I missed the chance to buy some of his work on it back in the day.   

[Frank]

Completely agree with Jim's praise and observations there, and if I remember correctly there's an extra layer to this, in that D'Israeli provided the (very different) colours for some of Cam's later Dredds?

Doomsday, mate. D'israeli and Flint are contenders for McMahon's crown as most accomplished and innovative artist.


Although Henry Flint is also the new Kev O'Neill AND Carlos Ezquerra, so that's got to be worth extra points. Staples and Weston are Bolland, the late Edmund Bagwell was our generation's Gibbons, and let's hope Leonardo Manco can be our Blasco.

[TordelBack]

Never made the Gibbons/Bagwell connection, but there's a lot of truth in that. So tragic he never got the chance to be the world-striding colossus he should have been.

I change with the wind, but I think my no-particular-order all-time top-three 2000AD artists are C. Kennedy, Ezquerra and D'Israeli. Current Scarlet Traces is a good explanation why a relative whippersnapper* gets onto the leaders' grid.


*I know Matt's served his time a dozen times over, but in that company he's still starting out...

[JOE SOAP]

I'd like to see Henry Flint get a signature strip that's all his own. It's been a long time since Shakara.

Although anything that takes him away from doing as much JD as possible is a toughie as he's stamped his boots all over that.

[broodblik]

I change with the wind, but I think my no-particular-order all-time top-three 2000AD artists are C. Kennedy, Ezquerra and D'Israeli. Current Scarlet Traces is a good explanation why a relative whippersnapper* gets onto the leaders' grid.

The prog has been blessed with great artist the last 40 years. What bout Weston,Flint, Bolland (just to name  few) ?

[TordelBack]

Gods every one, and I'll happily add O'Neill, MacNeil, Coleby, Belladinelli, Holden, McMahon, Googe, Gibson, Staples, Ewins, Ranson, Elson, Hairsine, Wilson, Redondo, McCarthy, Dyer, Davis, Davies, Williams, Gallagher, Yeowell, Culbard, and on and on and not come close to a list of my favourites... but if I had to pick a Top 3, D'IsraelI would be in it (today).

[Jim_Campbell]

Just to add in that any list of my top [number] 2000AD artists will always include Cam. There’s so much stuff to gush over in his work, but underlying it all is a standard of draughtsmanship that’s just breathtaking and which he makes look completely effortless.

[BPP]

2000ad is blessed with so many artists who have a unique style and who are masters of it.


Whenever the yanks had their ‘artists don’t push the needle’ conversation last year I laughed... so much of their art is so terribly generic in style it’s no surprise (not to say they don’t have similar greats too). If 2000ad was similar I’m not sure I’d still be reading it but as long as Flint, Disraeli, Dom, Clint, Colin etc etc are producing the amazing work they do I’m all in,

[Dandontdare]

well my prog finally arrived this Tuesday - along with the meg and the following week's prog all on the same day!

Excellent Dredd (including the awesome cover) - I heard an intriguing theory about who Niemand was at Lawless, and having now read this I think it's extremely plausible, but if it's true there's a very good reason why he's anonymous, so I won't share it.

Enjoying everything else in the prog, and it's a good variety of strips. Kingmaker steps out of the action for some worldbuilding, but still interesting; I'm loving Max Normal (does everybody in Dreddworld have to have an ape buddy though? It's getting a bit cliche), I especially like the design of the psychotic juvies.

Reckon I need to do that Scarlet Traces re-read as I have trouble remembering what went before, but I'm still thoroughly enjoying it.

Hard to judge the 3hriller until we can be sure it doesn't suffer from the "disappointing third part" syndrome, but a nice opener

[broodblik]

Excellent Dredd (including the awesome cover) - I heard an intriguing theory about who Niemand was at Lawless, and having now read this I think it's extremely plausible, but if it's true there's a very good reason why he's anonymous, so I won't share it.

Mister Dare you cannot just open the box and not share 

But I do respect peoples want to be anonymous

[Richard]

If anyone missed this prog, I now have two by accident, so whoever is first to ask for a free one may have it. Free p&p if you live in the UK.

[Dark Jimbo]

Ooh! May I?