Prog 2382: Beware Iron Teeth

[IndigoPrime]

New beginnings and one ending this issue. First up, Judge Dredd unsurprisingly puts us back in the city, with no explanation of how he escaped the pit of Shako. Niemand does a good job setting up a tale of horror, with some exposition on page two delivered in a way that felt natural. Nasty last page. Looking forward to what's next.

Aguila concludes with a thoughtful few pages of mercy and a final frame of freakiness, before the confirmation that the next story will be the last. And then we get Intestinauts, which gives the Prog a touch of levity (and vibrancy) but puts its miniature heroes in a sticky situation at the end. Honestly, I think I enjoyed this episode more than most of Indigo Prime already, so I'm happy for the swap.

Brink is essentially five more pages of talking heads that can nonetheless do no wrong, in my eyes. It's got to be up there with the best strips in 2000 AD's history. And then Proteus Vex  ends the Prog on another cracker, providing us with more insight into the flesh pilots that, to some extent, just takes us further down the rabbit hole.

2000 AD has been strong for a long while. But this line-up was excellent – one of those times where I blazed through the Prog because everything was so good. Kudos to every writer and artist this issue, and of course also to Tharg and his minions.

[Leigh S]

After 40 years, we now know what IT stands for....

[Tjm86]

I would have to agree on the standard of this prog.  Some outstanding artwork across the board.  Dredd sets its basic premise nicely, highlighting exactly how dire the straits are for MC1. 

Actually, I'd say this is something that hasn't fully been explored properly before.  Other than the TC1 takeover attempt and other oblique references in the odd story, it's a bit of an unspoken issue.

When you consider what MC1 was like when we first started, how powerful Justice dept was and how it stood on the world stage, present day MC1 is a pale shadow of this (kind of like Britain ....).  The effects of these events have never fully been laid bare.  So it's nice to see Niemand leaning into this shortcoming.

As for the rest of the prog, aye, Aquila's ending and setting up the final story make for a fine ending to this chapter.  On one level it will be a shame to see this go but at the same time, that closure is welcome.

Agree on Brink.  Having been working my way slowly through previous runs to try and bring myself up to speed, it really has been interesting to see how this has 'evolved' so to speak.  Culbard manages to create an impressively disturbing environment at times, conveying the claustrophobia of living conditions in habitats that are so massive in scale.  This episode might have been a bit 'talking-heads' in scope but there's still a scintilla of action to keep things moving.

I have to admit to being less than impressed with Intestinauts to date.  Not entirely sure why but this just hasn't clicked with me.  Shades of Banzai Battalion but without the characterisation maybe?  The fact that it is literally toilet humour perhaps?  Possibly the stories to date that haven't done much for me. 

Clearly this is personal so I'm going to be careful with my assessment of the tale.  Maybe this will be the one that finally clicks and forces a reappraisal?

Certainly I can't fault the artwork.  It's up there with some of the best Tooth has to offer.  There's that fine balance between humorous, cartoonish and serious sci-fi.

The plotting is neatly done.  The premise for the tale is lain clearly with the multiple threats comfortably established.  TBH I can't remember where the 'bots were at last time round so there on scene arrival and the tribulations they'd just overcome are lost in the recesses of my addled memory.  I imagine for new readers that might be a problem and deter from appreciation. 

The same holds for the 'big bad' introduced in the final moments.  Who is it?  What do they want?  Why have they got it in for the Intestinauts?  How does this link with the incident in the lab? 

If this episode has any flaws it is here.  Don't get me wrong, it's a nice, dramatic ending.  Unfortunately it lacks the full punch it deserves as a result.  Certainly for me, anyway.

This series of Proteus Vex has been far more interesting than previous ones.  This week we literally dig into who or what Flesh Pilots are.  Revelations produce as many questions as they do answers.  To say that this tale is multi-layered is an under-statement of epic proportions.

This is rapidly becoming one of my favourite strips, Tooth at its finest.  It is so far removed from the 'Federation-esque' styling of far too much Sci Fi - a pseudo-human world in which aliens are the periphery.  Everything about it is alien, every single character, events, relationships ...

I would also have to say that on this strip Lynch has utterly transformed himself as an artist.  He has capably and ably stepped into Flint's shoes after the first storyline, no mean feat for a man second only to Belardinelli for the creation of the utterly alien in Tooth for my money.  Gone is the artist who delivered the grotesquerie of the Orlok strip.   He may well have taken Flint's template but he has also made it his own, building deft touches that set it apart from that first run.

With a couple of weeks before the new Rogue Trooper run, I'm guessing we've got another Thr3ller to come.  Be interesting to see what this one comes up with.  They seem more challenging than Future Shocks with a bit more space to breathe but the challenge of delivering the story in 3 acts, so to speak.

BTW, IP has not done full justice to Percival's cover work.  The full wraparound is up to his normal standards with the back cover focusing more on the main protagonists of this tale. 

[broodblik]

With a couple of weeks before the new Rogue Trooper run, I'm guessing we've got another Thr3ller to come.

Indeed it is going the be a Thr3ller, from the 2000A DX (the former artists know as Twitter) feed:

The climb begins in Prog 2383...

From @davidbaillie/@NickBrokenshire/Annie Parkhouse

[IndigoPrime]

Yes, the alien nature of Proteus Vex makes it something special. It has imagination and strange elements. These beings aren't just humans slightly reworked. In 2000 AD terms, perhaps Shakara is the closest strip in that regard. Although Vex is much deeper.

And I'd second the art. Honestly, I was disappointed when the artist changed and a little unconvinced by the second run. It just didn't quite feel right. But now I can't imagine this being illustrated by anyone else. Lynch's art in this strip has evolved to become nothing short of superb. Properly top-tier stuff. 

[broodblik]

Lynch has made Vex his own

[Barrington Boots]

Good shout on Iron Teeth initialising as IT!
Also agree on Jake Lynch's work on Vex. It's fantastic. This thrill feels like a genuine top-tier banger that should be up there with Thargs best.

Saturday Prog for me, a rare delight!

Dredd didn't have much here to engage me tbh, but lets see where it goes.

Aquila wraps up well and with a surprisingly merciful act. This series has felt a bit like two Aquila series compressed into one in places - a couple of characters and events have not had perhaps the impact they might have - but equally I've enjoyed the pace and the story very much, especially when things haven't been resolved by hack and slash as per the last two weeks, so I wouldn't change anything. Series finale coming up and I'm looking forward to that, especially as I have no idea how it will end.

Intestinauts is always welcome back imo. Lovely artwork and an interesting final page.

Very strong Brink this week.

Proteus Vex really great this week too. The reveal on the Flesh Pilot had me delighted, and then the second reveal on the final page (we didn't know that, did we?) just elevates things even more. Absolutely love this strip.

Brink and Vex in one Prog is superlative stuff. Great issue.

[don wiskerando]

For someone whose memory of 40 years ago is increasingly dim, could someone explain the IT reference fir me please?

[Barrington Boots]

Only that IRON TEETH seems to be a child-murdering underground monster whose initials are IT, which is the name of Stephen Kings famous child-killing monster that lives in the sewers. It might be nothing (at least that's my reading of it)

[Freddychopper]

Strong looking Prog. Only read Dredd quickly as it dropped through the letter box (before work!). Awesome wraparound cover and Iron Teeth is off to an intriguing start. Love Percival's cinematic, moody art and that grisly last page: Doesn't look safe for those children. Cup of tea and will read the rest!

[Richard]

Who is it?  What do they want?  Why have they got it in for the Intestinauts?  How does this link with the incident in the lab?

Given how multi-episode stories usually work, aren't these questions which we will find out the answers to in the next episodes? Would it really be easier to follow if we were told the answers before this character showed up?

[don wiskerando]

Only that IRON TEETH seems to be a child-murdering underground monster whose initials are IT, which is the name of Stephen Kings famous child-killing monster that lives in the sewers. It might be nothing (at least that's my reading of it)

Ah.  Excuse my ignorance.  I thought I'd missed a Dredd reference from my well-spent youth.

[Nick Percival]

I should point out that the main influence behind this tale stems from the Gorbals Vampire  - "After school, hundreds of children of all ages armed themselves with blades and crosses, stakes and dogs and descended upon the city's Southern Necropolis to hunt the Gorbals Vampire."

https://folklorescotland.com/the-gorbals-vampire/

[Nick Percival]

With a dash of 'Stand By Me'...

[M.I.K.]

Already being familiar with the Gorbals Vampire and having that at the forefront of my mind, I totally missed any Stephen King references.