2000AD Prog 1603 - 10 September 08

Cover by Clint Langley

Stan Bastion: A cracking Clint Langley cover showing Steelhorn smashing up Hammersteins with his hammer. I could have perhaps done without all the text at the bottom – I want to see more broken robots! It has reproduced a tad dark, but I don't think it spoils the effect, as it is supposed to be depicting a future battlefield.

WR Logan: I want to like it - in fact, I want to love it but it just doesn’t work. It's too dark and unclear and the worst ABC Warrior reinvention of this latest interpretation of the Mek-nificent Seven. 

Joe Saxton: Personally, I have no love for Clint Langley's art and this series of covers has not set me alight.  However, this is probably the weakest of that series.  The design of Steelhorn is far less interesting than most of the other Warriors and this seems to be recognised in a far busier background and more dynamic pose than most of the Warriors got.  In fact, I found exploring the background more exciting than Steelhorn, as small touches like the message on the Hammerstein hammer add some depth.

Mutie Block Part 4 Script: John Wagner Art: Kev Walker Colours: Chris Blythe Letters: Annie Parkhouse

Dredd improvises...

Synopsis: Dredd continues holding back the mob until the judges outside finally destroy the jamming devices, at which point he tells them he's inside. Outside, the judges are rounding up the remains of the mob, including some who tell them that the block is wired to blow. Indeed, the charges go off, destroying the foundations of the block, but it only topples slightly. The block is evacuated and the judges have to find somewhere else for the mutants. Dredd goes back to his day job...

SB: Mutie Block ends with its fourth episode, which came as a bit of a surprise to me, I had expected a mini-mega-epic of maybe ten chapters. Kev Walker's art has been getting better every week, with his close-up action shots of Dredd really capturing the character better than anyone else in recent memory. If I was Rebellion I'd have action figures and scale models sculpted directly from his drawings in this story.

Wagner's script wraps up what has been a completely satisfying Dredd experience. Usually if a story ends with the cavalry showing up, it's a massive anti-climax, but when Dredd's been pushed to the limit on his own, it works fine. As does the fluffed terrorist explosion – which again, in the hands of a lesser writer could have read as absolute nonsense. And to have Dredd called away from the chaos to tend to a citizen trapped in an ape chute was perfect. No rest for the law!

All in all, this story was a perfect bite sized classic!

WRL: I was expecting something very serious when this first started but, as usual, Wagner doesn’t do the obvious when it comes to Dredd. No doubt, at some point in the near future we will have to have a mutie story that looks at the new additions to the Mega City populace in a serious manner. But in the meantime, this moves the story forward and this has the nice touch in between the violence where we have characters looking outside the frame and speaking directly to the reader. When we have the eventual mutant storyline collected under one cover I’m not sure how Mutieblock will sit among it all but, on its own, the last 4 weeks have been entertaining.

I know many readers rate Kev Walkers stripped back style very highly, but while I don’t dislike his art style, it doesn't get my thrill circuits firing like his work of old. 

JS: Wow, what a cracking little story this has been.  Cue some gushing about how amazing a handle Wagner has on Dredd and MC1.  You know how true it is, I know how true it is, why are we arguing about it?
 
On art, it was good to see Kev Walker back after he missed out on Mandroid 2.  He's also an artist with great talent for visual storytelling - the number of talking head panels in this strip never felt like a chore to read or disrupted the pacing of the strip.

Old Gods - Part 4 Script: Ian Edginton Art: Steve Yeowell Letters: Ellie De Ville

Erebus states the obvious...

Synopsis: Dancer and his crew meet the locals, a hybrid culture of Indian and Viking. They meet the leader Utha, who tells them that in ancient times, they fought to control a beast called the Jotun, taking it to the New World to be buried and forgotten. Undead soldiers were bound to it to prevent it from awaking, and others stayed nearby, eventually becoming locals. The "Noble dead" have arisen, but now fight the living. They sense that Dancer has wielded an ancient Norse weapon (in a previous adventure) and that Erebus is "the Sons of Fenris" and heralds the end of days. They tell Dancer that they must go to Asgard and ask for aid...

SB: I like Ian Edginton's stuff, but in every story he writes there has to be an episode of exposition, and this week we got it for the Old Gods. It seems like a fairly interesting set up, but I'd appreciate the characters finding this stuff out more naturally, and across a few episodes.

Steve Yeowell's art stands up to the task of illuminating all the back-story, and the wood cut page is very nice indeed. I can't wait to see what he does when the heroes all end up in Asgard!

WRL: When I’m asked to do a review, inevitably I find that there’s always at least one story that I’m not reading, and this time it's the Red Seas. Ever since the first Red Seas story, I find that I pile up the Progs and read each new story all in one sitting. I quite like the strip & Steve Yeowell's art but just can't get into them on a weekly basis. So best ask me if I enjoyed it when it finishes. 

JS: The Red Seas starts to find purpose this week with some overview of the plot. This comes at the expense of quite a few talking head panels, but we do get a lovely page of stylised illustration, something that Mr Yeowell excels at.  I'm rather in the dark as to who the bad guy is, am i supposed to recognise him? if i am please tell me, Tharg.

Volgan War 3 - Part 3 Script: Pat Mills Art: Clint Langley Letters: Simon Bowland

Hammerstein's bedside manner left a little to be desired...

Synopsis: We learn that Volkahn and Blackblood placed a virus in Steelhorn and set him loose on the humans and the ABC Warriors. The battle rages, and Hammerstein is caught up in Steelhorn's implosion field...

SB: Steelhorn's backstory continues as Blackblood's virus causes him to turn on his ABC allies. As much as I enjoyed this chapter, the fact that everything that happens in it can be adequately summed up with that single sentence is a bit worrying. Only on a second reading did I realise that nothing else happens.

Langley's art has gotten a bit darker, and it is occasionally difficult to see what's going on, but what I can make out is magnificent. I especially enjoyed his depiction of the implosion ripping poor Max to pieces. I think this is the only artist in 2000AD's current regular roster that makes me want more splash pages!

WRL: With his ABC Warriors art, Clint Langley continues to show that 2000 AD does what many American comics fail to do and that’s progress and innovate. At times, it seems as if the 2000 AD page size is too small to show Clint’s art as its best. So, I’m really enjoying his take on the Warriors. Or I was until we got to Steelhorn.

Whereas all the Warriors so far have been recognizable with all their previous incarnations, Steelhorn has been given the redesign furthest from the classic double-page spread opener way back in Prog 127. As each new episode appears I find myself just looking at the artwork and reading less and less of the story. At this rate, by the time the Warriors latest volume ends it’ll all be about the art and I won’t be reading a word. 

JS: Eeeeuurrgghhh.  Do I have to say more than that?  OK, I will. 

From a script droid with Pat Mills's experience and pedigree, I can only assume that the horribly disjointed dialogue and apparent random elements peppering the story are either intentional (in which case, why the hell are you doing this to us, Pat?). Either that or this is the product of editorial droids trying to tie together scripts and finished art that bear little relation to what happens in the other. 

Horrible.

Part 4 Script: Tony Lee Art: Jon Davis-Hunt Letters: Ellie De Ville

Andrews sets out his terms...

Synopsis: Andrews kills a prisoner and warns more will follow unless the wherabouts of the missing guard is revealed. Soon they discover the body and the inmates are worried that an all out search for the murder weapon will reveal the tunnel. They draw straws to see who will own up to the murder. Holland loses, but the Old Man decides to own up instead, and is killed by Andrews' pets...

SB: Why, oh why? I've just read that this is going to run for fifteen episodes, and I'm beginning to wonder if there's any way I can get a refund for this part of the prog. The story isn't terrible, it's just very poorly executed. Too much talking and not enough being said – the dialogue is mostly there because there are panels to be filled. And it's not even good dialogue.

At one point the floppy haired character has a tiff with an alien guard and the human says 'Shit – that's going to cause issues next time I need something from him'. That's the writer talking not the character, and he's just flagging a story point. I fully expect someone in the next episode to say, 'Hello, this is a plot twist!' and then wink through the fourth wall. And the bit with the three straws makes no sense – the guy in charge tells us that there is no other option than to sacrifice one of their number, but then says that if both men draw long straws they'll come up with another plan. Tharg, if you're reading this, please give this story an early send off – next week would be great!

The art is fine, although I'm struggling to appreciate it here. Some poses are unconvincing, arms and hands especially, but I think the aliens look great and the colours are very good.

WRL: I must be mellowing in my old age. I’m sure there was a time where I would have written a paragraph or two on just why I don’t like Stalag 666. But perhaps the years have mellowed me or it's just that I can't get the energy together to make the old fingers type out word after word trying to bring anyone reading this round to my way of thinking.

All I can say is that I’ve read the back of cereal packets that I’ve enjoyed more than this. 

JS: We have another poor offering here.  This story seems to do little other than ramble around and feature lots of talking.  As I struggle to remember who said what, (or to care, but that's beside the point) I'll just talk about the poor visual storytelling, the inconsistency in characters faces, the lack of interest in backgrounds, the sudden appearance of two animals briefly glimpsed at the start of the strip, etc. 

This strip seems to want to talk like a film, but it lacks the character depth and direction needed to carry something like this off.

The Forget Me Knot - Part 3 Script: Simon Spurrier Art: Carl Critchlow Letters: Annie Parkhouse

Lobster gets the tools out...

Synopsis: Random is saved from the Zaparazzi by Meridien Bless and her Press Pass. He, Klik and Bless take off in another ship but Random is still unable to free himself from the bond tying him to Klik. Bless takes them back to the Vort, where Klik starts to shut down. Bless tells him that they have to find out what happened to him on the planet. Random drinks the rain and prepares to take a trip...

SB: I was utterly dismayed with the end of last week's episode – the zaparazzi show up? What? But this week I'm much happier as the main characters go back to the Vort! I was really hoping that we hadn't seen the last of that planet, especially after all the work that had been done setting it up. I have to admit – I was a bit lost with some of the dialogue this week, but I got there in the end. I don't particularly like Lobster as a character, but I am curious to see where this is going, and I really like how the chapter ended with Lob sucking in a mouth of Vort rain water to jog his old memories.

Carl Critchlow's art is as accomplished as ever, but I'm not so keen on the colouring here. Everything is red, purple or pink, which I know is probably realistic given the locations the scenes take place in, but I would have liked more variety. His Meridian Bless is great though, as long as her wig isn't doing anything weird.

WRL: Whereas Stalag 666 doesn’t register on my Thrill Meter, Lobster jump starts those circuits.

I like Spurrier's writing and if I bought comics like I used to I’m positive that I’d follow his work outside of the house of Tharg. Carl Critchlow’s art just seems to match the story perfectly. With one story awaiting its completion for me to read it and another that just isn’t working for me it’s great to end the Prog with a story that, for reasons I can’t put my finger on, I’m enjoying. 

JS: Aha, a reprieve at the last.  I have to say, it looks like Carl Critchlow has upped his game a bit here. Certainly, the colouring looks more vibrant and imaginative than on some previous Lobster strips.  Otherwise, this is what we'd expect - clever wordplay (anyone else feel Mr Spurrier breathing out as he returns to the freedom of 2000AD?) light comedy and well realised characters.  Cracking stuff!

SB: All in all, I was disappointed with this week's prog. Nothing much happened in Red Seas or ABC Warriors and I'm not enjoy Stalag 666 at all. Dredd was great, and Lobster Random is back on the Vort. I just have my fingers crossed that we have Wagner again on the good Judge again next week.

Best Story: Judge Dredd

WRL: Not a hard one to work out. Out of the whole Prog there’s 4 stories I’m reading. One I really don’t like, one is good to look at but gets more incomprehensible as the weeks go on, leaving me a choice of two and its experience over youth that gets my vote: 

Best Story: Judge Dredd

JS: A splendid Dredd ends, Red Seas and Lobster Random start hitting stride and the other two are a bit of a waste of paper.  Still, the ABCs looks like it could do something soon, that's about as positive as i can get about it.

Best Story: two way tie between Dredd and Lobster Random.