Prog 1313 - 16 October 2002
Cover by Kev Walker

The "Autumn Offensive" begins in this issue, with 2 new stories, and the start of new storylines for Dredd and Sinister Dexter. All wrapped up in a Tharg cover by Kev Walker.

Now the cover is very good and striking - there's no doubt about that. But is it going to attract new readers? Hard to tell. It's biggest selling point is frankly the very clear "All New Stories Start Inside" But a clearer indication about what these stories might be would be a better approach. I've thought for a while now that 2000AD covers should betray the comic's anthology nature a little more clearer, and this would have been a great chance.

But it's still a great issue, and an ideal springboard for any readers returning to the fold.

Out of the Undercity - Part 1
Synopsis: Dredd is called to the door to the Undercity, where Judge Prager is trying to get in (for those of you with understandably short memories Prager is a Judge "bringing the law" to the undercity. Dredd met him while investigating the appearance of Werewolves, and got turned into one himself. Prager got him back to the surface where he was cured - and Prager went back down. UI think that's correct, but it was back in prog s 332-338 so I can be forgiven for forgetting some of it...).

Prager has been shot and is taken to a med centre, where he tells Dredd things are "worse than ever". Prager is told to rest, but breaks out of the med lab. But as he tries to escape, he starts turning into a wolf himself...

Review: An interesting start to this storyline, and I was pleasantly surprised that I still remembered the old Werewolf issues. It was admittedly a bit of a shame to learn that the much trumpeted "return of a character who's been away for 20 years" was such a minor figure, but let's see where the story leads. If this begins a return to the undercity for Dredd, it'll be an event worth following - but I do hope it's not another Dredd Vs Monster story.

The art bears more scrutiny - it's the return of Carl Critchlow, who's been away for a a while. He used to be be one of the artist who produced full painted art which was, frankly, a little muddy. Much like his peers (and drawing particular comparisons with cover artist Kev Walker) he's moved over to a line drawing style, and his work is markedly improved because of this. The figures are clearer, panel composition is inventive, and the computer colouring he now appears to use is atmospheric and enhances his art well. It's also revealed a more personalised style of drawing - expressive linework, not too many blacks - and it'll be interesting to see how this develops.

Part 1
Synopsis: The story starts with a surreal dream sequence/nightmare - the key part being "We're dying! Help us!", which Marshall Holt awakes from with a start. Later Holt, who appears to be a human/alien hybrid is searching for an illegal alien on the hull of a space station, with his collegaue Katsuyori. They find the alien which slashes Katsuyori's suit, killing him by explosive decompression. Holt says he's taking the alien back to the station - the alien goes nuts saying "Why you kill us? Please Stop! No station!" before killing itself...

Review: The first new story in the issue, and it looks very promising indeed. The summary at the beginning of the issue actually gives more of the plot away than the actual story - (the plot apparently revolves around the Station, a processing centre for those seeking asylum on Earth, and run by the Church) - but it builds up the intrigue nicely, and in a way that few of the recent new 2000AD strips have. Rob Williams has managed to introduce a compelling main character, get in some action, and set up a nice sense of foreboding in only one issue.

Boo Cook, meanwhile has produced some great artwork, richly coloured, that complements the strip nicely and has also create an easily recognisable main character. I hadn't taken any particular notice of Cook's artwork up until now, but already there are signs that this could be the series to break him into the big time.

The Off-Lode Experience - Part 1
Synopsis: Sinister & Dexter are on the run from a fleet of police cars. They blow the freeway behind them but the cops continue the pursuit by air. But suddenly they are abducted by the same aliens from progs 1243-1245 (where they saved one of them). The aliens (in a human form dressed in a suit and hat) are hiring them for a job...

Review: Ok - this issue is mainly the set up for the story to come, but as mentioned before, the longer Sinister Dexter storylines are always the best ones. This looks like keeping that trend going, as this is already much better than the two scene setting issues gone by. Abnett nicely reminds us who the aliens are, which means that any late starters can catch up easily.

But it's the art of SB Davis that is the star here. Davis has proved himself to be the definitive Sinister Dexter artist, and he continues to improve here. He's one 9of the few 2000AD artists to retain the fully painted approach, and he show this off to good effect here. his art is easily the most striking in the issue - and for quite a few issues, in fact - and the use of a light blue palette to depict the abduction is very nicely done.

Part 1 - Under the Banner of King Death
Synopsis: The spanish Galleon Raffaella is returning home with a hull full of tributes. They are set upon by pirates (who we'll no doubt be introduced to later) led by Captain Jack dancer. They force the bugler to sound the retreat and capture the ship, relieving it of its haul. Dancer used to be a navy captain but "I find piracy much less duplicitous and a damn sight more honest. We then move to another ship where a blood sacrifice leads to a location on a map.

Back to the Raffaella, and it is slowly surrounded by a mysterious fog. Out of the fog appears Dr Orlando Doyle and his zombie crewmen, who tells them "...I believe you have something which is rightfully mine..."

Review: The second new story in the comic and, at 10 pages, the longest too. It's a little hard to see exactly where this is going at the moment, but Edgington has already set up the characters of at least 5 main good guys, and one baddie. How he develops those characters over the next few issues will be crucial, and no mean feat when the strip is in a shorter format. Another promising story, though, and a nice mood change from rest of the sci-fi orientated prog.

As ever, Steve Yeowell turns in a fantastic job, proving that he can pretty much turn his hand to anything. his is the only black and white work this week, and he excels in this format - much better than others have in recent issues.