Prog 1321 - 11 December 2002
Cover by Steve Yeowell and Chris Blythe

Synopsis and 1st review by Gavin Hanly
2nd opinion by W.R. Logan

GH: An Ok, but fairly underwhelming cover for this prog. I think Yeowell's art lacks something on the big closeups - and this just doesn't look that inspiring. Lucky the episode is much better...

WRL: Steve Yeowell drawing a six armed man waving swords should be something that makes you want to pick this Prog up, but somehow it lacks that magical ingredient.

Sniping
Synopsis: Dennis Node has bought a KillCo Sniper rifle - a rifle that can be disguised easily, builds itself, auto aims and even shoots for you. He goes to the roof of his block and, starting with a judge, starts shooting victims. Dredd spots him, and after a receiving a glancing blow to his helmet, he commandeers a hoverboard. Weaving to the top of the block he eventually kills the sniper - a man who had his mum put down, lost his job and his wife, and had a terrible disease. Dredd's response - "Life wasn't meant to be easy, citizen" - and calls the snipers death "suicide by Judge"...

GH: Once again, John Wagner has something to say about the world today, in this satire on American gun laws. It's a fairly light hearted piece, and unfortunately not as scathing as perhaps it could be. (But I did like the "suicide by judge" reference, as I've heard the phrase suicide by police a fair bit recently...) However, there's some gorgeous art from Ian Gibson here - who greatly enhances his own art with some spectacular colouring (especially in that shot of Dredd on his bike on page 3). It's very nice indeed to see a change from computer colouring once in while...

On a side note to this story - there's another comment in the input section about this weeks Dredd and how the real world is catching up with the comic - especially with reference to prog 1309's Everyday Disaster. Tharg keeps expecting us to believe that the story had nothing to do with September 11th - he must think we're all completely stupid. But both that story and this make me think that Wagner's better than this - and while this blunt and obvious satire is indeed fun, it ultimately results in a missed opportunity. But I agree that there's really nothing to get too offended by in these stories at all.

WRL: Once again we are treated to the team of Wagner and Gibson, a classic pairing and have they ever turned in a bad Dredd? Add to the mix the fantastic Tom Frame and how could this week's Dredd go wrong. The picture of Dredd on page 5 swinging from a rope and firing his Lawgiver is simply worth the cover price alone. A simple story that cleanses the pallet in readiness for the end of year extravaganza that is Prog 2003.

Under the Banner of King Death - Part 9
Synopsis: (double sized story - last episode) A huge demon appears, and then resizes himself to a smaller, well spoken, dapper demon. This is the Devil himself - who's done away with Hecate, fearing that if she had her hands on the Albrecht Tome, she'd remake creation - probably without a place for him. He tells Orlando to start reading out the names of God - but Dancer cuts off his arm, while Isabella grabs the book.

The Devil reacts by giving Orlando 6 sword wielding arms - and he takes on Dancer's crew. Meanwhile, the Devil tries to make Isabella read the book - and also reveals that her father sold her mother's soul in order to achieve his great power. Dancer beheads Olrlando - just as Isabella realises that the Devil is afraid of the book, and can't read it himself. She hurls it at him and he disappears back to hell. The crew leave - forgetting the two headed dog.

But the last image is of a house in Oxford, with a test tube containing what appears to be a tiny clone of Orlando Doyle...

GH: The series finally comes to a conclusion, and it's improved almost every week. As mentioned a few episodes back a sequel is in the works, and based on this will be very welcome indeed. The story on a whole has been basically voodoo and witchcraft on the high seas, and thankfully not the jovial pirate adventure I was at first fearing. Coupled with the perfect artist for the story in Steve Yeowell, Ian Edgington has highly impressed in his first 2000AD story. He's had about 65 pages to play with (by my calculation) and has produced a highly entertaining read, and one that certainly doesn't take itself too seriously.

I just hope that the focus is once again kept on the bad guy for the next series, as too much of the pirate crew could grow wearisome.

Part 8
Synopsis: As the station crashes to Earth, Holt realises that the hunters were born to do more, and miraculously holds the ship together with a force field. Belly swallows Ashcroft and expels him as he dies. Ashcroft experiences Belly's death psychically and is forced to fully comprehend all the evil that he has done. Holt manages to psychically move the ship away from the alien island - and it crashes harmlessly into the sea. Ashcroft dies in the crash - but the others are all washed up safely on the beach...

GH: Unlike The Red Seas, my opinion of this story has regrettably diminished over its run. As the story developed into a simple action piece, it lost all the intrigue and suspense that helped the first issues to really grab me. when it turned into a shootathon I just lost interest. And as for the "twist" of Holt being able to magically save the ship - please. If there were more hints about Holt's powers before (and I disregard the dreams) I could have lived with it, but as it was the plot device was to far out of left field for me to accept it.

Another main problem was the confusion I had with the later issues. There were many times I just couldn't work out what was going on - a major flaw in any strip.

But I'll end on a positive note. This has been a far better strip than many many others we've had in the past, and Williams and Cook both show great potential. I'll just be happy if they deliver something more restrained and moody next time.

The Off-Lode Experience - Part 8
Synopsis: Demi tells S&D to join her cause in fighting for peace, but is shot by Billi and turns back into an alien. Billi could tell that the creature wasn't her sister and killed it before it got S&D. The aliens start to attack, just as the program given to the crew by the Barfs turns into a trojan horse and begins destroying the place. But due to Manx's decrepit and slow computer hardware which starts the virus, they all manage to get to safety - but are now pursued by intergalactic police. "...isn't this why we left Earth in the first place?"

GH: Well Sinister Dexter comes to an end too - and I'm beginning to agree with it's many naysayers - it might be time to give the lads a bit of a rest. I really did quite enjoy this run, with it's much jokier tone, the larger group dynamic, and of course some truly great artwork all through from Simon Davis. But at the end, I was starting to get a little bored. The status quo hasn't changed much, and the story hasn't really taken the characters anywhere new. The opportunity for a great showdown between Billi and her "sister" was thrown away in a single panel. I never got the connection between the boys and Demi, but a sister face off would have had far more resonance.

But again, I'll end on a positive note (I'm feeling generous) - this series has been far better than many people would like to admit. It had a stupid irreverent sense of humour that is missing from much of 2000AD's stories - and that'll be missed. But it's still time for some new blood now...

WRL: Shite!! I know I should find something positive to say, after all this is the season of goodwill to all men, and it with a heavy heart that we see the final episode of the outing for Sinister/Dexter. They've worked hard over the years and deserve a holiday; in fact I wouldn't mind if their spaceship drifted in the vacuum of space for a few years. If they're left out there for long enough they just might meet up with Dan Dare who was left drifting in space many years ago.