Prog 1340 - 14 May 2003
Cover by Ian Gibson

Synopsis and review by Gavin Hanly
2nd Opinion by Jamie Brackell

Summaries and reviews contain spoilers for this issue.

GH: Another Ian Gibson cover - and while I normally love his work, I'm left a little cold by this one. It just seems to be too much of a standard "Dredd at work" image to really grab me. I do love Gibson's colouring, though and it's a shame that we don't see more of this level of details in colouring from more artists.

JB: Another good cover from Ian Gibson (his last one featured the VC’s for Prog 1334). The use of a spotlight on the image draws more attention to the centre of the page and the colouring is shaded well. I like Gibson’s style although it is best suited to light hearted tales rather than serious stories. All in all, a good cover but the perp seems to look rather effeminate to me compared with his depiction inside.

Hard Day's Night Part 2

Synopsis: Casey Schweiker's kidnappers have demanded 10 million credits by midnight or he'll be killed - he's currently chained up in what appears to be a sewer. While searching for the perps, rookie Moreno tells Dredd of the first time he saw him and why he became a judge. While he was in an orphanage in a hostage situation, Dredd burst in, killed the perps, and before leaving patted Moreno on the head, telling him to be "good". "You do remember. Don't you sir?" "The past's the past, cadet".

Pablo Salazar was confirmed to be an Escobarite - a minor criminal faction. Dredd and Moreno burst into their gang headquarters, beating everyone up. Under duress, one of the gang says Salazar was kicked out, as he and his brothers were informing for the judges. His brother, Hector works at the north west city reservoir. Moreno and Dredd follow him there. He enters a maintenance duct, and goes to get the boy, telling him that he's to be released. Dredd knocks him down, preparing to make an arrest, but the child reacts in terror to him. It turns out he's reacting to Moreno, who shoots Dredd in the shoulder - "The law doesn't mean a thing in this city!"

GH: Well - as wished for last week, it seems there's a little more to Moreno than we first suspected. The "you do remember, don't you" speech, was perhaps a little too obvious, as it certainly attracted my attention while reading - but it was still a fairly good shock ending. It remains to be seen how Moreno was involved in the kidnapping, however.

Goddard and Teague turn in some stellar Dredd work here, and I particularly like the way Goddard has started each strip with the same layout - one large splash, and 3 panels down the side. Not sure if this was with guidance from Morrison or not - but it is a great attention grabber for the episode. Goddard certainly has enough talent to be let loose on a longer running Dredd story.

JB: In last weeks review, I was hoping that there would be a twist to this tale, as it seemed to be going in the path of a normal cadet examination story. This has happened with the last panel surprise of Cadet Moreno shooting Dredd and seemingly being involved with the kidnapping. It worked as a twist but I have yet to see any motive for the Cadet’s turn to the dark side. I hope that next week’s installment explains the Cadets reasons for abandoning the law convincingly.

The art has improved since the last episode with the fight sequence in the bar being most notable with lots of detail on many of the brawlers as they fight. The use of the colour blue in the final section gives the impression of a gloomy, wet reservoir and makes the final betrayal even stronger with the bright light and silhouette of Cadet Moreno contrasting with the darkness before.

Breaking Out - Part 4

Synopsis: Verse fights the corpse eater at the graveyard - but it overpowers him. Brand picks up his dropped crucifix/stake, and stabs the eater - as Verse stuns it with a taser. To finish the job, Verse drop a gravestone on its head. Verse rings to check on "the ladies".

But the possessed Simmons is having no such problems, and starts dismembering the corpse eater at the abattoir with ease, ridiculing its efforts to harm her. It tells of how it was a demon worshipped throughout the ages. "In all these places, I was fear and despair". It finally beheads the corpse eater with ease. Finally it turns to Chapter, saying that while the secret was now out in the open, it knows all of hers too - "so from now on, let's play a game called "don't tell any of the others", shall we?"

GH: Again - just as Caballistics gets really exciting, we get another cliffhanger. Rennie knows how to tease us on this series, and is continuing to come up with new plot directions. The premise of Chapter knowing more than the rest of the team about Simmons is a wonderful idea and, as long as Rennie doesn't discard it too early, should prove for some suspense ridden stories ahead. Rennie has put together a brilliant strip here - and because of this, I'm going to be hyper-critical of his forthcoming Rogue Trooper storyline...

Kudos too to the developing talent of Dom Reardon, who's been a perfect choice of artist for this series, and let's hope he continues to draw it. I've much preferred the recent episodes, with Reardon sticking to his strengths, action, and some great character designs.

There's no indication of when we can expect Caballistics to return, this time, but if anyone wishes to let us know - email me at the address at the bottom of the page, and I'll add it to the synopsis above.

JB: The biggest disappointment of this episode was to find the words "the end" instead of "next prog" on the last page. This episode left many unanswered questions just when I thought that some were going to be answered. Ravne’s investigation of Kostabi was not mentioned in this part so it looks like we will have to wait for the next story arc for that.

Hannah seems a bit out of character when she cowers in fright to Jenny’s demon self considering she had no real visible fear towards the other demons she has faced. Other than that, a good ending leaving me wanting more. The art remains the same although I am beginning to like the look of Jenny’s other self, complete with her wispy smile that makes her look very eerie (in a Joker kind of way).

Part 4

Synopsis: Lyra discovers that Marcus was possessed by an alien and in on it all from the beginning, and the other aliens work for him. He grabs the small sphere from her, and starts quoting William Blake - who was apparently possessed by an alien serial killer. He says the real Marcus is "languishing at the back of my mind - but not for much longer".

Outside, Rose and Carter are trying to lock onto the "Orrery's" source, hampered by the city's electrical interference - but finally they zero in. Back at Marcus' apartment, the alien suggests she preferred being with him over the real Marcus, and that there will soon be "a new world order". Then Rose and Carter's vehicle bursts through the window: "Judiciary Enforcers! Nobody move!" Carter tells Lyra, "We're the good guys" - but Rose also appears to be an alien in disguise: "Believe that, an' you'll believe anything".

GH: A little bit more of the plot is drip fed to us this week, in the confrontation between Lyra and Marcus. Some entertaining premises are revealed, such as the real madmen of earth being possessed by madmen from space, and the po session idea is an plotline that bears further examination (especially given Rose's real appearance).

Great art from Pugh again. It's often hard to portray a completely unique alien while retaining an expressive face - but he appears to have managed it here on both Marcus and on Rose's true face. Marcus manages to look particularly slimy and evil, while Rose's disdained look is carried over to her Alien appearance. hopefully, this is a potential sleeper hit for 2000AD.

JB: This story is getting more enjoyable and hopefully with Lyra under the protection of the Judiciary enforcers, maybe both her and the reader can get some answers about the Orrery and its significance. I thought that the idea of the aliens possessing the bodies of the humans possessing the bodies of the humans and making their real personalities hide at the back of their minds a good touch.

I like Steve Pugh’s style especially when it comes to drawing Marcus Cross who last issue seemed to look menacing but now looks a bit maniacal. The design of the city continues to impress in the sequence with the two agents soaring over the city skies.

The Shadow Warriors - Part 5

The Warriors destroy the incoming tanks - which have been turned against them, as a clawed ghostly figure watches. Mongrol finishes them off, and they continue their trek to the battery. Hammerstein is worried that there's no sign of Deadlock, and also apologises to Mek Quake for not believing him earlier.

They get to the guns, and the robogunners are destroyed, not protected against the Deus X virus - "And who says we are?". Steelhorn discovers the dead humans - not affected by the virus, they were gassed instead. Pineapples finds a gallows cross, as the others come across a human who's still alive. He tells them "it was...the rev and his gang". The Rev is a preacher in the Church of Judas - they pray to Judas to ease the guilt for betraying and killing their masters - "Blackblood's favourite religion!"

GH: More and more entertaining ideas are casually dropped into the series by Mills every week. The idea of Blackblood's favourite religion sounds intriguing, as long as it's played for the black laughs that the rest of the series has been welcomingly imbued with so far. Lot's of talking in with the action - a Pat Mills specialty - but as its all tongue in cheek this makes for entertaining reading. All of the Shadow Warriors so far have been decent ideas, and the ABC warriors have all had their moments (although Steelhorn seem a bit dull compared with the rest of them). One point - Mongrol rather happily "smushed" the tanks without a though for the humans inside - but seemed rather concerned for the last one alive at the base - a somewhat odd character flaw...

As for Ezquerra - what can be said. Some wonderful Mongrel action from the man in this issue which makes us thank god that he still draws for the comic. 2000AD would be very much the poorer without him, so I hope he's being paid whatever it takes to make those American comics seem less palatable!

JB: Again, little happens in this tale, which is beginning to make it less enjoyable to read. The warriors fight a bit and find some more out about another Shadow Warrior. This seems to be the structure for the past few episodes. The Warriors begin to wonder how Deadlock is doing which is something I hope is resolved soon.
The pages that display Mongrol fighting show some more good art from Ezquerra although the panel showing the six warriors walking in a straight line looks ridiculous.

Pax Americana - Part 5

Snow lies injured in the crashed bomber, trying to cock her weapon, but is taken out by Aryan troops. The Pilot's dead. She's taken aside, as more Aryan's investigate the ship - at which point she remote detonates it. She grabs a gun, but is knocked out before she can do anything.

She wakes up tied to a chair, with the head of the terrorist group (Senator Lydecker) speaking to her through a computer. His image is distorted, so she can't identify him. He says they are going to release the ebola virus from space, but it's been genetically modified: "White folks don't have a thing to worry about". She tells Stollen that there's a bunker buster on its way - and there's no hope for them now. Stollen thinks she's bluffing, but Lydecker won't take the risk - "Go to stage zero...and open for launch".

Outside - Tiger can find no sign of Snow, and is about to be a sitting duck for some reinforcements heading his way. Then the ground opens up, as a huge missile bay, housing a missile with a swastika opens up just beside him...

GH: It should be fairly obvious by now about my feelings for this storyline, and little is being done to dramatically change them. We appear to have reached the denouement so fast, that I can't quite accept that this missile presents such a threat. If this series had twice the room to breathe in, perhaps there would have been enough time to make us warm to the good guys or hate the bad guys enough.

The action remains the strongest part of this series, without a doubt. The crashing craft of last issue, the detonation of the bomber - all very well handled. But surely we've seen enough action movies by now to realise that if you don't particularly care about the characters, then the movie's not really up to much. This seems to be the equivalent of a Jean Claude Van Damme movie - great action pieces - shite dialogue and maniacal villains. The sort of thing that works well after a few pints, but remains jarring whilst sober. Perhaps I should get tanked up a bit before next week's review?

JB: Snow’s guilt over killing the terrorist in Prog 1338 seems a little strange when she explodes the plane killing several men without any guilt. The grand plan appears to be to drop Ebola from space and target certain races. This seems a bit too convenient but I suppose that in a sci-fi comic, it can be allowed.

There is nothing new to comment on with Clarke’s art. The lines on the face continue to annoy but the detail on the final page of the missile rising from the snow impresses.