Prog 1353 - 13 August 2003
Cover by Carlos Ezquerra
Synopsis and review by Gavin Hanly
2nd Opinion by Richmond Clements

Summaries and reviews contain spoilers for this issue.

GH: A Carlos Ezquerra cover, so there's very little to complain about. It's a great image with some effective computer effects, backed up with clear views of the logos and strapline. Perfect.

RC: Great eye-catching image here. While it might not pull in new readers, I think it is perfect to attract the lapsed earthlet, letting then know Johnny is still alive and kicking. Indeed, it is worth it if only for the gigantic handgun and spectacular codpiece.

The Satanist - Part 4

Synopsis: Dredd and Heath are showered with objects from the room, as the wind picks up. A knife hurtles towards Heath, but Dredd shoot it down. Heath says he told Dredd nothing, but the wind picks him up and throws him out the window, killing him. The room goes quiet.

As Brit Cit judges arrive, Dredd is filled in about Horus Mercator - a notoriously powerful Psi, but who was summarily executed by the Judges when caught at a crime scene a month previous. Dredd looks into Meractor's past and finds his last known address at 32 Wimpole Street. With Dredd's other leads not working out, he decides to check out Wimpole Street. He descends to the cellar, finding writings of incantations and pentagrams daubed on the ground. Then he finds Mercator - still alive and sitting on an elaborate stone "throne" - waiting for Dredd. "Dear, Dear Vienna. What are we to do with her?"

GH: There's still a slow-burn nature to this one - even though we get a mild amount of action this week. It remains to be seen how Mercator has remained alive, but there is precedent for a Psi convincing the judges that he'd been murdered, so we'll have to see if Wagner's got somethin original up his sleeve. What I'll be more interested to see is how and if Dredd becomes re-acquainted with his niece. Wagner's not above killing many of Dredd's co-stars, so until we actually get to see her - her survival is looking slimmer as each episode goes by. Wagner is still doing a solid job of building up the intrigue, and even scenes of Dredd looking through the Mercator case files have a good element of suspense about them.

As said before, Adlard has proved himself to be a more than capable Dredd artist. His art style has changed somewhat from the last time we saw him in the Meg, and there's a greater professionalism to the work that I've seen him exhibit before in series like the X Files. I hadn't really associated him with all-out action before, but he handles himself very well in the early scenes of this issue. This bodes well for his upcoming stint on Savage with Pat Mills.

RC: So, we finally get to meet the villain, in a nicely paced episode, seemingly designed solely for this purpose. Wagner uses the press clippings well, to convey information that would usually given through a page load of exposition (see this weeks Slaine).

'Chin up,' now why hasn't someone said this to Dredd before? Wagner somehow always manages to wring something new out of this character, even after grud knows how long. All in all, the story is building nicely, and I for one can't wait to find out what has happened to Vienna.

As has been said before, the art and colouring are just about perfect for the tone of this story, so no complaints there either.

Pest Control - Part 3

Synopsis: The rescue is halted as Romanov says he can't attack women or kids - so he and Kawl run back to the basement of the pub. He tells Kawl that the women were put under a spell by an evil demon sorcerer, and that his previous assistant (i.e. dog) was killed in the Wickerman. When the beast attacked him, he finally defeated it by emptying a bottle of beer on the creature - which was when the sorcerer crept up and banished him to limbo. But there's no more beer - so they sit in the basement - filled with various salt substances, and try to think of another way.

Back at the wicker man, Alliss is about to die and rages at the fact that no one's tried to save her - and then she's burned alive. The portal opens and a huge slug appears...

GH: This series of Bec & Kawl is a definite improvement on the previous outings - no doubt about that. Perhaps it's because there's at least some attempt to tell a coherent story, rather than letting the main protagonists push the plot forward. Or perhaps it's because the character of Romanov is more interesting than Bec & Kawl, and hence that's why this episode works better? Certainly, neither Bec & Kawl add much to the story this week, which is something of a blessing for me. So overall, this story doesn't bring as much as an instant drop in quality in the prog as I would have initially expected.

Now that might sound like damning with faint praise and I'd have to agree, but there's a lot of ground to cover before I can say that I actually like this series - but at least things are moving the right way.

RC: Now, as I write this, I have no idea what Gavin is going to say in his review. But I think I can guess.

I had decided to write a pro Bec & Kawl review, to counter what I'm assuming Gavin will write. But. Oh dear. I liked the first episode of this tale, it even made me laugh aloud at one point. Last week was pretty good too, but here it just seems to have run out of steam, plot wise, I hope he's saving it all up for the finale.

I liked the Wicker Slug, though having whatever her name was, singing The Lord Is My Shepherd would have been funnier, in my opinion.

Part 3

Synopsis: Lament discovers that there were 20 similar deaths in the last 9 months, all in first class (and covered up by the governing body), which at least means the killer is contained. Lament was brought in because the murder were getting out of hand. He looks into the scene of the last murder, where most of the evidence has been removed, but handprints appear on the ceiling. Lament looks at a map of Leviathan, trying to establish a pattern - it appears the murders are occuring in an oval pattern - when Ashbless' right hand man Lionel bursts in, a large gun wielding man wearing a black armband with an eye on it. He gathers up all the maps, telling Lament he's finished.

He takes him toa room where the governing body has tied up a steward to a chair and beaten him to a pulp. It seems he was a steerage passenger in disguise, just trying to get food and supplies. But Ashbless reveals that they found one if the doctor's "lister knives" in his possession, covered in blood. Lament says the man has to prove his innocence, but Ashbless disagrees, and at his order Lioniel shoots the steward in the head. Lament is appalled and storms off, as Ashbless fondles a trinket with the same emblem that's on Lionel's armband...

GH: A very very good episode indeed as Lament gets down to some real detective work. Edginton is gradually building up signs of a conspiracy at work in first class, while at the same time illustrating just how little clout Lament has. There's notably no mention of the murder of Ashbless' valet last week - and that combined with the symbol he's carrying around seem to mark him out as the chief suspect. I'm enjoying the relatively slow pace established here, though, and I hope there's not too much of a breakneck run to a resolution. In addition, the idea of the Leviathan seems too promising to limit to one series, so I hope Edginton's got more of this planned once the series wraps up.

As ever, D'israeli's work is simply fantastic, the best I've seen from him. The opening view of the Leviathan from Lament's perspective is incredible, and the touches of the wind blowing his maps around while he reads them are brilliant. He's also managed to build some truly distinct characters, including the dangerous looking Lionel, and the far-too-smarmy Ashbless. As for the murder of the steward, it's possibly one of the most violent things I've ever seen in the comic, all the more so for its casual cruelty.

RC: Episode three, and already I want more!

The frustration of Detective Sergeant Lament is almost palpable as the ruling class throw their walls in front of him. The murder of the steward is shocking in its brutality. I wanted Lament to punch the guy! Yes, the ruling class are written in broad strokes, but not at the expense of individuality.

And re-reading it for this review, I also spotted a clue, which was probably obvious to everybody else, but to me it reinforces this tale as one to be read and read again.

Outstanding work from D'israeli here. Subtleties of expression effortlessly conveyed in a few lines. Brilliant.

Golamh - Part 4

Synopsis: Sláine demands to know where Kai is, and is told he stowed away to Albion to look for Sláine. Sethor tells Sláine his objections to the peace treaty should be raised in the council's session. Later the council meets without Sláine - Sethor says he'll get his chance to speak later. The others say they owe everything to Sláine, and that Niamh was killed because of their misguided attempts to make peace. But Sethor says that an alliance with the Fomors would bring great knowledge of science and "civilisation" to the land.

Elsewhere, Sláine watches the invading fleet and notes that a black pyramid on one ship seems important. Princess Meritaten comes to see him, and tells how her father the Pharoah worshipped a demon and "used the serpents to enforce his will." The people rose up and forced him out, with Gael and Meritaten joining the resistance. But in a secret chamber the high caste serpents, including Odacon made their plans for revenge - targetting the princess as their means of doing so...

GH: I don't know what to make of Sláine these days - it's almost if two writers are producing it every other week. This week we get "Good Pat Mills" who manages to establish an intriguing background for the Atlanteans, and the rise of Lord Odacon. Good Pat Mills realises that Sláine is a tiresome character, and leaves him in the background, allowing the story to progress.

This is opposed to "Bad Pat Mills", who last week gave us an entire episode of Sláine spouting the same old drivel while chipping up demons, allowing the story to grind to a halt. But while Good Pat mills is on show this week, his bad alter ego has cast a pallor over the series, and I'm forever anticipating another dull Sláine led axe fest.

So as said, I don't know what to make of the series. Part of me sees a great deal of promise within this week's episode, but I've been down this road before - and it only leads to disappointment. One more irritation is the fact that we're already having flashbacks to Book 1: Moloch. Can't we just get on with the story at hand?

The art's still impressive, even if it demand close inspection on occasion so that you can work out what's going on.

RC: After a barn storming opening, Slaine seems to be settling down into his old ways again. Or at least, Pat Mills is. The story just grinds to a halt as we are treated to three pages of exposition (see this weeks Dredd). The plot then inches along with a nice page of Slaine eyeing up the enemy fleet, then a headlong dive into yet more exposition.

Then finishing the whole thing off with a cliffhanger within the flashback. Now, as the character under threat is the one telling the story, doesn't that render the cliffhanger somewhat redundant? I'm sorry if this is just unrelentingly critical, but Pat Mills is a brilliant writer...when he wants to be. He is better that this, that is for sure.

No complaints in the art department, however. Clint Langley is currently doing some of the best work I have ever seen in the comic. I think Tharg should make the most of him before he buggers off to America. Nice to see Josh Homme, from Queens of the Stone Age in the tribal council.

The Tax Dodge - Part 4

Synopsis: The Brothers tie up the creatures who alerted them to Alpha's reward and get ready to attack. But one of them advises caution - and they shouldn't act too soon.

Back in their quarters, Johnny & Wulf wait for the Brothers to make their move. They hear someone at the door, so Johnny uses his X-ray vision, and sees that it's Paxman (who managed to get his the ship he was on re-routed to Gnob). He turns the light on so Johnny forces him to the floor for his own safety. As he does, Paxman handcuffs himself to Alpha and swallows the key. Alpha is appalled at this as he's hampered with one arm while going up against stone killers but he's not about to let this reward get away and tells Paxman he's long for the ride until the key comes out the other end.

Paxman uses the time to go over Alpha's affairs until morning, when they get a delivery. Alpha X-rays the envelope and sees a detonator, throwing it aside and narrowly missing the explosion. They head after the to try and catch the Brother that delivered it...

GH: Not a great deal actually happens this week, as it mainly consists of Alpha and Sternhammer waiting to be attacked. However, we've finally got Paxman around for the rest of the tale, and the handcuff trick should at least provide some good comic turns later in the series. It's especially good that Alpha uses his mutant powers this week, even twice in the same episode, since he rarely seems to do this and it's a shame to forget that Alpha has this handy ability. Not so sure about him giving Wulf the job of getting the key back from Paxman when the time comes - it's a pretty nasty job that Alpha could easily have handled himself - a bit of a case of treating Wulf like the hired help, as opposed to the partner he's supposed to be.

The art's great - but you knew that already...

RC: As a previous reviewer has done, I feel I should warn you all that Johnny Alpha is my favourite comic character ever.

I really like this story. Wagner really has us believing that Johnny has met his match in Paxman the Taxman. The stunt with the handcuffs is inspired, giving Johnny some great lines, to the point of giving Wulf something to look forward too.

The Unrighteous Brothers make interesting baddies (just what the sneck are they up to?), even if it is more that likely they will be dispatched by the end of the adventure.

Not much point of me offering my opinion on the art. You should all know by now that Carlos is the master.