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¦ Features ¦ The review
of the year
- part 1
 PAR
1 |
29th
December 03 |
After the first
full year
of reviews from 2000AD Review, we've decided to cast a look back at what 2003
brought us, as well as a quick glance into the future. So without further ado
- onto the site contributors:
Gavin Hanly
- Site Editor
2003 overview
 Writing
the weekly reviews for this site can be a double edged sword. On the positive
side, it makes sure that I actually read each issue carefully, rather than simply
giving it a quick once-over. This appeals to my innate miserly nature, as I'm
not pouring £1.60 down the drain every week out of pure habit, a feeling
I've been familiar with during the dark times of the comic. On the negative side,
it's becoming extraordinarily hard to get worked up into doing another review
for the umpteenth part of a story that I really didn't like from the first episode.
Luckily the dark
times of old as marked by dire tripe like the Space Girls seemed very far
away during 2003, with only a few hiccups towards the end. We've seen a highly
satisfying crossover with Dredd/Aliens (even if it did appear to sink without
trace in the States). We witnessed the introduction of two series with significant
long-term potential in both Caballistics Inc. and Lobster Random.
Two such series may not seem like much, but given the high mortality rate debut
series over the past few years, these two have possibly the best chance of longevity
since Nikolai Dante (with the possible exception of the Red Seas),
and bring much needed new blood to a comic that is getting dangerously preoccupied
with digging up past glories.
We've also seen
the return of some old favourites to the comic. Steve Pugh staged a welcome comeback,
Ian Gibson became far more prolific in 2003 and even Bolland was prepared to come
back for a one-off (albeit below-par) cover image. With John Higgins, Colin MacNeil,
Arthur Ranson and John Ridgeway producing great work over in the Megazine, it's
good to see that some of the all-time greats are being tempted back.
So in all, 2003
was a good year, but that doesn't mean there's not a good deal of ground to be
made up. More of that later but first, onto the awards:
Best Strip:
Leviathan (started in prog 1351)
Without question
the high point of 2000AD in 2003 and a strip that almost single-handedly proved
that black & white strips can produce results that colour cannot. Deservedly
bringing the unique talents of D'israeli to a wider audience, we can only hope
for another collaboration between him and Edginton in 2004.
 Best
Writer: Ian Edginton
Speaking of which,
Edginton has been the greatest asset to 2000AD over the past year. Continually
adept at creating compelling new series, Leviathan and Red Seas
have been high points indeed. I also enjoyed the much maligned Interceptor.
Coupled with Steve Pugh, Edginton provided a fun throwaway romp, which for me
has more long term appeal than some of the series returning in 2004.
Best Artist:
Jim Murray
A very late entry
from Jim Murray with his work in Prog 2004. His linework is greatly improved over
his traditionally painted work (which was already impressive) and is clearly the
best Dredd art we've seen all year. Unfortunately the work seems so good, it also
earmarks him as "artist most likely to be drawing a major US series"
next year. But please, let's get him back on Dredd as soon as humanly possible.
 Best
Single Episode: Leviathan
The last episode where the ship crashes into the harbour. No
contest.
Best Cover:
1334 by Ian Gibson
Ian Gibson draws
The VCs and produces one of the finest covers I've seen in some time. The
only other nearest contenders were the Megazine covers, all of which had an air
of originality that was lacking from the weekly cover images.
Best Newcomer:
Inaki Miranda
Not many people
get their first gig in 2000AD working on Judge Dredd, but Miranda proved
more than up for the job, with a fusion of Manga and American art styles giving
him one of the strongest debuts in
a while. It's not surprising that he's illustrating the daily Dredd strip
in Metro next year.
Most Underrated:
The Megazine
The Judge Dredd
Megazine has been of consistently high quality this year - but still many
2000AD readers are not buying it. This is almost certainly down to bad experiences
in the past (I myself gave it up for a huge period, fed up with Preacher reprints
taking over the comic). Many seem to be wary of coming back to the admittedly
expensive Megazine. But with such high caliber strips and contributors, design
work that beats the weekly comic and reprints that are both rare and worth reading,
all self respecting 2000AD fans should pick up the Christmas issue to see what
they've been missing.
Aside from this,
both Atavar II and Interceptor
deserved a better reader reaction too.
Most Overrated:
John Wagner on Judge Dredd
Now note that this
is "Wagner on Judge Dredd", as his work on Strontium Dog and
Judge Death was outstanding.
But after a suitably
bombastic opening for the year with Dredd/Aliens (written with Andy Diggle), all
the remaining Dredd tales have fizzled. None of the longer tales, be it The
Satanist or The Chief Judge's Man, lived up to their early promise,
and both the character and his world has undergone little development this year.
Whereas in previous years we've had huge events like Necropolis or The
Pit to significantly alter Dredd's world, only the late appearance of his
niece has any potential for continuity. Yet she's been awol since the Satanist
ended, something that brings me onto the next problem.
Some of the more
interesting stories have come from other writers, such as Rennie, but when they
take over, there's an underlying feeling that their tales don't really count because
only Wagner is allowed to write stories that have a significant impact on Dredd
canon. Rennie, and perhaps John Smith too, need to be given a longer leash on
Dredd and the opportunity to have some lasting effects on the series if they are
to compliment Wagner successfully.
Snow/Tiger
makes a close runner-up in this category. Maybe another series would have helped
to change my mind, but I saw little in the first series that makes me miss any
follow-up.
The best thing
about 2000AD in 2003
The intermittent
glossy covers. Bring them back! Wraparound covers also made a welcome return in
2003.
 The
worst thing about 2000AD in 2003: Dredd
vs Death
This was going
to go in the over-rated section, but given the reviews the game received, it hardly
seemed accurate.
As a fairly seasoned
gamer, I was growing very skeptical about the lack of press the game was getting
outside of the core fanbase. Now that the "hype" from the site and boarders
has died down, I can look back with an unbiased eye. My initial view was to treat
the coming of the game with heavy optimism, but this was fueled mainly in response
to a scourge of the 2000AD newsgroups whose endless and uninspired ranting made
everyone give the game the benefit of the doubt just to spite him. But with the
benefit of hindsight and having completed the game, the picture is less rosy.
The single player
game was adequate at best, but was drastically lacking a decent story, chock full
of cut scenes that actually feature Dredd. That combined with the frankly terrible
appearances of the Dark Judges themselves, the badly misjudged garish colour scheme
and the dull multiplayer mode, it's quickly gone back on my shelf, gathering dust.
Sales reflected
the quality of the game and even the most optimistic 2000AD fans have to admit
that it can only be perceived as a flop. A quick response by Rebellion with heavy
discounting may have helped (it didn't do the Terminator 3 game any harm) but
still the game is languishing at full price, hidden on the shelves.
Rebellion have
much work to do if they are to make a success of the next 2000AD game - if, indeed
will be one.
 What
would I like to see from 2000AD in 2004?
Mainly - a redesign.
Following prompting in a recent review by WR Logan, I've been taking a closer
look at the overall feel of the weekly. The look and feel of the Megazine is far
more inviting, where all the extra bits such as the editor's letter actually add
to the overall package, as opposed to Tharg's increasingly outdated sycophantic
meanderings in the weekly.
I'd also like to
see some better marketing of the comic and its characters. There's been an increase
of awareness in the American comic news sites, but little marketing spend can
be seen in the UK, where it would be more effective. The Dredd Metro series sounds
like a great start, though.
This need for better
marketing extends to the graphic novel section. It hasn't escaped my notice that
the hardcover Titan reprints got significant coverage and sales on sites like
Amazon, yet the Rebellion trades seem to sink without trace. This isn't helped
by the fact that Amazon doesn't offer a discount on the Rebellion editions, nor
indeed do they ever seem to be in stock there! Surely a situation in need of addressing
next year?
I could go on,
but I'll restrict myself to one further point - longer stories. We've been promised
them, according to Dreddcon attendees, but it's time to deliver. Too many times
this year have I been getting into a story, only for it to suddenly be wrapped
up.
But despite these
niggles, it's been a very good year (the last few months aside). Now we just expect
2004 to be even better. And maybe see less Sinster/Dexter....
(Oh - and new reviewers
for the site too. Don't be afraid to ask...)
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