Cover: Simon Davis	2000AD Prog 1461 - 19 October 2005
	Judge Dredd (Wagner / Walker) Sinister Dexter (Abnett / Davis) Leatherjack (Smith / Marshall) The Red Seas (Edginton / Yeowell) Judge Dredd (Rennie / Critchlow) Synopsis by Gavin Hanly 1st opinion by Adam Crabtree 2nd opinion by Hugh Platt Summaries and reviews contain spoilers for this issue.

AC: A good sci-fi themed cover with the impressive (if highly impractical - we'll talk about that later) Sov-Bot, action connotations with Downlode's primo hit monkeys, and a nice dose of humour, all wrapped up in nice, dark moody visuals. It's a good mission statement, and genre fans should lap it up. Yes, the logo's obscured, but not by much.

HP: If you’re going to have a Sin/Dex cover, then having Simon Davis on board is the best you can hope for. It’s always a pleasure to see his work on the front of the prog, and if it has a giant killer robot as well, so much the better.

Mandroid - part 9

Slaughterhouse takes the quickest route out...

Synopsis: Dredd confronts Slaughterhouse, telling him that he hoped he wasn't the vigilante - but now he knows for sure. Slaughterhouse knocks him down with his extendable fist and jumps out the window as other judges arrive. He survives the long fall to street level and escapes. The judges, on all units alert, find no trace of him so Dredd sends out multiple "helmets" to look up his associates.

One of them, Lefty, is checked out and comes up clean. But after the judges leave, Slaughterhouse reveals himself hidden under the snow. Lefty takes him inside and says the judges are unlikly to be back. He tells Slaughterhouse that the judges are reporting him as a killer - although Slaughterhouse defends his actions. They watch a vid report on him and Slaughterhouse is shocked to hear that Denzo Shultz is to be released due to lack of evidence.

At Justice HQ Dredd informs Shultz that Slaughterhouse will be after him and as he leaves, he orders judges to be stationed at Gaffney block...

AC: This potential Thill o' the Year takes a bit of a breather this week as the set-up for the conclusion is laid out. I honestly had no idea how this week would play out after the emotional powerhouse of last week's cliff-hanger. Part of me actually thought Dredd would be a little more sympathetic than usual (yeah, laugh it up) given what the characters have been through these past few progs. It's been compelling to watch as Dredd gets more emotionally invested in the Slaughterhouse case, and all the while we know Slaughterhouse is, in a sense, damned.

We know the strip, we've seen the initial Mandroid cover and the whole thing has an air of tragedy in the truest definition (a forgone conclusion of disaster); so we as an audience know that things won't turn out alright… yet we still hang on for the ride down, because Wagner and Walker make it so compelling.

We see Dredd this week experiencing frustration, both at Slaughterhouse and himself, anger, determination and even sorrow; quite a repertoire considering its Old Stony Chin we're talking about! "I thought you were one of the good guys…" he says, and though the task of portraying a Judge in the grip of emotion has defeated many artists (try drawing a guy in a helmet looking sad!). Kev Walker manages it beautifully, using only a downcast stance and ingenious use of shadows to show Dredd's disappointment, despite the laconic, impenetrable character with whom we're dealing.

Excitement flares up as the three forces of Slaughterhouse at ground level, Schultz running the streets, and the Judges overlooking it all get set to collide. Cannot wait.

HP: Slaughterhouse has developed into the most interesting opponent (I’m unwilling to use the phrase “enemy”) of Dredd for years. While Joe might’ve called Slaughterhouse “just another creep”, I think Dredd has…not sympathy, but an understanding of Nate’s predicament. And while he might be using Schultz’s release to lure Slaughterhouse out into the open, I doubt Old Stoney Face would mind too much in the Mandroid took the made-man of Gaffney block down with him…

What can be said about Kev Walker’s art that hasn’t been said already in previous reviews? His vision of Mega-City One, dark and oppressive in the cold winter, matches the tone of this story effortlessly.

The frame where Dredd’s bullet blasted through the Slaughterhouse family portrait is particularly apt – a cunning little metaphor that it was the Big Meg that tore them apart.

With Slaughterhouse proving to be more than a physical match for the Judges (moving faster than Dredd’s infamous quick draw for one), I hope he survives this tale to bring his brand of cyborg vigilante justice to plenty of future tales.

Underworld - Part 2

Newton comes back from the grave

Synopsis: Now in London, Jack considers disappearing, but his brother warns him that he'll put a bounty on his head if he does. Alexander leads them all to the basement (with Jim and Tom taking the dog) and to an underground river - the river Walbrook, built over and forgotten. They drift down the river and arrive at the Temple of Mithras - a Roman deity supposed to have been spawned from a cosmic egg.

Inside, they find Isaac Newton - who is keeping himself alive and hidden to the world with "restorative eastern tonics". He tells them that he, Alex and Jack's father belong to the Brotherhood of the Book - whose job it was to protect writings and artifacts throughout the world. One one of these quests, Jack's father disappeard while sailing the "Eighth sea".

Elsewhere in Cornwall, 3 lizard men are on the hunt for something, and start along the trail to London...

AC: This is my first jaunt in the Red Seas but I'm keeping up well. I think easily accessible strips like this are the way forward for the Galaxy's Greatest. Funny character moments and dialogue that you can actually say aloud without feeling a bit of a berk help pull this one through.

Some romantic, old world fantasy gives the strip some flavour; your typically secret society of maguses living underground are introduced, with a clever cameo in the form of Issac Newton (he's a knight you know; were it not for him we'd all have to tie ourselves to the kitchen table lest we float into space and freeze) and we see some more of the charming lizard folk from last prog.

Few buckles have been swashed as of yet, but we will keep you updated.

HP: Ian Edginton’s script just seems to flow so smoothly, whether it’s the visual joke of Jack’s gang laughing at Newton’s declaration that the Golden Fleece and Al-Aladdin’s ring are myths, or the cheeky “Bloody Hell! Again!”, this is a joy to read.

Throw in some four-armed talking dinosaurs on a South-Coast neck-snapping rampage and Steve Yeowell’s reliable linework, and you’ve got five pages of top-notch swashbuckling.

Chapter 12

Leatherjack prepared for Mr Whipcord...

Synopsis: Leatherjack has been beaten by the wererabbit and subdued. Whipcord orders him to be brought inside and prepared for interrogation.

Elsewhere, the Spinster fleet hears the reports of the massacre from Earth. They have discovered that the book was stolen by Leatherjack who was sent by Qwish. They prepare to rendezvous at Earth and sterilise the planet.

Back in Whipcord's mansionship, Leatherjack is subdued as Whipcord tells Qwish that in order to find out more about the book, they'll have to pry deeper, injecting him with a psychotropin as he begins the interrogation - but Leatherjack still isn't breaking. Whipcord is, however, a master of torture, and has only just begun.

Meanwhile, the Arkhive is waiting, and a new creature is born at the heart of it.

AC: Ah, now this is more like it; finally a change of scenery from snow, and some new characters are introduced. We get our first proper look at the sinister Mr Whipcord, an intriguing and rather frightening figure who surrounds himself with a creepy assortment of henchmen. The Infantry (Infants, you see?) are just the latest in a series of macabre touches that help make up the dangerous atmosphere of the strip that features psychic were-hares, and fantastically obese floating lechers as rulers. I still say the Spinster Empire is about as subtle as a scissors in the eye, jars with the tone, and is rather cruel, but all in all the Leatherjack universe is a fun and darkly exciting place to be.

I'm trying to work out why I'm so concerned about Leatherjack himself; when we first meet him; he instigates the destruction of a richly realised alien culture, and hasn't exactly displayed a particularly pleasant demeanour since that time! Yet, after watching the Book of Whispers drama unfolding through his eyes, finding out how he was manipulated, and being mercilessly teased about his past, you can't help but make excuses for the guy, and hope he'll be alright!

I think the interrogation sequence is the most effective in the prog; the desperation of Leatherjack, at the mercy of the sadistic Whipcord as a result of machinations not his own, trying to convince his former master that there was no betrayal is well realised. Also, glad to see the residents of Shibboleth haven't gone far, though the transformations of the last few weeks could easily have been done on one page (which would have done wonders for the pacing, and saved on the slightly hammy monologues of the Hive mind).

HP: A lot of people on the official site have said that they find Leatherjack too confusing to read week-by-week, and are waiting to read it alll in one big lump. Personally, I love the crazed dollops of Smith-madness every week. If there’s one story in the prog that can genuinely be said to be unpredictable, then Leatherjack is it.

But torture…again? Is it just me, or does this seem to creep up an awful lot in Smith’s work? Don’t get me wrong, a torturer who hangs out with a creepy were-rabbit and some psychic midgets in Edwardian-garb is fine by me, but I can’t help but feel like I’ve read this scene before.

With the return of the Shibboleth HiveMind on the cards, I’m positively salivating at the bit (calm down, Mr Whipcord!) for next week’s installement.

And Death shall have no dumb minions... (Part 3)

Dex swings to the rescue...

Synopsis: Sinister and Dexter are attacked by the Soviet Robotank. Sinister distracts the tank while Dexter swings down behind it, blowing it up with a limpet mine.

Elsewhere, Kal Kutter is introduced to Miss Deeds by Charon. She deals with all The Mover's business and will be Kal's contact. Charon says that they'll be riding together to start with and they'll be going after two people who are long overdue to "cross the river".

Back with Apellido, Sinister and Dexter are introduced to his new data broker, Billi Octavo...

AC: Is it just me or does it seem that if you're going to make a giant robot, there are more practical things you could give it than a giant scythe and hammer? Yeah, yeah, it's symbolic and that, but seriously, what's it gonna do? Their only so many freakishly large corn sheafs that need reaping, and only so many giant tacks that need putting in the wall in the world!

Issues of practicality in giant robot construction aside, this was a decent instalment for the hit men without heart. Liked the interplay between the two as they went about their work, the alternate Plan B in particular, though it could use with being a bit less wordy. When a character delivers the mouthful "This is no time to be convening the Downlode debate society" during a fight, it kind of saps the urgency from the situation.

Kal Cutter's journey is a source of interest; the idea of a young blood hood progressing up the ranks of gangland has been done to death, but rarely in a genre context such as this, so I'll be looking to see where they go with this. A nice surprise to see Billi Octavo again; she's certainly moved on from the anorak wearing nerdress of yesteryear. Hope she's not become too world wise and cruel; a properly sympathetic character is a rare thing in this trip.

HP: People are often complaining that Sin/Dex doesn’t ever really go anywhere…well, now it is going somewhere, I’m not so sure that I like it. Maybe once the reasons behind the cloning of Holy Moses come to light it will all make sense, but right now it just seems like Dan Abnett is retreading so much old ground.

Finny and Ramone’s face off with the Soviet Killerbot is gorgeous to look at (and I am just loving the Hammer & Sickle weapons) but ultimately I find myself more interested with Kal Cutter’s side of the story. Kal seems to be meeting new characters and facing new challenges aplenty, while the titular heroes just seem to harvest the old faces (Billi Octavo – was there ever a more boring composite charcter?) and tread water.

Burned Out - part 1

Guthrie in traction...

Synopsis: Judge Giant is on patrol in the Pit and arrests drug addict Sammy. Sammy says he's clean and shows him his arms as proof. But Giant gets a tip from his contact at control to cut away plasti-skin grafts covering up the track marks. Sammy tells him to head to a place called the Sin Bin and he busts in on a drug den.

12 hours earlier, Giant was visiting his old partner, Guthrie, in med bay. Guthrie was blown up in the recent Blood Trails affair, has lost all arms and legs and is still in bad condition. Giant asks him if he recognises a vial - and Guthrie identifies it as the drug Blast - or one of its derivatives. Giant says it's called "Burn" and has led to 48 fatalities so far. He's tracked it back to the Pit - but the trail goes cold there and he needs Guthrie's help. Guthrie refuses - and Giant has heard about his request for voluntary Euthansia. It was refused, as the department felt he was too good to lose. Guthrie asks Giant if he'll end it for him. Giant tells him that they have to work together first, so he can prove that he's still worth something as a judge. After that, Giant tells him he'll kill him himself if he still wants it... (Continued in Megazine 238)

AC: You again? Oh, very well. Excellent artwork from consistent performer Critchlow. There's a much better sense of dimension to his work than most; look in particular at the Judges' shoulder pads and the Lawmaster bike. It all looks very solid and multi layered, and it has a lot of character and detail.

Not a whole lot else to say; it's the set up to a story that resolves itself in the Judge Dredd Megazine. As an opener it works well, introducing the characters of Giant and Guthrie to readers old and new nicely. Guthrie in particular is intriguing; disfigured in the line of duty and feeling cheated out of a life (or a death as the case may be).
An entertaining read, but I ree-heeally don't approve of this business of stowing different parts of a story in different magazines, particularly when one is so much more expensive than the other. This is not the way to make new friends!

HP: I’m not too happy with the crossover with the Megazine. Even though they’ve come clean and confessed they’re doing it to try to bring lapsed readers back to the Meg, I still think it stinks.

Rennie’s use of Giant’s internal monologue at the start really gives this a Wagner-ian tone, and whether by accident or design, Guthrie’s attitude to his physical disability provides an interesting comparison with Slaughterhouse in Mandroid.

It’s always a joy to have Carl Critchlow on art duties, and the revealing of Guthrie’s crippled-form post-Blood Trails is one of the best things I’ve seen in an age.