Cover by John Burns

MC: A fairly high quality John Burns cover, although the absent threat does make it look somewhat as though Dante is having a conniption fit in the middle of the woods. The trees are painted to resemble the pattern Burns uses on Victor’s weapon crest, so some hints there, if you’re looking for them. It’s ok and the logo isn’t covered up. What more can we ask? 

JS: Yet another good cover to add to the pile this year! Better, I think, than John Burn's last Dante cover, this one has all the key dramatic elements. Sinister setting, the dame in trouble and her protector. Although it didn't quite work for me, the eyes of the attacker is a nice touch too.

Origins - Part 21 - Blow Out Script: John Wagner Art: Carlos Ezquerra Letters: Annie Parkhouse

Once bitten...

Synopsis: The NMA brings Booth the money they took from the judges and Booth tells them to expect a reprisal. Dredd is taken for a show trial and prepares for Dredd's execution. However, outside, the money is starting to combust - the judges have laced it with a combustible cocktail. The judges take back the truck with the money and lead a trail of fire behind them which reaches the munitions dump, causing a series of huge explosions - half destroying the court where Dredd is held in the process.

MC: Remember Carver Hale? That Mike Carey ‘Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Hellblazers’ thing from a few years back? The one Carey describes as being hindered by being cut in half due to scheduling problems? Well I’m beginning to think this has hindered Origins in the same way. Not that the story hasn’t been good, but rather that it has lost some of its momentum. Remember Be Here Now? The third Oasis album, hyped beyond the boundaries of sanity? Well I do think somewhat that Origins suffered the same fate – it was good in its own right, but simply couldn’t match the audience expectations.  

I’m not saying Origins has been bad, merely that things have conspired against it. Shame. 

JS: So we're finally back onto what's really making Origins exciting for me - the present tense (well, future really). All those flashbacks were beginning to bore me so I'm glad we're back on track.

A couple of good moments this prog. Dredd being judged was pretty good before we reach the best part. Explosions! What would we do without them? Hell, two pages might be a waste of space especially when we haven't got long to go until the finale but all those explosions sure makes for good art. Not bad but I've preferred previous present parts in this tale.

Waiting eagerly for the finale.

Double Yellow - Part 8 Script: Pat Mills Art: Charlie Adlard Letters: Ellie De Ville

Savage lights up the town...

Synopsis: Bill turns out to be heavily armed, predicting that Granville would rat him out. He uses phosphorous grenades to take out he attacking militia. Savage fails to kill Granville, but escapes himself. He later puts the full text of Tom's revelations together and gets ready to post them online in a cyber cafe (Vashkov's successor Krasnodon was the architect of the original invasion which was set up to take Britain's oil reserves in the North Sea). Granville and his troops surround Savage to stop him from posting - but it's too late...

MC: Invasion was good, wasn’t it? The story off the everyman, fighting off a rebellion. Savage, however, is slightly different. Old Bill has mutated into a cross between Jack Bauer and the Terminator, robbing the strip of much of its original appeal. Adlard’s art is lovely as ever, but the nature of this strip, especially when compared to Invasion leaves much lacking. But that’s Pat Mills all over, isn’t it? 

JS: Looks like we're also reaching the final few episodes here as well. Good little Savage rampage this week, although he does seem a little invincible (even allowing for the body armour this week). I can't really say much here but, bloody hell, the art is good. There's also a good ending this week but I don't believe for a minute Savage is about to be killed off. This is Mr. Invincible we're talking about here. I'm sure the bullet will miss or something.

The Last Thing I do: Part 6 Script: Dan Abnett Art: Simon Davis Letters: Ellie De Ville

Dexter catches up...

Synopsis: Confronted by Herman Vermin, Sinister tricks him into lowering his gun and shoots him. They rescue Sinister and it turns out that Sinister deliberately let Deakus in on the plan - as there was no way that Billy and Sinister alone could have rescued Dexter - but he had to make it look like it was Deakus' idea. Rocky is waiting for them in an ambulance and they escape to freedom, ready for the next step in Sinister's plan...

MC: More gorgeous art here, and some nice characterisation, if not of the main characters, but especially of the more ancillary folks such as Herman (a spin off strip unfortunately precluded by this episode). At its best, Sinister Dexter is much like Dante in terms of mood – good fun, laced with a pinch of seediness and a hint of extreme violence, and this, quite clearly, is Sinister Dexter at its best. I can only hope it returns soon. 

JS: So the latest story finally reaches its conclusion. For me, this has been my favourite Sinister Dexter story yet since I first read it back in Prog 2006. A clever little escape that I really should have seen that coming but, hell, I don't spend my day trying to work out how a couple of hitmen are going to escape from a maximum security prison...

This latest SinDex story has been as bloody as hell! I really like Simon Davis' painted art especially on the close up panels. Very interested to see where Dan Abnett will be taking this story next.

Man Bites God Script: Al Ewing Art: Tiernan Trevallion Letters: Simon Bowland

I have no idea what's going on here...

Synopsis: Ed's Note - can't even begin to write a synopsis of this. If anyone wants to try - post one in the forum.

MC: Odd one, this. Not odd like From Grace or Xtnct where you think ‘not the usual generic 2000AD strip, here’, but odd like "What was that all about, , why did I read it, and how come I never get this part of my life back again?" odd.

The variety of art styles on display are nice, but I can’t help but think that a bit closer editing would have helped. That and, to be honest, I’m yet to be blown away by an Al Ewing strip the way Simon Spurrier was doing to me at this point in his 2000AD career.

Must try harder. 

JS: Okay I'll get to the weird story in a tick but will mention the art first. Now, I don't know if that first page with all the pencilling was incidental but to speak the truth, I'm not really that bothered. I don't know if this artist is new to 2000AD, I certainly haven't seen him before, but I'll be damned if there isn't some cool art going on here.

And now the story. Three words. What the hell? I think after God knows how many rereads I understand it now but first time around there was total confusion. I think it's something about God being disappointed in us all and wanting to kill himself or something. Al Ewing I think should stick with the Future Shocks. He's the daddy of them at least.

The Beast of Rudinstein - Part 2 Script: Robbie Morrison Art: John Burns Letters: Annie Parkhouse

Dante runs into yet another beautiful woman...

Synopsis: Roman Federov, a black marketeer is brutally ripped to pieces by an unknown force - Dante and Elena are investigating - with background information supplied by the priest. Dante follow the trail into the woods, using Elena as bait to lure out the beast. The crest senses something tracking them and Dante attacks - only to discover it's a girl in a red hooded robe. However, Dante is next attacked by a huge beast - which turns out to be his half brother Viktor Romanov.

MC: Really, what’s not to like here?

To an extent Morrison seems to be working through a list of unfinished business moving from Lulu to Victor so quickly, but why not, if it gets us to more interaction between him & Jena sooner or later. A quality strip that positively crackles with excitement when those two meet, I find all of this tying up the Romanov family business somewhat superfluous to wanting to get those two back together.

John Burns, comic stalwart & all round reliable guy provides some more nice art to round off one of the best collections of art & art styles in recent 2000AD memory. 

JS: A nice couple of opening pages start off this week's episode as the beast strikes for the first time. Overall, the tale wasn't too bad but last week was way better. For me Dante's tales are bit on and off in terms of goodness.

The art however is top bloody notch with some peachy panels in there. We have that cool fully red panel on page two through the beast's eyes, Little Red Riding Hood who Dante encounters and the sinister looking woods themselves. One thing I did notice was that there was fewer of John Burns' brilliant panels the art flows out of the panel boundaries, a touch I really like about his art. The only concern was that I thought the beast, Viktor, doesn't look that interesing...

MC: Savage smells a but iffy, and the terror tale needs some clipping in places, but when the other three strips are trucking along so nicely, who’s to complain? 2000AD subscriptions: making Mondays bearable. 

Best Story: Nikolai Dante

JS: It's sad to see Sinister Dexter finish for now and the only downer was a rather disappointing Terror Tale in terms of story telling (surprising, since it's Al Ewing). Overall a pretty good prog.

Best Story: Sinister Dexter