2000AD 1562 - 7 November 07

Cover by Frazer Irving

Steven Denton: Frazer Irving is a fantastic artist but he’s no Arthur Ranson. Harry’s head seems a little too big and I’m not really feeling the style. The face is heavily rendered but the rest seems like it’s just a sketch waiting to be filled in. it’s not a bad cover but it’s not really good either 

Lewis Butcher: Harry looking suitably mean and bracing himself ready to fire.  I like it - the picture links in well with the story inside and the mauve against the muted colours stood out so I didn’t need to search for my prog on the shelves. 

Mandroid - Instrument of War Part 8 Script: John Wagner Art: Carl Critchlow Colours: Peter Doherty Letters: Annie Parkhouse

Dredd readys the troops...

Synopsis: A judge warns General Vincent that the judges are coming for him and he prepares to evacuate. Soon Slaughterhouse realises that something is up and that everyone seems to have disappeared. The judges crash in and Slaughterhouse immediately fights back. Judges are killed and Dredd realises that he has to bring down the Mandroid fast...

SD: The original Mandroid was a bit of an unexpected classic so Instrument of War was really going to have to be something special to live up to its antecedent. Let's face it, that was always unlikely to happen. What we do have is a pretty good story but, frankly, not that good. The art is nice enough but not as nice as Kev Walkers, the plot is quite exciting but not that exciting and so on. I guess what I’m getting at is that it’s pretty hard to review this story without bringing up its baggage and that’s a comparison it’s never going to come off best in.

LB: A good action-filled episode this week with Slaughterhouse being left out on a limb and going head-to-head with the Judges (and the Judges coming off second best).  Carl Critchlow’s art is as good as ever and John Wagner’s writing provides plenty of excitement and a fresh mystery to boot – who is the traitor Judge? 

The Chaperone - Part 3 Script: Robbie Morrison Art: John Burns Letters: Annie Parkhouse

Skar sets out his terms...

Synopsis: Dante and the others are cornered in the crashed ship. Skar regognises Elena as the one who gave him his titular scar and tells the group to give up. Arkady suggest that they use smoke grenades to cover their escape and blow up the ship behind them. Dante approves of the plan but once underway Skar cottons on - and Arkady blows up the ship...

SD: Remember when Nikolai Dante first started? No? Well the stories were a lot like this one. Dante would go somewhere for some reason start a few fights get drunk and have a woman turn up in his bed then a super powered guy would turn up beat Dante up a bit, Dante would kill him and go and do the same thing again in the next story until Morrison felt the character was sufficiently established for him to start getting interesting.

I loved the development just before the war and the war itself was a masterstroke of long term story telling. Watching this cocky young man become world weary and scarred inside was something that made me proud to read 2000AD. Morrison told us a very deliberate story and that’s what’s lacking from Nikolai Dante now. The planned journey has come to an end but the stories keep on coming. The Russian rogue is a hero at a loose end.  

LB: So we get to find out how Skar got his nickname, which promises a good fight between him and Elena somewhere down the line (she doesn’t seem the type to let Dante fight her battles for her).  Also, despite being hated by pretty much everyone else Arkady proves himself to be surprisingly resourceful, saving their bacon while the others stand around talking.  It’s good to show there’s more of him than just an aristocratic fop and also good get some more background on Elena.

I have to say I prefer John Burns’ art rather than Simon Fraser’s for this sort of Dante.  For me it’s Burns = serious and big battle scenes, Fraser = fun and duel scenes. 

Life is an Open Casket - Ep 3 Script: Dan Abnett Art: Anthony Williams Letters: Simon Bowland

Dex limbers up...

Synopsis: Tracy and Dex meet up and make up - heading out together for lunch.

Meanwhile, John Croak is waiting for Kutter, holding his girlfriend Isobel hostage - wondering why Kutter didn't tell him that Apellido is a clone of Holy Moses. Kutter says he didn't tell Croak becuse he was afraid he'd try something like this - but then Sinister arrives and recognises John Croak...

SD: This strip is like a merry go round, and round and round - it made me sea-sick so I got off. New ways of telling the same story is not a new story. 

LB: I like Sinister Dexter.  I know it’s been around for ages and I know we all felt a little let down when they came back from the dead. But, that seems to be a running theme: Appellido is a clone of Holy Moses (dead), John Croak is back again (dead), so why not Ray and Finny?  Although it’s taking a long time to get to it I’m enjoying finding out about the whole clone, dimension hoping thing bit-by-bit while getting to see more of Downlode.  I also like the John Croak character who seemed a larger than life legend and a real challenge for the boys the first time he turned up (though he seems less menacing this time around). 

War Stories - Part 1 Script: Ian Edginton Art: Steve Yeowell Letters: Simon Bowland

Straw boys...

Synopsis: 1941, London during the blitz. A young boy is scavenging during a raid when he comes upon a group of kids wearing sacks on their faces, robbing safes. An older, similarly attired man tells the others to kill the boy, who fights back - quickly realising that the boys have straw heads - they appear to be live scarecrows or mannekins. The boy is stabbed, but Erebus - now only with one head bursts in and attacks, along with the resurrected Jim (see issue 1499). Jim decides to help the boy...

SD: Has the Red Seas turned into Doctor Who? Was it always Doctor Who? I’m going to say yes. I haven’t always liked the strip but War Stories has started well. Edginton is about due a good showing and Yeowell’s art seems to have improved dramatically over a lot of his recent work. This one has me wanting more, so next week this is what I’m turning to first. As for what happens, it’s a bit like a cross between the London in the blitz and the scarecrows Dr Who episodes. 

LB: Whoa!!  What is going on here??  First we had Isaac Newton fighting Werewolves, now we’re in London during the blitz with creepy sack-puppet people breaking into safes.  To cap it all off Jim and Erebus (minus one of his heads) turn up in the closing panels.  While I’m not too keen on Yeowell’s painted art, his black and white is perfect for this story and definitely adds to the atmosphere of London in a bombing raid. Don’t know what the hell’s going on but I’m looking forward to finding out. 

The Hitman's Daughter - Part 11 Script: John Wagner Art: Frazer Irving Colours: Fiona Staples Letters: Ellie De Ville

Adele embarks on her revenge...

Synopsis: Harry Exton is given the details of the latest game - and the plan to kill Adele. A group of executives watch the game unfold over remote cameras as Harry enters the scene of the game - a deserted shpping mall. Adele arrives, having been made aware of the game, and warned off, by Uncle Max. She calls Harry out to face her in person, but Harry is hiding out behind some mannequins (see this week's cover) and opens fire first...

SD: Cinematic, fantastic. Button Man has never really worked in an episodic fashion, it’s a film to be taken in all at once. If it feels a little slow moving or a little lacking in tension, that's because there are no cliff-hangers and no mini endings - there’s nothing at all to tell you were one part ends and another begins. John Wagner is probably the finest writer of taciturn hard boiled pulp fiction comics has ever seen and I bloody love it!  

LB: The showdown is on with Adele against Harry - despite her being warned how deadly he is.  This episode sets up the confrontation but ends seemingly with Harry getting his shot in first.  I can only assume either Adele has a trick up her sleeve or Harry hasn’t aimed to kill…  Frazer Irving’s art does the job here although as the cover shows he does a great close-up facial expression so I hope we get to see more of them in-story. 

SD: Not a bad issue at all, the only weak points really are Nikolai Dante not really knowing where to go and Sinister Dexter outstaying its welcome 

Best Story: Red Seas

LB: I’m really enjoying 2000AD at the moment with each story making me eagerly want to read the next episode.  Hopefully this will continue in the run up to Christmas and we’ll have more cracking stories before the special. 

Best Story: Red Seas