2000AD Prog 1568 - 09 January 08

Cover by Nick Percival

Joseph Saxton: A decent portrait of Shakara that doesn’t quite live up to the dynamism that Henry Flint manages to create when he’s drawing it.  It's also a shame that it's cut down to a square due to the new banner; personally I think cover images look better if the artist has a bit of length to play with. 

Gorilla/z Script: Alan Grant Art: Mike Collins/Cliff Robinson Colours: Chris Blythe Letters: Annie Parkhouse

Not something Joe gets to say a lot...

Synopsis: A gorilla is on the loose from a school of elocution. After being slapped around by its teacher, it goes on a killing spree, collecting brains from its hapless victims. Dredd brings it down with the help of a hoverboard.

JS: Gosh, this is pretty bad. It's needlessly gory with no particular point to the story. There's also no mystery to solve and the only moment that made me smile required the questionable virtue of a real world swear word.  On the plus side it’s fairly well drawn, the page layouts being the star of the strip; well done Collins/Robinson/Blythe, whichever of you was responsible. 

The Defiant - Part 3 Script: Robbie Morrison Art: Henry Flint Letters: Annie Parkhouse

Keeping an eye on things...

Synopsis: Shakara attacks the Psico Hierarchy who respond in kind. However, the populace of Nirvana comes to Shakara's aid - forcing the Psicos to join forces to become the mindmorph (a huge eyeball) and turn on their attackers. This allows Shakara to regroup - who bursts the huge eyeball by flying his ship through it.

Elsewhere, the Psico leaders realise that all out war against Shakara is the only way to fight him.

JS: This is the first Shakara strip I’ve read and the obvious conclusion is that the art is earth-shatteringly brilliant. I don’t really care what’s going on, I’m just thrilled that, between them, Morrison and Flint have come up with and illustrated a mob of frogs with a gun and a giant eyeball being popped.  Superb. 

The Promised Land - Part 3 Script: Dan Abnett Art: Richard Elson Letters: Simon Bowland

Clearly hasn't seen any horror films. Or ET.

Synopsis: An outpost of humans appears to have survived, although they don't appear to be very advanced. One of them, a little girl called Leezee Sower is asked to feed her dogs while her dad investigates an alarm that was set off on the fence surrounding the compound. As she does, she encounters Gene - giving him some food - much to the shock of her dad when he comes looking for her...

JS: With five pages introducing us to a new world for Gene to explore, the exposition could easily grind the strip to a halt, but it’s handled well here.  This is possibly due to making us wait for Gene’s appearance and, for me at least, keeping us wondering whether this is a historical or present situation.  Elson’s art should also be praised as it is undoubtedly great and his use of solid, vibrant colour makes this stand out in a flick through the prog.   

England's Glory - Part 3 Script: Ian Edginton Art: D'israeli Letters: Ellie De Ville

Lighting up...

Synopsis: Stickleback and his crew investigate Des Kinvig's shop - who didn't respond to his enquiry about the crown. In the shop, they find the body of Kinvig as well as an American woman - who sets her zombie bear on them. The bear is easily defeated by Stickleback's fiery compatriot - but the woman summons more zombie wild west cowboys and indians to attack them next...

JS: Well, I must say that this series has confused me far more from the start than last time round.  Lacking the strong central lead of last series (I presume Stickleback himself is supposed to take the central role now, but he’s not really leading the narrative to such a degree) it's swimming in circles with a series of relatively disjointed angles.  With time, I’m sure this’ll all come together a bit more, but for the moment it’s not really getting there.  D’israeli, as always, flawless. 

The Glum Affair - Part 3 Script: John Wagner Art: Carlos Ezquerra Letters: Annie Parkhouse

Terribly rude...

Synopsis: Alpha and Sternhammer escape from the law and go to hide out at one of their friend's - Hootie's. They ask Hootie to get them off planet, and they manage to escape. Once on the freighter, Glum is still despondent. Alpha asks him what he needs to do to become friends again. Glum tells them that Miss Azalea Goodbody's home for grotesque Children needs a million creds or it will be shut down. Alpha asks Wulf if he's ever heard of "Club Paradiso"...

JS: An escape and a plan, but nothing to really get me excited.  I feel a bit hamstrung in that I haven’t read The Glum Affair, and a small recap might have been nice at some point, though as I’m writing this I remember I could look it up on this site.  But I feel my point still stands.  Anyway, once it gets going I’m sure it’ll be great. 

Actually, going back to my earlier point I could expand on that in that in over two years of subs I’ve only ever had one Strontium Dog strip to read - Shaggy Dog story, I think. Stront’s status as a classic often means its relative obscurity to newer readers is overlooked.  Still, I’m complaining more than I should, mostly because my reviews of the other four strips were fairly short.  Anyway, I’ll wrap it up by saying that Ezquerra’s art does the job, but he doesn’t really have anything momentous or extraordinary to draw this week so it’s a little forgettable.

JS: Dredd's the serious weak link this week and Tharg really ought to get something more noteworthy going soon (fillers shouldn’t all be used at once, drop them in between longer stories).  For me, it was really the artists that shone this week. It’s a pretty sexy prog to look at at the moment, even if some of the stories aren’t quite in their stride.

Best Story: Kingdom