Who? Dares Wins - Part 2

Dredd didn't quite understand the concept of irony...

Synopsis: Dredd looks over Kenny Who?'s latest work depicting "Judge Dread" as a psycho. Meanwhile Kenny is visiting the remaining publishers in Mega City one but is getting nowhere until finally they get to Grudzines.

The publisher, Bill Doggitz, won't publish either but recommends they try self-publishing and offers them the use of the old broken Printmaster machine if they can get it running. Little Ken does just that and after a contribution from Doggitz (who can escape prosecution due to his "Mental" card) they finally print the first issue of "The Hoolie" with Doggitz's streetdroids selling it alongside the religious tracts. Dredd promptly arrests Who? and his wife heads over to Mega City 1 to help him get out.

Kenny gets an appeal, hiring a robot lawyer, 314, who has a tendency to make asides that comment on his actions ("Laws that carry - pause for emphasis - quite severe penalties!"). Despite being a little eccentric, the lawyer droid points out that the image of "Dread" is sufficiently different from a judges uniform and indeed that the name is different. The appeal judge finds in Who?'s favour and he is released and allowed to leave the city.

Dredd is understandably miffed at having lost and warns Who? not to slip up again. but now Kenny is a success: "I've done what I came for. I'm going to be a big name in Trashzines. I can go home now."

GH: After last week's issue I was left rather unsure of whether or not the return of Kenny Who? was a good thing. It was an entertaining tale but, aside from the excellent excerpt from the hoolie, didn't strike me as a good enough reason to drag up yet another character from the past. However, this issue has happily proven me entirely wrong.

This is possibly the most enjoyable Dredd tale I've read in ages, including the Total War masterpieces in the weekly. There's just something about this episode that evokes the magic from the totally insane early days of Dredd. Whether it's the knowing in-joke of the "The bearer of this card is mental" reference or the utterly lunatic trial that takes place later on, this is such an entertaining strip that should be a must read for any Dredd fan. The trial is alone is almost worthy of a strip of its own and do hope that 314 makes a reappearance from time to time with asides like "brandish it, brandish it!" being a stroke of comic genius. All this and a final heartfelt line from Kenny Who? that makes it all worthwhile.

This is backed up by some stunning work from Kennedy. If the best stories bring out the best artwork, then this is certainly the case here. Dredd's chin never looked bigger, there's some great characterisation in the 314 droid, and just a great "labour of love" feeling about the whole thing. As ever, Chris Blythe makes a perfect partner for Kennedy, managing to ape the watercolour effect that Kennedy himself used to use, so that the join is seamless.

Overall, a complete triumph that can't be missed.

PI: Now, before I leap into praising the combined genius of Wagner and Kennedy, I'll just get some minor niggles I had with this story out of the way.

First of all, I can see why Who? may be bitter against Judge's in general, but why intentionally pick out Dredd who was the only Judge in the Big Meg to give him a chance? Perhaps that's the only name he can remember, but it just seemed rather odd. Also, didn't he actually have a daughter last time around? I wonder where she got off too...

Anyway, one of the great joys of doing this review was the fact I got to read both parts of this story a third time through. They really are that good! This is a story made up of two things for me, eccentrics and robots. The ever-optimistic Who? is a joy to read about on his own. However, the people around him prove just as interesting. From the camera eyed robo-publisher in Big 1, to the quite insane publisher of Grudzines and of course, the hilarious lawyer, this story is full of little quirks that just make it a joy to read. It's also great to see Dredd cut down to size in the courtroom, and Kenny finally make it. Over all, the story is near faultless. And I'd also like to add, a lot of TV courtroom dramas could learn a lot from this story...

The art, of course, is also a big drawing point. Kennedy brings a life and 'Scottish essence' to this strip. He has the perfect feel for it, and everything is quite detailed and clear. He also did a good job of aging the Who? family since their last appearance in the Meg.

Deus X - Part 2

Shimura 's handiwork...

Synopsis: Shimura starts to battle the cyborgs eventually besting them by using skill over their enhanced weapons. But one remains intact and almost kills him until it's spotted by Inaba who has come, in plainclothes, to warn him about Deus X. She tells him that Deus X are organised into cells called components and that one is led by Kira Katagiri, former head of security at Taoka. Inaba believes Amber wants him dead to save the company's face, but she denies this.

Meanwhile Katagiri sets his cyborgs on a Hondo city temple - killing innocents before Inaba, Shimura and Amber track him down. Katagiri beats Shimura to the ground and prepares to kill him...

GH: In a recent review of the trade collection for Shimura, I mentioned that the character himself never really hit home for me, being an uneasy combination of arrogance and whining. That said, I'm still enjoying the latest run of Shimura tales much more than many of those in the collection. Andy Clarke's art seems suited to the visceral nature of the strip, and the tale seems less laden with the distracting backstories and intrigue that occasionally made the previous outings somewhat impenetrable. That said, the intercutting in the last couple of pages should certainly have been rewritten by somebody along the way to help it make a little more sense.

Otherwise, it's not a masterpiece, but it's paced fairly well so that it speeds by fast enough that you're already onto the next story before you can worry too much about it. So if I had to sum it up, I'd call it undemanding and inoffensive. Slight praise indeed, but there you go...

PI: I actually enjoyed the start of this story in the last Meg. I had high hopes for this month's, and was still hopeful reading through the first couple of pages...

However, as we come nearer and nearer to the end, things just began to slip. It seemed to be jumping between two situations at different times, and not doing a very good job of distinguishing what exactly was going on. Even now, I'm really not sure what the end has to do with the rest of the story, but I'm sure (or at least, I hope) everything will be made clear in the end.

However, confusing or not, it's still very nice to look at. Clarke seems to take great care and consideration into drawing acts of violence and decapitation.. or maybe he just enjoys it a little too much. Whichever it is, the art of this issue is bold and striking, it really leaves an impression. And as a final thought, isn't it convenient how Inaba just keeps happening to bump into Shimurat? Hondo must be a small place indeed.

Killoden - Part 5

The Kreelers' mantra...

Synopsis: Gadgie shoots one of Middenface's lumps off but Middenface manages to kill Gadgie' accomplice. Gadgie reveals his mutation as having no eyes but he can see through his skin. Medusa shows her face and he immediately turns to stone.

Meanwhile Charlie's father is killed in the attack, and Charlie swears to stay by his side, but is knocked out and carried to safety instead.The mutants are being massacred but many manage to escape using a bulldozer to create an exit. An estimated 100,000 are killed, next to only 2417 Kreelers. The mutant bodies are burned and buried in quicklime, with the corpses of the leaders hung on Edinburgh Castle. Jack McWeasle is jailed for the deaths of the Holyrood MPs and Sir William Cumberland is elected First Minister by a landslide.

Mutants are hunted down over the next few years like animals but the remaining Mutant rebels swear vengeance on Cumberland...

GH: So the latest tale of Middenface comes to the tragic end that we could certainly see coming. The slightly contrived use of Medusa aside, this is a powerful conclusion to a series which, although a little uneven in places, certainly had a dark undertone throughout that Grant handles well and finally brings to the foreground here.

We could all see that the mutants were heading for a fall, but Grant still manages to shock with some scenes of Kreeler brutality and in the summing up of the events that follow the massacre. The talking heads premise works much better this issue round, with the bigotry of the Kreelers in the spotlight. My only niggle with this is that the Kreeler who was "just doing his job by killing them" could have been a little more subtle in his intentions and it still would have gotten the message across. Elsewhere, Grant still manages to instill an element of comedy in the chaos - particularly with Spider Dan's comment about having plenty more arms after one is blown off.

As mentioned in an earlier review, Ridgeway's art is perfectly suited to black and white (or coloured by another artist as in the reprint later on) and he turns in a fantastic job here, especially where needed in the closing scenes of the "clean-up".

A fitting end to a series which will hopefully continue in the same vein soon.

PI: I'm in two minds on this story, I really am. I'm enjoying it, no doubt about that, however even in the heat of the battle with the Norms, I'm still feeling nothing for the mutants cause. It's a great piece of light hearted humour, no doubt. And perhaps that is what it is intended to be, but while the last three pages (up to the last three panels) stirred something in me, I can't really feel anything for the main characters plight. Both Ironbroo and Gadgie were a laugh, Medusa made herself useful (although, it still doesn't justify her quite out there powers... maybe later?) and there was a nice bit of commentary on the after war situation. Overall a solid story, that wasn't a let down for me.

The art was a bit too scratchy and unclear at times in this story. But for the most part, I still believe it suits the story well and it really shines in scenes like the mutant exodus after Middenface had stormed the ranks. And do I spy a Graham Norton cameo at the end there?

Head Job - Part 1

The deal comes to a head...

Synopsis: Bato Loco has been summoned to see Don Morte who tells him that they are about to enter business with the Cubans in the organ legging racket. Bato realises the Cubans are nasty work, but the Don is sending him on the operation as he views him to be expendable.

Elsewhere, Dredd is pursuing some perps when he hears a report about an organ legging deal going down. After subduing his quarry, he picks that as his next job.

Down on the docks, Bato Loco meets with the Cubans, and he's shown the goods - a bunch of dead heads in ice. Bato says he can't possibly go through with the deal as there's no market for heads - but the Cubans tell him the heads are from the last people who walked out on a deal...

GH: The return of a character who is, in some ways, better than Rennie's other megazine character, Koburn, as the strip seems far less self-reverent. The use of the full page intro of a severely wounded Dredd helps to get us immediately into the story and Bato's transport into the Don's compound also lets us know that Bato's luck still isn't running that well. Of course, we know that he'll go through hell and somehow end up next month having got the better of all the characters, including Dredd, but it's a pleasure setting him up so nicely so we can witness the inevitable escape.

Coleby, meanwhile, has clearly stamped his mark on Bato Loco and turns in another wonderful job that, combined with his work on Dirty Frank in the weekly, sees him working on two of the most outright entertaining denizens of Mega City 1. It's been a pleasure to see him working for 2000AD again these past couple of years, and when coupled with Chris Blythe he can produce some outstanding work.

Even simple things like being able to create an instantly recognisable futuristic docks are raised up a level or two by some excellent detailing on the various crates and vessels. It's this astonishing attention to detail combined with some great characters that are fast making him a very big name again.

PI: Well, it's an interesting one, this. I'd never read any previous tales from this story, so I don't know if any of the little references (such as the Resyk incident mentioned) have any prominence. However, while part of me says it's too early to judge this, another says it's an intriguing tale. One with a lot of loose ends left hanging that slowly draws you in. How does Bato end up apparently about to gun down a roughed up Dredd? What can you actually gain from selling frozen heads? And of course, the classic, how will he get out of this one? It's all left me wanting more, so that can't be a bad thing.

I'm not so sure on the art though, it's adequate for the story, but something bothers me about it. Perhaps it's that Dredd looks like one of the frozen heads in the crate with a helmet? I'm not sure, but in time it will probably grow on me.

Return to Casablanca - Part 3

Francis doesn't take no for an answer...

Synopsis: Rab Mc Nab is headlining at the George Jackson Rooms calling his old band, the Fab Dab Ceilidh Band mere session musicians. Francis and "Ilsa" break in through the back of the rooms, knocking out a security guard. He finds a room full of swords and other stage props and thinks they are torture devices.

Back at the Rix Bar, the McCurdies beat up the manager but they soon realise that he's not the Bogie Man. They try to find out where "Miss Albania" is while beating him up further and trashing the bar.

Back at the Jackson Rooms, McNab is on stage but is heckled by his own ex-bandmates who say they deserve a cut of the profits and starts attacking McNab with beer cans. Clunie sees this and rushes him off stage, shooting at the audience, while Detective Douglas identifies him...

GH: Never being a particular fan of the Bogie Man in his earlier incarnations, I'm warming up to this nicely. Maybe it's a "growing older" thing. I'm certainly starting to appreciate the humour derived from the clearly completely insane Francis Clunie and Grant/Wagner's grasp of black comedy is at its best when he starts shooting into the audience. Ilsa's rather bizarre complicity in events, especially when she helps him hide the unconscious guard also raises a smile, as does the line "I didnae find an axe. I'll just huv tae use ma ain!"

Robin Smith's art compliments the script well with a strong retro feel and one that helps to bring out the best from the slapstick moments.

It all adds up to something much better than I was expecting and a worthy inclusion in the Megazine.

PI: If this story has done anything, it's made me want to go out and watch Casablanca just to get all the little quirks and in-jokes. This story is one I've enjoyed from the start, and I can't really understand why people new to the character are having trouble following it. This issue was quite extraordinary though, as not only did we have Rick's off the wall action and more of infamous shortbread swindlers, but also the whole sequence with eccentric mega-star Rab McNab and his former band members. All quite well done and highly amusing, and thankfully lacking the fart jokes this time around. All very clever, and I look forward to more.

I feel the art is perfect for this story, it complements it so well. And really, I can't think of any higher praise I can give it for the moment. It's not a thing of it's own, like some other stories, it just merges with the script to create and all around enjoyable experience.

Lock-In - Part 3

November lights up...

Synopsis: Anderson is eating in the justice department cafeteria when it's hit by an infestation of insects. Yughes, whose psi powers were burnt out, is the only one not affected and Anderson orders him to run and switch off the mind probe.

Elsewhere a possessed judge starts killing the prisoners and almost kills firestarter Juliet November before she sets him alight in retaliation. Yughes cuts the power and the bugs vanish. Shenker calls an assembly to work out what's attacking them and send out Shakta and Anderson to investigate the cells. They find the dead burned judge and hear a report that two dead perps are also on the loose. They finally find November who says she burned something that stopped the bugs - leading Anderson to believe that the manifestations might be linked to something tangible - possibly nanobots created by the Justice Department.

Elsewhere, two judges find the dead perps at the armory and are blown to bits.

GH: Although not quite on a par with the issues set in Anderson's mind, this is still an enjoyable return to the wisecracking Anderson of old who didn't take anything too seriously. Grant and Ranson also manage to put across an element of claustrophobia and tension throughout this episode, with lone stretches of dialogue-light or free panels that help to give the whole piece a real "ghost house" touch. The return of Juliet November is a welcome surprise, as by the end of that older series it was becoming clear that the character has promise if the darker side of her character was brought out.

All in all, a lightweight tale that is raised several notches by some, as usual, outstanding work by Arthur Ranson who just seems to be improving every time we see him. And Andy Clarke could learn a thing or two from the rather brutal end that he depicts for the two unfortunate judges.

Still looking forward to getting back to the Half Life plot, though...

PI: Well, this one goes from the pretty average horror situation at the beginning, and ends with quite a nice twist. I quite like the idea of taking the firestarter along, she piqued an interest in me and I for one am happy we'll be seeing more of her. And of course, how can you go wrong with goons with a drokkload of guns?

One thing that is bothering me about this run of Psi Anderson is that we seem to be getting clonked over the head with her age. We've established that she's an old woman, we even know it's suggested that she take the long walk (are Psi-Division trying to kill themselves off or something?) but did we really need lines like "Indulge an old lady"? I'm probably being picky here, but it bothered me a little.

There's some nice detailing in this strip too, while the shootings weren't up to the standards of mass killing on Shimura we saw earlier, the shooting to pieces of the Judges was nicely done. And of course, the bug storm was quite dramatic.

Miscellaneous Material inc.

• Cam Kennedy Interview
• Dreddlines
• Judge Dredd - Dog Fight
• Metro Dredd
• Dredd Files
• Heatseekers
• Free cards
  

GH: David Bishop turns in yet another excellent interview with Cam Kennedy, showing up a significant amount of research which clearly helps to get the best from an interview subject. Kennedy comes across as a highly entertaining interviewee, especially with comments like "Wow. I must have been really drunk when I did this. I don't remember it at all." A nice taster for the 2000AD related section coming next month.

The Dredd Files were more of a draw this time around, focusing on one of the best epics ever - the Judge Child. As for the text story - I'm afraid i still can't be bothered with reading them. I'd much prefer more features like the Modesty Blaise one last month.

The Heatseekers are somewhat hit and miss. The two page spread on Will Eisner is welcome and will hopefully spur more people on to read his work while Jonathan Morris turns in another entertaining Cult TV section. One thing I would like to see is Simon Spurrier talking about something that he actually likes. His pieces, in particular, are becoming unwelcome diatribes and it's time to put that film degree to use and start educating us about what we should be watching, not what we shouldn't. Reading Bishop's piece, meanwhile, made me remember how he used to be the best thing in Comics International.

The Dredd classic was one which I can only barely remember, and was thus glad to see its inclusion here. There's a wealth of excellent, never reprinted, Dredd tales out there, and this is an inspired choice. I'd still love to see some Eagle reprints, however.

The latest suit in the pack of cards is still a fantastic idea for a free gift.

PI: The Cam Kennedy interview was quite insightful. I didn't actually read the MacNeil interview over the last couple of Megs, but I was drawn to this one. And it was indeed quite a great look into his early years, it was also quite interesting how he'd forgotten he'd even drawn a Charley's War strip, amazing what we forget over time isn't it? I'm really looking forward to the next installment of this.

Alzheimer's Block was a good old dark humour tale from Wagner. A nice parody of murder mystery novels, and yet towards the end quite disturbing. Of course, euthanasia is by no means an uncommon thing in Dredd's world, but it made for pretty good reading none the less. Especially seeing as it was all legal, above board and happening without even the resident's knowledge. 'While she can...' is also a chilling closing line if I ever saw one.

Unfortunately, I find a majority of Heat Seekers quite... well, boring, to be fair. However, Si Spurrier continues his vendetta against Hollywood and I have to say, he does it well. While I've never seen Sea of Souls, the analysis of why British cult TV works (and doesn't work) made for an interesting read, and while Rennie took a break from his column writing escapades, David Bishop filled in nicely. About time the writers took some stick!

Metro Dredd was... well, pointless. Citing Jedi as a religion in the Big Meg doesn't make much sense to me. Nor does the fact that Dredd is taking a census in the first place. Not the best introduction to Dredd, but I suppose once a writer gets a joke in his head...

I haven't managed to read the text story as yet, but I'd like to hear some opinions on it myself. And while I've read bits and bobs of the Dredd Files, having never read the Judge Child story (I know, I'm deprived) I don't feel able to make a useful comment.

The pack of suit of cards didn't fail to please either. Although, shouldn't Hershey and McGruder be in the fem suit? And I was kind of hoping for a Jack Point card, but ah well, can't have everything. The Dredd card though, is quite impressive indeed.