Synopsis by Adam Crabtree
1st opinion by Adam Crabtree
2nd opinion by Alex Frith

Summaries and reviews contain spoilers for this issue.

Regime Change - Part 4

Dredd makes a stand...

Synopsis: So named after the indomitable late Chief Judge, the McGruder assault tank is the instrument by which the Judges of Mega City One charge into the heart of battle torn Cuidad Baranquilla. Intense urban warfare ensues as the Judges under Dredd’s leadership encounter various pockets of resistance.

Meanwhile, Hershey placates the international judiciary council, who are outraged that MC-1’s stand-down agreement has been so flagrantly violated; she informs them smoothly that the McGruder force is a punitive one, separate from the peacekeeping force, out to arrest the Cuidad’s Chief Justice Sangrenegra for murder of MC-1 cits…

With typically bullish intimidatory tactics, Dredd makes his way into the Baranquillan Justice Department without resistance. Upstairs, Sangrenegra’s son is led to a supposed point of escape… only to be met by Dredd. Sangranegra’s son has betrayed him to Dredd in return for a puppet rulership deal. Dredd promptly executes Sangrenegra. With a violent warning to Sangranegra’s treacherous son to stay in line or face similar retribution, Dredd withdraws the MC-1 forces from the Cuidad, though not without harsh words from a disillusioned LaSalle.

Shortly afterwards, with fuss gradually dying down in Baranquilla, Hershey muses on the operation’s success back at MC-1 Justice Dept.

“What target do we go after next?”

She asks the question of Sov defector and GM genius Anatoli Kazan…

AC: What a final page! The layout of the final reveal is a thing of uncommon power, and Miranda’s rendering of Kazan is infinitely more scary than any previous rendition. This may well have something to do with the percentage of the page his ghoulish mug is awarded, and the placement of the black frame divider; all in all an artistic excess that I feel is justified.

The simplicity of this latter half of this instalment stands in direct counterpoint to some of the unimpeded genital swinging of Regime Change, with Dredd barrelling into situations that nobody has any right walking out of alive, thus reducing the credibility of the threats offered by Gordon Rennie.

Still, even if it is awash with faintly ridiculous testosterone, this has proved a gem in the crown of the Cabs scribe; this final part sees the meatily complicated, multi layered plot neatly resolved with, again, an outstanding final flourish. It does not bow to the pressures of changes in the Dreddverse, treating the litigious subject matter with sensitivity but also a canny and deserving cynicism.

The art on this draws you in like a worm on a hook, immersing you in a sandy, sun-baked atmosphere that casts the suitably extravagant action scenes in a sophisticated light. The stylised renderings of Dredd especially have drawn comment from disapproving quarters, but Miranda and Cruz should be chained to their easels and forced to produce a Chestershire Dozen of new strips before the month is out and that’s all there is to it.

AF: The image of Dredd striding alone into a hall full of bad guys put me in mind of the classic ‘Punks Rule’ episode from way back. A fine example of Rennie displaying his feel for classic Dredd action but within a whole new story. I enjoyed ‘regime change’ a lot while reading it, but looking back it really is a rather heavy-handed indictment of contemporary US foreign policy, which does as a side-effect set up some potentially exciting new Dreddworld continuity, but won’t stick in my mind as a classic. Miranda and de la Cruz have an interesting way with Dredd, but to be honest I’d much rather see them on a different character. I like the way they play with the helmet visors, though.

Stalingrad - Part 5

The Vampire Killers...

Synopsis: Matters get worse for the German force on the verge of assaulting Stalingrad. Constanta drafts in fellow Rumanian Vampyr, “not as powerful… but just as dangerous” so Richter tells the translator a year on. Richter’s hospitalised friend Ulrich is inconvenienced when the new recruits set to feasting on the infirmary patients.

Richter tells the Russian translator that the outfit’s next mission was to capture or kill a Rabbi leading a force of Red Army soldiers, a piece of news that disturbs the Jewish translator. Richter remarks to the translator that killing Jews was not unusual for them.

The mission takes a turn against the Fiends when the Red Army soldiers, armed not with guns but hammers, stakes, and enchanted sickles, take the fight to them.

AC: Reading multiple parts at a time, this reveals itself as an intriguing slow burner, steeped heavily in atmosphere (the misty battleground feel is utterly palpable thanks to Colin Macneill). Reading each new part as they come out in monthly intervals is a little bit less... less really.

It just seems a little content light when read in the company of other jam packed thrills from the Tooth and Meg stables. The scripting is accomplished and there is a lot of subtlety in this update of a classic; more patience is required, and you’ve got to learn, as I have done, that the emphasis is much more on the scares than the action.

It is a very specific brand of terror as well; it chills you, slowly luring you into its musty, nightmarish world, and the very moment you realise there’s no escape, it offers up something bracingly shocking and brutal, such as the death and decapitation of a girl-child that marked a previous instalment. Indeed, Macneill very effectively conjures up the feel of there being no outside world to escape to, of this war being all that is left.

One thing I’d especially like to mention is the emerging symbolism, with the Rabbi and the translator’s Jewishness bringing the darkest elements of that period in European history to the fore. I confess I’d forgotten a couple of times that our “hero” is fighting for Nazi Germany. Perhaps I’d even thought that he was a relative innocent, one of the ones that supposedly didn’t know what was going on, because I didn’t reckon they’d “go there”.

An effectively placed comment lays that to rest, and I hope that Bishop stays with these weightier themes of faith for the rest of the story.

This is turning into a work of beguiling proficiency and beauty, though one wonders if this is the format it’s most suited to…

AF: There’s something missing from this story, and I can’t quite put my finger on it. MacNeil’s art is impeccable, and the atmosphere in the narration is pretty good, too. Maybe it’s that the whole thing feels a bit too much like a history lesson. Sure, there’s some fighting action here and there, but it doesn’t feel like it’s leading anywhere. Even the introduction in this episode of a worthy foe for Constanta feels a bit formulaic.

Return of the Jester - Part 5

Jester gets the upper hand...

Synopsis: Jester leads Mirabai out of the party, leaving Dave to take care of Rohan should he interfere. Rohan is in fact trying desperately to escape pot washing duties so he can pursue Jester, having to endure the various petty arguments of the chefs, who are preparing a strange, gothic cake of black icing.

The cake is Bodhi Senior’s way of commemorating his son Zev’s first gangland hit (as seen a few megs previously). Bodhi’s other sons voice discontent other Zev’s preferential treatment and resolve to teach him a lesson. Rohan meanwhile has snuck out in the cake cart and confronts Jester and Dave, with predictable results.

The next day, Rohan worries over Mirabai’s prolonged disappearance and as Black Siddha he disrupts the Bodhi sons’ assassination of Zev’s girlfriend Amber. Manik Bodhi takes a guess (under duress) that Jester could be found at the business meeting of the Bodhi’s and their rivals that evening…

AC: One way to get ahead in the creative arts is to avoid classification, to shapeshift, and go for as broad as audience as possible. Of course the danger with that is that you may end up alienating, for example, horror fans for not being scary ENOUGH, or action fans for not having ENOUGH violence. Skilfully treading the line between the two is Pat Mills’ and Simon Davis’ Black Siddah.

With accusations of barmy-ness rife, Siddah plays it more or less straight with its themes of kick-ass super heroics (and in terms of design and powers, Black Siddah truly is the Badger’s Nadgers), Bollywood gangsters (Simon Davis creates a distinct and vibrant look for each of the Boshi family members) and even a little romance.

Once again I find myself much more interested in the enigmatic Jester, a jaded, philosophising, shambolic street poet who can make it in the gangster set by being a complete badass to boot. Little insights build the tapestry of Kanak, with a gangland prince freely admitting a subordinate “always does his own thing”.

Uncle Dave is a star as well, particularly standing next to Jester. Forget the rest, give these two their own series!

AF: Without reading through the synopses, let’s see if I can get this straight: The Jester has been hired by one Bollywood gang to bring down a rival Bollywood gang. He’s only doing it for a laugh. Black Siddha wants to kill him because the Jester killed his father, and is now extra-concerned because his girlfriend is getting caught up in one of the gang’s activities. But Rohan (Siddha’s human form) is inept and generally a bit of a loser. Reading that, you’d think this was a typical Marvel superhero comic. But in the hands of Mills and Davis, it’s a slice of craziness that I find slightly hard to follow, but enjoy every month nonetheless. And I suspect that the whole series will get funnier and funnier with each re-read. Mental.

Tastes Like Chicken

Customs, Mega City 1 style...

Synopsis: Undead tour guide Henry Dubble regales us with another tale of creepy criminal conduct.

A plane bound for Mega City One; the passengers discuss what the true nature of their “meatish” in-flight food is. Arriving at the terminal, the passengers and their luggage must go through extensive anti viral procedures, such as the H3N5 virus that eliminated all poultry. Travelling through the Cursed Earth, all precautions must be taken.

An airline worker feels the brunt of MC-1’s stringent security measures when a mosquito bite sees him put in quarantine for a week.

Meanwhile, an x-ray test catches out a smuggler of Baranquillan nightingales trying to sneak the rare birds in under a heavy coat. Rumbled, the smuggler’s escape is foiled by a Judge, and he is given life imprisonment.

As it is, he is in his iso-cube for all of four hours until the avian virus one of the birds gave him takes hold.

AC: This is a series that knows how to go that extra mile; it seems to typically bring out the best (if you can call it that!) of the various collaborators involved, all of whom shoot for a level of cruelty that makes it burn indelibly into the memory, much more than any common Future Shock or Terror Tale.

Remember finding out who the Mega City sniper was?

“Whoah-ho!”

Remember how the Ruddler’s Cuddlers’ interpreted an order to rob?

“Shee-it!”

Of course you do. This has been a good series for big moments, for “reveals”. This month, the honour goes to the x-ray scanner that shows a fur coat containing a hundred foetally curled bird skeletons, a moment of sheer genius from rarely seen writer Jonathon Clements and fan acclaimed artist Dom Reardon realise it perfectly.

Also notable is the playing around with the Black Museum formula, taking Henry Dubble out of the Museum and giving him various Bugs Bunny style appearances within the story, creating a greater sense of cohesion between narrator and narration. Dubble himself is particularly apt to interpretation by the creative teams who work with him; Simon Spurrier’s appealingly vile shock hawker remains a favourite of mine.

AF: I’ve noticed some complaints on the forum about this series, but I’ve been thoroughly enjoying it. Not a bad episode so far to my mind, and this month’s is one of the best yet. Dom Reardon for me is the new King of Horror, so it’s about time he worked on this horror/comedy series. Clements’ story is both fun and suitably macabre, although I found his littering of contemporary references kind of annoying (weakest link; unhappy slapping; the whole bird-flu theme). But that’s a minor niggle. Give Reardon more work!

Miscellaneous Material inc.

• Neil Gaiman Article
• Classic Dredd
• Easy Prey part 2
• Orizon review
• Sci Fi film reviews
  

AC: The Dredd reprint is fairly uninteresting; whether or not it was meant as a pastiche of one of those cute little quizzes in the comics magazines you read as a kid, or the real deal is a matter of conjecture… though if and when you’re actually going to sit down and consider it is up to you, and more power to ya (heh)… The classic Carlos is worth taking a little more time to peruse this.

The Neil Gaiman article, like its forebears held particular appeal for one such as myself, who does not yet know precisely what Alan Moore had for breakfast the morning he took the Swamp Thing gig, or how many hairs occupy the head of John Wagner. These articles set out the chronology for newbies very well, and the ensemble picture of the Endless family (Frank Quitely on pencil duties if I’m not mistaken?) was a treat.

The Orizon book review made me chuckle; it’s true that poor translation can lead to both frustration and mild hilarity, depending on the particular echelon of incompetence the word monkeys involved are operating on. The Greek Harry Potter (by the sounds of it) won’t be making my “to-read” list anytime in the foreseeable future.

The sci-fi releases feature was diverting, but nothing more. I tell you, the number of little articles in this month’s Meg it was at like old times… and I do miss Heatseekers et al.

Still, more room for Small Press I suppose. After the distinctly fragmenty offerings of of Springheeled Jack and Mr Humperdinck, it was surprising to see two months devoted to one particular offering. The story was brought to an end in a clever and professional, if not entirely original way. The weird old recluses in cahoots with the law aren’t new, nor are prostitutes in peril or orphans in the basement.

The wheelchair bound psychic was much more innovative (“Professor X?” Did Professor Y have a kid or something?). Despite this, the variant themes were juggled with impressive clarity by the guerrilla creators, with the artistry conjuring up a gloomy, half cartoon world of nightmare, and the ending tied it up neatly, in a manner that made me smile.

AF: Neil Gaiman article – a solid overview. I’d have liked a bit more in the way of criticism of his work (likewise for the other creators featured in these segments) – it’s kind of taken for granted that Gaiman is a genius, without ever saying what it is that makes his work so well-respected.

Dredd reprint – a bit of a silly story, but nice to see Ezquerra and Frame in the Meg

Small Press – glad to see the second half of the story started last month – makes a bit more sense now. However I feel something was lost in the storytelling here, to make room for some old school EC horror imagery. Ewing’s ‘Rogue Trooper’ extract was utterly hilarious, though.

Film reviews – a perfectly good round-up of recent releases, but seems a little out of place in the Meg. Is it just that there happens to be a bunch of SF/fantasy-related films out at the moment?

Orizon book review – a fantastically scathing review of a book that I now have no intention of reading.