Cover by Mark Harrison

Stan Bastion: It’s great to see Mark Harrison back in the prog and this fabulous cover made me nostalgic for when he was a regular contributor. I’m not impressed by the type design on the cover, which isn’t up to the designer’s usual high standards. But yes – more Mark Harrison!

Darren Stephens: Awe inspiring cover from Mark Harrison. If I were nit-picking, I'd say it took me a couple of seconds to realise what it actually was and that it bares very little relation to the events of the strip, but that's OK. Its a great image. Loved seeing the 'sketches' of this on Pete Wells 2000AD covers blog too. Lovely. 

Synopsis: Dredd finally gets air support as they chase after Pink Eyes' gang, but the gang fall into a disused underground shopping mall and prepare to take their revenge on Munn. Meanwhile, back in the city, Francisco reprimands Sinfield for not giving Dredd the support he needed. Francisco is still in a bad way and has not yet recovered from his shooting - with his replacement lungs in danger of failing. With Francisco back in a coma, Sinfield calls off the search so Dredd and Rico take matters into their own hands, with Dredd realising that something would have to be done about Sinfield.

Stan Bastion:Usually Wagner can do no wrong by me, but this latest section of Tour of Duty hasn’t been setting me on fire. It’s odd, as I was very much looking forward to reading Dredd’s post-exile stories after the really strong setup. Perhaps it’s the antagonists that I’m failing to be impressed by – the pink eyed mutant, in particular, isn’t doing it for
me as an ample Dredd-level threat. Thank Grud for the Sinfield plotting!

Mike Collin’s art is a bit better here than it has been in the previous chapters, but it still feels a bit rushed. Close ups are good, and the nice tattered texture he achieves on Dredd’s helmet and clothes are great, but in particular long shots look a bit ropey, and his figure work suggests to me that this has been done on a tight deadline.

Darren Stephens: So this story ends after a five week run which has been... just OK. I suppose things had to settle down a bit after the drama of Dredd's deployment to the Cursed Earth, so I'll excuse ever so slight dip in quality. It's been a run of the mill Dredd strip, really. Wagner's script has been enjoyable enough, but Collins artwork seems rushed here, at times. We all know what he's capable of, so it seems a bit of a wasted chance to elevate the strip.

Synopsis: Uriel flies up to Heaven, where his skin burns as long as he stays there. He visits Neberon and tells him that he needs him back on side as they fight against Astaroth - with whom Cythea is currently shacked up with. Uriel uses one of his "unrefuseable favours" to free Neberon and tells Raziel that he has a plan for Hell that he will love...

Stan Bastion:I’m afraid I’m still not enjoying Necrophim. The story sounds quite exciting when you try to summarise it, but it’s not a whole lot of fun to read. I was looking forward to being surprised by the main character’s machinations and outcomes of his nefarious plans, but I’m just kind of struggling to follow them at this point. Some bad dialogue doesn’t help.

Lee Carter’s artwork on this, while pretty, is a bit stilted and looks as if it’s very heavily photo referenced. I like the decision to keep the series black and white, and feel that’s its strongest feature, but nothing else is really ringing my bell at the moment. I think Carter shows a lot of promise though and no doubt by the time he’s snapped up by the Americans his work will be very good indeed.

Darren Stephens:Mmmmmmmm. I must admit, I've sort of given up on this. I'm still reading it, if only to take in Lee Carters immense drawings. It started off so well and I had high hopes. Yes, even after Tony Lees Stalag 666! There have been so many twists and turns in Necrophim's story, most of which seem a bit unnecessary. There've been some very strange ideas within Necrophim, too,  that just haven't meshed together. Cell phones in heaven? Really?

This Heaven vs Hell thing has been done a lot better elsewhere. Constantine. Even Preacher. A waste of Lee Carter. Lets hope this isn't the last we see of him.

Synopsis: Ukko has been sewn up inside a Donkey's skin as punishment for stealing Amber from Lord Ogma. He tells Slaine that they can steal some magical Amber and rescue Sorcha, his thief in arms. Ogma is using Ambroids - ancient beings frozen in Amber - to defend his amber mines and some of them attack Slaine. A battle ensues...

Stan Bastion:I read this and then went back and re-read last week’s episode and I’m still not sure what’s happening or to who. I mean I get the basic premise, I’m just not following the details, or can figure out why this is a story. I used to be a massive Slaine fan, but recently his adventures have been lacklustre.

It’s not Clint Langley’s fault either as I’ve enjoyed many a strip illustrated in his unsettling photo-insertion style, and these pages are still very attractive. It’s still nice to see his work in the weekly, and I did spend a minute or too admiring the detail (although I wonder if perhaps it’s not reproducing as well as he’d hoped – is it me or are parts a bit blurry?).  I wonder how his work would look on a Dredd.

Darren Stephens: Pat Mills and Clint Langley are on fine form, as ever. I'm really enjoying these smaller, bite sized adventures.

I'm not really a big fan of painted artwork. It brings back some bad memories of the nineties Bisley explosion, but Langley's has always been different enough to stand out.  Mills's scripts are as bonkers as ever. I love the humour that runs through everything here. Great to see Ukko back, too, the little bleeder!

Synopsis: A blacksmith tells a tavern about how his son was killed by General Kreel and how he got revenge by becoming Kreel's blacksmith and giving his men weapons that fell apart on the battlefield. However, the man is lying all along, having killed his own son for not getting more money from Kreel when he came into their shop. And one of the men listening to the tale was a member of Kreel's army - who kills the blacksmith as soon as he leaves the tavern.

Stan Bastion:I do like Future Shocks. I should qualify that – I do like good Future Shocks. And this is one. A nice, witty tale set in a fantasy type setting (Future, eh?) with a couple of nice twists. This was a welcome surprise as Tharg has let a few duffers through recently, and by the time I got to this point in the prog I really needed my spirits lifting.

John Cooper’s art is stronger here than it has been in the Armitage stories he has produced for the Meg. I know he’s a master draftsman and I’m wondering the same thing I did when reading this week’s Dredd instalment – are the deadlines just a bit too tight? Regardless, some nice character work and background detail, amply illustrating a clever
tale.

Darren Stephens:Well, this is the second week in a row where the Future Shock has been lost on me. Having to re-read the thing and then still not being totally sure you've got it is slightly annoying, it must be said.

John Cooper, comics legend that he is, turns in some pretty dull artwork too.  Not my cup of tea at all really. 

Synopsis: Sinister retrieves Missy Solemnis from her servitude as a porn actress for Benny Bournmouth (who's actually Benny from the alternative dimension). However, as they try to leave, they come under fire from Tony Lacuna, another Psycho from the alternative dimension who Sinister killed years ago...

Stan Bastion:I wasn’t over the moon to see Sin Dex return a couple of weeks ago, to be absolutely honest, but then I do keep forgetting how good a writer Abnett is. Even on an off day he never fails to pull together plot strands from pervious and current stories in, at the very least, an interesting manner. Some nice character touches, which is always
difficult when you’re talking about two characters that have been around for years and been through the mill a few times only to return to the status quo. Also it’s nice to have a callback to the Malone story, which was a fond favourite of this reviewer’s at the time!

Anthony Williams turns in his usual high quality art. It may not have all the background or fine detail that it used to, but his posing, shadow placement and storytelling are top notch. Rob Taylor on assists (which I’m guessing means colouring?) does a fine job of keeping it all together, perhaps with the odd splash of inappropriate or garish colour choice.

Darren Stephens:  This run of Sin/Dex has been a real eye opener for me. When you consider how long these two have been featuring in the comic...all these years...I've loathed them. But...this latest installment seems to have triggered something inside my head. Either that or I'm going soft. I'm loving this.

Maybe its because Simon Davis isn't drawing it? That sounds terrible. Davis is a great artist, but I never really liked his work on this strip. His clown faced Finny, especially. Williams' work, although much cartoonier, suits the strip to a tee.

Stan Bastion:Overall it’s a disappointing week for me. I can at least usually count on Dredd being a great read if it’s a Wagner tale, but not this month… Only two stories out of five really worked for me – let’s hope the hit rate climbs a bit upon the Xmas relaunch!

Best story: Future Shock/ Sinister Dexter

Darren Stephens: Everything seems to be wrapping up nicely heading towards the mammoth end of year Prog. Bring it on.

Best story: Slaine