Judge Dredd Megazine 275 - 14 October 08

Cover by PYE

Martin Charlton : This seems to have garnered some criticism, and while it’s more ‘2000AD Junior’ than the art for Ratfink, I don’t really see anything wrong with it. You know Dredd goes into a cave, you know Ratfink is waiting, and you can discern that despite Dredd’s cutting edge technology, the comparatively stone age Ratfink has the upper hand, creating tension. All good. 

Ratfink - Part 4 Script: John Wagner Art: Peter Doherty Letters:Annie Parkhouse

Ratfink springs a trap...

Synopsis: The judges continue the search for Ratfink, finally catching up with him as he runs across the Cursed Earth. They manage to track him down to his lair, and Dredd goes in alone - his visor set to infra red. He sees countless corpses inside the cave, some set in bizarre poses. He finally catches up to Ratfink and blinds him with an incendiary shot. Ratfink comes out fighting...

MC: Wagner is notorious for his Spartan scripts. I imagine all this issue said was ‘Dredd & co. go into a cave’, because that’s the potted summary. It’s not bad, but I imagine this is going to read better in collected form. It’s just a bit slow this month. Still, the art’s gorgeous.  

Skidmarks - Part 2 - The Watermelon Run Script: Alan Martin Art: Rufus Dayglo Letters: Simon Bowland

Tank Girl gets a hole in one...

Synopsis: Tank Girl is saved by Burt Chest, who tows her Tank away back into the race, once he realises that someone is sniping at them with tranquiliser darts. As they are attacked by other racers in golf carts, Tank Girl fights them off, before dumping the lecherous Chest too. She pumps up Booga with a special nicotine patch, and uses Booga to tow the tank himself...

MC: This seems to be throwaway fun, and is actually my first contact with a Tank Girl story. As such, I’m either the best or worst person to review this. I like the madcap approach to storytelling (Dare I say it? Classic 2000AD style), and the art is delicious. That I can follow what’s going on is always a bonus on a strip with such a legacy. All I can say is that I’m enjoying this the way I used to enjoy The Red Seas, or Gordon Rennie’s Dredd stories. Taken on its own merits it’s just plain old fun, and there’s nothing wrong with that.  

Wiierd - Part 5 Script: Alan Grant Art: Boo Cook Letters: Simon Bowland

All doom and gloom...

Synopsis: Anderson and Aicer are trapped inside Hyven as the Psi Perp Mitch Shynder, who was given safe haven, turns Hyven against them. Davro is killed first and then Aicer, as Shynder gets ever more stronger. However, Anderson turns to the monkey, the avatar of the conscious computer, for help. After much haranguing and threatening, the computer helps and kills Shynder. Anderson escapes and leaves the computer to police Hyven from now on...

MC: Anderson... ends, and that’s about all there is to say. This tried a bit too hard to be zany at first, and when it pulled the ideas back in, it wasn’t really up to the task of being serious. Boo Cook’s evolving art work, especially the colouring, has been the reason to turn up here every month, but I can’t say I’m thrilled at the prospect of an immediate return for this strip. 

Rig - Part 1 Script: Dan Abnett Art: Steve Roberts Letters: Ellie De Ville

Finally a good reason for those eyes...

Synopsis: The crew of the Longboat have come ashore to see if they can find anything worth salvaging, after a recent storm. On the island, Gimlet is attacked by a monster, but Mermansk manages to kill it. They are then called by Saul-T, the ship's computer, who leads them to an antique drill rig. They go on board, only to be surrounded by monsters called the "Rigger Tribe". They speak in another language and ask them why they are murdering their people...

AF: While I’m pleased to see this return, I can’t help but feel that this was put together quickly. Abnett’s script isn’t as packed with ideas as his usual work, and Roberts’ art seems to be more minimalist than usual. While this may just be a new style, it seems a shame given that the first series was a minor delight.

I am concerned, however, that the printing of this alongside Tank Girl & Anderson gives the Meg, at least aesthetically, a cartoony feel at present, not helped by the style of the cover. While this doesn’t bother me in the slightest, I’d hate to think anyone browsing the shelves (after having ripped open the bag in WH Smiths, of course) would be off put by this.  

Snow Tiger
History of Adult Comics
New Comics
Battlestar Galactica
New Movies
New Books

MC: you’ve already made your mind up about Battlestar Galactica, and I can’t help but feel that the comics articles are becoming Scooby Doo backgrounds – they repeat every few months, with minor differences to conceal the repetition. Not badly written, just familiar.

Snow Tiger, on the other hand, is an absolute delight to reread, flowing better than much of Diggle’s work, including The Losers. This started just as I got into 2000AD and really is a wonderful parody of ‘immediate’ post 9/11 fiction. 

AF: I can’t put my hand on my heart and say I enjoyed this issue. The strips disappointed, the articles passed me by, and only the reprint saved me from a complete washout. It’s not bad, I’m just struggling to be motivated by a filler episode of a Dredd story, a rush Black Atlantic and an Anderson that has been left in the sun for too long. Sorry Tharg.

Best story: Snow Tiger