Prog 1736 - Marching as to War!

[Pete Wells]

A cracking prog, even the Nerve Centre had me excited!

Cover - quite a Harryhausen-esque affair from Cliff Robinson so all's right with the world!

Nerve Centre - some cracking strips coming up as well as some hints for the next Wagner Dredd epic, wahoo!

Dredd - A great old school Dredd from Alan Grant which made me chuckle a couple of times (particularly when Dredd entered the toilet!) I was also tickled on the last page when Dredd shot the falling perp, it was so silly and OTT! Doherty's artwork was really nice with some excellent panel layouts, particularly the Dredd's-eye view ones. My only minor criticism is that, despite the cracks, the city looked a bit too white and sterile. Yup, a nice little one off, I could have imagined this being done by TB Grover and McMahon...

Red Seas - ace! I loved the double page splash (ha!) and, though not a lot happens, what does is great!

Cadet Anderson - Anderson goes Wally in this issue which is well written by Grant who I'm really enjoying being back in the prog. The dialogue is great and I liked the reveal on page three. The Ezquerras continue to be an awesome combo, the juves look great and the city looks dirty and horrible (take note Doherty!) Enjoyable stuff.

Absalom - continues to be brilliant! Lots of lovely dialogue coupled the most amazing artwork. The panel of Harry at home on the final page is beautiful. Great stuff.

Dante - aaaaaaagh, I didn't know this arc was ending this week. And what an ending, poor Nikolai looks well and truly beaten in the final panel and I hope that Elena is okay (her cutting a swathe through Lulu's creatures would have made a lovely cover.) Jena is as cool as 'owt and it's all, quite rightly, getting a bit Flash Gordon. A wonderful end to an excellent prog.

[Proudhuff]

I'm currently on a PO redirection notice, so this thread maybe as close as I get to this prog

[Colin_YNWA]

The only thing wrong with this Prog is the surprise that Dante comes to an end so soon. As ever it does it in a show stopping way that puts all that comes before it in the shade in its sheer brilliance. A fantastic tight Dante story that I predict on nowt but speculation alone has set up one final twist in Lulu's tale.

While all else might be cast in Dante's shadow its all really good stuff. Everything just steps it up a notch for me. Hopefully the two Alan Grant stories will answer some of the questions that have been raised against the great man lately. I thought the Anderson episode moved things incredibly well into a nice new section of the story and what has gone before is just well crafted set up and the meat of the story starting here is juice enough.

Its the Dredd however that shines for me. Sure its of the old school but its fantastically so and really a great little one shot.

The other two are just great. Absalom for the first time really delivers on its potential. Cursorily with the led all but absent. Instead focusing on the horrors that he oversees and the impact that has on people not so used to it all. Really well crafted story. Red Seas fair fizzes this week and hits home with the promised high seas, high octane swashbuckling adventure that just been waiting to be let loose. For me this as been an impeccably paced story.

All this and the news many have been waiting for in Nerve Centre. If ever I needed a reminded to resubscribe as my current one comes to an end this is it.

Great Prog.

[Buttonman]

I'm currently on a PO redirection notice, so this thread maybe as close as I get to this prog

Don't worry Tom your postie won't be burdened with any heavy prize books.

My man nearly got a Connery delivering my lovely copy of 'Invasion'!

[radiator]

I'm really hoping that Elena is still alive, and that Lulu is pulling a Snape!

New Wagner Dredd series - the first story in a larger arc, apparently - starting in four weeks time - woo hoo!

[IndigoPrime]

Love that the spoiler contained a spoiler for something I didn't know (but suspected) about an entirely different series. *must avoid internet*

[House of Usher]

Another Prog firing on all cylinders.

Top of the Pops this week was Alan Grant's smashing Judge Dredd short, which, incidentally, seems to draw inspiration from a film I absolutely hate. Pete Wells has said it all already. The silly and OTT ending had me laughing out loud all the way from the lounge to the kitchen.

Alan Grant's wit and humour shone again with the silly freezy-whip van menu in Cadet Anderson, from 'spicecream' to 'vicecream', and why not?

[radiator]

Love that the spoiler contained a spoiler for something I didn't know (but suspected) about an entirely different series. *must avoid internet*

Oops, sorry about that!

[vzzbux]

I'm really hoping that Elena is still alive, and that Lulu is pulling a Snape!

My thoughts too.
The final panel of Dredd made me groan out loud.
For me Red sea's is top pop this week.





V

[blixab]

Wasn't expecting Dante to finish this quickly - it only seemed a couple of weeks ago when they were recapping the full story arc. Great ending page - can't wait for it to reappear.

All in all a great Prog - even got into this weeks Judge Anderson which I hadn't previously and as others have said already, some great news with regards to Wagner's - JD and Mega City arc now that there is a vacancy for a Mega City Mayor as PJ Maybe is incarcerated - Can't wait.

[Bluecube]

It's really great seeing Alan Grant getting into his stride here. To me this was a classic Dredd story and what Dredd is all about. Dark humour and a snappy story that seemed longer than the few pages it was. The bit where he walks into the toilet is a moment I'll never forget! It was interesting that Grant expanded on what Dredd's eyes can do. His bionic eyes are something we all seem to forget about.

And while I'm raving about Mr Grant, I should also say that Anderson is cracking along at a great pace too. Once again this reminds me of classic 2000AD stories. Humour, action, lots going on, gizmos. Excellent plot too!

Absalom is also an excellent strip. Brilliant writing, brilliant art. I was a bit hmmm at first but now it's a strip I look forward to.

Which brings me to Red Seas and Dante. Great art, great writing but these stories really seem to suffer from the low weekly page count available to them. I'm sure they will be fantastic when brought together in graphic novel format but (IMHO) they don't suit the 2000AD weekly format. And Dante really, really, really tees me off big time with the short story arcs. To me they spoil an excellent character who should be in arcs spanned across months rather than weeks. The past few stories would quite happy running consecutively. Currently it's like watching Eastenders when you want The Godfather.

[zombemybabynow]

another fully rounded, brilliant prog.

love doherty's art - is it a complement to say it reminds me of f quitely?

[Proudhuff]

I'm currently on a PO redirection notice, so this thread maybe as close as I get to this prog

Don't worry Tom your postie won't be burdened with any heavy prize books.

My man nearly got a Connery delivering my lovely copy of 'Invasion'!

gggggrrrrr! once Matron gives me back my green crayon you're in for it boyo!

[Peter Doherty]

Glad everyone seemed to enjoy the Dredd this week. I did deviate from Alan's script a bit but he seemed to think it kept the spirit of the story.

Pete---the art did come out a bit light actually, maybe my fault for over compensating by lightening it up too much as I've had a lot of stuff print a bit too dark of late. But having said that, it could also be a more nicer "middle class" area of the big meg (there must be some), where crime occurs less frequently than normal. Does that sound like a reasonable excuse??!!
By the way you can have a look at the last three pages sans type on my blog. Colour is a little nearer to what I intended.
http://notaproperperson.blogspot.com/

zombemybabynow---it is a compliment to compare me to Mr.Quitely. Funnily enough I'm working with him now, recolouring the art for the Flex Mentallo collection due out in November I believe.

---Peter

[Lee Bates]

Nice to see you on the forums Peter. Another fan here. Your stuff is tha shizzle.