Prog 1738 - Aim for the Brain

[Lee Bates]

I really enjoyed this weeks prog. A great effort for a 'winding down' period before a load of new series' start which is usually when the prog is at it's weakest.

Cover - It's easy to take Cliff Robinson for granted. Every image is of such high quality, there's a tendency to say "Oh look, another fantastic Cliff Robinson picture...". Looking at this image in detail, it becomes apparent what an amazing talent he is. Look at the brainbloom's face, the stitching coming apart on the lips, Dredd's dynamic pose, the sense of movement. Brilliant.

Dredd - Gordon Rennie seems to have been off training with a powerful old master to 'level up' his skills. Everything he's done lately has been fantastic. I usually find it a bit grating when newer writers rely on a 'classic' Dredd story but the appearance of the brainblooms seems natural and innovative.

Lee Carter's art is beautiful and I have to echo others who've said that Mega City One seems like a real, living city in this story.

Red Seas - This will never be a favourite of mine but I'm happy to have it in the prog, trundling along. It's fairly entertaining and there are some nice ideas in there. Steve Yeowell's art can be a bit sparse for my tastes but he does a good job conveying the sheer scale of the 'bone cannons' this week.

Future Shock - The story falls apart like a wet biscuit when held up to any scrutiny and I, too, was completely pulled out of it by Dr. Smugface at the end, laughing and strutting about after just being told that her husband and children have been horribly butchered. Silly. Nice art though.

Cadet Anderson - I'm enjoying this a lot more than I thought I would and I can't wait to see how she's going to get out of that cliff-hanger (even though I know she's going to escape unharmed).

Lovely art by the family Ezquerra. Now get on with Strontium Dog!

Absalom - As I said above, GRennie is firing on all cylinders right now and this strip is a winner. Great characters, plot, action and dialogue. The art is some of the best I've seen in the prog in a long time too. Lovely stuff. I'm enjoying it so much, I'm not even pining for more Caballistics Inc. (much)

Great prog, and with Zombo, Ichabod Azrael and a new Dredd epic on the horizon, things look like they'll be getting even better.

[The Sherman Kid]

Cover - It's easy to take Cliff Robinson for granted. Every image is of such high quality, there's a tendency to say "Oh look, another fantastic Cliff Robinson picture...". Looking at this image in detail, it becomes apparent what an amazing talent he is. Look at the brainbloom's face, the stitching coming apart on the lips, Dredd's dynamic pose, the sense of movement. Brilliant.

Couldn't have put it better myself.Fantastic cover.This guy is an artistic genius, just wished we used him more often.

[TordelBack]

Cover:  The sort of cover you feel proud to be standing in the newsagent's queue with.

Dredd:  Now this is good. Carter's art is fabulous this week, and insanely detailed, but Rennie's script really soars - some brilliant Dredd banter, and a (-gulp-) useful and (-gasp-) interesting new Psi Judge.  Hope she lasts the course (no guarantees from where I'm sitting), and we get to see more of her in the future.  This is the type of story that I'd show to someone to get them interested in modern Dredd.  Maybe it's time for a Gordon Rennie collection?  With the omission of the Dragon story from the Tour of Duty trades, there's a lot of great stuff out of print.  Pulling all the floating prison/Choppette/ L'il Kazan material together might inspire 'someone' to get on and use those dangling threads...

Also worth noting that this is the second time that Dredd has ventured into the nuked-out southern sectors (aka the First Great Continuity Revision), and oddly both times he's been accompanied by a Psi. 

Future Shock: She put what in the where now?  Not really following the logic, and bits of it are bordering on the gratuitously tasteless  (you'll note later in this review that I don't find the far-more tasteless goings-on in Absalom to gratuitous at all).  Art has promise, with distinct Coleby vibe.

Cadet Anderson:  Still fun, nice twist.  Didn't care for the 'dark and sinister bond', but I suppose that's Grant's nod to continuity.  BTW, how is ChumGum sold then, that it needs a 'counting complex'?  Is it door-to-door?  Street Vendors?  Keep it fun and fluffy from here and this will have been a major success.

Red Seas: Oh yeah, this continues recent improvements nicely.  The Cradle's silly guns turn out to be cool - femoral artillery!  Nice demon, nice use of Cain.  Intriguing stuff.

Absalom:  A definite keeper this - some pretty gross imagery, but in the service of a great story and palpable atmosphere.  Best new strip of the year so far.

[exilewood]

Truly great cover this week. Does everything right.

Droid Life is a laugh as usual, but why does Dante taste of cabbage? I would have thought 'salty'.

Dredd rattles on apace - excellent stuff. Judges praying? And FIVE times a day! Those crazy Psi judges eh? Some great Dredd dialogue from the Rennie droid & Carter's art is top drawer stuff.

The Future Shock was quite silly & made little sense, but I enjoyed the artwork.

Really enjoying Anderson - goes without saying that the art is a joy, and I like the fun script. Which is what Anderson should be - fun.

Red Seas is cool, really liked Yeowell's work this week.

Absalom continues to be brilliant. Really, really good stuff. Especially the art, which is sublime.

All in all, a top-notch effort.

[Tombo]

Just out of curiosity does anyone else think the visual effect of Dredd's gun movement on the cover looks a bit like a scythe/sickle blade?  Or is it just one of my hallucinations kicking in?

All in all a cracking Prog, but why should Dredd be too annoyed with a judge praying, he's worked with a muslim judge before, on that trip to the moon chasing Zombie!Dredd

[TordelBack]

...why should Dredd be too annoyed with a judge praying, he's worked with a muslim judge before...

But not a Mega-City 1 judge.  Religious observance very much a no-no, as explored in various Andersons. 

[DrJomster]

...why should Dredd be too annoyed with a judge praying, he's worked with a muslim judge before...

But not a Mega-City 1 judge.  Religious observance very much a no-no, as explored in various Andersons.

Bit of a surprise this, much as the recent run of Mega-City 1 lawyer references. Interested to see how this goes and am working on the assumption this'll fold into the next Wagner epic. Unless it doesn't of course!

[Zarjazzer]

Great cover, the only thing I felt was the Future shock was fairly wordy but enjoyable enough. Excellent Dredd again good story and art.

[antodonnell]

Just finished reading, all round solid issue. Deeds being my fav this week. I got a Wayne Reynolds vibe from Paul Davidsons future shock art. Looking forward to next weeks offerings.

[House of Usher]

...why should Dredd be too annoyed with a judge praying, he's worked with a muslim judge before...

But not a Mega-City 1 judge.  Religious observance very much a no-no, as explored in various Andersons.

Bit of a surprise this, much as the recent run of Mega-City 1 lawyer references. Interested to see how this goes and am working on the assumption this'll fold into the next Wagner epic. Unless it doesn't of course!

Might not Psi Division have a special dispensation (some initiative of Hershey's, maybe) to dicker about with religion and magic and whatnot in the name of research and development, on the off chance it might help their psi powers, developing focus, etc? A bit like there being no magic in magic wands (outside of Dungeon & Dragons), but they help focus a magician's powers.

[Mikey]

Might not Psi Division have a special dispensation (some initiative of Hershey's, maybe) to dicker about with religion and magic and whatnot...

I'd go for that. Seeing as Psi Div essentially use paranormal or supernatural powers, subscribing to a religion or even it's trappings seems fair enough if you ask me. Praying while on patrol is maybe a bit liberal for MC1, but it's not going to worry me when it's part of a cracking yarn. I enjoyed seeing a Psi actually do some more practical stuff with their abilities for once!

M.

[DrJomster]

Might not Psi Division have a special dispensation (some initiative of Hershey's, maybe) to dicker about with religion and magic and whatnot...

I'd go for that. Seeing as Psi Div essentially use paranormal or supernatural powers, subscribing to a religion or even it's trappings seems fair enough if you ask me. Praying while on patrol is maybe a bit liberal for MC1, but it's not going to worry me when it's part of a cracking yarn. I enjoyed seeing a Psi actually do some more practical stuff with their abilities for once!

M.

Does sound reasonable. One of the ECBT reviewers also remembered Psi Judge Omar so there is history on this!