Meg 335 - Reaper Files

[Recrewt]

I still liked Reaper. For what it's worth.

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I like the idea of Reaper and upto this month's Meg I was happy with it but it seems to have hit a wall!  The recent episode was confusing and I wasn't even sure at one point if we were in the same location that it started in?

[Dandontdare]

I still liked Reaper. For what it's worth.

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I didn't

Sent from my PC using my fingers

[Daveycandlish]

Sent from my PC using my fingers

[Ghost MacRoth]

American Reaper.  I would comment on this months instalment specifically, except I gave up reading it last month.  I've been buying 2000ad since about '86, and the magazine since it began.  I've managed to get hold of all the back issues and read them all too.  This means I have read some pretty damn poor strips and series over the years, and unfortunately, here's another.

Story wise, ok, body-snatchers of the future.  Fair enough, but it's just so DULL. I've noted folk have said they couldn't follow it, and I'm not surprised.  It's not cause it's overly complex, it's because (IMO) it fails to engage the reader, both in dialogue and layout.  Then there's the artwork.  Perhaps Clint Langley has done a better job of his photo-strip, but I'm still put in mind of Tony Luke's piss poor work on Nemesis many moons ago.  Photo-strips (Even computer enhanced ones) we really don't need.  He doesn't appear to be the only one to use pictures as part of the process in producing his work of course, both Arthur Ranson and Dan Abnett's work look almost like they have traced photo's then worked over the top of them.  Not a new technique by any means, but at least their work fits in the tone of a comic.

If I wanted photo stories, I'd go buy some back issues of 'Jackie' magazine.  I know I'm not the only one who doesn't like the strip, but equally I appreciate there will be those who like it.  I simply wish to chuck my penny in the well and wish for it to go away.  

[Banners]

...both Arthur Ranson and Dan Abnett's work...

Do you mean Simon Davis?

[Ghost MacRoth]

Damn, mixing up my Sinister Dexter artists......yeah him! 

[michael kennedy]

ransons a god compared to some stuff i see.

needed to break into a tenner today and pondered getting the meg, i liked the abnett & davies's work on downlode tales last month and the idea of getting a whole book of it was enticing as was fay daltons art which improved upon clint langleys stuff by a country mile.Didn't get the meg.

bought the prog a couple of days prior, Holdens stuff was great, flints work was good, the rest was so-so

really not loving current 2000ad stuff as i thought i would when i first got into it a couple of years ago (because of DREDD) I ahve to throughly research old storylines and find them on ebay/amazon just to get a story i like from creative teams i like.find find gems at boot sales like this.


the only thing that makes me enjoy 2000ad is is forum community which is strange as i couldn't give a damn about some marvel forum yet I adore the comics.

and I think there is a reason that some otherworldy force stops me from putting my art submission in the post.

thats my rant

final word:

megazine=meh 2000ad in general, get with the times

[Taryn Tailz]

Damn, mixing up my Sinister Dexter artists......yeah him!

Dan Abnett's the writer of Sinister Dexter, not an artist.

[Ghost MacRoth]

Meh, like I say...memory ain't what it was! 


Or is it?.....I can't recall.....

[Dog Deever]

From what I've seen of the artwork in previous Insurrections, the greytones were all hand- done with ink washes by Colin himself, giving it a more textured, gritty, 'visceral' sort of look which (IMO) really raised the bar on the art in a big way. The latest series seems to be standard issue greytone blurs along with the linework which (IMO) lack entirely the 'visceral' properties of the hand painted tones- almost like a sort of homogenised effect which I don't think adds to the linework in anything like the same way as the hand painted stuff. It's not that it's badly done or anything- it just doesn't really do anything particularly interesting.

American Reaper... yeah, I stopped bothering with this long ago- pages and pages of 3d model/ photo-shopped mates' talking heads, odd angles that leave you wondering what the picture actually is and a story that just goes on and on and on and never seems to go anywhere it hasn't already been (or, at least, not at any measurable pace). Sure, there's an interesting story premise there, just... you know... DO something with it, cos atm it's terminally dull. I liked Clint Langley's (relatively) recent B&W work on ABC Warriors- wish he'd do that more often- it was great.

Not a fan of silent comics- flipped past Bob Byrne's with barely a second look. Dan Francisco was great though. Overall the line up seems to be needing freshening up a bit- Insurrection helps, but for God's sake- if you won't drop AR, at least give us a little break.

Agree with comments about Fey Dalton's art- really liked that, more from Fey would be a welcome addition. Both the Meg and Prog recently, for me, have been on an uncharactaristic convergance of slumps- normally it's one or the other, but recently I've been finding both a bit heavy weather- it'll pass.

[Mabs]

Judge Dredd Megazine #335

A superb cover by Fay Dalton. Very reminiscent of spy/action movie posters. I think the cover would've looked better without the Reaper file art at the bottom, it takes some of the coolness away from the main picture. But thats just my view of course.

Judge Dredd - Shotgun by Mike Carroll (script) John Burns (art) and Annie Parkhouse (letters)

John Burns is fast becoming one of my favourite artists on 2000AD/ Judge Dredd Megazine. His linework and watercolour technique is so darn beautiful - not to mention very special aswell. The story by Mike Carroll was a nice one too involving a bank robbery by a woman who's seemingly at the end of her tethers in terms of financial hardship and having to support her family after the Chaos bug devestation. The story had a nice twist at the end which i genuinely did not see coming.

Bob Byrne's Twisted Tales

This Twisted Tale from Byrne's was absolutely brilliant! Wordless yet articulate thanks to Byrne's superbly illustrated panels; it involves a convict and a teddy bear and their heart warming relationship in the face of opression from the prison doctors and guards. It was both funny and heart warming, one of the best of the Twisted Tales up till now and the highlight of this months Megazine in my view.

The Streets Of Dan Fransico Part One by Arthur Wyatt (Script), Paul Marshall (Art), Chris Bythe (Colours) and Elle De Ville (Letters)

I'm only a little familar with the character of Dan Fransico. I think i encountered him last in the 'Mega City Justice' TPB. He's a very interesting character though and this new series was a great read, as our vid-star Judge goes back on the streets to dish out justice - live. He comes up against looters and juves - but its clear later on that that's half the problem because the 'Dune Sharks' have come-a-calling.

I really enjoyed this opening story, sure it's only getting started but i feel its been set up pretty well. And the artwork by Paul Marshall is just plain awesome - especially the double page spread at the start. That was...something. In fact if I hadn't of turned the page over when I did i'm pretty certain my eyes would have leapt out of their sockets! Superb stuff.

American Reaper II Part Four by Pat Mills (Script), Clint Langley & Fay Dalton (Art)

I've been a fan of American Reaper since the start of the series, i've found it exciting and the premise was very interesting. Hell I even thought the artwork was cool, something different at least. But reading this months instalment...it just lost me a couple of pages in. Yes it was bloody boring, I'm sorry to say, but thankfully the Reaper File which followed was anything but. Although brief at a mere two pages it was beautifully illustrated by Fay Dalton. Absolutely mesmerising to say the least. And a very enjoyable short story or case file to boot. Those two pages were better than the whole of the eight pages which preceeded it in my opinon.

Insurrection III Part Two by Dan Abnett (script), Colin MacNeil (Art), Jean-Paul Bove (Greytone) and Simon Bowland (Letters)

A lot of discussion on the forum regarding the change in style of the artwork. While I am a massive fan of MacNeil's 'soft style' I also love his 'normal' stuff too (by 'normal' I mean extraordinary; Colin MacNeil's art is still special no matter what technique is used). My qualm was the fact the stylistic change took place mid-story and also that i missed the 'dreamy' feel of the opening episode (I described it as if 'my soul had ascended to Zarjaz heaven' in my review for it!) but since Colin so kindly took the time to address the reasons for his change, I will not delve on the matter any further.

The story was very exciting, akin to a storm after the relative calmness of the first episode. MacNeil's gorgeous black and white artwork helped to convey a sense of high octane drama in the midst of war. It was also quite astonishing to see how effective the explosion scenes were without colour and the last panel/page was excellent. Great stuff.

As for the features; Interrogation was a joy to read because our interviewee was none other than Paul Marshall. It was great to learn about his influences and his love of other comic strips. Some of Marshall's work on show was a pleasure to see. Going Wheely (Part Two) - the short story by T.C Eglington was also an enjoyable read.

So all in all a really fun Meg - Twisted Tales and Judge Dredd being my favourite, but the others also being very good. I've yet to read the floppy (Downlode Tales Vol. 3), so I'll forward my thoughts on it later.

4/5

[IndigoPrime]

For anyone who's not seen the Meg 336 topic, Colin himself weighs in regarding the changes in his artwork.

[Recrewt]

Great review Mabs, I do enjoy enjoy reading these. 

I see a few people have said they liked the Dredd story but for some reason I just didn't like it at all.  Highlights of the Meg for me were Dan Fancisco and Insurrection.  Also, agree that the text parts (interrogation and going wheely) were really good.  I love that they do this in the Meg and it's one of the few things it has over the Prog!

[Mabs]

Thanks Recrewt! And you're right about the features; some really insightful and genuinely interesting articles and interviews. This months Meg we have  Luke Skywalker getting interrogated! As a Star Wars fan I went ape shit when I saw that!