2000AD Prog 1376 Review

Archive

Reviewer: William Cooling

Editor: Matt Smith
Publisher: Rebellion


Judge Dredd

Title: Master of Fear: Pt.2

Written by: Alan Grant
Art by: John Burns
Lettered by: Tom Frame

Last week, a villain from a Dredd story two years ago returned to capture Dredd, and prepare to emotionally torture him, so that he to would know fear. This week, we find out that the torture in question is for the villain to tell Dredd the usual East-Meg 1 nuclear holocaust sob story, while threatening to do evil stuff to Dredd. You see, the villain is a child refugee from the former East-Meg 1 (USSR analogue) that was nuked by Dredd as a counterattack to their invasion of Mega City 1 in the eighties classic “Apocalypse War.”

Oh dear, this story falls horribly flat, with the flaws I mentioned last week to do with the villain, not only magnified by him dominating the part but also compounded with the addition of the Sov link that was hinted at last week. Basing a story on the “Apocalypse War” is wrong; firstly basing a story on a nearly 20 years old story with all its cultural context ancient history (in pop culture terms) is almost designed to alienate newer readers. Secondly and more importantly, this aspect of the war has been done to death in stories such Doomsday, with it being proven absolutely that Dredd feels no remorse whatsoever for what he did. Therefore seeing a villain trying to tease out what we know isn’t there whilst threatening a death that can’t possibly come renders a story completely and utterly pointless.

What’s worse it’s not even well written with Grant’s sureness of touch deserting him, with poor dialogue from the crystal head villain and the history that Grant gives him not adding anything to his generic characterisation. More surprisingly Grant’s Dredd isn’t brilliant with the few lines he has almost lurching into self-parody. In addition the only respite from the tedium of Halloween costume wannabe villain is two generic Judges searching for Dredd, and of course ignoring the fact that you’d have darn sight more than two judges searching for Dredd if he had been kidnapped. This really is horrible scripting that combines illogical and inappropriate plotting, with bad dialogue and wafer-thin characterisation. The only thing that makes this story passable is the art from John Burns, which continues to impress.


Past Imperfect

Title: Cosmonaut X

Written by: Arthur Wyatt
Pencilled by: Laurence Campbell
Inked by: Kris Justice
Lettered by: Tom Frame

Past Imperfect’s are Future Shock style stories that take a historical event and give it a wacky twist. Unfortunately they are usually just juvenile and poorly written exercises in conspiracy theories lacking in the X-Files-esque edge that such paranoia fests need to be readable.

This week’s one on the other hand is rather good as it poses the questions what would have happened if the first man in space Yuri Gagarin had been subject to a Fantastic Four style experience. This not only makes a welcome change from the usual raft of demonic right-wing westerners but also offers some genuinely intriguing possibilities that are all logically coherent. In addition, Wyatt’s story manages to establish the necessary supernatural and conspiratorial tone with his story being placed, for the most part, firmly in dark corners of the communist regime. Even better, he delivers an excellent twist that not only is well written, and logical, but is actually surprising.

Also, I cannot pass without praising the artwork of Laurence Campbell whose black and white stylised work perfectly captures the tone of the story. Her work to me feels almost like a cross between the pencils of Steve Yeowell’s work on the Invisibles (why wasn’t he allowed to do it all?) and Risso’s use of shadows. It is some of his best work and shows his growing maturity as an artist with the last page in particular showing excellent craftsmanship.

An excellent story that offers hope for this franchise yet, especially as this must be emergency filler for the AWOL Valkyries.


Slaine

Title: The Books of Invasions ~ Scota Pt. 7

Written by: Pat Mills
Art by: Clint Langely
Lettered by: Ellie De Ville

Last week, it seemed everything was building to the climatic battle between Slaine and the Sea Demons. Scota was murdered by Lord Odacon and Slaine having gone to the Sea-Demons lair to rescue Gail, who had became barely human due his continual torture by Odacon. However, it seems I was wrong. In between its debut in Prog 2003 and now, the trilogy has become a quartet with this part only solving some of the character disputes. Namely it solves the question of Gael, and the growing conflict between Slaine and the High King Sethor who last week had been shown to be a turncoat.

Although I’m slightly fearful that my expectation that this would be it has clouded my judgement, I do feel slightly disappointed by this part, which seems full of innuendo on the issue of gay rape and some quite bizarre double entendres. I don’t quite know what the point of these are, but they seem to dominate the action sections and the quasi-humorous (quasi because the “jokes aren’t funny) tone doesn’t fit the style of the story. This obviously clouds the characterisation on offer, which although isn’t quite spot in regards to Lord Odacon, isn’t all that bad with Sethor in particular coming alive as a slimly and cowardly character.

Langely who shows better facial characterisation than usual during this episode ably captures this characterisation of Sethor. Indeed Langley’s art once more remains a constant note of quality even if Mills’ script has fallen below par with all the pages being filled with majestic paints and in my personal opinion a good if simple (and slightly European) storytelling style.

Mills writing isn’t without merit; the closing double page is a subtle and touching homage to Scota whilst some of the scenes involving Slaine, Odacon, Gael and Sethor are enjoyable, although his solution to the problem of Gael does seem a tad illogical. In short, although readable this is a disappointing finale to what has been an enjoyable book. The story has progressed well, although Tharg should have made the change in schedule crystal clear.


The Red Seas

Title: Twilight of the Idols

Written by: Ian Edginton
Art by: Steve Yeowell
Lettered by: Annie Parkhouse

Last week the anti-Aladdin forces launched a giant squid at Jack and Jim who were on the bottom of the ocean retrieving the second half of the Map of Laputa. This week we see Aladdin fight back with an attempted rescue of the map and Jack and Jim amid growing doubts about his concern for his new allies. Of course Edginton and Yeowell maintain their usual quality, making this title one of the ones I most enjoy reading, but loathe reviewing, as there is nothing for me to comment on from week to week. So, in short, this delivers the same type and level of quality as it did last week and the previous five weeks before that, something that is AOK with me as a reader.


The V.C.s

Title: Book III Pt 7 ~ Brothers in Arms

Written by: Dan Abnett
Art by: Anthony Williams
Lettered by: Ellie De Ville

Last week the strife between Jupe and Kali finally eased off. Jupe accepted Kali’s plan to split the VCs in two, with the majority going to the mining station to get the warning to Earth. The other two go and rescue Major Smith, whose detention they had just learned of after intercepting Geek communications. Jupe volunteered to partner Keege and rescue Smith and they make their separate way. In their march to the mining station, the VCs led by Kali, went underground only to be met by another group of Earth fighters. This week we learn that they are space pilots led by Bill Veto, someone who has a less than perfect relationship with the VCs.

Abnett has had a pretty clear purpose amid all the narrative monkeying around for this series. He’s worked to flesh out all the characters that had hitherto been a bit generic and non-descript. He does this again with Bill Veto, who we met in the last book, creating a character that is a thoroughly amoral and brutish characterisation that happily separates him from the dedicated VCs.

Abnett’s patient rebuilding work of this franchise also pays off in this episode with previous plotlines/relationships between Ryx and Linfu, and Kali and Diderot both being brought back to the surface as the VCs enjoying some downtime. Indeed, the move away from the action and plot, allows us to truly appreciate the excellent job that Abnett has done in revitalising this franchise and its characters. Williams’ art also seems to benefit from the change in scenery, with him flexing his muscles in regards to characterisation with Veto, Ryx and Diderot standing as excellent examples of his quality in this area. Also the move away from space-soldiers emphasises its similarity to Ed McGuinness’ work in Superman/Batman with both sharing a muscular, cartooney style.

This is a very good part that benefits from the change in that welcome and warranted focus on the characters of the VCs brings.


A mixed bag of an issue, with the writing in Dredd being as near to bloody awful as it has been for quite sometime, while Slaine ends on a disappointing note with not only the shock revelation of a fourth book feeling to me as bait and switch but the part itself having some significant flaws. That said, it was perfectly readable whilst the “Past Imperfect” was a surprising gem (best of the week in my opinion). Red Seas continued its steady, heady course and the improvement in the readability of the VCs since Prog 1374 continues. All in all this is by no means a bad Prog and although slightly below last week’s effort (I would give it 7.75 if allowed) it is still more than readable.

A Comics Nexus original, Will Cooling has written about comics since 2004 despite the best efforts of the industry to kill his love of the medium. He now spends much of his time over at Inside Fights where he gets to see muscle-bound men beat each up without retcons and summer crossovers.