Reviewer: Will Cooling
Editor: Alan Barnes
Publisher: Rebellion
Judge Dredd
Title: Damned Ranger Pt. 2
Writer: John Wagner
Artist: John Ridgeway
Letterer: Tom Frame
After last month viscous attack on a group of Mega City One Cursed Earth Auxiliaries by the New Mutant Army that left only their guilt ridden leader alive we now see the Big Meg’s wrath as led by Dredd they blaze a trial through the Cursed Earth to locate and round up them up. The offensive is shown to be both amazing and hideous, amazing in its speed and effectiveness yet hideous in its brutality and nihilism. This is Kitchener in the Sudan, the superpower wrecking its revenge on an indigenous population that spat at its face. Wagner is fantastic here, showing the determination of Dredd, his self-righteous efficiency as he drives the assault forward. He is equally good at showing the offensive, not only from the point of view of those carrying it out with all its bestial glory capture but also in its effect on the natives, the hurt and hatred it causes. Where he’s less effective is in his portrayal Dounrey who (and this may be me being heartless) is bloody annoying. Whilst the angst over his role in the death of his men is believable it just seems wrong and unsatisfying, it would be a far more readable script if he wanted to avenge his troops but that may just be me. The art is similarly on the whole good but with flaws with Ridgway’s excellently scratchy detailed linework being smothered in pastoral type colouring. Its very good in parts especially with the backgrounds but I can’t help but wish the art was in his trademark black and white. Still the linework is excellent with Ridgway’s work in British war comics standing him in good stead for the action scenes. Whilst this is a flawed story it’s more than readable and it’s weightier than most recent Dredd stories in the Meg, which is a plus.
Young Middenface
Title: Brigadoom Pt. 2
Writer: Alan Grant
Penciller: Patrick Goodard
Inker: Dylan Teague
Letterer: Annie Parkhouse
Last month we saw Middenface and McGurk get capture by a village of cannibals to be eaten (as cannibals do) with only the fair maiden daughter the clan headsmen (and McGurk’s love interest) protesting. This week we see the villagers prepare for the feast as the proverbial Turkey tries to delay Christmas. This is a much better part than last month with the comedy really hitting the spot with Grant indulging his taste in ridiculous songs with a great little ditty on eating the human form. The gentle, light-hearted tone continues even as with learn how the villagers came to be as they were and other less than obvious comedy material. This is a fun script with what is essentially Just William transported to Glaswegian mutant wasteland with the light hearted tone brought out by the art of Goodard whose simple, clean and slightly generic linework has the lightness needed for this script. Jolly good fun all round.
Mean Machine
Title: Angel Heart Pt. 2
Writer: John Wagner
Artist: David Milligate
Letterer: Tom Frame
Last week Wagner could be excuse of slightly going over old ground with his story of Mean’s violent urges being conquered by the Warden- an electric box that sends painfully electrically shocks to his body when he does something bad. What was new was the introduction of a woman to his life (okay that’s been done before but in a different context) a kindly (coughnaivecough) prisoner counsellor (coughwishwashyliberalcough) who falls in love with Mean and is about to get married. The prison is delighted at the thought of Mean leaving his old world but before he leaves for pastures new his old world must he the news. In this case it’s the Mega City One Cyborg Club, which elected him Honorary President in recognition of his services to metallic meanness. Of course being fans they decide to attend the wedding only for Cyber-Freak (a fellow cyborg bitter at not being elected president) to put a spanner into the works.
Now this is funny, after slightly beaten down a worn path Wagner truly delivers some warped comedy with the Cyborg Club being a fantastic array of loons who despite thinking there ‘ard are actually acting like star-struck teenagers with their response to mean. In addition he gives us the fantastic character of Mini-Mean who is great a character not only in his ridiculous persona and slavish devotion to Mean but also in his physicality when he tries to fight. There even more laughs to be head at the wedding with a wonderful sense of absurdity hanging over proceedings with Mean’s in laws crying, his fans trying to gate crash and his nice son acting as best man. All of this plus the enjoyably ridiculously angry and bitter Cyber-Freak’s rampage adding up to a riotous script. All of this is captured marvellously by David Milligate’s who’s jagged, agit pop caricatures are a bizarre mix of the linework of a Kevin O’Neil or Mike McMahon with the madcap comedy of John Mcrea. All in an excellent farce.
Whatever Happened To The…?
Title: Gribligs
Writer: Gordon Rennie
Artist: Steve Roberts
Letterer: Tom Frame
After a month off Gordon Rennie returns with a tale of love frowned on by parents long in the tradition of…sewer rates. You see Gribligs are rat like creatures (well they look more like a mix between rabbits and poodles but I digress) that are usually at it a lot, loads of casual sex all over the place, no room for love whatsoever. But one man name Kev is in love with Sharon and they did not want to live this decadent lifestyle-no they wanted to settle down, raise a family by themselves and live a happy, monogamous lifestyle. Now some foolish people may see this as a comedy, what with the cheap and low jokes about animal to human translation, the getting in off one of the best comedic, cartooney artists to draw two animals doing indulging in anal sex and the casual attitude to swearing. But you would be wrong, this in fact a piece of Christian Fundamentalist propaganda about turning your back on the pleasures of the flesh and instead raising a family and living a good, moral life. No doubt we’ll be seeing it in classrooms all across England as the Government desperately tries to stop scallies breeding before they leave school. It may just work.
Black Siddha
Title: Kali Yuga Pt. 2
Writer: Pat Mills
Artist: Simon Davis
Letterer: Ellie De Ville
Last month f-all happened as Mills recapped what happened last time around for the benefit of those who couldn’t remember, well accept that we saw Black Siddha begin his new life as a vigilante. This month, nothing much happens again as Black Siddha fights the evil junkie/probably gay AIDS victim and then tries to shag his girlfriend with some resulting hilarious (!) mishaps. Sigh, it’s not really as bad as its sounds but man does this series have problems most notably in Mills inability to right convincing young people dialogue-some of the stuff is embarrassing especially with Rohan and Miraba’s midnight kiss. In addition, Black Siddha’s inner monologue is incredibly haughty and ultra-Tory judgemental in a way that just jars even to this ultra Tory. Still the fight does turn out to be good, with perhaps last month’s rant about Mills’ homophobia being unjustified…although perhaps not given his record. The art is excellent with the murkiness gone so making Davis’ detailed linework and unique form of painting stand out. His paints have a blotchy quality far removed from the Simon Bisley (or) Alex Ross clones that make up most Anglophone painters. An okay effort with a good fight scene but too much of the characterisation is missing the mark for this to be truly enjoyable.
Charley’s War
Title: Untitled Pts. 33-38
Writer: Pat Mills
Artist: Joe Colquhoun
Letterer: N/A
We thankfully get away from the Somme as Mills moves away from his predictable slander of British high policy to slandering the average officer…or more precisely the Military Police as we see their Sergeant Bacon take a disliking to Charley in what quickly becomes a bitter feud. This is much better with Mills laying off the political propaganda and so delivering a more realistic, less didactic portrayal of army life. Whilst he does show the nasty side of the army with the MP (which undoubtedly exists in every army) he includes the good side with particular focus on the comradeship the Tommies shared. This is fantastic news as it brings out the best in his writing with his characterisation always being at its best when he focuses on the average soldier. Colquhoun delivers his usual excellent work with the detail and the characterisation that he brings to his very dense artwork being incredible. A welcome return to form.
The Helltrekkers
Title: Untitled Pts 7-11
Writer: F. Martin Candor
Artist: Lalia
Letterer: Tony Jacob
A group of families have decided that they’ve tired off the Big Meg life and have undertaken a hellish trek across the Cursed Earth to escape such a life, led by Lucas Rudd. There have already been 10 tenths and things get worst as they go through rad storms, encounter the T-Rex menace again and are subjected to a Black Scab outbreak. All of this is captured in an incredibly mature fashion with Candor (I’m sure that’s a pseudonym) who manages to show how the trekkers desperately attempt to keep up appearances despite their devastating start and how they’re increasingly brutalised as the spectre of death draws every nearer. However, the stand out feature of this excellent story is the portrayal of the transformation of Lucas Rudd. Candor is great at showing how Rudd grows in confidence and competence and draws nearer to being the leader that these people needed. Couple this very taut, realistic writing with the fantastically detailed and subtle artwork of Lalia and you have a great story.
