Reviewer: Will Cooling
Editor: Matt Smith
Publisher: Rebellion
Judge Dredd
Title: Terror Pt. 8
Writer: John Wagner
Artist: Colin MacNeil
Letterer: Tom Frame
Last week the carefully scripted plan of the Judges to manage Sonny’s suicide bombing attempt fell to pieces when Total War successfully organised a hit on Zondra Smith despite Dredd’s desperate attempts to save even being willing to break the cover of the operation. To make the ending even more desperate Sonny had finally seen the light having abandon the “mission†and making a last ditch phone call to patch things up with Zondra. Now both the Judges and Total attempt to tie up the loose ends of the night before whilst Sonny remains in ignorance about the fate of Zondra and what Total War intends his to be…
Oh my, oh my how great is this. This is written almost as an epilogue with the fate of Zondra seeming to be the climax of the whole story. Theirs a ghostly atmosphere and pace to this final part perhaps imparted most forcefully by MacNeil use of blue and green as his major colours. Yet away from that there is for the second part running a horribly fatalistic feel to this part, we all know what fate is in store for Sonny and Wagner isn’t sentimental enough to let him escape it. Really, there isn’t more to add as aside to summarise that Wagner as delivered a stark and uncompromising story that mixes espionage, politics and love in a though provoking and moving cocktail. Whilst MacNeil’s art has after the disaster of Devlin Waugh had a welcome return to form working on a script that brings the best out of his art. Its been subtle, naturalistic and utterly heartbreaking with some utterly stand out panels. Plus there is the fantastically imaginative (which Chris pointed out to me) use of colour with panel-scheming being a clever echoing of the themes and tone of the script.
Finally there’s that ending panel, which sums up everything about Dredd and his never-ending mission for Law and Order.
Sinister Dexter
Title: Scare Tactics Pt. 3
Writer: Dan Abnett
Artist: Cam Smith
Letterer: Ellie De Ville
Last week Sinister Dexter were forced to stop playing games on Kal as the appearance of shadowy versions of John Croak and the “shuffling undead†force them to accept that there may be such things as ghost. Of course having followed the traditional Scooby Doo storyline arc as Sinister Dexter make their get away we now get the non-ghost explanation but its not one you’d expect…(I’m … a lot aren’t I?)
Abnett has been back on form with Sinister Dexter in the past few runs after a dodgy run a couple of years back. He has re-established a comfortable, enjoyable and energetic pace and tone with the dialogue showing its Tarantino influences with snappy, believable and funny lines being spewed amid some good action. Where the writing may have slightly gone wrong is that this has the tone of comedy filler, enjoyable but filler none the less. However, the twist ending suggests this could be an important story introducing new storylines something that seems slightly out of place given the context of the story.
Still it’s an enjoyable romp and with Cam Smith’s good art an all round package.
Tyranny Rex Redux
Title: The Comeback Pt. 5
Writer: John Smith
Artist: Steve Yeowell
Colourist: Leo O’Grady
Letterer: Tom Frame
Last week Tyranny finally discovered the probe after it had been stolen from the scientist who discovered. Yet in the middle of her defeating the thieves she seemed to have disturbed the probe. Now amid the dire warnings of her adversaries she attempts to stabilise the probe whilst her masters are operating a more clandestine agenda.
An interesting close to this series with the nature of the probe and the operation that Tyranny is working for are fleshed out with typically Smithian weirdness whilst the continuing confrontation between Tyranny and thieves are well scripted and enjoyable with the midget being a particularly fun character. Add to that some excellent low-fi art from Steve Yeowell and you have a successfully close to a successfully return.
Tharg’s Terror Tales
Title: Sorrow Hill
Writer: Al Ewing
Artist: Shaun Thomas
Letterer: Annie Parkhouse
Al Ewing and Shaun Thomas attempt a tough challenge, delivering an interesting haunted house story…a feat made more difficult by the scheduling of this alongside Sinister Dexter’s own foray into this territory. Not for Ewing the usually take of scared or cocky unbelievers entering the house instead we see a man desperate to prove the existence of ghosts attempt to use the house to prove his beliefs and make his name. However he is soon forced to adopt a different set of goals with disastrous results…
This is pretty good with Ewing having a suitably aloof and occult tone as he skilfully and concisely establishes the premise for the haunted house and Weathers’ motivation. His characterisation is logically is simplistic (a natural consequence of the lack of space) with Weathers’ change in motivation being very hastily achieved. That said the dialogue and narration are both good and the ending is clever, logical and as a bonus is actually surprising. Add to this Shaun Thomas’ artwork, which is given a far better showing than the infamous Apocalypse Soon shorts. His linework whilst being in many ways naturalistic has an angular distortion to it that gives it a quirky look almost similar in tone to Frazer Irving. Add to this his gorgeous paints that utilize a rich and moody palette you have great art.
All in all a good one off that rises above mere filler.
Lowlife
Title: Heavy Duty Pt. 3
Writer: Rob Williams
Artist: Henry Flint
Letterer: Ellie De Ville
The fatties are an interesting throwback to 2000AD’s “boy’s comic†origins being essentially schoolboy jokes wrapped in the justification of satire. However, amid the jokes about eating events and instant celebrities very little is said about the negative side of being a fatty. Rob Williams however takes a slightly different tack with actually included meaningful characterisation of the horizontally disproportionate as opposed to treating them as comedy grotesques. You see as Aimee Dixon continues her undercover investigation into the strict fitness camp Low Cal she learns that whilst something does smell fishy its probably her…and that gets her down.
This is good end to another good story that offers more insight into how this series will develop in the future. In essence Aimee is a harsher version of PSI Anderson in her heyday, she shares the humanity and slightly leftfield concern for the dispossessed and an ability to connect with the ordinary citizen i.e. her friendship with Chico. There’s a shared slightly vindictive desire to get the b*stards who make the “lowlife’s†life hell. Where they differ is that Aimee is more streetwise, more uncouth and louder with probably less self-awareness and intelligence. Still with Anderson in the midst of occult weirdness there’s a gap for such a “human judge†story with Aimee’s status as Wally Squad adding an angle for the writer to get her close to ordinary citizens just as Anderson’s telepathic talents did for her.
So this wraps up an interesting run with great writing and gorgeous Henry Flint art. Can’t for next year’s return run!
