Review: 2000 AD – Prog 1876
Man, look at this weeks cover by Alex Roland. You know, you just KNOW, that this week is going to be good with a cover like that. That’s the kind of cover art that would make me check this out if I hadn’t got a clue before now. So good. Anyway, Prog 1876, let’s get on with it’s contents, eh?
Mega-City One is a dark, seedy place. It’s not the kind of place where you want to trust anyone for too long. The only thing you can believe in is that chances are, at any given moment, you’re probably breaking a law and the judges are probably already on their way; it’s that kind of city. Mega-City Confidential continues it’s story of political intrigue as Judge Dredd zeroes in on his target and plays a little game of catch the pigeon to corner his prey. He is, of course, successful, but things are starting to balloon a little bit out of his control. This story is very introspective of the processes of the law in Mega-City, and the accepted political landscape held therein. There’s a little bit more development in the book on how different opinions are seen in Mega-City, and how Dredd has to keep the order while still making allowances for people’s freedom to exist as themselves. Mega-City Confidential is 
getting more intriguing with each issue, and tensions are going to reach boiling point next Prog. Watch this space.
T.C. Eglington’s new thrill Outlier continues next and the growing contrast between this and Dredd’s current outing is becoming increasingly apparent. Outlier is a swiftly moving story that is picking up pace and expanding it’s setting at a very impressive degree. This week is largely back-story, but it’s a very meaty back-story. Shades of Joss Whedon’s Friefly and Philip Eisner’s Event Horizon can be felt in the character and set design while still retaining a very distinctive flavor to how the narrative is progressing. Most impressive for this part is the almost opposite backdrops being employed for different branches of the story-arc; Karl Richardson is demonstrating a great grasp of vibrant colours with very different colour ranges. This particular segment was quicker than the last, and I hope that in the next Prog we see the pace even out a little bit as I feel any faster and some of the emotional weight of the events and characters could be lost, which would be an absolute shame as this is turning into one of my favorites in recent times.
‘HAIL THE BOD!’ Sláine shouts in the middle-spread of the book this week – A Simple Killing continues. I love Sláine. I love Sláine because it’s so different in colour and feel to most of the other 2000 AD myriad cast of characters, but yet retains much of what makes those predominantly sci-fi settings good. The tone and atmosphere is transferred from dystopian speculative fiction into ancient mythology without losing any of the harshness and almost visceral story-telling. The book this week demonstrates that very keenly, as if to let new reader’s know that stories are rarely straight-lined in the Mighty Tharg’s universe. A new character is introduced, who has a horrifying back-story, and Sláine himself takes a breather to assess what he’s about to do. This quest is just beginning, and it’s beginning slowly, but I get the feeling this is to emphasize that we should enjoy being able to breathe now, as things will soon be much different.
Our boys on the cover are second-to-last as Sinister Dexter make their move on the Apocalypse Cult. I spoke last week about how I hope this story would have meat to it without over-staying it’s welcome, as I find Sinister Dexter more suited to short, action-packed bursts. Well, I think my wish may be coming true, as things certainly aren’t going to plan, but our masters of making a mess will soon be either dead or getting the hell out of dodge. This is very familiar ground for them, but it’s where they wok the best. All odds against them, all guns blazing, all bodies dead except them and theirs. Scenario is all set up now, we just get to watch the dominoes fall.
Y’know what’s always entertaining? Watching known evil-doers get mowed down. Y’know what rarely happens? Evil-doers getting mowed down. It’s one of the reasons we like to read stories – so these scenarios can be humored and we can all agree it’d be nice if it actually happened. Jaegir provides us with just that, all tied up with a nice bow of background history on the current situation and context for the introduction of new and unpredictable characters. Story is a little strange, not much has actually happened in the plot, but yet it’s still exciting none-the-less. When this show kicks off and things start getting messy, it’s going to be a straight. I’d best my last dollar on that. Love having this at the end to look forward to, too.
Prog 1876 is available now.
[easyreview cat1title=”The Arcade Verdict” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”9″]
