2000 AD Prog 2078 Featured Columns 

Multiver-City One: 2000 AD Prog 2078 – Agent of Destruction!

By , , , and | April 25th, 2018
Posted in Columns | % Comments

Welcome, Earthlets, to Multiver-City One, our “2000 AD” weekly review column! Every Wednesday we examine the latest offerings from Tharg and the droids over at Rebellion/2000 AD, the galaxy’s leading producers of Thrill-Power entertainment. Let’s get right to it!

Cover by Carlos Ezquerra

THIS WEEK IN 2000AD

Judge Dredd: Flaws, Part 3
Credits T.C. Eglington (script), Staz Johnson (art), Abigail Bulmer (colors), Annie Parkhouse (letters)

Greg Lincoln: In ‘Flaws’ Part 3, the three interweaving plot lines were neatly and satisfyingly wrapped up. T.C. Eglinton, Abigail Bulmer, Staz Johnson, and Annie Parkhouse packed a lot of story into the fifteen pages delivering the most complete feeling story since ‘Echoes’ in Progs 2061 to 2064. ‘Flaws’ has solid relevance in the real world; Linus’s manipulation of the opinions and tense situation between the John Higgs and John Gray through the media feels familiar to what see pretty much daily in our polarized political climate. The Sons of Booth’s ultimate plan for the riot effectively succeeds in distracting the Judges, or enough of them, to pull off one of the largest iso-cube escapes in the recent history of Mega-City One. Dredd and his in-named partner may have stopped the escape from being a bigger debacle but Milo and the Sons of Booth collared back in Prog 2032 are largely reunited with their fellows. In this arc, the Judges largely failed to dispense much “justice,” but due to a well placed shot by Dredd, they learn not only the identity of the ringleader of the Sons of Booth, but also that he’s actually related to the infamous President Booth.

Staz Johnson again gives us some great cinematic cut scenes and stages some well choreographed fights. As a matter of fact, a significant story beat is only shown in the art, anad if you miss it, a big plot developments later does not constantly flow. I initially missed Dredd clip Linus during the escape, providing the blood sample mentioned later. Missing it is forgivable, as the firefight on that page is pretty intense including a pretty brutal, possibly unnecessary headshot to one of the escaping Sons of Booth. Though there is one visual hiccup where Abigail Bulmer’s colors cast Dredd’s neck a bit too oddly red. Annie Parkhouse cleverly gave different impacts from various weapons not just by different sound effects but by the colors she chose to cast them in.

Jaegir: In The Realm of Pyrrhus, Part 6
Credits: Gordon Rennie (script), Simon Coleby (art), Len O’Grady (colours), Ellie de Ville (letters)

Kent Falkenberg: The boots are back tromping through the wastes of Nu-Earth as Gordon Rennie and Simon Coleby’s latest “Jaegir” arc runs its course. Rennie and Coleby close things out with an explosive flourish that feels covered in a layer of murk and grime.

‘In The Realm of Pyrrhus, Part 6’ might be the most propulsive installment in this storyline. Coleby constant stages Jaegir, Klaur, and the other Nort grunts at off-angles as if they’re always trying to duck or charge into the next panel. Even when the figures looks as though they’re a little more stationary, the framing is askew enough to give the impression there’s no real stable footing within the frenzied pace of the squadron’s retreat back to their extraction point. And when the do make it, Coleby staves a massive transport frigate out through its panel for maximum imposing effect.

Rennie weaves this action with a Jaegir’s last minute interrogation of Madam-Facilitator Choi. The information she gives up regarding Jaegir’s father isn’t exactly revelatory, but it’s weighty enough that upcoming installments with have some more personal depths to plumb within the scope of this massive war.
“Jaegir” might be far from over, but ‘In the Realm of Pyrhus, Part 6’ shows just how effectively Rennie and Coleby can bring an arc to a close.

Sinister Dexter – The Devil Don’t Care Part Four
Credits Dan Abnett(script) Steve Yeowell(art) John Charles(colors) Ellie De Ville(letters)

Michael Mazzacane: After a month of buildup, it’s time to kill the Devil. There is a cleverness to Dan Abnett’s design that fits in the compressed space these strips operate on. Everything about this strip is quality craftsmanship with how it fits everything into 5 pages. While the Devil maybe dispatched a bit quickly (or is he?), it’s done in such a way that feels true to “Sinister Dexter” spirit and features Steve Yeowell hitting on some of those dynamic page designs that makes the action in this book really work.

Continued below

While the action in this arc has been extreme in its violence, Yeowell’s art has been a tad flat. Which is by design, the extremity had a on-off cadence to it that required stricter paneling to create the sense of movement. That was all fine, but there’s just something a bit extra to Yeowell drawing the Devil firing a gun that exceeds it’s panel and carries over into the next as Ramone dives for cover. That subtle change gives that four panel sequence a sense of dynamism, like it’s all happening at once, that the chases in previous strips didn’t have.

The stylistic changes that colorist John Charles has been making in previous strips as it relates to gunfire pay off in the supposed demise of the Devil. Maybe I’m just a mark for Kirby Dots, but the device used to rid themselves of this meddlesome Devil would not have had the same affect if these visuals weren’t seeded in previous strips. It makes for a series of panels that don’t look anything like the flat cartooned style of Steve Yeowell. That difference doesn’t feel out of place, and reads like an earned stylistic shift.

The decision to start this strip where it did, far away from the action is an interesting choice. It undercuts any sense of tension readers would have from the previous week. And while it is important to the plot, it’s understandable why some would wonder if that was space better used to make things a bit more calamitous for Finn and Ramone. However, Abnett rightly uses this space to build up the tension and onramp readers to the main event giving this strip a better episodic sense. It also let him satirize and pun on various tech companies and their gimmicks, and that’s just something I’m here for.

Anderson, Psi Division: Undertow, Part Six
Credits: Emma Beeby (script), Mike Collins and Cliff Roberson (art), Jose Villarrubia (colors), Simon Bowland (letters)

Rowan Grover: Beeby’s drawing “Undertow” to a rampant conclusion with the events in Part Six. Karyn and the Vampires have a hand on Anderson, using her psi abilities in a terrifying way to predict and see how the rest of the city is reacting to the vampire/Shadow King threat. Beeby shows us this in segments through Anderson’s delirium, which feels like accurately looking through the character’s psyche and also ties in with the almost psychological horror tone of the book. It’s a little annoying that Kazuo’s intriguing character hasn’t been partiuclarly developed in this prog however. I feel like an extra part to flesh him out before this point of escalation would’ve been good for story pacing and character development, however that Beeby has chosen to take things this fast gives it a hurried and intense tone.

Collins and Roberson work together on art again, though I feel like the aesthetic has shifted back to the serious, cinematic emulation of the earlier parts. It’s a good thing for the most part, using hyper realism to create suspense in moments like the Vampire leader staring down an assailed Anderson. It feels a little overdone in some parts, but that can work to create a certain effect, like the opening scene set in the prison’s shadows. The POV of Anderson’s fear-riddled delirium is drawn with excessive cross hatching, something which gives the scene a dream-like feel different to the rest of the book, placing it within Anderson’s perspective. Coloring-wise, I loved the page showing Anderson suspended high above the city. The palette has her as a speck of bright yellow amidst a sea of ethereal, dull blues, working great to convey her hopeless situation.

“Undertow” is steadily climbing to it’s conclusion at this point, and although there seems to be a hurried tone to the book, this still remains an entertaining and equally terrifying addition to the Dredd mythos.

Strontium Dog: The Son, Part 6
Credits: John Wagner (script), Carlos Ezquerra (art), Ellie De Ville (letters)

Tom Shapira: Johnny Alpha might get the cover of this issue but this is mostly Kenton Sternhammer’s story, and is all the better for it. after spending the first five parts of this series sidelined Kenton takes center stage as he infiltrates a space-ship following the alien criminals that put Johnny in the hospital; but Kenton is unaware how dangerous these things are and also that Johnny is right on his tail.

If anything, I’d say the inclusion of Jonny Alpha weakens the story – there is less tension in Kenton’s slow-burn chase if we know that there is a responsible adult figure that can interfere and save him. Better if the entire thing was focused on him, alone for the first time in proper fight. Still, this is a fine recuperation after previous week’s all-talk chapter, Carlos Ezquerra builds up expectations nicely with Kenton stalking his way through a space ship before coming across what might be his new signature weapon. It looks like the next chapter is the big blow-up, or rather a slash-up, and I’m definitely looking for it.


//TAGS | Multiver-City One

Michael Mazzacane

Your Friendly Neighborhood Media & Cultural Studies-Man Twitter

EMAIL | ARTICLES

Tom Shapira

Writes for Multiversity, Sequart and Alilon. Author - "Curing the Postmodern Blues." Israel's number 1 comics critic. Number 347 globally. he / him.

EMAIL | ARTICLES

Kent Falkenberg

By day, a mild mannered technical writer in Canada. By night, a milder-mannered husband and father of two. By later that night, asleep - because all that's exhausting - dreaming of a comic stack I should have read and the hockey game I shouldn't have watched.

EMAIL | ARTICLES

Rowan Grover

Rowan is from Sydney, Australia! Rowan writes about comics and reads the heck out of them, too. Talk to them on Twitter at @rowan_grover. You might just spur an insightful rant on what they're currently reading, but most likely, you'll just be interrupting a heated and intimate eating session.

EMAIL | ARTICLES

Greg Lincoln

EMAIL | ARTICLES


  • Columns
    Multiver-City One: Judge Dredd Megazine 466 – Shoot ‘Em Up!

    By , , , and | Mar 27, 2024 | Columns

    Welcome, Earthlets, to Multiver-City One, our monthly look at the “Judge Dredd Megazine!” Let’s get right to it.Judge Dredd: Ravenous Part 3Credits: Mike Carroll (script) Anthony Williams (art) Annie Parkhouse (letters)Matthew Blair: All seems lost for the heroes of Mega City One. They’re facing off against the perfect predator and nothing they have can stop […]

    MORE »
    Columns
    Multiver-City One: 2000 AD Prog 2375 – Bumper Issue!

    By , , , and | Mar 27, 2024 | Columns

    Welcome, Earthlets, to Multiver-City One, our “2000 AD” weekly review column! Every Wednesday we examine the latest offerings from Tharg and the droids over at Rebellion/2000 AD, the galaxy’s leading producers of Thrill-Power entertainment. Let’s get right to it!This Week in 2000 AD Judge Dredd: Next Man Up Credits: Rob Williams (script), RM Guera (art), […]

    MORE »
    2000 AD Prog 2374 Featured Columns
    Multiver-City One: 2000 AD Prog 2374 – A World of His Making!

    By , , , and | Mar 20, 2024 | Columns

    Welcome, Earthlets, to Multiver-City One, our “2000 AD” weekly review column! Every Wednesday we examine the latest offerings from Tharg and the droids over at Rebellion/2000 AD, the galaxy’s leading producers of Thrill-Power entertainment. Let’s get right to it!This Week in 2000 ADJudge Dredd: A Dimensional Travelers Guide to Mega City One Credits: Ken Neimand […]

    MORE »

    -->