Comic Book Review - 2000 AD Prog 2213

I take a look into the weekly offerings of 2000 AD...

With 2020 behind us, it's onto 2021, and 2000 AD have started it with a bang. Not only do we get another instalment of everyone's favourite vampire S/D agent. We also get the treat of William Simpson back for his first appearance in the Prog for nearly 20-Years! 

We then also have the second part of the potential last ever Slaine as the veteran author Pat Mills bows out from the magazine he helped to create. 

Kicking the first Prog of 2021 we have;  Dredd goes down south in Judge Dredd: Desperadlands, more Vampire action with Durham Red, more visual treats in Slaine Dragontamer, Proteus Vex vexes in Proteus Vex: The Shadow Chancellor and finally Hershey continues her mission in Hersey 

Judge Dredd: Desperadlands - Part 1

William Simpson is back with his first Prog outing in nearly 20-years. Williams last work on the Prog was way back in 1989 with the Dredd tale - Banana City. This time the veteran artist teams up with Mike Carroll to bring us a tale of dead bodies with links to Mega-City-1. 

Dredds not alone in this one as former Judge Doya Meekins is here with him. The twist in the tale is that the stiff just so happens to be an associate of the former Judge. With an 8-year old Cadet Judge in tow, this one going to become an interesting read. 

Durham Red: Served Cold - Part 2

We're back with Red after the opening issue gives us a catch up to why she's locked up. With an old-timer running the jail and a newbie S/D Agent to contend with, Red then ended up fighting the supposed 'good guys who ended up not being particularly good. 

Thankfully there's an army forming outside the prison who all want a piece of Red too. So that means more bloody Vampire action....yippee!

Ben Wilsher is on fine point with the art again this week. Whilst Alec Worley delivers us a pretty action-packed strip. 

Sláine: Dragontamer - Part 2

So we're back with the potentially last ever Sláine tale. Whilst fans of both Sláine and Pat Mills wait with bated breath Dragontamer shows that if this is the end then it's going out with a bang!

Story-wise it's your typical affair. Sláine is in Troy and is looking to beat up some Trojans and their Emperor Brutus. Add in a Dragon and a tonne of action and that's the Sláine package. Ita good, it's brutal, its Sláine.

The real star in this Sláine tale is Leonardo Manco. His artwork is stunning and in already anticipating on whatever his next project will be. 

Proteus Vex: The Shadow Chancellor - Part 2

Peculiar sci-fi Proteus Vex bounces back for another week. It's a bizarre sci-fi that needs you to pay attention to see what Mike Carroll is bringing to the Galactic table. 

So after last weeks outing, we catch up with Proteus Vex and his sidekick Midnight as they learn about Mutaverons, a species harvested by the Imperium to enable universal communication and faster-than-light travel. Still with me?

 The duo also learns that We also discover that the now-dead Chancellor Rho 7 Baryon was aware of a few attacks on the Framework by an undocumented race known as The Silent. It also turns out that the Chancellor had met with this mysterious enemy before.

As always Mike Carroll weaves quite an intricate story. We've got Vex going after The Silent, whilst The Silent go after the Framework. If you can keep up with it all, it's a pretty decent romp through the stars. 

Much like in the opening issue, Jake Lynch does a brilliant job with his art and is a turning out to be a good replacement for previous series's artist: Henry Flint 

Hershey: The Brutal - Part 2

So Rob Williams gets a lot of stick on social media for how he's dealt with Hershey. Granted it been a bit convoluted but she's back so we've got to deal with it. 

Anyway, we rejoin the former Cheif Judge and Dirty Frank as Frank's doing a spot of boxing. Quite a far cry from his time at Overdrive INC. 

Hershey's ends this chapter in, particularly brutal fashion. She's bad, brutal and isn't taking any shit. 

Much like the previous outing, Simon Fraser continues his incredible display of colour which makes Hershey that little bit more unique.

With no way of knowing how this one is going, more, please...

Rating: 7/10

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