Rob Lake reviews 2000AD Prog 2225...
It's Wednesday yet again and here in the UK things are slowly returning to normal. This can also be said for this week's Prog. After last weeks double helping of Feral & Foe II, we're back to the normality of a five strip Prog. And it's a beauty...
Ken Niemand is back with another Dredd outing in A Penitent Man. More strange goings-on in Thistlebone: Poisoned Roots. KEK-W takes us on another journey to Deadworld with Visions of Deadworld. More terror in the return of Terror Tales. Finally, fantasy and comedy collide in Feral & Foe II.
Judge Dredd: A Penitent Man - Part 1
Niemand and Dredd seem to be going hand-in-hand these last few months with the writer cementing his status up there with modern Dredd alumni, Mike Carroll and Rob Williams.
This time Niemand brings us a tale of former Judge, Asher. Asher's been an inmate of Titan Penitentiary these last 20-years and now he's back on the 'mean streets of Mega-City 1. As the title of this one suggests, Asher is a Penitent Man. He's served his time and is now ready to make amends by serving Mega-City 1 in any way he can. Naturally, Dredd isn't convinced...
After the light-heartedness of Noam Chimpsky, Niemand takes us down a serious root that's full of classic Dredd nods. We've got Dredd doing what he does best, the SJS warning him off Asher's back, and Dredd not paying any attention to the threat.
Tom Foster is on art duties for this one. His incredibly detailed line work works a treat with Chris Blyth's colours.
Thistlebone: Poisoned Roots - Part 5
Seema's still convinced that Malcolm Kinniburgh is the main focal point when it comes to the strange goings-on. With needing evidence to support her claim we find Seema meeting Jasper Hillman. Hillman is the former leader of the Thistlebone Cult.
Hillman doesn't give Seema the answers she's looking for, which describes what TC Eglinton is doing with Poisoned Roots. So far Thistlebone has been more questions than answers. Don't get me wrong, it's some fantastic storytelling but I don't want Eglinton to leave every reveal to the final part.
As usual, Simon Davis paints a pretty bleak picture throughout. The prison scenes with Seema and Hillman are brilliant, especially with the focus on the Spider and the Fly. But who is who?
Visions of Deadworld: You Give Me Fever
The more I read of Kek-W's Deadworld work, the more I'm convinced that Kek has well and truly fallen a dead filled rabbit hole.
Each of these one-shots is just as bizarre as the prevous one, yet gets even more bizarre. This time around we're 'treated' to the incredibly strange relationship of Judge Fire and Sister Dispair. Which is just as peculiar as you would expect it to be.
So many questions, but spoilers to avoid. Ask me on social media once you've read this one!
With The Fall of Deadworld Part 3 heading our way later this year, these Visons of Deadworld done-in-one's are a great prelude to Kek-W and Dave Kendall's glorious madness.
Terror Tales: Half-Life
What would you do if strange occurrences kept happening to you? What about if you also had half a brain? How about if you're convinced that your stillborn twin-brother is to blame?
John Tomlinson brings a Terror Tale that feels as if it's set on Deadworld! It's a strange yet fun tale that's the icing on the Prog 2225 cake of weirdness. Anna Readman is also back in the Prog with her last work being in Regened Prog 2206. Readman is a real talent when it comes to both her debut with Abelard Snazz and now with this Terror Tale. The use of thick black lines and some great detail drive the terror of this one home - just check out that x-ray!
Feral & Foe II - Part 2
With last weeks double-part opener, Dan Abnett had given us the answer to how Bode and Wraith got out of the trap that ended the last series.
With that out of the way, we're now into the "how to solve the body swap" issue. There's also the slight problem of the Necromancer, Golgone to deal with. But with no coin, and no hope it's over to Krod.
Feral & Foe II feels like a D&D session with a demented Dungeon Master. Abnett is giving us a great story that not only continues the success of the first series but gives us something new. Richard Elson tops this off with some fine art that compliments Abnett's world.
Rating 9/10
Rob Lake - For more comic book and video game chat why not follow Geek Culture Reviews on Twitter and Facebook @GeekCultureRev
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