Comic Book Review - 2000 AD Prog 2251

 Rob reviews 2000 AD Prog 2251...

After last weeks bumper jumping-on issue, were back with the continuation of 5-brand new strips. It's a cracking line up that sees the return of some old Prog favorites, mixed in with plenty of new.

So, sit down, grab a cup of your favorite Earthlet drink and lets take our weekly trip through the 'Thrillverse'

Judge Dredd: The Hard Way - Part 2 

'The Hard Way' got off to a brilliant start last week. The Red Queen is mighty peeved that Accounts Judge Maitland keeps foiling her wickedness. So the vengeful gangster has assembled a squad of trained killers to take the Accounts Judge out of the picture. Meanwhile Dredd and Maitland are in Atlantis where MegaCity-1 is attempting to sell its latest Mechanismo unit to Brit-Cit - and its here where the assassins strike. 

It's not going well for the Red Queen's hit squad. They've already missed their opening shot on Maitland and now they've got to 'account' for Dredd too. And lets face it, Dredd isn't going to let them get away...

Great stuff so far from a very talented creative team. Rob Williams, Arthur Wyatt, Jake Lynch, Jim Boswell, and Annie Parkhouse have really gone all out with making 'The Hard Way' an instant classic. There's so much to enjoy here with plenty of fantastic art from Lynch and Boswell, and a killer script from Williams and Wyatt. Keep it coming! 

The Diaboliks: Arrivederci Roma - Part 2

Jennifer and her entourage are off to the Vatican on special orders from her resident demons masters. The Codices Infama - sacred texts from the darkest depths of the Vatican - are the prize, but first of all there's the matter of the auction. 

The Diaboliks is a fun straight up strip. You know from the get go that Gordon Rennie is going to pack this one full of incredible action sequences, and a few slight digs at religion. Naturally, Antonio Fuso's art steals the show with its gorgeous raw lines and brilliant use of black & white. 

Scarlet Traces: Storm Front - Part 2

Ahron Shakespeare and Ikarys are in the thick of it this week as they aim to bring the Jovians into Earth's war with Mars. But with the Jovians already suffering at the hands of the Martians, are they willing to fight? 

Scarlet Traces is one of those tales that's both gorgeous to look at and a great read. Both D'Israeli and Ian Edington are crafting a sci-fi epic that's moved so far away from its inspired source material. D'Israeli's art is absolutely phenomenal and is a great mix of sci-fi horror and retro-futuristic technology. 

With plenty of twists and turns within Scarlet Traces' history, I'm expecting Edington to bring plenty more before this ones over! 

Pandora Perfect: Mystery Moon - Part 2

Moonsausage Inc are throwing a charity fundraiser for endangered pets, and Pandora is on the guest list. Of course Pandora is really here to steal the Wonga diamond...let the carnage begin. 

There's plenty of tomfoolery as Roger Langridge begins to put pieces. Considering its Regened roots, Pandora Perfect was never going to be a straight up serious tale. Whilst some may scoff at this, I think its perfect and is a great interlude to the Prog's more serious strips. And what's not to like about Brett Parson's art?

The Out: Book Two - Part 2

Well, what can I say about The Out that's not already been said? 

Everything that made the first series great is back. Dan Abnett and Mark Harrison are bringing an amazing space opera that's been expertly crafted with plenty of stunning visuals. 

If anything The Out shows that you don't need plenty of action to make a great story. Go "out" and give it a read. You won't regret it! 

Rob Lake - For more comic book and video game chat why not follow Geek Culture Reviews on Twitter and Facebook @GeekCultureRev