Rob reviews 2000 AD Prog 2313...
It's been a few weeks since I reviewed the week's 2000 AD offerings. However, after suffering what I'm coining as "Prog-Slog", I'm back in that saddle and heading off into the Thrillverse!
Last time out and we had the special oversized Christmas Prog which gave some of Tharg's Droids the chance to let their hair down and give us some one-off specials. As such there are only two strips from Prog 2312 that are carrying over into 2313, and joining the long-running Hope...In The Shadows.
So, what's the full lineup?
Dredd finds himself in the thick of another classic case in Judge Dredd: The Night Shifter. Cyd continues to be lost within her memories in The Out: Book 3. Pat Mills and Simon Bisley continue Joe Pineapples' swansong in Joe Pineapples: Tin Man. There's more supernatural goings-on in Hope...In The Shadows. And finally, the galaxy is in the throws of war in Proteus Vex: Crawlspace
Judge Dredd: The Night Shifter - Part 1
One thing that remains a constant in Mega-City One is that those who call it home come from all walks of life. Whether you're born in the Meg or find yourself there as an immigrant, or even a Cursed Earth mutant - there's always a tale to be told. With The Night Shifter, Ken Niemand asks the question of what could be worse than Mega-City One, and what kind of people escape from their past within its walls?
The Night Shifter opens up to a Meg immigrant recognizing the voice of a seemingly normal Hottie chef as the person who tortured her back in her homeland. After a hurried call to the Judges, Luna then gets a knock at the Block door from Judge Dredd. While Dredd takes Luna's report seriously, he knows that back in Puerto Plata City she was a political activist, and suffers from PTSD.
Back in Puerto Plata City, Luna tells Dredd about the old regime. Turns out that the person she suspects the Hottie chef is was involved in the disappearances of many of her friends. And now the regime has fallen, this enemy has a new face - and life - in Mega-City One.
So, The Night Shifter isn't going to be a simple open-and-shut case. But we all knew that, right? Much like what we've seen with Ken Niemand's work with Kyle Asher, this one already turning into a nice mystery that could go in any direction.
Just who is the mysterious "Frank", and what happened down in Puerto Plata City?
The Out: Book 3 - Part 2
Last time "out" Dan Abnett reacquainted us with photojournalist Cyd Finlae. We saw memories of her time in the Out - both good and bad which then ended with her bonding with the monstrous Tankinar.
With the traumatic experience of being part of the Tankinar warmachine behind her, Cyd finds herself in an entirely new location. Unable to decipher where exactly she is, Cyd's a prisoner in her mind. She's under interrogation by an interested party who wants to know how she managed to break the Tankinar's bond and turn her weapons against them. Oh, and there's also the big possibility that Cyd may still be a danger.
Great still yet again from Abnett and Mark Harrison. Much like Brink, The Out is a great slow burner that drags you into Cyd's plight and the expanse that surrounds her. Harrison's art just flows with vast sweeping vistas that all mix seamlessly into the foreground and backgrounds of the pages. It all comes together in a way that perfectly captures the dream-like essence of Abnett's strip, to then land us back into reality and come to the final page.
Joe Pineapples: Tin Man - Part 2
I'm probably going to open myself up to quite a bit of criticism here - I'm not overly fond of the A.B.C. Warriors. Over the last couple of months, I've attempted to read the collected stories as part of the 2000 AD Ultimate Collection and sadly can't seem to grasp why it's so revered by the wider 2000 AD fandom. Sure Mills' creation has plenty of great moments, but overall it just feels very convoluted - and a bit of a mess. But, hey-ho that's just my opinion.
Anyway, Joe Pineapples and Ro-Jaws have broken away from the rest of the Warriors and now find themselves marooned on an asteroid. The plot revolves around Joe's chest plate and plenty of lost memories. Throw in some space pirates, and well you get the idea.
While this is certainly the character's final outing for 2000 AD, at the moment we do get the return of Simon Bisley. As fans will know, Bisley's time with 2000 AD was cut criminally short as America came calling. So anytime we get his talents back in the Prog is a real coup. That being said the overall story just feels like Pat Mills writing a story for the hell of it. His declining relationship with the current 2000 AD regime (both Rebellion and their writers and artists) is no secret, and it shows here.
Hope...In The Shadows Reel Two - Part 10
The Shadows has taken Mallory Hope's world in an entirely new direction. Taking place in a multitude of locations, this latest installment has centered around a mysterious film. So far we've seen Hope's struggles on the film's set, but now his wife - Alice is back too. Much like Mallory, Alice has her problems - which are mainly dealing with the Trinity Covern. How does it all tie in? Well, Trinity is after the film reel of Hope's previous outing.
Confused?
To be honest, I've lost track of what's going on. But fear not, Hope...In The Shadows Reel Two is worth a full re-read. What is easy to see is how Guy Adams and Jimmy Broxton have expanded their world. The return of Alice helps to add more to this sinister world and allows for a nice change in perspective. Broxton's art continues to be hauntingly beautiful which certainly works well with the gloomy supernatural tone.
Proteus Vex: Crawlspace - Part 2
Seeing Prog 2313 to its conclusion is the brilliant Proteus Vex. After Vex revealed the war crimes committed by the Alliance during the last war, the galaxy finds itself back into those familiar throws. On one side is the Imperium, and on the other is the Scorchers - an ancient and quite destructive race. As the Imperium and Scorcher fleets meet across various sectors, and with casualties massing, this could very well be the final conflict for the Proteus Vex universe.
And right in the middle of it is a single spacecraft. A craft piloted by Midnight Indicating Shame. Midnight is also on the run from her people and she's hoping to lose them by jumping into the middle of the raging space battles. As the Citheronians are seen as neutral, the Scorchers aren't bothered in this game of cat and mouse. However, that's not to say that they haven't noticed. Could Midnight Indicating Shame's defiance drag her people into the war?
What makes Crawlspace brilliant is that the whole Proteus Vex saga has been leading up to this point. Across the series, we've seen the universe become very murky where no one seems to be the pillar of light they all claim to be. While Proteus Vex's revelations have ignited the spark that sent the universe to war, its also seen himself fall under that same shadow. It's also something that Mike Carroll has hinted at right back with Chancellor Rho's disappearance in Another Dawn. That's how clever this whole saga is!
As a fan of gigantic space battles, Jake Lynch has tapped into my excitement with his art. Playing out like Return of the Jedi we have the two fleets at loggerheads, with Midnight Indicating Shame stuck in the middle. Lynch captures this grandeur with various viewpoints that not only show the ferocity of Midnight's plight but also that there's a much larger battle raging in the background.
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