Comic Book Review - 2000 AD Prog 2326
Guess who’s back?…
Strap yourselves in and get ready for a belated return to the 2000 AD Prog. That’s right! It’s been a while since I’ve covered the weekly going’s on in the Thrillverse, but that’s not to say that I’ve not been secretly keeping tabs on Tharg the mighty.
After last weeks break for another instalment of Regened, Tharg is back with a jumping on issue of sorts. And if you’ve not guessed by the gorgeous Cliff Robinson cover…Rogue Trooper is back too!
Joining Rogue this week is a done-in-on Dredd by Ken Niemand, Cavan Scott returns from that galaxy far, far away with Enemy Earth Book II, and Durham Red finds herself back in prison yet again, and The Order rumbles on.
Judge Dredd: Shrine (Ken Niemand, Nick Dyer, Chris Blyth, Annie Parkhouse)
After his last outing with Leo Mancao was cut short, Ken Niemand is back with yet another Judge Dredd outing under his belt. This time Niemand takes us into the lows of Mega-City One as Dredd takes somewhat of a back seat to proceedings. However, that’s not to say that there Lawman doesn’t make his presence known.
Shrine tells the story of a simple memorial that’s been set up to commemorate the memory of a Cit who happened to be killed by the Judges. As Dredd clamps down on these shrines, more of them crop up to take the others place. With these mysterious shrines appearing across other sectors, there’s a real threat that something is stirring in the Meg’s underbelly.
After the last few weeks, Shrine works well in taking things slow as Niemand plays the long game. We get to see the side of Dredd that paints him (and the Judges) as the fascists that they are. Dyer art works well in highlighting the plight to the Meg’s ordinary Joe’s who are just dealing with the cards they’ve been dealt with. While Shrine is a simple one-hit-wonder, I’m hoping Niemand picks up upon some of the threads he’s started to weave.
Durham Red: Mad Dogs - Part 1 (Alec Worley, Ben Willsher, Simon Bowland)
Taking place after the events of Served Cold former SD Agent Durham Red finds herself yet again under lock and key. Mistrusted by those around her, the badass vampire finds herself sentenced to death. But inside trouble is brewing. Rival cartels have decided to go to war. And, well, Durham is in the middle of it all.
What starts out as a simple prison drama, ends as anything but as Worley pulls the carpet out from under us. As much as I like Durham Red, I really didn’t want another prison centric story as it would feel too much like the characters previous outing. Thankfully it seems that Mad Dogs is going in a totally different direction.
With Mad Dogs,Worley and Willsher continue their work on adding new dimensions to the established character. While Worley takes his time in setting up the atmosphere to his narrative, to then place the Durham Red catalyst in the middle. Willsher then adds plenty of sleek and modern art that works perfectly in highlighting just how dangerous the situation is - and how much of a danger Durham is to those around her.
The Order: Heart of Darkness - Part Nine (KEK-W, John Burns, Jim Campbell)
For me, The Order is a wave that I can’t seem to ride. Just when I think I know what’s going on, another wave hits me and I wipeout. As such I’ve been enjoying John Burns artwork, while scratching my head at KEK-W’s narrative. What I do know is that Armoured Gideon is back on the scene, and Francis Bacon has decided to strike again.
Even if I don’t 100% grasp what’s going on in this historical time travelling caper, Burns’ art makes for one hell of a ride. It’s certainly enough to keep you from simply skipping the pages, and offers a real visual treat!
Enemy Earth: Book II - Part 1 (Cavan Scott, Luke Horsman, Simon Bowland)
We’re back, and heading into the second part of Cavan Scott’s environmental horror. With Mother Nature seemingly weaponising the Earth’s fauna and flora, humanity stands on the brink. No longer the planets dominant species, society has all but disappeared as what’s left of humanity attempts to survive.
Our focal point in this story is Zoe, a youngster who’s learned to survive this harsh world the hard way. Loosing her family to the carnivorous wildlife, Zoe has been on her own for quite a while. After rescuing Jules - the Prime Minister’s son - and his robot counterpart, Nani, the trio find themselves heading north to Scotland. Which is where book 2 picks up.
From what started as a one-off in Regened has spawned into a full horror spectacle as Scott makes his mark on the Walking Dead. It’s a proper man Vs. nature affair as Scott tackles the more mature themes of humanity’s psyche, and what would realistically happen if the world suddenly ended, all under the backdrop of killer plants - who aren’t the only threats in this world.
Horsman continues to shine as he brings plenty of atmosphere and colour to Scott’s apocalypse. The end of the world has never looked so good as Horsman fills his pages with vibrant colours that capture the killer plant-life in all their glory.
Rogue Trooper: Blighty Valley - Part 1 (Garth Ennis, Patrick Goddard, Rob Steen)
It’s been a few years since the Genetic Infantry Rogue has graced the pages of the 2000 AD Prog. Not content with throwing Rogue into a brand new story, Garth Ennis takes us right back into the thick of it as we get a side story to the characters quest into finding the general who betrayed him. As such Ennis and Patrick Goddard are able to give their own spin on the character while remaining true to what’s come before.
Starting off with a quick rundown on the Nort-Souther war, and the logistics of Nu-Earth, Ennis then brings up the Night’s Horizon. Being close to a Black Hole, Nu-Earth’s orbital path occasionally brings it within the anomalies influence. As such things on the planet get a little weird. It isn’t long before Rogue is caught up in this weirdness and he’s soon fighting for his life against an enemy that’s just appeared. What makes it more interesting is that while this foe looks like a Nort trooper, they don’t carry themselves with the same mannerisms. So what’s going on?
As first chapters go, this one’s off to a great start. Ennis utilises the Rogue Trooper rule book to give us a traditional feeling opener, to then go off the rails at the end. Of course, Ennis is a pro at what he does, and naturally we’re in for one heck of a story. Meanwhile Goddard channels the work of Dave Gibbons and Steve Dillon to portray that familiar feeling, while placing his own stamp on the story. It’s also worth mentioning that this tale is presented in black and white, which really takes the character back into his golden years. Sorry “Friday”, you just weren’t the same!
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