Geek Culture Reviews

Rob goes interdimensional with Department K: Interdimensional Investigators... Originating within the pages of 2000 AD's all-ages Regened Progs,  Department K is one of the few strips to cross over (and adapt itself ) to the standard Prog. At the time of writing Rory McConville 's all-ages strip is still a relative newcomer to 2000 AD. With two done-in-one episodes appearing within Regened, and one longer series appearing within the weekly 2000 AD Prog. Even so, McConville - along with PJ Holden , and Dan Cornwell - has started to fully flesh out a wider universe for his team of Judges. From their humble origins within Mega-City One, McConville launches this rag-tag bunch onto their interdimensional missions. Where the ever-present Judge Dredd deals with the nitty-gritty and more adult happenings within Mega-City One, Department K doesn't take itself seriously. As such McConville  can take a more comical and somewhat cartoonish approach to the 'Dreddverse...

Rob reviews 2000 AD Prog 2306 [Regened]... For the final time this year, Tharg hands the Galaxy's Greatest over to Joko-Jargo for another all-ages takeover. Inside this bumper-issue is are five tales that aim to appeal to the next generation of 2000 AD readers. So, what does Joko-Jargo have in store?  Aside from the usual suspects of Cadet Dredd, Chopper, and Futureshocks. We have the debut of two new strips - Bladers  and Psychobaby . What are they all about? Well, let's peel back that incredible Alex Ronald cover and find out... Cadet Dredd: Undertow We're down in the Mega-City One docks as Dredd and Rico find themselves on another assignment. In keeping with the "brothers" competitive side, Rico is ribbing Dredd over beating him in their latest assessment. Naturally, the reason Dredd scored lower was due to his inflexibility to utilise a more fluid demeanour - something which Rico uses to push the two into some serious trouble.  Paul Starkey brings ...

Rob reviews 2000 AD Prog 2296 [Regened]... Tharg is back on his holidays this week and as such has handed the helm of "The Galaxy's Greatest" to his nephew Joko-Jargo. As always, it's five standalone strips that highlight the weird and wonderfulness of the 2000 AD universe. So what does Joko-Jargo have in store?  Cadet Dredd: Two Tribes We're back into Joe Dredd's early years as the young Cadet heads out on his maiden voyage into the Cursed Earth. Tagging along is Dredd's instructor Judge Meechum who's evaluating Dredd on a simple mapping task. Of course, it's never that simple and before long Dredd is on his own tackling a band of slavers - all in a day's work for a Cadet Judge, eh?  ' Two Tribes' is a great slice into what makes Judge Dredd great. The character has such a rich history that it's great to see his earlier years highlighted. Not only does this allow writer James Peaty to loosen the reigns, but he also doe...

Rob reviews 2000 AD Prog 2288 [Regened]... This week sees Tharg taking some well-earned time off as his nephew Joko-Jargo takes over for another instalment of those special all-ages Progs. Yes! It's Regened time!  While some corners of the 2000 AD readership take their collective groan, I see the benefit of these all-ages specials. Not only do they act as a springboard into the more "grown-up" world of 2000 AD, but the Regened Progs also allow Tharg to utilise his talented pool of writers, artists, colourists, and letterers in new ways.  So, now I'm riding high on my horse...shall we get on with it?  Inside Prog 2288 you'll find the usual collective that typically makes up these Regened issues. Kicking things off is another outing with Cadet Dredd in ' Zootrapolis ', more magic meets Grange Hill in ' Lowborn High ', and another weird and wonderful ' Futureshocks '. Completing the line up we also have the returns of ' Scooter...

High-Octane All-Ages Thrills... It's that time again where Tharg takes a week off and hands the reigns over to his nephew; Joko-Jargo for 5-new all-ages thrills.  It's your typical Regened layout as we get a customary trip to Mega-City One with Cadet Dredd, then it's over to four completely new strips to make their debuts!  Joining us this week, ' Harry Potter ' meets ' Dangerous Minds ' in Lowborn High, AI self-awareness in Future Shocks: Smart Home, A return to the class of Omega-Default IV in The Unteachables, and Marlon Shakespeare soars in Chopper: What Goes Up.  Cadet Dredd: Red Medicine  We're back on patrol with Cadets Dredd and Rico as they learn to deal with the illicit trade of medical supplies. This time around the young cadets are dealt with a morality case as they're shown that while it's breaking the law, it's improving life within this low-life sector. But as Rico politely puts it " more Cits leads to more pot...

Rob reviews 2000 AD Regened Vol. 3... For the last couple of years, Tharg has periodically handed the reigns to the 'Galaxy's Greatest' over to his nephew; Joko-Jargo. As such this allows those same 2000 AD thrills, to be reimagined to an all-ages audience. While some of the "veteran" 2000 AD subscribers scoff at these all-ages issues, they do offer that same classic storytelling - albeit tailored to a different audience. That's arguably the only concern about every comic book on the market. As its readership ages, the need to appeal to a new audience comes into play. This allows publishers to mess about with their format in a multitude of ways. Whilst some only cater for one age group or the other, the folks over at 2000 AD have attempted to cater for both.  Not only does the Regened Prog offer a stepping stone for those graduating from The Beano or The Dandy , but it also acts as a bridge for those stepping into the more adult world of the regu...