Cover: Colin MacNeil
Publisher: Rebellion
Judge Dredd
Script: Ken Niemand
Art: Dan Cornwell
Colours: Chris Blythe
Letters: Annie Parkhouse
Dredd wades through the hoards of The Oubliette to find the Castellan awaiting him.
It’s an action montage with some slower moments, like when Sarah Kopp stops and smiles, and it’s these moment-to-moment transitions that slow things down just enough to make the action feel kinetic.
The Castellan suggests that Dredd has been through this cycle of ascension more than once, so how many times has this happened before?
Brink
Script: Dan Abnett
Art: INJ Culbard
Letters: Simon Bowland
It’s an action episode, as Castanada serves Leeden a knuckle sarnie, and yet…he doesn’t act defeated. There’s even more to this.
It’s such a propulsive action sequence that I’m struggling for words. It’s an explosion of violence which eats up all the kindling which has been laid over the last 22 parts and leaves me wondering where it’s going to go from here, as Cutwell and Leeden are in custody. The biggest loose end now is what’s happening on the BRV 2, so how will the events on Luna affect the crew?
Nightmare New York
Script: Kek-W
Art: David Roach
Colours: Jim Boswell
Letters: Annie Parkhouse
Lil and Mose are bound in Praetorian’s basement. Despite the situation, Mose is hung up on Lil’s lineage, her being Mayor Maloney’s daughter. Praetorian walks in and tells Lil that he’ll auction her to the lords of hell and heaven.
It’s a nice change of pace compared to the last few episodes. Their relationship deepens, and we get a better idea of what the stakes are.
I love how Roach draws Mose’s anguish and impotence at his revelation. He’s all fired up, with an infernal background, but when he realises how powerless he is, he goes limp, and we see the brick background return.
I’m looking forward to seeing how the Fodors rescue them.
Future Shocks: A Zombie Apocalypse Alphabet
Script: James Lovegrove
Art: Russell M. Olson
Letters: Rob Steen
James Lovegrove returns to tell us a nursery rhyme about a zombie apocalypse, similar to the alien invasion we saw in prog 2484.
I love stories told entirely without dialogue, especially when characters emerge anyway. Intentionally staying away from dialogue is a choice that pulled me closer, invited me to work out who we were following, and we follow a gravedigger who digs the grave for patient zero. He joins a group and punishes a particularly selfish member, but despite his best efforts, he becomes part of the horde.
This apocalypse has a different art style but has a similar effect, with dynamic brushwork and flat colours which sell the storybook feeling. Tharg promises one more storybook apocalypse, Future Shock, and I’m keen to find out what kind it will be.
The Fall of Deadworld
Script: Kek-W
Art: Dave Kendall
Letters: Simon Bowland
Fairfax and Eastwood assault De’Ath’s stronghold. Sydney is confident, but his fellow Dark Judges mutiny.
Man, the art is gruesome. De’Ath’s tight lips draw tight against his teeth. I can hear his voice in my head. His forced grimace must make it hard to pronounce his Ps and Ms.
As with Brink, I’m in the dark on the greater context of this part, but I’d rather be confused than bored, and I am never bored with The Fall of Deadworld.
Overall: 8/10
Tony Holdsworth is a comics writer based in Dundee, Scotland, who reviews 2000AD each week.
His comics can be found here: https://tonyholdsworth2.wordpress.com/category/portfolio/
