Cover: John McCrea & Jack Davies
Publisher: Rebellion
Judge Dredd
Script: Rob Williams
Art: Henry Flint
Letters: Annie Parkhouse
Judge Tan, his nerves calmed by drugs, feels safe, but he knows he shouldn’t. He begins to panic when he’s attacked by worm-people. Love that that’s an official designation for the henchmen on the barge.
Flint’s depiction of the remains of the barge’s prisoners is a grisly reminder that underneath it all, we’re just animated skeletons. Skeletons held together by tendons and muscles, which you could argue are a kind of worm.
The biggest worm of all, Skolex, surfaces. Interestingly, the lighthouse is still prominent in the background. What this means, I have no idea, but I’m positive that it foreshadows nothing good. Anyway, Dredd shoots the giant worm. Why wouldn’t he?
Hurst heroically covers Dredd and Anderson as they make their escape, but Carver catches up. Dredd loads his fist.
Dredd is currently one of the best in 2000AD, and the prog is very strong overall.
Rogue Trooper
Script: Alex De Campi
Art: Neil Edwards
Colours: Matt Soffe
Letters: Jim Campbell
Nygaard reveals that FOB Azure was where genetic infantry were born. Straight out of the jar, they come ready to fight, with combat experience already downloaded into them. That experience was taken from soldiers, one of whom was Hurley, Lee’s old comrade.
In a stunning double-page spread, we see Helm’s fragmented memories, which originated from Hurley. They see all this on the computer, which the Norts had just been using to upload a virus. You can see where that’s going.
It’s a nice teaser for future Rogue, after such an action-packed few weeks, but I’ll be glad to see the crew on the road again.
Void Runners
Script: David Hine
Art: Boo Cook
Letters: Annie Parkhouse
Even Alice remarks on how little it took to turn the Manjukaks feral. Their innate predisposition towards suggestibility may be how Alice saves them in the end.
I must commend Boo Cook for the designs of the federation boffins. Having faces on the backs of their heads is really cool, and you can see how they really feel, though they display a different expression to who they’re looking at.
As the Manjukaks rage on Rigel-16, the oracle learns of Alice’s presence there. His thought process made me chuckle. He thinks to ease his withdrawals while ensuring his future supply: two birds, one stone.
Brass Sun
Script: Ian Edington
Art: INJ Culbard
Letters: Simon Bowland
Septimus and his lover take a walk on the first world.
They find a gravestone with Laurel on it and conclude that that is why Wren retreated here: her connection with the watchmaker.
A soldier interrupts their idyll to announce that Wren and Ariel are on Variety.
I’m glad to see Septimus’ current relationship in progress before he reunites with Wren. It’s clear that he still holds onto their time together, but is what remains after years of separation just nostalgia?
Red Dragon
Script: Rob Williams
Art: Patrick Goddard & Steve Yeowell
Colours: Dylan Teague
Letters: Simon Bowland
Siadwell and Jenny share a first kiss as young lovers. Fast forward around 20 years, and Jenny is pregnant with Dr Beat’s baby, Zenith. It’s a bit of a non-sequitur, these first two pages, but it progresses the heredity theme, and I think it links to Morgan and Dilwyn.
Morgan is burning in a crashed car. Tanya saw him suddenly catch fire.
Martin and Dee do not find Morgan at home. The English filmers stick out like a sore thumb, and before long, their police friend appears. He calls them Lloegr. “Not scared, are yew?” he says. There’s something sinister going on.
After speaking with Peter St John, Siadwell sits in a pub. Two Americans from the CIA find him there. Who knows what they want? I can only assume they’re something to do with the American Shadowmen? That being said, the male CIA agent looks suspiciously like Morgan Phillips. Bah, I can’t form a coherent theory, but I look forward to further light being shed on the mystery.
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/
