2000AD, PROG 2102 REVIEW

Writers: Rob Williams; Dan Abnett; Ian Edginton; James Peaty
Artists: Henry Flint, INJ Culbard; Dave Taylor; Colin MacNeil; Richard Elson
Colourists: Chris Blythe; Dylan Teague; Abigail Bulmer
Letterers: Annie Parkhouse; Simon Bowland; Elle De Ville
Publisher: Rebellion



Just in case Judge Dredd: The Small House was getting a bit cerebral, the mood is lightened this episode with a flying-shark eating a crowd of people. It’s incredible that inside five pages Rob Williams can deliver a script that catches up with Judge Gerhart on his suicidal journey into the Cursed Earth, bring back another mysterious character not seen for several years, have Dredd ruminate on the nature of trust, and have an action scene involving a flying shark. The overall plot is moved briskly forward, whilst never feeling rushed. Inside a week, we’ve gone from a conversation on fascism and the nature of power, to a man being arrested for having a stinky fish. Dredd spends most of the story obscured, hidden from view as he struggles with his frustration at the conspiracy deep in the heart of the Department. Only in the single panel does he betray any emotion, ready to be thrown into action next week. The Small House is a fantastic piece of writing.

There’s more conspiracy in Brink: High Society...although no flying sharks. Instead, undercover agent Bridget Kurtis catches up with her handler, and the handler has a conversation with a company employee. Two, fairly dense conversations about a conspiracy at the heart of he Juno Corporation. It’s not thrilling, but the naturalistic conversations betray a lot of detail and character, catching up on the why and wherefore of the story, adding a new level of urgency to Kurtis’s investigation.  
 

The benefits and dangers of having vampires on your side comes to light in Fiends of the Eastern Front: 1812. In a brutal battle between vampires and ghouls, the powers of Constanta and his men are made clear in a lovely transformation scene, beneath the silvery moon. Dave Taylor’s art continues to impress; it seems to radiate cold.

Skip Tracer: Legion continues its journey through the tropes of science fiction, with Nolan being recruited to make a psychic connection with his comatose brother, journeying into his mindscape. At one point, the narrator actually yawns at the predictability of it all. What Skip Tracer does, it’s doing well. It’s concise and clear, with nice layouts. It's...fine. However, there’s little original about it. It’s lacking a degree of fizz.  

More conversations and catch-up in Kingdom: Alpha And Omega. Gene has been captured by the Riders, who are kind enough to provide a brief monologue on their relationship with the Tick, the Masters, and Them. Whilst the Riders might have immediately appeared as bad guys, they’re given a decent reason for their actions...could Gene find a new place in this pack? Another faction is added to the increasingly complex and smart world of the Kingdom.