2000AD, PROG 2059

Writers: Michael Carroll; Pat Mills; Dan Abnett; Eddie Robson; Gordon Rennie
Artists: PJ Holden; Simon Davis; Pau Marshall; Steve Austin; Tiernan Trevallion
Colourists: Quinton Winter; Dylan Teague; Gary Caldwell
Letterers: Annie Parkhouse; Ellie De Ville; Simon Bowland
Publisher: Rebellion

Being isolated in a Siberian refinery and under attack by angry locals makes strange bedfellows in Judge Dredd: Black Snow. The sudden appearance of a platoon of Sov Judges interrupted Dredd and his team in their fight against local tribes people. Now Dredd finds himself forced to side with the Soviets as it becomes clear that the local are considerably better armed than first though.

Dredd is a tough guy, and this episode largely eschews political machinations to allow his over the top survival instinct kick in. There’s a lot happening here, and PJ Holden’s art, given an unusual flavour by colourists Quinton Winter, perfectly captures the flight through the refinery and brutal battle as Dredd goes to unusual lengths to escape some angry dogs.

A few weeks ago, Slaine was ready to change forever. The Celtic warrior was confronted with the terrible truth about his parentage – that he was part demon and that everything he had spent a life time fighting against was a part of him. Its was a defining moment in the Slaine mythos, that would change the character forever…

...for a handful of panels. Then it was revealed as a bluff, and Slaine went back to being about and angry man hitting things with an axe. Slaine: The Brutania Chronicles: Book Four: Archeon began, what feels like an age ago, with the gurning hero hitting stone monsters and shouting nonsense. And here we are again, ten parts and more than fifty pages later, with nothing achieved and nothing changed. Any opportunity for Slaine to provide a canvas for talented artists is spoiled by largely static and repetitive scenes populated by characters literally made of rock. This episode features three splash panels of the same thing. Even the lettering here is sub-par.

The last few Sinister Dexter tales have slowly been dipping their toes into the character’s vast backstory. Sinister Dexter: Billi No Mates goes paddling, reintroducing the character of Billi Octavio. It provides a bit of a recap, whilst the main characters barely appear. Its a fun ride for any readers versed in Sinister Dexter lore, but might be a little confusing for anyone new.

A medieval, magical heist is underway in The House of Gilded Peak. The second part of a three part “Tharg’s 3riller”, this is the point where the tension is built before the big twist next week. There are a lot of characters here, with a lot going on. The planning of a robbery is interspersed with the gang of magically talented thieves pulling it off, and the knight who acts their cover providing a distraction by charming the homeowners. It’s a surprisingly complex plot, and whilst the high character count means it doesn’t exactly flow, its entertaining enough to be looking forward to the big reveal next week.

There’s now a formula to Absalom: Terminal Diagnosis: Book One, as Harry Absalom slowly builds a team to help him save his grandchildren from the forces of hell. Whilst part of Harry’s team is involved in a life or death adventure, we get explanatory dialogue from elsewhere. This has allowed the cast of characters to expand without the action ever slowing down. In this episode, the ulterior motives of a trusted friend are revealed whilst Harry seeks help from an unlikely, and unlikable, ally. The idea that Harry’s team is falling apart as quickly as its built is a compelling one, building levels to characters who had only really been bit parts until now.