2000AD, PROG 2132 REVIEW

Writers: Rory McConville; Ian Edginton; Guy Adams; James Peaty
Artists: Siku; D'Israeli; Dan Cornwell; Brian Corcoran; Leigh Gallgher
Colourists: Jim Boswell; Matt Soffe
Letterers: Annie Parkhouse; Ellie De Ville; Simon Bowland (l)


If, like me, you’ve lain awake at nights wondering whatever happened to Cadet Spode, the unfortunate trainee judge who was dismissed from the Academy way back in Prog 234, then Judge Dredd: New Blood contains the answers you need

Artist Siku returns to 2000AD to tell a story that jumps between Eric Spode’s childhood, his dismissal, and the present day, where things aren’t going well. Some interesting layouts keep things moving along, even though most of the story is walking and talking.

The human resistance fightback against the Martin tripods in Scarlet Traces: Home Front. Scarlet Traces has long been a conspiracy laden mystery thriller, but this book has given way to all-out war, with fiery red pages and long shadows. Even so, it’s packed minor details for long-term readers and interesting moments with real character. Here, a local BBC news reporter loses her stiff-uper lip in the face of chaos, and there’s a lovely touching moment where she grieves the loss of some cats.

We've finally reached the present day in Max Normal: How Max Got His Stripes. The tale of how Max became Normal put behind us, we can catch up on the fact that some angry tweenagers have been plotting to kill him for much of the last eight episodes. How Max Got His Stripes has been a silly adventure, delighting in wordplay and absurdity, and we can even ignore the question of why robots might need to take a break from work. Artist Dan Cornwell’s Don Vito is probably the best depiction of apes in Mega City One, more fangs and alcohol that the PG Tips chimps they usually are.

After the weird tangent last week, Kingmaker: Ouroboros gets back to having a big fight. Cirux returns from the dead with superpowers, having met God/Vonnegut. A big, glorious fight, dazzling art, is intersperses with just enough humour to stop the whole thing descending into fantasy silliness.  Visually beatifull even through nothing much happens.