Prog 13

The cover of Prog 13 trumpets the future from its cover, but from what I've seen so far I'm not sure it's a future I want to be part of. But I sure do enjoy reading about it, so let the slog continue as we view the future from the eyes of 1977.  

Prog 13

21 May 1977

Invasion begins by putting this war against the Volgans in a wider context as we see a forbidden broadcast by King Charles III beaming in from his exile in Canada. He promises that they will strike ablow first, and later in this issue, we will see what he has in mind. Controlling the media is a major headache for any invading the force, and the Volgans have a TV sector on patrol. Picking up signals from a house, the Volgans enter, only to be decimated by Bill Savage who has been waiting in the shadows. It is a great opening to the story, and I enjoy the first pages immensely. The second half of the story develops out of King Charles's speech, as Bill and the resistance are instructed to meet the King's messenger who is carrying a message so secret it can't be trusted to normal codes. At the appointed drop zone, Bill and his team witness the destruction of the messengers jet, and as his ejector seat lands, they find him on the verge of death. He breaths his last words, a disjointed message about commandos raiding the aptly named Doomsdale nuclear research station. The final panel has Bill worried about the situation and planning to be around himself for the action. I too plan to be around for the action, as I want to see where we go with this one. Seeing the situation in the wider world has me enthused for the coming issues, and the action on the first pages is matched with the longer storyline to follow. Great to see Bill in action, and it looks like we'll be in for plenty more of the same. 

Rating: 6.5/10

Best Line:  "The fool still watches his King!"

I've got the heebie-jeebies already just from the first panel of  Flesh. Spiders aren't my favorite animal and this is part of the reason why. An army of giant spiders marching into the bunk room where everyone is sleeping makes my skin crawl, and it doesn't get any better from here on in. The spiders climb on the bunks of the sleeping men before the alarm is raised and the fight back begins. Led by Claw, they manage to get out of the room and close the door leaving Reagan alone at the mercy of the spiders. Claw reports to the Flesh Controller that Reagan is dead, and they dispatch the rest of the spider's nest with anti-matter guns. In a suspenseful flashback, we see that Reagan evaded the spiders who rely on sound to find their victims. The bad blood between Claw Carver and Reagan continues as Reagan emerges into safety, and we finish the issue with the massed flesh-eaters still holding the base under siege. We are at seven A.M. on the fourth day of the siege, and I am lapping every minute of it up. The horror is palpable, and the tension never lets up as we are thrust from one nightmare scenario to another. This story is unmissable at the moment, and I can't stop turning the pages on it.  It's fantastic through and through and I can't wait to devour more.     

 Rating: 8.5/10

Best Line: "Spiders...furry and horrible! Crawling all over the blankets!" 

Harlem Heroes were promised a hard match against the Flying Scotsmen, and they certainly get it in this week's issue. The hard men from Aberdeen live up to their reputation and in a brutal competition take a two-nil lead. The on-field action is all we get this week, and it's rough and tumble all the way with the Heroes taking a battering on every page. Normally I would want something more, but I can't deny, that the game is entertaining, and I enjoy seeing these hardmen in action. It doesn't pay to compare this story to the first two we saw in this issue, but it still earns its place with another action-packed installment   

 Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Dinna count yer strikes 'til they're safe in the tank, laddie!" 

Wow! The first page of Dan Dare has fantastic artwork, and with Mekon front and centre the story has gained gravitas. Mekon is plotting with The Two of Verath to bring wreak havoc in the space lanes with futuristic piracy. Meanwhile, Dane Dare meets his new crewmates, and Captain O'Grady - a nasty piece of work who carries an alien life form on his shoulder rather than a parrot. It even chirps "pieces o eight"  As the ship jumps to light speed the star drive goes out of control, and relativity begins to tear the ship apart. I am enthralled by this story, and I enjoy the mix of sci-fi and good old-fashioned adventure. Above all this stands the art, and every page is worthy of high praise. No matter what happens in the story, I will forever worship at the altar of Belardinelli.  

 Rating: 7/10

Best line: "To send soldiers against the mighty Mekon is to send them to their death! Now, remove this offal, and I will tell you my tactics..."  

M.A.C.H. 1 references the disaster movies of the era, and for good reason as an airship threatens John Probe and New York. Terrorists seize control of a nuclear airship, with the intention of exploding it over New York. However, with John Probe on board, there is a good chance their plans will be thwarted. With children involved it also becomes a hostage drama as well as an aerial disaster. Using his unique abilities, John Probve takes out the terrorists and saves New York from certain disaster. It may wear its influence on its sleeve, but it is a story well told, and we see John Probe at his best throughout the story. With his moral compass overriding the instructions of the computer, he brings humanity to what otherwise would be a cold-blooded killer, and seeing the payoff later in the story makes it all feel worthy and right. The story seems perfectly realistic to these modern eyes, especially in light of the terrorist attack on New York in 2001, and although this makes several beats of the story uncomfortable it does highlight how realistic some of these scenarios can be. Another well-balanced story, and again MACH 1 continues to improve.  

 Rating: 6.5/10

Best line:  "..the greatest air disaster of all time" 

The highlight of this issue was Flesh, but the continuing war with the Robots in Judge Dredd would be a close second. I heaped praise on the last issue of Dredd, and this week is just as worthy. A healthy dose of humour, some unforgettable panels, and Judge Dredd being Judge Dredd, this is all I need.  With the help of Walter, an old vending machine robot who has developed a lisp, Dredd infiltrates the robot headquarters, only to be taken prisoner by Call-Me-Kenneth. Faced with the prospect of being turned into a living robot, we leave Dredd on this cliffhanger for another seven days. This story is a treat, and I can't decide which I enjoy more, the humour in every panel, or the darkness of the overall story. Walter the lisping robot fills me with both pity and laughter, but it is Dredd who has my heart, as he unflinchingly faces the challenges before him. The art takes on a new level this week, and as a total package, it is outstanding. This issue got off to a strong start, and this final Dredd story is the icing on the cake. I'll be back for seconds, that's for sure. 

 Rating: 8/10

Best line:  "I don't know how we served the fleshy scum for so long. It makes my drive wheel shudder just to touch skin- yeuck!" 

Prog 13 final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story: Flesh 

Best Line: "D-Don't destroy me, masters! Walter is a good wobot...Walter love humans...weally he do!"

Best Panel: