Prog 108

I'm not sure if it's a great day or a sad day. It's the final day of the Judge Dredd story "The Day the Law Died" and I have mixed feelings. I'm excited to see how it will all pan out, and I hope I leave this final strip just as satisfied as all the other previous ones. However, I'm also feeling blue that this is the end of what has been a fabulous journey. I have ridden the ups and downs of this story arc with Dredd, and loved every minute of it. Like a summer holiday, I never want to leave this place, and I never want to return to the real world. I'm also a little scared. Are all Judge Dredd stories going to be this good? If the next one doesn't live up to this I am sure to feel disappointed, yet if the next story exceeds this one, what then am I to think of this one? I shall read this issue extra slowly, enjoying every drop from the Dredd story that has captivated me for the last few months.   

Prog 108

14th April 1979 

It is death day in Mega-City One and with Judge Cal about to push the button to release the deadly nerve gas, Judge Dredd doesn't have much time to save the day. 

Dredd and his men are taking the fight to the Kleggs on the streets, but Judge Cal has locked himself in the Statue Of Judgement. 

Smashing his way in using a truck, Dredd, Fergee, and the rest of Dredd's team storm up the stairs. Judge Cal's two bodyguards can see what is about to happen and think this may be their chance to knock Cal off and become heroes. However, before they can do anything they find that they have been poisoned by Cal and they die painfully at his feet. 

At that moment Fergee arrives at the scene, ready to get heavy with Judge Cal. Cal is fast, and before Fergee gets close Cal shoots him twice. 

Cal is surrounded by Dredd's men, yet he still has the upper hand as the mass hypnotizing is still in effect. Dredd soon finds all the Judges turning on his team and holding them prisoner. 

Cal reaches for the button, but there is one final card to play. Despite his injuries, Fergee rises to his feet and envelops Cal in his arms. Other judges come to Cal's aid and wrestle Fergee who keeps a firm grip on Cal. Eventually, Fergee plunges over the railing with Cal, and a handful of Judges, and all fall to their death below. 

Mega-City One is saved by Fergee, and Judge Dredd ensures that his sacrifice will not be forgotten. Statues are erected all over the restored city in Fergee's honour. Meanwhile, the mercenary Kleggs are rooted out and punished. All that remains now is to appoint a new Chief Judge. Dredd is at the forefront of people's thoughts, but he turns down the role, telling them that his place is on the streets. And that is where we end this brilliant story, with Dredd walking back to the streets to continue his fight against crime, wherever he may find it. 

A fitting end to what has been my favourite Judge Dredd story so far. This worked for me on every level, with a fantastic villain, some unexpected heroes, and the grim world of Mega-City One being just as impactful as the grim-faced Dredd. The art exceeded all that had come before, and even in this final episode we still had twists and turns that kept me reading. The bar has once again been set high, and all future Dredd stories will have a lot to live up to. I was delighted to see Fergee take on the mantle of hero at the end of this story, and his part in the overall plot was rewarded as his character became just as important as Dredd or Cal. After all this heroism and the epic finish, we ended with the low-beat image of Dredd walking back the streets - a poignant moment that brought the story back to earth and set us up nicely for whatever follows. 

Rating: 9/10

Best line: "Observe, mortals! Observe my powers - STOP!" 

Sam Slade has just lost his only friend, Robometer Cutie, and he is mad as hell about it. On the first page of Robo Hunter, we see him blasting away at a variety of robots and when the blasting stops we can see he is surrounded by the wreckage of dozens of robots.

Shooting his way out of the building, Sam Slade is joined by Smoking Joe, Kidd, and Shoe. They need to get out of there quick, and a passing taxi is just the ticket. They climb aboard, and although the taxi recognises them, Slade manages to convince them that they are robots, not sims. Outside the robot war rages on and although they are on the move Slade's mind is wondering what they can do to bring some sanity back to the planet. 

A couple of good lines from Sam Slade weren't enough to save this story in my eyes. Perhaps I was expecting too much on the back to the Dredd story that opened the comic. The story again feels weighted down by the robot wars taking place as a backdrop, and none of the characters have a chance to shine. The first pages were dominated by images of Slade blasting robots, and it wasn't as exciting as one might expect, becoming boring after a couple of panels. The final thoughts of Slade give me some hope for the coming weeks, and if the story can lift itself out of the recent mire and get back to its snappy roots I shall be much happier. 

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "Come and get it, you murdering robo-scum!"

Hunting another Strontium Dog, Johnny Alpha has arrived in another dimension with Wulf and Gronk. After meeting some strange beings, they find themselves caught in a rain storm - a rain of blazing fire. 

Although Gronk's fur is on fire, Johnny snatches him up and saves him. Observing their wounds, they see that they have green festering sores, just like the other creatures in this dimension. 

Using the life-force meter, Wulf detects that Fly's Eyes is nearby. Approaching a large square, they see that a preacher has attracted a crowd. This preacher is telling the crowd that there is only one way out of this world, they must go back to the Black Citadel upon the Mountain of Skulls. 

Firing his weapon in the air, Johnny breaks up this gathering - leaving only Fly's Eyes. After an exchange of words, Johnny blasts Fly's Eyes into pieces. However, as the strip ends, Johnny and Wulf look horrified as Fly's Eyes body begins to grow again and come back to life. 

More interesting turns in Strontium Dog, and the strip continues to draw me into its strange worlds. This week we finally got a confrontation between Johnny Alpha and Fly's Eyes but rather than stalling its momentum, it added another thread of interest to the story, and the final twist sees me hooked to see more of the Fly's Eyes character. Once again I found the colouration worked well with the artwork, and the two complemented each other well. With the consistency of the characters and the quality of writing, it was another strong issue that delivered all I could have wanted from a Strontium Dog strip. With this dimension still offering possibilities to be explored, and still throwing up more questions than answers, we still have some way to travel - something I am very happy about, and I can't wait to go on this journey with the strip. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Run! Run like der cucumbers!" 

This week in Ro-Busters, X27? continues his amazing story of the secret of the planet of the robots. On Saturn Six, the robots have found gold and destroyed the humans who brought them here. 

They then extract all the mineral wealth they can from the planet, setting up a sanctuary for robots to escape to. Sending false messages to humans, they let them know the planet is inhabited. They also have a backup plan should any human arrive and build a variety of weapons. 

They then begin setting up escape lines across the galaxy to bring free robots to the planet. It is now that we learn what X27?'s role was. He was sent to Earth to set up an escape line to bring robots to Saturn Six. Unfortunately, he was badly injured and ended up with a damaged memory, eventually being sold to Ro-Busters. 

However, his memory has now returned, and he tells the gathered robots that the X27? is a code that will help them escape. With this knowledge imparted, he dies and is buried by his colleagues. 

Ro-Jaws and Hammer-Stein are determined to get the rest of the Ro-Busters to this planet of the robots, and noticing that Casey looks human, they decide to dress him as a human to aid their escape. Their first stop is a nearby house, where they raid the washing line for clothes, They are caught in the act, but Doctor Feely Good is on hand to administer a bandage that wraps the humans safely up until the robots can escape. 

Last week's issue of Ro-Busters was outstanding, and this week's issue builds on that foundation to give us another great edition. X27?'s story held me rapt and although the Ro-Busters didn't feature until later in the story, I still found every panel an essential part of the overall plot. The final pages when Ro-Busters spring to action, with Doctor Feely Good still stealing every scene, are worth the wait. Stealing the washing of the line was humorous, with a touch of fear brought about by Doctor Feely Good lurking in the background. I was worried about the fate of the humans, despite it being a comic, and I was mildly relieved when I saw them safely bandaged up on the final panels. An excellent story, with a touch of humour to offset the heavier themes, this is a firm favourite at the moment and one the first stories I turn to each week. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Mummy...there's nasties in the garden!" 

Future Shocks makes a welcome return this week with an excellent body-horror story titled "Together".

Dave and Ron are two school friends who have worked their way up through the ranks together and are now astronauts piloting a spaceship through deep space. Trouble arrives soon after this scene is set, as a meteor shower hits the spacecraft.

Critically damaged, the ship crashes on an alien planet. Luckily, a passing alien ship detects organic material on their ship and stops to save the pilots. Although Ron and Dave are messed up beyond recognition, the aliens think they can save them using their advanced technology.

Eventually, Dave wakes up in an alien hospital and asks the four-armed doctor where is his friend Ron. The doctor is puzzled and tells him they only found one body in the wreckage. It is then that Dave sees himself in a mirror and the horror of the situation strikes him. The alien has made a mistake and put his and Ron's bodies together, making a Frankenstein monster of him and ensuring that now Dave and Ron will always be together. 

This felt like the perfect end to this week's story and was just the exclamation point we needed. The horror was clever and scary, and the story did a good job of conveying all it had to across three pages. With large bold art filling each page quickly, the story was told with minimum fuss while highlighting the horror that was unfolding. I haven't read a Future Shocks for a while, and this was a good reminder of how good they can be when done right.     

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "A messy job, this. But although the species is unknown to me, the anatomy parallels ours in many ways!"  

Prog 108 final ratings:

Overall: 7.5/10

Best Story: Judge Dredd

Best Line: "I have only to speak and mountains will tremble! I have only to command and our fall will stop!"

Best Panel:

Prog 107

Hangovers get worse when you get older, don't they? Last night was great, but this morning is a whole different story. Here are my thoughts on the comic I read while I lay on the couch feeling seedy.  

Prog 107

7th April 1979 

 Judge Dredd reaches a crescendo in this issue, with Dredd pulling out all stops to prevent Judge Cal from releasing nerve gas and killing the citizens of Mega-City One. 

The first panels are about stealth and secrecy as Dredd leads his men out of a secret tunnel and into the Halls Of Justice. Although they encounter some of Cal's Judges, Dredd has the element of surprise and they are quickly dealt with. 

Continuing through the halls, they find their way to the daily briefing room where the Judges are gathering. There they substitute their tape for Cal's, and wait to see the reaction of the Judges. 

The effect of Dredd's tape is immediate, and as it plays the Judges realize that Cal has been using them. Section after section rises up in revolt, and soon Dredd is leading a cohort of Judges on their bikes toward where the deadly nerve gas is about to be released. 

Cal is ready for his defining moment when the sound of sirens pierces the air, Cal thinks it is only fitting until it is pointed out to him that Dredd and the other Judges are rapidly approaching. Cal pays this no heed, and he continues with his scheme to release the gas by operating a lever on top of the Statue of Justice. 

Dredd and his men arrive on the scene a fraction too late, and the door that gains access to the statue is closing as they arrive. Judge-Tutor Kelso attempts to rush it, only to be crushed as the door closes, and the strip ends with Dredd at the scene but unable to reach Judge Cal. 

This wasn't quite as intense as the last few episodes, with the artwork being brighter than we have seen recently. Some of the claustrophobic feeling of the strip was lifted, and even though Dredd is making great strides in defeating Cal, it didn't feel as important as some of the other issues I have read. We did get several impactful panels, and seeing Dredd bursting out of the page on his lawmaster always makes my heart sing. We had that and more in this issue, and with a healthy dose of Dredd's grim face, the seriousness of the situation was conveyed. Cal is still alive, and there is still a fight to be fought, if it arrives with some more intensity we should be in for a grand finale.   

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "You murdering alien scum! How many citizens never got a chance to surrender to you?"

When we saw him last, Robo-Hunter Sam Slade was facing down a massive war wagon. This week we see the result of that confrontation, and Sam is now a prisoner of the second robot army. He's not alone, his colleagues Commander Kidd and the robot SPJ are at his side, along with his trusty robometer, Cutie.

Taken to General 2, Sam is sentenced to death just as soon as the liquidation vats are ready. 

Things look grim for Sam, and with no weapon, there is nothing left to do. However,  Cutie offers to sacrifice herself with her self-destruction mechanism, an idea that Sam immediately rejects. 

The appointed time arrives for liquidation, and Cutie ignores Sam's order. She runs towards the robots holding them prisoner and with one almighty explosion kills them all and herself. 

Pulling a weapon from the carnage, Sam mourns his robot friend, while promising to make her sacrifice worthwhile.

A lot of talking in this issue, and it took some time to push the pieces into place for the cliffhanger finish. I enjoyed what I saw on the page, and it was an improvement on last week, but it did step back from fully engaging me with some pages overloaded with panels. A lot of the strip seemed to concentrate on the robot generals, and while this was essential to the story, it did push the main character of Slade further away from us. This was restored on the final page as the story pulled back into focus and Slade was again front and centre. His character has been inconsistent of late, and while some issues are crammed full of witty dialogue, others are strangely lacking. This week was lacking, and a lot of Slade's dialogue was generic speak that could have come from any one of the characters. With a tighter focus, this story could be great. As it is, it's very good, but I can't help but wish for more from it.   

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Damn you, robots! Damn you!" 

Strontium Dog is cast in a sickly orange colour as I survey the opening spread of this week's story. Johnny Alpha, Wulf, and Gronk are in another dimension in the pursuit of a mutant named Fly's-Eyes Wagner. Standing at a gate that proclaims that all roads lead to hell, Johnny boldly ignores this warning and instead leads his friends through the gate and down the stairs into an abyss. 

Hours pass, and Wulf becomes spooked when he sees the stairs disappearing behind them. There is nothing they can do but continue downwards, and upon reaching the bottom they see Fly's-Eyes. Flys-Eyes runs, but a quick shot from Johnny wings him in the shoulder.  Advancing deeper into this strange world, Johnny and Wulf are able to follow the trail of blood left by Fly's-Eyes.

The world gets stranger, and Johnny and Wulf encounter hideous creatures whose skin is a mass of festering green sores. These creatures tell our heroes that they were once human too, and have been transformed while here in the City of Lost Souls - the first city of Hell. 

Before these creatures can say anything else, they flee at the sight of rain approaching. Johnny and Wulf wonder why they would fear rain, but they soon find out as liquid fire falls from the sky. As Johnny and Wulf run for cover they hear Gronk cry out, and looking back they see his fur has caught fire. 

The colouring of the first page caught my eye. Cast in orange, the story and the characters took on a different feel, and that felt appropriate for the different dimension they have entered. It doesn't feel like the hell we were promised, but it is close enough and things bode well for the future issues. I enjoyed the fact that there is more to discover about this world, and although we have already met some of the inhabitants, there's still a lot we don't know about them or their world. This was highlighted on the final page as the rain of fire began, and although I don't care too much for Gronk being caught on fire, I do care enough to see what happens next in this dimension. From a simple story of pursuing a fugitive, this strip has expanded in scope and ambition, and as the world of Strontium Dog grows, so too does my love for it.  

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Strange how they run from a little rain!"

Dan Dare is about to be sucked into a filtration plant in what looks like it could be the end of his adventure with the Mekon. In these final moments the Mekon can't help but gloat, and as Dare is about to be washed under the Mekon calls him by his real name, while telling him that he has been deceived by him. 

At the second mention of his own name, Dare's memories come flooding back. It's all too late, and as the Mekon flies away Dare plunges over the edge of the water filter.

At this point, fate takes a hand and Dare is snatched from certain death by a hideous-looking tentacle attached to an equally hideous-looking monster.

Dragged to land, he is released from its clutches into the welcoming arms of a group of Lystrian guerilla fighters. 

Further surprises await as he is introduced to Sondar, a historical character from Dan Dare comics of yore. Sondar is the rightful leader of the Treens, and Dare first met him three hundred years ago as he helped him overthrow the Mekon.

Sondar provides Dare with a brief backstory of how he came to be here with the Lystrian guerillas before the strip ends with one of the Lystrians telling Dare that now the chosen one is amongst them, as the prophecy foretold, and the destroyer has come to Lystria in the shape and form of Dare. 

I read this story twice, the second time when I realised how similar it is to the old Flash Gordon stories of my parent's generation. Strange worlds, being snatched by monsters, and allying with aliens to defeat villains, all of it my parent would have recognised from their day. This week's story wasn't as fulfilling as I would have liked and although the plot progressed nicely, with a healthy dose of action up front, it never grabbed me as I would have liked and I never fell in love with the comic. The crisp artwork helped propel the story, and although the arrival of Sondar on the page temporarily stalled the overall plot with its exposition, it was necessary for what comes next. Not a favourite, but enough here to pull me back next week.   

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "But that was another time...another era! Hundreds of years ago--"

Ro-Busters ends the comic on a high as we return to the fall and rise of Ro-jaws and Hammer-Stein. The team has escaped the P.D. troops, but X-27? is fatally wounded and about to impart some information about his secret mission that could impact every robot on the planet. 

The rest of the comic is dedicated to his tale of how the robots were brought to Saturn-6 to mine the gold that the human sensors had detected. While the humans sheltered in their plastic shelters, the robots were out in the sulphuric rain, covered in grime and dirt as they transformed the land in their search for gold. Some were destroyed by the acid rains, while others died in the mines, as the humans pushed them harder and harder to find gold. However, despite what the detectors said, the gold remained elusive, with only a few nuggets delivered to the humans, 

There is trouble when the supply ship drops for fresh suppliers for the humans. Due to a mix-up at the depot, instead of racing crates of food, they receive crates of plastic rubber ducks - five thousand in fact. 

The humans eventually run out of food, and as they stagger about the planet in delirium they remove their helmets and die when they are overcome by the methane atmosphere. 

It is then that we see that the robots did find gold. Removing the grime and dirty covering them, they reveal that they are all gold plated as protection from the atmosphere. They have found gold all right but used it to save their own lives. 

The first part of his story is over, and their strip ends with X-27? about to tell the second part of the story and his secret mission on Earth. 

I did not expect this at all, and I loved every minute of it. A fantastic tale, and although the Ro-Busters were barely featured it still held my interest and attention while adding an important layer to the overall story. The grim conditions on Saturn Six made for several gritty panels, and I felt right there with the robots as they struggled on. Their final reveal when they came out in their golden glory was splendid, and the only thing that could have made it better was if it was in colour. I am more curious than ever about the rest of X-27?'s story and after this brilliant issue, I expect the same again next week.    

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "...so the humans were right, after all - 'never trust a dirty robot'!" 

Prog 107 final ratings:

Overall: 7.5/10

Best Story: Ro-Busters

Best Line: "I am the law now - and you'd better believe it!"

Best Panel:

Prog 106

The highlight of this week's issue is Judge Dredd. I have only read 106 progs, but already he has delivered so much that it's hard for me to imagine just how much better he might get - and I do know that there is much more in store for me in the coming years. This week's story with Judge Cal pushed all the right buttons for me, and as much as I love the other stories in 2000 A.D., it was hard to read on after what I saw in Dredd. But read on I did, and here's my take on this week's comic.   

Prog 106

31st March 1979 

It is day 100 of Judge Cal's reign of terror, and in his eyes, Mega-City One has reached perfection. The trains are running on time, the city is walled in, and the time for a letter to be delivered is reduced to four hours. This brings Judge Dredd into the story, as we see a letter delivered to the hands of Fergee, who slips into the underground sewers where Judge Dredd and the few men resisting Judge Cal hide. 

The news brought by the letter is good, Walter the Robot has managed to steal the daily briefing tape that Cal is using to brainwash the Judges. Dredd gives it to Pepper, telling him to make one of their own to win the Judges' back. Pepper tells him it will take two weeks to make his own, but Dredd gives him a deadline of one week. 

Even that may not be fast enough as we are again exposed to the madness of Judge Cal. He is haunted by visions of his enemies. and although he is convinced that Mega-City One has now reached a state of perfection, he cannot escape the thought that the only way from here is down. 

This madness subsides after a few days, and Judge Cal tells his men he has reached a decision. Since Mega-City One cannot be improved upon, and the only way is down, he will sacrifice the citizens so that it may remain in this current state forever. To this end, he has placed nerve gas cylinders at the end of every street, and at noon the next day, the gas will be released upon the populace. 

When Dredd hears this he commands Pepper to complete his mission with the tape that very night. The tape is finished as requested and on the final page of the story, we see Dredd and his men scurrying through the street of the darkened city. The last panel sees Dredd and his men looking from across the road at their goal, the Halls Of Justice, and seeing that it is crawling with Cal's men. 

I am torn. I want to give this a 10/10 but I'm worried that things may get even better in the future. I would hate to paint myself into a corner this early in the run of Progs. Once again it is Judge Cal who steals all the headlines, and although this is one of the reasons why I rate the strip so highly, it is also the reason I can't quite bring myself to give it a 10. Dredd is upstaged in his own comic, I can't go for that (no can do). Another hero of this week's strip is the world created, and the way that Mega-City draws on the familiarity of both the Nazi regime of the 1930s/40s and the communist forces that controlled half of Europe after the war. Cal has got the trains running on time, but at an enormous cost, and I was immediately sucked into the opening pages of this weeks comic. While the world shown to us in these first pages was a highlight, so too was the action that appeared in the last pages. Finally, Dredd is on the move and about to fight back. This offers up an array of striking panels, with a grim-faced Dredd looking strong and heroic as he pushes his men forward. Many of these panels deserved a second or third look (and a larger canvas) and I could feel the strength of the character burning through the artwork. Another brilliant instalment, and one I will read again once I post this blog.    

Rating: 9/10

Best line: "My mind is at peace, Judge Walter. I have made a decision about the future of the city. I will speak to the people tonight." 

It's taken a couple of weeks, but this week we have total war on the pages of Robo-Hunter as the two opposing robot armies advance on each other. As the fighting begins, Sam Slade finds himself in the middle, travelling with the General on an inspection tour of the men. 

After reprimanding a robot for cowardice, the General shows his true colours upon hearing that a war wagon is approaching and suddenly remembers that he needs to be somewhere else. This leaves Slade and Kidd alone with the other robots to fight the battle, and for a long time, Slade gives a good account of himself, killing many of the opposing robots on the battlefield. 

To top this all off, he sees the wagon approaching and in a display of courage runs across open ground to shelter in a building that overlooks the war zone. As the wagon passes by, Slade drops a grenade in, destroying the wagon and the occupants. 

He's pretty proud of himself and tells the robots that he wanted to prove that the war wagon wasn't so tough to beat. It is then that the ground begins to shake, and we see what a real war wagon looks like, filling the page with its huge size and fearsome array of weaponry.

The final panel of the imposing war wagon was fantastic and easily the highlight of the strip. It gave the art space to breathe and showed us the awesome power that Slade is up against. Unfortunately, the art throughout the rest of the strip failed to match this final image and overall it felt flat. A lot of the panels earlier in the strip were cluttered and with whole armies squeezed into panels it was claustrophobic and difficult to read. The appearance of the General did lift things, and his character and dialogue were a treat on the page as it rode across some of my earlier criticisms. A mixed bag this week, with some aspects of the story reaching new heights, while other components of the story floundered. A little more balance and this could have been spectacular, and even as disappointing as some panels were I still thought this was a strong issue.  

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Naturally, I'd like to stay and help you, men, but I've, er...just been called away. Good luck. Fight to the last droid. Drive, corporal, drive!"

Strontium Dog is heating up, with Johnny Alpha in hot pursuit of his ex-comrade, Fly's Eyes Wagner. Firing an electro flare through the window of the apartment where Fly's Eyes is sheltering, Johnny Alpha temporality blinds him.  

Fly's Eyes recovers quickly and as his sight returns he curses his father for not paying for an operation to fix his eyes. Shooting his father, he then shoots himself with the D-warp, sending himself to another dimension just as Johnny enters the room. 

Seeing the warp is still in progress, Johnny leaps into it, sending himself into the same dimension as Fly's Eyes. Wulf is told to stay but immediately jumps in too, leaving Gronk with no choice but to follow. 

All three experience the strange sensation of passing through multiple dimensions before they arrive at the top of a misty crag. As the mists clear they descend a staircase before coming to a gate telling them that all roads lead to hell. 

Such lovely art, it's a real shame that this isn't on a bigger canvas. Some of the aspects of the story strike me as silly, but my love of the art always overrides this thought and gives Strontium Dog an extra boost. The art is gritty, yet easy to digest and serves the story at all times. This week's story lent itself particularly well to the artwork (or vice versa) and although it took me a minute to get into the story, once I was hooked I was well and truly in. The thought of the heroes being warped into other dimensions opens up all sorts of possibilities for the story and it was scary and exciting in equal measure. Already, my interest in their chase of Fly's-Eyes has diminished, and I am much more interested in where they are and where they are going. A fork in the road this week, and with my imagination running wild about what may happen next week, I shall be picking up next week's issue with great anticipation.    

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "'All roads lead to hell'...that doesn't sound too promising!" 

With his memory destroyed Dan Dare is on the planet Lystria with the Mekon and looking for the crystal of life. When we last left them they had just been spotted by a Thraxian patrol craft, and with the Thraxians opening fire it looks like Dare and the Mekon are once again in deep trouble. 

Luckily the first shot is only a warning shot, and as the patrol craft comes closer they call to Dare and the Mekon to surrender. Things take a turn as one of the Thraxians recognises Dan Dare for who he really is and calls him by name. This stirs up memories for Dare, but he can't quite put the pieces together in his mind before the Mekon acts quickly and blasts the Thraxian. 

This plays out as a shortlived gun battle, with things coming to an explosive end as Dare shoots the patrol boat's fuel cells, resulting in a huge explosion that wipes out their Thraxian foes. 

Over the page, Dare and the Mekon come across a filtration plant, signalling that they must be approaching the outskirts of the city.  The boat's steering has been damaged in the previous battle, and they are sucked towards the plant. While Dare tries the swim for it, the Mekon watches on, and despite the quickness of Daare to react, he still finds himself sucked towards the plant. This leaves Mekon with a decision - should he leave Dare to die, since he has no further use for him, or should he intervene and save him. 

Episode seven of this story and things are beginning to accelerate on the page. For several weeks now we have been crawling towards this moment, and with some conflict on the page, and the hint that Dare's memory may be returning, I am suddenly sitting upright and leaning onto the story as I read. This story was an interesting contrast to Robo-Hunter which came earlier. While Robo-Hunter had smaller panels crammed with characters, Dan Dare dealt with much larger panels with fewer characters and a closer look at their faces and reactions. This meant I was reading the characters on the page just as much as their dialogue, and some of the expressions of the characters said just as much, if not more, than their words. This is something I have alluded to previously while reading Dan Dare, and this week provided a particularly fine example. I find I don't love Dan Dare at the moment, but the craft of making the comic is clearly on display with some great storytelling paired with fantastic art. I may not like it, but I respect it and once again rate it highly.  

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "It is the face of the Earth Spacer! The one they call--Dan Dare!"

Ro-Busters have survived Quartz's plan to kill them and now find themselves free. Before they have time to consider their future they are approached by a patrol of Punishment and Discipline troopers. 

There is a brief debate about what they should do, with some Robots putting forth that all humans are good and they must surrender themselves to them, while others think the opposite. 

The two opposing points of view split the team, and half the robots step forward to surrender, while the others begin their escape. Those that surrender come to a fast end, the troopers have no interest in taking prisoners, and blast the surrendering robots to bits. 

The rest of the robots rely on Hammer-Stein and his fighting ability, and we see some of his battlefield expereince come to the fore as he outwits the humans. Soon the robots are on the run with  Hammer-Stein fighting a rearguard action. It seems that Hammer-Stein may have bitten off more than he can chew as one of the humans ambushes him with a grenade. However, the robot Doctor Feely Good has him covered, and the human is dealt with by the good doctor.

The Robots make a clean getaway, although the troopers have one more card to play. They have a mek-detector with them, and using some of the oil left behind,  they are able to sniff the trail after the robots.

Ro-Jaws has a solution for this, and by leading the robots to a pig farm he has them smear themselves with faeces, thus hiding their smell. They move quickly on, and when the troopers arrive they find that they no longer have a trail the mek-detector can follow. 

The robots still have no papers, nowhere to stay, and no oil, and as they reach a motorway they have one more problem. Robot X27 is dying, and as they lay him out on the grass he says that he must tell them who he really is and what his mission on Earth was. It is important and could change the lives of every robot on the planet. 

Another strong issue, although not as compelling as some of the previous weeks. The battle against the troopers wasn't as intense as I expected, although I did enjoy seeing how the robots escaped, and appreciated seeing Hammer-Stein doing what he was built for. Ro-Jaws and Hammer-Stein lead from the front, but for me, the unsung hero of the story was the doctor robot. The series of messages that flashed up on his chest as he went to battle and grappled with the humans had me grinning throughout, and the final panel after the fight was the best of the lot. Great stuff, and I was pleased to see a background character shining brightly without derailing the plot and upstaging the two main characters. The final panel was a good setup for what might come next, and although it wasn't a dramatic cliffhanger, it was definitely a page-turner and a hook to get me back next week (as if I need an excuse!). 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Look, mate, don't come the old acid with me! Humans won't show no mercy! If they get hold of us - they'll turn us all into big drops of runny metal!"

Prog 106 final ratings:

Overall: 8/10

Best Story: Judge Dredd

Best Line: "You devils! You only plague me because you are jealous! Under my rule Mega-City One has reached perfection - my rule, not yours! "

Best Panel:

Prog 105

 Last week felt like a return to form for 2000 A.D. With the return of Strontium Dog, the comic provided another interesting thread as we went from four stories a week to five. This week builds on that, and although I should be working my way through a list of chores my wife has given me, I am instead happily flicking through the pages of this week's comic, happy to see that all my favourites are delivering strong instalments. 

Prog 105

24th March 1979 

In order to get a man inside the Hall of Justice, where the tyrant Judge Cal rules,  Judge Dredd enlists the aid of his roboservant, Walter. But when Walter is taken to Cal things turn nasty and now Cal is about to take to Walter with an axe.

It is now that Dredd's master plan begins, and as Walter pleads for mercy he denounces Dredd. Cal sees this as a chance to destroy Dredd forever and calls for his badge maker. Soon Walter is sworn in as a Judge, and sporting his new Judge's badge he appears across an array of media, slandering Dredd at every opportunity. 

Meanwhile, Judge Slocum has inadvertently called Judge Cal crazy, a loose slip of the tongue that may cost him. Slocum schemes in the background, seeking a way to get back into Cal's good books, and a week later he has an opportunity as he catches Walter in the act of stealing the daily briefing tape. 

Judge Slocum sees Walter's ruse for what it is, and soon he is escorting Walter towards Cal where he intends to reveal the plot. However, things take an expected turn as he is intercepted by Cal's doctor who slips a needle into Slocum's arm. Before Slocum has a chance to tell Cal what he has discovered, he finds himself paralysed and unable to talk. It gets worse as Cal puts him in a giant test tube filled with vinegar. Judge Slocum is now one of Cal's collection, and he is effectively silenced. 

Walter is still waiting for Slocum to turn him in when Cal appears and tells him Slocum won't be going anywhere now. Furthermore, he gives Walter back the briefing tape and tells him to return it on the way back to his quarters. Walter is off the hook, and once again Dredd's plan is back in action. 

We have seen the mad side of Judge Cal many times throughout this story, but this week was on a whole other level.  He was genuinely scary and I was aghast at the fate of Judge Slocum. It was a terrifying thought and brilliantly executed on the page. I could feel the fear of Judge Slocum, and behind his forced smile, you knew how horrified he must have been at what was about to befall him. Perhaps I should have given the story a higher rating than I have, it was a great read. However, there wasn't any sign of Judge Dredd on the page, and as brilliant as Judge Cal was, it lacked the sharpness that Dredd brings to the comic. Walter Wobot is a fun character, but he is no Judge Dredd, and as much as I appreciated what he brought to the story, it wasn't enough to fill the boots of Dredd. The horror of Judge Cal's actions was sharpened by the humour throughout this week's strips, and we had some very funny panels and moments before we reached the climax on the final page. The appearance of the Badgemaker brought a smile to my face, as did the neat way the story depowered Judge Slocum just when it seemed he had Walter done for. A strong story, with Dredd onboard it would have been A+, and even as it is I enjoyed it immensely.  

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "It's the only cure for worry wrinkles - and for men who call me crazy! Ha ha ha!"

Sam Slade has met with the robot leader of Verdus, Big Brain, but things haven't quite gone to plan on the pages of Robo-Hunter. Big Brain's brain has snapped, and Sam Slade is now at the centre of an argument between two robot generals and their respective armies. 

With the two armies preparing for war, Sam looks to his companion Kidd for help, but Kidd is too busy indulging in fine clothes and treating the robots with disdain. A smack across the bottom by Slade straightens him out, and just in time too as the two robotic religious leaders appear with an appeal for Slade to stop this war. 

With half the robot armies refusing to listen to him, there is little Slade can do. He thinks that perhaps a visit to the robot parliament may help, and soon he is once again entering the hallowed halls of power. It is just as chaotic as his previous visit, and nothing is gained by the visit. The strip ends where we began, with the drums of war beating and Slade powerless to stop it. 

The last few weeks I have been disappointed in Robo-Hunter and found some of its humour missed the mark. This week is much better on that front and it had some moments that hit my funny bone in just the right spot. The robot army and their over-the-top General made me smile, and over the page, I actually laughed at the interaction between Slade and Kidd. Seeing Kidd get a spanking was easily the highlight of this week's story and something I have long wanted to see. It delivered a glorious image and a panel that deserves to go in my gallery of favourites. The robot parliament was just as funny as last time, if not more so, and once again I got a kick out of the party's different names. The ending was a letdown after all this hilarity, and I can't quite decide what the story is trying to do in the final two panels. Perhaps it is just taking a deep breath before we plunge into the depths of the story again next week, and if so I am primed after this week's solid issue.    

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "Soggy bags of flesh and blood and gristle-inefficient machines that break down and wear out. We must be real - because nobody in their right mind would want to simulate us!"

I was pleased to see the return of Strontium Dog last week, and after that solid start the story has something to build on as we go forward. The first part of this week's story deals with Johnny Alpha as he desperately clings to the top of a toppling road-train. 

Luckily Johnny is saved by the cargo of grain that the road-train is carrying, and his fall is cushioned by this cargo. Back in the vehicle with Wulf, Johhny is soon back on the trail of Fly's-Eyes Wagner, and heading into the nearby town where he lives. 

Using his mutant powers, Johnny looks through the various walls to find his foe. It doesn't take long before he sees Fly's-Eyes, punching out the man who he blames for his mutation - his own father. 

Before Johnny can approach his foe, he finds the local lawmen again coming at him with guns drawn, arresting him for all the trouble he has previously caused. 

This distraction alerts Fly's-Eyes to the presence of the local law enforcement agency, and seeing a number of Marshals in the street he opens fire with his dimensional warp. In an instant, Marshal Hickman's men have been hurled onto another dimension. That just leaves Strontium Dog against Strontium Dog, and while Marshal Hickman looks regretfully on, Johnny Alpha prepares to face Fly's-Eyes himself. 

I can't help but think that the name "Fly's Eyes Wagner' is a reference to Strontium Dog's writer John Wagner. Quite why he would reference himself, I'm not sure, but I assume it is a wink to the audience as the story is credited to one of his non de plumes.  The first part of the story with the adventure on the road-train did little for me, but the story was really cooking in the second half, and once we were reacquainted with Fly's Eyes the story again accelerated. We had some tremendous panels showing Fly's Eyes at his fighting best, and in particular, the panel where he struck his father was a standout. Last week I was just happy to see Strontium Dog return and this week as the story continues to grow I am pleased to see it is just as good as ever. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Now you haf put der cat among der cucumbers, Marshal!"

Dan Dare and the Mekon have landed on the planet Lystria. With no memory, Dare believes himself to be an intergalactic law-enforcement officer working with the Mekon to recover the crystal of life from the Thraxian invasion force. 

Approaching the city of Eternium, everything is cast in a blood-red glow. The Mekon explains that this is due to the building materials used and the way they reflect the setting sun. 

Travelling towards the city through the swamp, Dare and the Mekon's men run into a small group of Lystrians. There is no time for talk, and the Mekon's men gun one of them down without question while the others escape into the swamp. Dare is told that it was a case of mistaken identity and although he is unhappy about it, he accepts it.

Further on they find the hover vehicle belonging to the Lystrians. As they use this vehicle to travel across the swamp, the Mekon tells Dare more about the crystal of life. It had fallen from space, and upon crashing on this planet, the locals discovered its healing powers. A spa city was built around it, and it became a place of pilgrimage for the sick and maimed. 

However, this changed when the Thraxians arrived and conquered the city. The Mekon then tells Dare that the reason he is here is to help bring the Thraxians to heel and restore the crystal for all. However, Dare questions why a single law enforcement officer would be sent on such a mission. This train of thought (and the story)  is abruptly ended by the sudden arrival of a Thraxian patrol boat.

I like a lot of things about this story, but I can't seem to warm to it. The art is great, and the story is interesting enough, yet I find it all leaves me rather cold. Is it the story or is it me, I am not sure, but I will continue to read on in the hope that things will change. A lot of this week's story relied on exposition, and apart from an action scene earlier on, it felt like a lot of the story was given over to an explanation of the crystal and the city that has grown around it. It was all important to the overall story, although it did slow things down and this week we barely moved through the swamp that we entered last week. Is the swamp a metaphor for the slow pace of the plot, I doubt it, but it feels fitting for how bogged down we became in this week's issue. All the key features are in place, my fingers are crossed that the story with cross some t's and dot some i's next week.  

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "This accursed mist plays tricks with my eyes! I--I thought they were Toad-men!"

The Preying-Mantis is about to take off for the last time, with the majority of Ro-Busters onboard and facing annihilation from a bomb planted by Quartz. 

From the now empty base, Quartz and Marilyn watch on - Quartz is happy that he will soon be reaping the insurance money from this 'accident' while Marilyn is distraught at the thought of losing the robots. 

Onboard the ship, Ro-Jaws outlines this dastardly plot to the other robots. The only chance they have is to jettison the escape pod, a plan that requires them to overpower the overseer to gain access to the pod. 

Swapping body parts, Ro-Jaws places his head head on Hamer-stein's body. On close-circuit TV, the overseer can see all the robots mismatching their parts, and he storms in, angry at what he sees.

This is the moment the robots have been waiting for and they overpower the overseer and jettison the escape pod. They are just on time as the ship explodes behind them, but they aren't out of the woods yet and still face a crash landing.

The pod crashes into the planet, and the robots quickly run away before it too explodes in a ball of fire.  

For the first time in their metal lives, the robots are now free. They begin to consider their chances of remaining free, as they have no documents or place to stay. Before they can make any firm decisions about their next move they face a more immediate problem as a wagon full of Punishment and Discipline troopers approach, with the motto of shoot first and ask questions later firmly at the front of their minds. 

A strong episode for Ro-Busters, with the plot, art and dialogue all pulling in the same direction. There was a naturalness to the way the robots talked to each other that appealed to me, and I became more invested in the story each time they chatted. This was an improvement on last week, and the story is heading in the right direction as far as I am concerned. The images of the robots swapping body parts were fun, and I especially enjoyed seeing Ro-Jaw's head on Hammer-Steins body.  I would like to see more of this in future and hopefully, it will be tapped into again further down the line. I can see there is a lot I am going to like next week, with Pat Mills again pulling familiar real-world themes into the story, and it should develop nicely in the coming weeks.     

Rating: 7.5

Best line: "Oh yes! We are only machines...built to serve humans! Machines do not have the right to be free and happy!"

Prog 105 final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story: Ro-Busters

Best Line: "Aw, can it, you old heap of junk! Here, Slade, try one of these Verdus Havanas. They make those stogies of yours taste like dried cats' meat "

Best Panel: