Prog 117

Funny old week here, and nothing has gone quite to plan. This was supposed to be done yesterday, but instead, I drifted off to sleep on my bean bag while I plotted other projects that I will probably never, start let alone finish. Frankly, I'm surprised I have kept this up for two years without jumping onto another project. Let's credit the writers of 2000 A.D. for that. They have not only grabbed my interest enough to start a blog but held it for long enough that I have reached prog 117. When I first started I promised myself that I would do this up to Prog 1000. It's still a long way off, but with this much work behind me, I have no choice but to carry on. Luckily the comic is so good! 

Prog 117

16th June 1979 

 A manhunt for Judge Dredd and a good insight into the city of Mega-City 1 for the reader in the opening strip of this week's comic. 

The story is quickly laid out as we learn that 800 million people live in Mega-City 1.  These citizens are crammed into vast cityblocks, each housing over 60,000 citizens and containing everything a citizen will ever need, making it possible to live your life without ever leaving your block. 

Dredd is in Charlton Heston block when he calls out to a citizen the level above him. The citizen elects to run, and the rest of the comic is a long extended chase. 

This chase goes through gardens, across beaches, through hospitals, all within the block. Dredd's quarry snatches a child briefly as a hostage, before forgoing this plan and instead steals an ambulance. 

The story ends with Dredd apprehending the perpetrator and booking him for vehicle theft, kidnap, assault, possible manslaughter, eighteen other violations and seven traffic offences. Dredd asks the citizen why he ran - after all, he has a clean record, and the citizen tells him he panicked when Dredd called to him. Dredd tells him that he dropped a candy wrapper and that's why he called him, and then is left to muse on the sad cases that should never come before him, and that a crime is no less because someone is a fool.

Another very strong story for Judge Dredd, although the standout character of the piece was the city itself. We got a wonderful insight into how the people of Mega-City 1 live, and I found this to be the main thrust of the story. The chase wasn't given too much attention, and it did feel as though the creators were trying to show as much of the city and how it operated as they could. Dredd still managed to get one of his thoughtful musings in at the end, which brought us back to the actual plot, although I hadn't been too engaged with it until this point. Apart from good images of Dredd gnashing his teeth, my eye mostly lingers on the city laid out in the panels, and the wider panels showing more of the scene were the best. A couple early on set a high standard for this issue, and that standard was matched throughout the story. Beautiful to look at, this week's story pencilled out the world Dredd lives in and makes for a much wider canvas next time for the story to be stretched across. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "One spark here and I've got a riot on my hands. Trouble has got to be stamped on instantly - without mercy - for the people's own good"

Last week Rick Random solved the case of who had been murdering the Guebin delegation onboard the spaceship Columbia. It seems that his work is far from over though, and this week begins with Random telling the others that he thinks a much larger plot is at play. No one has been in touch with their home planet for several days, and when they attempt to communicate they find nothing but radio silence. 

Random tells the Guebins that the murders were merely a diversion for a coup taking place on their home planet, and the Guebins, with Random in tow, make for their planet immediately. 

They arrive to find a battleship blocking their approach to the planet. Jameela sends forth three cruisers, but they are destroyed by the battleship, and Random and the Guebins are forced to think of another approach to Shoya City.

Shoya's three moons are about to come into conjunction, which always confuses the ground-based defence-sensors. This is their chance, and Random leads a commando party of eighteen men down to the planet. They slip through the sensors and arrive at the surface. However, as they exit their ship they find a troop carrier rapidly approaching and they come under attack. 

Although we found out that the murders were part of a bigger story last week, this week's issue failed to pick up the ball and run with it. The story of the coup failed to excite me, and I am waiting for full-time to be blown on this strip. It did have some nice moments on the art side of things, but not enough to make me feel anything for the story. The enemy they are fighting is faceless, and a battleship blasting other ships loses a lot of the impact when we don't know who they are fighting. Many of the characters we previously met were put to one side, and Random's sidekick Vanda has become a mere adornment since the first issue. Next week is the final of this story, and from where I stand I can't see that it's going out on a high. We are going through the motions at this stage, and I'm about as excited to write about it as I was to read it.    

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "It's my guess the murders were just a diversion...to keep you all busy while someone mounted a coup at home!" 

Last week's Strontium Dog climaxed with several monsters rising out of the swamp as Johnny and his friends struggle towards the Black Citadel. The opening panel of this week's story shows these creatures in splendid colour and the story instantly takes on a far more sinister tone. 

Flash Harry quickly falls victim to these creatures, and Johhny resorts to his blaster to keep them at bay. However some tentacles grab him from behind, and he is drawn into the swamp. Trucker Don is powerless to save him, but Johnny still has his electronux and a blow from these frees him from the monster's grip. 

Hauled to the surface, Johnny continues with Don, Gronk and Wulf, across the swamp and up the Mountain of Skulls. The skulls are biting at their feet, and Johnny uses the electronux again to blast a path up the mountain. The swamp creatures are still following them, and they snatch Don, leaving Johnny to cry out about the evil of the world. This brings us to the dramatic final panel of Satan standing before Johnny, telling him that he is the limit. 

Flash Harry certainly didn't last long in the strip, but I can't say I'm saddened by his demise. It did kickstart this issue in grand style and everything from there on was great. Seeing the swamp monsters in colour, and taking out one of the party, was just the opening I wanted to see. It raised the stakes considerably and the use of colour was superb. Things stayed on a high as we saw further peril for the team, and there was again a glimpse of teamwork that gave these characters humanity. There was also the weirdness we have come to expect, and the Skull Mountain was a clever idea well executed on the page. We also saw Johnny Alpha using the electronux which was an expected treat. A different weapon from the blaster we often see, it was utilised twice in the strip, both times looking great on the page and working well in the wider context of the story. The strip ended on an all-time high with the appearance of Satan himself, and although I knew he would eventually appear, it was still an arresting moment on the page. A great issue, and easily my favourite this week. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Yes, my friends, there is a limit! I am the limit!"

Future Shocks presents us with a story of two astronauts in distress. A call for help brings an alien worship to their aid. This warship asks what they need and the astronauts worrying about what kind of food might be supplied tell them they need a hand with bread and water. 

A food pod is dropped to them, and the larger alien craft continues on its way. The two astronauts open the food and are happy to receive the bread and water, but upon opening the third capsule they find they have received exactly what they asked for, a plate of hands. 

I'm not sure if I'd call this comedy or horror, but either way, I liked it a lot. I cant say I was surprised by the final twist, although it looked great on the page and was pitched just right. A nice mid-comic jolt, this did everything it had to in a page, and despite its brevity, it was one of the better moments in this week's comic. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Tell them they can give us a hand with just bread and water if they have it. That should be safe enough!"

In his quest to reach the Crystal of Life, Dan Dare is fighting against a half-human monster guard programmed to kill. In the first image, we can see that Dare is struggling in his battle, but the action quickly turns to the others seeking the crystal, namely Hagnar and the Mekon. 

Their tunnelling machine has already entered the inner chamber and as they approach the crystal Hagnar has visions of smashing it to pieces and selling pieces of it across the universe. The Mekon only wants the crystal for himself to save his life, and while Hagnar is gleefully telling his men of his plans, the Mekon slips out of the tunnel and rushes the crystal. 

As Hagnar follows him, the Mekon turns to tell him that he would never join forces with such a witless thug as him. With Hagnar's usefulness over, the Mekon blasts at the cavern's roof, collapsing it on Hagnar and his men. The Mekon is now victorious and free to do as he pleases with the crystal. 

Meanwhile, Dare's fight with the guardian continues. He is making little progress and they are steadily losing men against the beast. One of the Treens has an idea and tells Dare that if they get a powerful energy flow into the power terminal in the guardian's heel, it will overload its circuitry and blow the motor-cells of its brain. 

Dan attempts this, and while Sandor distracts the guardian, Dare sneaks behind. Using his cosmic claw he blasts a powerful beam of energy into the heel. It works, perhaps a little too well, and the strip ends with a massive explosion and Dare caught in the blast. 

This was almost my favourite story in this week's comic. The artwork was fantastic, and only surpassed by the work that had earlier appeared in Judge Dredd. We had several great images of the Mekon and Hagnar, and these moments were the best in the strip. The fight between Dare and the guardian was a step-down. Despite the fight taking place across multiple pages, none of it was as good as what we saw between the Mekon and Hagnar. Several weeks ago I said I preferred the scenes between the Mekon and Hagnar over the scenes with Dan Dare, and sadly that is the case again here. Dare's foes get the best lines, and the most striking images, while Dare struggles to make little progress in overcoming his obstacles. The fact that the guardian has an actual Achilles heel briefly amused me, although I was left with the thought that the writer was being a little too cute. Still, it was relatable, and I know from my own experience I have put clever things in my work for my own amusement as much as anyone else's. If Dan Dare gets the same opportunities to shine on the page as the Mekon and Hagnar I would be much more positive about all of this, but even so, I rate this one high purely on the art and drama that the Mekon brings to it.

Rating: 8/10

Best line:  "He should not have referred to me as a dwarf who floats on a cooking pot! But now--now for the sight that my eyes have craved!" 

Prog 117 final ratings:

Overall: 7.5/10

Best Story: Strontium Dog

Best Line: "My god! Is there no limit to the evil of this world?"

Best Panel:

Prog 116

With Dredd recalling events from the past I almost feel compelled to go back and re-read some of the earlier issues to catch myself up. Unfortunately, I'm not in a position to do so, recently I have been time-poor and I'm struggling to even read one comic a week. Imagine going back and telling my twelve-year-old self that, I wouldn't have believed it. My time with the comic this week was short yet just as enjoyable with Dredd opening the door on another strong issue that was capped off by Future Shorts. Time well spent I say, and I hope that next week I have more time to properly enjoy the following issue with a nice cup of tea and a chocolate biscuit.  

Prog 116

9th June 1979 

This week's Judge Dredd feels like a throwback to his earlier stories, helped in no small part by references to events we have already seen. This history is a key driver to the plot, and essential to what unfolds. 

Dredd's niece Vienna, daughter to his brother Rico whom he killed in an earlier issue, has been kidnapped by the electronics genius Harry Carmen. Carmen wants revenge on Dredd for locking him up, and he knows the guilt Dredd feels for killing Vienna's father. 

Dredd attempts a rescue but is caught in an ankle trap and can only look on helplessly as Carman has Vienna strapped to a table beneath a blade. Carmen is confident that Dredd won't kill him, although that isn't the only option available to Dredd and he shoots Carmen with a stun shot. From there Dredd shoots himself free of the trap holding him and completes the rescue of Vienna just as the blade is about to make its fatal swing. 

The story ends with Vienna hugging her uncle, and asking why he killed her father. Dredd gives a satisfactory answer and Vienna leaves happy. However, it's not a happy ending for Dredd as he tells Vienna's caregiver that she must stop Vienna from loving him as someday he will be killed too and he doesn't want Vienna hurt twice. 

There was a lot of talk of the past in this story, something I have glossed over in the plot description. We had a page of Dredd remembering what happened with Rico, and flashbacks to young Vienna and Dredd. It added depth to the story and was a welcome addition. Without the high stakes and family history, this would have been a fairly basic Dredd story, but as it is it was elevated and takes its place in the Dredd canon. I'm not sure that I knew that Dredd's name was Joe, although it must have come up previously. I don't have time to go back now and check, but I am happy to see this sliver of humanity on the page, and in a story where Dredd is referred to as a soulless machine, it gave us a touch of balance. A soulless machine he may be, but his name is Joe. Most of the artwork looked good, with the central pages touching on excellent as we saw a close-up of Dredd's face as he remembered his past. This page was central to the plot, and having the art reaching its pinnacle at the same time, gave the story a strong backbone that carried us through to the finish. I still long for an epic, but this is a great shorter story that was just as essential as the longer tales. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "How can I tell her that it was me who killed her Daddy? Rico, my brother..."

The riddle of the Astral Assassin continues this week for Rick Random, and I have a feeling the title carries the clue we need to crack this case.

Hyro Cardan of the sorcery world tells Random he knows who the killer is, and using his powers he recreates the past, showing Random a scene in which Baron Odana rises from his deathbed. 

Baron Odana is the murderer, faking his own death before killing others. Cardan calls the other Guebins to warn them, but there is no answer from Jameela Rodes and Random and Vanda arrive just as Baron Odana is about to murder her.

Random tackles Odana before he can fire a shot and after a scuffle, Odana escapes. A chase ensues, and Random realises that he can't catch Odana. As Odana makes for the docking bay and an escape ship, Random takes a faster route to the ship's gun. Thus, as Odana flies away from the ship, Random is ready for him and blasts him out of the sky.

Odana may be dead, but Random tells us that the story is far from over, with a war just about to begin. 

Although Random found the murderer and justice was served, this all fell a little flat for me. There was action across every page, and the story moved in leaps and bounds, yet I was untouched by all of it. The characters had no agency, and none of the interesting aspects of the characters were revealed. Random was told who the murderer was rather than discovering for himself, and the final delivery of justice came long range rather than face to face. The rest of the story was a chase and a lot of running down corridors, with only a brief fight punctuating the story. I have been hard on this story the last few weeks. I want it to be better than it is, and I am constantly disappointed by what comes next, and the fact that we still have a couple of issues to go doesn't exactly fill my heart with joy. This could have been a gripping detective story, instead, it feels like a wasted opportunity with empty characters and a plot that drives itself.  

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Odana! But it can't be! You - you're dead! Oh no! Noooooo!"

Strontium Dog Johnny Alpha and friends are close to exiting Hell, although, with only one ticket to freedom among them, some hard decisions are about to be made. 

A lot of these decisions are made for them as Wulf begins to turn to ice, a side effect of being bitten by a Gargoyle. Only Satan himself can save Wulf now, and Johnny decides to stay in hell and take Wulf to the Black Citadel. Gronk and the trucker Don decide to stay and help, and only Fly's-Eyes Wagner is left to take the ticket to freedom. Johnny ensures that he won't go free, and Fly's-Eyes is beamed into custody in another dimension.

The journey to the Black Citadel begins across the Wailing Swamp. From the swamp hundreds of hands reach up, all crying for freedom. Trucker Don makes the mistake of reaching to help one and is pulled into the swamp, while a new character named Flash Harry is freed. Flash Harry explains to Johnny that's how the swamp works - one comes out and one takes his place.

Johnny is unwilling to accept the status quo, and leaping into the swamp with a knife he frees Don. There is now an extra pair of hands to carry Wulf on the stretcher, and they feel they are making good progress. However, in the final panel, a frightful monster appears from the water and the team is once again in jeopardy. 

Another wonderful issue, and another feast for the eyes. The images of the final peril facing our friends primed us nicely for the next issue and left a strong impression before I turned the page. I enjoyed seeing the comradery build between the characters throughout this issue and the fact that they all decided to stay and help Wulf gave the story some semblance of stability in an ever-changing world. We see this comradery again later in the story as Johnny Alpha leapt into the swamp to save Don, again building the friendship between the four.  Mr Moon and Mr Sun were again standouts, although this week they didn't dominate the story as much as in previous issues. Overall this was well balanced, tied up some of the loose ends from last week, and set us forth on the next stage of the quest, all across six pages. Excellent. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Flash Harry's the name, squire. I won't shake your hands - that's dangerous round here!"

When we last left Dan Dare he was facing the guardian of the crystal. The guardian is a freak of genetic engineering created by scientists, a monstrous blend of living tissue and biotronics.

Although Dare uses the power of the claw and is assisted by Lystrian cadets, the guardian is too strong. The power of the claw is absorbed by the guardian's shield, and Dare is desperate to find a weakness in his foe.

Meanwhile, the Thraxian leader Haganr and the Mekon are still tunnelling towards the crystal from the other side, and the strip ends with them penetrating the inner walls and Hagnar crowing that the crystal of immortality is theirs. 

This was much better than previous weeks as the story tightened its focus. The bulk of the story was filled with Dare and his fight against the guardian. With no distractions and plenty of page time for Dan Dare, this felt much more like a proper Dan Dare story. The powerful guardian is a worthy foe, and I was rather pleased to see that Dan Dares claw weapon couldn't easily defeat it. I was wondering if such a powerful weapon was a good idea in a story such as this, but the balance of the story was restored with the guardian having a shield to repel such attacks. With the fight even there was plenty of time to stretch it across the pages, and the story was stuffed with great images of the struggles against the guardian. The final moment however belonged to Hagnar and the Mekon, and this was a nice catch to bring me back next week. I am desperate to see what happens next, and I haven't had that feeling for a while with Dan Dare. Things bode well for the future.  

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "So! We have beaten your precious Earthling, Mekon! The crystal of immortality is ours!"

Future Shocks is back, and so is the wonderful artwork of Belardinelli. The story is one familiar to most, Colin Ross prefers sleeping to getting up and as his wife calls at him to get up and ready he instead lies in bed dreaming of fighting alien creatures in fantastic worlds. 

His dream climaxes with him chopping the head of a particularly scary-looking alien, only to be suddenly awoken by his wife. It is then that we see his wife is in fact an alien, one that looks like the one he just dreamed of killing no less, and that Human-Alien marriages are common, but not always happy. 

It's great to see Balardinelli's work back on the pages of 2000 A.D. and he has some good source material to work with. His rendering of the alien life form is scary and I felt a little sick when I saw the final panel - take that as a recommendation. I do wonder if the writer Chris Stevens has a happy home life, he does seem to be working out some issues on the page, but I enjoyed every moment of it. Future Shorts rarely disappoints, and this is just the shock we needed to round out another solid issue.   

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Don't say I didn't warn you! In future you're going to get up when you're told!"  

Prog 116 final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story: Future Shocks

Best Line: "If...if you killed Daddy, the...then you must have had a good reason. I still love you, Uncle Joe."

Best Panel:

Prog 115

This week sees the end of Ro-Busters, a story that has been a favourite of mine since its arrival on these pages. It's a sad farewell although if there's one thing that I have learnt so far reading this comic - something better is always just around the corner. It's hard to imagine what could be better than the consistent Ro-Busters, time will tell, and I'm sure in no time I will be raving about some story or the other, and this will just be a pleasant memory of the past.   

Prog 115

2nd June 1979 

Judge Dredd has his hands full fighting the DNA men created by the scientist Milton D. Frankenstein. It looks as though Dredd will be overwhelmed, but Walter Wobot comes to his rescue, pouring hot coffee over Dredd's assailants. 

With these monsters destroyed by some sharp shooting by Dredd, Dredd's attention turns back to finding the source of these DNA Men. It doesn't take long to discover that the fingerprints of the DNA Men all match each other and Dr Milton D Frankenstein, who Dredd tells us was dismissed from Mega-City University for his dangerous theories on DNA. 

With the pieces all falling into place, Dredd sets out to bring Frankenstein to justice. Meanwhile, Frankenstein is planning on making an escape, and with his first failed clone, Dennis, he is heading for the border. 

Dennis snatches up a pretty girl along the way, although all Frankenstein is worried about is crossing the borderline. Frankenstein crosses the border just as Dredd arrives, and is safe. However, Dennis is on the wrong side of the line, albeit with a hostage. Things take a twist when Dennis tells the girl that he has snatched that he loves her, and she responds that he is ugly.

With this, something snaps in Dennis and he storms across the border to Frankenstin and safety. He doesn't stop there, and we receive another shock as he grabs Frankenstein by the throat. He is angry that Frankenstein has made him ugly, and the saga ends as Dennis and Frankenstein plunge over the side together, Dennis getting his revenge by destroying himself and Frankenstein. 

We are still in a holding pattern with Dredd. These short stories are sharp and touch on all the usual Dredd tropes, yet aren't as rewarding as his epic stories. I liked and enjoyed reading many aspects of this story, yet it was soon forgotten once I put the comic down. I liked the way it twisted the source material and the look and feel of the overall story was strong. My only real complaint would be that the villain wasn't strong enough, although that is probably why this is a shorter story. The final twist was well done and overall the story moved quickly without wasting too much time. In comparison to Dan Dare, which has been moving at a crawl recently, this flew by and was a punchy start to this week's issue. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "W-well, I don't love you! Don't you understand - you're ugly! Ugly! ugly! UGLY!"

Plenty of red herrings and misdirection in this week's Rick Random, as the mystery of who has been killing members of the Guebin delegation deepens.

It looks like Random has locked up the killers, but on the first page, Garon Aldo is murdered with a projectile weapon. This raises a lot of questions and with only four remembers of the Guebin party left Random suspects that one of them is killing the others to gain power. 

The rest of the strip sees Random putting together more clues before the story climaxes with the arrival of Hyro Cardan, who announces that he has a surprise for  Random and that he knows who the murderer is. 

Just like last week, I was again frustrated by this story. It has great characters bogged down in a wordy plot that doesn't seem to advance much. We had a few more clues this week, yet nothing conclusive, and the plot seemed to be little more than Rick Random running from one clue to another. When this story began I expected to like it a lot more than I have, but it has failed to live up to its early promise. A spectacular issue may change my mind - based on what I have seen so far, I doubt one is coming.  

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Someone murdered Garon Aldo - probably with that air gun!"

In Strontium Dog, Johnny Alpha only needs four tickets for him and his friends to escape hell. The Weerd brothers hold these four tickets, and in the first half of the story, Johnny fights them and gains control of the tickets. 

From there it should be easy enough to escape, but nothing is easy here and as they run for the exit they find Mr Sun and Me Moon playing more tricks, creating earthquakes and opening the ground up to make it difficult. 

Things get worse with the arrival of the Gargoyles. Although Johnny manages to fight them off, he finds himself at the exit as the only one with a ticket, as the Gargoyles have all snatched the others. 

Johnny is no closer to escaping this hell, and I can't even begin to imagine what it will be like once he escapes this place given how much the hellscape is part of the story. The wonderful Mr Sun and Mr Moon were once again integral to the story and the standout characters. Anything is possible when they are on the page and we see this plenty of times throughout the strip. I was unnerved by this world earlier on, but I have become used to it now and it feels like a good fit for Johnny and his friends. The colour pages that open the story added an extra dimension to the artwork and were more colourful than we have previously seen, making the Weerd brothers even weirder than their name suggests. There was plenty of action this week, although some drama behind that action could have elevated it beyond the relatively low score I have bestowed upon it.    

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Look at them run, Mr Sun! So eager with their tickets in their little hands!" 

On the pages of Dan Dare, the Lystrian guerillas attack the Thraxian drill that tunnels toward the Crystal of Life. They look to have the upper hand, but Hagnar, the Thraxian leader, arrives with the Mekon, and between the two of them they repel the attackers. With the Lystrians beating a retreat, Hagnar and the Mekon restart the drill and make for the grotto that houses the Crystal. 

On the city side of the grotto, Dare is also preparing to make a move for the crystal. Cautiously advancing with Sandar at his side, he is wary of the crystal's guardian. He doesn't have long to wait before he sees what he is up against. A  gamma-sphere that acts as the eyes and ears of the guardian appears, and a panel later we see the fearsome creature that Dare must conquer next week.

The cover of this week's 2000 A.D. suggested that we were about to get a direct confrontation between Dan Dare and the Mekon, and although that didn't happen, there was still plenty to recommend this strip. After a stale few weeks things have finally begun to move, and this week we saw Hagnar at his very best, leading from the front with the Mekon by his side. This is still an uneasy alliance, but one that gives us great-looking visuals. The day will come when this axis of evil can no longer hold, and I look forward to seeing the fireworks when these two villains turn on each other. On the Dan Dare side of the story, things didn't move quite as fast, although we ended on a high note with Dare Dan coming across the guardian. The other three-quarters of the strip was given over the Hagnar and the Mekon, which is just as well as they are all the more interesting at the moment. Next week will be Dan Dare's time to shine, and I expect the story will return to his focus now that he encountered a proper enemy face-to-face. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Aye, now hold fast you spawn of a Thraxian she-goat! I'll blast the next man who runs!"

While a ship loaded with Robot refugees makes its escape, Hammer-Stein and Ro-jaws of Ro-Busters are fighting a rear guard action to give them time to escape to space. 

The ship makes a clean escape and the rest of the story focuses on Hammer-Stein, Ro-Jaws, Gottleib and Doc as they fight for survival. All make it back to their ship, The Dart, and with Gottleib again piloting they are soon safe from pursuit.

There is a final round of goodbyes as Ro-Jaws and Hammer-Stein say goodbye to Gottleib who is returning to his work in the movement. They also say goodbye to Doc, who is off to find Casey.  With false papers, Ro-jaws and Hammer-Stein walk off into the sunset, singing a song, side by side. 

This wasn't how I wanted this to end. After some of the other emotional moments in Ro-Busters, I had expectations of crying as I turned every page, but instead, I found myself reading with a cold indifference as the story went through the motions. For a story always so full of heart, it was strangely lacking this week. There were moments when it felt like the story was trying to be pushed in that direction, but it didn't feel natural and wasn't as effective as some of the previous issues. My final thought was that perhaps this was an issue too long, and we would have been better off finishing last week with our heroes going down a blaze of glory. I have many good memories of Ro-Busters and it was one of the best strips we have seen in 2000 A.D. so far. This final issue won't feature in these good memories, but it doesn't tarnish its legacy and everything was in the right place and we walked away from Ro-Jaws and Hammer-Stein.    

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Well, whatever we do now, Hammer-Stein... guess we're stuck with each other!"

Prog 115 final ratings:

Overall: 6/10

Best Story: Dan Dare

Best Line: "You have not escaped me, robots! You are machines- and there is only one penalty for machines that rebel...death!"

Best Panel:

Prog 114

An uneven issue this week, yet one that contained several gems. It's hard to go past Ro-Busters as a highlight, and as they story reaches its climax it continues to deliver great issue after great issue. I didn't think so highly of some of the other stories in the comic, but with my final thoughts lingering on Ro-Busters, it's hard to have anything but positive feelings about what I have just read.   

Prog 114

26th May 1979 

Judge Dredd's investigations into the suspected murder of Charles Beaker, a student at Mega-City Tech, have brought him to the home of Professor Milton D. Frankenstein. 

The only evidence Dredd has is a cigarette case with Frankenstein's fingerprints, but the Professor denies any allegations. Dredd is sure he is lying, and as he leaves he promises to keep an eye on the Professor.

In his basement, the Professor continues with his experiment into cloning and soon has not just his original monster, Dennis, but another five - all in various degrees of grotesque.

Although they haven't turned out how he planned, the Professor still has a plan for them, and gathering them together he tells them that he wants them to kill Dredd. They obey orders, and over the page we see them entering Dredd's apartment. Dredd puts up a good fight, dealing with a couple of them, although the story ends with Dredd in the clutches of one while another approaches with a club in hand.

"Good" seems to be a weak summation of what we have here, yet it is the best I can do. I like the story a lot, and it does have a cleverness to it that appeals to me but it all feels too obvious, and this week we weren't rewarded with any intensity to raise it to the next level. The monsters looked great although they didn't hold any menace, and seeing Dredd in their clutches doesn't have me fearing for his safety. They are cartoony rather than sinister, and not the fear-inspiring villains we have seen previously. Like the Exo-Men story we last read, this is a fun romp and not the heavy epic that has been the highlight of the Dredd run so far. That said, I will be reading on with interest and Dredd remains a crucial character in my love of the comic, I just wish we saw more of him in action this week.   

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "That-a bossy robot! Just because I no speaka da good English, he think he give-a me da orders! I'm a-gonna complain to Judge-a-Dredd! I'm a-gonna tell him the way that-a robot treat me! 

Rick Random is investigating the murder of Baron Odana, a member of the Guebin trade delegation, and at the end of the last issue it looked as though Rick had been pushed into a laser disposal unit. 

This week we see that isn't the case, and Random and other members of the Guebin party are looking at a dead body that clearly isn't Rick Random. This body is the second murder in the Guebin delegation and serious questions are being asked on board the Columbia.

Rick Random tells those around him to keep calm and quiet until the morning, but come the following day Garon Aldo, a key member of the Guebin party, is far from calm and is demanding war. 

Accusations fly across the room, and Random and Vanda quickly leave to visit the murder scene. There Random finds a burn mark on the wall, indicating a blaster had been clamped to the wall and the murder of Baron Odana was carried out by remote control. 

The duo then calls on Hyro Cardan from the sorcery world whose flowery talk reveals little apart from the fact he can use magic to create illusions. 

It is suspicious, but so too is the fight that Random and Vanda witness between the Guebins Exon Sanso and Jameela Rodes. Random talk along with Jameela sees her throwing himself at him while telling him that Exon saw her talking to one of the murder victims and was insanely jealous. Fearing for Vanda's safety, Random calls by Exon's quarters to meet her, and as they leave Vanda tells Random that Exon made the same accusations about Jameela. 

The final scene of this week's story plays out with Random and Vanda walking into the state room of the Guebin delegation where Garan Aldo is again accusing two members of the party of carrying out the murder by remote control. While he points an accusing finger, Random acts and arrests the two fingered suspects, despite a lack of evidence. 

Aldo is satisfied that the killers have been caught, but in the final panels, we see a sinister shadow stalking him as he walks down the corridor. 

I like this as a mystery story, although it does seem too wordy for a comic and would be more enjoyable as a short story. Rick Random and Vanda appeared as interesting characters in the first issue, although since then their personalities have been parked, and they felt bland in this issue. Some unique dialogue would serve them well at this stage and give us a much better feeling of who they are and what motivates them. The artwork remained crisp and clean, although the story being told didn't always lend itself well to the medium. You can see by the length of my plot summary that a lot of dialogue and interaction occurred, but not a lot of action, and this slowed the story. We know that this tale will be only six issues, and with already three behind us, the story will start moving towards some sort of conclusion next week and we should see some of the pieces falling into place.   

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Death is merely an irrelevant transformation, Mr Random. I look upon it as lightly as I do on the creation of life...like so!"

Strontium Dog kicks off with the image of Johnny Alpha and Fly-Eyes about to plunge over a waterfall as we continue their saga in Hell-World. Johnny saves the day, shooting a wire from his gun before Wulf pulls him and his prisoner to safety.

The whole town has gone crazy since Mr Moon and Mr Sun disappeared, but they are back in the very next panel, revelling in the chaos. This chaos escalates as the local citizens continue their fight for the five tickets to escape hell. By chance, Fly's-Eyes catches one, and soon the five outsiders are fighting off the hordes, who have now been conveniently armed by Mr Sun and Mr Moon. Finding a vehicle, the five find a calm place to hide out. There they have a discussion about their next move. There are five tickets to escape and five of them - all they have to do is find the other four tickets and they can make their escape. With that, a plan is put in place and an hour before midnight they make their move, driving back into the burning town where they can see the fighting is still going on. 

A lot happening here, and all of it is enjoyable. Chaos is the keyword, and we had plenty of it across the pages. Intertwined with the downright weirdness of Hell, this made for some amazing-looking pages, and once again Carlos Ezquerra has delivered on the challenge raised by the writer. Whatever can be imagined is made real by the pen of Ezquerra and the story is enhanced by every stroke Ezquerra makes. The panels are busy without being cluttered, and the story reads just as well on a second and third reading as it did on the first.  This Hell world makes me uncomfortable, as it should, and a large part of that is due to the work of Ezquerra. This could have been silly and cartoonish, but it remains firmly rooted in weird and scary, delivering a stimulating sci-fi story with a heavy Lewis Carroll vibe.  

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "We'll wait till just one hour before the midnight deadline, then we move. If we find the tickets there'll be less chance of having them taken from us"

Dan Dare and the Lystrian rebels are under attack in the opening panel, with Dan standing protectively over Princess Myriad. Dare's first shot from the Cosmic Claw misses the Thraxians, and Myriad is injured. Infuriated, Dare steps forward again, and this time the Thraxian skirmish boat is obliterated by his powerful weapon. 

With this, the other Thraxian's move on, leaving Dare and his men to tend to Myriad and consider their next move.

Their next move is to advance further into the complex housing the crystal, where an even greater challenge awaits Dare - The Guardian. This defensive measure was put in place by the Lystrians themselves and is more powerful than Dare can imagine. 

Meanwhile, the Thraxian warlord Hagnar is furious about the outcome of this battle, and sets forth himself to confront Dare, despite the Mekons misgivings. 

Dare is unaware of this as he stands in the shadows that shroud the outer grotto. He understands that this will be the greatest challenge he has ever faced but takes comfort that he has the Cosmic Claw with him.

I don't understand why I don't like this more. I think Dan Dare is a great character, and the art throughout the strip is among the best in the comic. The villains Dare is facing are all great, and the story itself has the potential to be epic. However, none of these parts ever come together in a satisfying manner, and week after week I find myself finishing the story with a sigh and the thought "Is that it?" This week is par for the course. Dare looked great with the weapon, and we saw a fearsome display of its power. Yet, nothing felt dramatic, and although Myriad was badly injured, it was swept under the carpet and by the next page forgotten altogether. Perhaps next week we shall see Hagnar and Dare clash head-on, I certainly hope so, as right now the story needs an extra spark to fire my imagination. 

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "And which fills us with terror, Dan! Not even you can conceive of the monstrosity that awaits us within the shrine of everlasting life!"

Ro-Busters have almost managed to escape but with the ruthless P.D. Troopers in pursuit, twelve droids must stay behind on a suicide mission, including our heroes Ro-Jaws and Hammer-Stein.

The fighting is fierce, and despite losing some of their numbers, the robots manage to gain control of the guns aimed at the escaping freighter. They put these guns to good use, turning them on the pursuing fighters, and giving the freighter a clear path to freedom.

Meanwhile, tanks are approaching the remaining robots, but the robots lower the aero-space guns to zero feet and soon the tanks are a pile of twisted metal. Yet still the humans keep coming, and the droids continue the rearguard action to buy time for the escaping freighter. Out the the edge of the atmosphere, the freighter finishes its transformation to a spacecraft, and as it flies into space the robots look back and pay tribute to the dozen droids that brought their freedom. 

In the final panel, we see there are only two of the twelve left now, Ro-Jaws and Hammer-Stein. Fighting side by side, it looks like their time has almost come, for despite the bodies and chaos around them, it looks as they they will finally be overwhelmed. 

I think this was inevitable, and we always knew we would end up here with Ro-Jaws and Hammer-Stein fighting to the bitter end. The time invested in the characters earlier on is paying off, and although this issue saw a lot of action and fighting, our familiarity with the characters grounded it and added some heart to a story that is rapidly coming to a conclusion. This could have been a clichéd filled issue, with a small band fighting a rearguard action while the main force escapes, but as we have seen in previous issues the writing remains sharp and distinctive, giving the story a unique vibe that raises it above basic war story tropes. When our time with Ro-Busters comes to an end, it is the writing that shall remain with me, and even with an action-driven episode such as this, I found many gems tucked within the pages    

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "I know, but we've gotta hold on! Buy time...for the freighter to get clear!"

Prog 114 final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story: Ro-Busters

Best Line: "Yeah...no escape for us in the last reel, mate...but we'll die fighting for robot freedom!"

Best Panel: