Comics

2000 AD #1806-1808
Judge Dredd: The Cold Deck, Parts One - Three by Al Ewing & Henry Flint

This seems to be getting an uncommon amount of praise and attention online, so I decided to skip ahead with my frankly shocking 2000 AD backlog (I last read a full Prog a year ago (crikey!), and I was behind then) and see what all the fuss is about with the still-ongoing Dredd story. If you want a go too, they've made Part One available online for free.

Plus, three Progs' worth is more or less the same size as a regular US comic, so it's a fair chunk to assess. That said, a good 2000 AD writer will get as much into six pages as your typical US comic will in 20, and Al Ewing is a good writer. Clearly the story is set in the wake of a Massive Event (the day of chaos stuff that was going on even when I last read a Prog), but it still makes sense and is an interesting read. I don't get why people were harping on about the amazing twist at the end of part two, though, so I wonder if that's something striking in light of everything that's happened in the past year-ish? In which case, maybe stop trying to push it so hard to casual readers/newbies!

And then I read the intro to Prog 1809 (in stores Wednesday), which pointed out that the plots of Dredd and another current Thrill are linked -- so I guess that was the twist. Kinda lost if you're only reading one to catch up on what everyone's on about. Still, guess what I'm reading next...


2000 AD #1804-1808
The Simping Detective: Jokers to the Right, Parts One - Five by Simon Spurrier & Simon Coleby

Once 2000 AD starts a line-up of strips, they usually stay in the same order until they end. In Prog 1806, they suddenly re-arrange so that Dredd is immediately followed by The Simping Detective. I guess they wanted to make sure people immediately saw the link.

And immediate it is, in 1807, connecting via the same line of dialogue. Simping Part Four plugs the gap between Dredd Parts Two and Three, and then... then they become unconnected again (and are re-split in the next Prog). Will they reunite again later? Tharg only knows.

this week on 100 Films

One new review was published to 100 Films in a Year this week...


16 Blocks (2006)

A Bruce Willis action movie? You know what you’re in for here, don’t you? Well, not quite. 16 Blocks casts Willis as less John McClane and more John McCane: old, fat, drunk, limping. He’s a copper still, but the kind of detective whose primary duties are being left to watch over an apartment full of bodies until uniform can show up.

Read more here.


And new to the new blog...


Night of the Demon (1957)

beloved by some, but I don’t think I quite got it myself. There are some great sequences, but I didn’t always find it hung together in between. Ironically, while many have criticised the actual appearance of the titular beast at the end, I think it works rather well.

Read more here.


The Thief (1952)

if The Thief is known for anything it’s for its dialogue — as the poster proclaims, “not a word is spoken…!” At some points in cinema history that would go without saying, but this is 25 years after the first talkie, so it’s being Experimental. It’s not silent film styled either, unlike recent attempts to recreate that early era like The Artist.

Read more here.


More next Sunday.