Comic Review 166 // 2000 AD Prog 1328

Time to enjoy another Prog. Issue 1328 was released on Feb 19th, 2003 and has a deadly duo on the cover; it looks like Dante finally catches up with his mother.

As always, we start with Judge Dredd vs Aliens: Incubus Part 6. The xenomorph Judge Dredd killed has melted a hole through to the undercity, creating a rather big headache for the Justice Department, who are rushing to discover the truth behind this attack. Unknown to them, their target is located in the undercity. Mr. Bones is a badass character! Viewed as a mutant and shunned by the city, Mr. Bones became part of a starship crew and soon rose to a position of power. Unfortunately, he discovered a starship carrying alien eggs and was forever changed. With the ability to grow an army, he is seeking his revenge, and I feel we are ramping up to the central conflict. Excited!!!

** Note ** I need to make a Mr. Bones for the Judge Dredd game and create a few Xenomorph characters for the judges to fight.

Sadly this incredible tale is followed by another Bec & Kawl. Titled EEEVIL.COM Part 1. Seems like we are getting a multi-part story, so maybe they will grow on me? Sadly this story did nothing for me. Kawl is sucked into the internet, where he meets the spider in the middle, and while Bec attempts to work out what is happening, she is kidnapped by men in suits. A pretty dull tale, and the artwork for me just doesn't do anything for me. A big miss.

Third, in the prog comes The V.C.s - Shotgun. These tales read like an old Battle Magazine, and I am all for it! A great short but sweet story that may bleed into the next issue? We have a fighter team attempting to protect a transport ship against an enemy group. Unfortunately, our team lost the fight, and the transport was destroyed utterly. It is strangely refreshing to see the heroes fail; it truly makes for a more believable story. Great job.

The fourth and final tale is Nikolai Dante: Hell and High Water Part 8. Dante is reunited with his Pirate Queen Mother and explains a rough but incomplete version of events leading to them reuniting. At this point, the Pacifica Forces attack; their goal was to aid Dante in installing himself into his mother's care, but sadly Lord Murakami oversteps his mission and attempts to kill both Dantes. This, of course, does not go to plan, and Nikolai Dante soon has the Murakami at his mercy. Fearing that the cowardly Lord would reveal his plans to save his own skin, Nikolai kills him, keeping his silence. This attack has allowed the Dante's to bond, and the story ends with the pair sailing off. This also seems to be the end of the story arc. I hope Dante is back soon!

Overall a solid issue. Bec & Kawl is a letdown for me, and I fear how long this series will last. Otherwise, great Dredd, V.C.s and Dante stories. I hope this pace continues, and Bec & Kawl is just a hiccup.

Want to learn more about 2000 A.D.? Why not start with the 2000 A.D. Encyclopedia (link is via Amazon, and I get a kickback). Thank you for reading, and if you want to chat more, come find me on Instagram.

Comic Review 164 // 2000 AD Prog 1327

The festive season is upon us, and I am taking my foot off the gas on some of my projects, the main one being a slow down on reading books and a slow down on audible reviews. I will try and enjoy the season a bit and spend some quality downtime with family. This means that you will see an uptick in comic reviews, especially on these 2000 A.D. prog reviews. It is so easy for me to just pick up and read a comic before bed or during a lunch break. So expect so many more!

Today's review is of Prog 1327, originally released on Feb 12th, 2003. The cover features a V.C. character and an alien. Hands up, I know nothing about the V.C.s, so I feel I have a steep learning curve to climb. I find the cover art a little lacklustre, to be honest. I just hope the inside is better.

Judge Dredd vs Alien: Incubus Part 7. Still a powerful story. Judge Dredd has faced off against a Xenomorph, and while it was reeling from a flare to the mouth, Judge Dredd launches it off the zoom train to plummet to the city bottom. Here it goes, splat melting a colossal hole into the undercity. At this time, we discover Jeremiah, an activist, is behind these creatures, but who is he working for, and why on earth would they hide out in the undercity?

Love this story so much. Even though I strongly remember this story, re-reading it gives me goosebumps.

New tale! Bec & Kawl: Enlightenment. Hopefully, this is a one-shot. I didn't enjoy it at all; a pair of stoners summon a grass spirit and request the meaning of life. After being fed a load of B.S., the characters leave feeling unfulfilled and setting a fire near the grass spirit.

Wow, I was unfulfilled after that. No thank you 2000 A.D., No thank you!

The V.C.s: Look on the Bright Side. So my knowledge of the V.C.s is zero, but it would seem they are a military unit specializing in hard-to-achieve goals. For this mission, they are attempting to take out a solid military point; the only problem is a blinding sun bathes the land roughly every minute, blinding defender and attacker alike. V.C. Smith (who might be the main character?) gets a crazy idea and almost burns up achieving the goal, but he does succeed in destroying the base.

For a one-shot, it was pretty good. Wish I had a better grasp of what this story arc is about.

Terror Tales!: The Statue Garden. A young man questions a blind old man in a bar about a local artist who creates stunning and life-like statues. His goal is to attempt to rob her, but he realizes his error following the chat with the blind old man.

A great short tale, super enjoyable, great artwork, and just stunning. I really enjoy this one.

Nikolai Dante: Hell and High Water Part 7. Finally, Dante's mum has appeared! Working for the Black Dragons, Dante has sought out his mother for an unknown reason. It is also nice to see how his mother interacts with this new location's population. She doesn't seem as scary as I remember...but I am sure this can change.

Overall this was interesting. Not as strong as the previous issues but still Dredd, Dante and the Terror Tales are some good reads and well-deserving of the cover price.

Want to learn more about 2000 AD? Why not start with the 2000 AD Encyclopedia (link is via Amazon, and I get a kickback). Thank you for reading, and if you want to chat more, come find me on Instagram.

Comic Review 162 // 2000 AD Prog 1326

Time to travel back in time, to a simpler time. A time before COVID (remember that!). Today we are going all the way back to February 2003. I am on a solid run of rereading 2000 AD, and I love it. Just look at the cover of this issue, a bright, eye-catching orange, showcasing Slaine in all his glory with a faded Molch lurking in the background. Is it hinting at the story today? Will we have revenge? Time to find out.

Strangely there are only four stories this week. Last week and before, we had five with Sinister Dexter, so I can only assume we have some longer tales this week. As always, we start with:

Judge Dredd vs Aliens: Incubus Part 6. Big Man of Mega-City One Judge Dredd goes toe to toe with a Xenomorph in this one. As Judge Dredd attempts to tackle the alien away from the children's ward, they smash through a window plummeting onto a Zoom Line. We have Dredd facing the Xenomorph only with flares on a high-speed bullet train in classic nail-bitter cliffhangers!

You all know by now I love the artwork, I love Dredd, and I love Xenomorphs. A great story to kick us off.

Slaine: Moloch Part 6. The last issue was brutal, and this issue starts a little slower as we have the funeral for Niamh. During this, we discover Slaine is standing down as the High King of Ireland, and he adventures off to track down Moloch. Jump forward one year, and we are in Albion watching Ukko get information for Slaine on the whereabout of Moloch; we then get an awkward farewell as Slaine seemingly says his last goodbye to the Dwarf sidekick.

Using the information given to him by Ukko, Slaine heads off to an arena to Face off against Moloch. Here Slaine grapples with the demon, and they both plunge towards a pit of Lava, and with that, Book One ends.

What an epic way to end the first part of the series. I will naturally assume Slaine survives but damn, how epic was that!

Caballistics, Inc. Going Underground Part 6. Following on from Miss Simmon's sacrifice, we discover things didn't go as Ravne expected. Instead, it would seem she became a conduit for maybe a demon? Either way, she helps purge the tunnels of the infestation and saves the other team members. As this series comes to an end, we discover that following this mission, the team is renamed Caballistics and that Mr. Ravne is actually a lot older than he appears and is possibly an ex-member of the occult nazi branch. Which explains a lot.

Interesting series. I thought I was coming into a fully fleshed-out story when in fact, it is just the beginning. I am excited to see where it goes.

Nikolai Dante: Hell and High Water Part 6. A bit of a dull episode for Dante this week. After a classic love scene, we see him manipulated to help out the Black Dragons in exchange for the well-being of the two children. The most exciting part of this section was the title of the next installment: The Ballad of the Pirate Queen. Is this hinting at Dante's mother?

Overall this issue was good. Judge Dredd continues to amaze. Slaine was a great ending, and Caballistics, Inc. has me hooked. Dante was meh, but you can't win them all.

Want to learn more about 2000 AD? Why not start with the 2000 AD Encyclopedia (link is via Amazon, and I get a kickback). Thank you for reading, and if you want to chat more, come find me on Instagram.

Comic Review 161 // 2000 AD Prog 1325

I am really getting into these short prog reads. I promise Judge Dredd Complete Case Files 16 is coming. But for now, let us enjoy Prog 1325. Released way back in 2003 on January 29th. The cover is full of zombie goodness and actually has me intrigued by what is happening in Caballistics Inc. this week. So less chat, more reviewing.

Judge Dredd vs Aliens: Incubus Part 5. What a fantastic romp this has been so far. The pest control team has been ambushed by the Hospital Xenomorph, and it rapidly chews through three members of the group. I love this story for a few reasons. 1) The artwork is stunning just love it. 2) The Xenomorph is deadly. We get to see them as the silent, stalking killers of our nightmares. One managed to maul up a Judge Team real bad, and the second is kicking ass and slaughtering its way through a hospital. Love it!

Caballistics Inc. Going Underground Part 5. Okay, so the cover had really nothing to do with the story. The team is still fleeing through the underground tunnels, heading towards the occult bomb that has reactivated under London. It would seem there is a way to defuse the device, but it will require Ravne to sacrifice someone - Miss Simmons. I am still enjoying the series, but this was a solid filler piece.

Nikolai Dante: Hell and High Water Part 5. Dante is saved by the Black Dragons airships, who drive the forces of the Kraken away but not before the Kraken chows down on one of his crewmen's hearts while declaring vengeance on Dante (Crazy ass character). The Black Dragons mind, you don't seem much better, and soon Dante is in a duel and being his classic charismatic shelf. I like series; it is tempting me to pick up his early adventures and start reading them.

Sinister Dexter: Relode Part 4. Holy Moses has the boys trapped and outgunned in a D-Jump lab. Sadly for the duo, the professor is years away still from having a ready prototype. Luckily as the bullets fly, Billi has a fantastic idea of pre-booking a D-flight and the pair are saved as Manx crashes his craft straight into the lab, saving the trio and jumping out of that timeline. It is then revealed that they may have not been in their own history and instead in an alternate dimension. The story finishes with Holy Moses putting the moves on the professor. I have a strong feeling Holy Moses will be back to get the pair soon! Great little fun four-part story. Was nice to see the return of a classic character like Moses and his mafia-styled gang. I love the characters, and I really hope they return soon.

Slaine: Moloch Part 5. Slaine still does not trust the Demon Moloch (rightly so he is a demon), so he enlists the aid of a seer to help him see the future. The seer seems unsuccessful before suddenly prophesying the actual future - steel chariots and birds, a demon trapped in crystal, no fish in the sea. Having heard the news, Slaine dismisses her slight and grows moody over Ireland's future. Wishing to be alone, Niamh walks the coast, where she is ambushed by Moloch; in a shocking scene, we see the demon stab her before raping her (this was a horrific scene). Slaine is worried about how long Niamh is gone and goes in search. Discovering her death, we have a rather heartbreaking farewell and an enraged Slaine.

Another solid Prog from 2000 AD. I am so glad I got back into reading these. I had stopped pre-2000 due to what I felt was a decline in quality, but these are some vital issues so far. Let's hope it continues.

Want to learn more about 2000 AD? Why not start with the 2000 AD Encyclopedia (link is via Amazon, and I get a kickback). Thank you for reading, and if you want to chat more, come find me on Instagram.

Comic Review 160 // 2000 AD Prog 1324

It's so refreshing to be reading progs once more. These short story snippets really capture my interest and help me focus just long enough to get things completed. With this in mind, let us jump into Prog 1324.

First up, the cover is damn impressive. We have Judge Dredd face to face with a damn Xenomorph; this fills me with so much confidence for the opening story. Let's go.

Judge Dredd - Incubus Part 4. Finally, we get some real action. Most of the search team is injured or down, and the Xenomorph is up in the rafters. Dredd being his heroic self climbs up to face off with the monster. In confusion, the Xenomorph drops to the ground, and an impetuous Judge Earl, Hi-Ex's the beast creating a massive acid explosion and eats a shit ton of acid. Epic story.

Caballistics, Inc - Going Underground Part 4. Multiple London underground stations are being overrun by otherworldly creatures. The specialist SAS squads are rapidly overwhelmed and killed, while our primary team is saved by Ravne using a Hand of Power. It would seem this new character Ravne is slightly distrusted by everyone but actually seems to know what is happening and hints at the cause due to Sonderkommando Thule and Nazi Occult Warfare. I wasn't expecting the story to head this way, but I am on board and riding this train!

Slaine - Moloch Part 4. Pretty straightforward issue of Slaine. Moloch is defeated in combat, and Slaine is forced to succumb to the will of the tribal elders and release Moloch in exchange for peace. Slaine rightly fears this to be a trick, and once left on the shore, he is left regretting his decision to bow to the council. I'm enjoying this story; it seems to be hinting at something big heading our way, but what?

Sinister Dexter - Relode Part 3. Our duo has teamed up with their past selves in an attempt to find a way home. Only problem is the Holy One, and his gang are close behind. Not much really happens in this issue. It helps to move the story along but lacks any standout details or action. Not bad, just not exciting.

Nikolai Dante - Hell and High Water Part 4. Pirate Captain Kraken and his ship are rapidly chasing down Dante's craft, and soon combat is joined. Dante takes a heavy toll on the pirates but not before the children he is protecting are taken. Lucky or unluckily (I'm not sure yet) for Dante, a new force arrives called the Black Dragons. With aircraft, they can force back the pirates from Dante, but are they friend or foe? Beautiful artwork and an exciting story. I'm excited to learn about the Black Dragons.

Overall, Judge Dredd and Nikolai Dante are the standout tales of this issue. The rest are good or above, so another solid issue of 2000 AD. I wonder how long they can keep the momentum going?

Want to learn more about 2000 AD? Why not start with the 2000 AD Encyclopedia (link is via Amazon, and I get a kickback). Thank you for reading, and if you want to chat more, come find me on Instagram.

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Comic Review 159 // 2000 AD Comic Prog 1323

Welcome back. I am in the process of reading the Complete Case files 16. It is an enormous ass tome, so it is taking a bit of time to get through. What that does mean is that we have time for another Prog review. Issue 1323 was released on 15th January in 2003, and the cover is dominated by a stunning, horrific face image of Moloch (the villain of the Slaine strip). Honestly, this cover creeps me out 100 fold. But time to compose me and get into the stories. Up first, Judge Dredd vs. Alien: Incubus (part 3). 

Judge Dredd has to lead a search team into City Bottom to discover where the strange unknown parasite came from. As the team searches an abandoned warehouse, they soon find another body and some corpses of weird spider-like aliens. Soon the shit is hitting the fan, and we have Judge downed by a facehugger, another suffering horrific acid wounds to her hands and a Xenomorph in the rafters! I loved this story the first time around, and I still love it. The artwork of Henry Flint is bright, clean and bold, while still giving the story a creepy edge. Genuinely love this series.

Up next comes Caballistics Inc. Going Underground Part 3. I'm still extremely new to Caballistics, and playing catch-up is hard. So far, I am enjoying the character progression, and I am at least getting a handle on the characters. It does seem London is under threat from Cthulhu-style monsters and not for the first time as it is mentioned that the SAS team had once faced off against Robotic Yetis!! This story is growing on me, and based on the last panel, we have a lot of action coming our way.

Then a favourite of mine is Sinister Dexter - Relode Part 2. The duo has time-shifted with Billy Octavo into their own pass by 15 years. The issue spends most of the time watching Octavo attempting to explain time travel and the dangers that come with it. Of course, the pair don't fully understand and royally mess up everything, killing an enforcer of the Crime lord Holy Moses. Not yet knowing who they are, Holy Moses gets ready to send out his enforcers to track down the pair. This is great. I am a long-time Sinister Dexter fan, and travelling back in time is an epic way to refresh the series. I am excited to see where Dan Abnett takes it.

Nikolai Dante in Hell and High Water Part 3 is next. The loveable rogue has seemingly had some adventures since I last read a tale, but we seem to have him facing off with a creepy pirate lord in this story. The artwork on this is stunning, and the story seems simple enough. I need to revisit some of Dante's earlier pieces to get into this tale, but I am definitely interested in seeing where it is heading.

Then finally, Slaine in the cover story Moloch Part 3. Those who have read a few of my blog posts know I have a love-hate relationship with Slaine. Pat Mills is a fantastic writer, and when his stories hit, they hit well. This is one of those stories. Ireland is slowly being overrun by Lizard/Fish monsters, and Slaine, at the head of an army, drives hard into their heart to kill the leadership. Slaine and Balor's epic fight scene happens, full of body horror and gore (great for the season). As the victorious forces of Slaine burn the dead, a new creature appears and seems to suck the spirit of Moloch into itself. This is a creepy, crazy story and an epic way to finish this issue.

This is an excellent issue; I really enjoyed all the stories and feel there were no duds. I will have one more prog review up before the next Complete Case Files is completed, so expect more next week. Until then, as always, I hugely appreciate you joining me. Want to chat comics? Comment below or seek me out on one of the many social platforms I hang out on. Here is a quick LINK (Solo bio link) to my details.

Cheers to reading this.

Comic Review 154 // 2000 AD Prog 1322

Welcome to something a little new. I was feeling in need of a little pick me up, so I treated myself to some 2000 AD. As I was looking at my options I felt it may be fun to do some quick and dirty 2000 AD reviews so I purchased the 2003 Digital bundle. The earliest set I could get, hopefully, they will keep releasing more, but the series for me begins with Prog 1322. Hope you are ready let's go!

The cover is pretty epic, showing off Judge Dredd tackling a chestbuster, that can mean only one thing, Aliens vs. Dredd! I have already reviewed this series in the past but I am excited to get a reread of the series over the next few days. With this in mind, the opening tale is of course Judge Dredd Vs. Aliens: Incubus (Part 2), yep that's annoying, Part 1 was in 2002. Set in the Eisenhower hospital, a perps chest rips open revealing a chestbuster that flees into the vent system. Fearing a Cursed Earth pest, Dredd calls in the verminators an elite squad of pest control specialists. These guys seem to be heavily armed and equipped to deal with the Mega-City's pest problems. Sadly for them as they search for the creature they soon realize they have a much bigger problem! I love this tale, I enjoyed it the first time around and Love it more this time around, drawn by Henry Flint this is everything I enjoy about modern Dredd. I'm ready to read more.

Up next is sadly another part 2 tale, titled Caballistics Inc. Going Under. This is a new to me series, but the fact it is written by Gordon Rennie gives me hope. The artwork by Dom Reardon is classic, in stunning black and white, it helps to add a bit of classical horror to the storyline. From what I can gather they are a group who investigate the paranormal and it would seem something is going down in London town. Interested to see where it goes.

Then we get another Part 2 story (damn did I start an issue too early? Was Prog 1321 a jump-on issue?). Slaine Moloch - Part 2. Written of course by Pat Mills and drawn by Clint Langley. Having missed the opening arc, I am left assuming that Slaine's tribal home has been invaded by a hoard of monstrous creatures, that seem to be killing or raping everyone in their path. In this mix is the mutant form of Slaine fighting back. A very standard Slaine strip from my experience, with plenty of gore, body horror and over-the-top violence. Enjoyable for what it is but until I understand what is happening I am on the fence with this.

Finally a Part 1. Sinister Dexter - Relode, written by the fan favourite Dan Abnett and drawn by Ben Willsher. The last time I read a story about this duo was back when Demi Octavo was killed at her wedding (yep remember that far back ha). I have no idea what they have been up to in that period but it would seem a lot has happened. The duo seems to have got involved with a dimension-jumping character who has accidentally dropped the duo 15 years into the past! There is also a Miss Octavo? I would guess it is the younger sister of the ex-crime queen but I am not sure. I am happy to be reading about this duo again. I've missed them and their wit.

The final tale of this issue is Nikolai Dante - Hell and High Water. Once again a part two ( I know how to pick a starting point!). Similar to Sinister Dexter I haven't read a Dante tale in a long while, I think the last story would have been during the revolution series. I have no idea why Dante is on a boat, or who he is fighting, but I am excited to find out.

With that issue, 1322 finished. Sure I made an error not starting at 1321, but damn does it feel good to reading 2000 AD again, it is like welcoming an old friend back into life. Hope you enjoyed this quick and dirty review, expect more real soon.

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