Ranks 15-13: More good stories, still not very special

A reminder that although 'Rank 15 out of 22' doesn't sound great, at this point these are all excellent Progs - and if you think of it as, potentially, rank 15 out of 2,265 then it sounds a lot better!

Rank 15: Prog 2011,
dated December 2010,
falling in between Progs 1714 and 1715

Honestly, this might be my personal favourite Xmas Prog cover
Art by Simon Fraser

 

What’s in it?

Judge Dredd, a seasonal one-off, but also an epilogue of sorts to the recent Tour of Duty epic.
Shakara, the first episode of the final series
Slaine, the final episode of the latest series
Rogue Trooper, a one-off set in the good old days
Ampney Crucis Investigates…, the first episode of a new series
Cadet Anderson, a one-off
Necrophim, the first episode of the final series
Kingdom, the first episode of the latest series

PLUS:
A selection of pin-ups
A handful of trailers for thrills to come
A letters page
-in other waords, zilch :(

Analysis

A few things make this special stand out. One is the return of a writer not seen for decades, the other is an episode that could have functioned as the ending of a MAJOR character, but in fact is listed merely as the end of an artist’s very long serving tenure on that character. Both qualify as ‘special’ things in themselves, but otherwise it’s basically business as usual with a line-up of mostly newer thrills and mostly ‘newish’ talent.

Right, let’s get into the blow-by-blow.

Front cover by Simon Fraser

Look, I’m fully in the tank for Simon Fraser so am biased towards this objectively weird cover. It has Tharg surf-flying on the 2000AD logo, which is cool, but he’s rather small, and most of the space is given over to a city scape. An utterly awesome city scape, at that, more or less Mega City One but really functioning as a ‘come inside, read the stories of the future’ that is great for science fiction, but not very 2000AD specific. So I can’t quite give it top marks as a ‘Special’ but I bloody love it.

9.5/10

Judge Dredd: the Chief Judge’s Speech by Al Ewing and Paul Marshall

I can’t quite believe it’s true, but I think this is the first time the Prog has ever attempted some sort of parody of the Queen’s Speech, a very long-standing British tradition. Anyway, with that notion in place, it’s a simple job to have Chief Judge Francisco saying one thing, while action on the streets portrays more or less the opposite thing, in tone if not in detail. Of course, such a thing isn’t actually simple to create, so hats off to Ewing and Marshall for making it look so easy. And for making the whole thing function as a sort of ‘let’s put Tour of Duty behind us and look to the future of Dredd’ thing, very neat for an end of year Prog. In itself this story is not spectacular, but it’s very apt.

Dredd gives the worst gifts.
Art by Paul Marshall

 9 out of 10

Shakara: the Avenger part 1 by Robbie Morrison and Henry Flint

I hate to say it, but this one’s kinda… boring? I mean, Flint is bringing his Flintiness to the whole thing, and the ideas behind Morrison’s words are not bad ones – but basically this episode is all recap/set-up, meaning there’s a LOT of exposition, and perhaps worst of all it’s pointedly bringing back old characters and alien designs, so we don’t get that astonishing Henry Flint shock-of-the-new, which carried me through the first couple of series of Shakara. This episode doesn’t even have actual Shakara in it! (Although he is on the really very strong teaser cover for the next prog at the back).

7 out of 10

Slaine: Murderball part 3 by Pat Mills and Clint Langley

Snowball fights are a Christmas classic aren't they.
Art by Clint Langley

I mean, it’s fair enough to want to mark out Clint Langley’s last ever Slaine* by putting it in a special, but this way this story is told there’s little there for the reader to work out what on earth is going on and quite what it all means. Still, Murderball is a great piece of semi-mythical history and Langley illustrates the living heck out of it.

(*Langley would be back to deliver most of the Book of Scars two years later, but this is the last he drew of the 'ongoing' Slaine saga.)

8 out of 10

Rogue Trooper: by Gerry Finley-Day and Staz Johnson

So yes, this is very much a ‘just produce a classic Rogue Trooper story as if in the middle of the original run’. But, you know, it’s a really good example of that, and why not use the end of year special to do exactly this sort of thing. I seem to remember that reader reaction was not all that positive, but I thought it was spiffing. Not sure it would justify commissioning more Rogue Trooper, but it proved to me at least that GFD knows how to write exciting comics stories in a Sci-Fi action vein. Staz Johnson, of course, is the perfect artist to capture the old school flavour.

Love a stammel, me.
Art by Staz Johnson

 8 out of 10

Ampney Crucis investigates… the List of Ten by Ian Edginton and Simon Davis

Probably the best of the Ampney series, and this opening episode, while a bit too talky at first, ends up delivering a really very delightful set-up of ‘Ampney gets caught up in a mystery on an airship with an assortment of 1920s stereotypes’. Oh, and for good measure we get to meet a character from the wider Edgiverse, sewing the seeds of things to come. Seeds that have yet to be watered, grown and harvested, but you know, that’s Ian Edginton for you…

9 out of 10

Cadet Anderson: Big Girls Don’t Cry by Alan Grant and Patrick Goddard

Psi flashes are only SO useful.
Art by Patrick Goddard

There may have been something about this in Tharg’s Nerve Centre in the pre-Prog build-up, but really this one-off story came out of nowhere. In fact, in the year after there’d be a few more ‘Cadet Anderson’ tales, and they’re a good excuse for Alan Grant to continue exploring the inner workings of everyone’s favourite telepath. This is the kind of clever and insightful story told in one episode that is punishingly hard to write, presumably why we don’t get them very often!

8 out of 10

Necrophim: Civil Warlord by Tony Lee and Lee Carter

Ah Necrophim, such potential never quite met. This is the opening episode of the final series, and if you hadn’t read it before – it doesn’t matter. Basically it’s business as usual, with gorgeous(ly horrible) character and set design from Lee Carter, and Tony Lee trying really hard to create an engaging tale of fallen angels and actual demons crossing and double-crossing one another in the name of fighting for control of Hell. But there’s no getting around the fact that this episode, like almost all of them, is basically lots of characters standing about and talking. And talking. And talking. The ideas and even the machinations are actually pretty clever, but more deeds less words would have launched this thrill into the upper echelons. Never mind.

Taken on its own, this is an all-time page of 2000AD. Maybe a touch too self-serious.
Art by Lee Carter

7 out of 10

Kingdom: His Master’s Voice part 1 by Dan Abnett and Richard Elson

Something of a back-to-basics opener here, with Gene the Hackman on his own again, wandering into the wilderness to battle Them. Part of the strength of Kingdom as a series is the simplicity of the setting and the character, and Abnett knows how to give us those same thrills, while carefully layering on minor twists to keep it interesting. If there’s one thing missing, it’s that Gene does not, in this episode at least, peer into a gigantic gramophone at any point.

9 out of 10

Onto the non-thrills!

What non-thrills? This is an exceptionally quiet year for anything other than the stories. There’s a pin-up by Ben Willsher that could, perhaps, have been a wrapround cover, notable for a cool/weird version of Zombo, and for having two other newer characters looking a bit too much as if they were stuck in at the last minute. Otherwise it’s only a handful of teaser pages and a bunch of ads. And a perfectly good letter page. Not enough random extras by a long shot!

What’s NOT in the Prog?

Wot no Dante?? After an unbroken streak as the only series outside of Dredd to feature in the year-end, it’s a surprise to miss the Russian Rogue, especially as his adventures have a good few years to go to reach the end. But, perhaps even more shocking than this, NO JOHN WAGNER!! Of course, the old school is staunchly represented by P. Mills, A Grant and even G. Finley-Day, but it’s noteworthy.

Perhaps more to the point, although Wagner rarely delivers a bad story, it’s not the case that he’s badly missed in this Prog. It’s all good or great thrills, and to an extent the lack of any fun extras is made up for by having a proper nostalgia hit with Rogue Trooper. Even the lack of Dante isn’t a big deal, unless you’re reading all these specials back to back, as I am. I’m a little disappointed that there’s no all-new thrill to enjoy, that holds this one back from being a potential ‘best ever’. 

Sadly, all those 'missing' things do no favours to the overall socring of this perfectly decent Prog...

Average thrill-score: 8.1 out of 10
Non-thrill score: 0 out of 5
Balance of thrills old and new: 4 out of 5
Standalone specialness score: 6 out of 10
Cover score: 9.5 out of 10

Overall overall score: 27.6 out of 40

Rank 14: Prog 2061, (which would be ‘Prog 2018’)
dated December 2017,
(falling in between Progs 2060 and 2062, obviously…)

Why is it that no one apart from Brett Ewins can draw Thrax properly?
Art by Staz Johnson

What’s in it?

Judge Dredd, the first part of the middle sequence of a mini-epic trilogy
Brass Sun, the first episode of the latest series
Savage, the first episode of the latest (and so far, final) series
Bad Company, the first episode of the follow-up to the reboot
Fall of Deadworld, a seasonal one-off
Ace Trucking Co, a seasonal one-off
ABC Warriors, first episode of the latest (and so far, final) series
A Tharg the Mighty/Starlord one-off

PLUS:
A feature in which various 2000AD creators reminisce about their favourite moments from 2000AD’s 40-year history.
A handful of trailers for thrills to come
A letters page
A back cover

Analysis

So, this is the capper to the BIG 40^th anniversary celebration year, mostly marked in this case by an extra feature celebrating the past. Otherwise, it’s very much business as usual, with even the Dredd ‘just’ being the latest episode in the middle of an ongoing story, sort of. But, you know, it’s still doing the usual tricks of the Xmas Prog, bringing in some old favourites alongside newer thrills, and pulling some weird tricks.

Right, let’s get into the blow-by-blow.

Front cover by Staz Johnson

It’s the classic ‘Big Tharg plus roster of some (but not all) of the characters who feature in this Prog charging at the reader’. It’s fine, but in many ways something of a throwback to the old hardback annuals. Not one for the ages, sad to say.

6/10

Judge Dredd: by Michael Carroll and Colin McNeil

So technically this picks up in the middle of a set of stories about Judge Dredd getting up to tricks in the Sov part of the world. (Which isn’t called Russia any more in this story, I think?) But actually, if you picked up this Prog on its own, I don’t think you’d be lost In fact, the whole episode plays out as a mystery where we readers and Dredd himself only find out where they are on the final page, and it’s a pretty fun reveal. Shame the rest of the story on either side of this one episode isn’t up to much. But, you know, gotta take these Progs on their own…

9 out of 10

Brass Sun: Engine Summer: part 1 by Ian Edington and INJ Culbard

A return to Brass Sun after a couple of years of absence, and it kicks off gloriously with a recap-esque, but not really, episode that launches right back into some excitement. I honestly can’t remember where this story goes from here, but as an opening episode it’s well good, and I love this series overall.

Threats with a smile!
Art by INJ Culbard

10 out of 10

Savage: the Thousand Year Stare part 1 by Pat Mills and Patrick Goddard

Not that we knew it at the time, but this turned out to be the final series of Savage, and it’s rather odd. Mr Mills is not one to bother with recaps, so I was a little lost. On the other hand, we get some pretty straight forward history lessons exposing yet more British wickedness from the mid 20^th century, and more of Mills’ recent obsession with getting song lyrics into his work, which is kind of interesting but never really works, if you ask me. Goddard has never been more suited to a series than Savage, and he delivers the urban grime and action shootout kineticism needed.

8 out of 10

Bad Company: Terrorists part 1 by Peter Milligan and Rufus Dayglo

A direct sequel to ‘First Casualties’, and as such it leans hard into the idea that the events of the original series of Bad Company were almost entirely fabricated by the UK/World media. Our ‘heroes’, therefore, are in the position of being celebrated by the public at large who think they won the Krool war, but are in fact doing everything they can to expose the truth. In this case, that means blowing stuff up and getting themselves branded as Terrorists. It’s an interesting idea for a story, but has the effect of rather pissing on the original series, and thus pissing off the fans, too. What it does have going for it, though, is great interplay between the cast, and the most vibrant art from Rufus, (although for some reason he can’t quite seem to draw Thrax properly) On the whole I love this rebooted version of BC, if not as much as the older stories. And again, taken as just a single episode, this one sets a scene nicely.

Didn't Kano used to be blue?
Art by Rufus Dayglo

 8 out of 10

Deadworld: Ava by Kek-W and David Kendall

More snow-drenched despair, this time based around a new character for the series, a retired Judge who has managed to avoid the corrupting influence of Death. As ever with this series, it seeds some hope that this character may perhaps be the one who can take the fight back to the Dark Judges and save the world. Except you know that no one can…

9 out of 10

Ace Trucking Co: Muggo’s Moon by Eddie Robson and Nigel Dobbyn

A second outing for the return to Ace Trucking, and this one is better than last year's effort. Basically, the creative team have a better handle on the story, and have a ton of fun with it. The plot isn’t as clever as the best of the originals, but the sense of playfulness is up there with them, and maybe that's more important.

Garp acting cool - a new but thoroughly in-character moment
Art by Nigel Dobbyn

8 out of 10

ABC Warriors: Fallout part 1 by Pat Mills and Clint Langley

Look, I haven’t re-read the later ABC Warriors cycle recently enough to have a clue what the set-up is all about here, but as a single episode this is pretty fun. I like pushing Deadlock back into his role as mysterious and basically evil, I like the human villains, I don’t really like Happy Shrapnel sorry Tubal Caine as the main hero (mostly because he seems devoid of all personality), but I can’t deny he looks cool as hell swinging into action. 

Tubal Caine rides a crane
Art by Clint Langley

8 out of 10

Tharg/Starlord: Watch the Stars! by Kenneth Niemand and Henry Flint

I’m pretty sure that StarLord as a character is a) barely remembered and b) not fondly remembered by anyone, even as the comic he was in is much beloved. With that in mind, it seems totally OK to me for this story to do that thing where it ‘changes everything you thought you knew’ about an figure from the olden days. Because, frankly, NO ONE had been doing any thinking, and this revisionism, is SO NASTY it’s hilarious. Henry Flint brings his best spacewar game, but really what makes this strip come to life in a genuinely shivering way is seeding in all the children from different parts of the UK. Still, it’s a weird thing that comes out of nowhere.

Are the names and addresses taken directly from old StarLord letters pages, I wonder?
Art by Henry Flint

9 out of 10

Onto the non-thrills!

So for whatever reason, this is, I think the only ‘special’ Prog to feature an exclusive back cover image. There have been one or two wraparounds, and there have been back cover designs that just list the thrills inside, but this one has what appears to be a specially-commissioned, Christmassy (in an HP Lovecraft definition of the word) image that wouldn’t work as a front cover or even as a random pin-up but IS a fun 2000ADish horror piece from past master Frazer Irving.

Eldritch Santa rides again
Art by Frazer Irving

Otherwise, the extra of note is the pages of creators saying their favourite moments from 2000AD history, almost all memories they have from reading the Prog as a youth. As ever, these things are just a delight for long-term readers like me, and a clever excuse to reprint panels from the past so that the comic gets a small hit of art from some of its best contributors (and characters).

Also of note is the letters page, not only because of more fun Lego, but also because Tharg, somehow, dares to intimate that a suitable heir to Nikolai Dante might be here already, in the form of Skip Tracer. Really, Tharg? The only thing they have in common so far is page count…

What’s NOT in the Prog?

Well, it’s a Wagner and Ezquerra-less affair, which is never going to win you any favours, although a double-helping of Mills and a splash of Milligan at least ensures there’s a hint of that early 1980s Golden Age people seem to like so much. The lack of Sinister Dexter is always noticed, too, although again at least comedy is represented in its stead via Ace Trucking. Perhaps the most egregious lack is that of any all-new thrills, even if the return of Bras Sun after a long absence is a real treat.

All round it’s a more than solid Prog, although there’s not much in it to make it one for the ages.

Average thrill-score: 8.6 out of 10 (another high average punished by low-scoring others factors)
Non-thrill score: 3 out of 5
Balance of thrills old and new: 4 out of 5
Standalone specialness score: 6 out of 10
Cover score: 6 out of 10

Overall overall score: 27.6 out of 40

Rank 13: Prog 2002,
dated December 2001,
falling in between Progs 1272 and 1273

Points for the pun.
Art by Kev Walker

What’s in it?

Two one-off Dredds
Sinister Dexter, a one-off Xmas-themed story
Nikolai Dante, the first episode of a new series
Bad Company, the first episode of a new series
Memento, basically a long-form Future Shock
Shakara, first episode of an all-new series
Storming Heaven, first episode of an all-new series

PLUS:
A multi-page set of Top 10 lists, breaking down 2000AD thrills into as many categories as possible to allow for mentions of as many stories and characters as possible
New star scans and fact-file pages for The VCs and Ro-Busters
A handful of trailers for thrills to come
A letters page

Analysis

This, the third bumper end-of-year Prog, is very much ‘business as usual’. The basic concept of these Progs has been proven, and a formula has set in: choose a line-up of thrills that allow for one-off stories, returning thrills from the old days, and at least one all-new thrill. Ideally commission some top talent, including some past masters as well as new upstarts. Chuck in a couple of pin-up pages of really old thrills, and some sort of excuse to namecheck thrills of old.

Is that a guaranteed recipe for 'best Prog ever' status..?

Front cover: Hmm. Tharg again, this time on his own with the logo. There’s something cool about the design, and the rendering of Tharg himself by Kevin Walker is great. I get the vague impression they were trying for it to have the feel of wrapping paper with an awesome gift inside. But frankly it just looks a bit quick and cheap.

6/10

Judge Dredd: Slick on the Job by John Wagner and Greg Staples
The art is immaculate, and the fashion-based jokes are fun. But I’ve never really got into Slick Dickens as a character or concept.

7 out of 10

Memento  by Bryan Talbot

So I noticed on this re-read that this story is basically Snowpiercer, but vertical instead of horizontal. At the time I remember finding it all a bit trite and repetitive (man travels to a new level, witnesses people being awful, ignores them and moves on), but this time round I’m really very impressed. Talbot manages to tell a story about class and general inhumanity in just a few pages, pointedly using no dialogue at all. 

 

9 out of 10

Sinister Dexter: Slay Bells in the Snow by Dan Abnett and Anthony Williams
The one where our heroes track down a killer who is targeting any and all people dressing up as Santa for the season. It’s pretty silly, but in the way that fits the tone of the series.

Thisa was from a time before when you had to remember what was what in SinDex continuity
Art by Anthony Williams

 

8 out of 10

Bad Company by Pete Milligan, Brett Ewins and Jim McCarthy

Ewins still knows how to load up a scene with pipes and buttons and console apparatus.

That this story is now known as ‘Bad Company 2002’ sort of tells you that it never quite manages to have an identity. But for all that it’s not bad as such. Kano is strapped into some sort of furniture on a spaceship while a new team of spacewar weirdoes travel with him to the Krool Heart where, it seems, all is not well. It’s a step down from Bad Company II, for sure, and lacks the philosophical oddness of the story Kano.

6 out of 10

Nikolai Dante: Return of the Gentleman Thief  part 1 by Robbie Morrison and Simon Fraser

Business as usual, really. There’s some sex, some violence, Dante being both cool and a bit of an idiot, a bit of a hero and a bit of a rogue. Fraser’s art is spot on. The story is also something of a reset from the recent war epic, so it’s fitting for a Special Prog.

9 out of 10

Storming Heaven part 1 by Gordon Rennie and Frazer Irving

The obligatory all-new thrill, for a third year in a row provided by Gordon 'idea machine' Rennie. This opening episode in particular is a real showcase for what Frazer Irving can do with a bag of ink and brushes, and the very specific direction to make it look like an acid trip.

COOOOOOOOOOOOL
Art by Frazer Irving

 9 out of 10

 Judge Dredd: the Student Prince by Gordon Rennie and Cam Kennedy

Not so much a seasonal extra as a topical one, as this ran at around the time that Prince William was about to start at St Andrew’s university. It’s satire in the way that BLAIR 1 was satire, which is to say, not actually satire, just a silly story very clearly caricaturing a real person; it’s as much Viz as it is 2000AD. And I tend to find stories about British upper classes being inbred snobbish idiotic arseholes kind of boring. It’s not that it’s untrue, it’s more that I wish it weren’t true and being reminded of it so often is annoying. Or maybe I’m a closet monarchist. That said, the basic plot mechanic of Dredd being wielded as a deeply undiplomatic weapon is a clever one. I continue not to like Chris Blythe’s colours on Cam Kennedy’s art.

5 out of 10

Shakara part 1 by Robbie Morrison and Henry Flint

At the time, I remember this opening episode of an all-new thrill being just about the best thing ever. Knowing where Shakara would go as a story, and knowing just how much better Henry Flint’s art would get, I’m a little less excited to read it again, but it’s still triumphant stuff, really laying it into the trop of the ‘last surviving human’, and then moving swiftly on to the evil aliens getting utterly Shakara’d. I guess the dream for every special is to introduce a new thrill and new character that stands the test of time, and boy is Shakara that.

10 out of 10

Onto the non-thrills! Those pin-ups and factfiles of older thrills are starting to bore me. I can see it’s a nice way to celebrate certain stories that aren’t running thrills any more – but that makes the choices here all the more odd. Ro-Busters, technically, hasn’t run since Prog 114 – but Hammerstein and Ro-Jaws sure have. At this point in 2001, the VCs definitely does qualify – but why not tell people a new series is on the way? (The reboot/sequel starts in July 2002, so you’ve got to imagine Tharg and Dan Abnett at least were already actively working on scripts).

The main event is the sequence of Top 10s in 2000AD history. It’s another clever way to access the whole of 2000AD history; even Harry Angel gets a look-in. Compared to the Death Match, there are quite a lot more subjective elements of the list – I see you, young Cyber Matt, getting at least 5 different mentions of ‘Cry of the Werewolf'! I certainly took umbrage with some of the choices made, but that’s sort of the fun of these things. 

Non-thrills the way I like 'em.

What really sticks out in 2021 is a) the inclusion of a ‘Top 10 sexpots’ category, and b) Blakee Pentax – BLAKEE FUCKING PENTAX – as an entry in the Top 10 funniest moments. In 2001!!

Now, because I’ve brought it up, I will say a couple of things. Sexiness, especially of female characters, is a fundamental part of what 2000AD was doing and is still doing, and that’s not a bad thing in itself. Nor is celebration of that thing. But you can bet it’d be handled differently if they did this Top 10 again, it has exactly the sort of leering Loaded quality about it that Diggle ‘n Bishop vehemently railed against. I mean, part of the problem is that the 'sexpot' list is CLEARLY the excuse to bring up most of 2000AD’s female characters, as if they wouldn’t qualify in other cateogries…

And yes, I for one laughed my arse off the first 50 times I read ‘Football Crazy’, and it probably IS one of 2000AD’s funniest moments, if you find racist jokes funny. (Honestly part of me still does laugh at that line, even though I now know it causes great offense and actual harm to people. So it’s not entirely fair for me to point fingers at others. Still, Tharg, FOR SHAME.)

Meanwhile, there are a handful of teasers for thrills to come, including an absolute cracker of a Judge Death piece by Frazer Irving, helpfully teed up by a reader letter wondering why Death isn’t scary any more. (Otherwise, the letters this time around are very much Prog as usual, with people reacting to old letters and thrills that finished 3-4 weeks earlier). There’s also the start of the build-up to the Progs’ 25^th Anniversary, to be celebrated with a real-life party and a not-so-special Prog in February 2002.

What’s NOT in the Prog?

Well, most obviously, it’s Pat Mills who’s not in the Prog. I mean, technically he’s there as the creator of Ro-Busters, who get a pin-up, and his creations are all over the Top 10 feature (although curiously he’s nowhere in the ‘funniest moments’ and only once in the ‘most violent’ moments).

Also rather lacking from the Prog is a specialness factor. There’s one Xmas-themed story, and while it IS a good line-up of thrills, and indeed a mix of old, new and brand new, it kind of doesn’t feel like they’re spending money to get the best creators and best stories, more it’s just a bigger and better-than-average weekly Prog. Perhaps, though, there was more focus on the upcoming 25^th anniversary celebrations?

Perhaps the most important question – can I read and enjoy this one Prog as a single thing?
Answer: sure. And, given the stories set up to continue in the next Prog, there’s a strong level of anticipation for 2003's year in Progs.

Final scores…

Average thrill-score: 7.9 out of 10
Non-thrill score: 4 out of 5
Balance of thrills old and new: 5 out of 5
Standalone specialness score: 5 out of 10
Cover score: 6 out of 10

Overall overall score: 27.9 out of 40