I'm getting quite good at recognising cover artists from their style. I play a little "guess who" game when I pick up each new Meg and I was spot on with Colin MacNeil. I know he is the resident artist on Shimura at the moment, but this looked like the same style as his Devlin Waugh paintings. And I liked it a lot. I also liked the singed writing in the title.
So, Matt Smith's first Meg as editor... He acknowledges the challenge of following on in Sir Alan Barnes' footsteps in his editorial, saying he is not going to bring in a load of changes but will, over time, introduce new things. Fair enough. I don't think Matt is the 11th Doctor Who. He might be though. I'd better call him Doctor Smith to be on the safe side...
It's the second part of the Dredd story Warzone, and honestly if this gets any better my head is going to explode! It's a cracking story from Messrs Wagner and Holden with action and intrigue aplenty. Dredd is still on the trail of his perp which leads him deep into enemy territory. But is everyone on his side in his gang of soldiers. Maybe I love this because of the shades of Apocalypse Now, as I mentioned last time, but I do think its a great story. Cracking art work too. The bar has been set very high...
Shimura and his nemesis, Stan Lee, face each other in this episode of the story The Harder The Come. Oh, and Dredd gets a look in on the action too! They manage to rescue Amber Taoki but part of me is waiting for a double cross or some other twist. I got on better with Colin's art this time around. The style lends itself well to the action scenes. I do still prefer his more detailed work, like his recent PJ Maybe story for the Day of Chaos saga in 2000 AD. Perhaps this was a transitional phase for Colin. I'm going to stop going on about it now. The story is a good one, and we will leave it there!
I enjoyed this final episode of the Anderson story Lucid, written and drawn by Alan Grant and Arthur Ranson as per usual. Whilst we did have some scenes that were in the victim's mind (and I'm often not a fan of these) and was brief, purposeful and had a lot to do with the conclusion. Rather than just wandering around a lot. Some especially good Ranson painting in this episode. I'm not sure if Anderson will return in the next Meg. I've been saying she needed a break, and whilst I did like this story more than some of the previous ones, I'd still like to have some time off from her. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, so they say...
Loving Young Middenface in part 2 of the A Scottish Sojer. I find The Whicker Man movie a little disturbing, probably because I saw it when I was a child and it has stuck with me. There are some similar scenes in this episode. Not quite sure what the muties are up to. It may not be clear in the story, or I may have missed it somewhere down the line. Doesn't matter too much, I'm going with the flow! Still warming to Shaun Thomas' art, but am definitely getting warmer. It's an interesting style. I'd love to find out more about how he produces it. Maybe the Meg will interview him soon.
After the prequel last time, the Cursed Earth Koburn story Malachi kicks off with the mysterious mutie, touched by Death, heading for a location near to where Koburn is checking out a rehab site for juves. As ever, Gordon Rennie scripts and Carlos Ezquerra draws and, as ever, it's a winning combo. The creature takes out anything that stands in its way. This could be Koburn's toughest challenge yet!
To the reprints and Charley's War continues as Charley and Blue are on the run from the Military Police. Blue's story has finally concluded, for now... Not sure if there is more to tell. The only major change our new time lord editor really bought this issue was to include two Metro Dredds. They were both passable. I see them as novelty value really.
15 Years Creep, David Bishop's look back at the history of the Megazine sees us enter The Lord Barnes era and to some familiarity as this is where I started my Odyssey. It was great to read how these Megs were developed and some more about the characters who graced them. Some interesting insight, and definitely an article I will read again.
Can't say the same for the Brian Bolland interview. Now I should make my position clear - Bolland is brilliant. Some of his artwork is superb. But he talks frequently about only ever doing things because of the money he could make out of it. So when he talks passionately about wanting DC to do a compendium if his work, is it because he thinks there is some artistic value, or he really likes the work, or that he thinks it will sell and make him a few quid. Perhaps it's a bit of everything? Don't get me wrong, artists should make a few quid, probably more than they actually do. But the way Bolland talks about it he makes it sound like it is his only motivation. I really hope it isn't, and it's possible it was cut that way but the interviewer or editor. It's been done before by journalists looking to slant a story one particular way... Doesn't alter the fact in my mind that Bolland is a legend, but still....
In the Heatseekers section, I liked the Family Guy article in the TV section, but didn't find anything else to be of interest.
And finally... how did Matt Smith do as editor? Well, he didn't make any radical changes which must mean that he, and Rebellion (the publishers and owners) must thinks things are alright. And I'd agree. Things are alright. Long may that continue...
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