The Weekly 2000 AD: Prog 2159 – Look Upon Tharg’s Works, Ye Readers, And Delight!

Another week, another Weekly 2000AD, with another five thrillers from the UK’s greatest sci-fi spectacular.
Inside, there’s more of what we enjoyed last Prog, which means more horror in Dredd, more brilliant Brink, more of the incredible Defoe, more demonic desperation in Hope, and more Deadworld doom in the Fall of Deadworld.
And it all kicks off under a great cover from a particular favourite of mine, Rob Davis:

(Cover by Rob Davis)

Prog 2159 is out in the UK and on digital from 27 November, with international copies coming out later – ask for it by name at your local comic shop.
 

JUDGE DREDD – THE HARVEST – PART 2 – Michael Carroll, Nick Percival, letters Annie Parkhouse.
There’s a serial killer taking body parts in MC-1 and Dredd’s on the case, tracking down the leads, as Michael Carroll does what he does so very well, pulling together a by-the-book procedural. What’s so good to see here is Dredd the detective, something that doesn’t happen perhaps as much as it should. Here, it’s a joy to behold, especially as Percival’s artwork is ideally suited to a grisly Dredd.
So it’s from the Doctor to Resyk, as the serial killer keeps doing what they’ve been doing so well. Where’s it all going? Well, that’s the fun!

 
DEFOE – THE DIVISOR – PART 10 – Pat Mills, SK Moore, letters Ellie De Ville
We’re coming to the end of Divisor right now, you can tell as the moon in the title is getting fuller – just a little touch, but a perfect illustration of how fabulous this strip has been, with no detail too small for SK Moore to drop into the artwork.
And again, what fabulous artwork… from the first page here we’re staring full-on into the madness of the Divisor, as Kearney faces down with Defoe…

Oh, this has been a wonderful series, and as it comes to the ending all I want to do is spend time luxuriating in the artwork that’s been driving my enjoyment all this way through.
But let’s not overlook Mills’ storyline, taking Defoe into such a wonderful direction and really re-energising a strip that I had issue with in the past.

 
BRINK BOOK 4 – HATE BOX – PART 10 – Dan Abnett, INJ Culbard, letters Simon Bowland
After having her case ripped from under here last time, Bridgit Kurtis is back looking at the case brought to her back in the first episode… with the gang shooting that a rookie felt had something more to it…

And just like that, Kurtis is back on a sect crime case. Which means she’s back in the game and walking straight back into trouble.
As all through every single episode of Brink, Hate Box is simply a stunning work of slow-build, Abnett and Culbard crafting a tense, involving series that looks so damn good and never fails to draw me further and further in.

 
HOPE… UNDER FIRE – PART 10 – Guy Adams, Jimmy Broxton, letters Ellie De Ville
With Alberto Modi controlling Hope’s demon, he’s ripping organised crime in New York apart and remaking it in his own, hideous, image. Now, Hope is looking to see just how Modi’s been using magic that should have killed him weeks ago.
Atmospheric, detailed artwork alongside a great noir detective with a magical difference, Hope continues to impress.

 
THE FALL OF DEADWORLD – DOOMED – Part 10 – Kek-W, Dave Kendall, letters Annie Parkhouse
What little resistance there is here on Deadworld is diving headlong into action here, with Judge Eastwood leading the forces to try and get to Casey Tweed.

Again, Deadworld is managing to keep my interest in everything going on here, but it’s a strip that seems to be meandering a little, throwing so many disparate elements into the mix that each episode seems to switch perspectives, something that’s not conducive to delivering a tight, involving strip.
However, there’s still enough in each episode that I’m still enjoying the whole thing, despite wishing it felt just that little tighter at times.