Villordsutch reviews 2000AD’s Sci-Fi Summer Special…
Borag Thungg, Earthlets! Welcome to 2000AD’s Sci-Fi Summer Special, which after the success of the 2014 return the wise bodies who have overall control have gifted us with another 48-pages of wonders from within the towers of 2000AD. So instead of wasting more valuable time introducing this issue to you all, I’ll crack on and tell you what you can expect.
Judge Dredd – Let’s Go to Work
Written by Michael Carroll and with the art handled by Jake Lynch, we arrive in the tale as Dredd is hassling a producer – for permits – for the first original film being shot in thirty years. In seconds this becomes something more brutal as well as a hostage situation. Unfortunately this isn’t a good opener, Lynch’s art looks good, but the main tale from Carroll isn’t overly engaging and it barely registers as interesting.
Robo-Hunter – Iron Sam
The art here looks fantastic from Mark Simmons and all be it the story from Alec Worley is quite amusing, it feels rather empty at the same time. Sam the Robo-Hunter has to break into “Sharp Industries”, cure the Virus that has infected the robots and also rescue the billionaire Playboy from his Iron-Bro suit. The banter throughout is spot-on however the story – on the whole – comes across as only just enjoyable.
Future Shocks – Dust
A very short but at the same time quite an excellent Future Shocks story, written by Gary Blatchford and with the art being delivered by John Higgins. I was smirking when this tale ended, I even went back over to see if I’d missed any clues which may have led me to see the actual outcome of this story.
Ace Trucking Co. – Star’s Truck
Ace Trucking Co. have the job of delivering a two-headed film starlet across the galaxy for free, with the promise of a large bonus upon safe delivery, something doesn’t seem altogether right. Written by Eddie Robson and with the art duties falling to Nick Dyer this comic strip feels completely like it’s slipped right out of the early 1980’s. The story isn’t overly amazing, but the sense of nostalgia captured with it gives it the warmth, painted over that is Dyers art and with this your taken back to the days of Beef Monster Munch and Panda Cola.
Survival Geeks – Movie Night
This strip is more of a prologue to the oncoming serial for 2016. We are being treated to a taste of what’s to come from Gordon Rennie & Emma Beeby, with art & colours from Neil Googe and Gary Caldwell. It’s pricked my interest, but as I’m not up on Survival Geeks there are two problems:- 1) I don’t really know what’s going on here and 2) now I have to wait until 2016 to find out what’s going on.
The Rogue Trooper – Death of a Demon
Perhaps one of the stronger more mature tales within this issue, written by Guy Adams and with the amazing artwork from Darren Douglas we follow a propaganda film crew, as they hunt down and kill the Rogue Trooper. Brutal and you’ll read this strip with silence in the room.
2000AD Prog Sci-Fi Story of the Summer
I’ve gone for Future Shocks – Dust, it was extremely close between this and The Rogue Trooper – Death of a Demon, but the smirk that sat across my face when I finished Dust – and with the surprise pleasure it gave me – I’ve decided that both by Gary Blatchford and John Higgins deserve a special round of applause for their achievement.
On the whole 2000AD’s Sci-Fi Summer Special is a mixed bag, two stories that didn’t really make the grade, but the remaining four made up for it. It’s certainly worth putting your hand in your pocket and buying yourself a piece of dystopian summer to put a smile on your face today.
Rating: 7/10
Villordsutch likes his sci-fi and looks like a tubby Viking according to his children. Visit his website and follow him on Twitter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng&v=ubW8AnpMFQE
Originally published June 24, 2015. Updated April 13, 2018.
