Prog 1675 - Die Laughing!

[Dark Jimbo]

Mors was also a devotee of heavier-than-air craft, given that his adventures were mainly space-based.

The line about the hydrogen seems really quite misplaced. Everything about the airship thus far all seemed to point towards its being a heavier-than-air craft; not only the many propellers, but the mere fact it's covered in (presumably quite heavy) glass mirrors! Scientifically this is nonsense, but I'll happily concede that such a craft could exist in this world - it is sci-fi after all. What makes less sense is Stickleback's sudden line about it being a gas-filled dirgible, when that's clearly not the case.

I'm loving this story, not the least the cojones it must have taken to kill off all the supporting cast thus far, but I must say that I really had trouble following this week's episode. Dizzy's Breccia style, while undeniably gorgeous, doessn't really lend itself to extended action sequences.

[TordelBack]

Ignoring Usher's unilateral attempt to end this critical discussion in a gentlemanly fashion, I soldier on nerdishly... 

What makes less sense is Stickleback's sudden line about it being a gas-filled dirgible, when that's clearly not the case.

The advantage of having a gas-filled fantasy craft fitted with rotors is the option of stealth.  As Jimbo says, the Mistral is probably incredibly heavy due to the mirrors and  heavy artillery, but equally the rotors must be terribly noisy (if the police choppers that hover over my estate all night are anything to go by - Blue Thunder they're not), rather undoing the point of the mirrors.  Maybe there's an option to fill the the interior space and use it as a LTA craft when stealth is essential?  Now where you might get/put all that hydrogen I've not idea... maybe it uses coal gas produced on the fly by mixing steam and hot coal?

[Richmond Clements]

Dante! Yet again WOW!

[House of Usher]

Maybe there's an option to fill the the interior space and use it as a LTA craft when stealth is essential?

Nah. That thing is so heavy, with all the mirrors and what-not, that it would be impossible to get off the ground. D'Israeli says so in his blog. What is very apparent is that even if the Mistral has a gas-filled chamber (clearly not the 'bag' Stickleback claims it to be: you can't easily attach hinged mirrors to a bag), it still needs rotors to supply most of its lift. Carrying ligher-than-air gas is only going to take some of the weight of the rotors. It's not going to substitute for them altogether (unless Ian Edgington asserts that the rotors are for stearing alone - ultimately only he can say).

[radiator]

I would have bet money on things taking a major turn for the worse in this week's Dante - I was almost certain that Jena was going to cop it. In that respect, I found the finale of Hero of the Revolution a little anticlimactic.... though it was good to see Konstantin get his ass handed to him for a change.

The defeat of Vladimir (an event that I had always assumed would signal the end of Dante) seemed altogether too easy - and I'm now wondering what will happen with Arkady/Dimitri, who surely has his own agenda (perhaps a secret alliance with the White Army?). I definitely feel that so far the endgame has not been spectacular enough, and hope that there's going to be a good few series yet that will up the stakes even further before we reach the true finale.

Interesting too that Konstantin was left alive - making me wonder if he will end up helping Dante (and presumably Lulu and Viktor) to deal with Arkady, whose crest powers as we know are specifically designed to override any and all of the other Romanovs abilities.....

Anyway, amazing stuff, and a strip that I actually skipped straight to BEFORE this week's Dredd, which is the highest compliment I can give. What's even better is that it's only a month or so until the next series kicks off!

Dredd was also superb, and Zombo's return very welcome. I've been so busy lately that I've lost track of the other two strips, but will try and catch up soon.

[Dark Jimbo]

Re - Radiator's thoughts on Dante...

Trouble is that the death of Jena now would have ruined any chance of a pay-off for the slow-burn storyline of Arkady's gradual obsession with her, something that's surely going to have further reprocussions for Dante or Jena in the near future.

I like the fact that Vlad's defeated but (unexpectedly) still alive - the next story could see him stand trial for his many crimes against the Russian people, embittered and unrepentant. Likewise Konstantin, who lives to fight another day, unmasked and rather unhinged. I'm still enjoying the fact that it's Arkady, of all people, who after all these years has emerged as the real villian of the piece, over and above so many other more obvious candidates - who'd have thought it, back when he first appeared?

Can't wait for more Dante. It's going to be fascinating to see what kind of society emerges from the ruins now that the Tsar's finally been deposed and Dante, Jena and a motley collection of surviving Romanovs are running the show.

[vzzbux]

Scrotnig prog.

Dredd final panel. Ooooooooooooo

Dante finale was abit anti climactic Konstantin was dealt with far too easily

Happy to have Zombo back and such a wonderful cover.







V

[Martin Howe]

The line about the hydrogen seems really quite misplaced. Everything about the airship thus far all seemed to point towards its being a heavier-than-air craft... ... What makes less sense is Stickleback's sudden line about it being a gas-filled dirgible, when that's clearly not the case.

Well I thought the same and this was probably a trick to prevent the turncoats from defeating their former master. Oh how convenient, it does have gasbags after all!

Unfortunately, the usual left-wing sensibilities will likely prevail - the Duchess will be killed horribly, arrested or escape into the sunset ranting "I shall return!" and normal service will be resumed, albeit with a new set of henchmen.

The Duchess is much more interesting a character than Stickleback, who's basically a clever crook or another type of criminal pretending to be one. Just for once I'd like to see a technology powered super vigilante actually win, conquer the city and have the criminal bosses' heads impaled on spikes at Traitor's Gate.

Exploring a world like that run by a charismatic but morally ambiguous genius would be far more interesting that the antics of a certifiably evil police-murdering tawdry crook who without his supernatural henchmen would likely be under the turf or in the slammer by now.

Has anybody ever written a Robur style story where the aeronaut / submariner / visionary actually wins? (ISBN or weblinks please)

[Richmond Clements]

Dante finale was abit anti climactic Konstantin was dealt with far too easily

Do you honestly think he has been..? I don't.

[George Dread]

I agree with Rac on this, when I read V's remark of Konstantin being dispatched easily. He had the whole episode in last weeks prog where he was hammered on all rides by a continual onslaught from he variety of top adversaries.

[Banners]

Have been a bit underwhelmed during the last few weeks, but this was a great Prog!

M@

[Pete Wells]

Cover and roughs are on my blog. Thanks Henry!

[ming]

A great Prog from start to finish!  Getting back to the Meg and PJ feels especially welcome, and this was one of those Progs where I didn't know where to start reading.

Stickleback's still the cream of the crop for me (gasbags or no gasbags) and the demise of nearly everyone except Stickleback has been a bit of a shock.  Can't wait to see where this goes from here (I'm assuming - well, really, really hoping) that it will go on (and on and on).  I thought for a minute that Bob and Bebe might land in the Thames, but apparently not.

Great to have Zombo back!

[nev]

Quick question about Zombo:
I'm confused as to how The man dressed as Santa was actually killed. I assume spikes got him. One onlooker talks about his legs being sliced off, which is fair does, but how would this result in pancreas on the guys lens? Unless the man was completely eviscerated by spikes...
Other than that minor confusion I thought it was a bloody great prog.

[House of Usher]

Far be it from me to accuse anybody of overthinking it - but you're overthinking it. I don't think it's an insult to Al or Henry to say Zombo's not that kind of strip. The words talk about the Santa guy's legs being sliced off, but the pictures clearly show the guy being crushed to death by spiked rollers. That is all. He died in some ghastly and spectacular fashion for our entertainment, and that's all the matters.
 

Ask me another day why the technical stuff matters in Judge Dredd, Slaine, Savage, ABC Warriors and Stickleback and I'll do my best to fashion a reply that sounds convincing.