Top 5 Adventures with Peps 2021

Thought it would be fun to do a round-up of the year. Not wanting to create an essay on each daily topic, I will list my top five in each category, add a link and a reason why I choose it. Let the recap begin!

Miniatures

1. Aliens - Xenomorphs - 2021 was the year for most painted minis in the last 5 years! Helped in no small part by painting up 16 Xenomorphs.
2. Aliens - Gorman - Gorman was fun to paint model, where I attempted to copy the movie outfit to the best of my abilities.
3. Judge Dredd - Medic Judge - Something a little different from the average Street Judge.
4. Judge Dredd - SJS Judge Quincy - sat on the to-be-painted pile for far too long. It was a real treat to finally complete this model.
5. Judge Dredd - Nero Narcos - Put my own twist on this absolute beast of a Judge Dredd villain. A simple colour change made a massive difference in painting this model.

2022: What does 2022 hold? Lots of painting Aeldari and hopefully finish painting the Marines from Aliens. After that, some more Warlord Games and some Space Marines.

Books

1. Sharpe's Triumph - Historical storytelling won out this year. Maybe due to it being a palette cleanse of a sort?
2. Luther: First of the Fallen - Dark Angels, chaos, arrogance and Gav Thorpe. What more could I honestly hope for?
3. The Purging of Kadillus - Double Dark Angels. I feel the draw to this chapter and its dark secrets.
4. Aliens vs Predator: Prey - A story that I wouldn't describe as a masterpiece, but it brought me so much enjoyment.
5. Judges: Volume Two - Early Judge Dreddverse tales, I need to delve deeper into the book collection and read more 2000 AD novels.

2022: More of Sharpe's adventures for sure. I want to read a few more Discworld's this upcoming year and delve more into Dan Abnett's stories, either Eisenhorn or Gaunt's Ghosts. I feel Gaunt's Ghosts, and Sharpe could be a good pairing. 

Audio

1. Eisenhorn - Xenos - Eisenhorn bought to life, the series has been started, and now it demands to be finished.
2. Queen's Gambit - Something a little different for me, after enjoying the tv show, I took to listening to the drama, and it was so much better. Brought more background to the characters.
3. The Long Night - Dark Angels vs. Nightlords in the Horus Hersey arc. A perfect line-up, along with a fantastic story.
4. Arkham County - A late entry, but a very interesting modernization of the Lovecraft stories. Fun, enjoyable listen.
5. Khârn: The Eightfold Path - Short drama about everyone's favourite Khârn. This gives us a noble, honourable character who is swept into bloodshed he did not choose.

2022: More Horus Heresy. I want to finish the series and move onto the siege of Terra and maybe find a new series to start delving into. I also want to get through more Xenomorph stories that I have enjoyed lately.

Comics

1. Judge Dredd: Complete Case Files 14 - The best arc Necropolis! The Dark Judges have come to claim MC-1 as their own, and no one can stop them.
2. Boba Fett Enemy of the Empire - Star Wars' best Bounty Hunter, written by John Wagner! Highly enjoyable.
3. Glimmer Rats - Full Metal Jacket meets Sci-fi is a tremendous short-run comic. Deserves a revisit by 2000 AD.
4. The Dead Man - Linked to Complete Case Files 14 - It follows the return of Dredd to MC-1 just in time to stop the Dark Judges.
5. Brit-Cit Noir - X-Files meets Judge Dredd with a British twist. Not the most important stories out there but stuck with me, which means it has to be here.

2022: More Judge Dredd and more 2000 AD in general. Going to read more Megs and Progs. I also want to delve into Slaine more before releasing the Warlord Games miniature line. 

Beer

1. Nanaimo Imperial Stout Collaboration by Bellwoods, Trillium Brewing and Evil Twin - My favourite treat in the form! Sign me up.
2. Unify or Die 2021 by Blood Brothers Brewing - So good I've now reviewed it twice!
3. Damien Thorn by Blood Brothers Brewing - A big, bold brew. Maple, Hazelnut and coffee, A killer combo.
4. Peche Mortel Framboise by Dieu du Ciel - Four stouts in the top 5. I definitely have a type.
5. Bianca Blueberry Maple Pancake by Omnipollo - Beautiful colour and flavour. A stunning beer for sure.

2022: Not sure what next year will hold. My drinking has slowed right down, so you may see fewer reviews. Just don't know anymore.

Youtube Videos I've created

1. Road to Necromunda with House Delaque Part 1 - Leader - Started my Journey into the deep dark underhive.
2. Painting Jack Point by Warlord Games - 2000 AD - Judge Dredd - A favourite Judge Dredd character finally has a miniature.
3. Aliens Another Glorious Day In The Corps Painting Xenomorphs - The most painted models I've done at once.
4. How to Paint Craftworld Altansar Aeldari - A learning curve that seemed to work.
5. Xenomorph assembly. Aliens: Another Glorious Day in the Corps by Gale Force Nine. - Fuck those tails!

2022: More gaming, more paint and lots more Aeldari. Maybe a month blog round-up as well moving forwards.

And there you go. A quick and painless round-up of the year. Overall I am really pleased with what I achieved. My ultimate goal for 2022 is to stay on course; I want to improve this year and spend time learning the skills and abilities. I also wish to be more organized. Wish me luck!

I hope you have enjoyed this year with me, and here's to the next one.

Book Review 165 // Luther: First of the Fallen by Gav Thorpe

Last book review of 2021. I knew I had to finish the year with a banger, so I chose an author I trusted on a subject I know he excels at. Without wasting too much time, let us jump into the final book of 2020.

Title: Luther: First of the Fallen (The Horus Heresy: Characters)

Author: Gav Thorpe

Fluff: Hero. Villain. Protector. Destroyer. Loyal. Fallen. Luther embodies the duality at the heart of the Dark Angels – but what is his story? Prepare to find out…

Get new insights into one of the key figures of the Horus Heresy, who shaped the destiny of the Dark Angels for ten millennia, in a new novel by the master of First Legion fiction, Gav Thorpe.

Knight of the Angelicasta. Saviour of the Lion. Grand Master of the Order. Lord of the Dark Angels. Protector of Caliban. Chaos Heretic. Destroyer of Caliban. Sorcerer of the Abyss. Arch-traitor. Dark Oracle. First of the Fallen. Can one man be all of these things?

Kept alive and imprisoned for ten thousand years, Luther is the curse, and the salvation of the Dark Angels made manifest. None are so close to the heart and history of the Chapter as the man that embodies all that was great about the First Legion and all that is shameful about the Dark Angels. In his story is writ the tale of the Horus Heresy and the fall from Enlightenment in a single long life. Glory, honour, pride, shame, and betrayal weave a tapestry of truth and lies that the Supreme Grand Masters of the Dark Angels have sought to understand and unbind across ten bloody millennia. Luther claims repentance for his past deeds, but was it his sins that condemned the Chapter to its secretive fate, or should warnings from history have been more closely heeded?

Review

Part of the character series alongside Valdor: Birth of the Imperium by Chris Wraight. These titles aren't precisely HH stories but aren't as noteworthy as the Primarch series. But what they do give us is an insight into the broader galaxy through the eyes of the people living it.

Though claiming to be a novel, it reads more like a series of short tales relating to Luther. Luther was the man who found the Lion on Caliban and helped to shape him. It seems to be set throughout the current timeline, and each story seems to be linked to another Fallen character. With this story arcing across such a broad timeline, we get to see through Luther's eyes the Imperium fall into one of fear and superstition, and we see it within the Dark Angels chapter too.

Gav Thorpe once more captures my interest in a brilliant, charismatic, and arrogant character. As always, as the story progresses, we discover a weak man trying to justify what he did. One who now knows that there was no right choice and that the road to hell is paved in good intentions.

Overall this is a must-read for Dark Angel fans and will leave you wondering if Luther was right in his actions or was he just weak-willed and easily manipulated. It was a great way to tie all of Gav Thorpes' novels together, and it was rather satisfying to see all the characters and tales being linked in this way.

This wasn't the novel I expected, but it was the novel I wanted. Highly recommend and easily in my top five reads of 2020.

Buy yourself a copy here: Luther: First of the Fallen by Gav Thorpe

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Comic Review 166 // 2000 AD Prog 1328

Time to enjoy another Prog. Issue 1328 was released on Feb 19th, 2003 and has a deadly duo on the cover; it looks like Dante finally catches up with his mother.

As always, we start with Judge Dredd vs Aliens: Incubus Part 6. The xenomorph Judge Dredd killed has melted a hole through to the undercity, creating a rather big headache for the Justice Department, who are rushing to discover the truth behind this attack. Unknown to them, their target is located in the undercity. Mr. Bones is a badass character! Viewed as a mutant and shunned by the city, Mr. Bones became part of a starship crew and soon rose to a position of power. Unfortunately, he discovered a starship carrying alien eggs and was forever changed. With the ability to grow an army, he is seeking his revenge, and I feel we are ramping up to the central conflict. Excited!!!

** Note ** I need to make a Mr. Bones for the Judge Dredd game and create a few Xenomorph characters for the judges to fight.

Sadly this incredible tale is followed by another Bec & Kawl. Titled EEEVIL.COM Part 1. Seems like we are getting a multi-part story, so maybe they will grow on me? Sadly this story did nothing for me. Kawl is sucked into the internet, where he meets the spider in the middle, and while Bec attempts to work out what is happening, she is kidnapped by men in suits. A pretty dull tale, and the artwork for me just doesn't do anything for me. A big miss.

Third, in the prog comes The V.C.s - Shotgun. These tales read like an old Battle Magazine, and I am all for it! A great short but sweet story that may bleed into the next issue? We have a fighter team attempting to protect a transport ship against an enemy group. Unfortunately, our team lost the fight, and the transport was destroyed utterly. It is strangely refreshing to see the heroes fail; it truly makes for a more believable story. Great job.

The fourth and final tale is Nikolai Dante: Hell and High Water Part 8. Dante is reunited with his Pirate Queen Mother and explains a rough but incomplete version of events leading to them reuniting. At this point, the Pacifica Forces attack; their goal was to aid Dante in installing himself into his mother's care, but sadly Lord Murakami oversteps his mission and attempts to kill both Dantes. This, of course, does not go to plan, and Nikolai Dante soon has the Murakami at his mercy. Fearing that the cowardly Lord would reveal his plans to save his own skin, Nikolai kills him, keeping his silence. This attack has allowed the Dante's to bond, and the story ends with the pair sailing off. This also seems to be the end of the story arc. I hope Dante is back soon!

Overall a solid issue. Bec & Kawl is a letdown for me, and I fear how long this series will last. Otherwise, great Dredd, V.C.s and Dante stories. I hope this pace continues, and Bec & Kawl is just a hiccup.

Want to learn more about 2000 A.D.? Why not start with the 2000 A.D. Encyclopedia (link is via Amazon, and I get a kickback). Thank you for reading, and if you want to chat more, come find me on Instagram.

Alien Isolation Walkthrough Part 3 - Argh! Crap a Xenomorph

I'm delving back into the world of Alien Isolation. Having just seen Axel killed by a Xenomorph, I feel pretty creeped out. Now watch me as I continue into the darkness and continue to jump at every noise.

I hope you enjoyed the video, and if you haven't seen the rest of the series, here is my Link to the youtube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OworJkEWKOo&list=PLenRRbYlk2jyaG9-jX9Co0YTIv9lvQqeB

This video is part of Adventure with Peps blogging:

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Get the book - Alien Isolation
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Mic: Blue Yeti Nano

Book Review 164 // Claws of the Genestealer by Cavan Scott

I am hitting up an easy read to follow up from all the short stories. With this in mind, I chose Claws of the Genestealer, the second in the series of kid-friendly adventures written by Black Library. I enjoyed the first story (see here), so I hope the momentum continues.

Title: Claws of the Genestealer (Warped Galaxies #2)

Author: Cavan Scott

Fluff: The second book in the Warped Galaxies series. An exciting new series of sci-fi books for middle-grade readers from Black Library. Brave champions and the forces of the Imperium battle alien beasts and mechanical tyrants across the gulf of space.

Having crash-landed on a remote ice planet, Zelia Lor and her friends Talen, Mekki and the super-intelligent alien-ape Fleapit must do whatever they can to survive. A distress beacon offers some hope of rescue, but what else lurks in the ice and snow, watching them with hungry eyes…?

Amazon: Claws of the Genestealer

Style: Paperback, 220 pages - also as a kindle version.

Review

Unsurprisingly we jump straight into the conclusion of the first book, Attack of the Necron. It seems like our group of kids is just not getting a break. After surviving the Necron assassin, the kids build an encampment in the hopes of surviving a harsh winter. While searching for supplies, Talen discovers a cave system belonging to the scary Ambulls of 40k. But it would seem there is something even more horrifying out in the wild as the Ambull is injured. Soon the children are in real trouble, and their only beneficial companion, Fleapit, is out for the count (I guess the cold is getting to him).

The pace in this book is fast, and specific points are rather scary for a younger audience, especially once the hulk is discovered. We also saw many character developments happen between the children; the tense scenario sparked the character's true personalities to shine, which was great.

Though it was a good story, it felt weaker than book one; the ending was enough for me to become intrigued and continue the story. Looks like this series made it into my 2022 reading list.

Audio Review 61 // Arkham County by Guy Adams

This season, I've fallen behind on the Audio dramas with all the festive planning, and on-off COVID scares. But I finally managed to complete one. Arkham County is free to listen to Audiobook, available with an Audible subscription.

Title: Arkham County

Author: Guy Adams 

Fluff: Welcome to Arkham County. Population: 749,824. But that number is dropping all of the time...

Lying northeast of Massachusetts, just south of Hell, Arkham County is somewhere you find yourself, not somewhere you ever mean to go. Once you do find it, though, you better get used to living there, as you may be there for however long you have left to live.

From within the walls of Arkham asylum, reclusive writer Randolph Carter tells the story of orphan Violet Flintock, who arrives in Arkham County in search of her own history only to be instantly greeted by the bloody realities of this small town, whose foundations are built from the lore and mythology of HP Lovecraft.

In this Audible Original production, Stanley Tucci (The Devil Wears Prada, Fortitude) leads a cast to introduce you to the horrific, bizarre and just plain weird world of Arkham County. This HP Lovecraft-inspired tale will delight fans and those unfamiliar with his wild, surreal and terrifying horror stories.

Starring;

Stanley Tucci as Randolph Carter
David Annen as Vincent Matravers
Emily Barber as Violet Flintlock
Dakota Blue Richards as Morrigan
Burn Gorman as Wilbur
John Heffernan as Walter Gilman
Alex Kingston as Henrietta
Laurel Lefkow as Keziah Mason
Stuart Milligan as Marsh
Carlyss Peer as Chloe
Blake Ritson as Herbert West
Dan Starkey as Dean Halsey
Shane Taylor as Detective Lewis
Becky Wright as Lavinia

Director: by Simon Barnard

Review

An imaginative retelling of all the Lovecraftian stories at once. We are treated to the mashing of multiple tales brought into a slightly more modern age. These tales are connected to the author Randolph Carter who spends most of his time in Arkham psychiatric hospital typing away. He seems to have a more robust understanding of what is going on around him, but it is unclear if he controls the pieces or can narrate what is happening.

The story itself jumps between the Mythos while modernizing parts and creating new ways to justify everyone being in one place simultaneously. I can see the story having a polarizing effect on fans. Some like myself will enjoy the new take on these tales, while the purist will struggle to accept the changes made. Overall I have a lot of positives about this tale. I really enjoyed it from start to finish, and it has sparked my interest in re-reading the source material. I enjoyed the Herbert West arc and, of course, the Marsh story, two of my favourites from the original material.

But it wasn't all perfect, wasn't was off. One minute the talking was levelled, but then a sound effect or some music would kick in and be super loud (great with headphones). I also found the ending quickly, which left me feeling a little cheated. Is there to be another audio drama? I really do hope so.

How would I change it...maybe they should have focused on a couple of tales to start with and then, in a follow-up, bleed more characters into the story. You will definitely be lost in the dreamland if you don't know the H.P Lovecraft stories. They don't explain what is going on at all. But for open-minded fans, this is a great little twist on the classics.

Do you agree? Let me know in the comments. I hope you enjoyed it? Feel free to comment below or seek me out on one of the many social platforms I hang out on. Here is a quick LINK (Solo bio link) to my details. Cheers to reading this.

Book Review 163 // Cut and Gut by Robert Rath

The last short story from my Necromunda series. It was really refreshing to just run through a load of short stories and not commit to character or author. So time for the final tale:

Title: Cut and Gut (Necromunda)

Author: Robert Rath

Publisher: Black Library

A rare story for this Necromunda series. An Enforcer story. This tale takes place in a superb location, a port town located on the edge of a toxic lake. This town has grown around its fishing trade, and though the fish may seem attractive, they are not the tale's highlight. Turns out the Enforcers are planning to take down the Escher Queen as she visits the local Cannery for a meet-up. I found it amazing that she has a yacht! It is a bit weird that it seems to have been plucked straight from our world; where is the grimdark on this? It also has a wine cellar, meaning see must be freaking loaded!

Overall this is a fantastic story and a great way to finish up the series for now. I enjoyed the story, the characters and the location, so this is a standout tale for me. I highly recommend it!

Buy the book: Amazon.ca Necromunda Uprising.

I hope you enjoyed it? Feel free to comment below or seek me out on one of the many social platforms I hang out on. Here is a quick LINK (Solo bio link) to my details. Cheers to reading this.

Unboxing

The Final Gale Force Nine Expansion kit for ALIENS: Another Glorious Day in the Corps has arrived. Titled ALIENS: Get Away From Her, You B***h! We get some rather significant and impressive models like the Xenomorph Queen, Ripley in the Powerloader, a Ripley and Newt Combo and two Bishops. We also get enough tokens to replant a forest.

Sit back, relax and enjoy as I unbox and build these miniatures.

If you enjoyed the video, be sure to watch more and subscribe!

Links:

To buy the Game & Expansions

Aliens: Another Glorious Day in the Corps

Aliens: Ultimate Badasses

Aliens: Get Away from Her, you Bitch

Aliens: Assets and Hazards

Equipment

Camera Sony EV10

Blue Yeti Nano Mic

This video is part of Adventure with Peps blogging. Solo Link to everything social media.

Book Review 162 // The Last Voyage of Elissa Harrow by Denny Flowers

I'm reaching the end of my Necromunda Short stories! Only one more after this tale. What on Earth am I going to do?

Title: The Last Voyage of Elissa Harrow (Necromunda)

Author: Denny Flowers

Fluff:

Want to read this tale? Here is a link to Amazon to purchase: Banner-Jarl by Will McDermott

Elissa Harrow is adrift. Deep in the sump of Necromunda's underhive, she floats on a makeshift raft, half-dead and desperate to survive. In this benighted place, Elissa will face horrors beyond imagining – monstrous creatures, mysterious strangers and the consequences of her own actions. Is death the only way out, or does a darker fate await her?

Review

As a warning, this story has a few spoilers, and I can't really write the review without announcing them. You have been warned. First up, stop and make sure you have read Low Lives and the Hand of Harrow (I haven't read this title yet, but it is definitely linked). If you have read this, the info in this book makes a lot more sense. Following her failure, at the end of Low Lives, we join Elissa as she struggles to survive the waters of the sump. This is a fantastic character-building piece as we witness her sheer mental fortitude and strength to survive. This short story seems to hint at more tales to come, and I am personally excited to see what Denny Flowers can do as he looks pretty good at creating a Necromunda I can believe in.

With this, I have one short left for now: Cut and Gut by Robert Rath. I will miss this break in my reading, but it is time to pick up a whole novel once more.

Want to read this tale? Here is a link to Amazon to purchase: The Last Voyage of Elissa Harrow by Denny Flowers

Book Review 161 // Long Way Home by Filip Wiltgren

A rare short story today from the Necromunda book Uprising. We have a story about the Van Saar gang. Back as a teenager when Necromunda came out in the '90s, and my best friend at the time played a lot of Necromunda. I started with House Goliath but soon wound up with a kick-ass Delaque gang (which I am currently trying to recreate over on youtube). But my friend knew which crew he wanted straight away, and that was Van Saar. He loved the look, the gadgets, everything about them. So when I got to read about House Van Saar, I think back to those days.

The story is a classic double-cross coming-of-age tale and follows a young Prospect/Juve called Skinny Verhan. Verhan has been contacted by a Pit Slave to trade some rare tech his master has acquired. Fearful of a double-cross, the Delta-V Van Saar Gang rollout in full force, with the fear soon realized as the double-cross happens in a beautifully unique market/bazaar area.

This is a remarkable story, I never read any of Filip Wiltgren's work before, but now I want more. He made the Van Saar stand out and not just be tech-heads; it was also refreshing to have something different to Escher and Orlocks (something we need more off from Black Library). The main character was a well-rounded lead, and you wanted them to succeed from the very first page. I hope Wiltgren returns soon to write more Necromunda as I, for one, would buy it.

Want to read this tale? Here is a link to Amazon to purchase: Necromunda: Uprising

Comic Review 165 // Judge Dredd: Complete Case Files 17

Feels good to be reading Judge Dredd Case Files. I love the Dredd verse so much, and I keep being sucked back in. This week we hit up Judge Dredd: Case Files 17. The cover tells us straight away what is going on, with Dredd knocking a zombie. Means we have hit Judgement Day!

Title: JUDGE DREDD: CASE FILES 17

Tagline: JUDGEMENT DAY HAS COME!

Page Count: 304

Writers: Garth Ennis and John Wagner

Artists: Carlos Ezquerra, Chris Halls, Dean Ormston, Greg Staples, Ian Gibson, Peter Doherty, Sean Phillips, Simon Coleby, Steve Dillon and Yan Shimony.

Colour: Ergina Hart

Letters: Annie Parkhouse

Fluff: Mega-City One – the dangerous future metropolis where crime is rife. Keeping order are the Judges – a hardened police force acting as judge, jury and executioner. The toughest of them all is Judge Dredd. He is the Law, and these are his stories. 

Volume 17 includes the mega-epic Judgement Day, in which Judge Dredd and Strontium Dog Johnny Alpha have to team up to stop the evil Sabbat and his zombie hordes from destroying the world! 

This pulse-pounding collection features stories scripted by John Wagner (A History of Violence) and Garth Ennis (Preacher, The Boys), and with art from Carlos Ezquerra (Strontium Dog), Steve Dillon (The Punisher), Sean Phillips (Sleeper) and Dean Ormston (Lucifer), amongst others.

Babes in Arms: Great opener by Garth Ennis. Four women who were betrayed, beaten and severely injured take revenge on their now eloped and wealthy ex-husbands. Truly epic story, the characters/villains are relatable to, and you can't but hope they will get their revenge. This story makes me happy.

Almighty Dredd: A rather humorful Dredd tale here. We get to me a Dredd-worshipping perp who is killing his victims in Judge Dredd's name. A rather silly strip with cartoonish artwork by Ian Gibson.

A Magic Place: A depressing little tale to get us ready for Judgement Day. Set in the Rose Garden of a walled hideout, we remeet Dink Jowett. Who in a previous story discovered the garden and ended up doing time after stealing a rose. Having completed his six-month sentence, Dink and his girlfriend Rose came under the stewardship of the old lady. Their perfect world is soon destroyed as a gang takes refuge in the garden. While attempting to protect the roses, Dink is gunned down, and though dying, he warns the Judges and ultimately saves this unique location of MC-1.

Judgement Day: This is a fantastic epic and the main focus of this case file. Dredd is leading a Hotdog run of recruits into the Cursed Earth. While checking in on a Mining group, the team discovers a ghost town, and as they travel into the mines, they are attacked by the walking dead! Turns out the Dead are returning to the living. This story has a lot going for it. One the villain. Sabbat is just pure evil; he is Judge Death's level of corruption, wanting to raise an army of the dead in an attempt to take over the galaxy. Two. Johnny Alpha. That's right, Alpha is sent back to the past, and his goal is to kill Sabbat. Three. All the other Judges. I love seeing Brit-Cit, East-Meg, Hondo City, Murphyville etc., all being represented and finally. Four. The global wipeout of over three billion people. Cities are lost, the death toll is brutal, Judge Dekker (Dredd's favourite Rookie) is killed. This story cuts deep, and I love it!

The Marshal: Another brutal story. Turns out one of the Tech Judges has been testing chemicals out in the Cursed Earth, and following an error in his chemical mixes, he kills a group known as the Marshalls (based on the lone rangers). The surviving member vows revenge and heads to MC-1 to track down and kill those responsible. You can't help but feel bad for the Marshal.

Texas City Sting: Straight forward action-packed tale of Dredd and Hershey travelling to Texas City to find some warrants. Pretty straightforward and an excellent refresher after the whole Judgement Day Arc.

Taking of Sector 123: Back to MC-1 and following Judgement Day, the Justice Department is highly undermanned, and 12 Sectors still refuse the rule of the Justice Department. One of the main rebellious sectors is 123. Soon Dredd is waging war on the sector and is proving who is the top dog. A brutal ending to this collection and a build-up for the theme of the following collection, Mechanismo!

Want to learn more about 2000 AD? Why not start with the 2000 AD Encyclopedia (link is via Amazon, and I get a kickback). Thank you for reading, and if you want to chat more, come find me on Instagram.

Alien Isolation Walkthrough Part 2 - Axel is crazy

Time for some more gameplay action of Alien Isolation. Will I finally meet a Xenomorph, who the hell is this Axel guy or will I just spend 30 minutes pooping my pants at every noise? Only one way to find out!

I am also tweaking my new mic, so hopefully, this sounds okay (let me know in the comments). I hope you are enjoying this new series, let me know and I hope we can keep these videos coming.

This video is part of Adventure with Peps blogging:

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Get the book - Alien Isolation

Camera: Sony Alpha ZV-E10

Mic: Blue Yeti Nano

Audio Review 60 // Alien vs. Predator: Armageddon (The Rage War, Book 3)

Look at me, I've completed a series finally! The Rage War by Tim Lebbon was a three-part series set in the future timeline of the Alien verse. If you haven't read my first two reviews, here are some handy links:

Book One

Book Two

So far, I've enjoyed the series. It isn't about setting the fandom ablaze with its awesomeness, but it has definitely been a fun and exciting listening. But before I waffle on for too long, let us dive into the details.

Title: Alien vs. Predator: Armageddon (The Rage War #3)

Author: Tim Lebbon

Fluff: The Rage launch a massive assault on the Human Sphere. Their greatest weapons are the most fearsome creatures in the galaxy—the Xenomorphs.

Having fled centuries before, the Rage return to take revenge and claim the planet for their own. Now, through a deal struck with the unlikeliest of allies, the human race may rely on the Predators to ensure mankind's ultimate freedom. Yet even the combined might of the two races may not be enough. The fate of the Earth may rest with a single android—Liliya of the Rage.

Review

Wow. What a great way to finish the series. I found the smaller cast and location list really aided this concluding story. With fewer moving pieces, the story was able to pick up the pace and have a lot more exciting action scenes in it. It felt like I was listening to a multipart TV show rather than a solo story.

Highlights for me include having a lot more Predators in action. I felt like the third primary race of the book had been poorly treated with a lack of storytime, but part three fixes that. We actually get to hear about different clans, wargear and fighting styles. Also, the mention of the Predator homeworld excited me (hopefully, one day, we will get this story). This aspect of the Predators was much needed, in my opinion. 

It wasn't all positives, though. Lowlights, for me, sadly include a predictable ending; you could see it a mile off. It was also left very open. Not sure if it was due to lack of time to finish it up correctly or if they plan on continuing this arc? I feel Lebbon could have used another hour to tie up these loose ends. I would love to know if he had more planned or if this was done on purpose. The other main issue I had throughout the series was the Xenomorphs. The Aliens could have been portrayed as a bit more terrifying. Instead of being pure cannon fodder for the Android Generals, the way they were being controlled was a clever way of making a random force into a coherent army.

Overall this series did an excellent job of creating an action-packed, sci-fi, light-horror story. If looking for an easy sci-fi listen, I do recommend this series.

Amazon Links:

Audible

Rage War 1

Rage War 2

Rage War 3

Do you agree? Let me know in the comments. I hope you enjoyed it? Feel free to comment below or seek me out on one of the many social platforms I hang out on. Here is a quick LINK (Solo bio link) to my details. Cheers to reading this.

Book Review 160 // Banner-Jarl by Will McDermott

Banner-Jarl is the next title in a long line of Necromunda short stories I have been reading from the Anthology: Uprising. Initially released by Black Library way back in September 2020. This was a quick sweet read so let us dive in.

Description: Once banner-jarl for the Vega Rams, an elite mercenary company Grendl Grendlsen lost everything when his liege crossed paths with Lord Helmawr, the ruthless ruler of Hive Primus. Forced into the Underhive, Grendl has made a new name for himself as a bounty hunter and hired gun. His latest job brings back bad memories of his previous life and may cost the former banner-jarl the only thing of value he has left, his life.

For those who don't know, Grendl Grendlsen is a Squat. A race hugely popular back in the '80s but later killed off by GW by the Tyranid fleets. But they have a hardcore following still, and over the years, GW has continued to release models and lore on this dying race. Grendl was the most recent addition, and so it made sense to have a story for him.

As a fully formed bounty hunter, Grendl is a popular model for collectors and having completed this story, I am now seriously tempted to pick one up myself. The story is packed full of action and some rather exciting locations and lore. It would seem Grendl is the type of character that no matter how many times he is knocked down, he picks himself up and keeps going. This story does a lot to make Grendl a realistic and well-rounded character, giving us a rare glimpse into the history of the squats. If you enjoy character background lore mixed in with a healthy amount of action, then I feel you would enjoy this one-shot story.

Want to read this tale? Here is a link to Amazon to purchase: Banner-Jarl by Will McDermott

Comic Review 164 // 2000 AD Prog 1327

The festive season is upon us, and I am taking my foot off the gas on some of my projects, the main one being a slow down on reading books and a slow down on audible reviews. I will try and enjoy the season a bit and spend some quality downtime with family. This means that you will see an uptick in comic reviews, especially on these 2000 A.D. prog reviews. It is so easy for me to just pick up and read a comic before bed or during a lunch break. So expect so many more!

Today's review is of Prog 1327, originally released on Feb 12th, 2003. The cover features a V.C. character and an alien. Hands up, I know nothing about the V.C.s, so I feel I have a steep learning curve to climb. I find the cover art a little lacklustre, to be honest. I just hope the inside is better.

Judge Dredd vs Alien: Incubus Part 7. Still a powerful story. Judge Dredd has faced off against a Xenomorph, and while it was reeling from a flare to the mouth, Judge Dredd launches it off the zoom train to plummet to the city bottom. Here it goes, splat melting a colossal hole into the undercity. At this time, we discover Jeremiah, an activist, is behind these creatures, but who is he working for, and why on earth would they hide out in the undercity?

Love this story so much. Even though I strongly remember this story, re-reading it gives me goosebumps.

New tale! Bec & Kawl: Enlightenment. Hopefully, this is a one-shot. I didn't enjoy it at all; a pair of stoners summon a grass spirit and request the meaning of life. After being fed a load of B.S., the characters leave feeling unfulfilled and setting a fire near the grass spirit.

Wow, I was unfulfilled after that. No thank you 2000 A.D., No thank you!

The V.C.s: Look on the Bright Side. So my knowledge of the V.C.s is zero, but it would seem they are a military unit specializing in hard-to-achieve goals. For this mission, they are attempting to take out a solid military point; the only problem is a blinding sun bathes the land roughly every minute, blinding defender and attacker alike. V.C. Smith (who might be the main character?) gets a crazy idea and almost burns up achieving the goal, but he does succeed in destroying the base.

For a one-shot, it was pretty good. Wish I had a better grasp of what this story arc is about.

Terror Tales!: The Statue Garden. A young man questions a blind old man in a bar about a local artist who creates stunning and life-like statues. His goal is to attempt to rob her, but he realizes his error following the chat with the blind old man.

A great short tale, super enjoyable, great artwork, and just stunning. I really enjoy this one.

Nikolai Dante: Hell and High Water Part 7. Finally, Dante's mum has appeared! Working for the Black Dragons, Dante has sought out his mother for an unknown reason. It is also nice to see how his mother interacts with this new location's population. She doesn't seem as scary as I remember...but I am sure this can change.

Overall this was interesting. Not as strong as the previous issues but still Dredd, Dante and the Terror Tales are some good reads and well-deserving of the cover price.

Want to learn more about 2000 AD? Why not start with the 2000 AD Encyclopedia (link is via Amazon, and I get a kickback). Thank you for reading, and if you want to chat more, come find me on Instagram.

Road to Necromunda - Gangers

Back into the Underhive, we go! Following a recording error, I had to change up the concept of this video and started diving into some list building. We will take a look at my three newest Necromunda Delaque gang members before diving into the equipment and costs of each member.

As an ex-90's player, I have a strong vision of the build I want, but I am unsure if it would be successful or not? If the more experienced players could read over my list and comment, that would be amazing.

Please feel free to drop a comment and subscribe to stay updated with the progress of all my projects.

Youtube Channel

The List.

Master of Shadows Pts. 165

Skill: Mentor

Equipment: Flechette, Shock Stave, Flak Armour.

Phantom Pts. 160

Skill: Ballistic Expert

Equipment: Mastercrafted Long Rifle, Laspistol, Stiletto Knife, Flak Armour.

Phantom Pts. 160

Skill: Fixer

Equipment: Mastercrafted Long Rifle, Laspistol, Stiletto Knife, Flak Armour.

Ghost Pts. 90

Equipment: Autogun, Autopistol, Stiletto Knife, Flak Armour.

Ghost Pts. 95

Equipment: Lasgun, Laspistol, Stiletto Knife, Flak Armour.

Ghost Pts. 95

Equipment: Lasgun, Laspistol, Stiletto Knife, Flak Armour.

Ghost Pts. 90

Equipment: Stubpistol, Autogun, Stiletto Knife, Flak Armour.

Ghost Pts. 105

Equipment: Shotgun, Autopistol, Stiletto Knife, Flak Armour.

Shadow Pts. 35

Equipment: 2x Autopistols.

Total: 995 Credits.

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Comic Review 163 // 2000 AD Judge Dredd Complete Case Files 16

Time to get back into the Complete Case Files Series. We return with Case Files 16, which sees us not dealing with any epic stories, just short tales of Mega-City One adventures, so let us dive in.

Title: Complete Case Files 16

Page Count: 320

Fluff: It's business as usual in Mega-City One. From mutant teddy bear killers to deadly alien predators on the loose, mayhem and madness are as rife as ever. Thankfully Judge Dredd is around to dispense justice, both on the streets and in the classroom!

Review

We start the book off with Firepower, a solid six-page story. Seems like a classic Judge Dredd tale, stupidly over violent and aggressive. It shows Dredd doing best by taking down a horde of Muties and gives us an intense opening tale. This theme of mutants continues into the next adventure with Teddy Bear's Fight, which has us following a mutant that looks like a child teddy bear. This story seems to be purely comical and designed as filler. With this in mind, let us move on. 

The following tale is called Garbage Disposal, roughly based on the idea of an English tv show called the Antique Road Show. We watch as the hosts discover treasures and relics and lead a gang to "collect" items. It is amazing how an object like an original 20th century Frying Pan would be worth so much! We also seem to have a continuing theme as we now deal with a title called Watchdog, quite possibly named after the BBC tv show of the same era at writing. Basically more filler with a very satisfying ending. Talkback is the following short tale in this series as Judge Dredd, with the help of PSI Judge Palmer, tracks down the reason behind the death of a famous talk show DJ. Turns out DJ Cool Johnny Cool had an accident that unlocked his ability to hear people's thoughts. Unfortunately for DJ Cool Johnny Cool, the population loves to hate him, ultimately driving him down a dark path. Then in Twin Block, we get to enjoy the Justice Department at work, setting up a crime to help shakedown the blocks and flush out a criminal organization hidden within. School Bully has us joining Dredd as he teaches a class of Kindergarten kids the joys of the Justice Department while using the kids to catch out a couple of adult criminals.

In Clockwork Pineapple, we finally see the return of the Sovs; as a long-time Dredd fan, I have always found the Sov forces to be an offensive force, but with the Real World Cold war coming to a close, it made sense for the Dredd one to end too. In this tale, we have a delegation of Sovs handing over a precious gift to McGruder, which is soon stolen and on the streets of MC-1. Fearing political fall out Dredd is soon on the case tracking down the music box and removing all who knew of it being stolen. Though not an epic story, it still helps progress world-building and play reference to real-world news.

Then we follow this story with another real-world problem, how the music industry is killing the world with its bad music (LOL). Some people believe this, others don't, but the Muzak Killer believes the world took a wrong turn when music changed in the 21st century. His new goal is to hunt down the people who corrupted the industry and kill them off in hopes of resetting the music and freeing the populous of MC-1 from a life of being in the herd. Of course, Dredd can't allow that and is soon tracking down the Killer, but can Dredd stop him before it is too late?

The Vidders - A small filler piece involving a family from Brit-Cit visiting MC-1. Of course, their video soon goes from classic tourism to a mugging, to Dredd "assisting" them. Ultimately the family ended up worst for wear, but at least they got their Vid.

The Devil, you know - Starts the Democracy arc and introduces Judge Grice (a character I fondly remember from a later story). With Dredd siding with the right to vote, he creates for himself a group of fellow Judges who now hate him. They wrongly believe that if they can remove Dredd, they can cancel the vote and secure their power for good. Of course, it doesn't go to plan, and soon Judges are arresting Judges, and Grice faces time on Titan, but first, he has to face Dredd. Twilight's Last Gleaming - Is the follow-up story, and though not the most exciting, it was needed to close out the Democracy story arc for now. It has Dredd chasing down the final members of Grice's group while also ensuring the Democracy votes go ahead smoothly. As a no surprise result, the Justice Department holds onto power, leading to a march on Justice Central; fearing the worst, Dredd confronts the leader and convinces her that the choice of Democracy is over, not because they say instead the people have chosen so. It is a pretty depressing tale but a great ending to this arc that has grown over the years.

One Better - Has us going back to a pointless and silly one-off tale. It involves a man who constantly wishes to do better than his friends. After a guest spontaneously combusts during dinner, he hopes to outdo them, and his dream comes true after being struck by lighting. Leading to him going nuclear and blowing up an entire Megablock. Overall pure filler and a bit too out there even for a Dredd tale. The Flabfighters - Funny how we can have an out-there adventure that fails to progress the story or the world but then follow it with the perfect example. In Flabfighters, we learn of the inground fighting community who use Fatties to pit fight one another with above-average gory results. Throw into this mess a Cursed Earth Dinosaur, and we have a rip-roaring story! Builds the background of MC-1 and adds some comedy into the storylines. Following the craze of one-shot kinda pointless stories, we get Teddy Choppermitz - a complete rip-off from Edward Scissorhands. An empty tale but one that would have made sense back at release. This then leads us into Rough Guide to Suicide - Another short but slightly sweeter story showcasing the dangers of trends in MC-1. Following the rise in popularity of a vid that shows the best way to commit suicide. Dredd has to work out how to stop the craze before too many citizens off themselves. A very dark story for sure.

Finally, we shift away from the short stories and get a tale we can get behind titled: The Art of Geomancy. This is actually a standout tale in the book; it took a while to appear but has arrived. This is a sequel to the Stan Lee series; in the first story, Stan Lee beats Dredd in a fight, in the second story, Dredd beats Stan Lee regaining his honour and in the third is Stan Lee's assassin guild sending a new assassin to strike down Dredd for making them look weak. The story also sees the return of Max Normal, which automatically makes this the best story in the book. The artwork is beautiful, and we see that Dredd is not invulnerable, an excellent story for sure.

What's going on? We had such a rough run, and now we are getting banger after banger! In this story - Justice 1 - Dredd is assigned aboard Justice 1 to service a 5-week rotation of checking in on the local colonies. But of course, this is Dredd, and we discover two of the crew are having an affair and planning to run from the Justice lifestyle. Unfortunately, Dredd ruins the plan, leaving us with seven dead judges and a wreaked Justice 1. A classic murder mystery story that is brutal and beautiful all at once.

Koole Killers and First of the Many return us back to some meh stories. Up first is Koole Killers, which has us follow a duo of killers getting on with their illegal ways before crossing paths with Dredd and getting themselves killed, pretty standard. Then in First of the Many - we learn about Dredd's first arrest and how, ten years later, the prep still has a score to settle. Overall another meh. Let's move on.

Raptaur - Amazing! A complete rip-off from Alien. Which we all know I love. The hyper-aggressive Alien ends up in megacity one, killing the populous before Dredd goes hunting. But even Dredd suffers a little hiding from the beast! The story ends with Dredd "Killing" the creature, but it would seem a homeless citizen finds a piece still alive and heads off into the city (I believe this creature grows to become the companion to Jack Point in the Simping the Detective).

The Hand of Fate - Though a short tale, it is an excellent standard crime case. A citizen believes he is communicating with satan and goes off on a murder spree before running foul of Dredd. After suffering life-threatening injuries, the prep is put into suspended animation until he can be treated. The reason Dredd states is so they can gain access to his link to satan. A little silly but still a good read with great art.

Then finally, the tales: I was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Priest Killer! and The Boy who Thought he Wasn't - Such weird-looking filler pieces. Not really a fan of these. So at this point, I am just going to close the book and call it.

The highs of this series were the artwork; it had some beautiful-looking stories. Dean Ormston's Raptaur was fantastic, and the artwork by Peter Doherty in Justice 1 I always find enjoyable. But overall, I would say this case file is one of the weaker ones so far, plenty to enjoy but too much to switch off to as well. Ultimately good enough for a true fan to want but also bad enough to turn new fans away. Read with caution.

If you are still reading, you are amazing! Please help by subscribing; it is free to do and means a lot to me as it allows these videos to appear more often.

This video is part of Adventure with Peps blogging:

Solo link to all my social channels. This video was filmed on a Sony ZVE-10, and for those interested, I use Titan Shield Card Protectors for the cards.

Book Review 159 // Princess Monroe and Her Happily Ever After by Jody Smith

Today we have something a little different; as part of my Loves Book Tours group, I had a chance to pick a book to share with my four-year-old daughter. It was a joy to go through this book multiple times and see and hear what was enjoyed. But before diving into that, here are the details.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author for this review. All opinions, as always, are my own.

Title: Princess Monroe & Her Happily Ever After

Author: Jody Smith

Artist: Glynise Martin

Edition: Kindle Edition. Published September 27th, 2018 by Purple Butterfly Press

Blurb

Princess Monroe is the kind of fairy tale we've all been waiting for!

"I am a Princess AND a Warrior." Do you have a daughter who sports tutus and converse shoes with a sword swung over her back? Then she's going to LOVE Princess Monroe, a princess who saves herself!

Princess Monroe is more than just a princess. She's an independent girl with lots of different interests. While her Queen Mom has ideas of finding her a prince, Monroe wants to explore, learn, play, get dirty, and find her own way in the world. As the Princess proves that she can do anything she wants without being saved by a prince, her mom starts to listen. 

Ultimately, Monroe finds her own happy ending.

If you're tired of reading fairy tales about princesses who need a prince to rescue them from your daughter, this spunky little bi-racial Princess is the answer for you.

Author Bio

Jody Smith is a first-time author and longtime believer in fairytales. A former interior designer and store owner, this now present mama, dreamer, and explorer are telling stories outside Mpls, MN. She loves watching her two charismatic girls use their imagination, grit, smarts and whimsy to navigate this world. It inspired her to write a book for all the princesses who can save themselves and for all the mindful mothers who revel in raising strong daughters.

Review

The story starts like most traditional Princess tales, with an account of your typical Princess. The only difference is that she is candid about what she wants from life and instead has to convert her mother into believing that any life is possible and that you don't have to wait for a Prince to save you.

The artwork is entertaining, and the story is straightforward. Monroe's goals for her own future are exciting and varied while being inspiring and creative. As I read to my daughter, I hope it would inspire and intrigue her. It shows that dreams are essential, ambition is important and that you should always communicate your emotions. This is a book all about empowerment, but I do feel my little one may have been a little too young to fully appreciate the tale and the meaning, but I am joyful when the book is now requested at the reading time and hope to continue reading the story in the years to come.

Treat your kids to this beautiful book this festive season. Use the link proved to find it on Amazon (all links usage can lead to me getting a kickback, I thank you for the support).

Princess Monroe and Her Happily Ever After

Book Review 158 // Dead Drop by Mike Brooks

I love these Necromunda short stories so much. I fear that when they end, I come to miss the setting and the mini adventures taking place within. This week's tale is Dead Drop by Mike Brooks; looking at the cover, I realize straight away we have another Orlock story. Come Black Library author, give us stories from the other houses! Don't get me wrong, Orlock's are fun, but it seems heavily swung towards them. They are basically the Ultramarines of Necromunda.

Here is the fluff:

A daring raid on a moving transport puts the Road Dogs Orlock gang in danger as rivals seek the same prize and the unexpected strikes.

THE STORY

The Road Dogs, an Orlock gang in the depths of Necromunda's underhive, are on the trail of a big score. Danner Grimjack, the gang's leader, has planned meticulously, and now it all comes down to the execution. As they go into action, the Road Dogs tackle the Steel Crescents, their Van Saar rivals, on a moving transporter. Danner can only hope the prize is worth the hassle…

Author: Mike Brooks

I feel like Mike Brooks must have been watching Mad Max or playing games of Gaslands. If you haven't guessed yet, I can confirm this is a vehicle chase heavy read. The main character Danner Grimjack is the leader of a close-knit gang of Orlocks. The Orlock's territory seems near the edge of the Hive allowing for adventures out in the wastes, which is pretty unique for the setting. The Gang - Road Dogs - have received intel that a rival gang of Van Saars are collecting cargo dropped by a trader in the waste. You would only do this to avoid security checks, meaning it is worth something to someone.

As soon as the ambush is launched, we are treated to a pretty epic car chase action scene, which packs a lot of new world-building scenes into a short amount of time. Once again, I am left wanting more and genuinely hope we get more outside the Hive books soon.

I enjoyed the book; it could easily be transferred into an apocalyptic setting, which shows how timeless these stories can be. But the authentic takeaway for me is now working out a stealth van for delaques to drive around in. Watch this space!

Want to read to this tale? Here is a link to Amazon to purchase: Dead Drop by Mike Brooks

Robots!! Must be Miniature Monday

Welcome to another Adventures with Peps unboxing.

You know the drill. I recently received my pre-order from Warlord Games. Having already reviewed the Wally Squad (Youtube Link) and the Klegg Hai! (Youtube Link), all I have left is the Mega-City Robots.

Most Mega-City citizens are generally too lazy to get off their backsides and do the menial work these semi-sentient robots perform.

Robots have 'AZI-MOV protocols' forbidding them from harming a human. Yet, some break their programming. Mega-City One has been hit with two major robot-related conflicts. The first was initiated by the rogue 'Call-me-Kenneth' unit. A bloody campaign of extermination against the 'Fleshy Ones' ensued. The second was precipitated by the arch-criminal Nero Narcos, who unleashed hordes of Assassinator Droids' bid to seize control of Mega-City One.

Despite these incidents, robots continue to be an indispensable part of Mega-City life. With Mega-City One's population decimated by recent events, the presence of robots as a tireless workforce has become ever more critical.

Box Contains:

• 5 Mega-City Robots:
• DemoBot
• WarBot
• SecBot
• UtilBot
• MedBot
• 5 Unit Cards
• 1 Armoury Car: Repair Kit
• 1 Big Meg Card: Call-me-Kenneth

If you are still reading, you are amazing! Please help by subscribing; it is free to do and means a lot to me as it allows these videos to appear more often.

This video is part of Adventure with Peps blogging:

Solo link to all my social channels. This video was filmed on a Sony ZVE-10, and for those interested, I use Titan Shield Card Protectors for the cards.

Audio Review 59 // The Predator Hunters and Hunted

Looks like I am back on the Aliens/Predator franchise again. I keep getting hooked to this series again and again. For me, this series just sums up everything I love about true sci-fi. Humanity is weak, and the deep dark is fucking scary!

Today's audiobook is the prequel to the movie The Predator. Let us dive in and get on with it!

Title: The Predator: Hunters And Hunted Official Movie Prequel

Series: (Aliens / Predator / Prometheus)

Author: James A. Moore

Fluff: The official prequel novel leads into the summer blockbuster The Predator, Shane Black's new movie set within the universe of the previous films. With a screenplay by Shane Black and Fred Dekker, the film stars Yvonne Strahovski, Boyd Holbrook, Olivia Munn, Alfie Allen, Thomas Jane, Sterling Brown, Keegan-Michael Key, Edward James Olmos, Jake Busey, and more. Author James ...more.

Get a copy via Amazon: https://amzn.to/3oTKBCP.

Published by: Titan Books

Let's get obvious out the way. This is a prequel to The Predator's film; it was designed to bring parties interested in the incoming film and drive excitement. James A. Moore is a great writer, and he quickly absorbs you into the story. There are quite a few characters to remember, which leads to confusion. Still, General Woodhurst, Roger Elliott of the CIA, and Tomlin of the Reapers are the main characters to remember. The Reapers are fantastic and represent a Black Ops group trained to take down Predators, though, at the start of the novel, they are working off theoretical and fighting drug cartels.

I found Roger Elliot's character to be most interesting as he has actually survived a Predator attack before. Having faced off against one in Vietnam. This, of course, led to him being black-listed and treated like a pariah as no one believed his story. But soon, he is proven right.

An interesting twist in this book is the change of perspective throughout the novel. Of course, we have the humans, but we also spend time inside the head of the Predator and get to see how he views the different flora and fauna of Earth and actually how much he respects nature and the hunt. I know we get this in the comics, but this honestly felt refreshing; it would be hard to do in a film, but I hope they will explore more in the future. Another fun aspect of the story is the politics with greedy double-dealings in the search to control advanced alien technology. It was also fun to see the mention Weyland-Yutani at this point.

Let's not beat around the bush. This is an action-packed adventure, the Reapers vs the Predator was some of the standout highlights of the story, and they really deserved more time on this side of it. They were so good and enjoyable to listen to that they deserved an extra 10 minutes to not feel so rushed.

Overall highly recommend it to any Predator fans reading this, plenty of action, plenty of lore/world-building and lots of violence. Go on and treat yourself. You will not regret it.

Do you agree? Let me know in the comments. I hope you enjoyed it? Feel free to comment below or seek me out on one of the many social platforms I hang out on. Here is a quick LINK (Solo bio link) to my details. Cheers to reading this.

Comic Review 162 // 2000 AD Prog 1326

Time to travel back in time, to a simpler time. A time before COVID (remember that!). Today we are going all the way back to February 2003. I am on a solid run of rereading 2000 AD, and I love it. Just look at the cover of this issue, a bright, eye-catching orange, showcasing Slaine in all his glory with a faded Molch lurking in the background. Is it hinting at the story today? Will we have revenge? Time to find out.

Strangely there are only four stories this week. Last week and before, we had five with Sinister Dexter, so I can only assume we have some longer tales this week. As always, we start with:

Judge Dredd vs Aliens: Incubus Part 6. Big Man of Mega-City One Judge Dredd goes toe to toe with a Xenomorph in this one. As Judge Dredd attempts to tackle the alien away from the children's ward, they smash through a window plummeting onto a Zoom Line. We have Dredd facing the Xenomorph only with flares on a high-speed bullet train in classic nail-bitter cliffhangers!

You all know by now I love the artwork, I love Dredd, and I love Xenomorphs. A great story to kick us off.

Slaine: Moloch Part 6. The last issue was brutal, and this issue starts a little slower as we have the funeral for Niamh. During this, we discover Slaine is standing down as the High King of Ireland, and he adventures off to track down Moloch. Jump forward one year, and we are in Albion watching Ukko get information for Slaine on the whereabout of Moloch; we then get an awkward farewell as Slaine seemingly says his last goodbye to the Dwarf sidekick.

Using the information given to him by Ukko, Slaine heads off to an arena to Face off against Moloch. Here Slaine grapples with the demon, and they both plunge towards a pit of Lava, and with that, Book One ends.

What an epic way to end the first part of the series. I will naturally assume Slaine survives but damn, how epic was that!

Caballistics, Inc. Going Underground Part 6. Following on from Miss Simmon's sacrifice, we discover things didn't go as Ravne expected. Instead, it would seem she became a conduit for maybe a demon? Either way, she helps purge the tunnels of the infestation and saves the other team members. As this series comes to an end, we discover that following this mission, the team is renamed Caballistics and that Mr. Ravne is actually a lot older than he appears and is possibly an ex-member of the occult nazi branch. Which explains a lot.

Interesting series. I thought I was coming into a fully fleshed-out story when in fact, it is just the beginning. I am excited to see where it goes.

Nikolai Dante: Hell and High Water Part 6. A bit of a dull episode for Dante this week. After a classic love scene, we see him manipulated to help out the Black Dragons in exchange for the well-being of the two children. The most exciting part of this section was the title of the next installment: The Ballad of the Pirate Queen. Is this hinting at Dante's mother?

Overall this issue was good. Judge Dredd continues to amaze. Slaine was a great ending, and Caballistics, Inc. has me hooked. Dante was meh, but you can't win them all.

Want to learn more about 2000 AD? Why not start with the 2000 AD Encyclopedia (link is via Amazon, and I get a kickback). Thank you for reading, and if you want to chat more, come find me on Instagram.