The Programme, Vol. 2

The Programme #7-12

by Peter Milligan, C.P. Smith (Illustrator)

Originally published in single magazine form as The Programme #7-12"--Vol. 2.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Superheroes

144 pages, Paperback

First published December 9, 2008

About the author

Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

Peter Milligan is a British writer, best known for his work on X-Force / X-Statix, the X-Men, & the Vertigo series Human Target. He is also a scriptwriter.

He has been writing comics for some time and he has somewhat of a reputation for writing material that is highly outlandish, bizarre and/or absurd.

His highest profile projects to date include a run on X-Men, and his X-Force revamp that relaunched as X-Statix.

Many of Milligan's best works have been from DC Vertigo. These include: The Extremist (4 issues with artist Ted McKeever) The Minx (8 issues with artist Sean Phillips) Face (Prestige one-shot with artist Duncan Fegredo) The Eaters (Prestige one-shot with artist Dean Ormston) Vertigo Pop London (4 issues with artist Philip Bond) Enigma (8 issues with artist Duncan Fegredo) and Girl (3 issues with artist Duncan Fegredo).

Series:
* Human Target
* Greek Street
* X-Force / X-Statix

Reviews

[Ramón Nogueras Pérez · Rating 3 out of 5]

La historia de los cuatro superhéroes soviéticos y su controlador, que deciden invadir América por su cuenta y empiezan por arrasar Las Vegas, llega aquí a una conclusión impredecible, que cierra el cómic de una manera distópica.

Como los rusos son demasiado fuertes, se despierta a otro superhéroe americano que al principio es un obseso anticomunista pero qué despierta al hecho de que, siendo negro, es un instrumento de la opresión de los suyos. Así que cuando una liga de supremacistas blancos decide que este apocalipsis es su oportunidad de quemar iglesias de negros, el Senador Joe abandona la causa y lucha contra los nazis. Por otro lado, Max, el primer protagonista, acaba por ser engañado para aceptar deshacer la contraprogramación que uno de sus creadores le hizo para que no fuese un fascista, porque no tiene lo que hay que tener para luchar contra los rusos. Y así se acaba por desarrollar la batalla en Washington, con los rusos supervivientes huyendo, tras abandonar su fantasía de destruir América, y el país convertido en una distopía fascista porque claro, después de lo sucedido tenemos que suspender temporalmente la democracia para asegurar la seguridad de todos. Con el Fascista Max como perro de presa del régimen y sus antiguos controladores huidos y tratando de formar una resistencia.

El dibujo, tratando de tener una cualidad casi fotorrealista, es en ocasiones algo confuso, sobre todo en las batallas donde, a veces, es que no entiendo qué pasa. Pero tiene un tono que es muy adecuado al estilo de la narrativa, cínico y sin concesiones al sueño americano. O al soviético. Todos en esta historia han sido traicionados por sus ideales. Todo es una farsa. El único momento en que los superhombres y supermujeres tienen algo de agencia es rápidamente eliminado en pro de la causa. Sólo son herramientas, basadas en el sueño de unos nazis.

Una obra recomendable.

[47Time · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story jumps around just as much as in the previous volume, making the whole experience less than entertaining. I had some hopes for it, but the slow progress, the use racism with no impact at the end, the awful artwork, the endless use of political slogans and the lack of direction were truly tiring. The ending doesn't provide a definite finality which is the biggest disappointment. It feels like the author tried to combine more believable superheroes with mature political propaganda, but ended with a hodge podge of loose threads. The superheroes were underused and the politics were exaggerated and unrealistic. The covers were by far the coolest part.

Max doesn't do well against the Dolls. The regular people are split between supporting the Communist invaders and fearing for their lives. The racist movement in US is highlighted in all its 'glory', though in this particular case the victims intend to fight back with guns. Civil war - or rather a race war - is on the horizon.

While Max wants to hit the Dolls head on, Joe is manipulated into fighting for a group of black men against the US army. The CIA wants to use Hinks to reprogram Max into fighting mindlessly for the US government. Max's wife is forced into tranquilizing Max for the procedure. He arises a different, colder man, ready to face the Dolls. He kills two of the Dolls and forces the rest to retreat. The US president maintains the state of emergecy as he institutes a kind of autocracy enforced by Max.

[Artur Coelho · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mitografia dos super-heróis cruza-se com a paranóia da guerra fria nesta série escrita por Pete Milligan. Super-seres soviéticos, criados por um programa militar de pesquisa no desenvolvimento de poderes, semeiam a destruição ao longo de uma américa dividida, que se preocupa mais com tensões raciais do que com a imparável ameaça dos operacionais soviéticos. Os americanos também dispõe dos seus próprios super-seres, criados num programa de pesquisa secreto do pentágono, mas para os dotar da capacidade de derrotar os invasores é necessário levá-los a perder todos os escrúpulos e moralidade. A vitória é amarga, e utilizada pelo presidente americano para suspender a democracia sem fim à vista. Uma desconstrução violenta e cínica do heroísmo simplista dos comics.

[Colin Oaten · Rating 3 out of 5]

The conclusion to Milligans series. A good,if strange,tale as per Milligans style

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can read my review of both volumes under "The Programme Vol. 1," but will also add this: There's something to be said for series whose principle artist also handles covers. Not only is it a tremendous increase in workload, but it means that the powers-that-be trust you with the complete package of your book - no need to bring in a ringer to add some noteworthiness to what might otherwise be a sack of crap.
Obviously there are exceptions to this, but a book like the Programme is case in point. I'd never heard of C.P. Smith before reading this, but these covers are as striking as the artwork within. I may only be saying this because of the Vinyl Underground i just schlepped through, but damn, that was some weak sauce all around. Kudos to this book. Buy it instead.

[Fugo Feedback · Rating 3 out of 5]

Otro relato de Milligan interesante pero que no está al nivel de sus obras más personales y/o inspiradas. Quizás porque los personajes parecen muy de serie-B, quizás porque los dibujos de Smith no ayudan mucho a la narrativa, por más detallistas y bien definidos que estén (aunque su propio coloreado no aporta mucho que digamos). Una conclusión correcta para una serie correcta. Supongo que si consigo los números USA sueltos que me faltan, en algún momento le pegaré una releída con su correspondiente rerreseña.

[Marina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pshee. Tenía chicha este comic y no me ha disgustado, pero creo que se ha quedado en poca cosa. No he terminado de creerme a los personajes, quizá por el estilo de dibujo o el guión. Está bien, tiene ideas muy buenas pero creo que algunas se desaprovechan.

[Daniel Etherington · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing.

[Dony Grayman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Edición española. Tomo 2 de 2 publicado como #29 de la colección El Día Después.

[Emperorstephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Top notch writing by Peter Milligan and appropriately dark and moody artwork.