Sinister Dexter

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Sinister Dexter

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Publication information
Publisher Rebellion/2000AD
First appearance "Sinister Dexter" - 1995
Created by Dan Abnett
David Millgate
In story information
Base(s) Bar None
Member(s) Finnigan Sinister
Ramone Dexter

Sinister Dexter is a long-running comic series in British comic book 2000 AD, created by Dan Abnett and David Millgate.

Set in the near future, it features the exploits of gun sharks (hitmen) Finnigan "Finny" Sinister and Ramone "Ray" Dexter in the city of Downlode, sprawled across Central Europe "like a hit and run victim". Occasional stories have taken place in other cities, or off planet. The size of Downlode is never specified in the strip, but it appears to stretch from Spain to eastern Europe. The appearance of the city largely depends on the artist of the particular storyline, often it appears to be styled after the former soviet bloc, with many statues and wide boulevards, plus dilapidated cars such as Trabants and VW Beetles. However in other strips the city looks clean and futuristic, like Mega City One. The story "London Town" shows that London and Great Britain still exist separate from Downlode.

In early strips the police used hover-cars with "Polizei" written on the side, however more recently they have been seen driving generic saloon cars resembling ford Crown Victoria's. These are painted in a similar way to the cars of the LAPD and have DCPD written on them. Sinister and Dexter themselves drive a 1950s Edsel, this started out as a hardtop but in the story "Alibi Of Broadway" had it's roof torn off and was re-built as a convertible. This car is frequently crashed into things or shot at but somehow is always repaired perfectly in time for the next story. Hover Car technology seems to exist too, and in some stories appears to have been retrofitted to old cars such as Checker Cabs. advanced robots are occasionally seen in the stories, but appear to be very rare, and are usually controlled by humans and are unable to think for themselves. Some characters also have several cyborg implants, including Ramone himself who has a "Fony Headcase" television implanted into his eyes. In one story a malfunction in this temporarily gave him the ability to see in infra-red and detect a small hole in a crime-bosses' personal forcefield (referred to as a very rare and expensive technology).

The atmosphere of the stories suggests a time of economic recession, with many references made to sophisticated army hardware being sold off to the highest bidder, usually criminal gangs. Additionally many strips feature the city looking worn and run-down even in "rich" areas. In the story "Mother 'Lode And The Red Admiral" it is mentioned that Korea has developed cold fusion and become the world's richest nation.

Ramone uses a pair of "Ruger Nines", often drawn a silver 9mm pistols, or occasionally as revolvers. Sinister uses a "Minigun" which is nothing like the real-world minigun. In most stories it resembles a small pump-action shotgun and can fire different kinds of bullets, including high explosives. In other stories (with different artists) the gun looks like a large double-barrelled revolver or a small machine pistol.

Contents

[edit] Plot

In early stories the duo work as freelance hit-men, taking contracts from their "fact-totem", a PDA-like device, and killing people for money. The kingpin of crime in these early stories is Holy Moses Tanenbaum

Eventually a large price is put on the head of Holy Moses himself, expecting Sinister and Dexter to take the contract he sends hit-men to kill them, after killing these they decide to take the contract, as their reputation would dictate they have to take the toughest jobs. After a battle which results in the duo both being nearly killed Holy Moses is killed and the person who put out the contract is revealed to be his wife, Demi Octavo.

A brief period of gang violence follows as various gangs attempt to take control of the city's underworld for themselves. Eventually The Czar, moblord of the Russian mafia calls a conference of gang leaders in an attempt to resolve the situation and hires Sinister and Dexter as security for the meeting. During the meeting, Sinister and Dexter discover that, naturally, every single gang has made plans to assassinate the other gang leaders. After these are fought off The Czar reveals "himself" to be a robot double outfitted with a close-focus nuke in its chest cavity. With the gang leaders dead The Czar is able to take over the underworld for himself.

Following the gang-war, Sinister and Dexter are hired by an accountant working for a Mr Bronsky "Ballpeen" Hammer as protection to 'expedite' the handover of the year-end accounts. The rendezvous between the accountant and Mr Hammer's men in Fred Quimby Municipal Park is violently interrupted by the Department of Taxation, causing the "Infamous Audit Showdown of '66". As a result of the carnage, Sinister and Dexter decide to take a holiday and The Czar recommends that they visit a nightclub in Asbestopol known as the Bawdwalk. At the club a pair of hired muscle known as Buddy Boom and Buddy Bing are threatening the club owner, Kilopatra, so Sinister and Dexter step in to help him and scare off the heavies, thus picking themselves up a holiday job.

Kilopatra sends the pair off to pay a visit to local mob-king Philly O'Fisch, as it was he who sent the two heavies after Kilopatra. Sinister and Dexter kill the two Buddies and warn Philly off Kilopatra under threat of taking one of the many contracts that Philly has on his head. When they return from this job, the run into Demi Octavo who is at the nightclub under a pseudonym, she tells the pair that the word spread that she was the one who put out the hit on Holy Moses Tanembaum so she decided to escape Downlode. The Czar suggested that she head to the Bawdwalk, which convinces Sinister and Dexter that The Czar has set them all up.

The pair invade Philly's island lair and kill him and all of his minions and return to Downlode to take out the Czar using a giant, cyborg alligator that ticks. After this, Demi Octavo takes over as mob-queen and hires Sinister and Dexter as her personal guardians.

Stories from now on generally revolve around them protecting her empire, though occasionally they also take contracts from other people. During this time Demi's kid sister, Billi Octavo, decides to become a Gunshark, but a misunderstanding results in her killing some respected city dignitaries. During the ensuing police chase Sinister explains the unwritten "Gunshark Code" that they never kill cops or "innocents". Later Billi hacks into the police database and finds the dignitaries she killed where actually guilty of "perverted" crimes and it had been covered up. She released this data to the media and the police where forced to abandon the hunt. It is also revealed most rank-and-file police officers actually support Gunsharks, because they only kill other criminals which results in less criminals overall.

Later Dexter begins to see visions on his "Headcase" TV which suggest he is a wanted serial killer, the Blemvoi Butcher. It turns out the actual killer also has a "Headcase" and the signals have got confused. The Butcher lures the pair and two police officers, including the "by-the-book" Tracey Weld, into a trap. Dexter kills the butcher and this eventually leads to his becoming romantically involved with Weld.

Later Demi Octavo is killed and the city once again descends into turmoil. During this time the pair "train" another Gunshark, Kal Kutter.

Another mob boss, called Apellido, begins to take over the city and sends a huge squad of "bullet monkeys" (inferior but cheaper gunsharks) after Billi Octavo. Sinister attempts to get her out of the city but the other hitmen are chasing the two. Meanwhile Dexter is with Detective Weld when he hears the news and rushes out of the house with his guns drawn. By chance he is seen by a police officer who tells him to freeze, before going to get out his handcuffs. Dexter misinterprets this as the officer going for his gun and kills him, thereby breaking the gunshark code. He escapes but doesn't get very far before being surrounded. Fearful of being tortured in prison a standoff ensues, and he is eventually shot by Weld. Sinister is last seen speeding out of the city, with a wounded Billi octavo in the car, still pursued by the bullet monkeys.

The story line at the end of 2005 (over the instalments "...and Death shall have no dumb minions" and "Festive Spirits") seemed to suggest that the deadly duo where both dead. However, this didn't stop some one-page "gag strips" from appearing in the Judge Dredd Magazine

This issue has now been addressed in passing as part of the twist in the, initially apparently unconnected, series Malone. The "Festive Spirits" story, in which both appeared as skeletal zombies who where apparently ignored by their old friends, is hinted at merely being one of Malone's dreams.

After surviving the showdown with his boss, Apellido, Sinister changed his face and taking drugs to try to forget his past, fleeing offworld to Generica. It wasn't until Rocky Rhodes told him of his true identity that he returned to Downlode City to get revenge on Apellido making sure he knows that he's now alive. It was also revealed that Ramone also survived the shooting but was rendered quadriplegic.

Sinister allowed himself to be captured and was sent to the same prison as Ramone, with a plan to escape. After enlisting the help of two other prisoners, he executes the breakout and escapes with Ramone in a wheelchair. Heading to an old doctor friend it is revealed Ramone has been kept immobilised by an implant in his spine. With this removed, and surviving an attack by another Apellido hit-squad, the head for a run-down lockup. There Sinister stashed the Edsel and their old guns. They collect these and drive back into Downlode to again work as gunsharks, bringing the series full circle.

[edit] Characters

  • Major villains include:
    • The Apellido Mob:
      • Apellido, current Crime Lord of Download City
      • Ronko, Apellido's chief enforcer
      • Lars Maybach, Apellido's chief banker
      • Charlie Bigelow, one of Apellido's enforcer
      • Chevy Brakes, a minor enforcer
    • The Mover's Mob:
    • Telemachus Gore (Deceased), corrupt cop and former Crime Lord/Marshal
    • Serge, a gangster on the planet Generica

[edit] Trivia

 Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines.
The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.
  • Sinister Dexter is a play on words; in Latin sinister means 'on the left side' and dexter means 'on the right side'. It can be traced back to the Principia Discordia, quote: "Sinister Dexter has a broken spirometer."

[edit] Bibliography

As well as appearing in their own title they (and other Downlode characters) appeared in Downlode Tales and they also appeared in Metal Hammer magazine - everything written by Dan Abnett:

  • Sinister Dexter:
    • "Sinister Dexter" (with David Millgate, in 2000 AD Winter Special #7, 1995)
    • "Nervous Rex" (with David Millgate, in 2000 AD #981, 1996)
    • "Curl Up And Die" (with Anthony Williams, in 2000 AD #982, 1996)
    • "Bratwurst Than Death" (with Tom Carney, in 2000 AD #983, 1996)
    • "Max Vactor" (with Anthony Williams, in 2000 AD #984, 1996)
    • "Death and Taxis" (with Charles Gillespie, in 2000 AD #985, 1996)
    • "Finnigan's Minigun" (with Tom Carney, in 2000 AD #986, 1996)
    • "The Eleventh Commandment" (with Charles Gillespie, in 2000 AD #988-989, 1996)
    • "Alibi Of Broadway" (with Charles Gillespie, in 2000 AD #990-991, 1996) - may
    • "Wish Upon A Czar" (with Simon Davis, in 2000 AD #992-993, 1996)
    • "Family Man" (with Henry Flint, in 2000 AD #994, 1996)
    • "Executive Unction" (with Tom Carney and David Millgate, in 2000AD Sci-Fi Special 1996)
    • "Learning Kurv" (with David Millgate, in 2000 AD #1023, 1996)
    • "Gunshark Vacation" (with Simon Davis, in 2000 AD #1024-1031, 1997)
    • "Headcase" (with Marc Wigmore, in 2000 AD #1032, 1997)
    • "Murder 101" (with Simon Davis, in 2000 AD #1051-1061, 1997)
    • "Luck Of The Irish" (with Paul Johnson, in 2000 AD #1062, 1997)
    • "Waiting For God Knows" (with Julian Gibson, in 2000 AD #1063, 1997)
    • "60 Seconds" (with Paul Johnson, in 2000 AD #1064, 1997)
    • "Market Forces" (with Marc Wigmore, in 2000 AD #1065, 1997)
    • "The Mating Game" (with Siku, in 2000 AD #1066, 1997)
    • "The Worst Fight We Was Ever In" (with Julian Gibson, in 2000 AD #1067, 1997)
    • "A Brief History Of Gunsharks" (with Robert McCallum, in 2000 AD #1068, 1997)
    • "Last Orders" (with Marc Wigmore, in 2000 AD #1069, 1997)
    • "Pedal Power" (with Andrew Currie, in 2000 AD #1070, 1997)
    • "Things to do in Downlode When You're Dead" (with Julian Gibson, in 2000 AD #1071, 1997)
    • "Long to rain over us" (with Paul Johnson, in 2000 AD #1072, 1997)
    • "Roll With It" (with Julian Gibson, in 2000 AD #1073, 1997)
    • "Dead Cert" (with Steve Sampson, in 2000 AD #1074, 1997)
    • "Whack the Dinosaur" (with Siku, in 2000 AD #1075, 1997)
    • "Downlode Blues" (with Alex Ronald, in 2000 AD #1076, 1998)
    • "F.A.Q " (with Clint Langley, in 2000 AD #1076, 1998)
    • "Dressed to Kill" (with Siku, in 2000 AD #1078, 1998)
    • "Taking the Mick" (with Steve Yeowell, in 2000 AD #1079-1082, 1998)
    • "The Merry Weirdo" (with Allan Bednar as "Neal Brand", in 2000 AD #1083, 1998)
    • "London Town" (with Greg Staples, in 2000 AD #1084, 1998)
    • "The Big Stiff" (with Alex Ronald, in 2000 AD #1085, 1998)
    • "Lyrical Bollards" (with Simon Davis, in 2000 AD #1086, 1998)
    • "Hand Maid in Downlode" (with Andrew Currie, in 2000 AD #1087, 1998)
    • "To the Devil a Detour" (with Andy Clarke, in 2000 AD #1088-1089, 1998)
    • "Drop Dead Gorgeous" (with Greg Staples, in 2000 AD #1090-1091, 1998)
    • "Mother Lode and the Red Admiral" (with Calum Alexander Watt, in 2000 AD #1092-1095, 1998)
    • "Word Is" (with Ben Willsher as "Sheer", in 2000 AD # 1096, 1998)
    • "Tan Lines" (with Paul Johnson, in 2000 AD #1097, 1998)
    • "Tax Returns" (with David Millgate, in 2000 AD #1098, 1998)
    • "Bullfighting Days" (with Andy Clarke, in 2000 AD #1099, 1998)
    • "Slay Per View" (with Paul Johnson, in 2000 AD # 1102, 1998)
    • "End of the Line" (with Marc Wigmore (1-3), Julian Gibson (4-5), in 2000 AD # 1103-1107, 1998)
    • "Dead Man Whacking" (with Steve Yeowell, in 2000 AD #1108-1109, 1998)
    • "Death is a Lonely Donegan" (with Paul Johnson, in 2000 AD #1111, 1998)
    • "Anatomy of a Throwdown" (with Greg Staples, in 2000 AD #1112, 1998)
    • "Unofficial Business" (with Steve Sampson, in 2000 AD ##1113-1114, 1998)
    • "Sucker Punch" (with Sean Phillips, in 2000 AD #1115, 1998)
    • "Coptalk" (with Lol, in 2000 AD #1116, 1998)
    • "Smoke and Mirrors" (with David Bircham, in 2000 AD #1117-1122, 1998)
    • "Grey's Allergy" (with Patrick Woodrow, in 2000 AD #1123, 1998)
    • "'Twas the Fight Before Christmas" (with Steve Yeowell, in 2000 AD #1124, 1998)
    • "Automate" (with Paul Marshall, in 2000 AD # 1125, 1998)
    • "Reservations" (with Andy Clarke, in 2000 AD # 1126, 1998)
    • "Eurocrash" (with Simon Davis, in 2000 AD # 1127-1139, 1998)
    • "Exit Wounds" (with Simon Davis, in 2000 AD prog 2000, 1999)
    • "Observations" (with Paul Johnson, in 2000 AD #1181, 2000)
    • "Mission to Mangapore" (with Andy Clarke, in 2000 AD #1189-1197, 2000)
    • "Life Behind Bars" (with Simon Davis, in 2000 AD #1198-1199, 2000)
    • "Feeding Frenzy" (with Simon Davis, in 2000 AD #1200-1202, 2000)
    • "Gun Play" (with Nigel Raynor/Stephen Baskerville, in 2000 AD #1203-1205, 2000)
    • "Shrink Rap" (with Andy Clarke, in 2000 AD #1206-1211, 2000)
    • "Lucky" (with Patrick Goddard (pencils), Lee Townsend (inks), in 2000 AD # 1220, 2000)
    • "Way Out West" (with Patrick Goddard (pencils), Lee Townsend (inks),in 2000 AD # 1221, 2000)
    • "Scene of the Crime (with Steve Roberts, in 2000 AD #1222, 2000)
    • "The Man in the Ion Mask" (with Simon Davis, in 2000 AD # 1223-1226, 2000)
    • "Money Shots" (with Andy Clarke, in 2000 AD # 1227-1228, 2000)
    • "Point Blanc" (with Andy Clarke, in 2000 AD #1231-1233, 2000)
    • "Bullet Time" (with Andy Clarke, in 2000 AD prog 2001, 2000)
    • "Dirty Habits" (with Steve Roberts, in 2000 AD #1234, 2001)
    • "Quality Time" (with Steve Roberts, in 2000 AD #1235, 2001)
    • "Barf Bag" (with Andy Clarke, in 2000 AD #1243-1245, 2000)
    • "Fully Laundromatic" (with Ian Richardson, in 2000 AD #1246-1248, 2000-2001)
    • "I say hello" (with Mark Pingriff, in 2000 AD #1264, 2001)
    • "Fear and Clothing" (with Paul Johnson, in 2000 AD #1265, 2001) [1]
    • "On the Fidel" (with Steve Roberts, in 2000 AD #1266-1267, 2001)
    • "Black and White" (with Frazer Irving, in 2000 AD #1268, 2001)
    • "Night of the Living Dude" (with Cam Smith, in 2000 AD #1269, 2001)
    • "Sumo Chanted Evening" (with pencils by Jon Haward and inks by John Stokes, in 2000 AD #1270, 2001)
    • "Suddenly, Genghis" (with Siku, in 2000 AD #1271, 2001)
    • "Glock Around the Clock" (with Mark Pingriff, in 2000 AD #1272, 2001)
    • "Slay Bells in the Snow" (with Anthony Williams, in 2000 AD prog 2002, 2001)
    • "U R Here" (with Adrian Bamforth, in 2000 AD #1279, 2002)
    • "Narked for Death" (with Adrian Bamforth, in 2000 AD #1281, 2002)
    • "Tart au Citroen" (with Steve Roberts, in 2000 AD #1282, 2002)
    • "Poker Face" (with Ian Richardson, in 2000 AD #1283-84, 2002)
    • "Croak" (with Mark Pingriff, in 2000 AD #1290-92, 2002)
    • "House of Whacks" (with David Bircham, in 2000 AD #1294, 2002)
    • "Animal Firm" (with Cam Smith, in 2000 AD #1296-98, 2002)
    • "Deaky Poobar, we hardly knew ye" (with Steve Parkhouse, in 2000 AD #1307-1310, 2002)
    • "Wising Off" (with Mike Collins, in 2000 AD #1311, 2002)
    • "Low Life" (with Steve Roberts, in 2000 AD #1312, 2002)
    • "The Off-Lode Experience" (with Simon Davis, in 2000 AD #1312, 2002)
    • "Get Shirty" (with Simon Davis, in 2000 AD prog 2003, 2002)
    • "Relode" (with Ben Willsher, in 2000 AD #1322-1325, 2003)
    • "Bouncers" (with Steve Roberts, in Judge Dredd Megazine #202, 2003)
    • "Gag Reflex" (with Steve Roberts, in Judge Dredd Megazine #204, 2003)
    • "Big Game" (with Cam Smith, in 2000 AD #1343-1344, 2003) - 11th June
    • "Write from Wrong" (with Steve Yeowell, in 2000 AD #1345-1347, 2003)
    • "Oh Kal Cutter" (with Andy Clarke, in 2000 AD #1348, 2003)
    • "Junk Bond" (with Simon Davis, in 2000 AD #1356-1361, 2003)
    • "Five Go Postal in Downlode" (with Simon Davis, in 2000 AD prog 2004, 2003)
    • "Just Business" (with Andy Clarke, in 2000 AD #1380-1382, 2004)
    • "Job Jobbed" (with Andy Clarke, in 2000 AD #1383-1385, 2004)
    • "Scare Tactics" (with Cam Smith, in 2000 AD #1397-1399, 2004)
    • "Off-Ramp" (with Jack Lawrence, in 2000 AD #1415, 2004)
    • "Dunce Macabre" (with Simon Davis, in 2000 AD prog 2005, 2004)
    • "Latte Animals" (with Mark Pingriff, in 2000 AD #1429-1430, 2005)
    • "Vircade" (with John McCrea, in 2000 AD #1431, 2005)
    • "Life's A Beach" (with Steve Yeowell, in 2000 AD #1433-1435, 2005)
    • "Slow Train to Kal Cutter" (with Simon Davis, in 2000 AD #1443-1449, 2005)
    • "...and Death shall have no dumb minions" (with Simon Davis, in 2000 AD #1459-1468, 2005)
    • "Festive Spirits" (with Simon Davis, in 2000 AD prog 2006, 2005)
    • "A Night Off" (with Steve Roberts, in Judge Dredd Megazine #242, 2006)
    • "High Tide" (with Steve Roberts, in Judge Dredd Megazine #243, 2006)
    • "Places to go, people to do" (with Anthony Williams, in 2000 AD #1508-1513, 2006)
    • "Pros and Cons" (with Ian Richardson (1-3), Simon Coleby (3) and Anthony Williams (4), in 2000 AD #1514-1517, 2006)
    • "The Last Thing I Do" (with Simon Davis, in 2000 AD #1528-1533, 2007)
    • "The Doctor is in" (with Simon Coleby, in 2000 AD #1535-1538, 2007)
    • "Normal Service" (with Anthony Williams, in 2000 AD #1539, 2007)
    • "Life is an Open Casket " (with Anthony Williams, in 2000 AD #1560-1565, 2007)
    • "Yer Ass From Yer Elbow" (with Anthony Williams, in 2000 AD #1589-ongoing, 2008)
  • Downlode Tales:
    • "Tough Tushy" (with Sean Phillips, in 2000 AD #1126, 1999)
    • "Syn City" (with Siku, in 2000 AD #1127, 1999)
    • "Lone Shark" (with Trevor Hairsine, in 2000 AD #1144, 1999)
    • "The Ass Kickers" (with Paul Johnson, in 2000 AD #1145-1148, 1999)
    • "Scrubbers" (with Calum Alexander Watt, in 2000 AD #1149, 1999)
    • "The Whack Pack" (with Greg Staples, in 2000 AD #1152-1154, 1999)
    • "City on Fire" (with Chris Weston, in 2000 AD #1155-1160, 1999)
    • "Lock and 'Lode" (with Simon Davis, in 2000 AD #1161-68, 1999)

[edit] External links