Welcome, Earthlets, to Multiver-City One, our monthly look at the “Judge Dredd Megazine!” Let’s get right to it.
Judge Dredd: Praise Zort!” Part One
Credits:Rory McConville (Script), Staz Johnson (Art), Chris Blythe (Colors), Annie Parkhouse (Letters)
Christopher Egan: The newest arc of “Judge Dredd” is more political thriller than action packed sci-fi shoot ’em up. After the chrono technology scandal led by Tek-Judge Grant within Mega City One’s Justice Department, Judges from all over the world have come to assemble and question the current Chief Judge, Logan as to their findings and internal investigation into the matter. For the most part, the international Judges aren’t happy that Mega City One is the only faction looking into the matter, believing it should be a joint effort to root out further corruption and/or hiding the fact that other Judges besides Grant are knowingly at fault.
McConville’s script has some real depth when looking at this issue from various angles. And having the Justice Department under such scrutiny makes the law enforcement of this world feel like it has to answer for indiscretions rather than being an almighty, above the law entity. A larger discussion of corruption, trust, religious fanaticism, and more make this first chapter an intriguing and exciting opener. So much so that you may forget to ask yourself where Dredd is as he shows up within the last few pages. The artwork and colors by Johnson and Blythe give a excellent weight and naturalism to the story, fitting the narrative at hand. Various styles ranging from silly bubblegum action to cyberpunk nihilism works for other tales, but this one straddles the line of sci-fi and realism beautifully. It still feels like a “Judge Dredd” comic while giving it a real world vibe for a more series investigative story.
Those looking for an action packed “Judge Dredd” strip will be missing out this week, but the strong storytelling from McConville and Johnson more than make up for mindless bullet spraying with dark politics, corruption, and murder.
Death Cap, Part 2
Credits: TC Eglington (script), Boo Cook (art), Simon Bowland (letters)
Greg Lincoln: “Death Cap” is a solid story; it’s easy to follow and clearly told. We know why our hero is driven to her violent actions, her motivations are clear and wether we agree or not they make sense. The one thing the tale has yet to do is create an emotional connection with her. It’s easy to feel sorry or angry for her but TC Eglington has yet to make us feel with her. In “Death Cap” we are watching her ride as the Cursed Land exile seeks revenge but we are yet to join her.
Boo Cook though has a real handle kn creating a gritty, dry desert atmosphere in “Death Cap.” Their use of color, texture and tone evoke the feeling of being dry and parched and scared. The page that was a homage to Carlos Esqurez really captured his style and connected this story to what was obviously a classic Dredd tale, one that I do not recall and may have never read. Cook’s mushroom festooned creations are creepy and given it’s an infection the images really play well into the fears we are facing daily in real life. Were this story given more background or time to develop, I think it would be stronger than it is at present.
Diamond Dogs: Book III, Part 2
Credits: James Peaty (script), Warren Pleece (art), Simon Bowland (letters)
Michael Mazzacane: Something with the way writer James Peaty and letterer Simon Bowland use the word “drok” this strip really gives “Diamond Dogs” that proper grimy working class British gangster story feel. It could also be the track suits. And yet for all the toxic masculinity and attitudes that everyone puts on, Warren Pleece has the right sense to set it primarily in a pink pool hall which recalls the bathroom in Titane.
That kind of twist or subversion is what keeps this second strip lively. It’s the second chapter of this latest book of “Diamond Dogs” and after the heist from the previous strip and establishing Jones dual role with the Judges, it’s time to just get the plot really moving. Plot movement is what this strip is all about as they setup a meeting with the Silver Apples that should be the focus of next month’s strip. Meanwhile the Brit Cit Judges are on the case as Arimtage begins to bring in Judge Harding. Pleece also works in just the best-worst visual gag with a sign that notes Harding’s trigger practice was “Six shots. Six kills. 100% Justice.
Continued belowPleece’s emotive work is stronger in this episode. Maybe it’s due to the scenario provided by Peaty, allowing for moments of recognition between Jones and Hardcore that a lot has changed between them. A moment that pays homage to Chinatown, but still feels like it is built on the emotional history between these thieves and gangsters.
This isn’t the most lively strip but Waren Pleece’s art gives it just that little bit extra that makes it an entertaining read even if the motions are obvious.
Lawless Ballots over Badrock: 02
Credits: Dan Abnett(script), Phil Winslade (art), Jim Campbell (letters)
Matthew Blair: Democracy is alive and well in the small town of Badrock, and all the various factions and power brokers in the town are moving their resources around like pieces on a chess board. The problem is that our well meaning protagonist–former sheriff turned mayoral candidate Lawson–might not necessarily be the best suited for what’s coming next and what she may have to do in order to become the mayor of her beloved town.
Dan Abnett’s script for “Lawless Ballots over Badrock: 02” provides a complex, multifaceted, and frankly honest portrayal of the democratic process and shows the struggles of leadership in a vast and complicated web of rising players and conflicting interests. Abnett does a great job of showing how messy the process can be by moving back and forth between a frantically campaigning Lawson who is coming to grips with her changing role, a depressingly familiar conversation between two men in a bar talking about how Lawson’s liberal policies will damage the hard working reputation of the town, and a meeting between a shop owner and an up and coming crime syndicate looking for a new home in Badrock. It’s a solid foundation for a lot of upcoming chaos.
Phil Winslade’s art for “Lawless Ballots over Badrock: 02” is so good I’m having trouble trying to come up with ways to say how good it is. With that being said, the nature of the story does lead to some problems that are exacerbated by the artwork. In this case, while the artwork still has a gorgeous amount of high quality detail, the black and white artwork can make it a bit difficult for the audience to keep track of the multiple storylines that jump too and fro. Still, the characters look great, the emotional impact is clearly felt, and the setting has a wonderful blend of an American Old West frontier town while including just enough sci fi details to ground the audience in the Judge Dredd universe.
“Lawless Ballots over Badrock: 02” continues to pile on the tension in the small town of Badrock, with the main character trying to balance the demands of her new life with the familiarity of her old one, all while a new and terrifying threat is building underneath her feet.
Surfer: 2
Credits: John Wagner (script), Colin MacNeil (art), Chris Blythe (colors), Annie Parkhouse (letters)
Brian Salvatore: The fun of “Surfer” is the acrobatics that Colin MacNeil can gracefully emulate with his pen and pencil that give off the illusion of flying, or skysurfing, as it were. The first third of this chapter is non-stop action, with Zane showing his truly preternatural skills at surfing, along with his heart and his bravery, all of which make for an electrifying sequence. Zane is a solid character here, and without too much exposition, his story is clear.
The issue with this chapter is that 2/3 of it takes place talking about the film being made and the politics of being paid for stunt work. This stuff is not un-interesting, but it pales in comparison to what is happening elsewhere. The action is the star of this strip, and when you remove most of that in order to give some more insight into the film itself, the strip starts to drag. Now, it is understandable why John Wagner is doing this; clearly, there will be some sort of mishap while shooting, and this is all important bedrock upon which the tragedy and foul play will be built atop. But the ratio is off; if this was a smaller part of the strip, it would’ve read much smoother and been more fun. Hopefully, next chapter corrects that.
