Comic Book Review // Judge Dredd: Complete Case Files 05 (Part 2)

Welcome back for the second part of the Complete Case Files 05. If you haven't read Part One, then check out yesterday’s post, you damn perp! I wanted to do the review in two parts but realized that just wasn't going to happen so it will now be broken down into three.

Like last time, it is in its bold, striking purple jacket, ringing in at 404 pages. The tales inside span progs 208 till 270 (62 progs worth) and cover the Mob wars, the return of Judge Death and the Apocalypse war years of 2103-2104. I love this era of Judge Dredd as we see great artwork, stunning stories and the rise and fall of some great heroes and villains. I had to break this book into three parts as it is a long one, and this part is ultimately the Return of Judge Death arc.

Story: Judge Death Lives Part 1- Having spent the last few years imprisoned within Judge Anderson, Judge Death has waited patiently. That is until a Grand Hall of Justice tourist released him from prison. Now carrying the essence of Death within him, the poor citizen returns home to find his wife dead and the Dark Judges holding court in his home.

Highlight: The first panel showing Fire, Fear, and Mortis is one of my favourite Brian Bolland panels. It is so creepy and atmospheric.

Story: Judge Death Lives Part 2- Judge Death, Fear, Fire and Mortis are loose within MC-1. Having erected a shield, the Dark Judges start sentencing the citizens of Billy Carter Block to death! As Dredd and the other Judges arrive on the scene, they find just pure carnage as the citizens try to flee the block and burn up on the shield!

Highlight: Seeing the Dark Judges’ powers in action is purely horrific and mindblowing. How will the Judges stop them?

Story: Judge Death Lives Part 3- The Dark Judges are racking a body count like no other. Whilst trapped outside, a frustrated Dredd is visited by a recovering Anderson, who informs him of the other three Dark Judges. Anderson can get herself and Dredd through the shielding and into the besieged block using her willpower.

Highlight: The last stand of Billy Carter Citi-Def in Peanut Park. They are full of hope and trust in their guns, and ultimately, they barely scratch or slow them down.

Story: Judge Death Lives Part 4- Dredd and Anderson are now in Billy Carter Block and searching for the shield device only problem is Judge Fire and Fear stand between them and it.

Highlight: My highlight is also a lowlight. Dredd defeats Fire by trapping him under concrete, which is all fine and well. But with Judge Fear, he does the classic Fist of Dredd line, which is pretty badass. Unfortunately, for me, everything seems a bit too easy. They are supernatural beings brought down with ease by a mere man! I would have preferred to have seen Anderson stepping up to the plate and aiding more help than just the odd shot from a lawgiver.

Story: Judge Death Lives Part 5- With the shield down, the full might of MC-1 Justice is hitting Billy Carter Block. With one of their number down, the three remaining Dark Judges flee MC-1 via a dimension-jumping device. Not wanting to miss their chance, Dredd and Anderson follow using Judge Fear’s dimension jumper and end up on Deadworld, home of the Dark Judges. Here, an epic battle takes place, resulting in Anderson harnessing the victims to finish off the Dark Judges. But can the dead indeed die?

Highlight: The statue erected shows the spot of the last living soul to be judged. Who exactly built it?

Story: Diary of a Mad Citizen Part 1- Kweeg has gone Futsie, and as his diary reveals, he has vowed to kill anyone who annoys him today! First up was his friend from the Citi-Def, followed soon after by a poor Joe who knocked into him on the pedway, then a passing street Judge, followed by an explosion at a fuel station, before finally killing his old boss who fired him! Quite the first day for Kweeg, but when an unnamed Judge (I assume Dredd) pushes him, Kweeg's mission changes focus.

Highlight: Putting his dead friend in the rubbish grinder! It's such a sad way to end a friendship.

Story: Diary of a Mad Citizen Part 2—Kweeg has gone Futsie. Worst of all, he wants to kill Dredd, and no one will stop him! After killing his taxi driver, Kweeg finds himself heading back to the taxi station, where he kills everyone! From here, everything goes downhill as he attempts to out-shoot Dredd! Kweeg is sent to a Kook Cube for the rest of his life for his crimes.

Highlight: There wasn't one. It was a sad ending for the villain; it felt rushed and weird that it went on for two strips.

Story: Assault on I-Block-4 Part 1—Gila-Munja is infiltrating MC-1 on their mission to kill Shaky Pete Coco, an ex-mobster turned Judge Witness.

Highlight: The Gila-Munja. How best to describe them...Short, poison-clawed hands and weird Conan hair. A tribe of Assassins from the Cursed Earth, their mutation has stabilized, and they now use their abilities to kill for money.

Story: Assault on I-Block-4 Part 2—The Gila-Munja are within MC-1. Now, we see their skills in action and how quickly they can break through an impenetrable building. Soon, Dredd is alone, facing off against three of the Cursed Earth mutants.

Highlight: Shaky Pete Coco, even though he survived the assassination attempt, Coco's heart ultimately fails him, and technically, the mobsters win.

Story: The Hotdog Run! Part 1- Judge Dredd and Judge Giant are taking a team of Cadets out into the Cursed Earth Wastelands. If the cadets perform poorly, they automatically fail the Academy, and success means being one step closer to becoming a Judge. This group has been tasked with hunting down a group of Mutant Marauders pillaging supply convoys west of the city.

Highlight: Aquaponic Farm growing munce plants. Munce is the miracle food of the future, but it is creepy—it looks like human heads!

Story: The Hotdog Run! Part 2- The Cadets have managed to chase down the marauders to an Aquaponic Munce farm, which is now under siege. To make matters worse, the Marauders have a tank!

Highlight: Cadet Spode fails and is forced to head back to MC-1 before leaving the Academy. Life is hard for a cadet Judge.

Story: The Hotdog Run! Part 3- With the Judges hot on their heels, the Marauders make a fateful error and enter the territory of the Gila-Munja. Unsurprisingly, casualties are high, and a promising cadet dies. With their mission complete, Dredd passes Judgement on the surviving Cadets, passing only two.

Highlight: The Gila-Munja are back and scary as ever.

And with that tale, we bring this part closer. The following tale is Block Mania and the opening of the Apocalypse War Saga. What should you say in this section of the comic? Highlights include the artwork on the Judge Death strips, but I am not so happy with how easily the villains were beaten. I would have preferred to have seen it go a strip or two longer and have a more epic showdown. Also, the Diary of a Mad Citizen had a rushed ending, which was a shame, making it feel like filler rather than an insight into a citizen’s life. Hotdog Run entered the Cursed Earth, so it was a given that I would enjoy it! Overall, this section is a solid 4 out of 5. Now, onto the war!