Comic Review - Judge Dredd Lawman of the Future 06

Remember when a comic cost a single pound? Me neither, because it was 1995! The cover of issue 06 is full-on action, with Movie Judge Dredd falling toward the reader. It is a pretty straightforward cover declaring two new tales, the third token for a free t-shirt and some hints about the cover art story.

We get the classic few filler pages of adverts and editorial pieces about how popular the comic is, and I wonder if it was. Then we get the heavy hint of upcoming villains loose within MC-1, including Weapons Freak, Milo Lune, The Lawmaster and Vic Visconti. The Lawmaster looks and sounds pretty badass, in my opinion, and I'm glad to report he is in the very first tale of this issue.

The Lawmaster: A nightclub is the scene of an explosive attack, as a vigilante named The Lawmaster smashes in guns blazing. Once Judge Dredd is on the scene, Lawmaster's time is numbered. But how does the vigilante stay one step ahead of the Justice Department? It's a great tale that could have easily been a two-part episode. It's a real shame they didn’t take the time.

The filler pages are a real shame, and I understand how they make their money, but I could easily enjoy another story here instead of the reader’s photographs, a t-shirt advert and a two-page poster.

Graveyard Shift: Milo Lune is leading the charge of escaped psychos from the holding cells and is running rampant throughout the local mall. After watching Lune takedown multiple Judges, it is up to Judge Dredd to bring him to justice. But how will the Batgliding master criminal play into this? It's a fun enough ending. Just wasn’t up to speed with the other stories.

Quake: A new villain is on the scene and causing localized earthquakes with the ability to bring down entire City Blocks. Even Judge Dredd is unsure where to start looking. After the second block is announced as a target, the full might of the Justice Department moves in to attempt to clear the block. In classic stupid fashion, a citizen refuses to leave, and Judge Dredd is forced to enter the building to rescue the citizen. Unfortunately, as Judge Dredd arrives in the apartment, the building starts falling. Big fear is unlocked here. The idea of being trapped in a collapsing building is shit scary! Looking forward to the follow-up.

We are steadily moving through these issues, and I genuinely enjoy them. The tales are well thought-out, punchy and quick, perfect for teenagers. The artwork is excellent, for the most part, and shows the era well. I wish they would give themselves more time to tell the tales. Lawmaster could have been a two-part, and I feel Quake could have made longer with more build-up to the villain role.

I hope you are enjoying this step back in time. Let me know if you are below.