Comic Review: Judge Dredd The Complete Case File 03
No matter what I do, I can’t stay away from Judge Dredd for long. And this collection is an absolute banger! It introduces some fantastic characters and showcases Judge Dredd's world. Like File 02, we will split this into small-sized reviews; otherwise, I will write about this comic for the rest of my days.
Details
Pages: 244 - Paperback
Writers: John Wagner, Pat Mills
Artists: Mike McMahon, Ron Smith, Dave Gibbons, Brian Bolland, Brendan McCarthy, Garry Leach, Ian Gibson, John Cooper, Barry Mitchell
IN THE NAME OF THE LAW! The story of future lawman Judge Dredd continues in this third book, collecting together his adventures in chronological order. This bumper volume features many of Dredd's most exciting cases including the first appearance of Judge Death and Psi Judge Anderson and the return of Satanus, first featured in the epic Cursed Earth saga. Featuring the writing talents of comic book legends Pat Mills (Sláine) and John Wagner (A History of Violence), this volume also features the art of Ian Gibson (The Ballad of Halo Jones), Dave Gibbons (Watchmen) and Brian Bolland (Batman: The Killing Joke) amongst many other artists.
THIS VOLUME CONTAINS ALL THE JUDGE DREDD STORIES FROM 2000AD PROGS 116-154
Plus! BONUS STRIP Dr. Panic (2000AD annual 1979) Covers Gallery Author Biographies
The Strips
Vienna - Harry Carmen has kidnaped Judge Dredd's Niece Vienna (Daughter of Rico Dredd)- a perp arrested by Judge Dredd and sentenced to six years in the iso cubes for a computer swindle. With his mind plagued by the guilt of killing her father, Judge Dredd allows himself to get captured and must slowly wait as time runs out to save his niece. Overall, this story shows how much guilt Judge Dredd has over his history with Rico. We also see a more human side to Judge Dredd, which we rarely see in the earlier strips. His final act with Vienna is heart-aching, as Judge Dredd must choose to put distance between them if he hopes to save Vienna from future pain.
Cityblock Part 1 - Charlton Heston Block is home to 60,000 citizens. A city within a city and always on the edge of a riot. In this tale, we join Judge Dredd on a routine patrol, so what could go wrong? It is a great, funny little tale that, due to a chase scene, we experience different levels of a city block. Sadly, it all started due to a dropped piece of litter. But I'm excited to see more and see how it grows.
Cityblock Part 2 - This time, we visit the Harriet Beecher Stowe Block and learn about the vast unemployment issues faced by Mega-City 1 citizens. Here, the citizens risk jail time by destroying cleaning droids so that they can have jobs. We then move on to Benjamin Spock block, where Arnold, the old caretaker, has been replaced by a robot. Faced with too much free time, Arnold has gone Futsie (Future Shock, a mad killing spree psychosis), using a Laz rifle to snipe people. Lucky for them, Judge Dredd is about—another excellent example of life in the blocks. You can't help but feel sorry for these jobless individuals. It also seems like Dredd feels sorry for and sentences Arnold Short to hard labour in a Cursed Earth Workcamp.
Judge Dredd Hyper-Cop!- It's a Walter the Wobot tale! Nothing too intense, just a fun, friendly tale of when Walter ended up in jail after saving Judge Dredd's life.
The Forever Crimes - Judge Dredd is visiting the Forever Towers for the Semi-Dead to inform a customer that their son has died. After being awoken from suspended animation, the lady confesses that her son was blackmailed! Judge Dredd is soon on the case; all leads point to the Forever Towers. This tale's highlight was when a perp jumped into what they thought was the laundry chute but turned out to be the garbage grinder!
A Tale from Walter's Scwapbook- Walter the Wobot meets up with the other Robots at the laundromat and regals them with a heartfelt Judge Dredd tale. Bit of a filler strip, sadly; there's not much else to say.
I hope Warlord Games make this model.
Father Earth - The Doomsday Dogs are back and aren't alone this time. A mysterious figure known simply as Father Earth has managed to rally a horde of Cursed Earth dwellers and is marching on Mega-City 1. Usually, the Judges would send out a patrol to investigate, but unfortunately for them, it's election time. So, the city is full of petty crime, keeping their gaze elsewhere. As the election debates continue, Judge Dredd worries about the mutants. Judge Dredd was soon proven right when the Doomsday Dogs took control of the Power Tower, a building that harnesses the lava flow of the Earth's molten core to power the city! Soon, an explosion splits open the Power Tower and makes a man-made Volcano, killing thousands in its escaped lava flow. As earthquakes tear apart the Mega-City, the southern walls crumble, and Father Earth and the Doomsday Dogs spill in through the gap. As the city falls into chaos and the streets flow with lava, only one team can reseal the volcano: The Holocaust Squad. The Holocaust team jump into the heart of the Power Tower, their mission is to close the back up valve. The only downside is their fire suits will only last 3 minutes inside this hellhole, all five men ultimately give their lives but do succeed in closing the lava the flow. With the streets, no longer a natural disaster zone, Judge Dredd and the Judges head out to deal with Father Earth, But that won't be easy; Father Earth has taken refuge in the alien plant biodome. Protected by Man-eating plants, Judge Dredd has a tough time reaching him. Unfortunately for Father Earth, he has forgotten that he is a man, too! This was a tremendous multi part tale, it was fun to see some old villains come back in the form of the Doomsday Dogs and the Cosmic Punks. It was also fun to see how the future city is powered and introduce the Holocaust Squad. Overall, it is an A+ tale and an authentic highlight piece.
The Guinea Pig that Changed the Law - Judge Dredd is confronted by a talking cat and is told a murder is taking place. Judge Dredd follows the cat to Mega-Labs and finds Monty, a Guinea Pig, on death row. Sadly, Judge Dredd's hands are tied and Dr. Galt knows it. Judge Dredd leaves frustrated but can't shake the feeling Dr. Galt is hiding something. After digging, Judge Dredd fears Galt plans to re-release the common cold, a disease that hasn’t been seen for over a hundred years. As Galt is on the verge of injecting Monty with the cold virus, Judge Dredd arrives and saves the day! The highlight of this tale is the talking cat. I love cats!
Night of the Ripper - Weather Control is having difficulties over District 6, resulting in a heavy fog falling over the area, allowing a new danger to haunt the streets. Ignoring a Judge's warning, two young women walk home alone, soon confronted by the legendary Jack the Ripper! Lucky for the captured women, Judge Dredd is on hand to save the day and discover Jack is merely a robot from the Mega-City 1 Chamber of Horrors. What happens next is a fun tale of Judge Dredd facing off against historic horror characters before closing down a crime ring.
Crime Blitz - In this strip, Judge Dredd conducts a Code 59 (D): 'A Judge may enter a citizen's home to conduct a routine intensive investigation. The Citizen has no rights in this matter.” After turning out a clean sweep on an apartment owned by Mr. Sweet, Judge Dredd becomes suspicious and orders a 24-hour watch on Sweet. Soon, Judge Dredd is proven correct, and Sweet is seen handing a briefcase to a Sov-1 spy. After giving chase, Judge Dredd is riding the waves of the Black Atlantic, heading straight towards a Sov Pollution cleaning ship. What happens next is pure Judge Dredd's high adventure, where he manages to survive in the Black Atlantic, boards the Soviet vessel, and arrests everyone! A fantastic strip and a possible precursor to the Apocalypse War?
The Testimonial of Lips Lazarus - The strip starts at the Spaceport with Judge Dredd bringing in an essential witness from Luna-1: 'Lips' Lazarus. Lips has important info on the mob and is unsurprisingly on their hit list. To make matters worse, Lips is now only a head in a jar, kept alive by complex machines on his trolley. It doesn't take long for the mob to find them, and we end up with a gun showdown. The highlight of this tale has to be the Blitzers. Each man has a bomb implanted in them that can register their emotions, at the first thought of surrender the bomb goes off killing the blitzer instantly.
Sob Story - Set on the highways of Mega-City 1, Judge Dredd investigates an out-of-control Mo-pad (caravan home of the future, used by 18 million people). Inside, Judge Dredd finds that murder and robbery have happened and that it has links to a show called Sob Story. It is a show where the viewers send money after hearing a sad tale. The downside is that the show gives out the contestant's addresses. This means over 800 million people would know their location! And it would seem one of them was smart enough to realize this guy would be rich soon. This strip's highlight is that Judge Dredd doesn't solve the mystery!
Sob Story Part 2 - I weirdly couldn't find a title for the strip, but it is a continuation of the earlier one, so I went with Part 2 (original, I know). In this issue, Judge Dredd attempts to capture the Sob Story Murders. To do so, he has coerced 'Otto Sump' to help him. Otto is the ugliest man alive in Mega-City 1. Unsurprisingly, he receives much viewer support and money and soon attracts the attention of the would-be murders. But lucky for Otto, Judge Dredd is there to strike. Soon, the gang is either dead or captured, and Otto is left to count his money in peace. I know this isn't the last we will see of Otto, and I find this character super intriguing, but more about him when it comes around. The overall sob story was a fun two-parter, pretty much a filler piece, but it raises questions about real-life shows that use unfortunate people for their gain. It needs to end.
The Great Muldoon - In this strip, we head North of the city to an area that houses the 'Little Bowl.'’ Today's show will feature 'The Great Muldoon'’ diving through solid steel into a water barrel! Of course, Judge Dredd is not so keen on the idea and attempts to shut it down, only to find out that Deputy Chief Judge Pepper has signed off on it. Muldoon plans to use a Particle Converter to pass through the steel. Unsurprisingly, it doesn't go to plan, and we are left with a cheesy Judge Dredd one-liner that leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It's a short strip, a complete filler with a lack of any real story, a bit of a letdown - a real shame.
The Invisible Man - Judge Dredd and the City of Mega-City 1 are being blackmailed by 'The Invisible Man.'’ As each crime gets bigger, so does Judge Dredd's frustration. In one attempt to capture the perp, Judge Dredd riot foams an entire square only to find out the guy was miles away within seconds. Lucky for Dredd, he gets a tip that leads him to Doonan. Doonan is a cleaner who works at 'Inter-Time'’, a company specializing in time machines. But the device being used by Doonan allows him to slow time around himself. So a hour in Doonan's time is mere seconds to Dredd. Judge Dredd has only one chance to stop Doonan. Can the lawman shoot faster than Doonan can push a button? I liked this two-part strip. It showed Judge Dredd on a back foot and suffering from frustration. I want to see more of this!
Palais De Boing - A new craze is sweeping the City. Boing! The 22nd Century marvel that turns people into Human Pinballs. The Judges were soon to pick up on Boing's possible dangers! So they enforced the rule that it could only be used in designated areas called Palais de Boing—basically a massive Pinball table. But soon, Boingers were practicing their sport outside, and it wasn't long before deaths occurred. It's an incredible, fun story, once again a concise tale, but it has much going on. I would love to see more of Boing! in the future.
Death of a Judge - Boredom is a common problem in Mega-City 1 and can be a real danger in the city. When Boom, Nick and Zit felt bored, they formed 'The Hellfire Club' and imagined they were real criminals, going on a crazy drive. After being pulled over by Judge Harkness, things turn ugly after Zit kills the Judge. We then discover that her training partner, Judge Bryce, was actually in love with Harkness (something forbidden by the Justice System), and he wants revenge! Judge Dredd soon has to make a hard choice: save the perps or let Bryce break the law.
Night of the Bloodbeast - This B-movie-inspired tale is set within the 'Enid Blyton' Block on the North side of Mega-City 1. A monster is stalking her halls, and only Judge Dredd can stop it. We soon discover that the beast is, in fact, a deformed Klegg, left behind after the rule of Cal. Unfortunately for Klegg, he was caged by some stupid citizens and left to get hungry and feral. Unsurprisingly, his hunger leads Urk the Klegg into a killing frenzy. It was a great and sad tale; if the citizens had informed the Judges, maybe Urk would have been dealt with in a better, more humane way. Instead, Urk was made feral and left no choice but to seek out food.
The Great Plasteen Disaster - In Mega-City 1, everything is made out of Plasteen: Roads, clothes, Signs, buildings, cars, bikes, radios, everything! So when a Plasteen-eating Bacteria comes off an inter-space vessel, Judge Dredd fears the worst. Soon, citizens are becoming naked in the street, cars are crashing, and roads collapse. As the cost of damages mounts, Judge Dredd begins his investigation into the cause. His first stop is the Headquarters of Inter-Space and its owner, KK Danvers. Danvers' lawyers refuse Dredd entry as he is in isolation following an operation. But when a mob of angry citizens burst in demanding compensation, Denvers' isolation is soon broken, and the billionaire dies within seconds. It turns out his new heart was made from Plasteen. This is another fun story, and I feel it is a social commentary on our plastic demands. What would happen to us if plastic no longer existed?
The Black Plague - Finally, a mini-epic tale. A new strain of mutant spiders has evolved out in the Cursed Earth. Their need to feed compels them forward, eating everything in their path. Soon, the mutie townships are under attack, and with the help of Judg eDredd, they plan to make a stand. After hours of holding back the horde, the spiders give up and head in a new direction. Straight to Mega-City 1! It's soon a race against time. Can Judge Dredd stop the spiders, or is Mega-City 1 lost? It's a tremendous mini-epic tale; it had some fun muties in it and was fast-paced and fun. Great tale.
The Day Barney went Haywire - 'Barney' is the name of the city hall computer. Given a soothing voice and a smile, he is the inhuman face of the Mega-City 1 government. Barney helps the Citizens of Mega-City 1 run their lives, so when he goes wrong, Grud help the Judges. Again a terse one strip tale of Christmas coming early at Des O'Connor block. Barney attempts to make all the citizens happy, but can humans ever be pleased?
Uncle Umpty's Magic Candy! - Umpty Candy is the most popular candy of the 22nd century, so popular it can cause riots. Uncle Umpty has discovered the most addictive candy recipe ever to be made. It's so addictive that even machines can't get enough. The downside to such a product is the withdrawals, and soon, the Justice Department fears the worst. With no answer to the problem, the Judges declare that Uncle Umpty is dead and his recipe has died with him. In truth, poor Uncle Umpty is loaded into a spacecraft and banished from Earth! It's such a funny ending to the tale. I was expecting the candy to be filled with sugar or drugs, but instead, it was just too tasty. The fact that machines couldn't resist either made it even more funny. I do feel sad for Uncle Umpty, though.
The Boy who would be King - Albert isn't your normal four-year-old Mega City kid. With an ability to absorb knowledge, Albert spoke 37 languages and made a fortune on the stock market. But soon, his thirst for knowledge became a thirst for power. Having declared himself King of Mega-City 1, Albert was forcing the Judges to ban New Year's Eve, or he would set off five H-Bombs. It's a pretty average tale, nothing too special. It feels like a first attempt at the PJ Maybe character, child genius gone evil, etc..
Judge Minty - Sometimes, when a Judge gets too old (a rare thing in Mega-City 1), their Judgement and reaction speed diminish. Sadly for Judge Minty, these problems almost cost him his life. Minty is outgunned and injured while hunting down the Kovak mob with Judge Dredd. While recovering in hospital, Minty had no choice but to step down and retire. Retired Judges have only two options open: 1) Become a tutor or 2) Take the long walk. Minty chose the Long Walk in the Cursed Earth, and for the first time in 2000 AD, we heard the line: "Take Law to the Lawless- Until Death." This is an extraordinary tale and shows the human side of the Judges. Better let this tale get a fan-made film that starts where the story finishes.
Alien Seeds - A new craze is taking Mega-City 1 by storm. Grow your aliens! These aliens are a plant-based lifeform that starts life off as a plant. In the second stage, they become sentient lifeforms and need feeding. At this stage, citizens generally throw their pet aliens into the street, leading to a massive pest problem. Soon, the seeds were banned, but the situation continued to worsen. It's up to Judge Dredd to find out the producer and shut them down for good.
Judge Death - He's finally here! Judge Death has arrived in Mega-City 1. But not only do we get introduced to the mega fiend Judge Death we also get to meet PSI Judge Anderson. The story itself is great, and really, it is just for showing off Death's insane powers- Hand through the chest, can't be killed, spirit form, a traveller from another Dimension, he is pure terror. We get an insane amount of deaths in this story. As Judge Death slaughters his way through a sector. When Death’s physical form is finally destroyed, Judge Death takes command of Judge Anderson’s body giving Judge Dredd a single chance to trap him. Spraying Anderson in Boing! (see earlier tale), Death's spirit can no longer leave Anderson's body, trapping the pair in a strange limbo. As most will know, this isn't the last we see of both characters, but it was a great way to introduce them!
Blood of Satanus - Satanus is back (first appeared in the Cursed Earth Saga). Lab assistant Ratfinkle, has dreams of being a scientist. Sadly for Ratfinkle, he is just a lackey for the actual scientists. But this all changes when he gets his hands on a vial of Satanus' blood. Slowly feeding the blood to his unfortunate neighbour, Rex Peters, Ratfinkle watches as poor Rex transforms into a half-man, half-T-Rex monster. Soon, the T-Rex side controls poor Rex, and with a feral need to feed, Rex kills his wife and then Ratfinkle in order to control his blood lust. Word soon reaches Justice Central, and it is up to Judge Dredd to hunt down Rex through the back streets of Mega-City 1. This is a pretty sad tale, as Rex and his wife were the rarity in Mega-City 1, as they seemed truly happy! They both had jobs, money and a stable life, but Ratfinkle ruined it for them.
Dr Panic (annual 1979) - Some madman is attempting to kill off the dregs of Mega-City 1. Soon, Judge Dredd is on the case and is led to a weird arcade where you can win a fortune. But, first, you must wager your life! It’s pretty much a filler story that really shows its age. I'm not sure why it's in here, as I know it's in the unrestricted files as well. Bad way to end the book.
Overview
Ultimately, Judge Dredd the Complete Case Files Volume 3, is comprised of filler tales. We've gone from multi-issue Epics like Cursed Earth and Cal to one-strip wonders. I think what 2000ad was attempting to do during this era was to show us life in Mega-City 1, and I feel they succeeded. Most of the tales sadly do seem rushed, but at the same time I enjoyed nearly all of them. I just wish they had maybe given them two issues per story instead of one. Highlights from this volume include Father Earth, Judge Minty, The Black Plague and Judge Death. But when compared to the last volume I have been left wanting longer tales, so it just missed the mark for me.
Let me know your thoughts and cheers for reading!
