Laith
I don't generally read comics. Graphic Novels and popular Manga? I can make time for those; a few volumes of a self-contained story really beats having to dissect a back catalog. Who has time to dive into dusty old piles of serials looking for something that isn't corny or played out anyway? That just doesn't appeal to me in the slightest. That's why I am a fan of these collected anthologies, I love it when a comics' publisher aggregates the best issues and story arcs into a series of volumes and saves us the trouble. That said, I still know my way around the comics shop, and I'm not keen to read another Superman v Lex story even if it is part of an anthology; there needs to be more going on.
That's the case with Judge Dredd for sure. Whether it's the character who first appeared in 2000 A.D. or the Dredd of the comics which his popularity spawned in 1983. He's an extreme take on the tough-cop stereotype, the faceless embodiment of a justice that he defines. Perhaps it's due to Dredd never fully rising above its cult status (thank you Stallone) or the influence of the alternative UK publisher, or maybe it's just the subject itself, but this comic has stayed true to its artistic vision. In fact, this comic has run for nearly 50 years while telling one continuing story, and Essential Dredd: America is a story pulled right from the center of that run.
Despite only featuring in maybe half of the selected issues, this story was the perfect introduction to the character of Judge Dredd. America tells the tale of a popular movement towards re-establishing democracy within the ultra-dense future metropolis of Megacity 1. This movement is met by resistance from Dredd and the Justice department, the de facto rulers of Megacity 1, who see democracy as a source of chaos and disorder. Dredd takes on the role of the villain as he attempts to dismantle the democratic movement by any means necessary. The America storyline is iconic among fans of the series, despite being billed as an anti-hero, audiences had never seen Dredd operate outside the confines of his narrow definition of justice. In fact, my research indicates that this entire story was conceived as a way to drive the point home to readers who were vocally supportive of Dredd’s philosophy that Dredd is NOT the hero.
I really liked the composition of the story, the choice not to include Dredd in every issue save for his looming presence and instead focus on the city and the democrats is a bold choice that pays dividends. This is another aspect of this volume that carries more generally to the series; Judge Dredd may be the titular character, but these comics are about the people and the city itself just as much as they are about him. Atmospheric is the word that best describes the world, so much of the flavor of the series is coming from background characters and the functions of this future society. It's so much more interesting to observe the force and presence of the character, to watch him imprint onto the city and its people, and likewise to watch the city and the people imprint upon Dredd himself.
I'll be up front about how narrow my frame of reference is for the character of Dredd, which is mainly the 2012 Dredd 3D film (which is an action masterpiece worth watching even divorced from the Dredd IP). What makes this Volume a standout is that even with my limited familiarity, I was able to pick up on the granularity of change to his character that so many other readers find compelling. Like I said, it's been a nearly 50 year run, and to have this personification of the system remain unchanging and stone-faced while balancing the need for a character to grow along their arc, is a needle that you can tell has been threaded with care and precision. Dredd changes his mind over the course of this Volume, and it's this gradual erosion to his faceless facade of justice that has fans hooked on his continuing story.
In closing, this is an exceptional comics series and this anthology run has picked a perfect storyline to establish the character of Dredd for new fans of the comics. It's rare to find a series that trades in nuance like Dredd does within the comics medium, and despite the pulpy feel of this series, I think it's cerebral enough to keep even the pickiest readers engaged. I didn't get a chance to comment at length on the art of the series, I'll just say that it's exceptional and retro-futuristic; if you love those vintage DAW SF paperback covers, you'll love the visual style here.
_________
Thank you for reading! This review is marginally significant, and I thought I'd mark the occasion. This is my hundredth long-form review since I started with The Urth of the New Sun; what started as a way to keep all these stories straight morphed into something I look forward to doing every time I finish a book.
I write these reviews mainly for myself, but thank you to anyone who takes the time to read these. Who knows, by the time I get to 200 reviews, I might need more than two hands to count my readers.
I don't generally read comics. Graphic Novels and popular Manga? I can make time for those; a few volumes of a self-contained story really beats having to dissect a back catalog. Who has time to dive into dusty old piles of serials looking for something that isn't corny or played out anyway? That just doesn't appeal to me in the slightest. That's why I am a fan of these collected anthologies, I love it when a comics' publisher aggregates the best issues and story arcs into a series of volumes and saves us the trouble. That said, I still know my way around the comics shop, and I'm not keen to read another Superman v Lex story even if it is part of an anthology; there needs to be more going on.
That's the case with Judge Dredd for sure. Whether it's the character who first appeared in 2000 A.D. or the Dredd of the comics which his popularity spawned in 1983. He's an extreme take on the tough-cop stereotype, the faceless embodiment of a justice that he defines. Perhaps it's due to Dredd never fully rising above its cult status (thank you Stallone) or the influence of the alternative UK publisher, or maybe it's just the subject itself, but this comic has stayed true to its artistic vision. In fact, this comic has run for nearly 50 years while telling one continuing story, and Essential Dredd: America is a story pulled right from the center of that run.
Despite only featuring in maybe half of the selected issues, this story was the perfect introduction to the character of Judge Dredd. America tells the tale of a popular movement towards re-establishing democracy within the ultra-dense future metropolis of Megacity 1. This movement is met by resistance from Dredd and the Justice department, the de facto rulers of Megacity 1, who see democracy as a source of chaos and disorder. Dredd takes on the role of the villain as he attempts to dismantle the democratic movement by any means necessary. The America storyline is iconic among fans of the series, despite being billed as an anti-hero, audiences had never seen Dredd operate outside the confines of his narrow definition of justice. In fact, my research indicates that this entire story was conceived as a way to drive the point home to readers who were vocally supportive of Dredd’s philosophy that Dredd is NOT the hero.
I really liked the composition of the story, the choice not to include Dredd in every issue save for his looming presence and instead focus on the city and the democrats is a bold choice that pays dividends. This is another aspect of this volume that carries more generally to the series; Judge Dredd may be the titular character, but these comics are about the people and the city itself just as much as they are about him. Atmospheric is the word that best describes the world, so much of the flavor of the series is coming from background characters and the functions of this future society. It's so much more interesting to observe the force and presence of the character, to watch him imprint onto the city and its people, and likewise to watch the city and the people imprint upon Dredd himself.
I'll be up front about how narrow my frame of reference is for the character of Dredd, which is mainly the 2012 Dredd 3D film (which is an action masterpiece worth watching even divorced from the Dredd IP). What makes this Volume a standout is that even with my limited familiarity, I was able to pick up on the granularity of change to his character that so many other readers find compelling. Like I said, it's been a nearly 50 year run, and to have this personification of the system remain unchanging and stone-faced while balancing the need for a character to grow along their arc, is a needle that you can tell has been threaded with care and precision. Dredd changes his mind over the course of this Volume, and it's this gradual erosion to his faceless facade of justice that has fans hooked on his continuing story.
In closing, this is an exceptional comics series and this anthology run has picked a perfect storyline to establish the character of Dredd for new fans of the comics. It's rare to find a series that trades in nuance like Dredd does within the comics medium, and despite the pulpy feel of this series, I think it's cerebral enough to keep even the pickiest readers engaged. I didn't get a chance to comment at length on the art of the series, I'll just say that it's exceptional and retro-futuristic; if you love those vintage DAW SF paperback covers, you'll love the visual style here.
_________
Thank you for reading! This review is marginally significant, and I thought I'd mark the occasion. This is my hundredth long-form review since I started with The Urth of the New Sun; what started as a way to keep all these stories straight morphed into something I look forward to doing every time I finish a book.
I write these reviews mainly for myself, but thank you to anyone who takes the time to read these. Who knows, by the time I get to 200 reviews, I might need more than two hands to count my readers.