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Judge Dredd Year One #1
Judge Dredd Year One: City Fathers
Mega-City One. 2080 AD
“I think we can rule out suicide.”
“How so?”
“You’re standing on his pancreas.”
It is Joe Dredd’s first year as a full-eagle Judge.
He may have been created from the genes of Eustace Fargo, the ‘Father of Justice’, and thus part of an illustrious lineage, but right now Dredd is not long graduated from the Academy, and yet to establish himself as the metropolis’s toughest, greatest cop.
His reputation will be moulded in the years ahead, but at the moment he’s a young lawman, fresh on the streets.
The brutal murder of a Justice Department-sanctioned spy sparks an investigation that will see Dredd trawl the criminal underworld in the hunt for the killer – and he will discover that all is not what it seems in the sector’s murky black market. Something new has entered the system, and unless Dredd can stop it, chaos will be unleashed...
Written by Matthew Smith, editor in chief of 2000 AD, this is the first in a new series of Judge Dredd: Year One titles and goes back to the beginning of Dredd’s life on the streets, explores his earliest cases and charts the development of the man who would go on to become the most famous of all the Judges.
Smith has previously written the novels Judge Dredd: The Final Cut, and Tomes of the Dead: The Words of Their Roaring.
“I think we can rule out suicide.”
“How so?”
“You’re standing on his pancreas.”
It is Joe Dredd’s first year as a full-eagle Judge.
He may have been created from the genes of Eustace Fargo, the ‘Father of Justice’, and thus part of an illustrious lineage, but right now Dredd is not long graduated from the Academy, and yet to establish himself as the metropolis’s toughest, greatest cop.
His reputation will be moulded in the years ahead, but at the moment he’s a young lawman, fresh on the streets.
The brutal murder of a Justice Department-sanctioned spy sparks an investigation that will see Dredd trawl the criminal underworld in the hunt for the killer – and he will discover that all is not what it seems in the sector’s murky black market. Something new has entered the system, and unless Dredd can stop it, chaos will be unleashed...
Written by Matthew Smith, editor in chief of 2000 AD, this is the first in a new series of Judge Dredd: Year One titles and goes back to the beginning of Dredd’s life on the streets, explores his earliest cases and charts the development of the man who would go on to become the most famous of all the Judges.
Smith has previously written the novels Judge Dredd: The Final Cut, and Tomes of the Dead: The Words of Their Roaring.
79 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2012
6 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
About the author
Matt Smith
98 books5 followersLibrarian Note: There are more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Matt Smith worked for publisher Pan Macmillan as a desk editor before becoming Assistant Editor on 2000 AD, Britain's award-winning weekly SF anthology title - a comic he had read religiously for the previous fifteen years. He has been editor of the galaxy's greatest comic since 2002, and lives in Oxford.
Matt Smith worked for publisher Pan Macmillan as a desk editor before becoming Assistant Editor on 2000 AD, Britain's award-winning weekly SF anthology title - a comic he had read religiously for the previous fifteen years. He has been editor of the galaxy's greatest comic since 2002, and lives in Oxford.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
April 24, 2025
A very classic plot only enhanced by the set up familiar to Joe D fans. Absolutely dispensable but not unpleasant for all that. Probably not very interesting if you've never read Dredd in comics.
April 5, 2020
Fabulous science fiction/dystopian future pulp. A total adrenalin rush all the way. A well written fast-paced read and a plot that was easy to follow with superb dialogue and interaction between characters. This comic book anti-hero (Judge Dredd) is a sterile no-sense of humour lawman of the future. It is not necessary to like him. It is just good to know this bad-ass Policeman/Judge is up against all the nasty and despicable bad guys of Mega-City One. A huge post-apocalyptic city running along the East coast of America. Great escapism and highly recommended.
May 2, 2013
It's interesting to compare how Dredd is portrayed in this book to his current appearances in the comics (as a much older man). However, the story isn't really up to much. In particular, I think that any detective story should "play fair" and give the audience a chance to come up with their own theories. This book doesn't do that; several key characters aren't introduced until the end. I also think that a lot of the scenes might have worked better in comic form.
It's also worth mentioning that this isn't a good place for a new reader to start. I've been reading 2000AD for about a year, and I recently read the first two volumes of the Judge Dredd Casefiles. If I hadn't done that, a lot of the references in this book would have gone over my head, because the author doesn't make any effort to explain them.
All in all, not recommended.
It's also worth mentioning that this isn't a good place for a new reader to start. I've been reading 2000AD for about a year, and I recently read the first two volumes of the Judge Dredd Casefiles. If I hadn't done that, a lot of the references in this book would have gone over my head, because the author doesn't make any effort to explain them.
All in all, not recommended.
January 4, 2019
Very enjoyable quick read.
This book wasn't the best novel ever written, but it was everything you'd expect from Judge Dredd. Full of action and unwavering support of the Law.
This book wasn't the best novel ever written, but it was everything you'd expect from Judge Dredd. Full of action and unwavering support of the Law.
October 27, 2024
This novella takes place in the early days of Dredd's career. When he investigates the gruesome murder of a snoop working for the Judges, Dredd soon finds a new synthetic drug that's driving citizens uncontrollably crazy. Looking into the probable drug runners, he discovers a plot going deeper than the Judges could ever imagine.
It was a interesting look into Dredd's first year on the streets, and a complexly layered story about Mega-City's drug trade that leads to unexpected places. Though it was generally written well, and though it's only 70-some pages long, somehow the longer the tale went on, the longer it felt. There were definitely a few asides that I skimmed because they added very little to the overall story, and I just can't put my finger on exactly what it was that made me want to get to the end already, and not enjoy the story more. 3.5/5*
It was a interesting look into Dredd's first year on the streets, and a complexly layered story about Mega-City's drug trade that leads to unexpected places. Though it was generally written well, and though it's only 70-some pages long, somehow the longer the tale went on, the longer it felt. There were definitely a few asides that I skimmed because they added very little to the overall story, and I just can't put my finger on exactly what it was that made me want to get to the end already, and not enjoy the story more. 3.5/5*
January 5, 2025
Solid novelization of Judge Dredd in his first year on the streets of MC1.
The writing style took me a bit to get into like when the author used abbreviations randomly
really threw me for a loop having to stop reading and figure out what word Judge Dredd is trying to say ... not to mention the attempts to Pg13 the language ... would have been nice to have a glossary to figure out some of the word the author seemed to make up.
Here's hoping the rest of the Years Series are better than this one
The writing style took me a bit to get into like when the author used abbreviations randomly
really threw me for a loop having to stop reading and figure out what word Judge Dredd is trying to say ... not to mention the attempts to Pg13 the language ... would have been nice to have a glossary to figure out some of the word the author seemed to make up.
Here's hoping the rest of the Years Series are better than this one
January 3, 2018
After having just read the "Origins" Dredd story ark, having a chance to read more about the early life of the judge was intriguing. The story could have quite easily fit in an issue of 2000 ad, but there is both good and bad elements.
Dredd doesn't always sound like Dredd -chalk it up to him being a rookie here, or its just the characterization being a bit off
There's not enough Rico! - he's only in one chapter!
Otherwise, a very good read
Dredd doesn't always sound like Dredd -chalk it up to him being a rookie here, or its just the characterization being a bit off
There's not enough Rico! - he's only in one chapter!
Otherwise, a very good read
December 18, 2019
[3.5/5]
The first of the Year One trilogy of novellas, this story does a good job of being both a procedural detective story and an action story. The feel is there, with attention to detail and subtle (but not forced) references to later canon. I enjoyed it.
The first of the Year One trilogy of novellas, this story does a good job of being both a procedural detective story and an action story. The feel is there, with attention to detail and subtle (but not forced) references to later canon. I enjoyed it.
May 2, 2020
This was VERY badly written, and a chore to get through. There is a saying of “show, don’t tell”. This book almost completely ignores it. Very much a lack of thrill power.
August 2, 2020
Fun,if you know the Dredd lore. If you don't it's a hard-boiled detective story. Either way it's an unpretentious time-killer
June 5, 2022
Enjoyable and straightforward story of a young Dredd in his first year as a judge. Solid and entertaining in its simplicity and it was nice seeing Dredd being a detective as well as an enforcer of The Law. Short, sweet, and fun.
July 13, 2019
This review first appeared on scifiandscary.com
‘Judge Dredd Year One: City Fathers’ is a book that tries to do four different things, so it’s maybe not surprising that it doesn’t succeed at all of them. It’s an origin story about the early years of a very well known character, Judge Joe Dredd. It’s a detective story and it’s a sci fi action thriller. On top of that, it takes a universe famous in one medium (comics), and translates it into another (prose). By my measure, it manages to do two of those four things well.
The book is set in the first year after Dredd’s graduation from the justice academy, when he’s still a fresh young Judge on the streets of Mega City One, rather than the grizzled old bastard readers of 2,000 A.D. know and love. The case he is investigating is one of a dangerous new drug on the streets of the city, one that causes users to become homicidally insane.
Dredd was a favourite character of mine as a teenager, and the book plays to the strengths that I remember from those days. It’s full of brutal violence and terse dialogue. Dredd powers around the city on his Lawmaster motorbike and dispenses justice with his Lawgiver pistol. The action scenes are thrilling and effective and the book fully captures the colourful, feverish atmosphere of Mega City One.
Where it works less well is as a detective novel. I love a good mystery, and sadly this isn’t one. The denouement comes out of nowhere at the end, giving readers little chance to deduce things for themselves along the way. The book is also not entirely successful as an origin story. The problem is partly the shift from comic book to prose, because it invites an examination of his inner thoughts that is easier to avoid in comics. Dredd has always been an iconic, silent monolith of a character and the examination of his feelings and motivations just didn’t work for me.
This is a bit of a mixed bag then, in some ways it’s as good as you’d hope it could be. In others it’s unsatisfying. Fans of Dredd will probably have fun with it, but anyone else should probably start elsewhere.
‘Judge Dredd Year One: City Fathers’ is a book that tries to do four different things, so it’s maybe not surprising that it doesn’t succeed at all of them. It’s an origin story about the early years of a very well known character, Judge Joe Dredd. It’s a detective story and it’s a sci fi action thriller. On top of that, it takes a universe famous in one medium (comics), and translates it into another (prose). By my measure, it manages to do two of those four things well.
The book is set in the first year after Dredd’s graduation from the justice academy, when he’s still a fresh young Judge on the streets of Mega City One, rather than the grizzled old bastard readers of 2,000 A.D. know and love. The case he is investigating is one of a dangerous new drug on the streets of the city, one that causes users to become homicidally insane.
Dredd was a favourite character of mine as a teenager, and the book plays to the strengths that I remember from those days. It’s full of brutal violence and terse dialogue. Dredd powers around the city on his Lawmaster motorbike and dispenses justice with his Lawgiver pistol. The action scenes are thrilling and effective and the book fully captures the colourful, feverish atmosphere of Mega City One.
Where it works less well is as a detective novel. I love a good mystery, and sadly this isn’t one. The denouement comes out of nowhere at the end, giving readers little chance to deduce things for themselves along the way. The book is also not entirely successful as an origin story. The problem is partly the shift from comic book to prose, because it invites an examination of his inner thoughts that is easier to avoid in comics. Dredd has always been an iconic, silent monolith of a character and the examination of his feelings and motivations just didn’t work for me.
This is a bit of a mixed bag then, in some ways it’s as good as you’d hope it could be. In others it’s unsatisfying. Fans of Dredd will probably have fun with it, but anyone else should probably start elsewhere.
August 6, 2019
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 2.5 of 5
So, perhaps I shouldn't have tried reading this book. I am not really very familiar with Judge Dredd from the comics or graphic novels or even with the movie version. But I wanted to be. I had made an assumption that a book with "Year One" in the title would help me better understand the character and the world. Perhaps, for those already familiar with this series it offers some new insights into the character, but as a new reader, I felt that there were too many references for the insiders.
It is Joe Dredd's rookie year as a Judge in Mega-City One (in the year 2080). He is young, ambitious, and a stickler for the law. Apparently that's not the case for older Dredd. A Justice Department spy has been brutally murdered and Dredd gets a surprise education in the workings of the underworld and the black market as well as the political maneuverings of the government he works for.
I read an interesting science fiction book, but I think I have more questions about the series than I got answers.
I think that what this taught me was that books based on comic books are best left to those who are already familiar with the characters and that if you want to learn more you really need to seek out back issues or older graphic novels. As a stand-alone novel, this was just average fare.
Looking for a good book? Judge Dredd Year One: City Fathers by Matt Smith, Michael Carroll, and Al Ewing is based on a comic series and familiarity with the series is recommended before venturing here.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
So, perhaps I shouldn't have tried reading this book. I am not really very familiar with Judge Dredd from the comics or graphic novels or even with the movie version. But I wanted to be. I had made an assumption that a book with "Year One" in the title would help me better understand the character and the world. Perhaps, for those already familiar with this series it offers some new insights into the character, but as a new reader, I felt that there were too many references for the insiders.
It is Joe Dredd's rookie year as a Judge in Mega-City One (in the year 2080). He is young, ambitious, and a stickler for the law. Apparently that's not the case for older Dredd. A Justice Department spy has been brutally murdered and Dredd gets a surprise education in the workings of the underworld and the black market as well as the political maneuverings of the government he works for.
I read an interesting science fiction book, but I think I have more questions about the series than I got answers.
I think that what this taught me was that books based on comic books are best left to those who are already familiar with the characters and that if you want to learn more you really need to seek out back issues or older graphic novels. As a stand-alone novel, this was just average fare.
Looking for a good book? Judge Dredd Year One: City Fathers by Matt Smith, Michael Carroll, and Al Ewing is based on a comic series and familiarity with the series is recommended before venturing here.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
September 2, 2012
A short, tight and breezy read, and very enjoyable for any Dredd fan.
The Year One tag perhaps gives the impression you're in for a career-defining case or origin story, but apart from a cameo from Rico the actual story itself could really take place at any point in Dredd continuity. What does make it a little more interesting is in Dredd's internal monologue. He's a little more naive and seems far more human than the early Dredd strips so that's a nice insight to have, and means the tone is much closer to the later/current comics where Wagner went on to build a quite stunningly complex man under that shiny helmet.
The Year One tag perhaps gives the impression you're in for a career-defining case or origin story, but apart from a cameo from Rico the actual story itself could really take place at any point in Dredd continuity. What does make it a little more interesting is in Dredd's internal monologue. He's a little more naive and seems far more human than the early Dredd strips so that's a nice insight to have, and means the tone is much closer to the later/current comics where Wagner went on to build a quite stunningly complex man under that shiny helmet.
March 12, 2013
Great read. Engaging novella about Judge Dredd fresh out of the academy, trying to gain his footing as a young judge whom nobody takes seriously just yet. Reminded me a bit of A Scanner Darkly. I'm into it.
June 1, 2014
I found this an entertaining read and a great insight into the young Judge Dredd but it's not a novel that blew me away. Definitely worth the read if you're a fan of the famous lawman.
September 8, 2016
Judge fu**ing Dredd.
February 28, 2013
Entertaining novella of Dredd's first year as a Judge.
March 20, 2013
Fresh look at the early years of Joe Dredd, some great visualization.
April 15, 2017
It is the Dredd we know and love. Maybe not the deepest and most full filling read but a verbal version of the much loved comic.
Now and again is good but too shallow to read too much of!
Now and again is good but too shallow to read too much of!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews