Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files 06

Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files + The Restricted Files+ The Daily Dredds

by John Wagner, Alan Grant, Jose Casanovas (Illustrator)

In Mega-City One Judge Dredd is the Law. From the League of Fatties to Trapper Hag and the Starborn Thing no perp escapes the instant justice he dispenses with an iron fist. Now in this sixth volume of his collected adventures you’ll meet some of Dredd’s most bizarre adversaries yet!

Written by comic supremos John Wagner (A History of Violence) and Alan Grant (Batman) with art by Carlos Ezquerra (Strontium Dog) and Steve Dillon (Preacher) amongst others, this is classic 2000 AD!

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Comic Book, Fiction, Dystopia, Graphic Novels Comics

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 3, 1982

About the author

John Wagner is a comics writer who was born in Pennsylvania in 1949 and moved to Scotland as a boy. Alongside Pat Mills, Wagner was responsible for revitalising British boys' comics in the 1970s, and has continued to be a leading light in British comics ever since. He is best known for his work on 2000 AD, for which he created Judge Dredd. He is noted for his taut, violent thrillers and his black humour. Among his pseudonyms are The best known are John Howard, T.B. Grover, Mike Stott, Keef Ripley, Rick Clark and Brian Skuter. (Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Neil · Rating 2 out of 5]

After the dizzying highs of Block Mania and The Apocalypse War in Vol.5, volume 6 just ticks along with fairly mediocre and some times silly stories that are more fitting to the earliest Progs.

[Kam Yung Soh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This case file deals with the aftermath of the Apocalypse War. Mega City One is still being rebuilt and many of its sectors still lie in ruins and is lawless. Out of this areas would come a fungus that threatens to infect the whole Mega City and the first of the stories that would feature an unusually 'large' group of citizens: the Fatties.

Other stories would feature a recurring meeting of a group of gangster bosses who think up ways to commit crimes, only to be thwarted by Judge Dredd. Probably the only 'large scale' story in this collection would be the escape of Fink Angel and the resurrection of Mean Machine Angel, who are out for revenge on Dredd for killing the other members of the criminal Angel Gang.

Otto Sump appears again, offering a solution of Mega City One's food problems in his own way. The Stupid Gun would appear near the end of the collection, rounding off the collection with a hilarious look at what happens when stupidity rules the city.

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 5 out of 5]

By this point we are really into the good stuff. Starting off with the after affects of the Apocalypse War, Mega-City One is being put back together slowly but surely throughout this whole volume. Dredd has to go into the Cursed Earth quite a few times so we have mutie and radiation problems. Vilins he meets up with include introduction of Trapper Hagg, the Fatties, and the Starborn Thing along with the resurrection of Mean Machine. Shanty Town is finally taken over by the Judges and Dredd's partner most of the time is future Chief Judge Barbara Hershey. Almost all the stories are longer serial runs with serious storylines. There are only a few one-shots and two-parters. Other than the Fatties story I don't recall much cheesiness; there were several monsters of the radiation type, a good showing of muties (I love them!) and a couple of aliens to make a very exciting variety of bad guys added to the usual city thugs. Lots of criminals were sent to the cubes so I won't be surprised to see some of them return in the future. No epic story arcs in this volume but really heavy on the justice and fighting crime. Loved it! Next volume will be out soon! Yeah!

[Chris Browning · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the sort of golden period for a lot of prog readers, a sense that Wagner and Grant were almost burning through ideas that later Dredd writers would have given anything for. There’s a throwaway idea of a bunch of Mega City gangsters trying to get Dredd to break the law which could easily have been a multi part story, but instead is thrown away after three pages to be replaced with Ron Smith enjoying showing Dredd be chased around the city by heat seeking missiles. The Judge Child comes back, mainly as an excuse to revive Mean Machine, but gets killed by the end just as poor old Fink - there’s a thesis to be written about how willing Dredd creators are to create gloriously vivid bad guys and then destroy them at the end of a story. It’s frustrating in many ways, but it also means that for the most part death in Dredd world mostly means actual death

The Starborn Thing is probably the most intriguing example of how Grant and Wagner are writing at this phase. It second guesses you about three times, has Dredd commit murder and be genuinely rattled by it, has some nifty moral dilemmas AND has a plot where Dredd actually gives birth to an egg. You can sort of see how it started as an Alien ripoff but then moves in weirder and more interesting directions as Grant and Wagner explore the idea. Similarly the Idiot Gun starts with a prototype PJ Maybe kid narrating things, then goes into a daft bit of comedy instead and finally resolves in yet another Dredd versus gangsters tale

As far as art goes, there’s a couple of slightly iffy (but not terrible) turns from Casanovas and Cooper, but otherwise this is mostly the Ezquerra and Ron Smith show. Ezquerra is so synonymous with the prog you kind of take him for granted, but god we miss his cameos now and you’re always amazed by how he uses the smallest tricks to make his storytelling work - how often have I seen those little blocky outline things around Dredd’s helmet and not really thought about how well those make you think about his literal rough edges. And Ron Smith to me is *the* archetypal early Dredd artist, taking every daft character and silly idea and running with it. They’re very clearly giving Ezquerra the action, SF and horror and Smith the silly, funny stuff. The League of Fatties under Smith are just a beautifully wayward creation and no other Dredd artist has quite worked out how to do daft so well (I think)

And then we have Steve Dillon, only really showing up for Trapper Hag, but already an essential part of the prog. He was my childhood favourite because in simple, elegant and unfussy lines he could evoke so much. He would go on to do good work for Vertigo etc but for me he was never better than working for the prog, who took proper advantage of the ease of inventiveness he could conjure up and - not the case here, mind you - his ability to make even boring, bad or confusing plots worth reading to marvel at his art. All three artists are still great, great losses

[Mat Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5

This book benefits from the ideas and characters developed in the earlier case files. There are some very good stories such as the fungus (in the year of the Last of US on HBO no less) and the return of a few faces including Mean Machine, the Fink, the Judge Child and Otto. Stories take place in the Cursed Earth, Space and Mega City one with a focus on the aftermath of the Apocalypse War.

As a huge Brian Bolland fan I really missed his work in this case file. However, a renewed respect for the work of Carlos Esquerra developed between file 5 and this one. I really have come to like his work. There is also a bit of stuff from Steve Dillon who would go on to draw Preacher. Somehow, their work in tandem with the consistent work of Ron Smith really holds up and felt right.

In terms of writing, John Wagner and Alan Grant with their pseudonym really deliver here. There are some humorous (The Fatties - god bless fat shaming) and the Starboard Thing (think Aliens but brainier) which are great. There is also an awareness of bringing back quality characters rather than killing them off, hence awaiting the return of Mean Machine.

I suppose the only critique I can give it is that it felt very much an outcome of previous work done. That is not necessarily a bad thing. But unlike case study 5 (Judge Dredd's original sin) and 3, there were not any stories (minus the Fungus a bit) which I felt drove the story of Dredd and Dredd's world forward that much. But that is a pretty lame critique considering what us here.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sixth in the series reprinting every 2000AD Dredd story, this volume covers progs 271-321 which were originally published between 1982 and 1983 (edging beyond my own ‘golden period’ for reading ‘the galaxies greatest comic’, so most of this was completely new to me. It starts off dealing with the aftermath of the Apocalypse War (which featured in the last volume) and there are several one-shots/two-parters that have Dredd dealing with incidents in the many sectors that lie in lawless ruins (the best of which is probably the fungus one). There’s also a recurring strand where master criminals meet up “one a month” to plan crimes and although this is played for laughs it works really well. Fink Angel and the Judge Child make a re-appearance, along with Mean Machine, Otto Stump is still about and while it doesn’t quite finish the collection, The Stupid Gun would have been a great way to do so. Well written (by John Wagner) with glorious artwork by Steve Dillon, Jose Casanovas, Ron Smith, John Cooper and Carlos Ezquerra (I did miss Brian Bolland) and beautifully reproduced, this is brilliant. There’s a wonderful sense of nostalgia for those of us lucky enough to enjoy the comic the first time around but I maintain these 40+ year old strips remain essential reading and I would highly recommend the collection.

[Jordan Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars, rounded up to 3.

Perhaps it’s because of the Dredd vs Death novel I finished the other day. Maybe it’s because the “Apocalypse War” from the previous collection was so great. Whatever the reason, Case Files 6 just really didn’t do it for me this time around.

I think a lot of it has to do with the very so-so quality of the progs. There really isn’t anything that stands out here. At least the previous collections had memorable storylines (whether good or bad), but in 6, there is nothing memorable or even worth mentioning. Also absent is the fantastic art work of Brian Bolland...though Ron Smith’s stuff is a breath of fresh air from some of the messy, typical 80’s style of artwork.

I’ve had a renaissance of late when it come to Judge Dredd so I’m hoping the next few Case Files and the handful of novels I downloaded will get me back into it and not leave me as disappointed as this collection did.

[Etain · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book its one of the best so far. The quality has slowly increased just as the length has. The average length of stories in case file 1 was 7 pages and now it's jumped all the way to 17 which allows alot more story telling opportunities but is still less than a single issue of any other comic so nothing outstays it's welcome, definitely excited to read the next volumes hope they keep up the style.

[Derek Moreland · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a lot of good here-so much of this volume is spent dealing with the fallout (no pun intended) of The Apocalypse War that it gives the series a real depth and gravitas. But the last few two-and-three partners feel like silly throwbacks to the strip's earliest days, and pull down the collection.

[ComicNerdSam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ezquerra really gets to shine with this one, doing a good deal of thrilling stories that show he was always meant to work on this comic. There are some other great stories in here, with the world of Dredd becoming richer and richer with each one. Incredibly fun stuff.

[Daniel Sevitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another solid collection of stories. Less campy than earlier stories and this edition has fewer month-straddling sagas, but there are enough callbacks to earlier characters and storylines to keep things chugging along. These continue to be fun reads.

[Zebulynn Hanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

All short(er) stories from the fallout after the Apocalypse War

Judge dredd is in full mode here. No major story arcs in this one but still classic Judge Dredd. Or rather I suppose it does sort of conclude another from an earlier volume as it's brought up again.

[Kyle Burley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent collection of Dredd tales, but no all-time classics. As usual, stellar art from the likes of Carlos Ezquerra, Ron Smith and Steve Dillon.

[Rachel Redhead · Rating 4 out of 5]

nothing really stood out as exceptional but vice versa nothing was bad about it, the art was on top form which sees it just nudge into a 4 star rating

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant Judging Stuff! :D Review to Come! :D

[Druss · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s Dredd so you can’t really go wrong. Picking up after The Apocalypse War. A coupe of major stories with the return of old friends. Some stronger than others but a good read

[Dean Simons · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of fun in every one

[Alan Fricker · Rating 4 out of 5]

More quality as the clean up post apocalypse war begins.

[Chad D'Cruze · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bit of a mixed bag but still quite good, Mean Machine just head butting everything was def the highlight.

[Ray Smillie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another outstanding volume of early Judge Dredd, most of which I have some recollection of, which proves just how great the stories were.

[Kai · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rounded down.

[Kris Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun! That is the best way to describe the feeling that I get when I read the tales of this tough as nails lawman of the future, Judge Dredd. His deadpan nature and brutal dispensation of the law make this part black comedy, part escapist fun, both weaved in with a wink and nod of social commentary thrown in for good measure.

I enjoyed the return of the Judge Child and the Angel Gang. The Executioner is a great arc. There seem to be more serial arcs than standalone stories this time out. The writing is great and the art is solid. Ron Smith is my favorite artist in this book, although the way that he draws teeth drives me nuts. It looks like everyone has buck teeth or something.

The way that story titles are structured (__________ Part #) has since been aped by American comic publishers. The main difference is that Dredd was a weekly serial that lasted six pages, whereas Marvel or DC use it across six issues.

I wish that Rebellion/ 2000 AD would do a re-release of this stuff, with the covers included in their chapter marker spots as well as printing the pages which were originally done in color in full color. It would also be nice if they inserted the stories from the various Annuals and Specials in order of publication. As of right now they have been compiled in four The Restricted Case Files books. I know that this will likely never happen, and my wallet kind of doesn't want it to, either.

[Bryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Immediately following on from the great Apocalypse War epic this volume actually begins with a comparatively disappointing start as we witness JD fight a wrestling robot who has rallied other robots into building a small city dedicated to seeing him smash others in the ring. It isn't a dreadful story, and is on par with many of the strange tales the series has a tendency for, but is not necessarily what a reader wants as a follow up to the events of the previous story where, ya know, a large portion of the world has just been destroyed. There are many other odd stories on offer during this year, including the introduction of the League of Fatties, where we find the obese comically turning to crime as a form of protest against the rationing of food in the post-apocalyptic world. Then there is the billionaire with a grudge against game show hosts, so kidnaps 400 of them which eventually leads to the fantastically absurd line 'it's a mass grave Dredd. So far we've dragged out forty plus victims, Game Show Hosts, every one of them'. In addition to this we also have the 'Stupid Gun' story in which a kid goes around zapping people into dumbness (not exactly Dredd's finest hour, but one suspects probably not his worst either), and a series of episodes in which the city's top criminals attend meetings to come up with the perfect crime, which in turn is foiled by JD or their own ridiculousness. Oh and there's Gunge, a story devoted to a time when Meg-City inhabitants become infatuated with eating horrible food - Bacteria Soup, anyone?

Despite all this the volume is actually a step up in terms of consistent quality. Fungus is an interesting story which seems to be a trial run for greater fun, yet dark, sci-fi stuff like the excellent 'The Starborn Thing', a story in which we see JD in a genuinely vulnerable position for the first time. The Executioner is a brilliant vigilante tale with a well-rounded character not often seen during this time in the comic. The Judge Child makes another appearance, with Mean Machine and Fink along for the journey in revenge epic Destiny's Angels. Other welcome entries include The Night of the Rad Beast, the introduction of alien bounty hunter Trapper Hag, the tale of an East-Meg Judge losing the plot and the book's finale about someone sabotaging space condos.

[Ted Wolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was good, but not as good as volume 5.

Mostly shorter serial stories rather than long story arcs. It starts with the aftermath of the Apocalypse War. Full of action and heroics, but not as funny with over the top injust justice I expect from Judge Dredd.

In this volume we get the resurrection of the Angel Gang and the reappearance of the Judge Child. The stories of Trapper Hag and The Starborn Thing give us some nice villains from the stars. I quite enjoyed the story of East Meg One judge Nikita Engles, who continues to fight the Apocalypse War long after it's ended.

The art of Carlos Ezquerra is particularly good.

[Dan Weiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those of us in the US who did not have affordable access to 2000 AD, our introduction to Dredd was through the Quality and Eagle Comics reprints of the early stories. This volume is the first of the Complete Case Files to extend beyond those collections so I was nice to read some new stories and pick up where the Apocalypse War left off. The print quality is good but, as is the case with all the volumes, a lot of the cross-gutter pages are not meant for a thick book like this and much gets lost in the middle. One nice thing about this volume, too, is the variety of stories, especially in the wake of the loooooooong Judge Cal and Apocalypse War stories.

[Derek · Rating 2 out of 5]

After coming off the Apocalypse War arc, I was hoping Dredd would keep up the momentum, but this volume fell pretty flat and didn't have the gusto of other volumes before it. Instead, it relied a lot on previous stories. It was nice to revisit some older characters, though, like the Angel gang (turn it up to 4!). Whereas in previous volumes I would read in one sitting, this one took forever to get through. I also didn't appreciate the death of Walter the Wobot, one of my favorite misguided characters. I hope he returns in later stories.

[AJW · Rating 3 out of 5]

Containing stories from Progs 271-321, this is a collection of short stories showing life in Mega-City 1 and surrounding Cursed Earth in the aftermath of the Apocalypse War. To me, Mega-City 1 is just as important as Judge Dredd. I enjoy the wacky social satire of MC1, like those distorting fairground mirrors reflecting contemporary society. But overall, I didn't enjoy this JD Case File as much as the previous one (no.5).

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

These stories are ridiculous fun. It's both hard and easy to see how adapting this character to the big screen could be a challenge.

There is a lot of great art here. The layouts are dynamic and crazy. Hardly ever just panel panel panel. It does create issues where word balloons and text boxes are in the crease and practically illegible.

[Doctor Action · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great stuff. I tend to enjoy the variety of shorter pieces rather than long, epic story arcs in Dredd so this suited me well. Typical and welcome mix of straight pulp adventure and silly, playful satire.

[Hillingdon Libraries]

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