Cursed Earth Koburn

Judge Dredd: The Mega Collection #67

by Gordon Rennie, Carlos Ezquerra (Artist)

Beyond the walls of Mega-City One, out in the harsh wastelands of the irradiated desert that is the Cursed Earth, an alternative kind of policing is required. Circuit-Judges like Koburn keep the peace through their own set of standards, often turning a blind eye to minor indiscretions - and this laid back attitude is guaranteed to rub one particular stickler of a lawman up the wrong way...

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Science Fiction

200 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2015

About the author

Freelance writer for over 20 years – When he’s not being ungainfully employed as a BAFTA-nominated video games scriptwriter, he keeps himself busy writing comics, novels, screenplays and Doctor Who audio plays. Comics work includes Predator, Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper, Missionary Man, Necronauts, Caballistics Inc and Absalom, and Dept. of Monsterology for Renegade.

Reviews

[Matthew Marcus · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of the seemingly endless stream of Dreddverse C-listers to which the Mega Collection has been treating us lately; these stories appear to be artist-driven, Koburn being a transplant of Carlos Ezquerra's 1970s character Major Eazy into the Cursed Earth, and a story called El Maldito being an update of his El Mestizo in a very similar vein. Of course Ezquerra art is hardly ever a waste of time, and while Gordon Rennie's scripts do tend towards the predictable end of the spectrum, he does at least cleave closely to the spirit and humour of classic Dredd strips, so the pages turn enjoyably enough, if rather forgettably.

Surprising to me was the revelation (in the closing interview with Rennie) that he felt he'd taken the character of Koburn as far as he could in these pages: YET ANOTHER maverick Judge who breaks all the rules but still gets results, much to the irritation of Dredd when they meet? I don't think it's unduly snarky to suggest that Cursed Earth Koburn exemplifies the minimum possible thought and effort necessary to create a spin-off Judge Dredd strip, and if Rennie couldn't think of anywhere else to go after a mere 100 or so pages of adventures, it's probably because he hadn't bothered to put anything interesting or imaginative into the mix even to start with.

[Johnny Andrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Koburn is a great character, based off an old non Dredd character and also set on the actor James Coburn. Koburn is a relaxed Judge who resides in the cursed earth. Where rules and regulations are a lot different to those that Joe Dredd sticks by in the big Meg.
Here is a collection of stories that show why Koburn is an easily liked character whether walking beside Dredd on his own beat or leading the charge against cursed earth creatures.
This set of strips shows how different the Judges out their differ to the straight Judges of the city, like they take it day by day yet they have seen horrors that can't be described and must dust it off with a smile and a wink...plus a few drinks.

[Al No · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fourth consecutive volume of Rennie-penned Megazine backup strips. Not a fan. Ezquerra’s largely on form for what’s nothing more than a disappointing remix of Battle’s greatest hits.

[Leila Anani · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Cursed Earth set anthology follows wise-cracking gun toting judge Koburn who's more your Western Sheriff than Cyber-slick street judge. He makes a fantastic counterpart to Dredd, both men being heroic law-men yet totally opposed in their attitudes and methods. The first story Sturm und dang has the pair face off against a mutie Hitler - Foo-Rewr leading the first mutie reich. Love this one - pairing the two judges is comedy gold and the larger than life villains make this a hoot.

Koburn is one of those wonderful characters who can feature in straight adventure, lol comedy, weird, parody and dead serious tragedy and still retain his core integrity. This anthology offers the full range - we have some nice social commentary pieces like the Zorro-esque El Maldito to woowoo weird with the undead personification of the Cursed Earth in The Assizes.

While this isn't particularly innovative, sophisticated or bitingly satirical as some of the Dredd strips can be - its very much black and white, Western style stories, it is lightening paced and damn fun. Love the Cursed Earth as a setting - truly anything goes and Koburn makes a great anti-hero. It is also a wonderful showcase for the art of Carlos Ezquerra, one of my favourite 2000AD artists.