Necropolis

Judge Dredd: The Mega Collection #5

by John Wagner, Carlos Ezquerra (Artist)

With Dredd having taken the Long Walk into the Cursed Earth, Justice Department needs a replacement, a Judge to wear the badge that has become a symbol for so many in the metropolis. That weight of responsibility falls upon Kraken, a clone of the Fargo bloodline, about whom Dredd has had his doubts. As it turns out, those concerns are not unwarranted, for a supernatural evil is about to call across the dimensions and influence Kraken into initiating one of the darkest events in Mega-City One's history...
A stunning epic from Judge Dredd creators John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra that sees a ghastly shroud cast over the entire city and a body count in the millions as the terrifying Sisters of Death shape their macabre masterpiece!

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics

222 pages, Hardcover

Published March 1, 2016

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

[FantasyBookNerd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Necropolis was a massive storyline in the annals of 2000AD history. It was proceeded with portents of foreshadowing and the aftershocks of the storyline were felt many years after. I recall this series with a kind of fondness as it is such a good story.

The comic starts with the run up to the main event and we learn that Judge Dredd has taken the long walk to the Cursed Earth. In Mega City One, Judge Kraken (Judge Dredd’s clone brother) is sentenced to death for his part in the Judda rebellion. However, a plan is hatched to replace Judge Dredd with his clone brother, Kraken, in attempt to plug the gap that the retirement of Judge Dredd has left.

Necropolis, written and drawn by the dream team of Dredd creator John Wagner and artist Carlos Esqurra, and brings back fan favourites Judge Death and the Dark Judges (Mortis, Fear & Fire), and also brings in the Sisters of Death, Nausea & Phobia.

So, if you are not familiar with Judge Dredd & the Dark Judges, let me explain! The Dark Judges are from a parallel dimension in which they have judged that all crime is undertook by the living, so in an attempt to rid crime, they have deemed that all life is the crime and have eradicated the sin from their own world by eradicating life.

It was so good to revisit this seminal storyline. The story is as fresh as it was thirty two years ago. Surprisingly, it does have an element that was a little risky in that the main protagonists don’t actually make an appearance until quite some way into the story. You would expect that the main characters would be the star of the show from the beginning, but there is a significant amount of story building with the Sisters of Death before the Dark Judges make an appearance and devastate Mega City One. In addition, Judge Dredd does not blast his way on to the page until much later in the story, and he has been radically changed by his time in the Cursed Earth.

The artwork by Carlos Esquerra is equally as amazing as the story. As I said earlier, the story was written in 1990 and it does reflect the time period. Madchester was in full swing and there was a neo - psychedelic edge to popular culture and this is evident in the multi- coloured panels and vivid strokes that were present in Esquerra’s art.

The story itself is cleverly written by John Wagner, highlighting that Dredd can never be replaced, and we see that as Judge Kraken succumbs to doubt and questions his ability as a law maker. Wagner does not hold anything back and this is an over the top storyline that continues to delight.

If you are new to the earlier Judge Dredd storylines, is this a good place to dive in? It is a steep learning curve and some knowledge of earlier storylines is useful as there are references to these stories and the mythology surrounding Judge Death, such as when he was encased in the expanding plastic Boing in one of the earlier stories, or the time that Judge Anderson was taken over by Death. However, I think that the new reader should get along with this iconic story and be able to enjoy it without hours of investigation.

[Matthew Marcus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apparently this could easily have been John Wagner's swan song for Dredd - thank goodness it wasn't, but you can definitely feel endings in the air. Gone the carefree days of riding around on Lawmasters shooting things up, we're in the world of year-long sagas now. The "Judge Dredd" on the streets is actually former Judda Kraken; there's even a new (Cadet) Giant in town. At the time it felt like full reboot was imminent, with Wagner handing over a fresh young team of law enforcers to fresh young writers like Garth Ennis.

Except weirdly they can't quite bring themselves to go through with it, preferring not to allow the new team to defeat Necropolis, but focussing instead on bringing the hideously scarred "Dead Man" and the mad bearded lady that are the remains of Dredd and McGruder back out of the Cursed Earth. It's a strange tack to take, especially because weeks and weeks of trudging *towards* the city seems like a much less awesome Mega-Epic than 26 weeks of actual battling with the Dark Judges in the city (Apocalypse War-style) might have been. It's a curious decision that has led us to a situation of having an increasingly arthritic and curmudgeonly Judge Dredd having to battle perps while also facing down his 70th birthday. I appreciate that it's two fingers in the face of American comics where the costume is way more important than the person wearing it, but all these years on, was it honestly the best idea?

The star of this volume is definitely the Ezquerra artwork, and the story is occasionally gripping - I do like the several weeks of Giant and his fellow cadets being pursued by the terrifying figure of Judge Mortis - but on the whole the weird decision to subvert all expectations mars it for me. An epic story which is all about characters trying to find their way to the place where the actual action is taking place. The culmination of a long saga in which the mantle (or should I say badge) of Dredd is destined to be handed over to its new owner - where at the last minute the decision is made not that the new guy isn't good enough. A really disappointing ending in which the most horrific chapter in the city's history can only be resolved... in about thirty seconds flat, actually, requiring nothing more than for Dredd and Anderson to be in the same place at the same time. Like I say, a weird one: it's not all bad, but it's very very strange. Long live the crazy world of Judge Dredd, I suppose.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

And so the events that were set in motion in the Dead Man come to fruition with catastrophic results. I do remember some of the events that were shown in this book although reading both the forward and the notes at the end (each book has both giving both an introduction to what is about to happen and then notes on the reasons, setting and impact the story had) it is amazing thinking back how little fanfare was given when things were set in motion.

In fact I find it rather interesting that seeds to the events in this book were strewn so long ago and across so many varied stories - it some times feel that such long games are a recent thing for example all the various easter eggs set in films.

For me it just goes to show the amount of thought and preparation that goes in to these comic book stories actually happens when so many are so quick to dismiss them.

There are a number of more subtle themes explored too and I think these will be explored in later books. I think it is rather telling that such a cataclysmic story is told so early in the Mega Collection when there are so many more volumes to go.

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is for an ARC copy received from the publisher through NetGalley.
Another great story line from Judge Dredd and 2000 AD. Though it was originally published way back in 1990, this classic Dredd tale felt like it could have been brand new. The gritty, surreal artwork is the star of the show, though any Dredd story featuring Judge Death and the Dark Judges is guaranteed to be stellar. I wasn't familiar with the Kraken story line that preceded this graphic novel, but enough background is provided so as not to be completely in the dark. And the overall story just gets better as it goes along, drawing you in to become fully immersed in the world, so much so that you don't need full details of what went on before. This truly is "essential" Judge Dredd.

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Essential Judge Dredd: Necropolis' by John Wagner with art by Carlos Ezquerra is a massive graphic novel collecting a Judge Dredd story from the early 1990s.

Mega-City One gets attacked by the Dark Judges, and boy are they a gruesome bunch. With them are the Sisters of Death and their goal is to turn the city into a necropolis and reap all the people. When an errant Judge becomes one of them, who will stand up to them?

At 224 pages, this is a pretty epic story, but it moves along pretty well. The are is heavy in saturated color, and i liked the style. I think the story holds up pretty good for being 20 years old.

[Dawie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of comics all put together to tell the story of Necropolis. I can't say I was a big fan of The Sistersss, but I understand more now of the Dark Judges which is the reason I picked this up. I also want to thank NetGalley for accepting my request for a review copy.

[Niko Dasilva · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smart escalation and unnerving art (pre photoshop colours Ezquerra turning in some of this career best) make this one of the best events I've read in comics. There's a real feeling of scale and threat but character is never lost in the spectacle and Dredd gets more complexity than we've seen previously.

The Cursed Earth/Apocalypse War/Necropolis run is a great example of how to do with blockbuster events while making them feel fresh and different.

[Artur Coelho · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uma das sagas clássicas de Dredd, serializada originalmente nos anos 90 na lendária, e ainda editada, 2000 AD. Em Necropolis, a cidade de Mega City é dominada pelos Dark Judges, seres vindos da distópica dimensão negra, uma espécie de espelho invertido de Mega City, onde forças sobrenaturais se incorporaram e instauraram um regime de extermínio total, proclamando que a vida é o pior dos crimes. Coisas bizarras da BD britânica, daquelas que ficam melhor como adereço do que universo ficcional. Recentemente, a 2000 AD publicou uma série de aventuras ao estilo sobrevivência no apocalipse passada na queda da dimensáo negra às mãos dos Dark Judges, mas não é especialmente interessante, a menos que se goste mesmo de narrativas ao estilo walking dead.

O domínio da cidade é total, possibilitado por uma conduta psíquica que permite às irmãs dos Dark Judges estender a sua influência manipuladora. Com o extermínio dos cidadãos na ordem do dia, resta a Dredd regressar de uma longa caminhada na terra amaldiçoada, ajudado por outra grande juíza também em longa caminhada. Com ajuda de um grupo de cadetes que se ocultou nos alicerces da cidade, onde encontram, ferida, Anderson, outro elemento chave, irão quebrar o elo psíquico, libertar os juízes do seu delírio, e aprisionar os Dark Judges.

Algumas notas: longa caminhada designa a última missão de um juiz da cidade, que ao reformar-se recebe armas e suprimentos, deixando a cidade para dispensar justiça pelas comunidades da terra amaldiçoada. No universo ficcional de Dredd, esta desginação cobre os territórios desérticos e radioativos que se estendem para lá dos limites das megacidades, zonas sem lei habitadas por mutantes e criminosos. Diga-se também, por quem tem acompanhado a evolução de Dredd ao longo dos anos, que a trope de ameaça terminal sobre a mega-cidade tem sido tão abusada que uma análise matemática revelaria saldo populacional negativo. Houve ataques nuclares, vírus, uma invasão das cidades soviéticas... a lista de cataclismos é longa.

Apesar de estar a cargo de John Wagner, um dos grandes argumentistas de Dredd, a saga é de leitura linear. O que a destaca é a ilustração, a cargo de Carlos Ezquerra. Este ilustrador argentino, colaborador de longa data da revista, distinguia-se por ter um traço bastante afastado do realismo conservador habitualmente utilizado na BD comercial. O seu traço era agressivo, expressivo e pouco elegante, mas combinado com um uso também muito próprio da cor, é muito adequado a uma narrativa destas. Necropolis cruza o policial negro futurista de Dredd com o horror, e Ezquerra não nos poupa a belíssimas evocações negras.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Rebellion 2000 AD for an advanced copy of this graphic novel collection.

Judge Dredd the comic has always combined some supernatural aspects into its science fiction storyline, usually hiding it oddness of spirits from another world with a mix of mega-ultra-violence, with grim humor and satire. Mutants, other worlds, that seems to work in Dredd, alternate Judges from another world well I don't know, oh my god it's wiping out Judges left and right. However when you have two creators who are at the top of their game, John Wagner on writing and the great Carlos Ezquerra on art, well sometimes you let the story take you away. Essential Judge Dredd: Necropolis was one of the big stories with plots and ideas that still reverberate through Dredd's long history.

The story begins with Dredd leaving Mega-City One to travel the Cursed Earth. In his place the other Judges have decided that Dredd is so much a force for Law that he can't be replaced so a clone Judge Kraken is given his badge, and made Dredd. Kraken has doubts, as Dredd had declared him unfit, but the Judges are desperate, and a terrible mistake is made. Soon Kraken is used by the Sisters of Death, corrupted by their words, allowing the Dark Judges to return, Fear, Fire, Mortis, and Judge Death, who plans to kill everything, for that is the only way there can be law. However far in the Cursed Earth, Dredd hears of the Dark Judges, and begins to return home.

One of the classic storylines in Dredd, one that most people have an idea about, and one that still effects the current Dredd storylines. The story holds nothing back, not violence, not humor, and allows Dredd to be Dredd. The art is spectacular, with full colors and incredible visuals and panels that just stand out. The writing is good, telling a story of Dredd without even having Dredd in many of the earlier issues. Familiarity with the basics of the story will be helpful. Who is Judge Anderson, what is the Cursed Earth, where did Kraken come from, who are all these old Judges, but the reader will pick up on this as the story unfolds. The story is very engaging, and is nice to have in one collection.

A good place to start with Dredd, if you like this, well you are going to like other Dredd stories. A classic story, told by creators at the top of their games. Great art, Judge Death. You really can't ask for more. Recommended for beginners and experts to the world of Dredd, and for comic readers who want a great over-the-top story.

[Ross Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although my older brother is a big 2000AD fan, this was my first real experience of Judge Dredd (I don't even remember seeing the Stallone film!). I appreciate this wasn't an ideal jumping-off point but I think I understood enough of the context to be able to read it for what it is.
The story follows Judge Death's sisters' attempts to have someone reincarnate their brother so they can take over Mega City One. Meanwhile, the read Dredd has vanished and been replaced with essentially a clone, but one who may have a screw loose (or one more loose than the former hard justice dealing head case).
While I'm not sure how much of a standard Dredd story i could read (to my mind they will all be somewhere between dealing out tougher-than-necessary justice for small crimes and dealing with truly despicable characters (worse than the law enforcers), this one suited me well. The need for the judge/jury/executioners on the street to try and stop the rise of Judge Death and his cronies was the age old case of siding with the psychos that are more understandable to defeat those less so.
There was enough to be able to understand each character's abilities, motives and history and see it used in the fight against Death and I really quite enjoyed the book.

I received a free advance copy of this book from the publishers and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Hayden Tempest · Rating 3 out of 5]

Compared to 'America', 'Necropolis' felt like more straightforward fun. The artwork is once again excellent, in particular I liked the designs of the dark judges. I enjoyed the premise, and the opportunity to see some of the undercity. The sisters of death were also surprisingly fun villains, there is something very funny to me about evil incorporeal undead powerful enough to take over a whole city still taking the time to give their own evil version of the weather report where they cackle over the terrible conditions they've created.

However, I did feel like things wrapped up very quickly once Dredd (the real Dredd) arrived back in the city. Perhaps this is just me, I would have liked to see a longer segment of Dredd and the young judges infiltrating enemy territory, forced to survive in the hostile environment of necropolis. Regardless of whether that exactly is what the story called for, it felt like both the sisters and then the dark judges are defeated rapidly and easily upon Dredd's return. In particular, the dark judges are dispatched in almost comedic fashion.

Still, some good silly comic book fun.

[Ztu · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for supplying a copy of this e-book in return for an honest review.*

I am not always attracted to superhero stories but I really enjoyed this dramatic graphic novel exploring the struggle between the competing worlds of Judge Dredd and Judge Death. The story was easy to follow and relate to. The characters were engaging on emotional/ethical/moral levels that drew the reader into the story's drama. The supernatural themes add to the gripping nature of the book constantly sliding from the familiar to something beyond our world. All of these themes would not have been portrayed as well without the amazing artworks, which I could imagine on my walls. In particular, comic frames brought to life (and death) with beautiful watercolours were an exquisite addition to the book. I would recommend this book for people looking for action and supernatural themes in a graphic form.

[John Dodd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic Dredd from an era where massive story arcs were to be expected as part of the weekly comic. This was one of those stories that brought together a large number of things that had been brewing in the background running up to it.

Anything involving the four dark judges is going to be good, but adding in the sisters of death and the realisation that the Dredd that's on the streets isn't in fact Dredd, we have the massive storyline where so much of Mega City One was under threat and the odds were so far against the heroes that victory was a slender chance at best and even if they succeeded, what would be left of the city.

Compared with future storylines like Day of Chaos, the death toll may now seem small, but because it was told at the level of the streets, where the best of Dredd is to be found, rather than time travel and nuclear warfare, this felt far more like the quintessential Dredd.

Well recommended.

[Marvin Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

art 4.5
story 4

Thanks to Rebellion Publishing and NetGalley for gifting me with this A.R.C.

Being more of a manga fan, I haven’t read that many graphic novels. But I’m so glad I asked to review this Dredd story.

This Essential Judge Dredd Necropolis graphic novel seamlessly blends science fiction and horror. Making it a must read for fans of genre fiction. The two creators of this novel, John Wagner, the writer and the artist Carlos Ezquerra, prove with this book that they’re absolute masters of their craft.

The world building here is a cross between Fallout and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind with a post nuclear mutant infested American wasteland full of psychological horrors. And they bring all this to life with beautifully drawn panels.

[Nick Brett · Rating 5 out of 5]

My reading of graphic novels was some time ago, so this was a bit of personal nostalgia, time to spend with an utterly iconic character. This is from the early 1990’s I think, when the comic was at its best, character and artwork just perfect.
Dredd has been exiled to do “The Long Walk” in the Wastelands and has been replaced by another Judge. Somehow the Dark Judges have returned to Mega City One and are causing chaos, can Dredd’s replacement make a difference or will the original have to find his way back?
Glorious artwork and fantastic characters set within the dystopian environment of Mega City One. It’s subversive, clever and compulsive and represents the best of Dredd.

[Anthony O'Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

Nice to re-read these classic Dredd strips, although I have to admit Judge Death has never been my favourite villain. Bit one note, isn't he? "Life isss a crimmmmeeeee!" Yeah, righto, tiger, what else you got?

Still and all, this features some of Carlos Ezquerra's most beautiful work and the first half of the yarn with Kraken filling in for Dredd is really intriguing and tense.

Defo worth a revisit, but I don't think it quite stands up to my favourites like The Judge Child Quest and The Day the Law Died.

[Simon Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best Dredd mega-epics. I absolutely love Necropolis, it’s 2000ad at its best.
Rereading it today, it’s wonderful to see that the story hasn’t aged at all, and is still as terrifying as it was back then. The art is just magnificent, especially when The Sisters of Death kick off Necropolis proper.
An easy 5 stars. I hope Judgement Day gets a release soon!

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of Judge Dredd, on the page and on the screen, and this well edited volume is a great deep dive into the character and his world. Judge Dredd is often associated with the hypermasculine bonkers action of the 80s, but there's a lot of really cutting and insightful social and political commentary in these pages. "Essential" indeed!

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the way Judge Dredd was meant to be read!! This was before Cannon’s trash rendering staring Stallone sucked the sails of grittiness out of the judge, jury, and executioner who IS THE LAW. This tale reminds me of a mashup of Mad Max and Arnold. The Sisters of Death mingled with dark underbelly of criminality exercises gone wild. Experience it raw the way it was meant to be read!

[Steven Quinn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Should have perhaps been 2 volumes, as for something calling itself 'Essential' it leaves out a lot of connective stories.

It's missing A Letter to Judge Dredd, The Dead Man, Tale of the Dead Man.
Not to mention the fallout stories following the conclusion of the main storyline.

[SullyIsReading · Rating 3 out of 5]

(THIS REVIEW IS ORIGINALLY FROM STORYGRAPH, FROM 4TH MAY 2025.)

The art and the story were great. I did feel there could have been more build-up in certain areas, but otherwise was purely enjoyable which is always important.

[Patrick Raftery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dredd Vs Death is never dull ,loved then loved it now

[Al Capwned · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like how the whole build-up of the story takes place. Slowly in the beginning but then all hell breaks loose.

[Al No · Rating 4 out of 5]

None more black. Probably better than you remember it being. #NotAGoth

[Alex Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Due to the fact The Mega Collection of Judge Dredd books didn’t come in any kind of order, getting into to this one with little to no background can feel like bring thrown in the deep end of Mega City 1.
I haven’t read the previous stories that this issue combines together but I know that certain things happen like Judge Death, Dredd taking the Long Walk into the Cursed Earth etc. I didn’t know the Judda storyline, but it was covered quickly here, so it was easy to catch up with the basics.

With Judge Dredd taking the Long Walk; to keep the idea that Judge Dredd is still on the streets of Meg 1, they use Kraken, the last Judda (clones of Dredd) released from iso-cubes, to keep up the pretence. However, reaching across from Deathworld, the sisters of Judge Death, Phobia and Nausea start psychically affecting several citizens to open a portal to allow them through and to release Judge Death and his brothers, to bring about Necropolis, the city of the dead. As the sisters, and the Dark Judges brainwash the city, and gangs of controlled Judges going around killing anyone (well more than usual) as Life is a crime according to the laws of Necropolis. Judge Dredd in the Cursed Earth feels the power of the Dark Judges and Andersons’ psychic cry for help and goes back to lead the fight back.

The Death Judges are always entertaining and while the story starts off creeping along, building up the power of the Sisters and their slow take over of Kraken, this does work well. When Dredd gets to the city in the last third its non-stop as he leads the few Judges not brainwashed to stop the rise of Necropolis.
The book is standard Dredd, so you know what you’re getting. The art is decent, better in some places than in others (the sisters seem less well drawn, but that might be on purpose to standout more). This is another massive death count for the city with tens if not hundreds of millions dead. The ways they manage to contain the Death Judges at the end are an entertaining highlight. Without giving away the ending, Dredd’s confrontation with Kraken is both shocking, understandable, harsh and a bit uncomfortable. Even for Dredd.

A good story, just I wish I had read the previous stories that built up this one.

[Ray Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volume 5 of the Mega Collection (not no.31 as some lists suggest - its a partwork, so published out of sequence). This concludes the democracy theme begun in vol.1. Well kind of. There's nothing really to do with democracy here. But in context it changed the relationship that the judges had with the people, and influenced many stories afterwards, notably The Devil You Know (referendum) from vol.2. It also begins a short cycle of Judge Death stories, continued in vols.6 & 7. The opening 3 stories set the scene for the main event, and are collectively subtitled Countdown to Necropolis. By Lethal Injection and Rights of Succession feature Judge Kraken and serves as a link between his roles in Tale of the Dead Man (vol.4) and Necropolis. Dear Annie reintroduces the Dark Judges and the Sisters of Death and explains their re-entry into our world. The next 175 pages are the 26 part epic Necropolis. I'll be honest, I got a bit bored when this first came out. But reading it all in one sitting is by far the best way to enjoy it. A number of sub plots and a bunch of themes that had been developed over the the previous few years get tied together. The volume concludes with an article about how this was nearly Dredd's swan song. At 228 pages this is the longest volume in the series so far.

[Chris Browning · Rating 4 out of 5]

The shift in confidence between Oz and this is huge: Wagner has spent ages building up slowly with the Dead Man and Kraken plots, and after a prelude which feels nicely old fashioned, we have ten episodes building up supreme tension before... totally moving the focus to the cadets, Dredd and MacGruder in the Cursed Earth and the Under City. Several times Wagner teeters to the brink of what the audience expects only to suddenly dash off in another direction: plot dumps happen through art, the Dark Judges take ages to show, we see the hints of Necropolis which makes it far creepier than the prurient hyper focus you get in, say, Marvel Man. And Ezquerra’s art is gloriously unpleasant, sickly greens and yellows to the fore

The Dark Judges are ultimately absurd figures and frequently blackly comic (hence their team up with PJ Maybe being one of their finest ever moments) and I suspect this desire to not always focus on their horrors is partly to minimise that. It never entirely feels like classic Dredd but is definitely a strong contender in the second division of epics

[Leila Anani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dredd has taken the long walk into the Cursed Earth. The justice department have drafted in Kraken - ex Judda and Fargo clone to replace Dredd but he is easy prey for the Sisters of Death who along with Dark Judges Death, Fire, Mortis and Fear want to take over MC-1 and turn it into Necropolis where the sentence really is... Death and the crime? life!

This one can be summed up in a single word. Epic.
I love the Dark Judges and the Sisters of Death and Carlos Ezquerra's artwork really does them justice here. Story is fun and I really like the fact that it ties in to so many other arcs. Pace is a tad uneven, but that's part of its charm and it brings in some great supporting characters with telepath Judge Anderson and former chief Judge McGruder.

No Dredd collection is complete without this one.

[Johnny Andrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this is an epic saga it does have flaws as it goes off giving a lot of run to minuscule characters. However it is very dark as you would guess and lots of things beforehand have led up to this story. Mostly the dissatisfaction from Wagner that bled onto the pages and into Dredd's thoughts. So Dredd quits and takes the long walk only for Kraken -a judda line to take the moniker of Dredd.
Then the sisters turn up and all hell breaks loose as they set forth to bring their brothers the Dark Judges back.
Will the real Dredd come back? Will Kraken be the new Dredd? Will the Big Meg survive Necropolis?