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Judge Dredd:Total War
Collects:
- Terror (Progs 1392-1399)
- Total War (Progs 1408-1419)
- After the Bombs (Progs 1420-1422)
- Terror (Progs 1392-1399)
- Total War (Progs 1408-1419)
- After the Bombs (Progs 1420-1422)
128 pages, Paperback
First published November 3, 2005
2 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
John Wagner
1,289 books191 followersJohn 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)
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 18, 2020
Proof you can't buy democracy if your currency is thermonuclear war
"Total War" is a collection of stories from multiple 2000AD progs that feature the titular group. The story is a classic "Running Out of Time" tale that pits the judges versus a terrorist group that threatens to use nuclear devices in Mega-City One in an attempt to force said judges out of power, restoring democracy to the city.
Whether the group Total War is a terrorist organization or a cadre of freedom fighters depends on if you're a judge or not, although the overall story arc seems to place Total War (or at least a powerful wing of it) squarely into the terrorist camp. Using a few nukes on harmless civilians will do that to a group's public image.
The book starts out strong and maintains that strength for most of the story. However, the ending feels rushed. That said, the bulk of the story has good pacing and features the always fun Chief Judge Barbara Hershey. "Total War" also raises interesting questions about the interplay between fascism and democracy, what makes otherwise normal people take up the mantle of terrorist/freedom fighter (a recurring theme in Dredd that was masterfully told in the "America" story line) and if ends can justify means. It raises these questions, but leaves answering them to the viewer.
"Total War" is a collection of stories from multiple 2000AD progs that feature the titular group. The story is a classic "Running Out of Time" tale that pits the judges versus a terrorist group that threatens to use nuclear devices in Mega-City One in an attempt to force said judges out of power, restoring democracy to the city.
Whether the group Total War is a terrorist organization or a cadre of freedom fighters depends on if you're a judge or not, although the overall story arc seems to place Total War (or at least a powerful wing of it) squarely into the terrorist camp. Using a few nukes on harmless civilians will do that to a group's public image.
The book starts out strong and maintains that strength for most of the story. However, the ending feels rushed. That said, the bulk of the story has good pacing and features the always fun Chief Judge Barbara Hershey. "Total War" also raises interesting questions about the interplay between fascism and democracy, what makes otherwise normal people take up the mantle of terrorist/freedom fighter (a recurring theme in Dredd that was masterfully told in the "America" story line) and if ends can justify means. It raises these questions, but leaves answering them to the viewer.
February 8, 2025
This Dredd story is quite interesting. Mega City One has a terrorist group committing violence as a means to get the Judges to step down from power. They want a return to democracy and the rights to trial by jury - all things taken away under the fascist rule of the Justice Department.
The volume collects a set of different, but connected, stories. The first follows a terrorist who had lost everything to the Judges, and then find love and a reason to live, and try to get out of his cell. Follows an investigation-style story, deep into a surveillance state culture.
The second follows a threat sent to the Justice Department in the form of an AI-controlled com device. It demands all Judges resign and give up power, or their group, Total War, will detonate that night the first of 200 nuclear weapons that have been already planted in the city.
A hunt begins, and fails, and a nuclear explosion is triggered, as warned. This story is built strongly around an investigation procedural. The Judges pull on all strings connected to the terror group while also trying to placate them. How many nuclear explosions will the Judges allow, and will they give up power?
The final story follows a woman who was injured during the final nuclear explosion and wakes up in a hospital bed with a chunk of metal embedded in her head. She has no memory, but sees hallucinations overlayed on reality. When the first set happen she realises she may be seeing flashes of the future. Complicating matters is the gun she was found with, and her instinctive skills in combat. A lot shorter, with an interesting ending.
A well done volume.
The volume collects a set of different, but connected, stories. The first follows a terrorist who had lost everything to the Judges, and then find love and a reason to live, and try to get out of his cell. Follows an investigation-style story, deep into a surveillance state culture.
The second follows a threat sent to the Justice Department in the form of an AI-controlled com device. It demands all Judges resign and give up power, or their group, Total War, will detonate that night the first of 200 nuclear weapons that have been already planted in the city.
A hunt begins, and fails, and a nuclear explosion is triggered, as warned. This story is built strongly around an investigation procedural. The Judges pull on all strings connected to the terror group while also trying to placate them. How many nuclear explosions will the Judges allow, and will they give up power?
The final story follows a woman who was injured during the final nuclear explosion and wakes up in a hospital bed with a chunk of metal embedded in her head. She has no memory, but sees hallucinations overlayed on reality. When the first set happen she realises she may be seeing flashes of the future. Complicating matters is the gun she was found with, and her instinctive skills in combat. A lot shorter, with an interesting ending.
A well done volume.
January 8, 2024
Tom prezentuje trzy komiksy. Pierwszy w przyjemny sposób realizuje znany motyw buntownika, który poświęca Sprawę m dla miłości. Drugi jest majatersztykiem zarówno graficznie jak i scenariuszowo. Terroryści sięgający do metod ostatecznych by zniszczyć sędziowski totalitaryzm. Pytania o to, gdzie są granice walki z totalitatyzmem, czy walcząc z totalitaryzmem można korzystać z jego metod, czy sędziowie tymi "dobrymi" i czy rewolucja ma szanse powodzenia? Trzeci komiks wyraźnie słabszy i w moim przekonaniu bez niego tom tylko by zyskał.
October 5, 2022
A couple of stories dealing with thr threat of a terrorist cell called total war, an the chaos the cause in the already complicated world of Mega City One. With a different artist on each story, this one flew by as an easy read of the character and the crazy world he inhabits.
November 26, 2023
Wagner has an amazing talent of fleshing out characters in such a short period of time. I truly felt for the struggle of the two lead characters, the desperation and confusion they felt, and dreaded the bad ending both were guaranteed to have. There are few happy endings in Mega City-1, after all.
May 17, 2014
Mixed bag this one. Really enjoyed the Terror strip and the effects of terrorism on ordinary people, but the main Total War arch was alright, nothing too special.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews