What Are The Top 5 Judge Dredd Graphic Novels ?

ChuckNorrisgod

Just wondering its been like since I was a kid since I read Judge Dredd.

What are the top 5 graphic novels that he has.

I heard about this judge dead and then batman one.

Your thoughts....

Fysh

What do you mean by "graphic novels"? It's a term that gets thrown around a lot, but there's no single accepted meaning. Is it:
a) A story written to be published in one piece, told using words and pictures?
b) A collected edition of a story or stories previously told in serialised form?
c) A term that makes sure people know the person using it is reading LITERARY MATERIAL OF CULTURAL MERIT, rather than those filthy meritless "comics" that we all know are only for kids? (You'd be surprised at how many people use it this way, even Will Eisner has copped to using it like this in the past)

If you mean "what are the best Judge Dredd stories", I imagine the Apocalypse War will be mentioned - I remember reading bits of it, but have never read the whole thing in one go so couldn't say for definite.

I also have a soft spot for the serial killer story in one of the annuals (1996, maybe?) because while it wasn't amazing it was a decently nasty take on the idea of serial killing, the media's fascination with serial killers, and the phenomenon of copycat killers.

Mr. K

The only Judge Dredd story I've read was the one about the Dark Judges (is it called Necropolis?). It was pretty entertaining stuff.

MarkHall

Chapters have the Best of Judge Dredd available for a tenner.
Covers some of the funner short tales.

The are a few trades of Dredd tales out there.
The Dark Judges stuff is good.
I really enjoyed the Incubus story(which is the Aliens crossover).

If you want to get back into reading Dredd.
Then i would say Start with the Casefiles You can even choose the year you want to start.

Blanch Library has a good selection of the Casefiles on offer. Well worth a read.

PhatPiggins

The Block Wars was always my favourite.

I always found the Button Man series the best of any of the 2000AD ones

ChuckNorrisgod

Ha ha that is priceless

Fysh wrote: »

What do you mean by "graphic novels"? It's a term that gets thrown around a lot, but there's no single accepted meaning. Is it:
a) A story written to be published in one piece, told using words and pictures?
b) A collected edition of a story or stories previously told in serialised form?
c) A term that makes sure people know the person using it is reading LITERARY MATERIAL OF CULTURAL MERIT, rather than those filthy meritless "comics" that we all know are only for kids? (You'd be surprised at how many people use it this way, even Will Eisner has copped to using it like this in the past)

If you mean "what are the best Judge Dredd stories", I imagine the Apocalypse War will be mentioned - I remember reading bits of it, but have never read the whole thing in one go so couldn't say for definite.

I also have a soft spot for the serial killer story in one of the annuals (1996, maybe?) because while it wasn't amazing it was a decently nasty take on the idea of serial killing, the media's fascination with serial killers, and the phenomenon of copycat killers.

Bistoman

My two Creds Worth.

At 5) City of the Dammed. A story Where Dredd and Anderson travel into the future to avert a possible destruction of MC1

At 4) Cursed Earth. Very early Dredd story ware He Must travel across the wasteland to MC2 to deliver a vaccine.

At 3) Judgement Day. A huge story ware the Dead have risen and the worlds Judges Must Unite to save the earth.

At 2) The Apocalypse war. The Sovs launch a nuclear strike upon MC1 and then Invade.

At 1) America. Very unusual story for a Dredd story, But well worth reading, It tells the story of Benny, a Club singer and His love of His childhood Sweetheart "America", Who is part of an anti-Judge Pro democracy movement. Bloody, Sad, and by far the best told story of the Dredd universe. Buy It.

Other notable mentions,
The Dark Judges.
The Emerald Isle.
The Dead Man.
Judgement On Gotham.

Mal-Adjusted

Fysh wrote: »

What do you mean by "graphic novels"? It's a term that gets thrown around a lot, but there's no single accepted meaning. Is it:
a) A story written to be published in one piece, told using words and pictures?
b) A collected edition of a story or stories previously told in serialised form?
c) A term that makes sure people know the person using it is reading LITERARY MATERIAL OF CULTURAL MERIT, rather than those filthy meritless "comics" that we all know are only for kids? (You'd be surprised at how many people use it this way, even Will Eisner has copped to using it like this in the past)

jesus, i thought this had been to bed years ago! Fysh, you've clearly med people from category C i take it?

everyone i know seems to agree with the consensus that a graphic Novel is a bound collection of comic issues usually but not exclusively telling a single story (Jonah Hex: The Six Gun War), or an original graphic novel (OGN) which contains fresh material not originally published before (Jonah Hex: No Way Back)

anyway, on topic, i have just gotten a cheap cope of Judge Dredd: the complete case files vol.1 .....so, i haven't torn into it yet, but can anyone tell me if it's good?

Bistoman

Mal-Adjusted wrote: »

anyway, on topic, i have just gotten a cheap cope of Judge Dredd: the complete case files vol.1 .....so, i haven't torn into it yet, but can anyone tell me if it's good?

Its very Good, Not the Fascist Dredd of later Years, But it gives a good sense of ware it all started, I think the "Rico" story is in that first Vol, It shows how Dredd will do anything to Uphold the Law.
I envy You getting to see all this for the first time, Its almost 30 years since I first read it.

Mal-Adjusted

Bistoman wrote: »

Its very Good, Not the Fascist Dredd of later Years, But it gives a good sense of ware it all started, I think the "Rico" story is in that first Vol, It shows how Dredd will do anything to Uphold the Law.
I envy You getting to see all this for the first time, Its almost 30 years since I first read it.

thanks, i'll keep the thread up to date with what i think of it!

Turtyturd

Mal-Adjusted wrote: »

thanks, i'll keep the thread up to date with what i think of it!

I am up to volume 3 and I have enjoyed it. As has been said it takes a while to get to the Dredd everyone knows and some of the early stuff can be a bit cringeworthy but it is worth sticking with and the stories are fairly short if you don't like them. Volume 2 is where it starts to take off...The Judge Cal storyline is in Vol 2...and that's one of my favourites.

MarkHall

Gotta love



The America storyline is brilliant. I didn't know they released it as a stand alone.
Will have to seek it out.

sensibleken

best in order are

1 young death. origins story of judge death, not much dredd in it
2. judgement on gotham. batman, dredd crossover
3. America
4. Raptaur - brain eating alien attacks mega city one
5. mechanismo

Mal-Adjusted

finished vol 1 of the case files & loved it! the characterisation isn't much yet, but internal continuity is very strong and remains consistant. i got vol 3 as a birthday gift and ordered vol 2 online, but it hasn't gotten here yet. the guy in sub-city in Galway says that it's always a big seller.
unless the quality drops off, i can see myself building up all the case files books within the year!