Judge Dredd: The Restricted Files 04
Story: COULD YOU BE JUDGE DREDD? Script: John Wagner Art: Carlos Ezquerra
In this fun story arc, you get to make decision as Judge Dredd. With each decision you score yourself points and at the end see how you did.
Highlight: The beautiful art work by Carlos Ezquerra. It is just such a joy to view.
Story: MR BENNET JOINS THE JUDGES Script: Mark Millar Art: Peter Doherty
Mr Bennet in the was a cartoon show involving a Bank Manager, that during his lunch break would go to a fancy dress shop. Inside the shop normally he would pick an outfit and go on a fun packed adventure. Well this time he gets a Judges uniform and heads off to MC-1 for what will be his final adventure.
Highlight: Faced with a gang hiding out in a fuel depot the Judge just blow up the site rather than risk lives trying to take it back.
Story: SINNED-IN CITY Script: Robbie Morrison Art: Adrian Salmon & Jim Vickers
Looks like 2000 AD is taking a poke at Sin City. The main character even looks like the main guy from Sin City. It's not the greatest story but funny enough.
Highlight: The weird theme of the tale, the main character has gone crazy due to his sex doll deflating.
During a prison break Mean Machine manages to escape and gets into some classic mischief. It's a tale of comical headbutting and what will he to get up to next.
Highlight: Looking for a hideout Mean Machine disguises as a cook to hide from the Judges. But soon he is headbutting customers following a complaint about food.
Story: STRANGERS ON A ZOOM Script: John Wagner Art: Jim Baikie
Great little adventure taking us on the Zoom line. Whilst chasing a mugger, Judge Dredd ends up on Zoom that happens to have a lot going on. Up first is the mugger, then a gang of armed robbers and finally a human bomb. What a great read.
Highlight: The zoom line. I don't know why but I really like the zoom line and the crazy adventures that 2000 AD seem to make up around it.
Story: TRUE GRIT Script: Gordon Rennie Art: Roberto Corona
This tale joins up the Missionary Man Marshal Cain and Judge Dredd like a classic 1980's action film. Judge Dredd is casing down some escape criminals who have passed into Texas City territories, which happen to be run by Marshal Cain.
Highlight: Judge Dredd makes an error (WHAT!) and Marshal Cain rides guns a blazing to the rescue. I need more Preacher Cain in my life.
Story: LETHAL RESPONSE Script: Gordon Rennie Art: Mike Perkins
In a privately owned hab-unit with real grass, the rich upper class of MC-1 prey on unsuspecting perps. Luring them in with poor security to then kill them as they attempt to rob the place.
Highlight: Judge Dredd grows wary of the amount of lawful killings happening at the Hab and goes to investigate. When the security system is turned on him we see him outwit everything. Including itching powder :)
The Nudist Popular Front is on a rampage in MC-1. Like many crazes in MC-1 the Nudist movement had gone from annoying to extreme in a matter of weeks. With massive rallies happening, along side clothing shop arson and forced stripping, the Judges are forced to talk with the leaders in an attempt to end the craze. When it becomes clear a common ground would not be found, Judge Dredd calls in weather control and forces the city into two weeks of harsh cold weather. Bringing a sharp end to the craze.
Highlight: The silly childish jokes that are made throughout the tale, mostly about genitals and size.
Story: FUNERAL IN MEGA-CITY ONE Script: John Wagner Art: Colin MacNeil
Dood Daddleberg on of MC-1's oldest Sky Surfers has died. Many of the sky surfing community has come out for the funeral and with them have come the Judges. The justice department are hoping to catch Marlon Shakespeare aka Chopper, the wanted Sky Surfer.
Highlight: The Sky Surfing Judges, never seen this before. But now I want to make some for gaming. So cool.
Story: HORROR HOUSE Script: John Wagner Art: John Burns
Doctor Roboticus's Horror House is this tales scene of a crime. The owners kid has been taken captive by some local perps. Judge Dredd stalks his way through the Horror House turning the exhibits against the perps.
Highlight: Judge Dredd doesn't speak once due to laryngitis. Which makes him seem even more scary.
For this tale we join a Mutant Fight Club down in Deng's Wharf and learn all about the Boston Crab. A Cursed Earth mutant with mutations of brute strength and hands that have become more like snapping claws. Having been conned into fighting in exchange for earning credits, the Boston Crab now fights weekly against other mutants, not knowing that his manager is planning on betraying him in the current fight.
Highlight: The artwork is wonderful, I am a big fan of Henry Flint and his style of artwork.
Story: DREDD HAS BEEN MURDERED Script: Alan McKenzie Art: Paul Peart & Robin Smith
Judge Dredd is investigating a murder at the Holo-vid film studio. Weirdly for him the actor killed was dressed as Judge Dredd. But who in the cast killed the actor?
Highlight: The constant comments on Dredd's chin and how obscene it truly is.
Story: RAPTAUR RETURNS Script: Alan Grant Art: Sammy Martini & John Cromer (Tony Luke & Dean Ormston)
Raptaur is a xeno form that I have let to meet in the Case files. I do already know of it though as I had the graphic novel as a kid. It was pretty much a rip off the Xenomorph and pretty much kicked Dredd's ass for most of the comic. This tale seems to have left off from the tale with a lowlife citizen discovering a worm like creature that turns out to be a second Raptaur. Judge Dredd and PSI Judge Karyn are already attempting to track it down.
Highlight: Raptaur escapes into MC-1, I hope the follow up tale is in this collection.
Story: THROUGH THE PERPHOLE Script: Gordon Rennie Art: Jim O’Ready
A tale making a mockery of Through the Keyhole an old TV show from the UK, were z-listed celebs would have to guess who's home they were being shown around.
Highlight: Urgh. Pure filler I don't have a highlight for this tale.
Story: CONFESSIONS OF A VEGETARIAN Script: Jim Alexander Art: Sean Longcroft
Weird tale that doesn't make any sense to me. It barely contains Dredd, just a few images and mostly is just weird. Didn't like it.
Highlight: Moving onto the next story.
Story: DEVIL MAN Script: Robbie Morrison Art: Jim Vickers
Pop star Cliff Richlord (based on Cliff Richards) is a hit pop star with the grey army of MC-1. But for some reason this upstanding man seemingly never ages. I this tale we follow three women (who seem to be based off the Golden Girls) as they discover the truth behind Richlord's success.
Highlight: Zoo animals being washed out of the exploded swimming pool! That's a sentence I never imagined writing.
As an old NASA Satellite starts it's crash landing into MC-1, the Judges prepare a sector for the impact. But little did they expect there to be a frozen astronaut from a different era, stored inside.
Highlight: Didn't have one.
Story: DIE PAINFULLY Script: Jim Alexander Art: Stuart Mac
Dolph Schwartz a famous action movie actor is having staff issues. His cloned stunt doubles are protesting poor health care and even worst civil rights.
Highlight: The clones seemingly having a higher IQ than their gene sire.
Story: FAT BOTTOM BOYS Script: Robbie Morrison Art: John Hicklenton
Weird story about a perp who is stealing the rear ends of fat famous people!
Highlight: Finishing this tale, I loved the idea as it was very MC-1 type of crime. But I seriously struggled with the artwork I found it confusing and distracting, way to much detail to the point that I couldn't understand what was happening.
Story: JUDGE PLANET II Script: Si Spencer Art: Shaky Kane
Wow I am hitting some weird ass stories. Another tale that I truthfully can't stand, weird artwork, weird story telling, weird theme. Just not an interesting read for me, so let us move on.
Following an attack on a Justice Carrier, Judge Dredd is injured and falls into a coma. Whilst out of it, Judge Dredd dreams of a MC-1 that is without Joe Dredd but instead ran by Rico Dredd (his long dead brother).
Highlight: Enjoyable story, could almost have done with it being longer. Really delve into an alternative reality. I would love to see a in-depth version of this tale.
Story: THE MEDIEVAL DREDD Script: Simon Jacob Art: Simon Jacob
Two slightly comical monks are on the quest to fulfil a prophesy. Upon completing the spell, the pair of monks manipulate MC-1 into a Medieval alternative version. Were Judge Dredd is a knight.
Highlight: Dredd's sword acts like his Lawgiver, when used by anyone other than Dredd it self destructs taking the perp with it.
Story: THE INCORRUPTIBLES Script: Paul Neary & Marc Wigmore Art: Paul Neary
A weird tale based off the Capone story but with the police characters are replaced by MC-1's finest.
Highlight: A fun retelling of a classic tale, very much a filler tale and not much else. Not sure why this story even came into being.
Story: DREDD OF DROKK GREEN Script: Alan Barnes Art: Trevor Hairsine
Another alt-reality tale, this time Judge Dredd is a British boddy, working the streets of London. When one of the other police officers are killed over antiques it is up to Dredd to solve the case or at least try to.
Highlight: Lovely artwork, once again deserves to be more than a one of tale. Could have been fun watching PC Dredd clean house.
Story: BLACK DAY AT BAD ROCK Script: Robbie Morrison Art: C. Bravery, Jack Couvela, & Del Frost
Set during Judge Dredd's time as Sector Chief of 301. Judge Dredd leads a crime blitz on what is believed to be the worst Citi-Block in the sector. We are then treated to a few pages of classic MC-1 crime action and justice.
Highlight: Bit of a classic tale setting which made for a fully enjoyable read. Highly recommend this one.
Story: SUGAR DADDY Script: John Wagner Art: James Joyce
Sugar Daddy has travelled the stars to learn magic and upon returning to MC-1 attempts to control Judge Dredd. Turns out the Sugar Daddy is strong and actually takes physical control of Dredd!
Highlight: The artwork is strange on this one. It looks like a rough sketch of what they plan on drawing rather than a finished piece. A bit strange.
A young alien from off world has somehow ended up in the Black Atlantic on earth. Swimming to shore it arrives at MC-1 and unknowing scares the hell out of everyone causing the Judges to hunt it down. Lucky for the alien Judge Dredd realises it is only a kid and takes the alien alive.
Highlight: Great one shot tale, classic Dredd vs Alien mash up. I do enjoy these kinds of tales as Dredd can't always be on epic world destroying adventures, sometimes he has to do his real job.
Story: ON THE JOB Script: John Wagner Art: Rufus Dayglo
Judge Dredd is being interviewed for a Holo-vid Show. We get to see Judge Dredd at work whilst answering everyday citizens questions.
Highlight: I like the fact it is more of an intro to Judge Dredd and the franchise rather than a straight up one shot tale. You can tell it was for Free Comic Book day but it is a nice fun read.
Story: HOUSE OF DEATH Script: John Wagner & Alan Grant Art: Bryan Talbot
Wow. A Judge Dread choose your own adventure. Not that easy to play electronically but still was a lot of fun to play through. Dredd has been called to an illegal cult gathering, but as Dredd delves further into the house you realise all is not as it seems.
Highlight: SPOILER: The Dark Judges. I love the Dark Judges they are some of the most creepy villains in comic form. Can't fault a story with them in.
And with that we have reached the end. Now timeline wise it was the correct choice to do four before three but it is going to drive me nuts having done that. So expect three very soon, like extremely soon as I am now opening it to read.
As always I hope you enjoyed this little jump into the comics and let me know if you enjoy these or not? And please hit up follow I do enjoy seeing a new member join in.
No comments:
Post a Comment
I hope you enjoyed the post? I would love to hear your thoughts and start a conversation on the topic. If you have time please do hit follow.
Thank you for stopping by.