Mega-City Masters - 35 Years of Judge Dredd

[dweezil2]

That was really good, although we've seen that Wagner clip in at least two of the other extras.

I was bemused by Mark Millars comments.  Maybe I have rosetinted specs, or can't remember the episodes he wrote.  Can someone name a few of the Dredd stories he did please, so I can go back and have a re-read?

Purgatory and Book Of The Dead are just two stories that have caused fans apoplexy, though I never had a huge problem with them.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Judge-Dredd-Book-Dead-2000-AD/dp/074939692X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1366624533&sr=1-1&keywords=book+of+the+dead+dredd

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Inferno-Judge-Dredd-2000-AD/dp/1781080712/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1366624582&sr=1-1&keywords=Inferno+dredd

[Steve Green]

I think it was just the tendency to reduce Dredd to an 80s action movie character.

[Jim_Campbell]

No... some of the stories are shit. I think Frankenstein Division is penned by Millar solo without the assistance of his then-'oppo Morrison and is just fucking rubbish.

"It's an unkillable monster fashioned entirely from body parts of dead Sovs from the Apocalypse War who were personally killed by Dredd!"

What? That makes no sense whatsoever. Still, never mind, let's go with it. Said unkillable beast rampages around being unkillable until Dredd, err, kills it by means of the cunning ploy of Punching It Really Hard.*

Cheers

Jim

*Take note of this trope. Like molten lava/metal and conveyor belts, you will see it again...

[Steve Green]

"It's an unkillable monster fashioned entirely from body parts of dead Sovs from the Apocalypse War who were personally killed by Dredd!"

Sure it's schlocky, but so are zombie judges ripping people's hearts out or a bunch of other non-Millar stories.

It doesn't seem particularly notable about not making much sense.

[Richmond Clements]

"It's an unkillable monster fashioned entirely from body parts of dead Sovs from the Apocalypse War who were personally killed by Dredd!"

Sure it's schlocky, but so are zombie judges ripping people's hearts out or a bunch of other non-Millar stories.

It doesn't seem particularly notable about not making much sense.

For me it's simply that it's bad writing, pure and simple.
He displays absolutely no understanding of how a comic is constructed or no understanding of Dredd and his world.

[Proudhuff]

Having said all that you have to take your hat off to Mark Millar, he was refreshingly honest about his place in the scheme of things!

Respect to the man for coming clean.

[dweezil2]

I think it was just the tendency to reduce Dredd to an 80s action movie character.

Yeah, I didn't mind the odd Dredd story taking that approach but I wouldn't have wanted the character to carry on in that direction.
Thankfully John Wagner returned to the fold soon after and normality was resumed.

[Steve Green]

"It's an unkillable monster fashioned entirely from body parts of dead Sovs from the Apocalypse War who were personally killed by Dredd!"

Sure it's schlocky, but so are zombie judges ripping people's hearts out or a bunch of other non-Millar stories.

It doesn't seem particularly notable about not making much sense.

For me it's simply that it's bad writing, pure and simple.
He displays absolutely no understanding of how a comic is constructed or no understanding of Dredd and his world.

Maybe it wasn't aimed at us?

[Jim_Campbell]

It doesn't seem particularly notable about not making much sense.

What? East Meg Two collected up bodies from the Apocalypse War, identified which ones had been personally killed by Dredd, kept them on ice for a decade and a half and then stitched them all together, at which point the resultant hybrid monstrosity is infused with the collected hatred of Dredd possessed by all its body parts? "Rarrgh! My right knee retains its original owner's rage at being killed by Judge Dredd! Bring me Judge Dredd!"

Sorry, but that's utter shit.

Cheers

Jim

[Colin YNWA]

It doesn't seem particularly notable about not making much sense.

What? East Meg Two collected up bodies from the Apocalypse War, identified which ones had been personally killed by Dredd, kept them on ice for a decade and a half and then stitched them all together, at which point the resultant hybrid monstrosity is infused with the collected hatred of Dredd possessed by all its body parts? "Rarrgh! My right knee retains its original owner's rage at being killed by Judge Dredd! Bring me Judge Dredd!"

Sorry, but that's utter shit.

Cheers

Jim

And that's before you get to the ending, the oh so stupid ending.

[Goaty]

It doesn't seem particularly notable about not making much sense.

What? East Meg Two collected up bodies from the Apocalypse War, identified which ones had been personally killed by Dredd, kept them on ice for a decade and a half and then stitched them all together, at which point the resultant hybrid monstrosity is infused with the collected hatred of Dredd possessed by all its body parts? "Rarrgh! My right knee retains its original owner's rage at being killed by Judge Dredd! Bring me Judge Dredd!"

Sorry, but that's utter shit.

Cheers

Jim

What? For real?? OH my...

Awesome video!

[Steve Green]

It doesn't seem particularly notable about not making much sense.

What? East Meg Two collected up bodies from the Apocalypse War, identified which ones had been personally killed by Dredd, kept them on ice for a decade and a half and then stitched them all together, at which point the resultant hybrid monstrosity is infused with the collected hatred of Dredd possessed by all its body parts? "Rarrgh! My right knee retains its original owner's rage at being killed by Judge Dredd! Bring me Judge Dredd!"

Sorry, but that's utter shit.

Cheers

Jim

And?

It's a horror staple of body parts retaining the personality of the owners, even though it's cobblers.

There are plenty of Dredd stories that have a ridiculous premise - Frankenstein Division doesn't seem particularly notable in that area.

I'm not saying it's a good story - I haven't read it since it was published - I'm just saying that the setup isn't something that bothers me.

[Proudhuff]

but even the writer says its mince!!!

[Dandontdare]

so many horrors ... http://www.2000ad.org/?zone=droid&page=thrills&Comic=2000AD&Field=Writer&choice=markm - I recall Frankenstein Div, Judge Tyrannosaur and Crusade as being particularly shite not up to his usual high standards

[shaolin_monkey]

Yowsers, I wasn't expecting such a volatile reaction to my query.  Thanks for the answers though!

I remember enjoying Inferno, all those years ago, although the most standout moment for me was the prison guard feeding that hippie nark his pet rat.