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Dredd Case File recommendations

Started by Dash Decent, 19 February, 2020, 10:41:19 AM

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Dash Decent

I've been asked to recommend some of the JD Case Files to someone.  He's after the crazy and inventive stuff; he liked the Cursed Earth saga but not the Apocalypse War.  He also likes the art of Bolland and McMahon, but is not (yet) taken with Ezquerra.

My first thought is CF4, which has the Judge Child saga in it, plus Otto Sump, Capt Skank and also the first appearance of Chopper.

Other than that, I'm stuck.  I need to get out the Case Files to remember what stories are in what volumes, and whether they fit the bill.  Time has been in short supply recently and I know once I get to it I'll just get sidetracked re-reading loads of stories.

Any recommendations, oh great and sagacious hivemind?
- By Appointment -
Hero to Michael Carroll

"... rank amateurism and bad jokes." - JohnW.

Richard

There are more McMahon stories (and one or two Bolland stories) in CF 3 and 4, but none after Apocalypse War (CF 5). Most of those stories are pretty crazy. There are also a lot of Ron Smith-illustrated stories, which he will probably like.

After the Apocalypse War there are lots of less serious, crazy stories again, almost all of them by Smith and Ezquerra, so not sure whether to recommend those to your friend or not. If you think he could grow to like or at least get used to Ezquerra 's style , then definitely, because that was a golden age of brilliant Dredd stories, including The Graveyard Shift, Fungus, Jimps, and Blobs. That's CF 5 and 6. Some of the stories get more serious after that, but there are still some batty ones too, and there's much less Ezquerra. By then you've got Steve Dillon, Cam Kennedy, Ian Gibson and others.

Tjm86

McMahon has done a number of Dredd's in recent years but his style is quite a bit different to his earlier stuff.  Your friend might also get on quite well with some of the Cam Kennedy stuff, Brett Ewins' stint (Haunting of Sector House 9?) or the McCarthy Riot strips.  [around about the 400's in terms of progs, not sure which CF's]

As an aside, if he is into McMahon then "The Last American" is well worth pushing his way.  Not tooth to be sure but close enough for government purposes ...

Be interesting to see what he makes of Rogue Trooper as well (plenty of Gibbons, Kennedy, Ewins, plus the sensational Colin Wilson ...)

pauljholden

CF8 (I think, can someone correct me?) has the City of the Damned - a short mega-epic, as well as the Cry of the Werewolf, another stone cold classic.

shaolin_monkey

Have you considered directing him to the Daily Dredds?  There's no end of craziness on those!

radiator

I would say all of the case files covering the period between the end of The Apocalypse War and the start of Oz (so 6-9?).

Tonnes of weird one-offs and short serials with a heavy emphasis on the wackier, more humourous side of things, and dripping with 80s references.


Dash Decent

Thanks everyone, those are all good suggestions.  I don't think having art by McMahon or Bolland is a deal-breaker, as long as the stories are more off-the-wall.  Of course, that means missing the brilliance of The Pit, Day of Chaos, etc etc etc, but each to their own.
- By Appointment -
Hero to Michael Carroll

"... rank amateurism and bad jokes." - JohnW.