Mega City Zero (IDW)

[blackmocco]

[/size]I'm actually enjoying this one. Compared to the last main strip omnishambles this one is far better. Not prog standard but certainly late 90s Meg standard. Nothing wrong with trying something different.

That's about how I feel about the newest series - hoping that reboot happens though.

I started up with the usual defense tactics but after two failed movies

I wouldn't say 2012 was an unmitigated failure - I've not read a bad review of it, and it was number one in the box office the week it was released.  It's also been number one in whatever-category (sci-fi, dvd, blue-ray, etc) on amazon a few times.

I love the 2012 movie but sadly, it was an unmitigated failure at the US box office. There may well be various different reasons for that failure but at the end of the day, nobody went to see it over here.

[Proudhuff]

I keep coming back to this like a dog to its sick...

I thought CF would be happy to see a beardy Dredd 

[COMMANDO FORCES]

That's the best bit 

[dweezil2]

I keep coming back to this like a dog to its sick...

I thought CF would be happy to see a beardy Dredd 

He is Dredd-Christ!

And he will smite all unbelievers down!

Same for Beliebers too!

[Frank]

I'm actually enjoying this one. Compared to the last main strip omnishambles this one is far better. Not prog standard but certainly late 90s Meg standard. Nothing wrong with trying something different.

That's about how I feel about the newest series - hoping that reboot happens though.

after two failed movies and God-knows how many comic companies and titles have tried over here, I have to admit I felt a bit stumped trying to explain what's wrong with this version

I wouldn't say 2012 was an unmitigated failure - I've not read a bad review of it, and it was number one in the box office the week it was released.  It's also been number one in whatever-category (sci-fi, dvd, blue-ray, etc) on amazon a few times.

I love the 2012 movie but sadly, it was an unmitigated failure at the US box office. There may well be various different reasons for that failure but at the end of the day, nobody went to see it over here.

Apart from the amusing social media conceit in this and Ulises Farinas's art on MC2, IDW Dredd isn't for me. But as Blackmocco points out, it isn't supposed to be for me.

All ideas have their time and place, and neither RIGHT NOW nor THE USA seem to be Dredd's. Classic Dredd's had 30 years to break America without making more than a dent, so it would be crazy to keep doing the same thing expecting different consequences.

At least with Zero, IDW are trying the WHAT IF PETE MILLIGAN HAD A GO AT DREDD(?) approach, rather than Swierczynski's WHAT IF MARK MILLAR HAD NEVER STOPPED WRITING DREDD?

[dweezil2]

If it's not zombies or spandex clad enforcers of American foreign policy, are comic readers in the states really interest in anything different?

[Jim_Campbell]

If it's not zombies or spandex clad enforcers of American foreign policy, are comic readers in the states really interest in anything different?

I letter about 6,500 pages a year, most of them for US publishers, and I've only worked on one book this year that could really be called 'superhero'-y. You'd be forgiven for thinking that there's very little beyond the Big Two apart from the odd breakout Image book, but that's down to the online comics press as much as anything.

[dweezil2]

Jim, I knew I should of edited my post to read "mainstream comic readers in the states!"

Now I wish I had! 

[Frank]

It's been almost a decade since I read any monthly US titles. What do less xenophobic readers than myself and the foul Dweezil reckon would sell Dredd comics to a US comic reading audience?

From my position of ignorance, Dredd's a bit like Batman and The Punisher - so maybe they should emphasise more personal revenge narratives, as well as novel ways of killing people and/or cool gadgetry?

The more soapy elements of The Pit and the strip's now quite sizeable female supporting cast could be a bit like eighties X-Men?

I realise I'm just displaying my ignorance about current trends in US titles, but that's your cue to tell me what American nerds go buck wild for these days - apart from the words FIRST ISSUE on the cover, which seems to account for most of the top twenty:

http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/2016/2016-06.html

[Jim_Campbell]

Jim, I knew I should of edited my post to read "mainstream comic readers in the states!"

Now, that's a fair point.

[dweezil2]

It's been almost a decade since I read any monthly US titles. What do less xenophobic readers than myself and the foul Dweezil reckon would sell Dredd comics to a US comic reading audience?

From my position of ignorance, Dredd's a bit like Batman and The Punisher - so maybe they should emphasise more personal revenge narratives, as well as novel ways of killing people and/or cool gadgetry?

The more soapy elements of The Pit and the strip's now quite sizeable female supporting cast could be a bit like eighties X-Men?

I realise I'm just displaying my ignorance about current trends in US titles, but that's your cue to tell me what American nerds go buck wild for these days - apart from the words FIRST ISSUE on the cover, which seems to account for most of the top twenty:

http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/2016/2016-06.html

Judging by the majority of DC and Marvel's output that I've purused, I'd suggest all female judges, Anderson, Hershey, etc to have disproportionate sized breasts, a sprayed on uniform and none of them to look older than 19, oh and bent over suggestively or legs akimbo at every possible opportunity, then, and only then, is Dredd in for a fighting chance!   

[Frank]

I'm not sure I'd want to lose Ben Willsher and Andrew Currie to the US market.

[blackmocco]

It's been almost a decade since I read any monthly US titles. What do less xenophobic readers than myself and the foul Dweezil reckon would sell Dredd comics to a US comic reading audience?

From my position of ignorance, Dredd's a bit like Batman and The Punisher - so maybe they should emphasise more personal revenge narratives, as well as novel ways of killing people and/or cool gadgetry?

The more soapy elements of The Pit and the strip's now quite sizeable female supporting cast could be a bit like eighties X-Men?

I realise I'm just displaying my ignorance about current trends in US titles, but that's your cue to tell me what American nerds go buck wild for these days - apart from the words FIRST ISSUE on the cover, which seems to account for most of the top twenty:

http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/2016/2016-06.html

Judging by the majority of DC and Marvel's output that I've purused, I'd suggest all female judges, Anderson, Hershey, etc to have disproportionate sized breasts, a sprayed on uniform and none of them to look older than 19, oh and bent over suggestively or legs akimbo at every possible opportunity, then, and only then, is Dredd in for a fighting chance!

You've been perusing the wrong books.

[dweezil2]

Oh and a hot lesbian scene between Anderson and Hershey when things like an interesting plot are too hard to come by.

On and Dredd just needs the love of a good woman to make him realise what a waste of time this whole silly law enforcing thing really is, ahhh!

Actually, anyone got Geoff Johns mobile number?

[blackmocco]

The argument that 'this' Dredd is not for more seasoned Dredd fans doesn't cut any mustard, in my opinion. The only people over here who know Dredd are either fans of 2000AD or people who have seen the 1995 movie (but mix it up with Demolition Man). As the 1995 movie was a titanic flop over here, it clearly makes no sense to try appeal to that section so instead, IDW should be trying harder to genuinely appeal to fans of the character and comic and getting some writers in who can inject a little of what makes the 2000AD version work. Build on it from there maybe. Yes, a more mainstream and accessible version, but trying to be everything to everyone never works. Farinas' version is a jump, for sure, and I can't imagine it being ongoing much longer in its current form, but at least it's taking a chance in recognizing what didn't work with the first run.

I don't really know what has to be done to get an American audience on board though. It's been tried and tried again without much success bar team-ups with Batman and Alien, etc. Maybe they're just not into it outside of a niche audience. At the end of the day, most American comic readers want their heroes cleanly defined as good guys and Dredd blurs that line a little too much....?

I spent the weekend reading the Uncensored Cursed Earth and it's so gleefully manic to read and so effective presenting Dredd as an unabashed hero that maybe that's the way to go with it over here.