Judge Dredd Megazine Files

Mark Taylor · 22 June, 2009, 10:33:11 PM

Spinning off from the Rogue Trooper phone books thread, I'd be interested to know how people would like to see the Judge Dredd material from the Megazine reprinted.

Personally, I would like to see those stories which crossover with stories from the Progs (e.g. Judgement Day) appear in the main case files series. In fact, I think it is pretty much essential for that to happen because stories which have holes in them would very severely detract from the volumes in which they appear. It would probably even make a lot of people who would otherwise snap them up without question (myself included) think twice about even buying them.

As for the other Meg stories, I'd really quite like to see them reprinted in a separate series of phone book style volumes. I have no objection to putting them in the regular case files as such, because I would buy these anyway. However this way people who don't want to collect the Meg stories wouldn't have to feel like they were being forced on them, and people who do want to collect them (like me) would have the option to do so.

Anybody else have thoughts on this?

radiator · 22 June, 2009, 11:26:07 PM

It's a tough one, and there's downsides either way (the recently-reprinted America taking up a huge chunk of Case Files xx, for example, and it does seem very odd that a standalone Mechanismo book is scheduled for later this year, when it will presumably be appearing within the next few volumes of the Case Files....

Despite this, I'm kind of the opinion of 'In for a penny...' - I'd rather see all of the Meg material than just the crossovers. After all there have been some really great Dredds in the Meg that have never been reprinted (and that a lot of fans have never read), and including the Meg stuff will keep the quality up with a higher ratio of Wagner-scripted material that will provide some relief when we get to the Millar/Morrison/Steelgrave era of 2000AD Dredd material - though there's also a lot of Meg Dredd that is very poor quality.

An alternative would be stopping the Case Files after volume 14/The Dead Man and then carry on collecting the best Dredd material in story or artist-themed collections - however its quite unlikely that Rebellion will want to cancel a very successful series.

I, Cosh · 23 June, 2009, 12:43:28 AM

All of them. Integrated in as close to publication order as coherence allows. Reprints a lot of Wagner stories that a lot of people wont have read for the first time and means you never have to sit through an entire Case File of Morrison & Millar.

There's no need to reprint America in the Case Files. Like The Dead Man, it was originally published as a standalone story, not a Dredd story, so the existing separate volume will be fine.

Edited to add: Oh. Radiator's already said most of that.

Colin YNWA · 23 June, 2009, 08:44:32 AM

Yeah I'd be very pleased if the Megazine Dredd stories got a showing as my Megazine collection is far from complete. That said I suspect they will be a while in coming to avoid flooding the market?

Mike Gloady · 30 June, 2009, 09:47:02 PM

I'm up for the DREDD stories from the Meg to be reprinted (obviously) but please, let's keep the non-Dredd stuff on a strictly "classics-only" basis. Not that anyone was thinking about that. Werer they?

Oh wait, they published Red Razors.....

The likes of Judgement Day, Wilderlands and the importance of certain 2000ad tales as background for meg tales (and vice versa) mean that it'll make a hell of a lot more sense to just bundle the meg stuff in with the twoth. Although that DOES mean that case files for certain years (fortnightly meg for example) will become huge and unwieldy.

And I don't really have a solution in mind for that. Sorry.

Leigh S · 30 June, 2009, 09:52:01 PM

I'd like them to keep them seperate.. might tempt me to buy them if the breaks fit well - that is, I can switch over from teh 2000AD files to teh meg files and have a (mostly) wagner run.

digitalworlds · 02 August, 2009, 05:09:57 PM

THIS THREAD HAS GOT ME VERY ANGRY! Are the publishers actually considering now after making me buy 13 releases of 'THE COMPLETE JUDGE DREDD CASE FILES' that they might not actually be putting in the COMPLETE Judge Dredd Case Files? Surely such a move to save money/book space would be criminal and false advertising? This title IS NOT called 'The complete 2000AD Dredd Case Files'. It is too late to change this now Im sorry but thousands of fans and myself now insist that ALL of Dredd's material be printed Prog OR Megazine as the title promises.

Leigh S · 02 August, 2009, 05:26:42 PM

well, its already not complete, what with all those annual and special stories not being reprinted, let alone the marvellous DAILY STAR DREDDS (emphasis mine!) that could fill a casefile or three....

Mike Gloady · 02 August, 2009, 05:53:15 PM

Calm down, digitalworlds, there's a good person. It's not worth getting so irate over. I'm under the impression that the decision hasn't been taken just yet and this is a conversation regarding whether or not we the readers think splitting the series into 2000ad and Meg is a good idea.

Personally I don't agree with the idea of "splitting" either, but I've yet to hear anything from Rebellion as to their plans.

I'd LIKE it if they made these so-called "Complete" volumes a tad more complete regarding specials, annuals, newspaper strips etc.....

Dark Jimbo · 02 August, 2009, 06:41:00 PM

Quote from: digitalworlds on 02 August, 2009, 05:09:57 PM
THIS THREAD HAS GOT ME VERY ANGRY! Are the publishers actually considering now after making me buy 13 releases of 'THE COMPLETE JUDGE DREDD CASE FILES' that they might not actually be putting in the COMPLETE Judge Dredd Case Files?

Oh, for crying out loud.

You haven't been 'made' to buy anything. Get over yourself.

Quote from: digitalworlds on 02 August, 2009, 05:09:57 PM
Surely such a move to save money/book space would be criminal and false advertising?

No, it wouldn't.

Quote from: digitalworlds on 02 August, 2009, 05:09:57 PM
I'm sorry but thousands of fans and myself now insist that ALL of Dredd's material be printed Prog OR Megazine as the title promises.

We do? Speak for yourself, lad. We're not in any position to 'insist' or 'demand' anything. Rebellion don't owe you a complete collection, as you seem to think. What an ungrateful attitude.

Dark Jimbo · 02 August, 2009, 06:42:32 PM

Sorry, double post. Nothing to see here, move along.

radiator · 02 August, 2009, 06:50:52 PM

The last I heard, Megazine stuff will be included.

Mike Gloady · 02 August, 2009, 07:11:55 PM

Well, let's all have a cup of tea to celebrate then. Goodness me, silly boarders getting all grumpy with each other *tut tut* I've a good mind to put you all over my knee. Shake hands, that's it.

Now, who's for a slice of victoria sponge with their tea?

Tjm86 · 03 August, 2009, 05:28:56 PM

Quote from: digitalworlds on 02 August, 2009, 05:09:57 PM
Are the publishers actually considering now after making me buy 13 releases of 'THE COMPLETE JUDGE DREDD CASE FILES' that they might not actually be putting in the COMPLETE Judge Dredd Case Files?

I have to assume that we are glossing over the obvious incompleteness for copyright reasons of the 'banned issues'.

Could I have some shortbread with my tea please?

Mike Gloady · 03 August, 2009, 06:52:11 PM

'Course you can. There's even some homemade bakewell tart.