America vs Machine Law - Dredd Epics Ranked - Better! H2H Rd 7

[Colin YNWA]

Dredd isn't really the star attraction in either of these Wagner classics. Has the 16th Seed had the time and distance to be properly evaluated yet? Will it rise in folks minds as we re-read it and take on board the wonderful masterclass in craft it is at times? Even when it has though could it beat what is surely the popular choice for best Dredd story ever... that is if it is indeed a Dredd tale... or an Epic. These are factors you must juggle with.

Seed 1 America Megs (Vol. 1) 1-7

Vs

Seed 16 Machine Law - Progs 2024-2029 and 2115-2122

Back to the simple purity of popping the name of the Epic you prefer in a reply to this thread (remember to mark it clearly so I can spot it - bold tags are good) and then say whatever the heck you like to about these two great stories.

We're also back to 3 day votes so this one will close first thing in the morning Sunday 4th of April - Easter - there is no holiday!!!! Winner advance to the Quarter Finals - loser goes into the 16th - 9th playoff vote.

All links go through to AlexF's simply brilliant Dredd Epics Ranked blog. You may need to scroll to find his write up of a particular story - but I'd suggest just reading the whole thing anyway - it's fantastic stuff.

Baffled by what's going on here - well we have a a thread for that - though that might leave you more confused than anything.

Rules for what they are worth.

Not sure about anything just ask and I'll blag it.

[broodblik]

America certainly with Horned God, Halo Jones Book III, Nemesis Book 3-4,Brink and Nikolai Dante series I rate as the best strips to appear in any comic.

[The Enigmatic Dr X]

America

[abelardsnazz]

Machine Law is a great example of recent Wagner building on what has gone before, but an epic? Nah. Wagner building on what had gone before in the first months of the Megazine and rightly held up as an iconic story, but I'm still not sure it's an epic. However, of these two, much as I love ML, I'm going for America.

[Magnetica]

So two non epics, one of which wasn't deemed enough of a Dredd story to be included in the Case Files. I never really understood that as I'm pretty sure it was billed as Judge Dredd in the Megazine.

Anyway given America is one of the best stories in all comics I'm going to vote for it. For now. But not when it comes up against a proper epic. Because well, that'll be more of an epic, won't it?

[BPP]

City of the dammed, obviously.

[Barrington Boots]

America please Colin.

[maryanddavid]

America.

[IndigoPrime]

So two non epics, one of which wasn't deemed enough of a Dredd story to be included in the Case Files.

I do still wonder about that. I suspect at the time, there were probably discussions about not cannibalising sales of the standalone America volume. But this was a big error, in my view. America belongs in those Case Files.

As for these two strips, America easily wins it, even if I'm not convinced about its 'epic' credentials. (It's a vitally important Dredd story, sure, but I'm unconvinced it's an epic.)

[broodblik]

That is a good point and it does not make sense that America was not part of the Case Files. I had to actually purchased the America arc separately to get the complete picture. The Dead Man storyline should have been included in the case files as well.

[The Mind of Wolfie Smith]

america, even moreso when i throw in some of the associated chapters just to dictionary definition 'epic' a bit more.

[JayzusB.Christ]

I'm not really fussed as to the details of what makes an 'epic' - it's a lot easier to repeatedly type than 'long stories'.

Machine Law was great, but America was a game-changer. 

[SmallBlueThing(Reborn)]

America

SBT

[Bolt-01]

America.

[Dr Feeley Good]

America..