Mega City Zero (IDW)

[SuperSurfer]

Bought part one of this latest series where IDW has another go at taking the law to the lawless. I liked the art but didn't get on with the story. But it isn't aimed at me and so isn't for me so I guess I'm out with this series. Production values top notch, as usual with anything I've bought from IDW, though. Great cover to issue 1. 

[Magnetica]

Here are my thoughts on issue 2.

It seems to me what they are trying to do is explain the Dredd world set up as quickly as possible. What I don't get is, what the rush is nor the way they are going about it.

So instead of showing us Mega City One, all the bonkers stuff in it, how the Judges deal with it and letting us work it out for ourselves over time, what they have decided to do is remove Mega City One from the story, and have a load of dialogue providing a commentary the  Justice system. The problem I have with this, is I just didn't find it very engaging or very exciting. I would have thought it would be much better to just show the reader what the scenario is. After all that is how most drama does it.

There are plenty of scenarios they could have used, for example futsies, fatties, uglies, stookie, bat gliders, sky surfers, boing, scrawlers, etc.

I also don't really see the point of these "fish out of water" type stories as an introduction to a character. The question is often asked on this forum what is the best story to introduce a new reader to Dredd, and as good as they are I would never recommend the Cursed Earth, the Day the Law Died or the Judge Child to a new reader.

Another thing a found odd in this episode were the numerous references to established things e.g. PJ Maybe, Judge Giant, Block Mania, Kraken. These will mean absolutely nothing to new readers (indeed I guess they won't even notice them). For long terms readers they didn't really add anything to the story as they were pretty much blink and you miss them references.

I thought the art was a bit scratchy, but not in a way that appealed to me. Now it doesn't have to be all Bolland or Kev O'Neill clean lines, but IMO there is a way of doing scratchy that looks good and this isn't it. (Mike McMahon for example).

Given the comments on the board (those that have been made and the general lack of comments) I guess not too many of you are reading this. I have subscribed, mostly out of being a Dredd completist and partly out of want to support this. But given how much I am not enjoying this and how much I didn't really enjoy the first (main) IDW stab at Dredd,  I'm not sure how valid that is. Part of me wants this to succeed but I would be surprised if it makes it passed ten issues. I think it was Kevin O'Neill who said something along the following lines on the recent Future Shock film "you think you want 2000AD to have mainstream success, but in order to have it, the content would have to be mainstream, and you really don't want that." So given that 2000AD Dredd is largely a parody of America and I am guessing that won't go down to well in the American market, I am not sure the IDW Dredd will ever hit the spot for me. But I will continue to buy it.

(I did like their Rogue Trooper and it is a real shame it didn't go beyond 4 episodes).

[sheridan]

There are plenty of scenarios they could have used, for example futsies, fatties, uglies, stookie, bat gliders, sky surfers, boing, scrawlers, etc.

I do wonder if how a concept like the fatties would be handled today, if it was introduced now.

Another thing a found odd in this episode were the numerous references to established things e.g. PJ Maybe, Judge Giant, Block Mania, Kraken. These will mean absolutely nothing to new readers (indeed I guess they won't even notice them). For long terms readers they didn't really add anything to the story as they were pretty much blink and you miss them references.

I don't have ish 2 yet (hopefully I'll make it to the comic shop today, but I have the folks visiting and rain is looking risky), but that sounds like the best kind of fan references - doesn't get in the way if you don't get it and from the sounds of it doesn't impact too much if you do.

[Professor Bear]

Read it.  Liked it.
Very Eurocomic in flavor, I thought, though the decompressed pages and pacing offsets that.  McDaid's art is distinctive and consistent, which is always a good way to go with Dredd, finely complimented by Ryan Hill's digital colouring and Chris Mowry's aesthetic choice of rectangular speech balloons, which shouldn't really work but does - and also feeds back into the aforementioned Eurocomic feel.
Hints in the dialogue - "flame war" and everyone talking like an angry internet troll can be seen either as a gag about the devolution in intelligence of the citizens, or an indicator of the cause of the phenomenon (I'm hoping the latter, as the former was old hat when Brian Bendis was doing it back in the early 2000s as a chickenshit way of getting the last word on critics), but either way, the central gimmick is a good one and I could see it being used in a 2000ad/Meg Dredd story.  Dredd's character is a little inconsistent, but here and there are hints of the Dredd we know.

I can see this making a good trade collection - possibly this is IDW's master plan: to get some of that phat TPB cash Rebellion have been raking in over the years.

[Magnetica]

I can see this making a good trade collection - possibly this is IDW's master plan: to get some of that phat TPB cash Rebellion have been raking in over the years.

They have already issued collected editions of the previous Dredd stuff they did. You can see an ad for it on the 4th page before the inside back cover.

They are collections..whether they are good collections I will leave others to judge for themselves.

[sheridan]

Another thing a found odd in this episode were the numerous references to established things e.g. PJ Maybe, Judge Giant, Block Mania, Kraken. These will mean absolutely nothing to new readers (indeed I guess they won't even notice them). For long terms readers they didn't really add anything to the story as they were pretty much blink and you miss them references.

I don't have ish 2 yet (hopefully I'll make it to the comic shop today, but I have the folks visiting and rain is looking risky), but that sounds like the best kind of fan references - doesn't get in the way if you don't get it and from the sounds of it doesn't impact too much if you do.

Read it now - it was okay, but didn't love it.  The continuity references were subtle enough that it didn't detract from the story at hand.  Nothing special plot-wise, but miles better than the previous main IDW JD title.  Wouldn't mind that SJS judge I keep banging on about turning up at some point.

The next issue cover is all great art and that, but does look like we're going to get a hackneyed arena fight...

[Link Prime]

Some nice Jesus Redondo artwork to look forward to in issue 6 for the few of you still reading this.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/comic-previews/judge-dredd-6-idw-2016

[Fungus]

What a curious comic. Reads like an early Star Trek and Dredd's look is vintage '77/'78 ! Have no idea if that's standard for IDW, I baled out long ago.
But yeah, you had me at 'Redondo'. Ta.

[Albion]

Very nice Redondo art indeed in issue 6, but......the story is awful.
Such a shame that they can't get Dredd right. I enjoyed the first issue and thought that this might be OK but it rapidly went downhill and just gets worse.

[COMMANDO FORCES]

How dare you say the story is terrible. Who doesn't want to see Dredd living with Anderson in a typical home situation

I have to admit, I have no idea what is going on at the moment but if it is to do with that gas in #5 then I will be not impressed, then again, what am I saying, I am not impressed

[Colin YNWA]

I know it goes against the grain but I'm still really enjoying this and Redondo's art is a joy.

I know they aren't getting our Dredd right but I think there's enough evidence to make it clear it ain't our Dredd. Its an interesting Dredd completely out of his depth as they fish out the water, Tarzan out the jungle, Dorthy definately not in Kanas trope to a wonderfully intriguing extreme.

While I get that people don't like it and why. For whatever reason I find myself entirely embracing its bravey to do something different. Its biggest problem will be how it makes its pay off. Get that right and we've had a wonderfully different and fresh Dredd story. Fluff that climax and a sticky end may spoil the fun up to that.

We'll see, but colour me interested.

[Ghost MacRoth]

I'm thinking we've kinda had the payoff....he's off his tits on some mad drug that psychically connects folks.... he'll wake up in the shower and give Pam a fright in a minute.

[Colin YNWA]

Yeah that's the explaination (though is there more to come?) but not the pay off.

[jacob g]

I don't know what to think of this series.

I like MacDaid art since Jersey Gods so I really enjoy his take on Dredd. I like some ideas in script, it's like 60's Marvel take on the internet. You have space gods, lsd powered magic and all that stuff but disguised internet folklore, it's bold and I like it.

Joe is the problem, I get it, but after horrible Swierszczynski Dredd this still feels like improvement. This story can be better, just need some actuall brit in creative team maybe?

[Professor Bear]

This isn't really a specific diss on the writer, but it does seem odd that IDW can't find a decent Dredd scribe despite currently employing several.