Judge Dredd: The Mega Collection discussion thread

[Greg M.]

And on the flip side of that question; why include Red Razors or Janus?

Because they're written by one of the most commercially successful comic writers alive (two, in the case of Janus.) We know these partucular stories are pish, but the names Millar and Morrison sell.

[IndigoPrime]

I do wonder what people thought of those coming to it fresh. It would be really interesting to see the sales for such issues, especially if they’re late on into the run. For 2000 AD, I’d have thought the smart move would be to seed the early issues (1–20) with ‘famous’ stuff, get people subbing, and then go for pure quality later. The Dredd collection was all over the place for its run, bar that last 10, which hit it out of the park. The 2000 AD one has for me been much more stable, even if I’d have happily skipped from Horned God to Books of Invasions. The extension, assuming it happens, looks superb, too. Lots of quality left to mine, there, and although I’m not keen on everything being released, it’s almost all objectively high quality.

[Jade Falcon]

Rereading these books and I noticed a nice bit of what I'm sure is not just a coincidence. An early Judge Death story, the one where Anderson is forced to go back to deadworld and let the dark judges regain access to the city. There is a panel where the Dark judges teleport into Dunc Renaldo subway.

Isn't it funny that this self same block was where Kit Agee was held in Necropolis.

[gogilesgo]

well, having read all ninety volumes, i feel really cheated. within the approximately twenty thousand pages that the collection covers, they have not found space for the - *imho* - single greatest wagner dredd story. admittedly i'm biased, because they were my first progs, but 'battle of the black atlantic' from progs 128 & 129 (i think) had everything - a 59(D) cit swoop, drones, meg/eastmeg politics, an almost incapacitated dredd arresting an entire eastmeg ship, fascism, blistering ron smith art, the blackest wit, everything. i would recommend this story to anyone wanting a neat into to the world of dredd, but in twentyk pages it didn't make it in to this collection. shame. extreme shame (especially considering the dross that *has* made it in).

everything above, along with the superb 'MOTHERRRR'. One of the most surprising twists in a Dredd tale. Everyone on the ship, and almost every reader imagined Cap'n Skank to be deranged but....

[Jade Falcon]

I've been rereading the collection.  Just finished 82, Judge Anderson The Trip and I loved all those stories.  I was telling a friend about this book and how hard Anderson really finds it.  Some of these stories are really sombre.

Anyway, I went looking on Abebooks for this one....instead this was one of the search results.  Methinks someone is a bit ambitious, ESPECIALLY for this volume

https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=30131502120&cm_sp=Searchmod-_-NullResults-_-BDP

[Nellgrove]

Is there anything essential dredd-wise that is not in included in the mega or ultimate collection?

[abelardsnazz]

In my view:

The pre-Block Mania & Apocalypse War stories Battle & Pirates of the Black Atlantic, as these lay a lot of ground for what's to come.

Dredd's doubt trilogy - Question & Error of Judgement, A Case for Treatment.

McGruder's first exit as Chief Judge.

Not all of the stories featuring Judge Edgar have appeared, and events in these have often been significant in the longer term.

[Colin YNWA]

Not all of the stories featuring Judge Edgar have appeared, and events in these have often been significant in the longer term.

That does raise the interesting question as to why there's never been a complete Judge Edgar collection. Those are some of my favourite Dredds and all have exceptional art. Not sure they'd exactly be high profile but in something like the Mega Collection seems a bit of a missed opportunity.

[Jade Falcon]

In my view:

McGruder's first exit as Chief Judge.

I admit that I might be wrong but I thought we did see McGruder's first exit as Chief Judge when she resigned as well as removing those members of the Council of Five who argued for retaining her.  Unless that wasn't the first time.

[Dark Jimbo]

Not all of the stories featuring Judge Edgar have appeared, and events in these have often been significant in the longer term.

That does raise the interesting question as to why there's never been a complete Judge Edgar collection.

A: There's too many stories for one volume.

B: There's too much of overlap with other threads/plots; Edgar's second story is a sort-of-sequel to The Pit, and her third is a direct sequel to Bad Frendz, part of the Doomsday build-up. You've then got the Chief Judge's Man trilogy, which is tailor-made for its own volume...