Best Dredd Strips of 2023 (Prog Edition)

[Batman's Superior Cousin]

Sorry for the lateness y'all, just had some personnel stuff to clear up first. As for the Meg Edition, I'll try and sort it out either later tonight or tomorrow sometime. And as for all of you Dredd-heads that read both the Prog and Meg, how'd you all feel about a Best Dredd Stories of 2023 (Prog/Meg) Mega-Topic that covers the Best Overall Dredd Story of 2023...? If you're all interested in the idea, please feel free to post your thoughts and opinions about it below, along with your votes.

The Night Shifter (Prog 2313-2316)
Script: Ken Niemand
Art: Nicolo Assirelli
Colours: Peter Doherty
Letters: Annie Parkhouse

The Hagger They Fall (Prog 2317-2319)
Script: Rob Williams & Arthur Wyatt
Art: Paul Marshall
Colours: Dylan Teague
Letters: Annie Parkhouse

Taking Doors (Prog 2320)
Script: Ken Niemand
Art: Kieran McKeown
Colours: Matt Soffe
Letters: Annie Parkhouse

Succession (Prog 2321-2324)
Script: Ken Niemand
Art: Leonardo Manco
Colours: Chris Blythe
Letters: Annie Parkhouse

Cadet Dredd: Dream Team (Regened Prog 2325)
Script: Ned Hartley
Art: Toby Willsmer
Letters: Annie Parkhouse

Shrine (Prog 2326)
Script: Ken Niemand
Art: Nick Dyer
Colours: Len O'Grady
Letters: Annie Parkhouse

Down By Law (Prog 2327)
Script: Ian Edginton
Art: Leigh Gallagher
Colours: Peter Doherty
Letters: Annie Parkhouse

The Disciples of Death {Prog 2328-2329)
Script: Ken Niemand
Art: Neil Googe
Colours: Gary Caldwell
Letters: Annie Parkhouse

Chimera (Prog 2330)
Script: Ian Edginton
Art: Nicolo Assirelli
Colours: Pippa Bowland
Letters: Annie Parkhouse

Flusher (Prog 2331)
Script: Ken Niemand
Art: Nick Dyer
Colours: Gary Caldwell
Letters: Annie Parkhouse

In The Event of My Untimely Demise (Prog 2332-2335, 2337-2340)
Script: Mike Carroll
Art: Paul Marshall
Colours: Dylan Teague
Letters: Annie Parkhouse

Cadet Dredd: Animal Instincts (Regened Prog 2336)
Script: Liam Johnson
Art: Neill Cameron
Letters: Annie Parkhouse

A Fallen Man (Prog 2341-2345, 2347-2349)
Script: Ken Niemand
Art: Tom Foster
Colours: Chris Blythe
Letters: Annie Parkhouse

Cadet Dredd: The Exchange (Regened Prog 2346)
Script: James Peaty
Art: Joe Currie
Letters: Annie Parkhouse

Juves Rule OK! (2000 AD Battle Action 2350)
Writer: Ken Niemand
Art: Simon Coleby
Colours: Matt Soffe
Letters: Annie Parkhouse

Poison (Prog  2351-2355, 2357-2359)
Writer: Rob Williams
Art: PJ Holden
Colours: Pete Doherty
Letters: Simon Bowland

Judge Dredd Vs Robo-Hunter (Prog 2351)
Writer: Garth Ennis
Art: Henry Flint
Letters: Rob Steen

Cadet Dredd: Deep Trouble (Regened Prog 2356)
Script: Paul Starkey
Art: Ben Willsher
Letters: Simon Bowland

Clanker (Prog 2360-2361)
Script: Ken Niemand
Art: Nick Dyer
Colours: John Charles
Letters: Annie Parkhouse

A Matter of Life & Dredd (Prog 2362)
Writer: Ken Niemand
Art: Tom Foster
Colours: Gary Caldwell
Letters: Annie Parkhouse

[Link Prime]

Has this been the fist year with zero Wagner Dredd in the Prog?

I'll vote:

1) Dredd Vs Robo-Hunter. A really enjoyable, humorous one-off with spot on characterization for both Joe and Sam.
2) A Fallen Man. A very solid end to this trilogy. Excellent tale all told.
3) Succession. Manco's mind blowing art elevated this one a few notches.

NB - No longer a Meg reader, so this is the perfect format for me.

[broodblik]

1. Poison
2. In the Event of my Untimely Demise
3. A Matter of Life and Dredd

[Funt Solo]

Has this been the fist year with zero Wagner Dredd in the Prog?

I believe so. He did do Surfer in the Megazine.

[Funt Solo]

One might also want to consider The Telltale Incin Bin from prog 2347 - a one-page Dredd strip by Alan Kerr. (Personally, I don't count Cadet Dredd, as it's not in the prog and it's not Judge Dredd.)

---

I went with the long-form grit-parade tales this year...

1st - Poison [unmissable lore wrapped up in a gory whodunnit - set everywhere]
2nd - The Night Shifter [brutal character study - set in Manchester]
3rd - A Fallen Man [brutal, suspenseful tragedy - set in MC-1] 

Honorable mentions to some of the lighter, funner ones:
 - The Disciples of Death
 - Flusher
 - Clanker

[Grush]

1. Poison
2. In the Event of my Untimely Demise
3. Succession

[AlexF]

I don't know how much I'm biassed otwards teh longer stories purely on the grounds it makes them stick in the brain for longer, but I'm followiong the consensus here it seems...

1) Succession, mostly for the art but it was pretty funny, too
2) ...untimely Demise
3) Poison

[Barrington Boots]

Not easy to pick three. I've gone for:

1. Poison - such compelling weekly read. Was really into it on pretty much every level.
2. Night Shifter - edges it over the also excellent and thoughtful Shrine, even though it was drawn as though it was set in 2023 and not the Meg.
3. Dredd vs Robo-Hunter - daft throwaway fun, but lots of fun.

As well as Shrine I really liked Flusher, Down by Law, and I thought The Hagger They Fall was very robo-enjoyable.

I don't read the Megazine on a regular basis, so split topics works best for me too.

[norton canes]

1. The Night Shifter
2. Shrine
3. The Disciples of Death

[IndigoPrime]

1. Poison – I just wish it had been longer
2. Flusher – because Dredd needs stupid one-offs
3. Robo-Hunter/Dredd – for being surprisingly great

[Batman's Superior Cousin]

1) In The Event of My Untimely Demise
2) Shrine
3) A Matter of Life & Dredd

HM's goes to The Night Shifter, The Hagger They Fall, Chimera, Flusher, The Telltale Incin Bin & Poison.

One might also want to consider The Telltale Incin Bin from prog 2347 - a one-page Dredd strip by Alan Kerr. (Personally, I don't count Cadet Dredd, as it's not in the prog and it's not Judge Dredd.)

1) Regarding "The Telltale Incin Bin", if truth be told, I completely forgot all about that particular story. I'll add it in an official post in a couple hours time.
2) As for the mini "Cadet Dredd" Regened stories, what do you propose that I should do for those readers that both enjoy that and feel that they should be added to the list...?

[broodblik]

As for the mini "Cadet Dredd" Regened stories, what do you propose that I should do for those readers that both enjoy that and feel that they should be added to the list...?

No keep them on the list, I also do not see them as true Dredd stories but other forum dwellers might find them super-awesome

[Funt Solo]

2) As for the mini "Cadet Dredd" Regened stories, what do you propose that I should do for those readers that both enjoy that and feel that they should be added to the list...?

Just completely ignore me, would be my advice. I was only stating a personal preference - not suggesting a change. Opinions are like arseholes - everyone's got one.

[Batman's Superior Cousin]

2) As for the mini "Cadet Dredd" Regened stories, what do you propose that I should do for those readers that both enjoy that and feel that they should be added to the list...?

Just completely ignore me, would be my advice. I was only stating a personal preference - not suggesting a change. Opinions are like arseholes - everyone's got one.

No problemo, I was actually toying with the idea of cutting them off into their own separate section for next year's topic.

Speaking of which, sorry folks but I'm now officially adding another story to the voting poll which apparently passed me by which @Funt Solo [R] has just informed me about...

2000 AD Art Stars Winner
Judge Dredd: The Telltale Incin Bin (Prog 2347)
Story By: Alan Kerr

[Magnetica]

1. Poison
2. A Fallen Man
3. In the Event of my Untimely Demise


Succession could, indeed should have been better, but suffered from being wrapped up too quickly.