The "Essential" Judge Dredd

[Robert Frazer]

Howdy to all Squaxx. It's been a very long time since I was active on the forum but although I dropped off from the community I've not stopped reading 2000AD. I've been trying to use the lockdown to do something constructive and productive so I've put together something that I've wanted to do for years but never had the time to sit down to before now - something that I hope that the whole community will find useful and people can refer to to get new readers interested in exploring the Galaxy's Greatest Comic

The ESSENTIAL Judge Dredd

Rather than making it a simple "Top 5" list though, I've themed the collection around the GNs which give the broadest overview of the Dreddverse - they're not necessarily the Best Stories Ever (even though I love them all) but they are a useful primer for introducing people to the key concepts of Mega-City One and how Dredd and his life and times think and work. They're books which temper lore with action and so I think will be the ones most likely to engage new readers and keep them interested is discovering more.

I'm just starting out on this analysis & media commentary on Youtube and I'm hoping to make it a springboard to a longer YouTube series so I'd welcome everyone's comments & criticism of it. What do you think of the selection, or my reasoning behind them? How did you find the video's presentation? Is there anything that you'd like to see explored in more detail in a follow-up video?

By the way, I know that the audio quality is awful - I couldn't really afford a proper microphone if I'm not sure this plan has legs, but if it starts to take off I will invest in one!

Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys it!


Edited with updated link — IP

[Colin YNWA]

Watched the first five minutes and its looking very good. I particularly like the way you address America right of the bat with a very decent arguement I entirely agree with - well in terms of not being a starting point.

Interesting you have gone for Case Files 5 we discussed that a wee while ago on the Space spinner 2000 thread (I think it was?) and I personally think Case File 3 is better primer - though we will all have variations and its you that made the effort to do this and it seems do it very well!

Look forward to delving in more and no doubt disagreeing whole heartedly - which is half the fun of these things for the 2000ad fan - we all have such different opinions which makes this place such fun. Seems that like will be a great resource when the question - 'where do I start comes up'.

[Robert Frazer]

Thanks for the feedback. I see what you're saying about Volume 3 but I still think Volume 5 is more significant because it's still the one whose contents get referenced a lot more often, even if only for the Apocalypse War. Plus, although i don't talk about it too much in the video I think that the Crime Files series shouldn't be overlooked as "filler" but provides valuable background colour to Dredd's world - he's not destroying world-ending peril or untangling grim corruption and conspiracy every single week of the year, and a prolonged sequence of him solving "regular" crime is actually quite useful for showing what Dredd does every day other than the half-hour on Wednesday afternoon when I'm back from the newsagent and it helps make MC1 feel more lived-in and authentic. That's one of the reasons why I reccommend "Mandroid" in the video too, Boss Schulz is informative to the setting precisely because he's the low-level crook that the typical citizen has to deal with.

Besides, Vol. 3 doesn't have "Gaze into the fist of Dredd!"

Still, thanks a lot for your feedback! I was concerned that the slidehow style of presentation would look a bit stilted so I'm glad that you enjoyed it.

[broodblik]

Cool Stuff Robert.

[Robert Frazer]

Thanks for the kind words.

I'm afraid that there doesn't seem to be any option to edit my original message to change the link but I have produced an updated version of the original video. There are no major differences if you've already saved or watched the first version, but a few lines were far too quiet and barely audible (e.g. when I'm talking about the Statue of Justice in the section on Case Files 5) so I've re-recorded them.

The ESSENTIAL Judge Dredd

[IndigoPrime]

We have a limited edit window here due to... issues in the past with certain boarders. I've adjusted your original post with the new link.

[Robert Frazer]

Thank you IndigoPrime.

[GoGilesGo]

Very good list and a fun deep dive into each volume in the primer. I am tempted to side with Colin in the Case Files 3 and Case Files 5 debate, as I've long thought the former to be the better jumping onboard point for new fans. 3 contains wonderful slices of city life (City Block 1, Umpty Candy, Sob Story); fabulous Cursed Earth detailing (The Black Plague, Father Earth); Judge Minty embarking on the Long Walk and of course the first appearance of Judges Anderson and Death. But I take your point about the greatest panel of all time.

After all, you have to stand up when they play the national anthem.

Delighted to see you chose Mandroid, and for all the right reasons. It's quite something to see Dredd in rare empathetic mode along with a few moments of pure shame. It's especially thrilling reading this story in the context of Question of Judgement / Error of Judgement / Case for Treatment from the mid 80s which was more or less the first time Dredd showed true heart. I am still fond of that three parter but reading Mandroid you can see how, in the two decades since, Wagner's writing has improved by magnitudes of sophistication.