Judge Dredd: Mega-City Two #1 'West Coast Swing'

[COMMANDO FORCES]

This first issue has three covers to it

Cover A - Ulises Farinas
Subscription Cover - Joe Corroney
Retail Incentive - Nick Percival

WEST COAST SWING
By Douglas Wolk, Ulises Farinas, Ryan Hill & Tom B. Long

I'm sure everyone is gonna buy this in the next few days, so I won't go into detail on the story (which I think everyone must have an idea about already).

It starts off in Mega-City Two and the artwork and colours really portray the different way of life compared to back in the Big Meg. Bright and breezy, with a different, seemingly more relaxed madness to the city. Yes it has the congested highways and such things but overall it seems that the current west coast has been ramped up a few notches!

We have a flashback to two weeks earlier as we see Dredd doing his stuff, while being talked to by Chief Judge Goodman. The panel where Joe shouts out BIKE CANNON! is pure Dredd that we know. Goodman lays down the mission for Dredd on that one page and then we head back to the present, with Dredd meeting Chief Judge Kennedy and being given the lay of the land.

There are a few other things but I'll not go into them, that is until everyone starts to post.

Overall I enjoyed it but there are a couple of niggles [spoiler]When Dredd ploughs his car off the highway and crashes it into a load of traffice on the highway below. Just so he can arrest a suspect who used the off ramp to evade him. This is way too much overkill, as the cars he seemingly crashes into, the occupants could've died, especially from the way the art in the panel shows the impact.[/spoiler]
Also the faces of the characters, I would've liked a wee bit more detail, especially on Joe but that's me.

What I loved was the detail in the city panels with (I'm sure) lots of easter eggs strewn all over in the background. Plus there were some typical Dredd lines, especially the already mentioned Bike Cannon scene!

I look forward to seeing the next part

[dweezil2]

Glad you liked it John, be getting my issue on friday-look forward to reading it then!   

[blackmocco]

This was fantastic. Loved it. Cannot wait for more.

[Bat King]

My review is up on my Blog - HERE

[JOE SOAP]

It most definitely lives up to its promise. Both the writing and art are akin to the prog at it's very best.

[radiator]

It's advertised on the front page of Comixology!

[Link Prime]

It's advertised on the front page of Comixology!

Noticed that too, good advertising coup.

[BPP]

My review is up on my Blog - HERE

How about you participate here instead of continually referring us to you blog?

[Proudhuff]

 got and I really tried to like it, honest!


The story could easily slip into the Prog, but the art, oh the art. Just so not Dredd and if it had been all Hard Boiled (like some of these backgrounds) i wouldn't have minded, Hardboiled's Where's Wally bloodbaths were an eye opener, but for me, Dredd as Mr Potatohead is just a nono. While I'm not too keen on Dredd as Joey Ramone this is the opposite with Dredd strangely squashed and looking like one of those noneck gymmonkeys that take up half a pavement.

sorry I'm out.

[Steve Green]

Picked it up today, although I was originally going to wait for a collection.

I'm not a fan of roadblock Dredd stylings either to be honest. I was really impressed with the detail in the backgrounds and the splashes, but not sure if the crowding of the strip made it harder work than it needed to be.

(I'd include the convention of the overlapping of the car dialogue in that)

I thought the flashback to MC1 was the highlight though.

[spoiler]The reveal of Dredd undercover I'm not sure about - he's done it before occasionally in the prog, but it depends how much of the story is going to be covered by that, and seems like a really unnatural position for him to work in as a character.[/spoiler]

We'll see - I like the world that's being built, just not sold on certain aspects yet.

[Bat King]

My review is up on my Blog - HERE

How about you participate here instead of continually referring us to you blog?

Up to you if you click the link or not.

[BPP]

My review is up on my Blog - HERE

How about you participate here instead of continually referring us to you blog?

Up to you if you click the link or not.

I don't. Once upon a time I would have read what you said here and then gone to your blog if it seemed there was something additional, now all your posts here are just 'review up on your blog.'  You've absented yourself as a forumer and that vacates my interest.

[TordelBack]

I don't. Once upon a time I would have read what you said here and then gone to your blog if it seemed there was something additional, now all your posts here are just 'review up on your blog.'  You've absented yourself as a forumer and that vacates my interest.

I did a quick scan through BatKing's 50 posts prior to BPP's comment, and there were 6 links to his reviews.  Close to 88% of his recent posts make no mention of his blog.

[Bat King]

My review is up on my Blog - HERE

How about you participate here instead of continually referring us to you blog?

Up to you if you click the link or not.

I don't. Once upon a time I would have read what you said here and then gone to your blog if it seemed there was something additional, now all your posts here are just 'review up on your blog.'  You've absented yourself as a forumer and that vacates my interest.

Nope, I post on threads discussing stuff. Not daily granted but I respond to more posts than you are seeing it seems. Look at the Dredd toys thread for example or the IDW Rogue Trooper thread. There are many with me joining the discussion.

Most of the links to my reviews are in their own threads. Some generate open discussion, some don't. I don't even mention all my blog posts on this forum.

If my posts irritate you just ignore them, there are plenty that irritate me that I ignore. That's all part of the internet and Forums in particular.

[SKD]

 I enjoyed the first issue more than I thought I would, both from a story and art perspective. The MC1 flashback page being a favourite. The cheep looking, saturday morning cartoon styling of Dredd's face is my only real beef (Oh and Dredds reckless endangerment of the other cits in the car chase was a bit...) I'll definitely be getting the second issue. 

Stew.