Meg 461: The Full Force of the Law

[IndigoPrime]

Lovely cover from Colin MacNeil, and then one of those (IMO) perfect one-offs, this time from Carroll/MacNeil/Blythe/Campbell, in which Dredd assesses a situation and time slows down so you can explore all the factors. Alas, the following page confirms that the week after next we get another Regened with yet more Lowborn High. Sigh.

Anyway, back to the Meg. Spector barrels along. Great clanky robot assassin. Things not looking great for the DA. Lots of action. Quite old-school. I enjoyed this episode.

Terror Tales was suitably grim, especially as I've in the past had tooth nightmares (although fortunately not for some years, once I figured out what they were). The classic reprint is basically a Robo-Hunter advert, and I'm honestly not sure the somewhat murky art and lurid colours did anything for me. Perhaps this Eagle reprint style has its fans elsewhere though. (Also, it not being standalone is a pity. But that's not always going to be possible, I suppose.)

Rogue Trooper continues to be a great read and annoys me that it was cancelled before the first issue was on sale. Johnny Red has kind of lost me, though. Probably needs a reread. Lovely McMahon cover though, and I do appreciate Matt reprinting these along with the strips.

Then back to the new stuff. Lawless reveals the twist and, thank heavens, it was a feint. Showdown next month – and a chance for redemption (or further evil) from one long-running character everyone loves to hate. Should be good. And then Dreadnoughts ends. I will say the storytelling here wasn't amazing. It took time for me to figure out what was going on in flashback. The twist also feels very strange, given what we knew – or thought we knew – about the origins of the system. Still, I'm glad the obvious was avoided and – to some extent – subverted, by way of a tactic we've seen more than once in the Judge Dredd strip.

In all, a very good Meg.

Judge Dredd > Lawless > Rogue Trooper > Spector > Dreadnoughts > Terror > Tale > Johnny Red > Robo-Hunter

[Le Fink]

Yes that Dredd was a perfect one-and-done. Kudos to the creative team. Can only echo IP's comments on the rest - good stuff. The only problem I have with Dreadnoughts is that it's over - one of the best of the more recent thrills.

[IndigoPrime]

I would assume Dreadnoughts is over for now (as in, a case of 'end of book two') rather than done. Have we heard otherwise?

[Le Fink]

I would assume Dreadnoughts is over for now (as in, a case of 'end of book two') rather than done. Have we heard otherwise?

Yes, that meant to read 'over for now'. Certainly hope there's more to come. I will feel its absence next month.

[Hawkmumbler]

It's really saying something that over a decade into my readership of both the Prog and the Meg that the prospect of a one-and-done DREDD by the Car-Roll droid gives me something of a fizz when I see it in the listings.
The man has consistently delivered some of the most memorable moments in my time with this world as a weekly-come-monthly reader and it's always a joy. Excellent little story this week.

[Batman's Superior Cousin]

And then Dreadnoughts ends. I will say the storytelling here wasn't amazing. It took time for me to figure out what was going on in flashback. The twist also feels very strange, given what we knew – or thought we knew – about the origins of the system. Still, I'm glad the obvious was avoided and – to some extent – subverted, by way of a tactic we've seen more than once in the Judge Dredd strip.

Please explain it to me, as I think I still don't get it...

[IndigoPrime]

My take... We know the reasoning behind the Judge system is broad lawlessness and an inability of the police to deal with it. Carroll positions this – at least in this strip – as hugely powerful cartels running the show and being aided by corrupt police.

The cartel infers Glover has already caused them enough trouble. Cue: flashback to a face-off between cops and previous-life Glover, with 'Robbie' (whose identity I don't recall). Cop was part of a raid on a Native American farm. Accused cop shoots Robbie in the head. Glover then punches one cop in the face so hard he loses teeth.

Flashback two: the farm. The cartel wants the Crows to sell up and says they'll be shot if they don't. Glover's grandmother punches one of the gunmen and is gunned down. Glover returns to find her dead.

Flashback three: returns to the fight with the cops. Glover takes down the second cop, while the one she'd walloped first flees and later claims her colleague had been hit by a brick rather than Glover's fist.

Present: Glover revealed as 'Marina Crow', sentenced to 64 years for multiple homicide. I'm unsure where that count comes from, nor whether this aligns directly with the cops or subsequent actions against the cartel. But the cartel were aware of her identity, hence tracking her kid.

So in this story at least, we have a judge whose background is criminal, but who Fargo allowed into the programme presumably due to her keenness to fight the cartel and because her actions were defensive, and because she's agreed to fight under his law. (The curt response of how she got off: "Good behaviour.")

I've probably got some of this wrong. Not sure if Mike's around these days, but I'd be more than happy if he wants to put things right!

[Batman's Superior Cousin]

Ah, so it's a flashback to the Judge's history and their link with the Cartel. I gotcha, thanks!

[Richard]

we have a judge whose background is criminal, but who Fargo allowed into the programme

That doesn't sound much like the Judges to me.

[Richard]

Just read Risk Assessment, thought it was pretty good.

[Jim_Campbell]

Any other digital subscribers not seeing 461 to download in the store...?

[JohnW]

No sign  of it.
The website implied it was a credit card issue but even though that's seemingly fixed now, there's still no Meg.

[Jim_Campbell]

No sign  of it.
The website implied it was a credit card issue but even though that's seemingly fixed now, there's still no Meg.

Weird, I didn't get any indication of a problem, and you'd think (on a dual sub) if there was problem with payment, you wouldn't see either the Prog or the Meg.

Still, I'm sure it'll turn up in due course — I was just wondering if it was some problem at my end, so thanks for the info!

(I may pick up a print copy, TBH. My first ever 'official' Dredd story, and a MacNeil to boot... that's a couple of ticks off the bucket list.)

[broodblik]

Any other digital subscribers not seeing 461 to download in the store...?

I had the same problem but it looks like it is available now: https://shop.2000ad.com/catalogue/MEG461D

[Jim_Campbell]

I had the same problem but it looks like it is available now:

Aha! Yes... it's appeared now in the downloads section of my shop account. Thanks for the heads-up!