Judge Dredd: The Mega Collection discussion thread

[IndigoPrime]

In other news - did somebody say that the moon stories are as early as we're going to go?  Where does that leave the Return of Rico?

Is that just speculation or has Hachette actually confirmed any of this?

[TordelBack]

Also I had totally forgotten about Kim Raymond. The name is familiar but I just cant recall his art style at all.

Vaguely reminiscent of Ron Smith, Kim illustrated Gator, Bingo, the Interrogation and a few (all?) of the Rookie Judge Dekker stories - including the one about the Cyborg American Football team which is so badly affected by their contact with Dredd and Dekker that they unexpectedly lose the Superbowl - which (in another story, drawn by Smith) allowed Dave to beat the pundits and eventually become mayor.

Also responsible for one of my favourite pics of judges, lawmasters and the Mega-City all in one shot:

[Broken record]Without qualification Raymond is THE most underrated Dredd artist of all.  Maybe not the most technically accomplished artist when it came to anatomy and perspective, but such energy in the lines, a grumpy Dredd, huge crazy SF backgrounds and everything is always moving. Love that skedway image, love the stories, love all of it really.[/broken record]

[abelardsnazz]

In other news - did somebody say that the moon stories are as early as we're going to go?  Where does that leave the Return of Rico?

Is that just speculation or has Hachette actually confirmed any of this?

Not sure about Return of Rico but I'm sure I read on the Facebook page that Judge Whitey and Robot Wars wouldn't be included.

[IndigoPrime]

I don't really care about Robot Wars, but it'd be a pity if the first published Dredd was omitted from the collection (along with its follow-up, where Dredd initially can't remember who Whitey is).

[robert_ellis]

I asked about the Whitey story - and they said no. I think they are favouring the colour material and don't want to replicate the Case Files too much.

[I, Cosh]

[Broken record]Without qualification Raymond is THE most underrated Dredd artist of all.  Maybe not the most technically accomplished artist when it came to anatomy and perspective, but such energy in the lines, a grumpy Dredd, huge crazy SF backgrounds and everything is always moving. Love that skedway image, love the stories, love all of it really.[/broken record]

Mick Austin.

Oh, and it's good to have you back if only for a few fleeting moments.

[TordelBack]

Mick Austin.

A great artist to be sure, and Tharg surely did love his covers for a spell there, but a great Dredd artist?  I dunno - I would have thought his generally perceived star-rating was about right.

Oh, and it's good to have you back if only for a few fleeting moments.

Ah, if only. But he is gone from us now.

[Trent]

My perception of Dredd artists has changed over the years. When they were originally published I always saw the likes of Robin Smith, Kim Raymond, John Cooper, Barry Mitchell, Eric Bradbury, Ron Turner, Steve Pugh, Mike Dorey and Kevin Hopgood as functional artists doing a job and I never relished their contributions as I did Bolland, McMahon, Ezquerra, Belaridinelli, Davis, Dillon and Smith (Ron).
I always felt a thrill and that I was getting a treat when the latter group were in the Prog.
Now rereading some stories thirty to forty years later I can see the obvious talent of say John Cooper and others but many artists' work still smack of guys earning a living churning out comics rather than 'art'. Nothing wrong with that and all very talented guys but we all have our personal pedestals and probably that's how it should be.
Kim Raymond still doesn't do it for me - energetic sure but just a little too scratchy.
Expect to get flamed but as ever, could care less but enjoy the banter.

[Trent]

Should have added Kennedy and Mc Carthy to my 'big tick' list

[Timothy]

I don't remember Bellardinelli on Dredd, but loved his other stuff. What Dredd stories did he do?

[Steve Green]

Only one that I can think of.

Antique Car Heist - the infamous one where Dredd takes off his helmet and the perps recoil in horror.

[Trent]

Quite right, my mental ramblings drifted onto 2000AD artists in general particularly Belardinelli, Davis (better on non-Dredd), Dorey (Mach Zero) and, most controversially Ezquerra who was a God on Strontium Dog but I didn't really like his Dredd once upon a time. I know, I know.

[The Monarch]

I may be wrong but i think thats the only dredd he ever did he botched the face so bad they kept him away from the strip

[Jim_Campbell]

Davis (better on non-Dredd)

Simon or Alan? Alan Davis only drew one Dredd, a warm-up for the aborted Alan Moore-penned Dredd/Batman crossover, Bat-Mugger. I thought Alan D's sole effort promised Cam Kennedy-level greatness, with a real sense of a solid, functioning city and believable (if mental) citizenry. Of all my wistful 2000AD 'what-ifs', a semi-regular stint of Alan Davis on Dredd is pretty near the top.

[Trent]

Alan.
I just remember getting a buzz from Strontium Dog, Flesh Book 2, Harry Twenty and Rogue Trooper (Gibbons or Kennedy especially) as well as the definitive Dredd artists of the time (see Cursed Earth and Judge Child) that many artists failed to elicit at the time.
As I say I have reappraised some recognising my lack of appreciation but I suspect that most long term readers have similar feelings about artists you gave an inner whoop to when you opened the prog to see they were on duty.