Judge Dredd: The Mega Collection discussion thread

[WhizzBang]

Go for both maybe? 

Thanks mate. Eh... I shouldn't do both... but it's Bolland... SO PRETTY...

I only have the IDW colour Judge Death book, not the Mega collection one, so I can not compare. However, I was a bit underwhelmed by the IDW book and would prefer to see it as it was originally published, I really like the IDW colour edition of Block Mania/Apocolypse War and feel it is the best edition of these stories but the Judge Death book did not have quite the same impact.

[terryo]

Go for both maybe? 

Thanks mate. Eh... I shouldn't do both... but it's Bolland... SO PRETTY...

I only have the IDW colour Judge Death book, not the Mega collection one, so I can not compare. However, I was a bit underwhelmed by the IDW book and would prefer to see it as it was originally published, I really like the IDW colour edition of Block Mania/Apocolypse War and feel it is the best edition of these stories but the Judge Death book did not have quite the same impact.

Cheers mate. What disappointed you? The colouring job?

[robert_ellis]

I enjoyed the colouring on the Bolland, less so on Brett Ewins & others. The new colouring did make me see the artwork in new light & pick out details I'd never noticed. I'd love to see Bolland re-colour his stuff a-la-Killing Joke - just to see his take on it.

[WhizzBang]

Cheers mate. What disappointed you? The colouring job?

It is hard to my finger on an actual reason. The colouring is okay but it doesn't enhance the book as much as the Block Wars/Apocolyse War one did, which seemed like a real treat. The 'gaze into the fist of Dredd!' panel is probably more striking in the original bold black and white version than the soft colouring used in IDW.

[abelardsnazz]

Great collection of stories in Judge Death Lives, showcasing both the horror and humour detailed in Molch-R's article. Although the article focusses on Death specifically, I'll chuck my penneth in to add that Fear, Fire and Mortis' appearance in Day of Chaos felt to me like pantomime villains against the darker backdrop of the main event.

Interesting to compare Greg Staples' art on Dead Reckoning with Dark Justice - vive la difference, as Death says. DR reminded me of John Hicklenton's work at times, which prompted a thought - if Hicklenton had drawn Death, what terrible wonders would we have seen? RIP.

[Zenith 666]

Hicklenton drawing Death is one terrifying thought (has it really been 6 years already.RIP)

[abelardsnazz]

The Facebook page has posted the cover for issue 37, Doomsday for Mega-City One. Credited are John Wagner, Carlos Ezquerra. Colin Wilson, John Burns, Andrew Currie, Mike Collins. Steve Tappin and Cam Kennedy. I guess then that the stories will be:

Bad Frendz
Worst of Frendz
The Scorpion Dance
The Contract
The Narcos Connection
Doomsday
Volt Face
The Cal Legacy

Any thoughts?

[Trent]

I wouldn't expect Worst of Friends or Cal Legacy. The other stories add up to 219 pages which is very much at the upper end for the Hachette books. All the others must be included based on the artists listed although Volt Face is not guaranteed (but a Doomsday collecting would be bonkers without it).

[Trent]

Collection not collecting; bloody predictive text in my first post!

[Trent]

Hoped these would turn up yesterday; maybe tomorrow. Intrigued to know what Ron Smith stories are in the Missionary Man volume, prime suspects must be Black Plague, Hotdog Run or Shanty Town.
Happy to see any of these and despite agreeing with Gordon about some excellent Missionary Man stories that won't get reprinted now I can't help but be disappointed by how few 'classic era' stories have been included in the collection so far given we are nearing the halfway mark.
Where are The Graveyard Shift, Uncle Ump, Judge Minty, Pirates of the Black Atlantic etc etc. Tonnes of fabulous Bolland, McMahon, Smith, Kennedy etc that I would consider essential for any Judge Dredd collection. Based on volumes already announced I'm struggling to see how they will be included.
Maybe Tharg will do a few more special edition case files to cover these years!

[Steve Green]

I think there's a preference for colour where possible - obviously there are major stories like Judge Death, Apocalpyse War which you couldn't really omit, or they don't really fit a particular theme.

[The Monarch]

Theres several volumes announced which seems prime to cover a lot of older tales. Heck theres one confirmed just for the old luna 1 tales

Plus pretty sure missionary mans confirmed for 3 volumes that would cover it all

[Trent]

Where did you hear about a third Missionary Man volume? Personally I'd be chuffed for the Frank Quitely volume to include the Simon Davis episodes which dovetail into Goin' South and perhaps a themed volume including Helltrekkers and Missionary Man, The Promised Land which I would love to see again.

[The Monarch]

Mm was originally confirmed as vol 64 (that would cover the most well reprinted mm stuff plus as you guessed likely the pre goin south stuff not reprinted) issue 65 is goin south as we know. Issue 67 is cursed earth koburn that pretty much confirms a third mm book in between them. It would be silly not reprinting the last few stories after doing the rest

[Trent]

A third volume would be brilliant - my suggestion of Helltrekkers and Promised Land would also fit. I do not expect Missionary Man to be reprinted in its entirety sadly with the apparent desire to include a proportion of Dredd in most volumes.