Well come on it was always going to be this wasn't it? Well as soon as we knew that the factor of being an Epic (or Dredd story for that matter) was going to play into America's position. Even me and I'm rubbish at predicting this stuff sometimes!
Its the final everyone wanted and dreaded (pun... whatever) it's going to be a tough call for many. Others will already have a firm favourite in mind and likely had it from the start. Some will even vote for City of the Damned regardless and I'll still whine about the Cursed Earth. But when all said and done none of that will matter and come Friday we will know which epic IS the best. No debates, no back chat... well some back chat I'm sure... The ticker tape cannons are lined up and ready, discussions of a European Epics League has started... but for which will win, nukes or the undead?
Seed 4 Apocalypse War (inc Block Mania) (https://dreddepicsranked.blogspot.com/2020/12/epics-6-4-how-much-destruction-can-one.html) Progs 236-270
Vs
Seed 9 Necropolis (https://dreddepicsranked.blogspot.com/2020/12/epics-13-10-nostalgic-favourites.html) - Progs 662 - 699
Still with the simple purity of popping the name of the Epic you prefer in a reply to this thread (remember to mark it clearly so I can spot it - bold tags are good) and then say whatever the heck you like to about these two great stories.
We're 3 day votes for this one, so this one will close first thing in the morning Friday 23rd April
All links go through to AlexF's simply brilliant Dredd Epics Ranked (https://dreddepicsranked.blogspot.com/) blog. You may need to scroll to find his write up of a particular story - but I'd suggest just reading the whole thing anyway - it's fantastic stuff.
Baffled by what's going on here - well we have a a thread for that (https://forums.2000ad.com/index.php?topic=47367.0) - though that might leave you more confused than anything.
Rules (https://forums.2000ad.com/index.php?topic=47367.msg1053448#msg1053448) for what they are worth.
Not sure about anything just ask and I'll blag it.
These are my top two favorites, and both from the Best Artist winner Carlos Ezquerra. One in B&W (originally) the other in colour, yet both have Carlos at the top of his game. Both are fantastic, but I have to go with Apocalypse War. The epic to beat all epics, and I think only the Sovs will disagree.
Apocalypse War
Apocalypse War
Well here we are. Many thanks to Colin for running this thing, it's been a lot of fun and has prompted many fascinating comments and placings. So which Carlos epic is it to be? For so many memorable, quotable, influential, shocking and iconic moments, it has to be The Apocalypse War.
Carlos vs Carlos? A fitting tribute to the king!
Easy win for Apocalypse War for me. Iconic.
Ps. Many thanks to Colin for running this ongoing poll, it's been great!
Oh, The Apocalypse War.
Thanks for running this, Colin- as usual so much has come up that I have found myself immediately wanting to reread. The main one being The Judge Child- which I have decided to read *in the original progs* for added thrillchills.
SBT
Easy choice: The Judge Child The Apocalypse War.
Necropolis.
It had the better build up, it had an epilogue.
It had the Dark Judges.
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 20 April, 2021, 08:31:13 AM
Necropolis.
It had the better build up, it had an epilogue.
It had the Dark Judges.
But Apocalypse War also had Dark Judges called Ruskies
I think there's no doubt over the winner here, but Necropolis is my favourite.
Read it in my teens and it blew me away and cemented my love for Dredd. The build up is fantastic: all the Kraken stuff, that's kids letter to Dredd and his growing doubts, the Dead Man (which is very much part of Necropolis imo) and then we get McGruder's return, the sisters, scary Mortis, the terrible bleakness of defeat as the tale unwinds and then Dredd's beautifully cold execution of Kraken at the end.
I must have read The Apocalypse War a dozen times and it is a more iconic, but it sticks in my mind as one long war story whilst me Necropolis resonates far more strongly with individual plot beats and it's darker tone. It's clever, it's horrific, it's exciting and it gets my vote.
The Dead Man > Apocalypse War > Necropolis,
so hoisted on the (il)logic of my own petard, I'm voting for The Apcolaypse War.
Also, I don't know what a petard is.
I agree that Dead Man is part of Necropolis but never forget that Apocalypse War also had a build-up and Block Mania was a great prequel to the epic.
Hm... Tough call. Let's go with Apocalypse War.
But both are damn good for their own reasons. And somehow I find the idea more fun in AW, although Russians would disagree.
This is all a bit sad isn't it? We all love Judge Dredd, we're all still reading every week and yet our favourite epic - the best there's ever been - is from 1982!!!
Nostalgia. Ain't it grand :- APOCALYPSE WAR
Tough call on this one... a really tough call. Think I'm going to have to go for Necropolis
Quote from: AlexF on 20 April, 2021, 09:07:57 AM
Also, I don't know what a petard is.
A small bomb used for blowing up fortifications.
Necropolis.
The Apocalypse War.
Oh, this one's a toughie but Necropolis just makes it by a whisker.
I love Necropolis, but the Apocalypse War wins it for me.
I'm with Dunc Renaldo Block - who's with me?
Necropolis
anyone not voting for The Apocalypse War is just disrespecting Judge Souster's memory...and that ain't right.
Hmmm...
Apocalypse War
Build up: Block Mania and Pirates of the Black Atlantic
Aftermath: Anything with rad-pits, rehoming citizens and that one with the robot wrestler. Plus anything related to the Sovs/Orlok.
Necropolis
Build up: There's an argument for all the democracy stuff and bloodlines stuff, plus The Deadman, Tales of the Deadman, Countdown to Necropolis and, arguably, all the Dark Judge stories up to that point.
Aftermath: The referendum, Dredd without a nose, Silver's return, Judgement on Gotham, the burial pits in Judgement Day, Young Death (and thus Mrs Gunderson), plus a good few one offs (including a great PJ Maybe).
Simply for the thrill of reading it at the time, and it being the end of 'classic' period Dredd, I have to go with Necropolis.
To be hoisted by one own's petard, literally, was to try to blow up a castle gate with a small home-made bomb with a dodgy fuse (the petard) and then get thrown up into the air (that's the hoisting bit) by the blast when it all went horribly wrong.
Those French, eh?
---
The Apocalypse War, in which the Sovs were hoisted by their own TADs.
Necropolis
The Apocalypse War but Necropolis is a worthy runner up.
City of the Damned.
city of the damned
Oz
City of the dammed
The Apocalypse War
Apocalypse War...
Much as I love everything about Necropolis, it just has to be Apocalypse War, for sheer unbeatable re-readability, world-defining events and a musical number (and definitely not just for microscopic topless Anderson).
Quote from: TordelBack on 21 April, 2021, 10:51:43 PM
Much as I love everything about Necropolis, it just has to be Apocalypse War, for sheer unbeatable re-readability, world-defining events and a musical number (and definitely not just for microscopic topless Anderson).
"Microscopic" is possibly the wrong adjective here.
Necropolis.
Like them both but Apocalypse War is the winner.
Last call folks but looking its possible that either Apocalypse War or Necropolis to catch City of the Damned and any final votes today could settle top spot so get um in and I'll count um up in the morning.
Quote from: Colin YNWA on 22 April, 2021, 06:34:44 AM
Last call folks but looking its possible that either Apocalypse War or Necropolis to catch City of the Damned and any final votes today could settle top spot so get um in and I'll count um up in the morning.
Oh, didn't know I could change my vote to City of the Damned. Screw Necropolis.
City of the Damned.
necropolis
Necropolis.
VOTING CLOSED
One Epic started strong, very strong and after that while the other Epic picked up votes and momentum at a similar rate that blistering start meant there was no coming back and half of Mega City One, the whole of Easter Meg 1 and an entire peace loving planet innocent of any involvement look aghast as you take such pleasure in
The Apocalypse War (not forgetting Block Mania)
which brought their end as it took top spot - I don't think to many folks surprise. Necropolis was probably the only epic that could have challenged it and honesty it didn't come close and has to settle for a very respectable 2nd spot. So with that, I'm afriad to say It's...it's OVER (https://youtu.be/D475j4sZyz0)... well except not quite.
As we often moan about every good Epic (why do I keep putting that with a capital?!?) needs to have epilogues to give it real importance. Well this tourney wasn't about top spot, or crowning the winner it was about stern and justified correction of a brilliant man gone wrong. So join me Monday as we look at the full rankings - and do some analysis of how much we've had to sort that damned list that inspired all this from Alex F. Which epics have moved, how much have they moved and how, as the week progresses, how that compares to the correct ranking (that being the one I did) and how that compares to this 'crowdfunded' one.
Oh and I'll be introducing the next tourney which is pretty close to being ready.
Cheers Colin, even if I struggled to understand what was happening:) Great fun going back over these stories, some I had not looked at in years.
How about a Stront tournament, or Dredd spinoff epics one, eg Shamballa V Supersurf?
Thanks again Colin for running this, what tremendous fun. Not surprised by the winner, fully deserving of its place as it's left such a huge legacy in the Dredd canon.
Quote from: maryanddavid on 23 April, 2021, 09:10:10 AM
Cheers Colin, even if I struggled to understand what was happening:) Great fun going back over these stories, some I had not looked at in years.
Oh mean to post this here to help with that - what the heck was happening
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16_95Phr_Ab1Z-Zs7P-_4dlpSC53-BM-djAgx5Jc_hzA/edit?usp=sharing (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16_95Phr_Ab1Z-Zs7P-_4dlpSC53-BM-djAgx5Jc_hzA/edit?usp=sharing)
Well actually not sure it will help but its how I kept track of it all!
Quote from: maryanddavid on 23 April, 2021, 09:10:10 AM
How about a Stront tournament, or Dredd spinoff epics one, eg Shamballa V Supersurf?
Ohhh good ideas - I have a note book in which I keep a list of possible idea and these two are added. I know what's next BUT I keep putting off the BIG ONE that was my first idea to start all this way back so they might nudge ahead of that...
Quote from: abelardsnazz on 23 April, 2021, 09:10:56 AM
Thanks again Colin for running this, what tremendous fun.
Look - you lot do realise if you keep saying nice things I won't bloody well stop doing these things. Right.
Your your own worse emeny sometimes you lot!
Seconded, thanks for putting this together Colin!
Yep! Cheers for running these, Colin. Great fun and a welcome distraction from everything.
Just a suggestion for any future polls: "Which of these [ Insert as appropriate ] former Thrills would Squaxx like to see a return or reboot of?"
I'm thinking, for example, of stories that finished up prematurely or abruptly before their time. Black Hawk comes to mind. (I feel that there were still plenty of tales that could have been told about our favourite Nubian gladiator.) Or it could also include those Thrills that maybe did not live up to their original premise - or were let down by inferior artwork / writing - but could benefit from a new creative team and reboot.
As to what Prog the list would go up to, I would suggest anytime up to Prog 2000AD as a cut-off point. In terms of what would count as a possible entrant? Maybe rule out obvious and long-running top Thrills like Dredd, Strontium Dog, Nemesis, Slaine etc and focus instead on short-run stories or one-offs?
Anyways, that's just my twopence worth. Thanks again!
Quote from: Colin YNWA on 23 April, 2021, 06:45:20 AM
Oh and I'll be introducing the next tourney...
Best Dredd Epic with the Word 'Tour' In the Title?
Thanks for all the fun Colin, looking forward to the autopsy.
That was great Colin! Awesome work indeed, Sir!
Quote from: Colin YNWA on 23 April, 2021, 06:45:20 AMAs we often moan about every good Epic (why do I keep putting that with a capital?!?) needs to have epilogues to give it real importance
Except, ironically,
Necropolis, which instead reads like the epilogue to all the Judge Dredd stories that went before it.
Quote from: TordelBack on 23 April, 2021, 10:51:31 AM
Quote from: Colin YNWA on 23 April, 2021, 06:45:20 AM
Oh and I'll be introducing the next tourney...
Best Dredd Epic with the Word 'Tour' In the Title?
Thanks for all the fun Colin, looking forward to the autopsy.
Best story set in the cursed earth?
A deserving top two, I'm happy with this outcome. Thanks again Colin, these contests have been FUN and have prompted some great Case File rereading!
Glad to hear there are more on the way, I'll second a Stront tournament (since Christmas I've almost completed rereading ALL of Strontium Dog, it's fresh in mind and I'm ready to vote...)
Cheers Colin