ifanboy video review bigs up 'Mega City Masters'

[Marbles]

Ron from ifanboy talks Dredd to a primarily US audience...

http://www.ifanboy.com/content/video/iFanboy_-_Episode__180_-_Josh_s_Shelves__iFanboy_Membership_Grand_Prize__and_Judge_Dredd

[Colin YNWA]

To use an Americanism Judge Dredd seems to be gaining some 'heat' in America. Is the current push going to be the one that does it?

Nice review. If you watch that, didn't know the character and don't go out and get something you'll never get on board!

[Hoagy]

Great. Ron hits all the right notes on this review. A lot of what I'm amazed Americans haven't picked up on already. Took the words right out of my mouth. After debating whether Masters 02 would hit the right tone, I'm feeling 01 alongside this sparkling review, has already got the immensely dense ball rolling. Good one Ron. And thanks for the link Marbles. May I have the link for my blog?

[Dash Decent]

I received Masters 02 yesterday.  It has Dredd's trip to Egypt in it as well as the recent dimension Alpha/Hard Rage story.  Being used to the Hamlyn reprint, "Book of the Dead" seems tiny!

I think the cover is woeful - I wouldn't have dropped the draft Cliff cover for this.  I really like the draft cover for Masters 03 (Dredd on Lawmaster), so I hope they retain it for the actual release.

[Leigh S]

I received Masters 02 yesterday.  It has Dredd's trip to Egypt in it as well as the recent dimension Alpha/Hard Rage story.  Being used to the Hamlyn reprint, "Book of the Dead" seems tiny!

I think the cover is woeful - I wouldn't have dropped the draft Cliff cover for this.  I really like the draft cover for Masters 03 (Dredd on Lawmaster), so I hope they retain it for the actual release.

I know the names involved there, but Jesus Wept - The book of the dead?!  Is that the Al Ewing Karl Richardson story in there as well though - some good coming out of it! 

I dunno, I see the thinking, I suppose these may appeal to the American sensibility, given how they have taken to Millar doing the same stuff over there.... but all it would prove to me is that the sensibilities are clearly so widely divergent as to make the bulk of Dredd seem unsaleable to them, because its clearly too damned good!

[Dreddzilla]

Figures they save the good stuff till the end.

[O Lucky Stevie!]

I know the names involved there, but Jesus Wept - The book of the dead?! 

What? Would sir have preferred Crusade then,  eh Leigh? 

Here's a full list of contents:

The Comeback (John Wagner & Alan Grant / Garry Leach)
That Sweet Stuff (Alan Grant / Vanyo)
Talkback (Garth Ennis / Glenn Fabry)
The Marshal (Garth Ennis / Sean Phillips)
Judge Tyrannosaur (Mark Millar / Ron Smith)
Book of the Dead (Grant Morrison & Mark Millar / Dermot Power)
Rad Blood (Dan Abnett / Ron Smith)
Statue of Judgment (John Wagner / John Burns)
Dominoes (Si Spencer / Laurence Campbell)
Birthday Boy (Pat Mills / Vince Locke)
High Spirits (Ian Edginton / Dave Taylor)
Rehab (Al Ewing / Karl Richardson)
Covers gallery

Stevie's going to refrain from further comment at this stage as he just may knock out a review of very own.

[radiator]

Hmmm, bit of a mixed bag, there - Judge Tyrannosaur? Really? Isn't that one regarded as one of the worst Dredd stories ever published?

Dominoes (Si Spencer / Laurence Campbell)

Isn't that Si Spurrier rather than Spencer?

[Leigh S]

Hmmm, bit of a mixed bag, there - Judge Tyrannosaur? Really? Isn't that one regarded as one of the worst Dredd stories ever published?

Dominoes (Si Spencer / Laurence Campbell)

Isn't that Si Spurrier rather than Spencer?

Heh! I was going to joke about them going the whole hog and including Judge Tyrannosaur, but.....!

Its a very weird collection - Vanyo one seems an even weirder choice - are they a big name elsewhere then? 

I can think of a lot of obscure and under regarded Dredds from the 90s onwards, but not many of them showing up there!  Still Im not the audience for this, though as I said before, if they like this, I can't see them liking the "good" stuff, so what is gained by publishing this long term?  The danger is that people pick this up for the names and come away with a poor at the very least very wrong impression of Dredd.

[Mardroid]

so what is gained by publishing this long term?  The danger is that people pick this up for the names and come away with a poor at the very least very wrong impression of Dredd.

I shouldn't worry too much. I'm not acquainted with most of those stories but 'mixed bag' suggests there's good in with the bad (and indeed it's all subjective). They'll only come away with a bad impression of Dredd if they concentrate on specific stories.

I do hope they branch into other creators who aren't as well known in the States though. I can understand why they'd take this route during an early run to draw American readers in, I'm talking more about the future.

[Dandontdare]

Only two Wagners in 12 stories? hmmm.

[Rhodoferax]

Wagner isn't as well-known as some of the other names on the list. I'd say that most American have only heard of him because Linkara's girlfriend reviewed one of his comics.

[O Lucky Stevie!]

Hmmm, bit of a mixed bag, there - Judge Tyrannosaur? Really? Isn't that one regarded as one of the worst Dredd stories ever published?

You know, Stevie actually considers it to be Millar's best. For reasons that he explicate in his review. It's a veritable Lyman-alpha forest apart from War Games.

Dominoes (Si Spencer / Laurence Campbell)

Isn't that Si Spurrier rather than Spencer?
[/quote]

That'd be him.

[SmallBlueThing]

Since i must be the only person in the whole world who really likes 'book of the dead', i'll be getting this for the littlun this xmas. Mummies, pyramids, dermot power, dredd landing in a pit of guts- it's almost perfect!
Has anyone seen this in uk comic shops at all?
SBT

[O Lucky Stevie!]

Since i must be the only person in the whole world who really likes 'book of the dead', i'll be getting this for the littlun this xmas. Mummies, pyramids, dermot power, dredd landing in a pit of guts- it's almost perfect!

let's not forget a conveyer belt fight that genuinely makes sense within the context of the story.

damn, it';s a plot to pre-empt Stevie on his review, isn't it?