Judge Dredd: The Mega Collection discussion thread

[Davgardo]

The one little thing that puzzled me was Aimee Nixons speech to the convicts after the charges were set and it pans to a shot of these guys (and I assume girls), most of which didn't seem to have the modifications that inmates get when sent to Titan.

I didn't get that either. And also, because I'm fick, could someone explain the opening page of the Hostile Takeover story?

[Trent]

One story that seems to have been all but forgotten is Dead Ringer a mini epic from the Megazine. I hope it makes its way into the Mega Collection - anyone got any ideas?

[The Monarch]

It might end up in the judge child one which going by recent hints (angel gang members are in 26 27 34 and 35) may be judge child, fink and dead ringer

Destinys angels and dredd angel may be one itself

The other two is a confirmed mean machine issue and an angel gang book (maybe collects the megazine angel gang stuff?)

[Trent]

I think Judge Child and The Fink would be one volume. Mean Machine volume would be Three Amigos and likely Travels with muh Shrink and or Son of Mean.
City of the Damned should include Destiny's Angels and In the Year 2120.
That leaves stories like Dredd Angel, Before they wuz Dead, the Ratfink tales and the many shorter Mean stories.
Not sure where Dead Ringers would fit but it would be nice to see it again.

[Apestrife]

The one little thing that puzzled me was Aimee Nixons speech to the convicts after the charges were set and it pans to a shot of these guys (and I assume girls), most of which didn't seem to have the modifications that inmates get when sent to Titan.

I didn't get that either. And also, because I'm fick, could someone explain the opening page of the Hostile Takeover story?

Hostile Takeover, I figure it's Nixon getting into discussions with the hondo gangsters. Which apperantly didn't go to well, consider that they cut her arm off.

Regarding Titan. I figure those inmates had yet been fitted with implants. Since it seems like the SJS sent a bunch to Titan, and -as I read it- the revolt seem to have started right after Nixon got her nose cut off.

[Davgardo]

The one little thing that puzzled me was Aimee Nixons speech to the convicts after the charges were set and it pans to a shot of these guys (and I assume girls), most of which didn't seem to have the modifications that inmates get when sent to Titan.

I didn't get that either. And also, because I'm fick, could someone explain the opening page of the Hostile Takeover story?

Hostile Takeover, I figure it's Nixon getting into discussions with the hondo gangsters. Which apperantly didn't go to well, consider that they cut her arm off.

Regarding Titan. I figure those inmates had yet been fitted with implants. Since it seems like the SJS sent a bunch to Titan, and -as I read it- the revolt seem to have started right after Nixon got her nose cut off.

It was more Aimee's appearance: it's nothing like her, and also the guy says she is 'beautiful', which, in traditional terms at least, she definitely isn't (apart from on this page). The only way we know it's her is the guy calls her 'Nixon'

[Apestrife]

The one little thing that puzzled me was Aimee Nixons speech to the convicts after the charges were set and it pans to a shot of these guys (and I assume girls), most of which didn't seem to have the modifications that inmates get when sent to Titan.

I didn't get that either. And also, because I'm fick, could someone explain the opening page of the Hostile Takeover story?

Hostile Takeover, I figure it's Nixon getting into discussions with the hondo gangsters. Which apperantly didn't go to well, consider that they cut her arm off.

Regarding Titan. I figure those inmates had yet been fitted with implants. Since it seems like the SJS sent a bunch to Titan, and -as I read it- the revolt seem to have started right after Nixon got her nose cut off.

It was more Aimee's appearance: it's nothing like her, and also the guy says she is 'beautiful', which, in traditional terms at least, she definitely isn't (apart from on this page). The only way we know it's her is the guy calls her 'Nixon'

I figure they dolled her up a bit before meeting the Hondo-boss. In order to look more traditional, respectable. If it was Frank I figure he'd get a shower, shave, haircut as well as some fancy hondo garb.

[COMMANDO FORCES]

My money for the next two has been taken from my account, so they're on their way

[Trent]

Where are you based, I don't expect the next 2 until around Monday the 18th (about a fortnight) along with most folks?

[COMMANDO FORCES]

I'm in the Cellar 

I'm sure we'll all get them the same time but when I see the money taken from my account, I expect them the day after

After all, these are not produced by 3A 

[Trent]

I get my money taken after I get the books. Last ones received 22nd June, payment taken 26th. If they are taking your money in advance you must be a 'special' customer.

[bedlamvr]

I think what is interesting in the collection is the illustration  of just how cyclical the whole judge Dredd world is an how the writers keep going back to the well, although this is not a criticism, more of an observation and generally later stories learn from previous failings. (As the characters in the 2000 AD world seem to learn (in some instances from their mistakes)

For example in the two issues this month (hostile takeover and Inferno) Inferno seemed to have a good idea (penal colony full of ex judges  taken over by the inmates) but the pacing was odd in the beginning - it was never clear if you were supposed to feel sorry for the Judges sentenced to serve on Titan, Also what was their motivation to head back to MC1 and follow Grice - surely most of them would have splintered off and run and then the attempt to maintain the high melodreama throughout the main story kind of made it a farce... and to be honest i kind of stopped paying attention part way through. (and was the reason I stopped reading 2000AD in the first place).


But then you have hostile take over - a totally different take. And although it really doesn't explain Amie Nixon or the other how Thora or Mortal decided to step over the line it managed to tell the story through Dirty Frank of the fine line between Law and Crime and how loosing everything can push someone from the brink of sanity to the other side and loosing sight of what drives them Judges can so easily pass the point of no return.

Then in Titan - I think it was interesting if flawed . It still suffered from the confusing pacing and is more of the Dredd getting to the end of his days which is mirrored by the slow and inevitable decay in Mega City 1 which just seems to be unable to get  back up after the crippling events of chaos day.

But at the end of the day there are only so many stories that can be told. 
   

[DarkDaysBish-OP]

It's why The Pit stands out among a lot of mega-epics, different structure, different approach to Dredd.

[Tjm86]

For example ... Inferno seemed to have a good idea (penal colony full of ex judges  taken over by the inmates) but the pacing was odd in the beginning - it was never clear if you were supposed to feel sorry for the Judges sentenced to serve on Titan, Also what was their motivation to head back to MC1 and follow Grice - surely most of them would have splintered off and run and then the attempt to maintain the high melodreama throughout the main story kind of made it a farce... and to be honest i kind of stopped paying attention part way through. (and was the reason I stopped reading 2000AD in the first place).

Let's face it, Millar at the time was using it as a stepping stone to craft his skills and really didn't give that much of a damn.  He let his worst tendencies spew out and is probably partially responsible for a lot of the drifting readership of the time.  Inferno is probably the second best example of his dross (the first being what he did to Robohunter) although I am willing to concede that there is worse out there.  What possessed them to include it in the collection is a mystery to me.

[Trent]

Lovely painted Carlos artwork.
That said, the fact that other stories won't be included so we could have Purgatory/Inferno and Brit Cit Brute will annoy the hell out of me when we finish if we end up not having stories like Darkside or The Graveyard Shift in the Collection.
For all that Matt has got right in recent years I cannot see how he could justify such omissions at the expense of stories that he slates in the introductions to the books themselves. It's not like there isn't enough quality material even if some is in (say it quietly) black and white.