Judge Dredd: The Mega Collection discussion thread

[Davgardo]

Wagner, Grant, Kennedy, Hairsine and Gibson cover the Sardini stories totalling 124 pages which leaves say 50 to 70 pages of additional material which includes Williams and Higgins plus any of the aforementioned.
Looked over Barney but nothing jumped out at me. Any thoughts anyone?

Rob Williams and John Higgins did a 3 part story called Meet Darren Dead a few years ago - maybe it's that. That'd only take us up to 20 episodes however, which is slight for this collection. Maybe there'll be a couple of random Cam Kennedy or Ian Gibson drawn stories included.

[Davgardo]

Fortunately, the bulk of the collection holds up well. And while it'll be an expensive set overall, the individual books are ludicrously cheap, given what you get. On that basis, I'm fine with the odd bit of iffy repro.

I agree completely. The Day the Law Died plus Helter Skelter in Hardback £9.99: Judge Caligula Books 1 & 2 paperbacks 35-ish years ago cost a combined £7.00. The set is fantastic value for money.
In fact when the Judge Child is released (with plus maybe The Fink included): it will be cheaper to buy this in 2016/17 than it was to buy in 1984 (3 paperbacks @ £3.50 a pop). 

[IndigoPrime]

On Helter Skelter, I re-read that last night, expecting to very much dislike it. I certainly wasn't keen at the time, and I recall Carlos having some issues with his house or something during the art run (hence presumably the jarring Flint fill-ins). And yet I actually rather enjoyed it. Sure, shoe-horning all those other 2000 AD characters feels a touch unnecessary and illogical, and the bad guys are idiots (although Dredd points this out nicely), but it all hangs together quite well in a single read, and feels at home in a book that also includes the madcap The Day The Law Died. Good essay at the end of the volume, too.

[Apestrife]

Apestrife: Oddly, owning the Marvel collection prompted me to plump for the Dredd one, due to the production values more than anything. Despite some iffy picks in the Dredd set, it feels more consistent to me than the Marvel one, which was very variable. Although perhaps Marvel fans would argue otherwise.

I think the intros, interviews and such can be of great help when "accepting" some of the books. Giving the collection a "documented feel".

One thing I like is that some of the fat consists of similarly themed stories as well as work by the same writer, artist. For example America collecting additional Macneil-stories. A bit like a bonus track on a good album. Fun to hear, and if needed easy to skip.

[Trent]

Terry, if you like 'proper Dredd' not sure the Klegg volume is ideal. Much is taken up with Maelstrom and The Corps which are very much non-essential Dreddverse tales but I concede the back up stories are good with Lonely Klegghunter and Trapper Hag just about justifying the book on their owm.

[IndigoPrime]

Heavy Mob is also very skippable in that sense.

[terryworld]

Trent, as you say, Trapper Hag. Wagner & Grant scripting with Steve Dillon drawing? I'm in for 20 bucks for that!
One that's coming up that i'm unsure of is Missionary Man. No real interest in the character, but.... Black Plague, Hotdog Run and Shantytown? That's a purchase (although I think I've already got those stories in The Complete JD).
Already grabbed The Heavy Mob when it came out, was excited for Father Earth but, as has been previously pointed out, the repro was very poor. I'm another confused punter who wonders why rebellion can't take scans from the old Titan reprints. That's the thing with these books though; there isn't a SINGLE volume that i look at and think "That's not worth 20 bucks". They're great value for money with the hardcover format and high page count. It was only when i looked at the series as a WHOLE and realised about a quarter of it is non-Dredd that I decided to start skipping issues as i didn't want to spend ~$400 on stuff i have no need for, other than consistency with the spines. Am considering printing my own spines anyway as i think i'd rather shelve the books in a chronological order.

[Davgardo]

Trent, as you say, Trapper Hag. Wagner & Grant scripting with Steve Dillon drawing? I'm in for 20 bucks for that!
One that's coming up that i'm unsure of is Missionary Man. No real interest in the character, but.... Black Plague, Hotdog Run and Shantytown? That's a purchase (although I think I've already got those stories in The Complete JD

I was very pleasantly surprised by Missionary Man and with those 3 classic Ron Smith strips it makes an excellent volume. And, while we're on the subject, the repro on those 3 strips is brilliant, especially The Black Plague as Ron put a hell of a lot of detail in that one.

[Trent]

I would have to say that Goin' South is my favourite volume so far, loved the main strip and some of Ron Smith's finest work beautifully reproduced. Fabulous for a tenner.

[Jade Falcon]

The newsagent at Smiths said "Aren't these quite expensive".  However I pointed out to her that a Star Wars graphic novel "Mara Jade:The Emperors Hand" which I have and is (at most half the thickness of one of the Dredd collection), was marked at £12.99 and it was one I've had for a fair few years and it was a softcover.

Incidentally, has anyone else read that graphic novel?  The artwork is by Ezquerra, and one of the Imperial Officers in it, Captain Strok from certain angles has a Dredd look about him, in the jawline at least.

[abelardsnazz]

Horror Stories is a good compilation of old and new. Agreed that it's a shame about the repro on THOSH9, as Brett Ewins' Anderson stories look pin-sharp in this collection. Hopefully The Wally Squad will fare better. Good to see some annual & special stories included, with some pithy wit alongside the horror. And The Jigsaw Murders is vintage Smith. Overall, a themed collection that works well.

At the halfway point, a few thoughts on the collection so far. Please add yours, or more.....

Favourite cover: Beyond Mega-City One
Favourite endpapers: Oz
Favourite volume: The Life & Crimes of PJ Maybe
Favourite epic/arc: Day of Chaos
Favourite standalone story: Missing
Favourite non-Dredd issue: Devlin Waugh, Chasing Herod
Favourite non-Dredd story: Anderson, Shamballa

[Davgardo]

Favourite cover: Beyond Mega-City One
Favourite endpapers: Oz
Favourite volume: The Life & Crimes of PJ Maybe
Favourite epic/arc: Day of Chaos
Favourite standalone story: Missing
Favourite non-Dredd issue: Devlin Waugh, Chasing Herod
Favourite non-Dredd story: Anderson, Shamballa

Cover: Doomsday for Dredd
Endpapers: Devlin Waugh Swimming in Blood
Volume: Trifecta
Epic: Dead Man/Necropolis
Standalone: Sin City
Non Dredd Issue: Low Life Hostile Takeover
Non Dredd Story: Shamballa

[Jamie1000013]

Wow never knew how underrated Gordon Rennie was until reading a story and being like wow that was amazing and checking the writer and it is always either Wagner or Rennie.

Roadstop and Judgement were both excellent stories in the newest Horror Stories book, as was the whole of Judge Coburn, definite rereads in the future.

Cover: Simping Detective
Endpapers: NA
Volume: Oz
Epic: Dead Man/Necropolis
Standalone: Road Stop
Non Dredd Issue: Simping Detective
Non Dredd Story: Judge Coburn collection

[IndigoPrime]

Cover: America
Volume: PJ Maybe
Epic: Chaos Day
Non-Dredd: If Trifecta doesn't count, Low Life: Paranoia

So far, of 40 issues, I've only been unhappy with a fw (notably The Heavy Mob and Klegg Hai!). The strike-rate's been remarkably high, so I hope that continues. (Oddly, it appears my local WHS is still getting the Marvel Mightiest Heroes partworks in, of all things. No sign of Dredd or even Doctor Who, though.)

[Jade Falcon]

I've also noticed Smiths with the Mightiest Heroes one, and some of the Star Wars Helmets and Dr Who partworks.  I'm wondering sometimes if it's people who have reserved them but failed to come back for them.

Finished this book.  Pretty happy with it, the only story I've read before is Haunting of Sector House 9 and I can see what people mean about the reproduction issues.

Artwork for the stories varied, but was in general pretty good.  I enjoyed all the stories, and can't say that any of them were bad.

So what's up next?