Favorite Dredd writer?

[SilvaShado]

I'm just curious as to what your favorite Judge Dredd writer is and which story was your favorite by that writer.  If you can, include the prog numbers that the story ran in and what it is that you liked so much about that writer and story.

[DavidXBrunt]

I think I'm pretty safe in saying that the majority of people are going to say John Wagner. Becuase John Wagner is synonymous with Dredd and I can't honestly remember reading a Dredd story written by him that wasn't up to scratch.

He's the definitive writer, he created the strip, he's been writing it for 27 years now and still coming up with the goods.

Favourite stories? The Pit, an ensemble epic. Death of a Legend, 6 pages to kill off a major supporting character whilst underlining Dredds humanity. The Day the Law Died, a huge amount of fun and so many ideas. Umpty Candy, a mini classic, there are more ideas in these 6 pages than in a years worth of some comics. I could go on...

[Jared Katooie]

John Wagner. Apocalypse war. The best Dredd story ever read by me.

[Devons Daddy]

wagner without doubt,

but MR RENNIE , is creeping up on the inside,and showing his ability to some day be passed the baton.
maybe.

[Oddboy]

John Wagner - without a doubt.

Does 'America' count as a Dredd story? He's in it, but rarely. Megazine (vol 1) #1-7 (also available in GN format).
It's a bitter love story about a comedian & his Pro-Democracy activist not-quite-girlfriend. (This was the first appearance of the Total War group.)


Full on Dredd, probably got to be Block Mania / The Apocalypse War (2000AD progs 236-244 & 245-270 respectively).
The first truely MEGA epic, starts off as 9-part Block Mania story, and then swoops into the massive 25-part Apocalypse War with the invasion of the Sov Judges.

[Bico]

Mark Millar, by miles.
I've never seen such minimalist plotting married alongside self-deprecating wit and a cunningly re-imagined main character.  It takes a brave writer to completely disregard years of a character's development and create an alternate version more suited to the writer's heartfelt storytelling style - action, and lots of it - but Millar pulled it off with ease.
In the hands of a lesser writer, I'd get the impression that they were just putting in the hours before moving on to the American market to write Spider-man as some kind of Frank Miller Daredevil rip-off, but Millar's respect (for Dredd and the loyal fanbase he's accrued over the years) is truely inspiring.
I'd suggest checking out 'Crusade', a sadly underrated Dredd classic.

[Dudley]

Read all about it -

Sarcasm No Longer Lowest Form Of Wit!
Professor Bear (the online pseudonym of Big Bird) today proved that, in the right hands, sarcasm need not belong at the very bottom of the pile...




(Can't be bothered.  Read the Onion to see it done well.)

[Oddboy]

I still maintain that "'allo 'allo" is a lower form of wit than sarcasm.

[Keef Monkey]

Favourite dredd writer in my opinion is Wagner. My favourite dredd story of all time is the complete America, which I actually missed first time round and just read when the GN came out, it's amazingly moving. If that doesn't count as a Dredd story then Apocalypse War or The Pit, just for the sheer scope of them and how well he sustained your interest for the full length.

[Tiplodocus]

Bah - you've got me thinking it might be worth unkillfiling him just to see what he's said now.

[Bico]

Eh?

[Slippery PD]

There sadly no contest.  Wagner is the best writer for Dredd.  Though on occasional others have done really well. See Pat Mills' Cursed Earth, for a good example.  Recently Rennies one offs have been perfect and Gulag was great fun if no classic.

Stories to read by Wagner
The Pit - Pure soap opera and considered a template of Dredd things to come.  But as wagner does hes ignored that and taken us on the Vienna, Rico tangent.
Block Mania/Apocolypse War - sheer unadultarated war comic bliss.  Wham bang Apocolypse Squad.
Lots of Small classics...
Haunting of Sector House 9
America
Bury my knee at wounded heart
Judge Death lives
Umpty Candy
Stop me Ill be here all night.

Slips

PS - Bear you are far too funny go and stand in the corner  

[therev]

Wagner.
Mind you Rennie needs a longer run to see if his ideas pan out.

[Floyd-the-k]

Wagner, favourite story, The Pit.
 Mind you, he has done a fair few duds. Usually one off stories that don`t quite work or just recycle old ideas. These are far outweighed by the stories he has done which are either brilliant, pretty good, or alright.
  My second favourite is Ennis, best story `Goodnight Kiss`.

I liked Crusade, but seem to be in a minority of one here

[jont]

"but MR RENNIE , is creeping up on the inside,and showing his ability to some day be passed the baton.
maybe."

Has anyone here actually picked up a copy of the Metro, Rennie may have had his moments but they certainly weren't on Dredd.