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Interesting to read the support for "City of the Damned".  Agree it's a great story and the 2nd spoiler PJ mentions above (sorry, haven't yet worked out how to quote!) is one of the great JD moments, but I guess I felt that you'd really need to have read "The Judge Child Quest" first to get the most out of it, hence it wouldn't be ideal as a starting point.

Maybe, if they haven't done so already, Rebellion could put together some sort of "The Best of Judge Dredd" compilation containing perhaps one big classic story, e.g. Judge Death, and a load of the other top one prog stories showcasing the breadth of storytelling, e.g. BMKAWH, Firepower, the comedy one whose name I can't remember where all the Bond actors are offed in a haunted house to the tune of well known poem, etc. to appeal to first time readers coming in off the film?

Sorry, thread title's probably misleading – not hung up about whether it's a single story or a single volume (e.g. Case File), no answers will be disqualified!  More about giving the casual reader, who may only be prepared to give JD one chance off the back of a positive movie experience, a place to start that it most likely to make them want more.  Interesting to read your thoughts so far.

Take your points re America not actually having much JD in it, I just feel it's so well written and powerful that it would surprise people expecting a more straightforward sci-fi cop knockabout.

With you on The Pit too but not sure about Origins.  Although it seems an obvious place to start it does actually rely on you knowing a fair bit about the history to generate the emotional weight (especially the revelations at the end).

I'd somehow forgotten about The Graveyard Shift – that's a great introduction to the routine madness of MC1 as you say (always thought it would have made a great template for a movie too but that's for another thread)!

I know what you mean about the Apocalypse War in both respects, it's one of my favourites too.

Just after I started getting the prog every week I went to Forbidden Planet (back when there were 2 little stores in London – comics in one, merchandise the other I seem to remember!) and picked up a few of the Titan graphic novels including AW.

I do love the way it throws it all open saying "You thought these guys had a tough day job, well guess what?  They're the army too!" and all of a sudden the sheer scope of Justice Department becomes clear.

But I suppose for that very reason, and those given by Richard, it's not ideal for a first read otherside you might come away thinking that it's all basically a war story and Dredd is a soldier.

Still a good one to tackle pretty early as it's INCREDIBLY good, gives more context to the whole Dredd world and links in with all the recent Day of Chaos goings on.


BTW I've just noticed that when you type "judge" into Google its first suggestion is now "Dredd" instead of "Judy"!  I feel like celebrating a small victory.

First proper post so go easy on me (& sorry if this is in the wrong forum / been asked before, etc.)!

Been to see 'Dredd' 3 times now with different people each time, c.10 of whom had little or no knowledge of the great man.  Very pleased to say that they all loved the film and many of them were keen to know more and asked where they should start vis-à-vis the source material.

Mindful of how long he's been going, and how different to the film Dredd the early Dredd is, I've tended not to point them at Case Files 1.  Instead, linking back to the thread's title at last, I've told them that if they only read 1 Dredd story in their lives it should be 'America' as it's an intelligent, serious and intensely human tale that, I feel, fits well with the mood of the Dredd movie.  (I'm not sure what casual readers would make of Maria and a robot sidekick who sounds like Jonathan Ross!)

Interested to know where would, or do, you suggest new readers start and why?

Hello everyone!

What a joy it is to finally be posting on here!  I set up my account ruddy ages ago and attempted to join in with the discussions on the movie but I could never work out how to post or reply.  I put it down to internet gremlins and forgot about it.  Then I read Judge Fudge's post and it all became clear.  What a buffoon I am.

Anyway, like everyone here, I love 2000ad.  It has a very special place in my heart.  As an impressionable young lad I found in 2000ad the first stories I'd ever read where the good guys didn't always win, where bad things happened to good people and even where the heroes did bad things (I'll never forget Dredd arresting people for helping him – talk about subversive).  All a far cry from Whizzer and Chips you'll agree.

The exact dates blur now but around the time my Mum got me a subscription (she read it every week and is still a fan, bless 'er) they started publishing the 2000ad monthlys and I was hooked. 

Those double page Kevin O'Neill spreads in Nemesis, Halo Jones in the suits on Moab, Dredd bringing down a Strato-V with a stubgun, Dredd facing the Democrats alone on the Hall of Justice steps, Dredd doing pretty much anything really, Johnny Alpha calling Max Bubba out as he leaves hospital with the charity box, Slaine hurling the crate of undead warriors onto the deck of the enemy sky ship, just a few magical moments that spring to mind.

I did have a hiatus of a few years when Judgement Day starting appearing in both the progs and the Megazine (which I thought was bit naughty as I couldn't afford both) but got back on board a few years back when my housemate and I realised we were both lapsed fans and he started picking up the progs each week (and I cheekily read them for free!).  Went our separate ways (sorry – this is turning into "Our Tune" with Simon Bates) and have since been a proud subscriber to both mags.

Obviously loved the film and am now in the habit of asking people if they're ready, only to explain that they don't look it (to bemused glances).

Spend most of my time talking myself into, and then back out of, spending £2,000 on a judge's suit from Planet Replicas.

Apologies for rambling – as my thread title suggests not a big user of interweb forums so forgive me if I break all sorts of unwritten rules -  but looking forwards to getting involved.