Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files 18

[James Stacey]

yeah. Doesn't that do it for you ?

[Greg M.]

Missing 6 episodes (Progs 1078 to 1083) 36 pages
Script: John Wagner, Artist: Lee Sullivan

I'm assuming it's not that great, seeing as it's never been reprinted and doesn't get talked about that much. I'm quite curious about it mainly because it's a 6 part Wagner story that I've never read before (wasn't getting the weekly at that time), and it appears to feature Demarco, and I really love all those stories with her and Dredd like Beyond the Call of Duty and The Scorpion Dance.

Oh yes. I think I remember it. Dredd gets abducted and imprisoned by a 'collector' type. Cheers for the reminder, radiator. I think it's actually quite good - there's a bit involving some telekinesis that Wagner cheekily recycles for the first of the 'new' Johnny Alpha stories years hence.

As for DeMarco... I'm not a fan of Brashill's take on her, she usually looks far too young, facially anyway.

[Ignatzmonster]

Oooookay. May need to give #20 a miss then. Fuck me, Tharg must have been on wacked the fuck out on E to have commissioned Millar so many times.

Thank god Wagner is coming back. The sense of diminishing returns has been overwhelming. I remember not too long ago when I would read then reread the Case Files in the same year.

It should be said again that we live in a golden age. Not only do we live in a time of amazing Wagner Dredds, but also of multiple script droids that can write the character and not make my eyes bleed.

[TordelBack]

It should be said again that we live in a golden age. Not only do we live in a time of amazing Wagner Dredds, but also of multiple script droids that can write the character and not make my eyes bleed.

Amen, brother. Not one of the past years non-Wagner scripts have been sub-par, and (heresey!) I've enjoyed several of them more than some of Wagner's recent Dredds, unimaginable though that would have seemed not too long ago.

[I, Cosh]

As it happens, the past couple of weeks have seen me reading Progs 1050 - 1100 and there are indeed a number of cracking little Dredd stories in there. From Mad City onwards it seems that JW was in the mood for six months of old-fashioned, short and sweet MC1 wackiness.

Missing isn't a classic but it's a good, solid story and noteworthy for foregrounding the team of De Marco, Giant and Guthrie who lead the search for Dredd. I've never read Beyond the Call of Duty, Doomsday and the likes but I'm guessing this story was partly intended to bring the supporting cast back into reader's minds in advance of all that stuff.

A related question. I've been battering through the remaining unread Progs recently but haven't touched the Megs. Is there anything that I really need to catch up with in the lead up to Doomsday?

I also really enjoyed Darkside when I reread it recently. A twelve-part John Smith Dredd?! Any time you like Tharg.

Exterminator, on the other hand, was pretty duff. A two-part story stretched out way beyond its welcome.

[radiator]

Missing isn't a classic but it's a good, solid story and noteworthy for foregrounding the team of De Marco, Giant and Guthrie who lead the search for Dredd. I've never read Beyond the Call of Duty, Doomsday and the likes but I'm guessing this story was partly intended to bring the supporting cast back into reader's minds in advance of all that stuff.

From what I recall, Giant doesn't appear in Doomsday, but Demarco and Guthrie both play large roles.

A related question. I've been battering through the remaining unread Progs recently but haven't touched the Megs. Is there anything that I really need to catch up with in the lead up to Doomsday?

Definitely Sleaze (Volume 3, issue 40), which is the story of the second battle of wills between Dredd and Edgar, following their first encounter in The Cal Files in the 2000ad. Also - Worst of Frendz (Volume 3, issue 46), which establishes the whole Doomsday Scenario.

The Contract (Volume 3, issue 50), while not essential, is worth reading before Doomsday. It introduces the Assassinator droids which feature heavily in later stories. Then there's The Connection (Volume 3, issues 52-55) which leads directly into Doomsday (issues 56-59). Issues 60 and 61 also both include stories set in the aftermath.

I also really enjoyed Darkside

The only thing that bugged me about that story is that it never - as far as I recall - offers an explanation as to why [spoiler]zombie Dredd suddenly wakes up[/spoiler]. However, it was originally scheduled to run in the Megazine, so perhaps that was lost in the editing process...?

[I, Cosh]

Thanks for that. Would you believe that exact sequence of Megs is pretty much all that's missing from the two boxloads that Tips gave me a while back? Useless git!

Read Beyond the Call of Duty last night. It's a bit "hmm" overall but there's a great bit right at the start where de Marco arrives at the sector house and gives the exact opposite speech to Dredd in The Pit. Beeny's very much the new de Marco in that she's a foil to Dredd but he still respects her. Wonder who Hennesy's going to be. The new Anderson would be a bit too obvious surely.

[James Stacey]

I am still sitting here with no CF18 stupid Book Depository

[James Stacey]

I should clearly complain about the post on internet forums more often. CF18 has landed. Sexy looking it is too

[The Prodigal]

Guys hi-Just spotted this thread while prevaricating on buying case files 18. Bearing in mind I am only on board this past 18 months, yeah or nay on a purchase?

I don't need huge analysis just a general steer. Thanks in advance people.

[Greg M.]

I would say 'yay' - some of Ennis's better Dredds and Wagner's Mechanismo, which has great art and a solid script.

[Frank]

Guys hi-Just spotted this thread while prevaricating on buying case files 18. Bearing in mind I am only on board this past 18 months, yeah or nay on a purchase? I don't need huge analysis just a general steer. Thanks in advance people.

If you don't own Case Files 3-14 yet, you should prioritise that. There's nothing especially awful in 18, but there's an awful lot that's the opposite of essential.

[The Prodigal]

Thanks guys. I realised I had a few quid left over from a gift and have been reviewing what goodies I might buy. I have indulged in a glut of thrill power over the last 18 months and right now I am hovering over case files 11, 18 and the 86ers.

[Greg M.]

I would take 11 over 18 - 11 includes Oz and the 'Revolution' storyline, both of which are essential. Plus - 'The Raggedy Man', a personal favourite.

[I, Cosh]

It would be pretty daft not to just read them in order.