The Four Dark Judges... Plus nine more?

[COMMANDO FORCES]

I want more variant covers

[Molch-R]

I want more variant covers

Hush, you!

[Jo-L]

I wouldn't mind Dredd being re-booted and jiggered about if the result was a good comic, but it's not. It's a bad comic. A very bad comic.

With the very greatest of respect, this is just your opinion. A smidge under 10,000 people disagree with you every month.

Is 10,000 sustainable?  I understand the idea that a market is being served, and the vested interest associated to catering to that market.  It kind of falls apart if the actual sales aren't there for the long-term and the title goes away. 

My only real problem with the IDW Dredd is that it dilutes the perception of the 2000 AD brand to the American audience, who believe me still generally has no idea that 2000 AD is a thing.  You are of course doing the lord's work in trying to spread the word over here, I just hope the IDW Dredd doesn't confuse the brand perception of the product.

Incidentally, I'm one of those 10,000 who buy every issue but doesn't really like it.

[BPP]

I wouldn't mind Dredd being re-booted and jiggered about if the result was a good comic, but it's not. It's a bad comic. A very bad comic.

With the very greatest of respect, this is just your opinion. A smidge under 10,000 people disagree with you every month.

Well, some of us agree fully but still buy it ..

Yep. Tho Judge Shark Jump may have been one too much for me. I just wish IDW would change the creative team on this. Especially the artist. We can all wish IDW the best (and as of this deal I've bought all of their original '2000AD IP' output) but still say 'ya know, this really isn't very good' on the main title while wanting to support their endeavour.

Personally I've no idea why the main title gets to rip off, badly, so many characters and moments from Dredd's history. It reminds me of Before Watchmen. If I was new to the stuff and someone was to tell me the Dark Judges or the Angel Gang is the best Dredd stuff and I was to pick up the IDW riffs I'd never go near the character again. I don't mind that they have repositioned the character and concept, I do mind that they are turning out badly drawn (really, no hiding in 'that is your opinion', it's full of basic errors and scale problems) guff that plunders the great work of others.

[Molch-R]

Is 10,000 sustainable?.

The numbers are holding very steady, which is not the norm for titles that aren't superheroes or a media franchise tie-in. Our readership fluctuates over time as well, but is slowly starting to tick upwards.

My only real problem with the IDW Dredd is that it dilutes the perception of the 2000 AD brand to the American audience, who believe me still generally has no idea that 2000 AD is a thing.  You are of course doing the lord's work in trying to spread the word over here, I just hope the IDW Dredd doesn't confuse the brand perception of the product.

I really don't believe it does, if anything it increases the chance of them being exposed to our products (I hate the word 'brand' as it's so nebulous and vague that it doesn't really mean anything). They know Dredd, and that's it. Broadly speaking they don't want to read old comics, especially not black and whites ones, and the mere suspicion that a title is imported or - God forbid - British generates either shrugs or wails of fear. They don't want our Dredd, they want him on their terms. IDW provides that.

And I'm afraid they simply don't perceive 2000 AD at all, other than maybe as a passing thing when talking about Moore or Morrison, and nothing I do will change that. We can either face this reality or keep throwing money and wishful thinking at it.

[Molch-R]

(really, no hiding in 'that is your opinion', it's full of basic errors and scale problems)

Sorry, I and other droids in the office are fans of Nelson's work and I'd refute that very much indeed.

[Recrewt]

Dredd has always been a tough sell in the US though hasn't it?  That market doesn't seem to embrace a character that is a fascist b*stard. 

Looking at the IDW Dredd, you can see that they have gone some way in softening this and making the character more appealing for that market.  That's not really the same as the Before Watchmen cash generation project is it?

[James Stacey]

If it's shifting graphic novels of proper Dredd, that's 'a good thing ^tm' and I'll continue to support it on that basis.

[Taryn Tailz]

Dredd has always been a tough sell in the US though hasn't it?  That market doesn't seem to embrace a character that is a fascist b*stard. 

Didn't Nikolai Dante fail in the US though purely because he was a Russian character? If so then it's the stupidest of reasons. 

[Molch-R]

Didn't Nikolai Dante fail in the US though purely because he was a Russian character? If so then it's the stupidest of reasons. 

It's one of the reasons we were given anecdotally. Whether they were just looking for an excuse, we don't know.

[COMMANDO FORCES]

Anyway, having just looked at Chris Ryall's twitter, he has confirmed that they are only going to reveal 7 new Dark judges Between now and Wednesday, there'll be 7 new Dark Judges (art by @nelsondaniel) released across the 'net., so who are the other two?

I still reckon it could be the ladies, as I just double checked issue 15 and there are at least 3 female dead Judges waiting to be turned, which buggers up that theory, unless some of the ones shown already are female!

[BPP]

Dredd has always been a tough sell in the US though hasn't it?  That market doesn't seem to embrace a character that is a fascist b*stard. 

Looking at the IDW Dredd, you can see that they have gone some way in softening this and making the character more appealing for that market.  That's not really the same as the Before Watchmen cash generation project is it?

It reminds me of beyond Watchmen in that I was in a waterstones recently and noticed the beyond watchmen and (actual) watchmen stuff were identically presented so that if I didn't know better and was a first time buyer  I'd easily pick up the wrong thing.

[BPP]

(really, no hiding in 'that is your opinion', it's full of basic errors and scale problems)

Sorry, I and other droids in the office are fans of Nelson's work and I'd refute that very much indeed.

Look forward to seeing him in the prog.

[Molch-R]

Look forward to seeing him in the prog.

Probably not - he's got a regular gig.

[BPP]

Look forward to seeing him in the prog.

Probably not - he's got a regular gig.

Aye. That's the reason.