Judge Dredd Complete Case Files 23

[Bat King]

Another mighty tome of Judge Dredd stories collected.

Could be a mixed reception for this one as I am aware many of you have expressed a dislike of lighthearted uses of Judge Death and some of you don't seem to care much for Garth Ennis. Both appear in this book.

It also features the return of Pa and Junior Angel.

My review with 9 preview pages on my blog.

[Skullmo]

Face of Justice - one of my least favourite Dredd tales. My fundamental annoyance is that [spoiler]Dredd's face is not some kind of holy grai[/spoiler]l that citizens care about!

[Fungus]

I was quite pleased to discover CF23 is fully covered by my progs & megs (unread as they are), and no need to pick this collection up. Absolutely will need to get CF24 and what follows. Shuddering at the thought  Golden Age it's not... grin & bear it!

[Greg M.]

Looking forward to this one. I've been keen to re-read 'Goodnight Kiss' for a while - I remember it as one of the very best things Ennis did for the prog, so it'll be good to see how it holds up. Three Amigos will also be interesting to revisit - I have very conflicted feelings about it. A well-written and extremely well-drawn romp - but comedy Death never sits right with me. However, I suspect the highlight of the whole thing may just be Bad Frendz, as Wagner lays the groundwork for a hell of a lot of good stuff - not least The Pit and The Scorpion Dance.

[Dark Jimbo]

Absolutely will need to get CF24 and what follows. Shuddering at the thought  Golden Age it's not... grin & bear it!

Oh? Are we not already back into the good times from this point onward?

[James Stacey]

Yeah we're over the hump and sailing into good water aren't we? The worst of Millar is behind us and blue skies ahead.

[JOE SOAP]

Oh? Are we not already back into the good times from this point onward?

YES

[Skullmo]

Looking forward to this one. I've been keen to re-read 'Goodnight Kiss' for a while - I remember it as one of the very best things Ennis did for the prog, so it'll be good to see how it holds up. Three Amigos will also be interesting to revisit - I have very conflicted feelings about it. A well-written and extremely well-drawn romp - but comedy Death never sits right with me. However, I suspect the highlight of the whole thing may just be Bad Frendz, as Wagner lays the groundwork for a hell of a lot of good stuff - not least The Pit and The Scorpion Dance.

I re bought and read Goodnight kiss about 5 years ago and found it was disappointing - it worked a lot better in episodic format as the wait each week was really exciting. I loved 3 amigos when it was originally published but again on rereading I was not as impressed. Looking forward to some Bad Friendz and seeing these strips though. They are still a lot better than the Millerverse

[radiator]

Resurrecting Pa and Junior Angel was a shit idea, but I adore The Three Amigos. I could pore over that amazing artwork all day.

It's a piece of fluff in the vein of Dredd Angel, and I've always taken it to be a 'What If...?' type story, which IIRC the opening narration sort of implies it is.

[James Stacey]

Is three amigos supposed to be canon ?

[Fungus]

Absolutely will need to get CF24 and what follows. Shuddering at the thought  Golden Age it's not... grin & bear it!

Oh? Are we not already back into the good times from this point onward?

Oh, you're probably right. From what I glean [here], '95 is amongst the darkest of years. Perhaps that's more Dredd than the prog, though? Current reading is from '92 and I've little expectation of great things up to '95. Maybe it's not as bleak as I thought.

[Fungus]

Perhaps that's more Dredd than the prog, though?

EDIT: more prog than Dredd

[IndigoPrime]

The absolute nadir's been and gone—CFs 19 and 20 were really hard work at times. 17 and 18 weren't amazing either. 21's Wilderlands arc was hardly Wagner's best, but it was prime steak compared to the putrid, rotten bone-filled gruel that was the preceding volumes.

[radiator]

Oh, you're probably right. From what I glean [here], '95 is amongst the darkest of years. Perhaps that's more Dredd than the prog, though? Current reading is from '92 and I've little expectation of great things up to '95. Maybe it's not as bleak as I thought.

'95 was a great year for Dredd - some choice one-offs as well as The Cl Files, Bad Frendz and the start of The Pit. Where things get a little murkier around this time is the Megazine content. They were apparently letting just about anyone write Dredd in the Megazine during '95 and '96 and there are some real stinkers in there that will taint the next few case files.

[Art]

The volume that has Frankenstein Division and Books of the Dead also has Howler and Bury My Knee at Wounded Heart, so they've had their ups and downs.