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Re: New Judge Dredd comic

Posted: 22 Feb 2013, 11:22
by Lew Stringer
ISPYSHHHGUY wrote: I don't know if you have read ORIGINS, which was serialized in 2000 AD, Lew, but it's great for filling in a lot of the backstory of the Judge System.
I probably did read it but I tend to buy comics for the artwork or for their historical relevance. (Or, in the case of the IDW comic, just out of curiosity.) The stories rarely stick in my mind. Apart from the first 200 issues, I haven't saved any copies of 2000AD. I prefer those earlier, brasher stories.

By the way, not to derail the topic but two IDW comics that do float my boat are Haunted Horror (reprinting 1950s pre-code horror strips) and Popeye Classics (reprinting late 1940s Bug Sagendorf Popeye comics).

Re: New Judge Dredd comic

Posted: 22 Feb 2013, 12:44
by philcom55
I stopped buying 'Tooth' for a several years because I was finding too many of the stories not written by the 'old guard' virtually unreadable. Recently I've started getting it again, however, as there seems to have been something of a return to form: in particular I like the way in which Mills and Wagner are currently filling in the gaps of the '2000AD Universe' by tying together the worlds of Bill Savage, Ro-Busters, ABC Warriors, Strontium Dog and Dredd himself into a shared chronology. What's more, Mills now seems intent on portraying this as an all-too-believable vision of our own dystopian future rather than some parallel timeline or a story set 'long ago in a galaxy far away' (conveniently forgetting that the original Volgan invasion was supposedly set in 1999!).

- Phil R.

Re: New Judge Dredd comic

Posted: 22 Feb 2013, 13:43
by ISPYSHHHGUY
One theory as to why Dredd has never really taken off Stateside is that it's bizarre future is just a bit too close for comfort to actual life in the USA: the twin towers were 'totalled' by a maniac in a late 70s story---never reprinted, as far as I can gather------and where else but in the USA do you get deluded 'perps' firing at innocent bystanders, from a hidden compartment in a parked [or mobile] car? That real-life news story struck me as something out of JUDGE DREDD.

I do think that Wagner pulled off one of the most superbly-realized fantasy world ever seen in British comics------he had a bit of a struggle convincing the IPC bigwigs of '76/77 to steer away from traditional formulae and establish 2000 AD: a shrewd move, as it turned out.....

Re: New Judge Dredd comic

Posted: 22 Feb 2013, 18:50
by Lew Stringer
ISPYSHHHGUY wrote: I do think that Wagner pulled off one of the most superbly-realized fantasy world ever seen in British comics------he had a bit of a struggle convincing the IPC bigwigs of '76/77 to steer away from traditional formulae and establish 2000 AD: a shrewd move, as it turned out.....

The success of Dredd is down to John Wagner but let's not forget it was Pat Mills who was 2000AD's original editor. (And Pat also contributed Dredd scripts, notably on The Cursed Earth.)

Re: New Judge Dredd comic

Posted: 22 Feb 2013, 20:28
by starscape
Yeah, MACH 1 was the most popular character in early 2000AD, with Dan Dare as the big selling point. Gerry Finley-Day, Tom Tully, Pat Mills, Ken Armstrong and John Wagner. Writers who knew how to write for the week, not the trade that most US and UK creators put out these days.

Re: New Judge Dredd comic

Posted: 22 Feb 2013, 21:53
by ISPYSHHHGUY
Lew Stringer wrote:
ISPYSHHHGUY wrote: I do think that Wagner pulled off one of the most superbly-realized fantasy world ever seen in British comics------he had a bit of a struggle convincing the IPC bigwigs of '76/77 to steer away from traditional formulae and establish 2000 AD: a shrewd move, as it turned out.....

The success of Dredd is down to John Wagner but let's not forget it was Pat Mills who was 2000AD's original editor. (And Pat also contributed Dredd scripts, notably on The Cursed Earth.)
Yes you are quite right, Lew---Mills or Wagner grew up in Scotland, I understand.

Re: New Judge Dredd comic

Posted: 24 Feb 2013, 22:11
by SID
Lew Stringer wrote:
SID wrote: But even so, I would still like to think it is a parallel Dredd since there has never been a Chief Judge (Justice) Morgan. Around that time, it was Goodman, Cal and Griffin.
Haven't time to check, but was the Chief Judge even given a name in the very early episodes in 2000AD? Perhaps Morgan has been shunted in for a reason, to be later killed off without changing 2000AD continuity? Or perhaps it was just a goof up.

I don't think IDW's version is an alternate timeline. The idea is to introduce US readers to the character, not confuse the situation with parallel versions. They're just untold tales. IDW are launching another Dredd title soon, featuring even earlier untold Dredd stories. This one will be written by Matt Smith (2000AD's current Tharg) so I think we can be sure it's in the same universe as the UK strips. Goodman will also feature. http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page ... e&id=43262
In the early progs of 2000AD, you certainly didn't know the name of the Grand Judge as he was called then. It was only after the Cursed Earth storyline did you find out it was Clarence Goodman.

But the answer to our little debate is in the article you have referenced. In it, it is acknowledged that 2000AD's Judge Dredd and IDW's Judge Dredd are two distinct characters - continuity-wise. So in my mind, parallel universes. :)

Even Matt Smith's Judge Dredd - Year One is evidently going to be based on the IDW version of Dredd rather than 2000AD's. BTW, just ordered a copy of the first issue.

Got IDW's Judge Dredd No.4 this Saturday. Interesting storylines.