CREDIT: IDW
Rating: 3/5 – Judge Dredd Enforcing Law in an All-New World.
By ComicSpectrum senior reviewer Shawn Hoklas.
This first issue of Judge Dredd is supposed to surprise you and make you think, “what the drokk was that?” according to editor Denton Tipton. That’s exactly what I thought for a few reasons after reading this first issue, both good and bad. Writers Ulises Farinas and Erick Freitas have put the famous no-nonsense Judge in a world he’s not familiar with. The sprawling metropolis of Mega-City One is gone and in its place is a landscape that’s overgrown with nature that’s home to a less educated society.
Artist Dan McDaid has a style that’s obviously influenced by Kirby with stocky figures, and a carefree approach to drawing backgrounds and the lush world Dredd is a part of. While there are certain panels I liked, the overall art package wasn’t something I necessarily enjoyed. To me, the art seemed too messy at times and I lost track of the action on a couple occasions. The colors by Ryan Hill definitely match the tone and landscape of the story, but it wasn’t enough to make me enjoy the art.
In terms of story, I liked the idea of Judge Dredd in an all new world trying to figure out just how he got there and how he’s going to enforce the law when the people he’s interacting with have no concept of the law. Dredd is portrayed just as he should be and Farinas and Freitas definitely have a good feel for the character. The ending was enough to pique my curiosity for future issues, but it’s not a book I feel I have to read each month. If I can find this series on the cheap at next summer’s conventions I’ll pick them up then, but for now I’ll let Dredd explore this new world alone.
Reviewed by: Shawn Hoklas
(shawn@comicspectrum.com)
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