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Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files + The Restricted Files+ The Daily Dredds
[(Judge Dredd - Restricted Files: v. 3 )] [Author: John Wagner] [Jul-2011]
Collects together more forgotten and rare gems from the "Judge Dredd" archives. With artwork by Brett Ewins, Cam Kennedy and others.- Carry On Judging (Judge Dredd Mega Special 1990)- Beyond the Alley of the Ultra-Vixens (Judge Dredd Mega Special 1990)- Computer Warrior (Judge Dredd Mega Special 1990)- Sleeping Mutie (2000AD Annual 1991)- Top Dog (Judge Dredd Annual 1991)- Jonathan Livingston Dog-Vulture (Judge Dredd Annual 1991)- Christmas is Cancelled (2000AD Winter Special 1990)- Cult of the Thugee (Judge Dredd Mega Special 1991)- Love Story II - Futile Attraction (Judge Dredd Mega Special 1991)- Judge Planet (Judge Dredd Mega Special 1991) - The Juve Mutated Kung Fu Kleggs (2000AD Sci-Fi Special 1991)- Auld Aquaintance (2000AD Yearbook 1992)- The Sleeper (Judge Dredd Yearbook 1992)- Impact Imminent (Judge Dredd Yearbook 1992)- The Mystery of Judge (Edwin) Drood (Judge Dredd Yearbook 1992)- Roboblock (Judge Dredd Yearbook 1992)- Joovz 'n' the Hood (Judge Dredd Mega Special 1992)- Parallel Lines (2000AD Yearbook 1993)- Serial Killer (Judge Dredd Yearbook 1993)- The Squealer (2000AD Winter Special 1992)- Kinky Boots (Judge Dredd Mega Special 1993)- Hate Inc. (Judge Dredd Mega Special 1993)- Virtual Unreality (2000AD Yearbook 1994)- Nightmare Man (Judge Dredd Yearbook 1994)- Call Me Mr Nice Guy (Poster Prog Judge Dredd 1)- Cage of Knives (2000AD Winter Special 1993)
Unknown Binding
First published July 21, 2011
64 people want to read
About the author
Alan Grant
1,738 books143 followersAlan Grant was a Scottish comic book writer known for writing Judge Dredd in 2000 AD as well as various Batman titles during the late 1980s and early 1990s. He is also the creator of the character Anarky.
Alan Grant first entered the comics industry in 1967 when he became an editor for D.C. Thomson before moving to London from Dundee in 1970 to work for IPC on various romance magazines. After going back to college and having a series of jobs, Grant found himself back in Dundee and living on Social Security. He then met John Wagner, another former D.C. Thompson editor, who was helping put together a new science fiction comic for IPC, 2000 A.D., and was unable to complete his other work. Wagner asked Grant if he could help him write the Tarzan comic he was working on; so began the Wagner/Grant writing partnership.
The pair eventually co-wrote Judge Dredd. They would work on other popular strips for the comic, including Robo-Hunter and Strontium Dog using the pseudonym T.B. Grover. Grant also worked on other people's stories, changing and adding dialogue, most notably Harry Twenty on the High Rock, written by Gerry Finley-Day. Judge Dredd would be Grant's main concern for much of the 1980s. Grant and Wagner had developed the strip into the most popular in 2000AD as well as creating lengthy epic storylines such as The Apocalypse War. Grant also wrote for other IPC comics such as the revamped Eagle.
By the late 1980s, Grant and Wagner were about to move into the American comic market. Their first title was a 12-issue miniseries called Outcasts for DC Comics. Although it wasn't a success, it paved the way for the pair to write Batman stories in Detective Comics from issue 583, largely with Norm Breyfogle on art duties across the various Batman titles Grant moved to. After a dozen issues, Wagner left Grant as sole writer. Grant was one of the main Batman writers until the late 1990s. The pair also created a four issue series for Epic Comics called The Last American. This series, as well as the Chopper storyline in Judge Dredd, is blamed for the breakup of the Wagner/Grant partnership. The pair split strips, with Wagner keeping Judge Dredd and Grant keeping Strontium Dog and Judge Anderson. Grant and Wagner continue to work together on special projects such as the Batman/Judge Dredd crossover Judgement on Gotham. During the late 1980s, Grant experienced a philosophical transformation and declared himself an anarchist. The creation of the supervillain Anarky was initially intended as a vehicle for exploring his political opinions through the comic medium. In the following years, he would continue to utilize the character in a similar fashion as his philosophy evolved.
Grant's projects at the start of the 90s included writing Detective Comics and Strontium Dog, but two projects in particular are especially notable. The first is The Bogie Man, a series co-written by Wagner which was the pair's first venture into independent publishing. The second is Lobo, a character created by Keith Giffen as a supporting character in The Omega Men. Lobo gained his own four issue mini series in 1990 which was drawn by Simon Bisley. This was a parody of the 'dark, gritty' comics of the time and proved hugely popular. After several other miniseries (all written by Grant, sometimes with Giffen as co-writer), Lobo received his own ongoing series. Grant was also writing L.E.G.I.O.N. (a Legion of Super-Heroes spin-off) and The Demon (a revival of Jack Kirby's charac
Alan Grant first entered the comics industry in 1967 when he became an editor for D.C. Thomson before moving to London from Dundee in 1970 to work for IPC on various romance magazines. After going back to college and having a series of jobs, Grant found himself back in Dundee and living on Social Security. He then met John Wagner, another former D.C. Thompson editor, who was helping put together a new science fiction comic for IPC, 2000 A.D., and was unable to complete his other work. Wagner asked Grant if he could help him write the Tarzan comic he was working on; so began the Wagner/Grant writing partnership.
The pair eventually co-wrote Judge Dredd. They would work on other popular strips for the comic, including Robo-Hunter and Strontium Dog using the pseudonym T.B. Grover. Grant also worked on other people's stories, changing and adding dialogue, most notably Harry Twenty on the High Rock, written by Gerry Finley-Day. Judge Dredd would be Grant's main concern for much of the 1980s. Grant and Wagner had developed the strip into the most popular in 2000AD as well as creating lengthy epic storylines such as The Apocalypse War. Grant also wrote for other IPC comics such as the revamped Eagle.
By the late 1980s, Grant and Wagner were about to move into the American comic market. Their first title was a 12-issue miniseries called Outcasts for DC Comics. Although it wasn't a success, it paved the way for the pair to write Batman stories in Detective Comics from issue 583, largely with Norm Breyfogle on art duties across the various Batman titles Grant moved to. After a dozen issues, Wagner left Grant as sole writer. Grant was one of the main Batman writers until the late 1990s. The pair also created a four issue series for Epic Comics called The Last American. This series, as well as the Chopper storyline in Judge Dredd, is blamed for the breakup of the Wagner/Grant partnership. The pair split strips, with Wagner keeping Judge Dredd and Grant keeping Strontium Dog and Judge Anderson. Grant and Wagner continue to work together on special projects such as the Batman/Judge Dredd crossover Judgement on Gotham. During the late 1980s, Grant experienced a philosophical transformation and declared himself an anarchist. The creation of the supervillain Anarky was initially intended as a vehicle for exploring his political opinions through the comic medium. In the following years, he would continue to utilize the character in a similar fashion as his philosophy evolved.
Grant's projects at the start of the 90s included writing Detective Comics and Strontium Dog, but two projects in particular are especially notable. The first is The Bogie Man, a series co-written by Wagner which was the pair's first venture into independent publishing. The second is Lobo, a character created by Keith Giffen as a supporting character in The Omega Men. Lobo gained his own four issue mini series in 1990 which was drawn by Simon Bisley. This was a parody of the 'dark, gritty' comics of the time and proved hugely popular. After several other miniseries (all written by Grant, sometimes with Giffen as co-writer), Lobo received his own ongoing series. Grant was also writing L.E.G.I.O.N. (a Legion of Super-Heroes spin-off) and The Demon (a revival of Jack Kirby's charac
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 17, 2017
The book starts off with a story that must confuse the Hell out of American readers - a parody of the Carry On films. Caricature likenesses of Sid James, Charles Hawtrey and Bernard Bresslaw really capture the mood of the movies, however some of the gags (it all takes place in Legover-City?!) are wanting. It seems an odd endeavor for something published in 1990, long after the comedy franchise's hay-day, and so at times it can be cnfusing whether 2000 AD is satirising them or creating an homage. Then, just as you think it can't get any weirder, we discover that this isn't a bizarre look into a parallel Dredd universe but is in fact simply a film being run at a Mega-City cinema, an illigal import from Brit-Cit which Old Stoney Face is cracking down on.
As though whoever curated this collection had thought we hadn't quite got our fix of misogyny with the Carry On Judging, the story is followed by Beyond The Alley of the Ultra-Vixens, an excuse to see scantily clad women fighting. Truth be told the artwork with regard to the male gaze is somewhat restrained for the era, but can't hide the fact that the story is incredibly thin.
Computer Warrior is an attempt at reaching out to it's young audience by acknowledging the home console gaming culture of the era, but does so a bit awkwardly, like a young dad at a wedding thinking he still knows the latest dance moves. Sleeping Mutie is a Dredd take on the fairy-tale, and although it offers up some nice artwork and typical 2000 AD humour is otherwise quite forgettable. Top Dogs sees the return of Johnny Alpha into the Dredd world, accompanied by an interesting storyline and fantastic artwork.
Jonathan Livingston Dog Vulture is another one of those quirky Dredd entries followed by the annual tepid Christmas tale. Cult of the Thugee offers some darker, grown-up feeling Dredd before returning to silly fun with Love Story II. Judge Planet is probably the strangest Dredd tale yet, featuring artwork to match. The Juve Mutated Kung Fu Kleggs is a take on The Turtles but with such great artwork seems somewhat wasted on a parody and would have made a fine recurring addition to the Mega-City 1 landscape.
Auld Acquaintance is a terrible Scottish revenge story punching all the usual stereotype buttons. The Sleeper is one of the highlights of the volume that sees the return of Walter the Wobot - and he isn't the friendly robot we remember! Artwork and a story that sees Dredd as a detective only add to it's success. Impact Imminent only serves to get in the way of the next episode the great looking The Mystery of Judge Edwin Drood.
Roboblock is standard automated tower kills people story, while Joovz N The Hood provides yet another ugly look at the youth of the city. Parallel Lines is an action-packed alternate universe tale with a great ending, while Serial Killer bravely pushes the boundaries of what kids should be reading by offering up a load of creepily drawn severed limbs. The Squealer returns Dredd to the realm of the supernatural and Kinky Boots lets the writers and artists let off some sexual steam about The Avengers (the British TV show).
Hate Inc is a gruesome tale told well, however Virtual Unreality tries to be too clever for it's own good. Nightmare man is a creepy blood-fest of the highest order followed by the forgettable Call Me Mr Nice Guy and Cage of Knives.
Ultimately, this is the usual mix of good and bad Dredd. Generally speaking, few of the narratives hold up very well as stories, but often have artwork that somewhat compensates. By no means the best entry in the Judge Dredd canon, but still has plenty to offer even the most casual of fans.
As though whoever curated this collection had thought we hadn't quite got our fix of misogyny with the Carry On Judging, the story is followed by Beyond The Alley of the Ultra-Vixens, an excuse to see scantily clad women fighting. Truth be told the artwork with regard to the male gaze is somewhat restrained for the era, but can't hide the fact that the story is incredibly thin.
Computer Warrior is an attempt at reaching out to it's young audience by acknowledging the home console gaming culture of the era, but does so a bit awkwardly, like a young dad at a wedding thinking he still knows the latest dance moves. Sleeping Mutie is a Dredd take on the fairy-tale, and although it offers up some nice artwork and typical 2000 AD humour is otherwise quite forgettable. Top Dogs sees the return of Johnny Alpha into the Dredd world, accompanied by an interesting storyline and fantastic artwork.
Jonathan Livingston Dog Vulture is another one of those quirky Dredd entries followed by the annual tepid Christmas tale. Cult of the Thugee offers some darker, grown-up feeling Dredd before returning to silly fun with Love Story II. Judge Planet is probably the strangest Dredd tale yet, featuring artwork to match. The Juve Mutated Kung Fu Kleggs is a take on The Turtles but with such great artwork seems somewhat wasted on a parody and would have made a fine recurring addition to the Mega-City 1 landscape.
Auld Acquaintance is a terrible Scottish revenge story punching all the usual stereotype buttons. The Sleeper is one of the highlights of the volume that sees the return of Walter the Wobot - and he isn't the friendly robot we remember! Artwork and a story that sees Dredd as a detective only add to it's success. Impact Imminent only serves to get in the way of the next episode the great looking The Mystery of Judge Edwin Drood.
Roboblock is standard automated tower kills people story, while Joovz N The Hood provides yet another ugly look at the youth of the city. Parallel Lines is an action-packed alternate universe tale with a great ending, while Serial Killer bravely pushes the boundaries of what kids should be reading by offering up a load of creepily drawn severed limbs. The Squealer returns Dredd to the realm of the supernatural and Kinky Boots lets the writers and artists let off some sexual steam about The Avengers (the British TV show).
Hate Inc is a gruesome tale told well, however Virtual Unreality tries to be too clever for it's own good. Nightmare man is a creepy blood-fest of the highest order followed by the forgettable Call Me Mr Nice Guy and Cage of Knives.
Ultimately, this is the usual mix of good and bad Dredd. Generally speaking, few of the narratives hold up very well as stories, but often have artwork that somewhat compensates. By no means the best entry in the Judge Dredd canon, but still has plenty to offer even the most casual of fans.
September 4, 2017
A bit better collection stuff from specials and such. Normally, I would be tearing my face for reading not-so-good-Dredds, but this time... this we pretty decent.
July 23, 2018
another enjoyable installment
October 20, 2019
Weak sauce, mostly
January 3, 2016
The least of these
This restricted volume should have remained hidden. Some of the worst art and stories about the fabled lawman I've ever read.
This restricted volume should have remained hidden. Some of the worst art and stories about the fabled lawman I've ever read.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews