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Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files + The Restricted Files+ The Daily Dredds
Judge Dredd - The Complete Case Files 22
On the mean streets of Mega-City One, the Judges are the law. Charged with executing justice in this futuristic metropolis, these individuals are the best of the best battle-hardened warriors dedicated to their cause. Toughest of all is Judge Dredd - a lawman who doesn't know how to quit! In this volume of the bestselling Case Files series, Dredd travels back to 2001 New York City in order to destroy a deadly space parasite capable of wiping out all known life on Earth. And the alien action continues in Crusade, where Dredd competes with other Mega-City Judges to recover a long-lost Justice Department craft that has recently crash-landed in the South Pole. Stories from 2000 AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine, from December 1994-May 1995.
Collects:
- The Candidates (Prog #916-#917)
- Voting Day (Prog #918)
- The Exterminator (Prog #919-#927)
- The Big Sleet (Prog #920)
- Crusade (Prog #928-#937)
- Escape From Kurt Russell (Prog #938-#939)
- Crash Diner (Meg #2.69)
- A Very Creepy Christmas (Meg #2.70)
- Fall of the House of Esher (Meg #2.70)
- Addiction (Meg #2.71)
- The Strange Case of Bill Clinton (Meg #2.72)
- Skar (Meg #2.73-#2.76)
- Poor Johnny (Meg #2.77)
- The Secret Life of Judge Pal (Meg #2.78-#2.79)
- Terror with Mrs. Gunderson (Meg #2.80)
Collects:
- The Candidates (Prog #916-#917)
- Voting Day (Prog #918)
- The Exterminator (Prog #919-#927)
- The Big Sleet (Prog #920)
- Crusade (Prog #928-#937)
- Escape From Kurt Russell (Prog #938-#939)
- Crash Diner (Meg #2.69)
- A Very Creepy Christmas (Meg #2.70)
- Fall of the House of Esher (Meg #2.70)
- Addiction (Meg #2.71)
- The Strange Case of Bill Clinton (Meg #2.72)
- Skar (Meg #2.73-#2.76)
- Poor Johnny (Meg #2.77)
- The Secret Life of Judge Pal (Meg #2.78-#2.79)
- Terror with Mrs. Gunderson (Meg #2.80)
304 pages, Paperback
First published March 12, 2014
5 people are currently reading
110 people want to read
About the author
Grant Morrison
1,788 books4,588 followersGrant Morrison has been working with DC Comics for twenty five years, after beginning their American comics career with acclaimed runs on ANIMAL MAN and DOOM PATROL. Since then they have written such best-selling series as JLA, BATMAN and New X-Men, as well as such creator-owned works as THE INVISIBLES, SEAGUY, THE FILTH, WE3 and JOE THE BARBARIAN. In addition to expanding the DC Universe through titles ranging from the Eisner Award-winning SEVEN SOLDIERS and ALL-STAR SUPERMAN to the reality-shattering epic of FINAL CRISIS, they have also reinvented the worlds of the Dark Knight Detective in BATMAN AND ROBIN and BATMAN, INCORPORATED and the Man of Steel in The New 52 ACTION COMICS.
In their secret identity, Morrison is a "counterculture" spokesperson, a musician, an award-winning playwright and a chaos magician. They are also the author of the New York Times bestseller Supergods, a groundbreaking psycho-historic mapping of the superhero as a cultural organism. They divide their time between their homes in Los Angeles and Scotland.
In their secret identity, Morrison is a "counterculture" spokesperson, a musician, an award-winning playwright and a chaos magician. They are also the author of the New York Times bestseller Supergods, a groundbreaking psycho-historic mapping of the superhero as a cultural organism. They divide their time between their homes in Los Angeles and Scotland.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
November 30, 2025
A pretty good collection. The Crusade story with its stereotyped Judges of the world falls a bit flat and parodies of The Terminator and Kurt Cobain are a bit dated, but mostly this is solid square-jawed lawgiving with an intriguing new Chief Judge election thrown in.
February 2, 2017
The different Judge outfits from around the world are superb. Some classics here and efforts to take Dredd to new settings - such as Future New York 2001 and an Arctic Base. Top notch art throughout.
May 28, 2025
Now THAT'S more like it! This is Dredd firing on all cylinders!
Now, to be clear, this isn't a perfect collection; there are always some weak stories. But after a bit of a shaky start with "The Exterminator"-- a time-travel tale set in 2001 Manhattan (*gulp*) that features a couple of cops chasing after a serial killer who turns out to be Dredd-- and the Grant Morrison/Mark Millar penned "The Crusade" (a needlessly grisly yarn that takes pains to specifically denigrate both the Irish and the Catholic Church), the book gets into a groove and mostly sticks to it!
From the delightful "Escape from Kurt Russell", which plays out like a sillier prototype of the 2012 Dredd movie; to the gothic horror-flavored hijinks of "Fall of the House of Esher" (in which the moody, hyper-stylized artwork of the '90s actually works FOR the story rather than AGAINST it); to the subversive edge of "Addiction" as it reveals that the junkies we've been following as they gather white powder and leafy-green drugs are actually hooked on tea and coffee. It's all top shelf!
But the best story HAS to be "The Secret Life of Judge Pal", a brilliantly satirical story that reveals that the judges have a juvenile tip line whose mascot is Judge Pal: a smiling, chipper judge in the vein of a children's TV host. Not only is it a SEARING indictment of the ways mass media can indoctrinate kids into unthinking acceptance of authorities as an unambiguous good (think Paw Patrol), but it ALSO has possibly my favorite subversive moment in Dredd history: Judge Schultz, one of the judges running the Pal Club program, ruminates on the one big mistake he made in his career: when he was confronted by a child holding a seeming toy gun in a dark alley... and DIDN'T shoot him, instead getting blasted by the kid and subsequently busted down to desk work by Judge Dredd. "If only I had shot that juve..." he ruminates afterward.
This might be my favorite Dredd story ever. Five stars.
Now, to be clear, this isn't a perfect collection; there are always some weak stories. But after a bit of a shaky start with "The Exterminator"-- a time-travel tale set in 2001 Manhattan (*gulp*) that features a couple of cops chasing after a serial killer who turns out to be Dredd-- and the Grant Morrison/Mark Millar penned "The Crusade" (a needlessly grisly yarn that takes pains to specifically denigrate both the Irish and the Catholic Church), the book gets into a groove and mostly sticks to it!
From the delightful "Escape from Kurt Russell", which plays out like a sillier prototype of the 2012 Dredd movie; to the gothic horror-flavored hijinks of "Fall of the House of Esher" (in which the moody, hyper-stylized artwork of the '90s actually works FOR the story rather than AGAINST it); to the subversive edge of "Addiction" as it reveals that the junkies we've been following as they gather white powder and leafy-green drugs are actually hooked on tea and coffee. It's all top shelf!
But the best story HAS to be "The Secret Life of Judge Pal", a brilliantly satirical story that reveals that the judges have a juvenile tip line whose mascot is Judge Pal: a smiling, chipper judge in the vein of a children's TV host. Not only is it a SEARING indictment of the ways mass media can indoctrinate kids into unthinking acceptance of authorities as an unambiguous good (think Paw Patrol), but it ALSO has possibly my favorite subversive moment in Dredd history: Judge Schultz, one of the judges running the Pal Club program, ruminates on the one big mistake he made in his career: when he was confronted by a child holding a seeming toy gun in a dark alley... and DIDN'T shoot him, instead getting blasted by the kid and subsequently busted down to desk work by Judge Dredd. "If only I had shot that juve..." he ruminates afterward.
This might be my favorite Dredd story ever. Five stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 23, 2019
Most of the volume is excellent. It begins with a couple of stories about the new Chief Judge being elected, then introduces judges from around the world. If you enjoy seeing the uniforms from other Mega-Cities then you'll love the art for that story.
Other notable stories include 'The Strange Case of Bill Clinton,' 'Crash Diner,' and 'The Secret Life of Judge Pal.'
I only gave this 4 stars because of 'Skar.' Some comic stories try so hard to be visceral but this story completely fails for me. Many panels I can't see whatever is supposedly hinted at, so it just gets annoying trying. Then you have the font size that was too small in the original print form, so this slightly smaller volume makes it unreadable.
Other than that one story though, this was another excellent romp through Judge Dredd's world.
Other notable stories include 'The Strange Case of Bill Clinton,' 'Crash Diner,' and 'The Secret Life of Judge Pal.'
I only gave this 4 stars because of 'Skar.' Some comic stories try so hard to be visceral but this story completely fails for me. Many panels I can't see whatever is supposedly hinted at, so it just gets annoying trying. Then you have the font size that was too small in the original print form, so this slightly smaller volume makes it unreadable.
Other than that one story though, this was another excellent romp through Judge Dredd's world.
March 2, 2023
We're full into the 90s now, complete with murky art. At least there's still a few old 2000AD hands to put some life into the strips.
Pretty middle of the road for Dredd, with The Exterminator being a bit of a misstep. Having Dredd travel back to turn of the millennium USA to attack a black "rioter" called Rodney's on the nose even for Dredd. Especially in a not-particularly satirical storyline.
Some high points and fun parts, but a long way from Dredd's peak.
Pretty middle of the road for Dredd, with The Exterminator being a bit of a misstep. Having Dredd travel back to turn of the millennium USA to attack a black "rioter" called Rodney's on the nose even for Dredd. Especially in a not-particularly satirical storyline.
Some high points and fun parts, but a long way from Dredd's peak.
January 18, 2023
Really haven't been a fan of the recent longer arcs because they seem to be a bit humourless, Crusade being especially rubbish with all the stereotype judges from other countries - but the standalones near the end were pretty fun and reminded me of the early days of Dredd.
March 21, 2018
An improvement over previous volume.
October 9, 2022
This edition was not so good as previous ones. I'm not sure, why so, but stories felt rushed and lame, not matter how much they were written by the master. But the art bits were as always solid.
May 7, 2024
Loses stars for more.terrible national stereotype judges action
January 6, 2025
Back to form!
Ny only criticism is that the Megazine is a bit hit and miss. The core progs here are all excellent.
Ny only criticism is that the Megazine is a bit hit and miss. The core progs here are all excellent.
October 27, 2017
The previous Case Files had bore witness to a significant improvement in story quality and this installment proved a worthy successor that continued the trend for improvement. Picking up from where the last book ended, Case Files 22 deals with the downfall of Chief Judge McGruder as a handful of Judges compete for the top job. This is followed by an odd but enjoyable short in which Norse god Odin makes an appearance to prevent Ragnarok.
Dredd finds himself in the role of Arnold Schwarzenegger in the violent and gritty Terminator rip-off 9 part time travel story which begins with a now haunting image of the Twin Towers in the far future of, erm, summer 2001 (the comic now possesses an odd, almost portent quality, as though the writers were aware of the time frame they must work within in order to present an image of the 2001 New York skyline in a manner that would continue to be credible many years after the terrorist attack). Despite its derivative nature it makes for a great story that is well drawn.
The highlight of the volume is the 10 part 'Crusade'. The story is simple and has been done by Dredd before (various judges from around the world go head-to-head as they compete to complete a mission ahead of all others) but what makes it stand out is the introduction of bad-ass Vatican City judge Inquisitor Cesare. The only downside is that the character is under-utilised and that the story concludes with bit of an anti-climax.
The usual daft shenanigans abound in the wonderfully coloured Escape From Kurt Russell and rather more forgettable Crash Diner before a rather somber and Gothic Fall Of The House Of Esher catches reader attention again with its macabre artwork. Other stories are adequate but mostly disposable, the exception being the delightfully Kafkaesque The Strange Case Of Bill Clinton in which we learn the President of the United States of America has had his consciousness switched with a monster from the future.
The murder story Skar takes Dredd to new visual heights but offers little else. Poor Johnny contains some slight satire on pop music while The Secret Life Of Judge Pal provides a wonderful, biting, satire on the fascist aspect of the Dredd world. The volume ends with a goofy ghost story that may not overly-impress readers, but with artwork which will leave you wanting more.
Dredd finds himself in the role of Arnold Schwarzenegger in the violent and gritty Terminator rip-off 9 part time travel story which begins with a now haunting image of the Twin Towers in the far future of, erm, summer 2001 (the comic now possesses an odd, almost portent quality, as though the writers were aware of the time frame they must work within in order to present an image of the 2001 New York skyline in a manner that would continue to be credible many years after the terrorist attack). Despite its derivative nature it makes for a great story that is well drawn.
The highlight of the volume is the 10 part 'Crusade'. The story is simple and has been done by Dredd before (various judges from around the world go head-to-head as they compete to complete a mission ahead of all others) but what makes it stand out is the introduction of bad-ass Vatican City judge Inquisitor Cesare. The only downside is that the character is under-utilised and that the story concludes with bit of an anti-climax.
The usual daft shenanigans abound in the wonderfully coloured Escape From Kurt Russell and rather more forgettable Crash Diner before a rather somber and Gothic Fall Of The House Of Esher catches reader attention again with its macabre artwork. Other stories are adequate but mostly disposable, the exception being the delightfully Kafkaesque The Strange Case Of Bill Clinton in which we learn the President of the United States of America has had his consciousness switched with a monster from the future.
The murder story Skar takes Dredd to new visual heights but offers little else. Poor Johnny contains some slight satire on pop music while The Secret Life Of Judge Pal provides a wonderful, biting, satire on the fascist aspect of the Dredd world. The volume ends with a goofy ghost story that may not overly-impress readers, but with artwork which will leave you wanting more.
Read
July 5, 2014'Crusade' is often mentioned as one of the nadirs of Judge Dredd's long and varied history, and in this instance, received wisdom is dead right. Morrison and Millar were never quite right for Dredd, but even by their standards this repetitive, incoherent Antarctic deathmatch is balls. But even the main man himself, John Wagner, doesn't do much better in the other long story here, 'The Exterminator', in which Dredd is sent back to New York in 2001, and the aftermath of the first Mars flight (if only!); it's basically just an excuse for Terminator riffs, without enough of a story for chassis. Mercifully, the shorter pieces - from an encounter between Dredd and Odin, to the story of a man with a strange knack for knowing when accidents are about to happen - are mostly much better.
November 19, 2019
Great fun!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews