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Judge Dredd: America

(Judge Dredd: The Mega Collection #1)

John Wagner,

Colin MacNeil (Illustrator)

4.19 · Rating details · 610 ratings · 43 reviews

The classic Judge Dredd story in a US edition for the first time!

IN MEGA-CITY ONE, THE JUDGES ARE THE LAW - acting as judge, jury, and executioner. But how do the citizens really feel about a system where they are powerless? America Jara and Bennett Beeny grow up as best friends, living a fairly trouble-free life in a dangerous city... bar the odd encounter with a Judge. T ...more

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Paperback, 144 pages

Published March 15th 2008 by 2000 AD Books

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Average rating 4.19 ·

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· 610 ratings · 43 reviews

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Apr 01, 2019 47Time rated it it was amazing

Shelves: comics-scifi, ircb-2019

'Justice has a price. The price is freedom.' As far as I know, this story is among the few that present the Judges in a bad light. There is less focus on shooting and punishing than on describing the oppressive regime enforced by the Judges. A strong democratic response develops, but the Judges have the power and jurisdiction to stifle it. Democracy is also criticized harshly, but ultimately there are some aspects of it that are desirable, like the way law is applied.

The USA's Judges have replac 'Justice has a price. The price is freedom.' As far as I know, this story is among the few that present the Judges in a bad light. There is less focus on shooting and punishing than on describing the oppressive regime enforced by the Judges. A strong democratic response develops, but the Judges have the power and jurisdiction to stifle it. Democracy is also criticized harshly, but ultimately there are some aspects of it that are desirable, like the way law is applied.

The USA's Judges have replaced freedom and democracy with enforced law and order. A baby girl named America grows into a young woman who thinks she can change the regime, return to a true democracy. The comic has three stories that follow America's fight against the system, her father's love for her and reluctant involvement in the democratic movement and their daughter's intention to change the system from within the Judge program. It's much more mature than I expected, given the political and emotional overtones, so if you're expecting brainless shootings, look elsewhere.

(view spoiler)[America's best friend Benny eventually gets the courage to ask her out. He is refused, so he leaves home and becomes a famous singer. Years later he meets America again while she is involved with a bunch of terrorists who actively fight the regime. Benny is a witness, but he lies to protect America.

America visits Benny to thank him for covering for her and her friends, but she also convinces him to fund explosives to blow the Statue of Liberty. He chooses to inform the Judges about their plans. America is wounded severely and becomes brain dead.

Benny implants his brain in America's body to honor her memory. He also impregnates her and is glad when he sees his daughter, whom he also names America, grow into a beautiful child very much like her mother. Unfortunately, Benny's implant is being rejected by his body. By the time he finds this, he has little time left to live.

A former fighter for democracy called Portnoy, who knew America well, visits Benny to convince him to blow himself up during an award and thus help the democratic cause. Benny has an epileptic episode at the end of their meeting. While in hospital he gets raped by three men. The act is witnessed by a Judge who only acts after it's all over. This convinces Benny to accept Portnoy's offer. His later change of heart is met with a threat on his daughter's life. Fortunately, Dredd gets involved personally to save her. After Benny is put to death, his daughter enrolls in the Judge training program to be a source of change from within.

Years later the young America is questioning Dredd about how he handled the attempted bombing of the Statue of Liberty where her mother was shot. They also discuss the events involving Portnoy. Since Portnoy was too public a figure, America's goal is to figure out who was behind the attack. She asks for Dredd as co-investigator.

Another member of the resistence is brought to light in America's case. She receives top marks from Dredd, but will also unearth aspects of her past that will keep her fighting for abetter future. (hide spoiler)] ...more

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Dec 29, 2019 Inga rated it did not like it

Shelves: author-american, language-english, fiction, comics, sci-fi, human-rights, politics, dystopia, future, social-commentary

This book is trying to be deep, but it's really stupid. ...more

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May 25, 2019 Juho Pohjalainen rated it liked it

A lot of people praise this story as one of the best in Judge Dredd's history, citing its dark tone and realistic writing. And that's all very well, but it's not really what I read the comic for. It's all the satire and black comedy I like, or failing that, the gonzo scifi action.

So this one just kind of feels mundane. Like most of the Democracy storyline starting from the late eighties, America feels like ditching away the good stuff and instead taking the old joke too seriously. It's not my cu ...more

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Jan 22, 2019 Pablo Martinez rated it it was amazing

Shelves: comics, ciencia-ficción, judge-dredd, comics-europa, cyberpunk, comedia, satira, favorites

One of the best stories published on the Judge Dredd universe, although I can't help but feel "America" is Dredd for people who couldn't get into Dredd or who flat out dislike the character/book. It's nice to see a side story of people living throught key events in the life of Mega City One, but the main story gets fare more credit than it should as a lot of it's themes had already been covered in the pages of 2000AD (In the classic dark comedy of Dredd as oppoused to the tragic tone presented h ...more

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Sep 26, 2012 Ken Hardin rated it did not like it

I absolutely despise this story arc. To me (and I realize this puts me in the decided minority), it not only marks the end of one of the great creative periods on any title, it also embodies everything that went wrong in comics in the early ‘90s. Gone is the black comedy and irony that made Judge Dredd not only an enjoyable read, but also a thought-provoking exploration of societal pragmatism and authoritarianism. Left in its place is a preachy, shrill (seriously, her name is “America”?) and sel ...more

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Aug 08, 2013 Niel rated it it was ok

Reads as an unfortunate defence of fascism, lacking the irony that makes Dredd stand apart.

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Jul 26, 2019 Tom Brennan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: comic-book, five-stars, 2019, 2019-ircb-challenge, john-wagner

I read this the day it was announced that capital punishment for federal offenses had been reinstated. To therefore say that this novel is timely is, I think, an understatement. It looks at freedom and safety and what people (and The People) are willing to do secure one or the other. While the first part went as I expected, the next two held some surprises. All in all, I thought it was a great book for bringing up food for thought, especially the way America is today.

4.5 stars rounded to 5.

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Feb 21, 2020 Doctor Alpha rated it it was amazing

The definitive Judge Dredd Story. What else do I need to say?

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Feb 23, 2018 Kam Yung Soh rated it liked it

Shelves: comics, sf-and-fantasy

Told in flashback, the first story, "America", tells the tale of the narrator, Benny, and a girl who gets named America by her immigrant parents. But from young, they are already monitored by the Judges as troublemakers, especially the assertive America. While Benny stays quietly in the background, America grows up yearning for the democratic freedom of the US from before the time of the Judges. Benny and America drift apart; Benny becoming a rich entertainer, while America aligns with radical d ...more

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Aug 06, 2020 Peter rated it it was amazing

My rating is just for the first story, America.

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Apr 20, 2019 Oliver Clarke rated it it was amazing

I was a massive fan of ‘2000 AD’, the comic that Judge Dredd first appeared in, as a kid. Every Friday I’d pick up my reserved copy from the newsagents and devour the often violent, always inventive tales within it. Unlike US comics, which tend to focus on one character or team, British titles like ‘2000 AD’ feature a number of different stories, told episodically each week. Of all the characters that appear in ‘2000 AD’, Dredd is the only constant, turning up each week to dispense ruthless just I was a massive fan of ‘2000 AD’, the comic that Judge Dredd first appeared in, as a kid. Every Friday I’d pick up my reserved copy from the newsagents and devour the often violent, always inventive tales within it. Unlike US comics, which tend to focus on one character or team, British titles like ‘2000 AD’ feature a number of different stories, told episodically each week. Of all the characters that appear in ‘2000 AD’, Dredd is the only constant, turning up each week to dispense ruthless justice in the grim future city he polices.
Even if you’ve never read Dredd, you may know him from the two Hollywood movies based on the comic. One starring Sylvester Stallone (and very bad), one starring Karl Urban (and much better). If you’ve seen neither of those, then think ‘RoboCop’. Dredd has always had a similar feel to Paul Verhoeven’s classic movie (and predates it by a decade). It’s violent, satirical and treads the thin line between condoning state brutality and applauding it.
The three stories in ‘Judge Dredd: America’, come not from ‘2000 AD’, but from spin-off ‘Judge Dredd: The Megazine’ which launched in 1990 with the intention of publishing more mature stories about Dredd. The stories are all written by John Wagner, one of Dredd’s creators back in the 1970s. The first of the three premiered in the first issue of ‘The Megazine’. What we have here, then, is a trio of stories that are mature in both senses of the word. They explore themes of sexuality and political rebellion that may not have made it into the pages of ‘2000 AD’, and they are reflective on the cultural phenomenon of Dredd, warts and all.
The first of the stories tells the tale of a young woman, the America of its title, fighting against the tyrannical rule of the Judges. It’s wonderfully even-handed, covering both her motivations and those of Dredd. It’s a story that has no hero but also no villain, and it follows America through to an inevitably tragic conclusion. The second story ‘Fading of the Light’ is if anything even more moving than the first, a nicely introspective sci fi tale that isn’t quite as successful as ‘America’ but is in some ways more memorable. The third, ‘Cadet’ is a clever detective story in the classic Dredd mould, that wraps things up beautifully.
Taken together, the stories are an impressive collection, and one that could perhaps only have come from John Wagner and only after he’d had sufficient time to ruminate on his creation and its cultural impact. Dredd is a more complex character than his stern, monosyllabic demeanour suggests, and these stories brilliantly explore that depth. Dredd himself comes out of them unchanged, but my view of the world he inhabits was undoubtedly changed by America and the characters whose lives she touched.
...more

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Dec 22, 2020 Ed Dinnermonkey rated it really liked it

The world of Mega City One and the judges is fertile ground for comic stories. You’ve got millions of citizens, future tech, authoritarian cops - the perfect setup for everything from police procedural whodunnits to wacky sci-fi monster of the week romps. Add to that the idea that the judges are fascist stormtroopers who rule with absolute authority and you’ve got a blackly satirical swipe at contemporary politics that mischievously exaggerates our worst elements.

Every now and then writers will The world of Mega City One and the judges is fertile ground for comic stories. You’ve got millions of citizens, future tech, authoritarian cops - the perfect setup for everything from police procedural whodunnits to wacky sci-fi monster of the week romps. Add to that the idea that the judges are fascist stormtroopers who rule with absolute authority and you’ve got a blackly satirical swipe at contemporary politics that mischievously exaggerates our worst elements.

Every now and then writers will devote a story to reminding us that the judges really, really aren’t the good guys. We spend much of the time before quietly cheering for Dredd - our enjoyment is guilt-tinged. America is the most famous example (and more recently The Small House). It’s at times lyrical, at times heavy handed, but the view-from-the-streets approach is a great way to unnerve the reader and prompt them to imagine what it’d be really like to live there. Removing the famous characters from stories ostensibly about their world is a great approach, and perhaps one of the reasons why The Mandalorian has felt more Star Wars-y than anything bearing the Star Wars name in yonks.

Anyway, I’m getting away from the point. This is a Judge Dredd story largely without Dredd and it changes the way you look at all of his other tales. It’s a hard line to tread making a facist thug likeable without poisoning your own moral standards and the best Dredd writers keep pulling it off, arguably none more so than John Wagner (although Rob Williams is pretty much one of the all time greats by now).

This book is a trilogy, starting with America and its sequel, Fading of the Light. The latter switches from Colin MacNeil’s lurid dayglo paint to Alan Cradock’s appalling colouring and the whole thing feels like a step too far. But then it ends with Cadet, a brilliant procedural that works great on its own but even better when seen as part of the whole saga. In fact it serves as a perfect example of how great sequels can be when writers allow their characters to lead their stories into surprising but natural directions. A reminder that you should never feel too precious about revisiting an old story if you know you’ve something new to say. ...more

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Jun 07, 2020 Nick Coleman rated it it was amazing

Judge Dredd was always meant to be a mocking satire of the American justice system. In lesser storylines he comes across as a right-wing fantasy. But in the best of them, the satire is obvious. The thing about Judge Dredd: America is it was written in 1990 and it is so relevant to what's going on today.

The judges are legalized judge-jury-executioners and we see their brutalizing effect on Mega City One through the eyes of a young girl named America (a bit on the nose, but it works) who grows up Judge Dredd was always meant to be a mocking satire of the American justice system. In lesser storylines he comes across as a right-wing fantasy. But in the best of them, the satire is obvious. The thing about Judge Dredd: America is it was written in 1990 and it is so relevant to what's going on today.

The judges are legalized judge-jury-executioners and we see their brutalizing effect on Mega City One through the eyes of a young girl named America (a bit on the nose, but it works) who grows up to become a left-wing freedom fighter. Most of the story is told through the eyes of her childhood friend who refuses to take part in the revolution and instead becomes a rich and successful comedian/singer. If America herself is a metaphor for the struggles of minorities and those for whom "protect and serve" don't cover, her friend the comedian is a metaphor for most of us white people, ignoring our country's ongoing crimes and playing the game so we can get ahead and not suffer.

His story takes over after hers ends and things get weird, but in a very entertaining way. This whole graphic novel covers three POVs: first America, then her friend and lover the comedian (I just read it and I can't remember his name), and then their daughter, who grows up to become a Judge, but with the goal of fixing the system from the inside. That's the really interesting part [SPOILER IN NEXT PARAGRAPH]

She teams up with Dredd, the judge who killed her mom and used her dad to take down "terrorists." The thing about Dredd is he's never supposed to have been a superhero or protagonist, like in the shitty Stallone movie. The Karl Urban movie is closer to the original intent, but not close enough. Anyway, the thing about Dredd that at least makes him better than our own police force is that he turns his judgment on cops as well when they break the law. He's meant to be more of a force of nature than a bad guy.

This graphic novel is an epic read and the art is beautiful. Even with Judge Dredd in the background for most of it, I think this may be the best Dredd story of them all. ...more

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Jan 15, 2021 James Donald rated it it was amazing

Judge Dredd is the good guy. He is the hero, right?

Wagner and Grant made it clear from day one that we really shouldn't be under any illusions as to what Dredd was. Yes, he would sacrifice his life to save a citizen. Yes he fought crime. Yes he saved the day... but this was a man who thought nothing of wiping out an entire city in nuclear fire.

Dredd is a fascist.

That is, frankly, that.

Whilst there has been a gradual softening of Dredd over the years this is not part of that process. This is W ...more

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Jan 10, 2018 Josh Keam rated it it was amazing

Shelves: comics

America is a great read. I'm not a huge Dredd fan myself and don't really know the universe to some massive degree but this story is well written with a great message and interesting characters. It tells the story of Bennet Beeny and a lady named America, childhood friends who drift apart later in life. Bennet tolerates the justice system and makes an honest living while America becomes part of the Democrats, a faction who want to tear the Justice down and start anew, no more totalitarianism. Th ...more

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Jan 16, 2018 Andy Luke rated it really liked it

Wagner and McNeill's 'America', an instant classic when published, still holds up today as one of the key Dredd tales, exploring issues of power and control and civil disobedience as a manifesto - something Wagner rarely does. It goes to the heart of the Judges concept, it's jammed with iconic imagery and it's effective with a series of emotional gut punches too.

The sequel, 'Dying of the Light' invokes the same world and evokes a lot of the same language, and is beautifully painted, but didn't ...more

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Mar 22, 2018 Petr rated it really liked it

"Just dream on creep, but just remember - that's all it is, a dream...
America is dead.
This is the real world."

A series of stories confronting America the ideal (land of the free etc.) with Mega City One and the Justice system. The art of the first story is quite different from the other Judge Dredd comics, but the stories in the comic are good. I liked how the first stories switched perspectives between Dredd and Benny making it like a dialogue between the two about liberty, justice and America. ...more

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Sep 01, 2019 Phil rated it really liked it

Shelves: comics, idw, humble-bundle, read-in-2019, ircb-2019-reading-challenge

For my second Dredd book, this one was pretty good. It's a bit rocky at the start, which might be either my needing to get reacquainted with the world he operates in or the design of comics from the era when it was created. Whichever it is, once the story really gets rolling it works pretty well. There are three shorts in this volume that are connected by a single "family". It takes a different approach by not being centered around the judges, though they are certainly ever present. I thought it ...more

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Dec 31, 2019 Erin rated it really liked it

Shelves: f-digital, t-comics-graphic-novels, 4-star, c-ircb2019

Before reading this, I'd never read any Judge Dredd, and had no desire to (thanks, IRCB Challenge!). There were a few slow spots and despite it being really quite weird I found myself drawn back to it when I wasn't reading because I really wanted to know how it all would shake out. Robert the Robot is the best and would 1000% read a cutesy spinoff of him having fun and enjoying life. ...more

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Feb 20, 2018 Elliot Huxtable rated it it was amazing

Shelves: comics

This is simply a fantastic book. All three stories are beautifully illustrated and the tale they tell is brilliant. It's emotional and thought-provoking, as well as being an intelligent commentary on the world, both real, and Mega. ...more

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Jun 27, 2018 Neal Dench rated it it was amazing

One of the best, if not the best, Dredd storylines I have read. Mature, well-written, and completely devoid of that silly "I am the law" jingoistic nonsense that can in equal measure define and plague the Dredd universe. ...more

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Apr 28, 2019 Christian rated it liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Dec 07, 2018 Mark Cain rated it liked it

Good looking but marginal Dredd story about hopeless individuals who can't get the things they want: one wants love, the other democracy. ...more

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Jan 09, 2019 Mason Masters rated it it was ok

Kinda boring storyline. Pussy male lead who first rapes his comatose crush, then inhabits her body and raises 'their' child. On the nose and not macro enough. ...more

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Feb 23, 2019 Jeremy rated it liked it

I enjoyed the first half, but the second half not so much. 3/5.

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Oct 13, 2019 Marco Silva rated it really liked it

Shelves: bd

just read the first story... the book is comprised of three. Art and narrative are great.

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Jun 10, 2020 Paul Griggs rated it it was amazing

One of the true classic stories from 2000ad/Dredd history packaged with the sequels that I haven’t read before. A must read alongside Watchmen, Crisis on Infinite Earths and The Dark Knight Returns!

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Aug 02, 2016 Bob Solanovicz rated it it was amazing

The first part of the three stories in this album was published way back in 1990 but you could never tell because it deals with themes that are still relevant today and probably will be relevant as long as there's people. And although it has some minor ups and downs, its downright bizarre but bold story developments make it a masterpiece. A very unique Judge Dredd strip that actually benefits the less he's in it. The story itself deals a lot with the world he inhabits and through various main pr ...more

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Jan 06, 2015 Christopher rated it it was amazing

Shelves: graphic-novels

America is a complicated work. In many ways, by ignoring the greater scope of the social issues presented, and zooming in on this one couple and the ripples they create, Wagner walks a dangerous line that some might even consider an overt defense of totalitarianism, by means of a vicious skewering of the modern political climate. But America is less of a satire, and more of an authentic literary work stemming from the inherently satirical and absurd environment of Judge Dredd. It's thought provo ...more

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Jul 04, 2016 Rue Lumbroso rated it really liked it

This was my introduction to Judge Dredd, a series I had no real interest in previously for a number of reasons but what John Wagner and Colin MacNeill achieve with their stand-alone volume 'America' is a deeply atmospheric and - for me - surprisingly poignant story with memorable characters, mature storytelling and a scathing critique of the police force that is as relevant as ever today.
I'm giving it such high stars just based off the first story included in the volume, though the following two ...more

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About John Wagner

John Wagner

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John Wagner is a comics writer who was born in Pennsylvania in 1949 and moved to Scotland as a boy. Alongside Pat Mills, Wagner was responsible for revitalising British boys' comics in the 1970s, and has continued to be a leading light in British comics ever since. He is best known for his work on 2000 AD, for which he created Judge Dredd. He is noted for his taut, violent thrillers and his black ...more