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Judge Dredd
Judge Dredd: The Cape and Cowl Crimes
COSTUMES ARE FOR CREEPS! From super-powered aliens to Cursed Earth mutants, Judge Dredd dishes out justice to all in this action-packed collection of stories from some of comic's biggest talents, including John Wagner, Alan Grant, Carlos Ezquerra, Mike Collins, Alan Davis, Simon Bisley, Richard Elson, Simon Spurrier and Eric Powell, amongst many others.
Welcome to Mega-City One, a nightmarish metropolis situated along the east coast of post-apocalyptic North America. Poverty is rife, crime is rampant, and only the Judges – empowered to dispense instant justice – can stop total anarchy. Toughest of them all is JUDGE DREDD – he is the Law!
There are plenty of law-breaking freaks amongst the citizenship of the ‘Big Meg’. From Futsies to Umpty-baggers, the Judges have their hands full. But the worst offenders are those who try and enforce their own brand of justice. Especially that strange strain of vigilante who chooses to hit the streets in brightly-coloured spandex!
Welcome to Mega-City One, a nightmarish metropolis situated along the east coast of post-apocalyptic North America. Poverty is rife, crime is rampant, and only the Judges – empowered to dispense instant justice – can stop total anarchy. Toughest of them all is JUDGE DREDD – he is the Law!
There are plenty of law-breaking freaks amongst the citizenship of the ‘Big Meg’. From Futsies to Umpty-baggers, the Judges have their hands full. But the worst offenders are those who try and enforce their own brand of justice. Especially that strange strain of vigilante who chooses to hit the streets in brightly-coloured spandex!
- GenresComicsGraphic Novels
160 pages, Paperback
First published April 11, 2017
2 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
About the author
John Wagner
1,282 books188 followersJohn 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 humour. Among his pseudonyms are The best known are John Howard, T.B. Grover, Mike Stott, Keef Ripley, Rick Clark and Brian Skuter. (Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 9, 2019
2.5 stars
"No one can be allowed to take the law into their own hands, even with the best of intentions." -- the title character, on page 15
Scattershot collection of short stories featuring the futuristic law officer, with the crux of the volume being Dredd taking on thinly-disguised versions of mainstream superhero icons who are suddenly appearing on his beat in Mega-City One. There's Batmugger (Batman), the Juve Mutated Kung Fu Kleggs (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Weasel (Wolverine), the Adjudicators (the Avengers), and an oddity of a finale featuring the competing actors who portray Superman and Captain America on the big screen. The inspiration to place and parody these identifiable characters in Judge Dredd's world, though, was more fun that the overall execution. The one story that did work - 'Marauder' - was distinct from the others, with a disgraced judge cadet going rogue and turning vigilante. Unusually, it did not feature Dredd, was several pages longer than the other tales, and had a more serious tone.
"No one can be allowed to take the law into their own hands, even with the best of intentions." -- the title character, on page 15
Scattershot collection of short stories featuring the futuristic law officer, with the crux of the volume being Dredd taking on thinly-disguised versions of mainstream superhero icons who are suddenly appearing on his beat in Mega-City One. There's Batmugger (Batman), the Juve Mutated Kung Fu Kleggs (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Weasel (Wolverine), the Adjudicators (the Avengers), and an oddity of a finale featuring the competing actors who portray Superman and Captain America on the big screen. The inspiration to place and parody these identifiable characters in Judge Dredd's world, though, was more fun that the overall execution. The one story that did work - 'Marauder' - was distinct from the others, with a disgraced judge cadet going rogue and turning vigilante. Unusually, it did not feature Dredd, was several pages longer than the other tales, and had a more serious tone.
October 29, 2024
Fun as it might be for Judge Dredd to satirize superheroes, there's only two - maybe three - stories in its entire history that really go for the theme. So this collection had to scrape the bottom of the barrel and include anything that's even adjacent to the idea. A guy dresses up as a bat to mug people? He's not even rich and influential until after he starts doing his crimes. There's a pretty good story about an Academy washout beating up some corrupt Judges, but if he didn't wear that garish power-suit in doing so, I couldn't connect the dots to the greater superhero theme at all. It didn't even have a cape!
I think the Klegg issue is the only one of the collection that I didn't like at all. They're fine stories. Just wish they'd be doing more with the idea. Superheroes are so punchable.
I think the Klegg issue is the only one of the collection that I didn't like at all. They're fine stories. Just wish they'd be doing more with the idea. Superheroes are so punchable.
December 18, 2020
If you are a fan of Judge Dredd, you know that one thing he hates more than perps are do-gooders who get in his way. The tales where he meets Batman, put his perspective on vigilantes upfront.
This collection includes tales from 1987 thru 2017, where Joe has to deal with individuals and groups that feel they can do a better job at protecting Mega-City One. It never ends well, even if we do have some sympathy for the characters. As usual, the stories range from outright spoofs of certain comic super-heroes to longer tales of revenge. The stories are written and drawn by some real heavy weights, including JD creator John Warner, Simon Bisley, Eric Powell, Alan Davis and Alan Grant, among others.
While most of these tales are short done-in-one, the longest is Marauder, written by Robbie Morrison with art by Richard Elson. This story went through about ten issues and follows the story of a Judge trainee who is expelled, returning to his old neighborhood. Dredd himself is only a secondary presence in this one, as it deals with the former Academy student seeking revenge on the corrupt Judge who framed and killed his mother.
Great collection for JD fans, and a nice introduction to the wide range of stories in which he can appear.
This collection includes tales from 1987 thru 2017, where Joe has to deal with individuals and groups that feel they can do a better job at protecting Mega-City One. It never ends well, even if we do have some sympathy for the characters. As usual, the stories range from outright spoofs of certain comic super-heroes to longer tales of revenge. The stories are written and drawn by some real heavy weights, including JD creator John Warner, Simon Bisley, Eric Powell, Alan Davis and Alan Grant, among others.
While most of these tales are short done-in-one, the longest is Marauder, written by Robbie Morrison with art by Richard Elson. This story went through about ten issues and follows the story of a Judge trainee who is expelled, returning to his old neighborhood. Dredd himself is only a secondary presence in this one, as it deals with the former Academy student seeking revenge on the corrupt Judge who framed and killed his mother.
Great collection for JD fans, and a nice introduction to the wide range of stories in which he can appear.
June 2, 2022
I had low expectations, but was pleasantly surprised by how entertaining this mixed collection was.
Loosely assembled around a superhero theme, with the mix covering aliens, mutants, cyborgs et al. in Mega City One, as criminals, heroes, vigilantes, or antiheroes doing their best in the city. From barely a hint of superhero to outright parody, the stories are thankfully very different from each other.
Loosely assembled around a superhero theme, with the mix covering aliens, mutants, cyborgs et al. in Mega City One, as criminals, heroes, vigilantes, or antiheroes doing their best in the city. From barely a hint of superhero to outright parody, the stories are thankfully very different from each other.
January 11, 2023
What a dull read. It’s Judge Dredd, but without all that Judge Dredd! 😆
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews