Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files 03

Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files + The Restricted Files+ The Daily Dredds

by John Wagner

The global best-selling graphic novel series – over half a million copies sold!   Judge The Complete Case Files collects the adventures of the iconic British character, presented in chronological order, complete and uncut!   He’s judge, jury and executioner – the lawman delivering justice to the mean streets of far-future Mega-City One.    This third blockbuster volume includes classic Judge Death and Psi Anderson storyline. Written by comic legends John Wagner ( A History of Violence ), Pat Mills ( Marshall Law ) and Alan Grant ( Batman ), with art by Brian Bolland ( The Killing Joke ), Dave Gibbons ( Watchmen ) Ian Gibson ( The Ballad of Halo Jones ) and many more!   "If you want to sink your teeth into classic Judge Dredd, the best place to start" - Mental Floss   "Amazing and addictive" - io9   "What a collection it will be when it’s complete." - Den of Geek  

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Fiction, Dystopia, Crime, Comic Book

240 pages, Paperback

First published June 9, 1979

About the author

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 humour. Among his pseudonyms are The best known are John Howard, T.B. Grover, Mike Stott, Keef Ripley, Rick Clark and Brian Skuter. (Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another Dredd omnibus consisting largely of shorter and more humourous stories like the 1st volume. There are, however, several important differences: The characters are much more well-defined and the universe more consistently thought out at this point in the comic's run, even though 2000AD's "everything and the kitchen sink too held together by goofy British humour" ethos is in full flowering.

More importantly, this is where the supernatural elements of the Dredd universe appear for the first time, which would go into full force later in the comic's run. The most famous examples being the demonic Dark Judges and the psychic division of the Judge corps including future fan favourite character Judge Cassandra Anderson. Though in the story arc they appear, the reader would have no clue the Dark Judges and Anderson would become recurring characters. Nonetheless, this seamless incorporation of things like demons, parallel dimensions, psychic powers and whatnot into a previously very nuts-and-bolts dystopian future setting is yet another hallmark of the Judge Dredd universe that Games Workshop would borrow wholesale for "Warhammer 40,000". You could very easily port a storyline such as "The Black Death" or "Father Earth" into one of the worse planets in 40K's Imperium and only have to change the relevant factions into the 40K equivalents.

The humour also focuses less on satirising science-fiction clichés and American cop movies as they look to British audiences, and more on things like celebrity culture, reality television as well as consumer scandals and insurance fraud. Some of those jokes age well, others don't however and I sometimes wonder if I'd "get" more of the stories if I knew more about British culture in the late 1970's/early 1980's.

As you can guess, I by far prefer the long epic Judge Dredd storylines over the short self-contained ones, hence why I don't have so much to say about this one.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, Walter the Wobot... why didn't you get to be in the 'Dredd' movie? :(

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Third in the excellent series reprinting every Dredd story, this covers progs 116 to 154, published between 1979 and 1980 (both in 2000AD and the annual). Focussing this time more on self-contained stories (there are two small series, one being “Father Earth”, the other the first appearance of “Judge Death” - which is excellent), the bulk of the stories are written by Wagner (often as John Howard), with Pat Mills also contributing and the artwork is superb, especially that of Brian Bolland (naturally), Ron Smith (who drew a lot more of my childhood/teenage reading than I’d remembered), Ian Gibson, Mike McMahon, Barry Mitchell (who I’m sure drew “Twisty” for Bullet) and the excellent John Cooper amongst others. Wagner, in some stories, also manages to predict events that would happen a few years beyond his writing (and get worse thirty years later - the gap I re-read these at), with reality TV shows such as “Sob Story”, so I hope he wasn’t as prescient elsewhere. The bulk of the stories work (I’m not so keen on Walter), some of them are brutal, some amusing, most are clever and occasionally you get flashes of anger from the writer, especially in one where a mad scientist is going to unleash the common cold. Great fun, with top notch writing and artwork, superbly reproduced and iconic to the core, I’d highly recommend this.

[Thalestral · Rating 5 out of 5]

Judge Dredd rescues a guinea pig = best comic ever.

[B. Barron · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first appearance of Judge Death!
Need I say more?

[Jordan Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having become a more recent fan of Judge Dredd and the whole 2000 A.D. British comic craze, these bumper volumes are great.

Unfortunately, this 3rd volume lacks a lot of the stronger storylines and arcs that came before and that follow. They're published chronologically, and that's cool, for the most part, but when the entire batch of progs from 61-115 aren't very good, the entire volume suffers.

The problem is that most of the strips are one-off, or short arcs. The "Black Plague" and "Father Earth" could have been good, but they didn't go anywhere or bring much to the fictional universe of Mega-City 1...at least not in the way that "The Cursed Earth" and "The Day the Law Died" did in volume 2. And the single stories weren't much better. Anything told by Walter the Wobot (yes, I intentionally spelled it that way), was, not surprisingly, annoying and had little to no depth. The one about Barney the computer wanting everyday to be Christmas failed to grab my attention. "Umpty's Candy" was really just a waste of paper as far as I was concerned. And is it just me or has Dredd gone from a kick-ass law man, to just a flat out asshole tool? The guy was pretty hardcore in previous installments, but here? He's like that kid in high school who joins ROTC and immediately thinks he can start bossing everyone around with his so-called "authority". Not only that, but he has a totally twisted sense of morality as he risks his life to save animals, but leaves humans chained to buildings and lets them get eaten by monsters. Talk about a douche!

Don't get me wrong, there are some decent stories in this one. The stand alones about "Boing Ball" and Dredd rescuing a guinea pig are so stupid that they're good. They show that the authors were willing to have a little bit of fun and not take things seriously. And of course, one can't miss the "Judge Death" storyline, which is one of the better ones in the entire Dredd canon. It's only 2 parts in this volume, but it shows a darker side of the comics. And of course, he shows up in later progs, being his creepy, deadly self.

All in all, it's an ok addition to the collection, and it keeps the story going, I just wish the slapstick and devolution of Dredd weren't so apparent.

[Daniel Sevitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this up super cheap online and got my money's worth. These early Dredd stories are all from the time when I was reading British comics every week but was too scared to read 2000AD. I was still traumatized by the images of Dredd's brother Rico which I'd seen in an even earlier issue at a friend's house and which still give me nightmares. The stories are all prototypical Dredd stuff with 1st appearances of Judge Anderson and Judge Death and other standalone stories punctuated with the usual Walter the Wobot shtick. Good fun and I'll buy more of these if I can find them at the right price.

[Kieran McAndrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

The brutal world of Mega City One has over 800 million citizens and in order to uphold the law, the judiciary needs to be just as brutal.

Some interesting stories in this volume and the hard lines and the inking add to the brutalist vibe.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files 03 kicks off some of the best known Dredd tales that continue to percolate through to this day in many of the 2000AD tales! :D We get to see the advents of Judge Death and in the same story we also get to see the advent of Judge Anderson who from the outset shows the grit that she had become famous for in the later tales! :D The advent of Judge Death is also brilliantly handled with Judge Death coming across as incredibly sinister in as a sort of semi-corporeal Terminator and the judges and Dredd reaction to it is brilliantly displayed, through their horror and Dredd's consternation at a creature that he cannot bring to justice and even slips in some time for Dredd to debate Justice with creature as well as the story and a heath thumbing conclusion! :D Though sticking Anderson in a box and then displaying her and what is inside her tends to invite later events! :D

This goes onto illustrate one of the stories that feature in this collected volume with others exploring the destroyed city of Milwaukee with is undead population who get a stern lecture from Dredd at the culmination of a running battle which is an incredibly pacey adventure! :D At the same time we get lots of near standalone stories throughout the zip around giving us a more detailed lookout with Dredd even jumping his bike from one skyscraper to another el la True Lies which adds to the feel of the book being an epic adventure! :D

At the same time the humour runs fast throughout the whole book with Dredd dispensing sentences to citizens who are prevented from working and giving them hard labour which what they were after in the first place with even one tale drawing attention how generous he is all answered with a 'Yes I am!' :D

We also get serious social commentary in it and much is very cutting to the establishment in the books but it also examines the extremes of society as well and makes very valid points full marks as well in that department as well! :D This is illustrated through people going through extremes to work, even unpaid, through people confessing to crimes they haven't committed to get locked up for a roof over their heads! :D

The art style ever is brilliant really conveying the pace of the adventure and brilliantly enhancing the script with characters expressions matching the script perfectly and really selling it, an example the return in a different of a certain T-Rex brilliantly enhances the tale in what devolves into a chase scene and works brilliantly! :D The way the panes are laid out also enhances the effect with overlays of the action and closeups of the characters as they make decisions which really ramps up the tensions and lets you see it! :D They have obviously have also had to source many of the issues from different sources and the effort is well worth making a great volume! :D

Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files 03 is fast paced, full of frenetic energy and judgement! :D Brilliant and highly recommended! :D

[Mat Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read again!

I took notice of Ron Smith's art more the second time around. I really appreciate his style. Bolland and McMahon, well all of them, have unique styles. But Smith's really compliments those two as a halfway house between the scrappy and rigged McMahon and beautiful Bolland detail and lining.

This book also really build on some of the themes such as environmental issues, addiction, AI to good effect. I like the way Bolland drew the Judge Death introduction and the PSI story, since he also drew the mutie telekinesis one (I think) in the Cursed Earth.

There are some very hardcore stories here though such as foreshadowing shows like Springer and Jeremy Kyle which as far as I am concerned reflect our Schadenfreude side. Absolutely horrid. So, yeah really good case study this one. Then again, the first 5 are all very strong.

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This book continues in the same vain of volume 2 in terms of quality. The biggest difference is that there are no epics here. There are a host of single, double and 3-4 story arcs. The most famous of which is the appearance of Judge Dredd and the introduction of Anderson. It is a very diesel story and knocks this collection up a bit.

There are a few tales which hark back to classic literature such as Jekyll and Hyde, and the much adapted Sweeney Todd. Interestingly, a focus of this book is on transformation and viruses. There is a very cool three part story about mutant ants called the Black Plague and another about experimenting on animals to recreate the common cold.

So, the book continues to feel timely despite being over 40 years old. For example, there is a story about a show which garners support by shaming people publicly and having the public send them money. This leads to murder, and a nice arc for the Judge, but it also screams Springer and Kyle decades before they engage in their deplorable TV shows.

Solid. Different. Shorter. Pulls no punches.

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been looking forward to this one as it has the first appearance of Judge Death in it (also Judge Andersen's first appearance). It was a decent enough episode appearing to be suited as a Halloween issue probably. Other stories were better, though. This volume contains no major story lines but is full of one issue or 2-3 issue stories. Most are of a dramatic nature with only a couple of cheesy ones. A very good read of late 70's Judge Dredd. What I really enjoyed though was one of the opening stories which introduced the Blocks as having the celebrity names. Up to this point, they had just been numbered and I had wondered when (and how) they started using the names. This first story introduces Blocks Charlton Heston, Benjamin Spock and Harriet Beecher Stowe. The block names come up a couple of times throughout the volume but haven't been integrated into the universe yet. There is also a return (kinda) of Satanus! Good read.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Case Files 3 was a mixed bag. It was firstly a noticeably smaller book in comparison to Files 1 and 2 (and later case files). The stories are varied in quality, the best obviously being the first appearances of both Judge Death and Judge Anderson.

Otherwise, the book is mostly filled with shorter stories, with none that compare to either the excellent "Day the Law Died" or "The Cursed Earth Saga" seen in previous instalments.

Overall, not a bad read, but mostly not essential

[Druss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

[ComicNerdSam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Doesn’t have the same highs as Cursed Earth or The Day The Law Died, but features some cool world-building. My favorite part is definitely Judge Death, that dude is awesome.

[C.T. Phipps · Rating 3 out of 5]

JUDGE DREDD: THE COMPLETE CASE FILES VOLUME THREE is a stark contrast to the first two books in that it doesn't have any long story arcs. I feel like it actually suffers a bit because while there's some entertaining stories throughout, it also doesn't have the same sense of power the others do. The world-building is better and there's some set up for future classics with the first appearance of Judge Anderson and Judge Death being most notable.

We also get the introduction of the Sov Block Judges, which was probably a more serious threat in the early Eighties. There's not much to say about this volume other than I think the Judge Death one is the only "must read" in the entire volume. I don't think Judge Dredd destroying a bunch of spiders is a particularly good story and I really disliked Judge Dredd sentencing a candy maker to a lifetime in space. That's a particularly out of character moment for a man who shoots a fellow Judge to keep him from committing murder.

Not a disappointment but not great either.

[Chris Browning · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Dredd finally in his first patch of undisputed brilliance - Wagner seems to now have a complete idea of his creation and slowly begins to fill in the character of Mega City One, arguably one of the finest fictional creations of its kind. Otto Sump turns up, Umpty Candy as well, the first actively important female judges and the first hint of a sympathetic view of the inhabitants of the Cursed Earth. There’s also a feeling that Wagner is testing the ground for later ideas: Albert Sherman is a prototype for PJ Maybe and the bombs in his story are a nice early variation of plot points Wagner would use far more deftly in future (there’s also a rather lovely Megazine story by Michael Carroll that is a companion to this and identifies Judge Hellman rather surprisingly)

We also get the first real sign of the Sov Judges being a long term threat and obviously Judge Death and Psi Judge Anderson also debut here. Wagner still hasn’t quite got the pacing right, and there’s a sense that he’s throwing out so many ideas that he might run out of them (as he kind of did when he turned to Alan Grant as a collaborator). But the confidence and sense of things falling to place are typified by two strips

One is the reappearance of the Kleggs, or at least one Klegg, who is seen as pathetic, sympathetic and as much a victim as he is a monster. Kleggs have been returned to several times (Sensitive Klegg being the best example of late) and there’s a real sense of the scale and horror of these strange alien monsters here. Dredd even pointedly describes Urk as an innocent. Contrast this to the only non Wagner story here, Pat Mills’ Blood of Satanus. It’s not bad but it’s also very lazy in comparison. There’s little of the sense of weirdness of the city here, the transformation just another cliche and it’s only Rex’s final “thanks for killing me” that feels like it’s from the same world as the other stories. Wagner has managed to make this universe so much his own that even one of his own collaborators and friends now feels unable to match his writing here. That’s pretty impressive going for a comic barely into it’s fourth year

[Kam Yung Soh · Rating 3 out of 5]

The third Judge Dredd case files doesn't contain any big multipart stories. Instead, it introduces a number of interesting characters and help to flesh out the back story of Dredd. The first story introduces his niece, Vienna, and shows a caring side to Dredd.

Another story introduces Otto Sump, Mega City One's ugliest citizen, who Dredd uses to solve a crime involving a show that sells sob stories. BOING, the wonder elastic material gets introduced (and will be important later on).

Two medium sized multipart stories would involve Mega City One being invaded, first by mutants lead by a mutant man who is also a plant, the second by millions of mutant spiders. One other story worth a mention involves Judge Minty, which would later become the basis of a Judge Dredd fan movie.

The last story worth mentioning introduces a character that would become a major enemy of Dredd over many stories: Judge Death. The story would also introduce the Psi Judge Anderson who would later go on to feature in her own series of stories.

[Michael Duane Robbins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once more we find Judge Dredd is not for the faint hearted. Never was that truer than in this compilation. In the post apocalyptic world of Mega City One danger comes from within and without. Whether it's a horde of mutant spiders or the victims of future shock, Dredd is there to protect the citizens, or even arrest them. This also marks the first appearance of both Judge Death and Psi Judge Cassandra Anderson. Enjoy.

[Connor McKenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

The worldbuilding here is great, blocks are introduced and Dredds character becomes that stoic immovable avatar of the law. Some great stories like Judge Death, the black plague and a bunch of really good standalones but there was also a few "meh" stories in there which is why I can't give it 4/5 as much as I want to.

[Dean Simons · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the epics of Cursed Earth and Day The Law Died, the character, the setting and the style finally click. Brilliant and bizarre stories take place within, all are entertaining. And some great one liners.

[Tomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Judge Dredd omnibus.

[Rachel Redhead · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very slender volume compared to 1,2, 4 & 5, but its got some gems in it and just when you think you've almost finished it, up pops the first Judge Death story!

[Derek Moreland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent collection of almost entirely John Wagner Dredd. Really sets up Mega City One. Great fun.

[Nial · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved these Judge Dredd stories

[Trystan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Satanus came back. I hope he comes back in case files #4

[Matthew Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the back to back Epics of Volume 2, Dredd's third year returns to more episodic stories with mostly successful results.

John Wagner wrote almost every Prog in here and while not every story here is fantastic there are more hits than misses. Compared to the stories of Volume 1 (also mostly episodic) Dredd's adventures and world feel far more confident and well formed here. There's also some interesting setup for stories that would come just a few years later...

Several key components of Dredd's universe are introduced here in entertaining fashion. His niece Vienna, Mega City One's Megablocks, Judge Minty and the concept of the Long Walk, and of course Judge Death. The three-part introductory Judge Death story is one of the last Progs collected here so I wouldn't recommend reading this book solely for that. However, if you just want some entertaining Dredd stories this book does a pretty good job and is a quick read, I blew through it in only a couple hours.

My favourite Progs from this volume were: Vienna, the Cityblock two-parter, Cadet Ralphy, Boing!, Death of a Judge, Judge Minty and the three-part Judge Death.

[Pedro Lira · Rating 3 out of 5]

demorei bastante nesse volume por vários motivos. sempre acho a leitura de dredd meio burocrática! explico, por mais que as histórias via de regra sejam curtas, poucas páginas ou no máximo um compilado de poucas páginas, a quantidade de histórias nesses volumes condensados chega a cansar. considerando os roteiros mas principalmente a arte, é se se demorar um pouco em cada.

gostei de algumas histórias. teve de tudo um pouco, crítica a tv, guerra fria, filhos mimados, ética científica... por aí vai. acho que vou me arriscar em mais volumes.

[David Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Řeším české vydání, které jsem až tady definitivně zjistil že je sebrané úplně jinak a o rád tlustší. Nu coz.


Skoro půlku zabírá hon po Soudci Dítěti - přes celou galaxii, se spoustou úplně ujetých části a nápadů, s pár solidními a s nečekaně slušnou pointou. Zbytek jsou hlavně krátké povídky, spíš vtípky občas až, ale až hravě dystopické MegaCity je v nich tak zábavné, až se stává hlavní postavou. Prima odlehčení a podstatná komiksová historie.

[Sean Flatley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am on a Judge Dredd marathon bing reading of all the Judge Dredd graphic novels book since his appearance in 1977. I have already read them all over 10 years ago, so it was a trip down memory lane to relive these brilliant times and to thoroughly enjoy these graphics novels once again. I simply love the stories plots, the drawings and the dialogue as well.
Overall a brilliantly graphic novels. Best wishes Sean

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the third volume of Judge Dredd comics. This volume is mostly a return to Mega-City One, with occasional forays beyond the city walls.

I liked this, though it didn’t seem to be as innovative or have as much world-building as the first two novels. After volume 2 and its longer story arcs, this set was more case of the week, with some multi-part stories towards the end.