Out now from Rebellion, Dreadnoughts Book 1: Breaking Ground features the early days of the Judges…
The year is 2035 and American society is crumbling, the police force become judge and jury, dispensing justice on the streets. Police brutality in response to public protests sparks even greater restrictions on what American citizens are free to do. This is the horror story of a descent into fascism and the beginnings of the world of Judge Dredd.
Michael Carroll (w) John Higgins (a) Sally Jane Hurst (c) Simon Bowland (l)
If the current world of Judge Dredd in the pages of 2000 AD and Judge Dredd Megazine could be deemed as ‘jolly’, then this is the dark beginnings of the story of the Judges.
Featuring some new characters, the main story shows that time where the Judges are just being introduced, but there is still the normal law enforcement in small towns.
It’s a dark grim story, where you can see the teething problems the Judges have. The story itself is a good vessel for showing how these problems are dealt with and others reactions. It’s not a nice story and it goes into some nasty places. It could be said that some of the aspects are a commentary on the justice system in America right now – especially the comments about the prisons.
The power of the Judges is also finding its feet, and I like the way the law is used here. The ongoing monologues show how the law is being interpreted and I like the character thoughts on the law and how it should be enforced.
The backup story takes those early days and moves things forward a little. From the pages of 2000 AD, it features Dredd dealing with cleaning up the problems from the past. It’s well told and finishes off a long term problem for the citizens of Mega-City One.
This is an excellent read and is engrossing in ways that you wouldn’t expect.
Available in print from:2000 AD webshop, book stores, Amazon, and comic book stores via Diamond
Available in digital from:2000 AD webshop & apps for iPad, Android and Windows 10
