Judge Dredd: Year One – A Graphic Novel by Matt Smith, Simon Coleby & Greg Staples

It’s literally been about a month since I last posted. I have had next to know reading time recently 😦 between work, my car dying and my having to find a new one, and various other bits and bobs taking me away from town, I haven’t had many minutes spare to crack a book open let alone post. I’m back now, though, you lucky ducks. Hopefully going to be posting a bit more regular.

 

Amazon Product Description:

“The Long Hard Road” begins here! In an all-new adventure from Joe Dredd’s early days as a Mega City-One Judge, writer (and Eagle-award-winning 2000 AD Editor) Matt Smith presents a tale where “all the young juves, carry the news,” only in this case, the news is delivered with a lethal blow!Collects Judge Dredd: Year One #1-4.

Author: Matt Smith

Illustrators: Simon Coleby & Greg Staples

Publisher: IDW

Release Date: 20/11/2013

Pages: 104

My Chosen Format: Paperback

My Rating of ‘Judge Dredd: Year One: 2 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon UK, Amazon US, Book Depository

 

Review

Now I’ll be the first to admit that I haven’t read much of the Judge Dredd stuff. I have, however, read enough to know that young Dredd is literally the same as old Dredd. They tell you he’s a rookie (don’t let him hear you say that, though) and he occasionally forgets what stealth is. But, besides that, he’s literally the same grizzled veteran without an ounce of fear that he is in all the other Dredd stuff not labelled Year One.

Personally, I always feel that a Year One story shows you the rocky road that brought an individual onto the path he walks for the rest of his life. This one, was literally just a case for young Dredd to solve. We are introduced to the fledgling Psi-Division and, to be fair, it kind of feels more of an origins story for the Psi-Div than it does for Dredd.

The overall plot is a mass breakout of psychic powers manifesting in the juveniles of Mega City One. The inevitable happens and mass violence ensues.

In all honesty, I found the entire graphic novel fairly boring. Took me a good couple of sittings more to finish this than it normally would. I think this could have been due to my expectations being high on a Dredd Origin story. But then, if you expect a steak and get a stick of celery, you won’t eat it with the same enthusiasm.

The story isn’t all bad. I feel it certainly gets better towards the end. Even has a few funny moments that kind of made me feel better about getting through it. The art is also very good, as you’d expect. In fact, the artwork and the last part is about all that made me not give it a 1.

Overall, I just felt fairly disappointed and thoroughly glad it was a library read rather than an actual purchase.

 

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