itcamefromthepage's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I read this last week but totally forgot to log it.
Interesting collection of stories with the final story being the best of the bunch. The middle story was a bit tough to grasp where it fell politically (Judge Dredd should always be a satire of fascist police states) which was the only thing weighing this down a bit.
Interesting collection of stories with the final story being the best of the bunch. The middle story was a bit tough to grasp where it fell politically (Judge Dredd should always be a satire of fascist police states) which was the only thing weighing this down a bit.
eoghann's review against another edition
4.0
In some ways the name of this story Year One is misleading. The story is set during Dredd's first year as a Judge, but there's really nothing about it that actually has to be.
Yes some of the character reference Dredd's rookie status. But he doesn't act like a rookie. He's Judge Dredd! Writer Matt Smith is the editor of 2000AD so he knows the character well and this certainly feels like Dredd. It just doesn't feel any different to normal. Maybe that's the point?
Having got that gripe out of the way though, this is a good Dredd story with a bit of a twist towards the end that was nicely done. As a stand alone piece that just sits in very early Dredd chronology this isn't going to go on any must read or best of list, but as an introduction to Dredd and the sensibilities of the comic book (as opposed to the movie) this is great.
When I reviewed the movie I noted that it got most of Dredd but it lacked the sense of satire. I think that might be because a lot of those satirical elements are in the over the top dress sense and the deadpan seriousness with which Dredd and the other Judges treat even their most extreme statements.
That doesn't come across well on film but here on page and in color it's great. It helps of course that in Simon Coleby we're dealing with a seasoned Judge Dredd artist. Someone who knows both how to tell a story and how to present the world of Mega City One.
So that's what we have he. A solidly crafted Judge Dredd story that serves as a great introduction to the character and the comics. It's not really blazing new ground and it's not showing you anything about Dredd that you don't already know. But it's a fun ride while you're reading.
Yes some of the character reference Dredd's rookie status. But he doesn't act like a rookie. He's Judge Dredd! Writer Matt Smith is the editor of 2000AD so he knows the character well and this certainly feels like Dredd. It just doesn't feel any different to normal. Maybe that's the point?
Having got that gripe out of the way though, this is a good Dredd story with a bit of a twist towards the end that was nicely done. As a stand alone piece that just sits in very early Dredd chronology this isn't going to go on any must read or best of list, but as an introduction to Dredd and the sensibilities of the comic book (as opposed to the movie) this is great.
When I reviewed the movie I noted that it got most of Dredd but it lacked the sense of satire. I think that might be because a lot of those satirical elements are in the over the top dress sense and the deadpan seriousness with which Dredd and the other Judges treat even their most extreme statements.
That doesn't come across well on film but here on page and in color it's great. It helps of course that in Simon Coleby we're dealing with a seasoned Judge Dredd artist. Someone who knows both how to tell a story and how to present the world of Mega City One.
So that's what we have he. A solidly crafted Judge Dredd story that serves as a great introduction to the character and the comics. It's not really blazing new ground and it's not showing you anything about Dredd that you don't already know. But it's a fun ride while you're reading.
standardman's review against another edition
4.0
A good mix of stories that work as a decent introduction to Dredd and the Mega City, third one being the highlight
carroq's review against another edition
4.0
I decided to pick up a Judge Dredd Humble Bundle after hearing one of the hosts on the I Read Comics Book podcast talking about some of the different stories. Year One is the first one out of the batch that I read, and it was a lot of fun.
This is supposed to take place during Dredd's first year out of the academy. He shows a lot more certainty than you might expect from a year one book. The story seemed to lay out that the process of becoming a Judge is pretty intense and could reasonably explain why Dredd wasn't portrayed as more of a rookie.
One aspect of the story that I enjoyed in particular was the focus on psychic/supernatural elements. This wasn't something I was anticipating from a heavy sci-fi/dystopian world. There's a mystery associated with those elements that Dredd has to unravel.
The book as a whole felt like it did a pretty decent job introducing Dredd and Mega City One. There wasn't anything amazing about the art, but it is pretty solid all around. For my first Judge Dredd book, it certainly did a nice job of getting me excited to read more. Now I just need to find some time to dig into the rest of the bundle.
This is supposed to take place during Dredd's first year out of the academy. He shows a lot more certainty than you might expect from a year one book. The story seemed to lay out that the process of becoming a Judge is pretty intense and could reasonably explain why Dredd wasn't portrayed as more of a rookie.
One aspect of the story that I enjoyed in particular was the focus on psychic/supernatural elements. This wasn't something I was anticipating from a heavy sci-fi/dystopian world. There's a mystery associated with those elements that Dredd has to unravel.
The book as a whole felt like it did a pretty decent job introducing Dredd and Mega City One. There wasn't anything amazing about the art, but it is pretty solid all around. For my first Judge Dredd book, it certainly did a nice job of getting me excited to read more. Now I just need to find some time to dig into the rest of the bundle.
godhelm's review against another edition
3.0
One great story, one decent story and one so-so story. Great narrator with the right gravely Dredd voice.
blackestclovers's review against another edition
4.0
Not sure how the IDW books tie into the 2000 AD world/history, I assume it's something separate, but this was a fantastic little book. Great art, interesting story and from what I've read so far more in tune with the 2000 AD works than the IDW Judge Dredd proper series. Recommend checking this out.
duncan_b's review
4.0
This collection of three novellas set in Mega City One was much more fun than I was expecting. ‘City Fathers’ is possibly the weakest of the three and is a simple police procedural, however ‘Cold Light of Day’ was an interesting look at Dredd grappling with the rights and wrongs of a decision he made a few years before. Finally, in ‘Wear Iron’ we have a story focussing more on Rico Dredd and expanding further on his relationship with ‘Little Joe’.
I’d wholeheartedly recommend this for any fan of Judge Dredd. Equally, you could easily jump in and enjoy this if you knew nothing about Dredd or Mega City One but enjoy well written sci-fi.
I’d wholeheartedly recommend this for any fan of Judge Dredd. Equally, you could easily jump in and enjoy this if you knew nothing about Dredd or Mega City One but enjoy well written sci-fi.
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