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Judge Dredd (IDW) #4
Judge Dredd, Volume 4: 13 Badges
Dredd returns to Mega-City One — still recovering from the ravages of "The Long Fail" — only to find the Justice Department under siege! Seems that someone has snuffed 12 Judges in creative and shocking ways!
104 pages, Paperback
First published June 3, 2014
14 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
Duane Swierczynski
523 books912 followersDuane Swierczynski is an American crime writer who has written a number of non-fiction books, novels and also writes for comic books.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 17, 2017
I love this series. Full of unique art and fun violent stories. So great!
July 20, 2019
Loved the main story but the tagged on bit at the end felt exactly that, tagged on. Had no real place in the theme of this one, which is a shame because if that had been the start of another story then it had real promise to be strong. Oh well...
March 29, 2021
Storylines old and new combine for a roaring tale.
February 7, 2022
Overview:
Dredd returns to Mega-City One immediately after the tragic events of the previous book, titled "The Long Fail." While he is still healing, he discovers that the Department of Justice is under attack by the enemies. Dredd looks to be one of the 13 judges who will be killed in horrifying ways.
It's fascinating how the series mentor makes the megacity reliant on Dredd and believes he owns it. This is evident in several dialogues, which eventually become tedious.
More exhausting than some of the discussions was recognizing that the series had been ruined by combining real and supernatural aspects. I recognize the existence of police officials with special powers, such as Judge Anderson, but this volume has flopped.
Pros: Only the graphics.
Cons: The narrative is out of place, with supernatural aspects that defy logic. There are monotonous dialogues and caricatured enemies in this mix of prank and amateur horror.
It's fascinating how the series mentor makes the megacity reliant on Dredd and believes he owns it. This is evident in several dialogues, which eventually become tedious.
More exhausting than some of the discussions was recognizing that the series had been ruined by combining real and supernatural aspects. I recognize the existence of police officials with special powers, such as Judge Anderson, but this volume has flopped.
Pros: Only the graphics.
Cons: The narrative is out of place, with supernatural aspects that defy logic. There are monotonous dialogues and caricatured enemies in this mix of prank and amateur horror.
November 16, 2015
Okay. So this about the time, I dropped this series, the main story is still good, my main issue was that what happened in vol 1, is dragged on throughout this whole series and is always a plot device, at this point I got so irritated that I dropped it! But if you can look passed that unlike me this is still entertaining!
June 6, 2024
Judge Dredd finds himself and Mega-City One mysteriously time-shifted back to 1947 and has to dispense the law whilst trying to figure out what is going one. Then, back in the future, Dredd becomes a suspect himself when Judges start to be murdered on the streets, causing him to call in help from PSI Judge Anderson.
This book was released through IDW's use of the licence and I have to admit that I was wary to begin with, since, with the exception of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and some of the Transformers stuff, I've not seen IDW do great things with licenced properties (almost all of the Star Wars comics they released were total garbage).
Sadly, this book lived up to my fears.
This is Judge Dredd filtered through a mainstream American mindset for a mainstream American audience and, as such, feels totally soulless.
I grew up reading the original 2000 AD Dredd comics and there were two things fundamental to their brilliance; an ironic sense of humour and a feeling of Britishness. Both are lacking here. The Britishness was an aesthetic and tonal element that I could almost forgive the absence of due to US-focused thinking mentioned above, but the total lack of anything approaching a sense of humour is pretty much unforgivable.
This is Dredd played totally straight in all aspects, which simply doesn't work as well. It's almost a stereotype but I genuinely think that due to the different ways that Americans and Brits think, that someone at IDW totally missed the fact that Dredd's stories were intended as a satire of totalitarian regimes, not an advocation of them.
This is not a book for fans of Dredd's comic book roots and is another sad example of IDW missing the point of something they've licenced.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *
This book was released through IDW's use of the licence and I have to admit that I was wary to begin with, since, with the exception of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and some of the Transformers stuff, I've not seen IDW do great things with licenced properties (almost all of the Star Wars comics they released were total garbage).
Sadly, this book lived up to my fears.
This is Judge Dredd filtered through a mainstream American mindset for a mainstream American audience and, as such, feels totally soulless.
I grew up reading the original 2000 AD Dredd comics and there were two things fundamental to their brilliance; an ironic sense of humour and a feeling of Britishness. Both are lacking here. The Britishness was an aesthetic and tonal element that I could almost forgive the absence of due to US-focused thinking mentioned above, but the total lack of anything approaching a sense of humour is pretty much unforgivable.
This is Dredd played totally straight in all aspects, which simply doesn't work as well. It's almost a stereotype but I genuinely think that due to the different ways that Americans and Brits think, that someone at IDW totally missed the fact that Dredd's stories were intended as a satire of totalitarian regimes, not an advocation of them.
This is not a book for fans of Dredd's comic book roots and is another sad example of IDW missing the point of something they've licenced.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *
March 9, 2018
Judge Dredd, Vol. 4 continues on straight after the previous book with Dredd catapulted back to 1947 which leads to a lot of humour! :D The book introduces this versions version of Judge Call who as always positively wreaks bad guy! :D The plot out Dredd through the loops ending up with him sentenced to Titan along with another character Pachoda who had a case of Body swap! :D The characterisation is spot on for Anderson and Dredd as ever and this is one of the things that drives the plot brilliantly! :D
The panels and art style show of the script excellently with Dredd, Anderson and co all brilliantly on display! :D The different periods and location on display and the style of script and are on show really shows this off brilliantly and give every scene a visceral quality the leap off the page! :D
Judge Dredd, Vol. 4 is a great detective action story with mystery upon mystery piling up on each other! :D Judge Dredd, Vol. 4 succeeds brilliantly and set things up excellently for the next book and filled to the brim with suspense and action packed to boot brilliant go read! :D
The panels and art style show of the script excellently with Dredd, Anderson and co all brilliantly on display! :D The different periods and location on display and the style of script and are on show really shows this off brilliantly and give every scene a visceral quality the leap off the page! :D
Judge Dredd, Vol. 4 is a great detective action story with mystery upon mystery piling up on each other! :D Judge Dredd, Vol. 4 succeeds brilliantly and set things up excellently for the next book and filled to the brim with suspense and action packed to boot brilliant go read! :D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 28, 2019
Volume 4 of the collected stories of Judge Dredd by IDW. The Long Fail is over, but a danger stalks Mega City One. A mysterious killer has murdered several Judges and Judge Cal, head of the dreaded SJS (Special Judicial Squad) suspects Judge Dredd to be involved.
Dredd attempts to investigates the murders with the help of Judge Anderson, but it all goes wrong when Dredd get arrested. Realising that Judge Anderson's life is in danger, Dredd has to prejure himself in order to help Anderson. But it may be too late for Anderson, and as Dredd is sentenced to go to the prison moon of Titan for his presumed crimes, a new danger arises from the dead Judges.
Dredd attempts to investigates the murders with the help of Judge Anderson, but it all goes wrong when Dredd get arrested. Realising that Judge Anderson's life is in danger, Dredd has to prejure himself in order to help Anderson. But it may be too late for Anderson, and as Dredd is sentenced to go to the prison moon of Titan for his presumed crimes, a new danger arises from the dead Judges.
December 30, 2019
Uneven stories
3.5* As a major fan of Judge Dredd, I admit that I found this volume slightly disappointing. The drawing is still crisp and the color is perfect but the stories were less satisfying and took on more of a mystical bend. One strength here, however, is the emphasis on Dredd’s detective skills. How he can read situations and analyze evidence to quickly identify culprits or track down perps. It is one of the things I enjoy the most about Dredd: his mind is his best weapon.
3.5* As a major fan of Judge Dredd, I admit that I found this volume slightly disappointing. The drawing is still crisp and the color is perfect but the stories were less satisfying and took on more of a mystical bend. One strength here, however, is the emphasis on Dredd’s detective skills. How he can read situations and analyze evidence to quickly identify culprits or track down perps. It is one of the things I enjoy the most about Dredd: his mind is his best weapon.
May 26, 2019
Easily the best of the IDW series so far, opening with the one-and-done neo-noir throwback “French for Black” and then barreling right into “13 Badges”. I was dubious of Judge Cal’s introduction, afraid this might take the same turn as the previous volume’s “Cursed Earth” redux, but thankfully this story took some excitingly unexpected turns—and ended on one hell of a (nevertheless expected) cliffhanger. Recommended.
October 7, 2021
Great story and art. I'm starting to understand the setting and the big idea of Judge Dredd. Judges walk the street, sentencing and executing punishment immediately to expedite the justice process. Only now there's no jury and judges are just as fallible as common police. There are psychic judges and advanced technology to detect lies but it seems most of this evidence is ignored by the judges for the sake of their personal resolve.
August 20, 2019
This entry was so-so to me. It contains two stories that continue on from the previous installments that are buffered by three unrelated stories, with only one of them featuring Dredd. I appreciate what the writer is doing but the three unrelated stories were too short and off focused to add anything to the main story arc, which was too brief for me to enjoy this outing.
July 21, 2017
Четверта зірочка за інтермедії. Перша, де ретро-вірус закидає сприйняття мешканців Мегасіті в нуар заслуговує окремої подяки.
Загалом сюжет залишається тим самим: безкомпромісне втілення закону в дедалі абсурдніших ситуаціях.
Загалом сюжет залишається тим самим: безкомпромісне втілення закону в дедалі абсурдніших ситуаціях.
January 14, 2018
A weaker part from the series, at least for me.
February 10, 2019
Eh. 3/5?
Read
November 11, 2023Great read
The story telling of Dredd is dark and grim but still holds on for justice. Good Job in the art which is a treat.
The story telling of Dredd is dark and grim but still holds on for justice. Good Job in the art which is a treat.
August 9, 2019
I've really got to go back and read the volumes before this to totally understand what's going on in the main story. The opening story - a film noir homage/parody - stands alone, and then there are a couple issues following the ongoing storyline involving a Judge killer. It ends with the debut of a character that should be well-known to even casual fans of the original 2000 AD Judge Dredd series. And then there are two more standalone stories that didn't interest me because their arts was not my preference.
So I'd say it's good to have as part of the series, but it won't stand on its own.
So I'd say it's good to have as part of the series, but it won't stand on its own.
November 13, 2014
Well, we finally see Dredd's face. An entire story without the helmet.
Which seems a petty point to declare this comic just wrong. But there you go. It's just wrong.
Logical inconsistencies all over the place. The major plot point twists just make absolutely no sense, Dredd purjures himself? Reeaaaaaallly?
Just. Rubbish I'm afraid.
Which seems a petty point to declare this comic just wrong. But there you go. It's just wrong.
Logical inconsistencies all over the place. The major plot point twists just make absolutely no sense, Dredd purjures himself? Reeaaaaaallly?
Just. Rubbish I'm afraid.
December 30, 2014
Dredd's celebratory return to Mega City 1 is hampered somewhat, by the return of a villain from a previous storyline, and the murder of oodles and oodles of judges. The tale continues to be enjoyable for its basic elements mixed up in new combinations. The short story one shots included in this episode were particularly good.
July 14, 2014
This series is becoming rather average. It's not a patch on its British cousin.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews