Judge Dredd: Toxic!

Judge Dredd (IDW) #15

by Paul Jenkins

Dredd’s investigation into the death of a seemingly unremarkable sewage worker spirals into a waste management crisis that could destroy all of Mega-City One, which has long used genetic modification on its waste workers to control the deluge of filth that flows under the city each day. When Dredd discovers that some of them have foregone that disfiguring procedure in favor of hosting protective alien symbiotes, it sparks a groundswell of anti-immigration fervor. Soon the toxic atmosphere spills into the streets, undermining the very infrastructure that makes the city tolerable. Can Dredd find a solution to save the now-indispensable aliens from the angry mobs?

Genres: Comics, Science Fiction, Graphic Novels

99 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 29, 2019

About the author

Paul Jenkins is a British comic book writer. He has had much success crossing over into the American comic book market. Primarily working for Marvel Comics, he has had a big part shaping the characters of the company over the past decade.

Reviews

[Alexander Peterhans · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story doesn't make a whole of a lot of sense, and Judge Anderson gets exactly two things to do: some minor psi mind-reading stuff, and repeatedly telling Dredd he's a curmudgeon.

The art is excellent, though.

[Frédéric · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not too subtle (actually not subtle at all), not too ironic, not too interesting either.

Dredd is the shadow of himself. The rookie is a bore and for some reason Psi-Judge Anderson is a nag. Jenkins probably wanted to give the impression she has wits but here she's just a ball breaker.

Art and colours are good though. But this book is still a miss.

[Alex Sarll]

All the quality we've come to expect from Paul Jenkins, ie none whatsoever. Dredd is intransigent and implacable, sure, but here he's a fool and a bully, only reined in by good cop Anderson, though she's uncharacteristically annoying herself; it reads like the treatment for a third, even worse film. Nor is the grasp on their city any better, being based around an underclass engineered to deal with the waste of a city that is apparently not really into recycling - because it's not as if Resyk has been a fixture of the setting for decades, is it? All of this being the handle for a plotline about anti-immigrant demagogues that's been done with more flair a hundred times before, even in real life. I only read it because the Megazine has been carrying the mostly misbegotten IDW Dredd comics in its reprint slot; this, mercifully, looks to be the last, as if to show us quite how unappetising the dregs were getting, a story about a build-up of sludge that's married form and content.

[Jonathan Lee B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Judge Dredd: Toxic! is evolution.

[Sebastian Hoyos · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just not good. Art was nice, but it was just so boring. The whole Trump thing was also lame. This seemed like an activism piece disguised as a Dredd story. Read any other Dredd arc, this is not worth your money or time. Anderson was also annoying, literally on every page she was either shitting on Dredd or the rookie judge. Was looking forward to reading this, but what a disappointment...

[Gav451 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dredd on form

This was a cracking little story. The tale is a classic slice of the mega city I've not seen before. It does that wonderful thing of expanding the universe without too much exposition. The story is the exposition and I liked of for that.

The characters are all great. Dredd is old school so it's not nuanced but Anderson really shines. There are moments aged her pithy comments make the story. The very last line in particular made me laugh and smile. All the characters are good.

While the story is solid the twist is a bit obvious, the brutal way the twist is dealt with however is fully on point.

As ever the story is also a wonderful comment on society and fear. The many meanings of the title are explored.

The action was good, the pace brilliant and the story layered. If was great.

[DoNotDoxMe Goodreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's alright. Art was good, story was good. It felt a little undercut by making Donald Trump the villain. I get he's a negative symbol to most people, but it might make the book a little dated when the majority of dumb senseless mob violence is from the consistently from the opposite side. Regardless, the book was decent enough. Fun flowing read to knock out in one sitting. Dredd, Anderson, and Judge kiss ass played off each other well. I'd recommend reading this.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the satire that's more focused on racial hypocrisy than on environmental concern and the direct jab at the founder of the Alt-Right Movement. Plus, a couple moments had me bursting in laughter like the streets bursting with sewage.
I don't think I can tire of Judge Anderson's wit after this.

[David Fernández · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aunque resulta un tanto confuso en ocasiones, toca muchos de los temas controvertidos de Dredd y eso lo convierte en un buen ejemplo de por qué leer cómics de 2000AD.

[Ztu · Rating 4 out of 5]

An alt-universe where Judge Dredd almost singlehandedly takes on Trump and the patriot movement.

[Dan Blackley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book! Judge Dredd is awesome.