Best of 2000 AD Vol.1 (2022) Review
Summary: A bit harder to get into than some of the other Judge Dredd collected editions so maybe one more for people who are already fans of 2000AD.
3
Still solid
Continuing in the re-release of the old 2000AD IP by Rebellion comes the Best of 2000AD with a selection of different stories across the magazine getting their own collected volume for a certain storyline. The main focus here seems to be promoting future releases as at least two of these are getting an upcoming release of the next book in the series.
Judge Dredd continues to be the meat and potatoes in the series and maybe the most accessible part of this release for a lot of people. There does not seem to be any other stories you need to know to get into those particular stories and it does not need to be followed up unless you are already into the series. From what the promo says there is one new Judge Dredd story and a classic one later in the issue.
I have to admit I found some of this a bit harder to get through such as the Ballad of Halo Jones or Brink that go on for a long time and don’t really seem to do that much in terms of having an interesting story. I wish they could have included some of the funnier characters like Strontium Dog. From the encyclopedia I reviewed a few months back there are hundreds of characters they could include in these and as they go through there will be more obscure ones included for release I am sure.
Anderson, PSI Division: Shamballa was surprisingly deep in terms of story as I had heard of that character but not seen one of their stories before. Is also the first story that actually shows something in Australia I have seen in the re-releases.
There is a variety of different artwork on display in each of the stories, even the two featuring Judge Dredd are by different artists so there is always something interesting to look at.
While this is a solid release, I would still not recommend it as much as the some of the Judge Dredd compilations or the encyclopedia or art books for the series just because it is more difficult to get into some of the stories in this one and you have to be more of a fan to enjoy it.
Book details:
Publisher: Rebellion
Published: 27 September 2022
Format: 200 pages, soft cover, colour
Cover Art: Jamie McKelvie
Compiled by: Owen Johnson Trade & Special Sales Manager
Gemma Sheldrake, Designer
Original Commissioning Editors: Shave MacManus, Richard Burton, Matt Smith
Judge Dredd: Mutie Block
Writer: John Wagner
Artist: Kev Walker
Colourist: Chris Blythe
Letterer: Annie Parkhouse
Brink: Book Onne, Part One
Writer: Dab Abnett
Artist: INJ Cuibard
Letterer: Simon Bowland
The Ballad of Halo Jones: Book One
Writer: Alan Moore
Artist: Ian Gibson
Colourist: Barbara Nosenzo
Letterer: Steve Potter
Strontium Dog: The Sad Case
Writer: John Wagner
Artist: Carlos Eszquerra
Letterer: Tom Frame
Critical Essay: Hidden Kingdom, Hidden Classic
Writer: Adam Karenina Sherif
Anderson, PSI Division: Shamballa
Writer: Alan Grant
Artist: Arthur Ranson
Letterer: Steve Potter
Judge Dredd: Spock’s Mock Chocs
Writer: Alan Grant
Artist: Brendan McCarthy & Jamie Hewett
Letterer: Tom Frame
D.R. & Quinch’s Agony Page
Writers: Jamie Delano & Alan Davis
Artist: Alan Davis
Ink & Colours: Mark Farmer
Letterer: Steve Potter
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