Andy Naylor reviews Judge Dredd #15…
“‘Badges, part 2.’ With Judges being assassinated at an alarming rate, and chaos breaking out in various blocks, Dredd is more determined than ever to find the killer-a former Judge who went insane about being cloned and incarcerated.
But the case draws Dredd into the crosshairs of the Special Judicial Squad, who think he’s to blame for all the troubles of late.
If you think the Dredd plays rough, wait until you meet the skull-cracking sadists of the SJSÖ the Judges who judge the Judges”
Judge Dredd #15 continues from where we last saw our fearless Lawman, stuck at headquarters being interrogated some pompous self-serving Judge about his relationship with the perp, Tarjay. All the while he is psychically in communication with Judge Anderson.
The issue flows beautifully between Dredd’s simmering frustration and Anderson’s investigation. The interaction between Dredd and Judge Cal is nothing short of comedy perfection. Dredd’s continued irritation when played against Cal’s self-importance will have you giggling away through the panels. Cal is written quite superbly, a comic baddie in every sense as his obnoxiousness makes it so easy to hate him. Dredd’s arc is a polar opposite to Anderson’s, every step and panel change raises the tension level and the apprehension in the reader. You know what Tarjay is capable of and watching Anderson pursue him is delightfully uncomfortable reading leading up to one of the most gripping cliff hangers I have ever come across.
The story is aided by some excellent hard angular drawing. That style of characterisation, in my opinion, highlights anger and aggression, which there are bucket loads of in the Dredd universe. Combine that with miserable greys and dark dirty greens for the surrounding environments, then it makes for an enjoyable oppressive atmosphere.
I’m glad this run of Dredd has improved since I last read it. Each new issue sent me deeper into despair at what was happening to the famous Lawman. I had serious worries about where his stories were taking him and how he was being used. I’m happy to see that all has improved and Judge Dredd is getting the new stories that he deserves.
Andy Naylor – Follow me on Twitter
Originally published January 23, 2014. Updated April 11, 2018.
