Villordsutch reviews Judge Dredd Megazine #368…
Borag Thungg! Did you make any New Year’s resolutions? Was it to continue to read Judge Dredd Megazine? If yes congratulations, you’ve earned yourself a sit down and a cup of tea for sticking with your life-goal. It’s our very first issue of the Judge Dredd Megazine for 2016 and you better have brought your sea legs for we have a new opener in Issue #368 with Judge Dredd – The Gyre which sees Dredd enter the rather turbulent Pacific Ocean. We’re also waving goodbye to Demon Nic. as it closes its doors with part eight. Now let’s stop hanging round like Perps waiting for trouble and crack on with the review!
Judge Dredd – The Gyre (Part 1)
A new story starts and we’re away from Mega-City One. With no available back-up able to come to Dredd and Judge Joyce’s aid, along with the hyper-electric storm bringing almost a complete blackout to anything electrical, these two officers of the Law are sent to locate a Department of Justice Message pod, last detected on a derelict aircraft carrier called The Gyre which is in the middle of the Pacific Ocean – home to the living flotsam and jetsam which the human race doesn’t want to look at. Michael Carroll’s script has already set up the mystery around the Message pod, there is an Ice Station Zebra vibration humming from these pages. The standout from this opening strip however is the rather fantastic artwork from Nick Percival, it looks like it has been painted upon the pages of my book.
Demon Nic. (Part 8)
Paul Grist’s Demon Nic. comes to a rather humourous close. Though this hasn’t been my favourite story across the final few months the closing chapter is very enjoyable with the vertically challenged Soul Walker, Paul delivering his humour rather well. It’s clear Demon Nic. will be returning in the future as the pieces have been set up on the board already.
Demarco, P.I. (Part 2)
Michael Carroll and artist Steve Yeowell scored a Tale of the Month last time with Demarco, P.I.; however with this month’s “chase” strip, all we can really do is appreciate the excellent talents of Steve Yeowell, before a final payoff in the closing panels. It’s never a burden you understand to look a Steve’s artwork, many a time I’ve considered writing to him asking about commissioned work. However I’m not a fan of chase scenes in comics as I often feel cheated on the story front. In a trade paperback they’re fine, but in a comic I find them rather dull.
Judge Dredd – Dust (Part 2)
With Dust unfolding it appears that the recent vicious stabbings in Mega-City One, along with the strange dust found in and upon the victims, all seem to have be connected. As Dredd sets the bait with a known alias of a recent victim they come face-to-face with the knife-wielding, dust-riding assassin. Arthur Wyatt is moving his pieces rather brilliantly on this board, Dredd is none the wiser, people are dying and our assassins motives are perhaps slowly coming into the light. Again the art from Ben Willsher and palette of Chris Blythe make this story look fantastic.
Tale of the Month
Both Judge Dredd stories are honestly worthy of Tale of the Month this time however to pick one I’m throwing my dart into Dust, for two months now Arthur Wyatt has delivered a solid Dredd tale that has caught my attention and hooked me in, along with the excellent work from Ben Willsher and Chris Blythe this whole story looks and reads brilliantly.
Splundig Vur Thrigg!
Rating: 8/10
Villordsutch likes his sci-fi and looks like a tubby Viking according to his children. Visit his website and follow him on Twitter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng&v=awfT2dB6YmA
Originally published January 20, 2016. Updated April 15, 2018.
