Last month on City of Courts, Judge Joseph Dredd visits the West Coast, sees some scenery, and experience West Coast law, order, and fashion. Now Dredd goes undercover and delve into gang life as “The Man,” an artist and survivor of the Cursed Earth. As “The Man,” Dredd has a documentary crew following his every move. No longer a hard-working man merely cleaning up scum, Dredd poses as a BIG STAR!
Both covers are amusing. The regular cover dares you to play dress up with Mega-City One’s finest lawman. Even his exposed face is still unexposed. The variant cover is a spoof of the Terminator 2: Judgement Day poster. In addition to the City of Courts #2 preview, check out the preview to Judge Dredd Classics #8, reprinting the end of the Apocalypse War storyline from the pages of 2000 AD.
Mega-City Two: City of Courts #2 gives another look into how Dredd performs away from the Big Meg. The issue covers his undercover mission where he gets acclimated to some gang-cult thingy and experiences how Mega-City Two blends outlaw culture with commercialism.
While the overarching plot of why Dredd’s on the West Coast moves a bit, I was immersed in his maintaining his cover while never losing his integrity. The plot sometimes cuts corners, but it’s decent: Dredd going undercover meeting the infamous Children of a Lesser Grud, whose leader is “Mother 13.”
Ulises Farinas’ panels mostly flow as he keeps visualizing the breeziness of Mega-City Two culture. He packs in nods to cyberpunk, post-apolyptic movies, and hip-hop, especially California Love. Dredd looks like a Samurai Goroh knockoff, but it fits within the atmosphere. Midway through the issue, Farinas’ fertive imagination produces a wide shot a freeway structure sprouting from its intended function.
Those sticking around after the first issue won’t be disappointed. The creative team of City of Courts still show that Dredd’s trip out West isn’t a tacky add-on the legendary mythos. Okay, it’s tacky visually, but fittingly so.
Judge Dredd: Mega-City Two: City of Courts #2 is published by IDW. 22 story pages at 399 cents. Issue writtn by Douglas Wolk, drawn by Ulises Farinas, colored by Ryan Hill, and lettered by Tom B. Long.
Mega-City Two: City of Courts #2 Preview
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Judge Dredd Classics #8 Preview
This reprint of the classic conclusion of the Apocalypse War story features the talents of Dredd co-creators John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra, along with Alan Grant (as “T.B. Grover”) and Tom Frame and his distinct style. Classics #8 is colored by Tom Mullin.
Click on each page for full size please don’t hotlink.
Thanks to IDW for supplying review copies.