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Day of Chaos #2
Judge Dredd Day of Chaos: Endgame by John Wagner
MEGA-CITY GONE?Mega-City One is at the mercy of a terrible act of retribution, thirty years in the making. The Chaos Bug has been released and the weakened Justice Department are finding it increasingly difficult to remain in control. As Judge Dredd searches for the perpetrators of this heinous act, another fearsome faction is added to the fray...Fear, Fire and Mortis � the Dark Judges!This stunning conclusion to the latest Mega-epic is written by John Wagner (Button Man, Strontium Dog) and featuring the art of Henry Flint (Zombo), Colin McNeil (Insurrection), Leigh Gallagher (Defoe) and Ben Willsher (Lenny Zero), ensures that nothing in Dredd’s world will ever be the same again!THIS VOLUME INCLUDES THE STORIESDAY OF THE ASSASSINATION LIST (2000 AD progs 1759-1764)DAY OF EVE OF DESTRUCTION (2000 AD progs 1765-1784)DAY OF TEA FOR TWO (2000 AD prog 1785)DAY OF WOT I DID DURING THE WORST DISSASTER IN MEGA-CITY HISTORY (2000 AD prog 1786)CHAOS TEA FOR TWO (2000 AD progs 1787-1788)THE DAY TEA FOR TWO (2000 AD prog 1789)
Mass Market Paperback
First published July 18, 2013
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64 people want to read
About the author
John Wagner
1,258Ìýbooks183ÌýfollowersJohn Wagner is a comics writer who was born in Pennsylvania in 1949 and moved to Scotland as a boy. Alongside Pat Mills, Wagner was responsible for revitalising British boys' comics in the 1970s, and has continued to be a leading light in British comics ever since. He is best known for his work on 2000 AD, for which he created Judge Dredd. He is noted for his taut, violent thrillers and his black humour. Among his pseudonyms are The best known are John Howard, T.B. Grover, Mike Stott, Keef Ripley, Rick Clark and Brian Skuter. ()
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
March 2, 2022
Few other Dredd stories have the scope of Day Of Chaos; none have its extremely odd structure. It’s a story which deliberately avoids any kind of climax, a narrative that falls apart as its protagonists lose control. The action is familiar from dozens of other Dredd episodes - Justice Department racing against time to handle a crisis; Dredd and his squad closing inexorably in on the perps. But the race is already lost, and all the police work achieves nothing. To underline the scale of it all, this is a story where the Dark Judges - the authors of Mega City 1’s previous darkest hour - are a red herring.
There’s no redemptive final battle, no defiant speeches, nothing to distract from the defeat. I can’t think of another example in serial fiction of a lead character and his world so ruthlessly dismantled. And yet Endgame is a terrifically entertaining comic, a series of payoffs to decades of Dredd continuity and - until things completely fall to bits - a breakneck action thriller. I don’t know if it’s Warner’s greatest Dredd story, but it’s surely his most formally adventurous and riskiest.
There’s no redemptive final battle, no defiant speeches, nothing to distract from the defeat. I can’t think of another example in serial fiction of a lead character and his world so ruthlessly dismantled. And yet Endgame is a terrifically entertaining comic, a series of payoffs to decades of Dredd continuity and - until things completely fall to bits - a breakneck action thriller. I don’t know if it’s Warner’s greatest Dredd story, but it’s surely his most formally adventurous and riskiest.
August 27, 2015
If the first part of the Day of Chaos was classic Judge Dredd story-telling, this is something more. I read this in one long sitting as I just had to watch in horror as the Big Meg was totally destroyed. Mainstream comics are often criticised for there being no consequences; if Superman dies he just has to punch the Universe to come back to life. Not so in Judge Dredd. This is a dystopian future you really don't want to live in, and the actions of the Justice Department have direct consequences that are still being felt in the comic strip over a year on, with no sign of just rebooting to the status quo. One of the best comics I've ever read!
May 7, 2018
It all comes to a head: the Chaos virus starts to spread in Mega City One, despite attempts that catch some of the initial Sov block infiltrators spreading it. Judge Dredd spearheads efforts to contain it and to limit the fallout and it appears to work; at first. But it all comes to an explosive failure when a news leak leads to a loss of confidence in Justice Department and war breaks out between the citizens and the Judges. Add to the mix attacks on parts of Justice Department itself by anarchist and democracy groups and you have to wonder how old Joe Dredd can keep his cool, especially when he knows the decision he made in the part (in the "Armageddon" story) would lead to this.
By the time the bug has run it course, most of Mega City One is in ruins, most of its population is dead and all Judge Dredd and Justice Department can do is pick through the pieces and build on what is left.
But as if things aren't bad enough, three of the Death Judges (Fear, Fire and Mortis) are freed. But here, they play only a minor role in a quick side-story involving PJ Maybe. Perhaps they will have a bigger role to play in what remains of Mega City One in the next part of the series.
By the time the bug has run it course, most of Mega City One is in ruins, most of its population is dead and all Judge Dredd and Justice Department can do is pick through the pieces and build on what is left.
But as if things aren't bad enough, three of the Death Judges (Fear, Fire and Mortis) are freed. But here, they play only a minor role in a quick side-story involving PJ Maybe. Perhaps they will have a bigger role to play in what remains of Mega City One in the next part of the series.
February 11, 2017
My 2nd Favorite Dredd Story. Technically a few more people died in The Apocalypse War, and Necropolis was probably the most disturbing, but the quantity of violence in this book is almost unbelievable, it's so over the top and extreme that it almost loses it's impact, mountains of bodies, disaster after disaster after disaster. And all of it done with a professional skill reminiscent of a AAA Hollywood Movie, and some of the finest writing in comics. As usual Dredd is right about everything and nobody listens to him. I really enjoyed this book from start to finish, the story is riveting, I just couldn't stop reading it, I had to keep forcing myself to stop and read slowly. John Wagner really screws over the society he invented in this one. I don't know what the Hell they're supposed to do to turn it around, over the course of the series, they've been reduced from 800 million people, to a population the size of Canada. It's pretty grim, and the madness of the population doesn't help matters. The enemy was really well conceived, he was a fascinating character, and his plans were devious and brilliant. He is the perfect enemy for Dredd. The Judges do their best to keep the situation under control, but he doesn't make it easy for them. It really is a fantastic read, absolutely a must buy for anyone interested in the series. You should read Case Files 5 to learn about the Apocalypse War, but other than that you can just dive right in here. This is a two part story, so make sure to also pick up Day of Chaos The Fourth Faction, which sets up the events of this story. There is a certain charm to Necropolis, which makes me like it better than this, but technically this book is better in every way. Extremely impressive, at times it is even quite funny, a masterwork, buy it. The Comics Code Authority is rolling in it's grave.
February 23, 2021
We pick up where we left off from the previous volume. This time round the Chaos Bug has been released and the Justice Department are having a field day trying to control the outbreak and remain in control. But as Judge Dredd tries to search for the perpetrators of this heinous act, other elements enter the fray, adding more complications to the chaos.
John Wagner with his talented array of artists such as Henry Flint, Leigh Gallagher and Ben Willsher has created an epic which is quite possibly the biggest event in 2000AD’s history since The Apocalypse War. It is utterly enthralling and thrilling a read, full of twists and turns. Just when you think things cannot get any worse, Wagner trumps it and introduces elements into the story even more spectacular. It is quite a dense read and in order to appreciate the story fully, you cannot rush it. You must take your time as I did, to let it all sink in.
The collection is split into six acts, or arcs which connect with one another in the wider scheme of things. First up is “The Assassinaton List�. The artist on duty here is one of my favourite, Leigh Gallagher who is famous for his breath-taking work on 2000AD’s zombie epic “Defoe�. We start off with Elmore Yurges and his family, who’ve been kidnapped by Borisenko to extract the details of the Chaos Bug. Yurges of course is the scientist who engineered the Chaos Bug and he is key to the story. Back at Mega City 1 the psychic Cadet Hennessy continues to have premonitions about the impending disaster, and her twin sister Gabrielle tries to assist the Judges, but will it be too late to avert what will surely come to pass?
This was a great opener, full of heart-pounding moments, and the realisation of the horrors which are yet to come. Things are made doubly hard by undercover East Meg agents intent on silencing key figures…Dredd included. The artwork is great by Gallagher.
Next up was “Eve of Destruction�, this is where things start really getting serious. This act makes up much of the meat of the story with not one, but three artists on duty namely Henry Flint, Ben Willsher and Colin MacNeil. We start off with undercover East Meg agents being given the Chaos Bug phial’s to take into Mega City 1, before using it on themselves to spread the disease amongst the public triggering widespread devestation. Key among them is Titiana, who is Borisenko’s aide.
We also glimpse what the Chaos Bug is capable of causing in its victims, from the flu like symptons to memory loss, bleeding and rage. Dredd is also hard at work trying to uncover the Chaos Bug conspiracy and find Borisenko. Add to that other terrorist factions such as “Total War� and “Rage against the Meg� causing havoc, and an East Meg agent stirring up the anti-Judge media with falsified evidence and you have a city in widespread panic and anarchy. Oh and to top it all off, the Dark Judges have also been released to add sparkle to proceedings!
It was simply an enthralling read � full of twists, turns and havoc upon havoc. And the artwork on show by all three mentioned artists is simply awe-inspiring. From Henry Flint’s stunning style, with so much detail and character, some of his images have seared themselves onto my brain. I would spoil the story if I mention which panels but it needs to be seen to be believed. Ben Willsher with his scratchy, visceral style, and Colin MacNeil whose work is just a joy to behold. His appearance in the book is short, maybe 24 pages in total, but boy are they memorable. His depiction of the Dark Judges is just an absolute treat to witness.
“Tea For Two� follows straight after. It’s very brief at just 6 pages, but very enjoyable. We have Dredd going through the devestation wreaked streets to the block where his niece Vienna lives. He persuades her to move into a more safer block, as they share tea and biscuits but Vienna is reluctant to go. I really enjoyed this brief little gem, Wagner’s script showed how the Chaos Day had affected Dredd, his thoughts on the city akin to the fall of civilisation was really insightful. The artwork by Edmund Bagwell is simply magnificent, whether it be the look of the streets, the block squalor or the characters themselves. It looks like something the late Moebius would conjure up.
Next up was � Wot I did during the worst disaster in Mega-City history�. Here we drop in on my favourite serial killer, P.J Maybe to see what, well what the title basically says! We last saw him in the first book, getting up to all manner of mischief and worming his way to a elderly rich lady’s heart. Well he seems to be holding up pretty well at home during the chaos outside, with plenty of food and whatnot. But his peace is rudely interrupted when the Dark Judges come a-calling! I must say this was a really welcome inclusion! Not only was it funny, but Henry Flint’s artwork again was superb, especially the way he rendered the ghostly Dark Judges. Although brief again like the preceding story, it was great fun.
“Chaos Day� and “The Days After� were the last stories in this fantastic collection. In the first, the Academy of Law is attacked by terrorist groups. And we see other shocking acts of killing and chaos. Henry Flint’s artwork is just magnificent, capturing the anarchy and devastation in beautiful detail. Especially eye catching is the shot of the city at dawn, with train wreckage strewn and refugees walking in line almost silently like lost souls. Or two children holding one another, but suddenly we see they are infected and Dredd has to shoot them. Not to mention the image of Dredd himself, head lowered, his face obscured in shadow. A broken man.
This whole collection was an absolutely riveting read, there were moments which hammered home the severity of this disaster and the implications it will have on Mega City 1, not to mention Judge Dredd himself. He sums it up clearly at the end when he says he has let the people down “Protect the citizens. The one thing above all we’re supposed to guarantee�.and we couldn’t get that right�. It is obvious he feels guilt on his part for the disaster. The Mega City he knew is gone, he will have to move on but one thing is for sure, it won’t be that easy.
And so ends the stunning conclusion to one of the biggest episodes in the history of Mega City 1 since The Apocalypse War. I really enjoyed this collection, there is so much depth in Wagner’s storytelling and scope via the talented group of artists on show.
John Wagner with his talented array of artists such as Henry Flint, Leigh Gallagher and Ben Willsher has created an epic which is quite possibly the biggest event in 2000AD’s history since The Apocalypse War. It is utterly enthralling and thrilling a read, full of twists and turns. Just when you think things cannot get any worse, Wagner trumps it and introduces elements into the story even more spectacular. It is quite a dense read and in order to appreciate the story fully, you cannot rush it. You must take your time as I did, to let it all sink in.
The collection is split into six acts, or arcs which connect with one another in the wider scheme of things. First up is “The Assassinaton List�. The artist on duty here is one of my favourite, Leigh Gallagher who is famous for his breath-taking work on 2000AD’s zombie epic “Defoe�. We start off with Elmore Yurges and his family, who’ve been kidnapped by Borisenko to extract the details of the Chaos Bug. Yurges of course is the scientist who engineered the Chaos Bug and he is key to the story. Back at Mega City 1 the psychic Cadet Hennessy continues to have premonitions about the impending disaster, and her twin sister Gabrielle tries to assist the Judges, but will it be too late to avert what will surely come to pass?
This was a great opener, full of heart-pounding moments, and the realisation of the horrors which are yet to come. Things are made doubly hard by undercover East Meg agents intent on silencing key figures…Dredd included. The artwork is great by Gallagher.
Next up was “Eve of Destruction�, this is where things start really getting serious. This act makes up much of the meat of the story with not one, but three artists on duty namely Henry Flint, Ben Willsher and Colin MacNeil. We start off with undercover East Meg agents being given the Chaos Bug phial’s to take into Mega City 1, before using it on themselves to spread the disease amongst the public triggering widespread devestation. Key among them is Titiana, who is Borisenko’s aide.
We also glimpse what the Chaos Bug is capable of causing in its victims, from the flu like symptons to memory loss, bleeding and rage. Dredd is also hard at work trying to uncover the Chaos Bug conspiracy and find Borisenko. Add to that other terrorist factions such as “Total War� and “Rage against the Meg� causing havoc, and an East Meg agent stirring up the anti-Judge media with falsified evidence and you have a city in widespread panic and anarchy. Oh and to top it all off, the Dark Judges have also been released to add sparkle to proceedings!
It was simply an enthralling read � full of twists, turns and havoc upon havoc. And the artwork on show by all three mentioned artists is simply awe-inspiring. From Henry Flint’s stunning style, with so much detail and character, some of his images have seared themselves onto my brain. I would spoil the story if I mention which panels but it needs to be seen to be believed. Ben Willsher with his scratchy, visceral style, and Colin MacNeil whose work is just a joy to behold. His appearance in the book is short, maybe 24 pages in total, but boy are they memorable. His depiction of the Dark Judges is just an absolute treat to witness.
“Tea For Two� follows straight after. It’s very brief at just 6 pages, but very enjoyable. We have Dredd going through the devestation wreaked streets to the block where his niece Vienna lives. He persuades her to move into a more safer block, as they share tea and biscuits but Vienna is reluctant to go. I really enjoyed this brief little gem, Wagner’s script showed how the Chaos Day had affected Dredd, his thoughts on the city akin to the fall of civilisation was really insightful. The artwork by Edmund Bagwell is simply magnificent, whether it be the look of the streets, the block squalor or the characters themselves. It looks like something the late Moebius would conjure up.
Next up was � Wot I did during the worst disaster in Mega-City history�. Here we drop in on my favourite serial killer, P.J Maybe to see what, well what the title basically says! We last saw him in the first book, getting up to all manner of mischief and worming his way to a elderly rich lady’s heart. Well he seems to be holding up pretty well at home during the chaos outside, with plenty of food and whatnot. But his peace is rudely interrupted when the Dark Judges come a-calling! I must say this was a really welcome inclusion! Not only was it funny, but Henry Flint’s artwork again was superb, especially the way he rendered the ghostly Dark Judges. Although brief again like the preceding story, it was great fun.
“Chaos Day� and “The Days After� were the last stories in this fantastic collection. In the first, the Academy of Law is attacked by terrorist groups. And we see other shocking acts of killing and chaos. Henry Flint’s artwork is just magnificent, capturing the anarchy and devastation in beautiful detail. Especially eye catching is the shot of the city at dawn, with train wreckage strewn and refugees walking in line almost silently like lost souls. Or two children holding one another, but suddenly we see they are infected and Dredd has to shoot them. Not to mention the image of Dredd himself, head lowered, his face obscured in shadow. A broken man.
This whole collection was an absolutely riveting read, there were moments which hammered home the severity of this disaster and the implications it will have on Mega City 1, not to mention Judge Dredd himself. He sums it up clearly at the end when he says he has let the people down “Protect the citizens. The one thing above all we’re supposed to guarantee�.and we couldn’t get that right�. It is obvious he feels guilt on his part for the disaster. The Mega City he knew is gone, he will have to move on but one thing is for sure, it won’t be that easy.
And so ends the stunning conclusion to one of the biggest episodes in the history of Mega City 1 since The Apocalypse War. I really enjoyed this collection, there is so much depth in Wagner’s storytelling and scope via the talented group of artists on show.
July 1, 2015
In short: things go from bad to worse to catastrophic.
Outplayed at almost every turn by the strategic brilliance of Sov Block intelligence officer, Yevgeny Borisenko, the justice department finds itself in a desperate race-against-time to try and avert the spread of a virulent plague through the chaotic streets of a Mega-City One which is already ripping itself apart in an orgy of terrorist violence.
John Wagner promised readers a game-changer with the "Day Of Chaos" storyline and he certainly fulfils that promise with "Endgame". The events of major JD storylines like "The Apocalypse War", "Necropolis" and "Judgement Day" have seen the Big Meg laid low in the past, but the spread of the "Chaos Bug" puts the Megalopolis through the meat-grinder in a way that readers have never seen before.
I'll say no more about it, but I can't think of many writers who would be so willing to take such joy in annihilating the iconography of possibly their greatest creation - but John Wagner does it.
From hereon out, all bets are off as to where "Judge Dredd" can possibly go from here.
Outplayed at almost every turn by the strategic brilliance of Sov Block intelligence officer, Yevgeny Borisenko, the justice department finds itself in a desperate race-against-time to try and avert the spread of a virulent plague through the chaotic streets of a Mega-City One which is already ripping itself apart in an orgy of terrorist violence.
John Wagner promised readers a game-changer with the "Day Of Chaos" storyline and he certainly fulfils that promise with "Endgame". The events of major JD storylines like "The Apocalypse War", "Necropolis" and "Judgement Day" have seen the Big Meg laid low in the past, but the spread of the "Chaos Bug" puts the Megalopolis through the meat-grinder in a way that readers have never seen before.
I'll say no more about it, but I can't think of many writers who would be so willing to take such joy in annihilating the iconography of possibly their greatest creation - but John Wagner does it.
From hereon out, all bets are off as to where "Judge Dredd" can possibly go from here.
March 16, 2019
It's the consequences, I think.
Mega-City One has gone through its fair share of depopulations and apocalyptic events - wars, madmen in charge, zombies, you name it - but it's rare for any of it to do remotely permanent harm. The Dark Judges take over and slaughter sixty million like animals, and by next issue the city's dusted the dirt off its trousers and gotten back on its feet, with a new Chief Judge in charge at most. Sabbat shows up from the future and kills off billions of people worldwide, yet none of that is ever shown and not only is Mega-City One fine afterwards, so seems to be every other city we've seen since!
You could take it as an argument for just how relentlessly grim this future world is, that no one has the time to brood or to stay in the past, they just gotta pick up and move on, keep finding cheap thrills from elsewhere even if their parents were killed off by zombies or what have you. It's not the happiest comic series out there. But still - I like my continuity, and so I prefer the smaller stories, the little bits, where I don't have to keep wondering why the whole city wasn't forever changed because Dredd closed down an adrenaline factory or spent some time as a Block Judge.
Not so with Day of Chaos.
It's subtle. It's not mentioned all the time, not directly brought up all that often. But the mark it left on the city can be felt anyway, even just in the background. Entire blocks are in ruins many issues after the fact. The once so crowded streets and highways are suddenly conspicuously empty, sparse, few. Even if you'd missed the story altogether - didn't even know it had taken place - you could see from a glance that something real bad has taken place here. The Apocalypse war wiped out half the city in one fell swoop, but we didn't get to see those irradiated ruins all too often: the streets on the other hand can't be missed.
Day of Chaos wanted to change everything, to basically wreck the city, so it should be emphasized that it pulled this off great. But the story itself is good too. It's pretty tense, and well-written, as these things usually go when John Wagner is in charge. You'll know from the start that familiar faces may die and that things might take a bad turn: Judge Dredd was never one for much plot armor or reset buttons, and this story takes full advantage of it. And best of all, you get to see it happen from the front, unlike - again - in Judgement Day. Man, I really didn't like that story, did I?
But even then, even in a cataclysmic turning point like this, it's the little things I appreciate the most. My favourite bits in the whole story were when Dredd got wounded and had to take some downtime. I'd like to see a whole story arc where he takes over tutoring some cadets.
Let it also be said that P.J. Maybe is quite possibly my favourite serial killer. He's completely evil and irredeemable, but still entertaining to watch, sympathetic in his way, played in black comedy rather than trying to squeeze genuine drama out of it, he doesn't show up too often to wear out his welcome, and fails and gets his comeuppance often enough to not let the reader be bored with his invincibility, and to keep some tension up whether you're rooting for him to be caught or to get away. He even gets a character arc with a satisfying ending (a while after this story, but still).
It's a good read, on the whole. A bit long, some places I like less than others, but worth a check just for the high points, and for figuring out what the hell has happened to the world of Judge Dredd these past few years.
Mega-City One has gone through its fair share of depopulations and apocalyptic events - wars, madmen in charge, zombies, you name it - but it's rare for any of it to do remotely permanent harm. The Dark Judges take over and slaughter sixty million like animals, and by next issue the city's dusted the dirt off its trousers and gotten back on its feet, with a new Chief Judge in charge at most. Sabbat shows up from the future and kills off billions of people worldwide, yet none of that is ever shown and not only is Mega-City One fine afterwards, so seems to be every other city we've seen since!
You could take it as an argument for just how relentlessly grim this future world is, that no one has the time to brood or to stay in the past, they just gotta pick up and move on, keep finding cheap thrills from elsewhere even if their parents were killed off by zombies or what have you. It's not the happiest comic series out there. But still - I like my continuity, and so I prefer the smaller stories, the little bits, where I don't have to keep wondering why the whole city wasn't forever changed because Dredd closed down an adrenaline factory or spent some time as a Block Judge.
Not so with Day of Chaos.
It's subtle. It's not mentioned all the time, not directly brought up all that often. But the mark it left on the city can be felt anyway, even just in the background. Entire blocks are in ruins many issues after the fact. The once so crowded streets and highways are suddenly conspicuously empty, sparse, few. Even if you'd missed the story altogether - didn't even know it had taken place - you could see from a glance that something real bad has taken place here. The Apocalypse war wiped out half the city in one fell swoop, but we didn't get to see those irradiated ruins all too often: the streets on the other hand can't be missed.
Day of Chaos wanted to change everything, to basically wreck the city, so it should be emphasized that it pulled this off great. But the story itself is good too. It's pretty tense, and well-written, as these things usually go when John Wagner is in charge. You'll know from the start that familiar faces may die and that things might take a bad turn: Judge Dredd was never one for much plot armor or reset buttons, and this story takes full advantage of it. And best of all, you get to see it happen from the front, unlike - again - in Judgement Day. Man, I really didn't like that story, did I?
But even then, even in a cataclysmic turning point like this, it's the little things I appreciate the most. My favourite bits in the whole story were when Dredd got wounded and had to take some downtime. I'd like to see a whole story arc where he takes over tutoring some cadets.
Let it also be said that P.J. Maybe is quite possibly my favourite serial killer. He's completely evil and irredeemable, but still entertaining to watch, sympathetic in his way, played in black comedy rather than trying to squeeze genuine drama out of it, he doesn't show up too often to wear out his welcome, and fails and gets his comeuppance often enough to not let the reader be bored with his invincibility, and to keep some tension up whether you're rooting for him to be caught or to get away. He even gets a character arc with a satisfying ending (a while after this story, but still).
It's a good read, on the whole. A bit long, some places I like less than others, but worth a check just for the high points, and for figuring out what the hell has happened to the world of Judge Dredd these past few years.
August 15, 2020
How much worse can it get for Mega-City One? That’s what you keep asking yourself every few pages as you read ‘Day of Chaos: Endgame� but things keep getting worse, and worse…and worse. Writer John Wagner knows how to rack up the tension. He uses that old standby the ticking clock - or in this case, calendar - and counts down to the big event with captions: ’Chaos Day minus 6,� and so on. And every day the reader wonders, how bad can it get?
Not the story, which gets better and better as you go along. It starts well, too. Mr Yurges, a top biologist, and his family have been kidnapped by the Sovs who are still bitter about being nuked a few decades ago. His beloveds threatened with ghastly tortures, Yurges is forced to work on the Chaos Virus, a deadly plague which the easterners intend to inflict on Mega-City One. The Judges have some warning but not much. Cadet Carter Hennessy, a young pre-cog Judge, has been so upset by her visions that she has slipped into a near catatonic state. Gabrielle, her twin sister is able to get dark hints of what lies ahead but they are not always very helpful. And those crafty Sovs, in fiction as in real life, have deep cover agents, planted long ago and completely unknown to the authorities. Some of them have been posing as decent, wholesome Mega-City One citizens for decades.
The gruesome revenge of the Sovs is particularly personal for Judge Dredd because he is the man who ordered the nuclear attack on them in a previous war. A lesser man might have doubts - and perhaps he does. We are not usually privy to Joe’s thoughts, only his dialogue which does not necessarily reveal all. Dredd’s hard man approach has eased a little over time but not by much.
This is a classic police/spy/catastrophe story in a futuristic setting. There is no footling around with romantic sub-plots or children in peril or ma and pa threatened - the kind of stuff that Hollywood uses to humanize the threat. Like all truly great male heroes - Sherlock Holmes, Mister Spock, Hercule Poirot, Gil Grissom in the good old days - Dredd is completely focused on his work. He has a few well-regarded colleagues but no romantic interest. He cannot be distracted from his mission by threats to some helpless female. He’s a pro.
Some well-known villains from Dredd’s colourful past are thrown into the plot for added pleasure but I won’t give names away here. The visuals are very good throughout and you won’t usually notice when the artist changes unless you read the individual chapter credits. Well, you might, but it’s not glaringly obvious because Leigh Gallagher, Ben Wilsher, Colin Macneil and Edmund Bagwell keep up the high standard set by Henry Flint. The production values are excellent and there’s a cover gallery at the end.
More top-notch entertainment from those chaps at Rebellion. Mind you, you can’t go wrong with John Wagner and Joe Dredd.
Not the story, which gets better and better as you go along. It starts well, too. Mr Yurges, a top biologist, and his family have been kidnapped by the Sovs who are still bitter about being nuked a few decades ago. His beloveds threatened with ghastly tortures, Yurges is forced to work on the Chaos Virus, a deadly plague which the easterners intend to inflict on Mega-City One. The Judges have some warning but not much. Cadet Carter Hennessy, a young pre-cog Judge, has been so upset by her visions that she has slipped into a near catatonic state. Gabrielle, her twin sister is able to get dark hints of what lies ahead but they are not always very helpful. And those crafty Sovs, in fiction as in real life, have deep cover agents, planted long ago and completely unknown to the authorities. Some of them have been posing as decent, wholesome Mega-City One citizens for decades.
The gruesome revenge of the Sovs is particularly personal for Judge Dredd because he is the man who ordered the nuclear attack on them in a previous war. A lesser man might have doubts - and perhaps he does. We are not usually privy to Joe’s thoughts, only his dialogue which does not necessarily reveal all. Dredd’s hard man approach has eased a little over time but not by much.
This is a classic police/spy/catastrophe story in a futuristic setting. There is no footling around with romantic sub-plots or children in peril or ma and pa threatened - the kind of stuff that Hollywood uses to humanize the threat. Like all truly great male heroes - Sherlock Holmes, Mister Spock, Hercule Poirot, Gil Grissom in the good old days - Dredd is completely focused on his work. He has a few well-regarded colleagues but no romantic interest. He cannot be distracted from his mission by threats to some helpless female. He’s a pro.
Some well-known villains from Dredd’s colourful past are thrown into the plot for added pleasure but I won’t give names away here. The visuals are very good throughout and you won’t usually notice when the artist changes unless you read the individual chapter credits. Well, you might, but it’s not glaringly obvious because Leigh Gallagher, Ben Wilsher, Colin Macneil and Edmund Bagwell keep up the high standard set by Henry Flint. The production values are excellent and there’s a cover gallery at the end.
More top-notch entertainment from those chaps at Rebellion. Mind you, you can’t go wrong with John Wagner and Joe Dredd.
January 23, 2022
As a huge Dredd fan, I *want* to like this...
This is the second of two books, and the first (titled The Fourth Faction) was filled with what felt like lead-in stories. Wading through P.J. Maybe and Russian paramilitary cells is pretty difficult, but I hoped this book would offer a pay-off. Instead, halfway through this *second* volume, the virus is just starting to hit. Even then, we get the Dark Judges for no discernable reason, who run wild for a few pages and then go away. Meanwhile, the plot about mayoral elections continues -- which is fine, but I'm not sure it belongs in the same story. At last, as "Eve of Destruction" goes along, we finally get to the fun horror and tough decisions of the story; things escalate to a fever pitch. Then we get the inevitable couple one-off side stories, in which the Dark Judges get stuck in a vacuum cleaner of sorts. And then everything's just kind of resolved in the 12-page "Chaos Day." Then a 6-page epilogue sums up what happened in the following days.
One of the things Dredd usually does well is go straight for the fun. It's not a coherent world. It's got time travel and werewolves and malicious spirits. Yes, Dredd can be the subject of thoughtful stories (e.g. "America"), but many of the most beloved Dredd stories are simply gonzo, wild, violent entertainment. Unfortunately, the pacing is wildly off here. The Batman titles did a better job of telling a contagion story... in the 1990s.
Every decade or so, it seems like an "event" kills off a big percentage -- a bigger and bigger one, it feels like -- of Mega-City One's population. This is by far the biggest percentage. And by far the least satisfying, at least to me.
Just my 2 cents. I'm glad for everyone who enjoys it, and I truly wish I did too.
This is the second of two books, and the first (titled The Fourth Faction) was filled with what felt like lead-in stories. Wading through P.J. Maybe and Russian paramilitary cells is pretty difficult, but I hoped this book would offer a pay-off. Instead, halfway through this *second* volume, the virus is just starting to hit. Even then, we get the Dark Judges for no discernable reason, who run wild for a few pages and then go away. Meanwhile, the plot about mayoral elections continues -- which is fine, but I'm not sure it belongs in the same story. At last, as "Eve of Destruction" goes along, we finally get to the fun horror and tough decisions of the story; things escalate to a fever pitch. Then we get the inevitable couple one-off side stories, in which the Dark Judges get stuck in a vacuum cleaner of sorts. And then everything's just kind of resolved in the 12-page "Chaos Day." Then a 6-page epilogue sums up what happened in the following days.
One of the things Dredd usually does well is go straight for the fun. It's not a coherent world. It's got time travel and werewolves and malicious spirits. Yes, Dredd can be the subject of thoughtful stories (e.g. "America"), but many of the most beloved Dredd stories are simply gonzo, wild, violent entertainment. Unfortunately, the pacing is wildly off here. The Batman titles did a better job of telling a contagion story... in the 1990s.
Every decade or so, it seems like an "event" kills off a big percentage -- a bigger and bigger one, it feels like -- of Mega-City One's population. This is by far the biggest percentage. And by far the least satisfying, at least to me.
Just my 2 cents. I'm glad for everyone who enjoys it, and I truly wish I did too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 28, 2021
Didn’t enjoy this as much as the first volume, to my surprise. However the scale of the storytelling and sheer chaos on the page is a great spectacle. I enjoy dredd however when there is more focus on the plot and solving the crime whereas this reaches a point where there is no clear adversary. This is clever and you certainly feel the hopelessness of dredds mission but isn’t as compelling. I enjoyed the epilogue stories a lot though and am excited for where this goes next.
The dead judges are fairly pointless in this story too. And they’re presented as idiots. I think they should’ve been cut and that would have tightened the story a lot better.
Overall I liked the art. Ben willsher produced the best work in my opinion whereas Flints panels are quite mixed. There are some incredible highs but also some questionable choices.
Overall, this continues to get me back into Dredd :)
The dead judges are fairly pointless in this story too. And they’re presented as idiots. I think they should’ve been cut and that would have tightened the story a lot better.
Overall I liked the art. Ben willsher produced the best work in my opinion whereas Flints panels are quite mixed. There are some incredible highs but also some questionable choices.
Overall, this continues to get me back into Dredd :)
May 5, 2018
A fantastic portrayal of a world sliding into chaos.
This volume is a lot darker than the first one. The Chaos Bug is finally unleashed and its effects are brutal. Watching the antagonist's plan play out as the Justice Department struggles to maintain order is satisfyingly tense.
My only complaint is that, despite featuring heavily in the cover art, the Dark Judges actually don't play much of a role in the story. It's a shame, as I would have liked to see a lot more of them.
Overall, I really liked this one, and I will certainly be buying more Judge Dredd graphic novels as soon as I can afford them, which probably will take a while.
This volume is a lot darker than the first one. The Chaos Bug is finally unleashed and its effects are brutal. Watching the antagonist's plan play out as the Justice Department struggles to maintain order is satisfyingly tense.
My only complaint is that, despite featuring heavily in the cover art, the Dark Judges actually don't play much of a role in the story. It's a shame, as I would have liked to see a lot more of them.
Overall, I really liked this one, and I will certainly be buying more Judge Dredd graphic novels as soon as I can afford them, which probably will take a while.
March 30, 2020
Best Judge Dredd epic strip since The Apocalypse War, better than Necropolis. The pivotal final tragedy for Mega-City One and even more chilling today because of the many uncanny parallels between the Justice Dept's attempts to curb the spread of the Chaos Bug and the present (much lamer and pathetic) attempts to control the COVID-19 virus.
Gritty, violent and relentlessly negative yet still punctuated with black humour, heroics and honestly funny moments, this epic is classic Judge Dredd at his finest.
Gritty, violent and relentlessly negative yet still punctuated with black humour, heroics and honestly funny moments, this epic is classic Judge Dredd at his finest.
August 17, 2024
With each blow struck against the Judges their chances of preventing the Day Of Chaos gets more and more remote, even as they case down the infected agents entering the city, deal with fear and paranioa and misinformation, and prepare for a death toll that, if they're lucky, will only be in the low millions. By the time Chaos Day actually arrives, will there be anything left of the city to save?
March 25, 2022
Recent Reads: Judge Dredd - Day Of Chaos - Endgame. The end is here in John Wagner's epic Dredd saga. As the Chaos Bug spreads uncontrolled, the Dark Judges are released. There's no controlling things now, the only hope is to ride it out. Resetting the Judge Dredd universe.
February 10, 2024
Maybe the best Dredd story I have ever read.
So well constructed, nice twists and turns, so exiting. Years of plots come together and leave everything in ruins and hopeless. Just love it.
Worth mentioning also: Brilliant Henry Flint art.
So well constructed, nice twists and turns, so exiting. Years of plots come together and leave everything in ruins and hopeless. Just love it.
Worth mentioning also: Brilliant Henry Flint art.
November 16, 2014
Wagner's story arc about another Mega City disaster did not disappoint. His Apocalypse War 'revenge' tale comes to a close, upping the danger, mayhem and destruction to epic proportions: he pulled out all the stops.
The story was dense and perhaps overly grim, but there was still some of the old JD black humor in there. The action was almost nonstop and some great artists contributed to the dynamism of the story. There was so much to cover, I felt some of the more interesting intimate or human moments were glossed over in favor of the rapid-fire pacing.
If I were reading this weekly, I don't know how I could have waited for the next episode. Luckily this compilation contains all the relevant strips.
Recommended.
The story was dense and perhaps overly grim, but there was still some of the old JD black humor in there. The action was almost nonstop and some great artists contributed to the dynamism of the story. There was so much to cover, I felt some of the more interesting intimate or human moments were glossed over in favor of the rapid-fire pacing.
If I were reading this weekly, I don't know how I could have waited for the next episode. Luckily this compilation contains all the relevant strips.
Recommended.
January 18, 2016
Brutal
This was, without a doubt, the saddest, most brutal Dredd story ever written. Dredd, Beeny, the academy of law, the big meg, nothing will be the same after the Sov revenge for the apocalypse war thirty years earlier. Read it. That's all I can say.
This was, without a doubt, the saddest, most brutal Dredd story ever written. Dredd, Beeny, the academy of law, the big meg, nothing will be the same after the Sov revenge for the apocalypse war thirty years earlier. Read it. That's all I can say.
February 2, 2017
30+ years of heavy-handed law enforcement come back to bite Dredd in the ass in the apocalyptic conclusion to "Day of Chaos". One of the most powerful stories in the character's long history and a real game changer.
July 20, 2013
As Mega-City One dies, The Dark Judges are released to wreak further havoc.
It's a bleak tale for Dredd, but a rollicking good time for the reader!
It's a bleak tale for Dredd, but a rollicking good time for the reader!
October 8, 2013
By drokk, it's a good read. Only thing that would have made it perfect for me is Judge Anderson showing up. Fascinating to see Dredd's world change. And some mighty fine artwork!
March 19, 2014
Grim. Wagner's out Mega-City One through the mill before, but this storyline has the highest bodycount by far.
July 2, 2015
When Dredd is good, it's brilliant.
October 29, 2014
Fantastic stuff. Total game changer for Mega City 1, can't wait to see where Dredd goes from here.
June 14, 2015
Huge stakes and believable change - this is how event comics should be done
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