JUDGE DREDD - THE DAY THE LAW DIED

Hardback Written by God. sorry, John Wagner. Pencilled and Inked by Brian Bolland, Dave Gibbons, Brendan McCarthy, Brett Ewins, Mike McMahon, Garry Leach, and Ron Smith. Letters by Dave Gibbons, Pete Knight, and Jack Potter. ISBN: 1-84023-480-6 Published by Titan Books Priced £19.99 Buy from Amazon

OK, so you've gone out and got this already, right? How could you not have - less than twenty quid for a large-format harback of a major moment in British comic book history?!! Of course you have. If not, kindly get out there and do yourself a real favour.

Previously available as a pair of softbacks back in 1982, this seriously overdue, well-presented collection is Dredd heaven. Combine it with The Cursed Earth and you have not only Judge Dredd at his very best, but 2000AD at its best. I'm not just saying that because I had this first time around (1978, folks!). This really is great stuff.

A satire of a terrible time in ancient Roman history, The Day The Law Died concerns the rise and literal fall of Judge Cal, and his insane rule over Mega-City One. Newly returned from his epic journey across the Cursed Earth to the rescue of Mega-City 2, Judge Dredd hasn't even had time to sleep off the effects of the trek before he is framed for murder and shipped off to Titan (a terrible fate). Dredd escapes, clears his name, and earns the enmity of Assistant Chief Judge Cal.

Cal responds by having Dredd shot through the head.

With such a potent symbol laid low (it takes more than a bullet through the brain to stop Judge Dredd), Cal has the Chief Judge assassinated and so begins his tyrannical rule of Mega-City One. Eventually, Dredd raises a small guerrilla force and re-takes the city.

The real star here is Wagner. The excesses of Judge Cal are wonderfully over-the-top, and yet are given a horrific side by showing the effect they have on the populace. By so perfectly balancing comedy and horror, and by tying it all together in a story that flashes along faster than a plummeting Pat-Wagon, Wagner makes the whole thing work perfectly.

This is just genius. OK, so some of the artwork is not that great in a very few places, but I just don't care and neither will you.

Score: 9.8/10

Review by Iain Lowson