An Excellent Collection
Arguably presenting Judge Dredd at his finest, volume 14 of the complete case files features the crucial storyline of 'Necropolis' and its associated tie ins, a fundamental story arc that lays the seeds for the following Strontium dog crossover 'Judgement Day'. In terms of content, volume 14 provides great value for money and an engrossing insight into the psyche of Dredd himself; an aging lawman who must confront his younger clone Kraken and his own doubts concerning the righteousness of the Judges' cause. As can be expected, this collection also matches the level of plot development with a hollywood inspired battle at the end that literally destroys Mega-City One, whereas Dredd's excursion into the cursed Earth and triumphant return to Mega City One reminds the reader why old 'Chin Face' is the toughest Drokker around. Overall, Vol 14 contains everything that a Judge Dredd fan would want: action, intrigue, black humor and Carlos Ezquerra's great art.
The Good:
Excellent art, great plot development and an action packed narrative. Engrossing characters; Judge Death returns to the fore as a villain, whereas the sisters of Death's manipulation of Kraken creates a tragic character that acts as a mirror for Dredd's own vulnerabilities.
The Bad:
Kraken's time as a Judge is far too short, whereas Judge Death plays an uncharacteristic secondary role to the sisters of Death. The short time within which Judge Death conquers mega city one may be viewed as a disappointing blow out, as the action doesn't really heat up until Dredd returns towards the end of the story arc.
Conclusion: A thoroughly entertaining collection and a must for any prospective Dredd fan.