Customer Reviews

Batman Judge Dredd: Judgment on Gotham

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Before I read this graphic novel I really didn't see the fundamental difference between the characters of Batman and Judge Dredd. This was inspite of the fact that I had followed the former all of my life, and the latter for 15 years of so in both the U.S. distibuted comic books and the original Eagle publications from England.

It took Batman being tranported to the Cursed Earth in pursuit of Judge Death to make me see the difference. Batman is the living soul of Justice. He will take Justice over Law every time, even if it means fighting cops. Judge Dredd on the other hand is a living law book. To him the Batman is just a vigilante, another law breaker. It doesn't even occur to him that they might be on the same side. Dredd is just a machine- Batman truly is the Dark Knight....

The scene where Batman smashes Dreddd in the face with all his might while shouting, " YOU CALL THAT JUSTICE?", puts everything in perspective.

As a result of reading this book I have even more respect for Batman/Bruce Wayne- but much less for Judge Dredd.

A SPOILERS-heavy review.

The graphic novel JUDGEMENT ON GOTHAM was published back in 1991 and was the first of four Batman/Judge Dredd crossovers. This particular effort offers up minimalist writing by Alan Grant and Judge Dredd creator John Wagner, while visceral British artist Simon Bisley graces us with his glossily violent renderings. The story has Batman facing off against the ghoulish Judge Death in Gotham City, only to end up in Mega-City One via Death's stolen dimensional belt. There, he bumps into Judge Dredd and it's not an amicable encounter as Dredd has no feelings of leniency towards vigilantes. Batman is summarily arrested but, thanks to the beautiful Psi-Judge Anderson, escapes and materializes back in Gotham with Anderson to stop the rampaging Judge Death, who had teamed up with the fear-obsessed Scarecrow. Of course, Judge Dredd can't be too far behind.

Most people assume that the superhero antithesis of Batman is Superman, in terms of methods and attitudes. But, in a way, the dark knight's more diametrical opposite is Judge Dredd, who is a stickler for the law while Bats seeks to administer his own brand of justice. Bats is fervently against guns and killing; Dredd totes lethal weaponry and part of his job allows him to play executioner. Bats is a vigilante. Judge Dredd is an officer of the law. The one thing they have in common, other than the requisite need to apprehend criminals, is their very similar dispositions. We are apprised of the contrasts between the two immediately upon their initial meeting. Judge Dredd does not suffer vigilantes in his purview and promptly puts the cuffs on Bats, while Batman comes to find Dredd's law enforcing methods too rigid and restrictive. At the closing scenes, Dredd and Bats still had not made amends with each other and are clearly not any closer to having any kind of working relationship. The most positive thing elicited from Judge Dredd with regards to Bats is his throwaway comment to Judge Anderson: "Bit of a tough guy."

The so-so storyline, understandably, gives way to showcase Bisley's lush, exaggerated brushes. His artwork recalls to mind the angular surrealism of Bill Sienkiewicz and the in-your-face immediacy of Frank Frazetta, who Simon himself admitted had greatly influenced him. JUDGEMENT ON GOTHAM is a violent graphic novel, as to be expected with the caliber of villains on hand. Simon wades in there and gleefully depicts numerous scenes of brutal evisceration and impalement as victims and even the villains are indiscrimately torn into. Very graphic and gory book, this one.

Now, I don't follow Judge Dredd that closely so I'm not that familiar with his rogues' gallery. I will say that his foes are certainly intriguing and grotesque. I like the brawny, headbutting Mean Machine, who has four dial settings on his skull ranging from "surly" to "brute." The seemingly unstoppable Judge Death is awesome and certainly seems to be a Grade A bad guy, very capable of wreaking massive havoc. The Scarecrow, to be blunt, pales in comparison.

While the story is relentlessly grim, there are a few infusions of humor. I actually guffawed twice: one, at Judge Death's attempts to emulate the official Judge costume as a chicken is nailed to his shoulder by the accomodating Scarecrow and two, upon discovery of Judge Death's greatest fear as the Scarecrow sprays him with the fear spray.

In final analysis, this is a pretty positive review. JUDGEMENT ON GOTHAM, however, doesn't merit more than three and a half stars from me, and most of the stars truly are because of the great blood-and-guts artwork. Writing-wise, there's a lot of personal interactions left out between the characters. It doesn't help that the two leads are as stoic as ever. The one bright spot in the book is Psi-Judge Anderson. However, I will say that it certainly makes me look forward to reading the other three Batman/Judge Dredd team-ups: VENDETTA IN GOTHAM (1993), THE ULTIMATE RIDDLE (1995), DIE LAUGHING (1998), all with the same authors (John Wagner and Alan Grant), but with different artists.

Let me start off by saying the First Panel of BM is awesome! That being said, I loved this book. I thought the art is great, the story is good, the atmosphere is there, and the personalities and attitudes of the characters are accurate. Batman acts like you want him to. He's a dick and so is Dredd and thats how you would expect them to be.

This book has some great artwork and memorable moments... like a look inside BM's head and a look at Death's fears and BM's punch to Dredd's face to name a few. Not only was the art and action good but it also is pretty funny, too! This is one of those rare books where every character is a contributor and your not just trying to get to the main ones. Death and Scarecrow are good and BM and JD are better.

Overall, I really enjoyed this and it was good from start to finish. When it's over your probably gonna be pretty satisfied and that is why I have to recommend this, especially over the other BM/JD crossovers.

When Oakshaman calls Dredd a machine, he has it all wrong. Dredd belives in his system. If Oakshaman had read the Helter Skelter trade by Garth Ennis, he would have seen Dredd risk his life to save Darrin Kenzie by submitting to his foes including Chief Judge Cal, Rico Dredd, and Murd the Oppressor. As he tells her at the end of the story, as comprehension dawns on Kenzie, "You called the Judges a privileged elite. You were right. We are an elite. There is a privilige. I've told you what it is twice now. You're a citizen of Mega City One. And I'm sworn to protect you." In the Necropolis saga, Dredd loses his faith in the system and takes the long walk out into the Cursed Earth, but returns to save the citizens of Mega City One from the Dark Judges. During the Judge Child saga, Dredd turns his back on the Judge Child, beliving that something evil could never be the Chief Judge, that the position required purity and integrity. Dredd is not just a law spouting machine as Oakshaman states in his post.

The first par of an inter-company crossover stunts, really. This part is set in Gotham City granite jawed lawmen with little tolerance for outsiders with strange abilities in their cities, clash, as Batman finds Judge Dredd in his town, and wants to know why the hell he is there.

Posturing and snarling follows.

If you want to see Batman fight Judge Dredd, you'll find this book disappointing (unless you think a three- or four-panel scuffle constitutes as "fight"). You'll also find this book disappointing if you're hoping to see Batman and Judge Dredd team up, because they don't. Instead, Batman teams up with Anderson to go after Judge Death, who has teamed up, rather randomly I think, with the Scarecrow (surely the Scarecrow and Judge Fear would have been a more logical combination?) It's not an activally bad comic, but it's certainly not a great one.

It's crime fighting time when Judge Dredd and Batman take on each other!It's even better than Batman Forever!Highly recommended!