Penguin Random House, out now

The rise and fall of the Democracy movement in Mega-City One

Five 2000AD adaptations have been released today – two Dredd adventures, a Slaine, The Brink and The Ballad of Halo Jones – bringing the classic strips from progs across the decades to life. Judge Dredd: America is probably the widest-ranging chronologically, given that the stories were released over a number of years, and it’s interesting to note that adaptor Chris Thompson hasn’t tried to massage the timeline in any way. Joe Dredd goes through many things that aren’t directly relevant to this story, but indicate time passing and they’re referred to throughout in their original context.

Thompson and his team have done a sterling job in bringing the story to life, starting from the suicide mission through to the vote regarding the Judges’ power.  Patterson Joseph’s narrator never feels obtrusive – and for the main part of the story, America, there’s an in-story narrator in the form of Matthew Jacobs-Morgan’s Benny Beeny – with telecasts, and conversations between cits or Judges filling in the gaps.

Joseph Fiennes makes a different Dredd than other interpretations but there’s no doubt that He Is The Law – you can almost hear his Paddington stare! Some of the most iconic images from the story are brought to life well, and the black humour that permeates the best Dredd tales comes through loud and clear.

Verdict: It’s a story with incredible resonance today, particularly in light of the last six months in the United States, and this is a new way to experience one of Dredd’s finest hours. 9/10

Paul Simpson

Click here to order from Audible

Judge Dredd: America, Judge Dredd: The Pit, The Ballad of Halo Jones, Brink Volumes 1-3, Sláine: The Horned God are published by Penguin Audio (RRP: £13.00 each) and are available to purchase from Audible, Apple Books and Google Play.