Writer: Dan Abnett

Artist: Colin MacNeil

Published by 2000AD

After successfully repulsing an alien invasion, Mining Colony K-Alpha 61 refuses to toe the line and has to face the wrath of the Justice Department’s Special Judicial Squad…

Full disclosure – I’ve never been a great Judge Dredd fan. Some of the stronger storylines have pulled me in over the years, but I’ve always been more fascinated by the universe that has been created around the Mega City and its law enforcers… which makes Insurrection something that I looked forward to reading.

Compiling two separate sets of stories, Insurrection initially follows the attempts by a mining colony to maintain the citizen status of all of its peoples in the face of stiff opposition. As the recent season finale of Burn Notice pointed out, what people tend to remember about sieges is the heroic last stand, sometimes forgetting that this is followed by a massacre as the defences are overrun. Abnett and MacNeill maintain the tension throughout the siege described in Insurrection, creating a cast of characters who are true to themselves, with betrayals, heroics and apparent suicide missions all credible.

Insurrection II takes the idea a step further, promoting the idea of insurrection as a force as well as the reality of fighting the Judges. After naming K-Alpha 61 Liberty, perhaps the name of the new planetoid being defended is a little clichéd, but it’s the only part of the tale that is. Abnett and MacNeill once again build the story from the characters they’ve created, leading to an impasse that should be easy to break if everyone is true to what they claim… but will they be?

Verdict: The monochrome art helps sell the bleakness of this tale, which is highly recommended.  8/10

Paul Simpson

Read our recent interview with writer Dan Abnett here

Leave a comment