So time for another review. This time Judge Dredd's occasional partner Judge Anderson. So these stories come from 2000ad Annuals 1984 and Progs 416-427, 468-478, 520-531, 607-609, 612-622, 635-647, 657-659, 669-670, 712-717 and 758-763, plus additional story of Judge Corey from 2000ad Special 1989)
So as you can tell from the above info, these stories are collected over a large period of Dredd time. So whilst your reading this please keep in mind the timeline; because if we were doing the books in sequence it would slot in at around the complete case files number 8.
It collects all of Anderson's tales from 1984 to 1991. Anderson was a very popular supporting character in Dredd's stories. So it was only a matter of time before she got her own strip. As you will come to notice, Anderson is almost a direct opposite to Dredd and shows emotion, even empathy towards victims and preps. Which makes a nice change to Dredd's totalitarian out view.
But now on to the stories.
Stories
Story: Four Dark Judges- Judge Anderson is conned into travelling back to Dead World. Were she unleashes the 4 Dark Judges. Now it's a race against time to stop them and save herself from a one way trip too Titan.
Highlight: The Dark Judges! Can't beat the fearsome foursome on a killing spree.
Story: The Possessed- A cult has kidnapped a Juve in hopes of opening a gateway to a demonic world. Can Anderson save the kid and close the gateway or will she have to resort to hard ass tactics.
Highlight: The Mega City cultists. I found them to have a comical presence as well as for-filling the classic horror movie get up.
Story: Hour of the Wolf- An East-Meg Psi hit squad has critically injured Anderson. Whilst the pre-cog is in medbay she is plagued by vision of a wolf destroying the city. But who is the wolf...
Highlight: There is only one really highlight of this tale, but if I tell you then it will ruin the story.
Story: Contact- Anderson is out in deep space and making first contact with an alien race.
Highlight: Poison Man eating mutant alien maggots!
Story: Beyond the Void- Abbot Costello the great Mahatma has sort out Nirvana and crossed over into the void. But someone or something is waiting for him.
Highlight: Judge Death is still chilling out in limbo. The right mix of creepy and comedy.
Story: Helios- Dr Helios is out for revenge and once more party girl Anderson is on the scene.
Highlight: Mutated psi slaves full of rage and murder!
Story: Judge Corey: Leviathan's Farewell- Judge Corey is an empath and feels the pain and suffering of others. Her case leads her out to sea where she meets the last of the humpback whales. The experience is all to much for Corey. And this is her last story.
Highlight: Judge Corey, originally a side kick for Anderson. It's nice to see her getting some love and a fuller back story.
Story: Triad- Three Juves are all linked by their dreams, but someone is manipulating them to commit acts of psi-terror on MC-1.
Highlight: The Blockness monster arriving in a block park lake.
Story: The Prophet- Call me Bill is the Prophet of the end of the fleshy ones...But Bill might not be all him seems. Can Anderson solve the case before all fleshly ones come to pass.
Highlight: A women pretending to be a TV!
Story: The Random Man- In a city of little choice how much damage can fate and a dice cause?
Highlight: The artist of this strip Carlos Ezquerra is by far my favourite Mega-City artist.
Story: The Screaming Skull- Eb is being haunted by his past mistakes and is indeed of help.
Highlight: Kalvin King- A fun underwear sales rep.
Story: Engram- Whilst out in the Cursed Earth Anderson suffers a fall and experiences a moment which will alter her future.
Highlight: Anderson beating up Judge Tutors
Story: Bonus Strip: The Haunting- Dr Levin has been possessed by the Demon Dahak. So it's now up to Anderson to go in and clean house.
Highlight: Anderson's psi image entering Levin's mind.
Review
Really enjoyed the Anderson Psi Files. Having only read about her via Dredd. It's nice to see how the PSI department actually operates and runs in the city. I also like how they have transplanted Orlock into her stories and making him into her arch nemesis. I'm excited to get the next book and start reading as they are all new and fresh to me. So how to rate a new series and how it made me feel.....Well it's easy in this case 4 out of 5!
Could have been 5 out of 5 but I felt some of these earlier stories were rushed or not fully fleshed out as they could have been.
