Other things happen in the pages of this, the thirty-sixth edition of The Complete Case Files, but the main event? Judge Dredd fights aliens. And not just any old aliens; the Xenomorphs of Ridley Scott’s Alien franchise. No stranger to a comic book crossover, the Xenomorphs have previously battled Batman, Superman, Green Lanterns, and even Buffy the Vampire Slayer in the past. But when it comes to Dredd, the lawman’s crossover adventures are generally canon, making John Wagner, Andy Diggle, and Henry Flint’s Incubus feel just a little bit more special. And here it is, the jewel of The Complete Case Files 36.
One almost feels bad for the other stories lumped in with this collection, overshadowed by what might be one of Dredd’s best crossovers this side of a Batman beat ‘em up. As one might expect in the lead-up to such an epic, they’re a relatively slight lot, but beautifully illustrated and written. Remember that one time Dredd turned into a werewolf? John Wagner certainly does, and delivers an entertaining sequel in Out of the Undercity, illustrated by Carl Critchlow. As if Xenomorphs and Werewolves weren’t enough, there’s the usual colourful line-up of crazies, kooks, and creeps we’ve come to expect from 2000 AD by now.
Even without Incubus, this is a great line-up of Dredd stories, featuring a tremendous roster of talent on the pens and inks. Utilizing the likes of Ian Gibson, Siku, P.J. Holden, Mike McMahon, Henry Flint and… of course, the late, great Carlos Ezquerra, it’s a real who’s who of early noughties Dredd artists. Don’t expect much variety in writers though. Aside from a handful of strips from Gordon Rennie and an assist by Andy Diggle on Incubus, this is John Wagner’s show. And what a show it is. They put up a hell of a fight, but the Xenomorphs never stood a chance.
Release Date: Feb 4th
