Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files #25 is 320 glorious full colour pages giving the reader a chance to enjoy fourteen stories set in (and around) Mega-City One. The stories are drawn from Progs 984 – 1028 and Judge Dredd Magazine 3.16 – 3.18.

The publisher’s blurb focusses on two particular stories: one gives us Judge Death and the rest of the Dark Judges (Fire, Mortis and Fear), the other the tale of a legendary judge dying bringing justice to the lawless lands of the Cursed Earth.

While the Judge Death story is a worthy addition to the canon, it is arguably not the only excellent story in the collection. As ever, we get the full gamut of stories from the full-on action to the more subtle, amusing pieces that manage to inject a healthy dose of humour into the Judge Dredd setting.

There are also stories that manage to give other angles on the life of a Judge; among those a study of sexuality and the judge lifestyle in a set of stories set in a location called The Pit.

The most impressive of a collection of strong stories is the story that takes Judge Dredd to the moon to face an unlikely enemy, and this manages to top an all-action tale of the day a pack of flying dune sharks attacks the city; a story that works well without having to try too hard.

Not only are the stories strong, but for the most part the art work is excellent and the colouring vivid and effective. Stories vary in style and look and feel; for the most part they impress as mini works of art in their own right.

At a shade under £20, this collection is a must purchase for Dredd fans.

JUDGE DREDD: THE COMPLETE CASE FILES #25 / WRITER: VARIOUS / ARTIST: VARIOUS / PUBLISHER: REBELLION / RELEASE DATE: AUGUST 13TH