Judge Anderson: The Psi Files Volume 01

2000 AD Annual 1984 and 2000 AD Progs 416-427, 468-478, 520-531, 607-609, 612-622, 635-647, 657-659, 669-670, 712-717,758-763, + Judge Corey, 2000 AD Sci-Fi Special 1989)

Judge Anderson: The psi files volume 01 is a tough volume to place in the timeline. Just look at the above progs included to see why. Some Anderson stories were released nearly 100 progs apart from each other. I personally would have preferred they be included in the Dredd complete case files in their appropriate positions, but this works as well. The main point of interest about Anderson stories is because her comics were not regulars in 2000 her stories are longer than the average Judge Tale (they clock in at 5-15 progs long)

         Unfortunately, this case file is so incomplete that that they didn’t even title it the complete case files. Anderson's Shamballa isn’t included along with a series of other Dredd Annual stories are missing. With that said it is forgivable that Shamballa is missing because it’s original run was in full color and much like the apocalypse war, it is a story you want to read in color.

Shamballa review coming soon

         Judge Anderson has always been a fan favorite among Dredd fans. I personally think her getting her own comic was a great idea. I know some fans dislike the psi, supernatural elements of the series. Feeling that they don’t work well in the otherwise very serious, cop/justice system parody of Dredd. I personally love the supernatural stories even if the universes do not blend perfectly. II find boxing them in the Judge Anderson stories was a good compromise even if they still appeared in Dredd a bit.

This volume really kicks off with a bang with the Return of Judge Death. Continuing where Judge Death lives left off back in Dredd the complete case files 05 and it is a welcome return as it further establishes the importance of Dead world.

          Possessed starts off slow but throws some moral dilemmas at Anderson which will have you thinking a bit.

         A nice bonus is included in this volume, the sole Judge Corey standalone. It marks a tragedy in a decent story which is very much appreciated because there is no obligation by 2000 AD to include it in an Anderson volume, I actually would have expected it in the restricted files before the Anderson files but it is always nice to get a little more than what you payed for and I see this story as the cherry on top of the Anderson Sunday.

Poor Judge Corey was to sweet for this world

       Hour of the Wolf introduces one of the few reoccurring villains the Mega-City universe has. It’s appreciated, due to the nature of the judge system we don’t see many returning bads. Orlock is a very effective villain in triad also.

          Engram, the last event story is a powerful tale. It really breaks down Anderson as a character and we learn about whole new layers which we were unaware of before. This kind of sympathetic story work very well for Anderson, much better than Dredd, perhaps it is because she takes off her helmet, Dredd almost always has a stiff, barely human detached demeanor, we can really get to know Anderson on a deeper level as she is more humanized in her stories. In the end Psi Files 01 is more consistent than many early Dredd volumes, not having the pressure of releasing progs every week Wagner and Grant only wrote Anderson stories when they truly had a story to tell. Each story is longer and have a bit more emotional depth than the average Dredd story. Any fan should have a copy of Anderson and the psi files vol 1.