Review- INSURRECTION

INSURRECTION (2000 AD, 2011; Softcover)

Collects selections from Judge Dredd Megazine Nos. 279-284, 305-310 (cover dates January 6, 2009- May 24, 2011)

Writer: Dan Abnett

Artist: Colin Macneil

Curse you, 2000 AD Free Comic Book Day issue! That issue featured a snippet of this feature, and I was so intrigued that I had to seek out the trade paperback which collected it. Insurrection is set in the Judge Dredd universe but, aside from some lingo and the antagonists being the Special Judicial Squad, this could just have easily been it's own thing. Whereas you root for the Judges in Judge Dredd, here the entire thing is a gray area.

Mega City One Colony K Alpha 61 was invaded by the Zhind, an alien race claiming ownership to the minerals of this space settlement. Despite numerous pleas to Mega City One, no help was sent. So the Judges granted the mutants, uplifts, and droids citizenship and enlisted them in a war, which they won, renaming the colony Liberty. This is where our story begins.

Liberty has declared independence from Earth, something that does not go over well. Mega City One sends the Special Judicial Squad (which will be referred to as the SJS from here on out) to reclaim it's territory...something that also does not go over well. What you have is basically a wafer thin metaphor for the United States, who revolted from England (where this story was originally published).

The sequel, Insurrection II (from issues 305-310), sees our “heroes” (depending on your point of view) flee Liberty and spread their message, causing an uprising an a droid-only factory which manufactures the Trilinear Chip. This then poses the question of equality. Are sacrifices okay if they are not human? Are robots the equal to humans since they have fought shoulder to shoulder with humans for the very same thing? This is an allegory for the Civil War. The droids have developed a pulse virus which can short out every Trilinear Chip on Earth, essentially setting Earth back hundreds of years. What is one to do? I won't tell you. You may highlight the following line below for the answer:

There is no answer. We are left with a question, which I LOVE.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 4 out of 5.

The OCD zone- The only covers that are included are the ones which feature characters from this story, which would be Judge Dredd Megazine Nos. 305 and 310.

DVD-style Extras included in this book: Eight pages of character sketches. Original Pitch (2 typed pages).

Paper rating: 4.25 out of 5. Glossy coated stock, but it has that “dusty” Chinese ink feeling to it. Probably flakes from the asbestos tiles that the Chinese mix in a vat with the mercury from recalled thermometers and lead paint chips.

Binding rating: 4.25 out of 5. Sewn binding. Nice.

Cardstock cover coating rating: 4 out of 5. Dull matte finish coating which scuffs fairly easy. Not a fan of this “fancy” coating used on so many books these days. It makes the colors look dull and muted in a bad way.

I apparently bought the last copy available a week or so ago, but there are plenty of other great books published by 2000 AD available at InStockTrades!