Judge Dredd: The Mega Collection

Judge Dredd: The Mega-Collection is an eighty-part collection of hardback books published by Hachette Partworks Ltd. every fortnight, with the first book hitting newsagents on January 21st 2015 (although subscribers received their copies a few days earlier). It comprises collections of key stories from the world of 2000 AD character Judge Dredd and stories which introduce popular supporting characters. Also in the books are concept sketches, cover galleries and interviews with writers and artists. Subscribers are offered a range of gifts including a replica Judge Dredd badge, a Judge Dredd takeaway mug (suitable for all legal beverages) and two bookends bearing the legend "I AM THE LAW."

The stories are grouped thematically rather than being published in strict chronological order, although the stories in each individual book are in the correct sequence. For example, the first book, America, contains all the events pertaining to the life and death of America Jara, and the birth and coming of age of her daughter America Beeny. However, these events come after the events of a later book, The Apocalypse War. When put on a bookshelf in order, the spines of the books show a picture of Judge Dredd inspecting a line of suspects.

The series also features unique and newly commissioned red, white and black line style covers, inspired by a French part work of Batman.

The Mega Collection has been supported and promoted by 2000 AD's first official podcast, the 2000 AD ThrillCast, which is released fortnightly to tie in with the current issue of the Mega Collection, featuring interviews with various 2000 AD luminaries relevant to the current release. The ThrillCast is released via both iTunes and Soundcloud.

Reading between the lines, the 2000 AD droids seem to have received a certain amount of flak from disgruntled fans about the Mega Collection, its price and its non-sequential nature. Take this droid-penned Damage Report from prog 1935: "'So, PYE-O1,' Cyber-Matt sneered, pausing to light his lube-burner with a fifty-groat note. 'How much have we profited out of the Mega Collection so far?' PYE checked his black book, bound in the hide of penniless Earthlets. 'By embezzling the royalties and production costs, we're on course to make a cool thirty mill.' 'Impressive. Not bad for a couple of plebs, eh?'"

In a similar vein is this exasperated Damage Report in prog 1937: "Part. Works. Part. Works. It's published in parts, hence the name: Partworks. You get it in parts. Some of those parts are released in chronological order, but it assembles into a collection once the parts come together, you see? Part. Works. No, no, you're thinking of the Case Files. Yeah, every story, in order. The Partworks are different — 'cos they're partworks..."

In order of publication:

1) America (the story of America Jara, Bennett Beeny and America Beeny)

2) Mechanismo

3) The Apocalypse War (pictured)

4) Origins

5) Psi-Judge Anderson: Shamballa (by Alan Grant and Arthur Ranson)

6) Mandroid (publication date 1 April 2015)

7) The Heavy Mob

8) The Cursed Earth

9) Devlin Waugh: Swimming in Blood

10) Shimura

11) Day of Chaos: The Fourth Faction

12) Democracy Now

13) Hondo-City Justice (featuring Aiko Inaba and Shimura)

14) Psi-Judge Anderson: The Possessed (pictured)

15) Alien Nations

16) Doomsday for Dredd (featuring Orlok)

17) Oz (a story about Chopper and about Morton Judd)

18) Day of Chaos: Endgame

19) Total War

20) The Simping Detective (also features Galen DeMarco)

21) The Dead Man

22) Target: Judge Dredd

23) Devlin Waugh: Chasing Herod

24) Trifecta

25) Judgement Day

26) Low Life: Paranoia

27) Cursed Earth Koburn

28) Beyond Mega-City One

29) Satan's Island

30) Klegg Hai! (includes The Corps)

31) Necropolis

32) The Pit (featuring the début of Galen DeMarco)

33) Judge Death Lives (featuring the débuts of Judge Death and Psi-Judge Anderson)

In shelf position order:

1) America

2) Democracy Now

3) Total War

4) The Dead Man

5) Necropolis

6) Judge Death Lives

8) Psi-Judge Anderson: The Possessed

10) Psi-Judge Anderson: Shamballa (by Alan Grant and Arthur Ranson)

14) Devlin Waugh: Swimming in Blood

15) Devlin Waugh: Chasing Herod

19) Low Life: Paranoia

21) The Simping Detective (also features Galen DeMarco)

24) Mechanismo

25) Mandroid

30) Target: Judge Dredd

31) Oz

36) The Apocalypse War

37) Judgement Day

40) The Pit

42) Doomsday for Dredd

44) Satan's Island

45) Origins

49) Day of Chaos: The Fourth Faction

50) Day of Chaos: Endgame

51) Trifecta

55) The Heavy Mob

56) Beyond Mega-City One

60) Hondo-City Justice

61) Shimura

67) Cursed Earth Koburn

75) Alien Nations

76) Klegg Hai! (includes The Corps)