Dredd storms retail shelves this Fall

Judge Dredd hits the big screen this Autumn, that you already knew, but the classic comic character is about to return to American comic readers as well - courtesy of IDW.

The publisher has inked an exclusive deal with 2000AD to bring the famous lawman back to the printed page for his 35th anniversary. The new ongoing series will be helmed by Duane Swierczynski and Nelson Daniel; two longtime fans who have never worked on a Dredd series before.

“I discovered Judge Dredd at the tender age of 15 through a somewhat unlikely source: a bootleg Commodore 64 game where you move Dredd through a digital Mega-City One and pretty much shoot everything in sight. Jonesing for more, I realized that Dredd was a UK import, and super-tough to find here in the U.S. Over the next 25 years, I snapped up all the Dredd stories that I could, savoring them like exotic treats smuggled through customs,” Swierczynski enthused. “When IDW announced an American version a while back, I was over the moon -- never even thinking that I would be approached to write this new version. Needless to say, this is the opportunity of lifetime, and I couldn't be more thrilled. The 15-year-old in me may never recover.” Daniel shared in the excitement “Judge Dredd is one of my three favorite characters, I'm really excited. Everything in Megacity is amazing, everything is possible, and that's something I want to draw.”

And that's not all the new book will have going for it, this from IDW Chief Creative Officer Chris Ryall:

”I’ve loved the work both Duane and Nelson have done for us separately—they’ve both been responsible for some amazingly action-packed and thrilling comics like Godzilla and The Cape,” said IDW’s Chief Creative Officer, Chris Ryall. “So partnering them on Judge Dredd is only going to amp up the excitement here. “What’s more,” Ryall continued, “while Nelson will be running point on the main story’s art and colors, we’ll also be doing back-up stories in each issue that are tied to the ongoing storyline and that will be illustrated by some big-name talents as well. Folks like Paul Gulacy, Jim Starlin, and many others. Add to that covers by people like Ashley Wood, Carlos Ezquerra, Zach Howard, Whilce Portacio, and so many others, and there will be lots of exciting new artistic interpretations of Dredd to come.”

Look for Judge Dredd to hit comic shops once more this November.