Thrill-Power Countdown #16: Judge Dredd Annual 1989

The only true Strontium Dog is Carlos Ezquerra Strontium Dog, although other artists should still be encouraged to give it a go. And it's almost arguable that the only true Judge Deddd is Ezquerra Dredd, even if that character is much more open to interpretation.

What is certain is that by the mid 80s, Ezquerra is the standard for all Dredd. He's the co-creator, after all, and while he walked away from the character early when he wasn't able to do the first appearance, he is now drawn more Dredd than anybody else, including all the big mega-epics. 

Brian Bolland and Ron Smith - the other definitive artists of the period - both appear in the reprint section of the 1989 Judge Dredd annual, but all the new Dredd material is our man Carlos.

It's not much of a story unfortunately, a vampire infects Mega City One and it goes the way you'd expected, A lot of Dredd stories of this time were both over-stuffed and under-explained, and this is ceertainly one of them.

Still, Dredds vs vampires is the kind of high concept that had to happen somewhere, so it might as well be here, and it's all brilliantly drawn, of course. And the text sections are unexpectedly fascinating - there is a Neil Gaiman text story - but who gives a fuck about that anymore - but it's always fun to find out what the Dredd creative team's favourite books, films and TV are - Grant Morrison's list is exactly what you'd expect, with Aleister Crowley, Philip Larkin and Harlen Ellison all making the list. Please don't ever change, Grant.