‘Dredd 3D’ is based on long-running British comic ‘Judge Dredd’

New ‘Judge Dredd’ comic series will be released in November in the U.S. by IDW

The character Judge Dredd was created in 1977 by writer John Wagner, along with artist Carlos Ezquerra, working with editor Pat Mills. The over-the-top character first appeared in the second issue of “2000 A.D.,” a British science-fiction anthology comic.

Pocket Books has been rereleasing the “Judge Dredd” stories in order in the “Judge Dredd Complete Case Files.”

Five volumes have been released so far. In a hyper-violent East Coast of the future, Judge Dredd patrols Mega-City One as one of the elite cadre of judges who serve as judge, jury and sometime executioner for the city. The city is surrounded radioactive wastelands and is filled with criminals and mutants.

“Dredd, whose face is always obscured by his helmet in the comic, is played by Karl Urban in the new film “Dredd 3D,” opening this weekend in theaters.

Dredd returns to American comics in a new “Judge Dredd” series from IDW Publshing this November.

“Judge Dredd turns 35 this year, and it’s great to help him celebrate his birthday like this,” said Chris Ryall, IDW’s

chief creative officer/editor in chief, in a news release. “It was great to meet up with the 2000 AD team at the recent London Super Con and cement the partnership on this one. My interest in Judge Dredd far predates my tenure at IDW, so it’s a real drokkin’ pleasure for us to now be the first American publisher in 18 years to create new tales of Dredd.”

Dredd’s stories continue in the United Kingdom in “2000 AD” and “Judge Dredd Megazine.” The IDW stories will be written by Duane Swierczynski with art by Nelson Daniel.