2000AD publisher Rebellion has announced the Batman/Judge Dredd: Judgement on Gotham Anniversary Edition will be on sale in May, almost 35 years on from the story’s first publication in December 1991.
The May release date seems slightly early for an anniversary celebration, but perhaps Rebellion didn’t want this welcome new collection getting buried in busy pre Christmas book schedules – or the 50th anniversary celebrations for 2000AD itself next year.
One of the bestselling Judge Dredd comics of all time, this new edition of the critically-acclaimed and award-winning Judgement on Gotham by John Wagner (Judge Dredd, Rok of the Reds), Alan Grant (Detective Comics) and Simon Bisley (Lobo, Slaine) brings a classic back into print in a way it’s never been seen before.
Due for publication for the UK in May, this new edition of the original Batman/Judge Dredd crossover will not only be reprinted in a larger format than ever before, but will use brand new scans of the original printing film from 1992 – carefully restored by Rebellion’s experienced reprographics teams – to present Bisley’s groundbreaking fully-painted artwork in a glorious new light.
Batman/Judge Dredd: Judgement on Gotham Anniversary Edition promises to be a stunning showcase of one of the 1990s’ most iconic comics crossovers, Rebellion say, who will be publishing a Webshop Exclusive Edition, alongside other formats.
Originally published by Fleetway in December 1991, followed by release in the United States in February 1992, Judgement on Gotham pitted the Ultimate Lawman against the Dark Knight Detective, with Judge Dredd and his psychic colleague Judge Anderson, forced to team up with Batman after the undead arch-fiend Judge Death escapes from Mega-City One to Gotham City and, alongside The Scarecrow, wreaks havoc – from murdering the masses to headlining a rock concert!
It was not only the first time these two legendary characters had come together on the page, but was also the moment that Bisley became an international comics superstar – fresh from his work on Sláine for 2000AD, his intense and anarchic fully-painted art fitted perfectly with Wagner and Grant’s explosive story, filled with iconic moments that delighted fans of both characters and spawned a further three crossover stories.
Judgement on Gotham was the winner of the Penguin Books Award for Best Graphic Novel and UK Comic Art Award for Best Original Graphic Novel, as well as a nominee for the Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: New, and also saw Bisley win the Best Artist Eisner Award and UK Comic Art Award in 1992. Bisley went on to work on the wildly popular Lobo, while Grant wrote an acclaimed run on Batman and Wagner set about redefining his ground-breaking character, Judge Dredd, in the pages of the Judge Dredd Megazine and 2000AD.
Available only for the UK market, this brand new 64-page, over-sized edition of Judgement on Gotham will give both new readers and fans of the original the unparalleled opportunity to see Wagner, Grant and Bisley’s energy and vision with fresh eyes.
Batman/Judge Dredd: Judgement on Gotham Anniversary Edition will be published on 6th May, and will be available from all good book and comic book stores in the UK, as well as from the 2000AD webshop at 2000AD.com, including a Webshop Exclusive Edition | AmazonUK Affiliate Link
Thanks to “Mac Mac Anorak” for original publication dates
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
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