This is where it all starts! These first stories can be a bit rough compared to some of the epics that come later, but it's worth it to see how it all starts and watch how the character evolves in a relatively short time.

This book is VINTAGE awesomeness! See the earliest days of Judge Dredd, including an original treatment of him as "judge, jury and executioner" that was adjusted down for the ongoing stories.

This book collects the earliest Dredd stories from 2000AD in the late 1970s. What the stories lack in subtlety they make up for in old-school action. The character is not fully fleshed out, and these early stories have some of the same noir feeling as the Batman stories from the late 1930s.

There are better Dredd books, but this volume is essential if you are relatively new to the character and want to dive into the earliest days.

This book is also worthwhile if you are a child of the 70s and miss some of the straight-ahead storytelling and action from that era.

Plus, be on the watch for early work from well-known creators like Brian Bolland. It's a visible surprise when his work pops up (like Bolland's one-page artwork in Walter the Wobot near the back of the book)