25: Bloodline

I could have asked this question in a number of previous entries, but this seems like a good story to tackle it on. Does the Mega Collection's order of stories in the Volumes make it difficult to follow some of the plotlines? Without knowing the story of the Judda in Oz (Volume 31), I can only imagine this must be very difficult to follow.

I've read about 50% of the Mega Collection, and stopped when I wanted to start to read them and review them in Volume order. I'd read Oz already, and Necropolis as well, so I didn't feel too lost this time around. But the whole Necropolis storyline is John Wagner at his most complex and intricate plotting - having stories out of order is a challenge. I wonder if it would have been better to include The Dead Man and Necropolis volumes later in the run, in their place in the "Mega-Epics" Volumes?

I think in the end it doesn't matter too much - we learn more about Kraken and the Judda in stories to come, and Bloodline works for me mainly as another mood and atmosphere piece. John Wagner's decision to use the second-person in the narration is striking, and a very subtle hint that Dredd is literally dealing with a second version of himself (in some ways). The small moments of Dredd reflecting on his advancing age are nicely handled, and realistic.

Will Simpson's black and white artwork is striking and lends and almost noir sensibility to the story, and I really love his painted work for the opening colour double spread of each of the two episodes.

Bloodline serves to reintroduce Kraken, highlight Dredd's length of time serving the city he loves and lay the foundations for the epic story to come. On all those counts it works well.