IDW Announces Judge Anderson Series By Smith And Critchlow

Since they acquired the license for Judge Dredd, IDW Publishing has been doing some pretty fantastic stuff with it. Between Duane Swierczynski and Nelson Daniel's ongoing Judge Dredd and miniseries projects like Douglas Wolk and Ulises Farinas's Mega-City Two, they've put out some incredibly entertaining stories, bringing Dredd to a new audience that may not be familiar with his roots in the pages of 2000 AD. Now they're expanding the line beyond Dredd himself.

IDW announced this week that they're launching Anderson: Psi Division, a new series set before the events of the ongoing series that will focus on Judge Cassandra Anderson, written by 2000 AD editor Matt Smith with art by long-time 2000 AD artist Carl Critchlow.

Anderson, created by John Wagner and Brian Bolland and introduced in the classic "Judge Death" story in 1980, is unquestionably the single most important supporting character in Dredd's 37-year history.

A telepath with precognitive powers, Anderson is often portrayed as a contrast to Dredd himself. She's a much more cheerful and friendly character than the perpetually scowling, stone-faced lawman that she's frequently paired with. Even visually, Anderson's refusal to wear a helmet sets her apart, despite the fact that she and Dredd are essentially wearing the same uniform. For more recent fans, Anderson will be familiar as one of the leads in 2012's Dredd film, played by Olivia Thirlby, where Karl Urban's Dredd played more of a mentor role.

In the UK, 2000 AD has published Anderson: Psi Division solo stories for years, but Smith and Critchlow's series for IDW marks the first time that Anderson has taken the center stage in a comic produced for the American market. Per IDW's press release, the series kicks off with Anderson having one of her prophetic visions and setting out "to prevent the unthinkable," which, while pretty vague, certainly fits the formula for Anderson's stories.

Anderson: Psi Division #1 is available in stores this August, with a cover by Matt Haley and variant covers by Chris Weston and Mimi Yoon.