Judge Dredd the fascist

[I, Brian]

You know, I can't even remember who scripted it - whether it was Garth Ennis or Wagner Grant.

I strongly suspect it was the last of the Wagner-Grant material before Garth Ennis took over - I actually can't remember now.

Anyway - let me take you back to Judge Dredd after the big story line in issues 500+, when the judges cracked a big cloning program in Australia, which resulted in a new clone of Dredd being created (Dredd having shot and imprisoned on Titan his genetic "brother" Rico in the very earliest days of Dredd).

That was the seed for something else that would turn the entire world of Judge Dredd upside down.

Let's face it, as a strict embodiment of law on the streets Dredd was always something of an anti-character. And after Judge Giant was (pretty lamely) killed off, he became something of an emotionless machine.

Then in the 500-600's issues, something else happened. Democracy hit Mega-City 1.

As a Judge he saw to it that this dangerous idealism was put down, and Judge Dredd was involved in compromising the democratic peace movement in the first of a series of storylines that took on a surprisingly political character.

This was eventually taken to a head when Judge Dredd stopped and realised that he was an oppressive bigot, fighting against the need and well-being of the people. Dredd was given a conscience - most particularly by a little girl murdered by someone released from the psy-cubes (if I remember right).

In terms of character this was an incredible move - and unbeknownst to all another seemingly low-key storyline was also running - The Dead Man - about someone, physically tortured and scarred, wandering a futuristic wasteland trying to help people.

Then 2000AD hit us with a whammy of a revelation - in a single issue we found Judge Dredd talking the long walk from Mega-City One - and also saw the Dead Man find a part of his identity - a badge that said "Dredd" on it. Wow!

Then came the last big Wagner-Grant story arc that I'm aware of - Necropolis. To hide Judge Dredd's departure, to keep his name going, they call in a replacement - who was kept alive for training after capture in Oz. Enter Judge Kraken, a Judge Dredd clone intended to replace him. But then "the sisters of Death" return and turn him to their bidding, and eventually set their brother - Judge Death - free. It was a classic major story arc, in the tradition of the Apocalypse War and others. For a while we lamost thought that Judge Anderson was killed (it was disappointing in terms of plot that she wasn't).

And, then of course, another corker - Judge Anderson finds some young judge cadets, and one of them is the son of Judge Giant - who by this time has been dead for around 300 issues.

Of course, Dredd returns - eventually -and he's got an ex-chief Judge in tow from the radlands (McGruder!!). And eventually a humbled and now more politically aware Dredd overcomes the Death family and does the only humane thing for Kraken.

And then...

And then 2000AD, which had been running a lot of mature storylines at the time (OMG, did you see Rogue Trooper: Johnny Friday?!) suddenly dropped back an age group.

Judge Dredd underwent rejuvination treatment for his wounds, Garth Ennis took over, and Dredd became something of a mindless fighting machine shouting "I am the Law!" again.

Which was a real shame (and when I stoppped collecting it).

One of the best Judge Dredd storylines ever was also the deeply political "America", which ran in the Judge Dredd Megazine just before the start of Necropolis in 200AD. In this Judge Dredd was almost nothing more than an incidental character - but he was also deeply symbolic - of the struggle the girl America had against the authorities that oppressed her. If anyone ever sees "Judge Dredd: America", it's a highly recommended read - my old collection of Judge Dredd megazines went walkabout somewhere, but one day I found a repeat of that very story - only two issues long. Brilliant artwork to boot.

Anyway - just thought I'd ramble away.

[knivesout]

That's interesting. I've only read a few of the early Dredd stories, I think - the war with the robots and that sort of thing. At the time the stories were fun, if rather childish, I hadn't realised that the Judge Dredd character went through such interesting developments later on.

[I, Brian]

2000AD entire went through a "mature readers" period, building up from around issue 500, until issue 700.

Perhaps the most illustrative was the "Johnny Friday" reinvention of Rogue Trooper - very graphic, but darn good story, too.

200AD also killed off one of it's major comic characters - Strontium Dog, Johnny Alpha - and also had Slaine the Celtic God running about in his own strip - both in glorious air-brushed colour.

The Dredd political storylines were pretty excellent as well - the way they made the character re-examine himself, and the reader with it..

After issue 700 it became a kids comic again: Dredd pottered about benig macho again, Rogue Trooper stories went back to some little black and white illustrated character running around being macho and shooting guns; and Johnny Alpha came back in a series of "retro" stories.

A real disappointment, really.


NB: Just found this from the 200AD site:

One of the most acclaimed series in either 2000 AD or the Megazine, America explored the concepts of freedom and liberty in Mega-City One, from the perspective of a songwriter and America, the daughter of immigrant parents.


The cover here shows the actual artwork inside: