Judge Dredd
Encyclopedia
Judge Joseph Dredd is a comics
character whose strip in the British science fiction
anthology 2000 AD is the magazine's longest running (having been featured there since its second issue in 1977). Dredd is an American law enforcement officer in a violent city of the future where uniformed Judges
combine the powers of police, judge, jury and executioner. Dredd and his fellow Judges are empowered to arrest, sentence and even execute criminals on the spot. He was created by writer John Wagner
and artist Carlos Ezquerra
, although editor Pat Mills
also deserves some credit for his early development.
Judge Dredd is amongst the UK
's best known home-grown comic characters. So great is the character's name recognition that his name is sometimes invoked over similar issues to those explored by the comic series, such as the police state
, authoritarianism
and the rule of law
. Judge Dredd was named the seventh greatest comic character by the British magazine Empire
. In 2011 IGN
ranked him 35th in the "Top 100 comic books heroes".
was developing 2000 AD in 1976, he brought in his former writing partner, John Wagner
, to develop characters. Wagner had written various Dirty Harry
-style "tough cop" stories for other titles, and suggested a character who took that concept to its logical extreme, imagining an ultra-violent lawman patrolling a future New York City
with the power to administer instant justice. Mills had developed a horror
strip called Judge Dread but abandoned the idea as unsuitable for the new comic; but the name, with the spelling modified to "Dredd" at the suggestion of sub-editor Kelvin Gosnell
, was adopted by Wagner for his ultimate lawman.
The task of visualising the character was given to Carlos Ezquerra
, a Spanish
artist who had worked for Mills before on Battle Picture Weekly
. Wagner gave Ezquerra an advertisement for the film Death Race 2000
, showing the character Frankenstein clad in black leather on a motorbike, as a suggestion for what the character should look like. Ezquerra elaborated on this greatly, adding body-armour, zips and chains, which Wagner initially thought to be over the top. Wagner's initial script was rewritten by Mills and drawn up by Ezquerra, but when the art came back a rethink was necessary. The hardware and cityscapes Ezquerra had drawn were far more futuristic than the near-future setting originally intended, but Mills decided to run with it and set the strip further in the future.
By this stage, however, Wagner had quit, disillusioned that a proposed buy-out of the new comic by another company (which would have given him and Mills a greater financial stake in the comic) had fallen through. Mills was reluctant to lose Judge Dredd and farmed the strip out to a variety of freelance writers, hoping to develop it further. Their scripts were given to a variety of artists as Mills tried to find a strip which would provide a good introduction to the character, all of which meant that Judge Dredd would not be ready for 2000 ADs first issue, launched in February 1977.
The story chosen to introduce the character was submitted by Peter Harris, and extensively re-written by Mills. It was drawn by newcomer Mike McMahon
. The strip debuted in "prog" (issue) #2, but Ezquerra, angry that another artist had drawn the first published strip, quit and returned to work for Battle. Wagner, however, soon returned to the character, starting in prog 9. His "Robot Wars
" storyline was drawn by a rotating team of artists (including Ezquerra), and marked the point where Dredd became the most popular character in the comic, a position he has rarely relinquished. The character has appeared in almost every issue since, the bulk of the stories written by Wagner (in collaboration with Alan Grant between 1980 and 1988).
Since 1990 Dredd has also headlined his own title, the Judge Dredd Megazine
. With Wagner concentrating his energies there, the Dredd strip in 2000 AD was left to younger writers such as Garth Ennis
, Mark Millar
, Grant Morrison
and John Smith
. Their efforts were not popular with fans, and sales fell. Wagner returned to writing the character full-time in 1994. Recently, many strips have been written by Gordon Rennie
, and in interviews Rennie and Wagner have indicated that there is a plan for Wagner to retire once Rennie has established himself.
Judge Dredd has also been published in a long-running comic strip
(1981–1998) in the Daily Star, and briefly in Metro
from January 2004–2005. These were usually created by the same teams writing and drawing the main strip and the Daily Star strips have been collected into a number of volumes
.
Joseph Dredd is the most famous of the elite corps of Street Judges
that run Mega-City One
with the power not only to enforce the law, but also to instantly convict and sentence offenders – and occasionally execute them. Dredd is armed with a "Lawgiver" pistol (programmed to recognise his palm-print alone and capable of firing six types of ammunition), a daystick
, a knife, and stun/gas grenades. His helmet obscures all of his face except for his mouth and jaw. He rides a large "Lawmaster" motorbike, which has machineguns, a powerful laser cannon, and full artificial intelligence
capable of responding to orders from the Judge and of driving itself.
Dredd's entire face is never shown properly in the strip. This custom began as an unofficial guideline, but soon became a rule which artists were required to follow. As John Wagner explained:
However, on very rare occasions Dredd's face has been shown in flashbacks to when he was a child, in pictures lacking in detail. In an early story in prog 8, Dredd is forced to remove his helmet and the other characters react as if he is disfigured, but Dredd's face was covered by a faux censorship sticker.
An aborted idea was to have Dredd as a non-white character. In Carlos Ezquerra's original design he drew Dredd with large lips, "to put a mystery as to his racial background." However not all of the artists who worked on the strip were told. As a result Mike McMahon
spent four months drawing Dredd as a black man, while Brian Bolland
and Ron Smith
drew him as a white man. As the strip was not in colour, this went unnoticed and the idea was dropped.
Time passes in the Judge Dredd strip in real time, so as a year passes in real life a year goes by in the comic. Thus the first Dredd story, published in 1977, was set in 2099, and stories published in 2011 are set in 2133. Consequently, as former editor Alan McKenzie
explains, "every year that goes by Dredd gets a year older – unlike Spiderman
, who has been a university student for the past twenty-five years!" Dredd is currently more than seventy years old, with over fifty years of active service (2079–2132), and for some time characters in the comic have been mentioning that Dredd is not as young and fit as he used to be. It is not known whether there are any long term plans to address this issue (although Mega-City One has cloning and brain transplant technology, for instance). This remains a major theme of current episodes: in prog 1595 (2008) Dredd was diagnosed with benign cancer
of the duodenum
.
were cloned from the DNA of Chief Judge Fargo
, the first chief judge
, in 2066. Their growth was artificially accelerated so that they emerged with an apparent physiological age of 5, with all the appropriate knowledge for their age electronically implanted in their brains by computer during gestation. The name Dredd was chosen by the genetic scientist who created them, Morton Judd
, to "instil fear in the population."
In 2070, they saw action for the first time during the Atomic Wars
, when as cadets they were temporarily assigned the rank of full judge
and sent to restore order to the panic-stricken streets. Distinguishing themselves, they were chosen to take part in assaulting the White House
when the Justice Department deposed President Booth
. They were fast-tracked through the Academy of Law
, Joe graduating second in his class in 2079 (Rico came first). Later that year Joe was forced to arrest Rico for murder and corruption.
Joe Dredd excelled as a judge, rapidly gaining promotion to the rank of senior judge. Offered the opportunity to become chief judge
in 2101, he declined, preferring to serve on the streets enforcing the law. On several different occasions he saved his city from conquest or complete destruction by powerful enemies, and in 2114, he almost single-handedly saved the world from being destroyed during the Fourth World War.
Although Dredd puts his duty to uphold the law above everything, this devotion is not blind loyalty. On two occasions (in 2099
and 2112), Dredd resigned from the force on points of principle, but both times, he returned to the fold. In 2113, Dredd insisted that the Justice Department gamble its very existence on a referendum to prove its legitimacy as a form of government. In 2116
, he risked 20 years' imprisonment with hard labour
when he challenged the policy of a chief judge which he was unable to support. In 2129, he threatened to resign to persuade another chief judge to change the city's harsh anti-mutant laws
.
After over fifty years of active service, Dredd's career may be drawing to a close. In 2130, he was diagnosed with cancer, though it was said to be operable. In 2132
, Dredd was appointed to the Council of Five
, Mega-City One's highest governing body.
) have featured over the years, including:
in Mega-City One is rarely used, though deaths while resisting arrest are numerous. Numerous writers have used the Judge System to satirize contemporary politics.
Judges, once appointed, can be broadly characterised as "Street Judges" (who patrol the city), and administrative, or office-based, judges. Dredd was once offered the job of Chief Judge
, but he refused it, believing that he was needed far more out on the streets. The incorruptibility of the Judges is supposedly maintained by the Special Judicial Squad, although even SJS judges have themselves broken the law on occasion, most notably SJS head Judge Cal
who killed the chief judge and usurped his office for himself.
The Judge System has spread throughout the globe, with various super-cities besides Mega-City One possessing some sort of Judge System of law enforcement and government. As such this political model has become the most common form of government on Earth, with only a few small areas practicing traditional civilian rule. There is an international "Judicial Charter" which countries and city states join upon instituting a Judge system.
s known as 'mega-cities'. The world of Judge Dredd is centred on the megalopolis
of Mega-City One
. Within Mega-City One, extensive automation (including the creation of a caste of intelligent robots) has rendered the majority of the population unemployed. As a consequence, the general population is prone to embracing any fashion or craze that comes along. Mega-City One is surrounded by the inhospitable "Cursed Earth
" desert. Much of the remaining world's geography is somewhat vague, although other mega-cities have been referred to and visited in the strip.
Mega-City One's population of 400 million lives in gigantic tower blocks known as City Blocks, each holding some fifty thousand or so people. Each is named after some historical person or TV character, usually for comic effect. For example, Joe Dredd used to live in the Rowdy Yates Block – Rowdy Yates was a character in the American TV cowboy drama Rawhide
, played by a young Clint Eastwood
. Eastwood would later play "Dirty Harry" – one of the thematic influences by which Judge Dredd was inspired. A number of stories feature rivalries between different blocks, on many occasions breaking into gunfire wars between them (most notably in "Block Mania
"). The Judges' extreme powers reflect the difficulty of maintaining any order at all in the Mega-City's stifling environment.
Despite its frequent disasters, Mega-City One stretches from around Boston
to Charlotte
; it stretched further before the Apocalypse War
, which saw widespread death and devastation, the south of the city being entirely wiped out. At its height, the city contained a population of about 800 million; it was halved in the War. The story Origins
revealed that Mega-City One was formed because of growing urban sprawl rather than deliberate design, and by 2051 it was recognised as the world's first mega-city.
There are four other major population centres in Dredd's Northern America. The first is Texas City, stretching across several of the southern United States and with a different culture to its northern cousin, based on Wild West frontier values. South of the city is Mex-City. North of Mega-City One is Canadia. Further north is Uranium City. Until 2114 Mega-City Two
also existed on the West Coast, but was destroyed during the events of Judgement Day. The centre of the continent is a nuclear desert called the Cursed Earth
, containing various settlements and minor cities. Nuclear deserts and destruction elsewhere in the world are also extensive. Much of the north Atlantic
is severely polluted, and is now known as the "Black Atlantic." An underwater settlement known as Atlantis exists in the Atlantic, bridging a Mega-City One to Brit-Cit
(England
) tunnel.
Other cities are Cal-Hab (part of Scotland
), Euro-City (eastern France and part of Germany), and Ciudad España (eastern Spain). Ireland
has the megacity of Murphyville and has been turned into an enormous tourist theme park re-creating a stereotypical view of traditional Irish life. Russia's East-Meg One was destroyed by Dredd in a massive nuclear strike at the climax of the Apocalypse War in 2104. Further east is East-Meg Two. Mongolia, lacking a Mega-City or Judge system, has called itself the Mongolian Exclusion Zone and criminals have flocked there for a safe haven; East-Meg Two performed vicious clearances there in 2125. In Asia, separated from East-Meg Two by an extensive nuclear desert, are Sino-City One (destroyed during Judgement Day, and originally referred to as East-Meg Three) and Sino-City Two in eastern China
, with Hong Tong built in the remains of Hong Kong
and partitioned between Sino-Cit and Brit-Cit control. Hondo City
lies on the remains of the islands of Japan
. Indo City (later called Nu-Delhi) is in southern India
. Between Hondo and Sino-City lie the Radlands of Ji, a nuclear desert full of chaos magic and many violent outlaw gangs and martial arts schools. Into the Blue Pacific cities survive in south-east Australia
(Sydney
-Melbourne
Conurb) and New Zealand
(New Pacific City). All of Indonesia's islands are now linked by a network of mutant coral called "The Web;" this network of islands is a lawless hotbed of crime.
The Middle East
is without major cities, being either nuclear or natural deserts; the Mediterranean coast is heavily damaged by mutagens. In Africa
much of the south is nuclear desert. Nuclear fallout and pollution appear to have missed Antarctica and the Arctic, causing one Mega-City (Antarctic City) to have been constructed there.
The high levels of pollution have created instances of mutation in humans and animals. The Mega-Cities largely operate on a system of genetic apartheid, making expulsion from the cities the worst punishment possible.
Earth's moon has been colonised, with a series of large domes forming Luna City; another colony, Puerto Luminae, exists but is a lawless, violent hellhole. In addition many deep space colonies have been established. Some are loyal to various mega cities, while many are independent states, and others still face violent insurgencies to gain independence. The multi-national Space Corps
battles both insurgencies and external alien threats. The newly discovered planet Hestia (which is in a polar orbit of the Sun near to Earth's orbit) has a colony, there are some references to colonies on Mars such as Viking City, Saturn's moon Titan
has a judicial penal colony, and Mega-City One is known to have deep space missile silos on Pluto.
All of the stories from both comics are currently being reprinted in their original order of publication in two series of trade paperbacks
. Stories from the regular issues of 2000 AD and the Megazine are collected in a series entitled Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files. This series began in 2005.http://www.grovel.org.uk/judge-dredd-the-complete-case-files/ Stories from special holiday issues and annuals appear in Judge Dredd: The Restricted Files. This series began in 2010.
, three new comic book
titles were released, followed by a one-off comic version of the film story.
Judge Dredd (DC Comics)
, portrayed as incorruptible in the original version, was depicted as evil in the DC version. Most issues were written by Andrew Helfer
, but the last issue was written by Gordon Rennie
, who has since written Judge Dredd for 2000 AD. (Note: the DC crossover story "Judgement on Gotham" featured the original Dredd, not the version depicted in this title.)
Judge Dredd – Legends of the Law
Judge Dredd – Lawman of the Future
prohibited writers from showing Dredd killing anyone, a reluctance which would be completely unfamiliar to readers acquainted with the original version. As one reviewer put it years later: "this was Judge Dredd with two vital ingredients missing: his balls." It ran fortnightly for 23 issues from 1995 to 1996, plus one "Action Special."
Judge Dredd: The Official Movie Adaptation
Heavy Metal Dredd
loosely based on the comic strip was released in 1995, starring Sylvester Stallone
as Dredd (it was said that Arnold Schwarzenegger
was originally requested for the role, but declined because in the original script, Dredd would keep the helmet on during major parts of the film). The film received negative reviews upon its release. It currently holds a 15% rating on review aggregator
website Rotten Tomatoes
, with the critical consensus stating that "Director [Danny] Cannon fails to find the necessary balance to make it work". In deference to its expensive Hollywood star, Dredd's face was shown. In the comic, he very rarely removes his helmet, and even then his real face is never revealed. Also the writers largely omitted the ironic humour of the comic strip, and ignored important aspects of the 'Dredd mythology.' For example, in the film a 'love interest' is developed between Dredd and Judge Hershey
, something that is strictly forbidden between Judges (or Judges and anyone else for that matter) in the comic strip. In America, the film won several "worst film of the year" awards. Also of interest is the cameo appearance of an ABC Warrior
robot bearing a distinct resemblance to Hammerstein
.
and 2000 AD have announced that a new movie is in the works, working with DNA Films
.
Concept art has been released, it was created by Jock
who has worked on numerous Judge Dredd stories.
The main Judge Dredd writer John Wagner
has said:
It was revealed in May 2010 that the film will be in 3-D
, funding had been secured from Reliance Big Entertainment and those behind the film will be looking for buyers at Cannes Film Festival
. It will be filmed in Cape Town
, with Pete Travis
("Vantage Point
") directing and Michael S. Murphey (supervising producer on District 9
) as co-producer. Karl Urban
has been confirmed to portray Dredd and Olivia Thirlby will portray Judge Anderson
. The film will be called Dredd and will feature a dark neo-noir style.
s to the 1995 film were released for the Sega Genesis and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
. The SNES version was developed
by Probe Software and published
by Acclaim
.
Judge Dredd: Dredd Vs. Death
was produced by Rebellion Developments
and released in early 2003 by Sierra Entertainment
for the PC
, PlayStation 2
, Xbox
and Nintendo GameCube
. The game sees the return of the Dark Judges
when Mega-City One
becomes overrun with vampires and the undead. The player takes control of Judge Dredd, with the optional addition of another Human player in Co-operative play. The whole game is played in the style of an FPS
(first-person shooter) — with key differences from the standard FPS being the requirement to arrest lawbreakers and an SJS death squad which will hunt you down should you kill too many civilians. The player can also go up against three friends in the various multiplayer modes which include Deathmatch
/Team Deathmatch, Elimination/Team Elimination, Informant, Judges Vs Perps, Runner and more.
There have also been several games released across formats such as the PlayStation
, SNES/Super Famicom
, Mega Drive/Genesis and several home computers, such as the Sinclair ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64
, while a high-profile arcade game
, or "coin-op," was developed — but never released — by Midway Games
, creators of the Mortal Kombat
video game franchise. Some of them (more specifically the SNES/Genesis versions) had the film as a basis, given that the box artworks for these depict Stallone as he appears in the film poster.
Bally also produced a Judge Dredd pinball
machine.
A costume set for the PlayStation 3
video game LittleBigPlanet
was released in May 2009 which contained outfits to dress the game's main character Sackboy as five 2000 AD characters one of which is Judge Dredd. Dredd's uniform is also used to create the Judge Anderson
costume for the Sackpeople.
published nine Judge Dredd novels. They had hoped the series would be a success in the wake of the feature film, but the series was cancelled after insufficient sales. The books are:
(In 2003 The Hundredfold Problem was re-released by BeWrite Books, rewritten as a non-Dredd novel.)
Also in 1995, St. Martins Press published two novelizations of the film
:
From 2003 to 2007, Black Flame
published official 2000 AD novels, including a new run of Judge Dredd novels. Their nine Judge Dredd books are:
has produced eighteen audio play
s featuring 2000 AD characters. These have mostly featured Judge Dredd although three have also featured Strontium Dog
. In these Judge Dredd is played by Toby Longworth
and Johnny Alpha, the Strontium Dog is played by Simon Pegg
. In July 2009 four further Judge Dredd titles were released under the banner 'Crime Chronicles', once more featuring Toby Longworth
.
The current list of 2000 AD audio plays featuring Dredd includes:
Note: 3 and 10 are Strontium Dog stories that do not feature Dredd.
In addition, both "The Day the Law Died
" and "The Apocalypse War
" stories were featured on Mark Goodier's
afternoon show on BBC Radio One, and issued separately on dual cassette and double CD. Both titles have since been deleted. "The Apocalypse War" contains plot elements from "Block Mania
" as this story set the scene for the East-Meg One invasion.
have released a miniatures skirmish game of gang warfare based in Mega City 1 called Gangs of Mega-City One, often referred to as GOMC1. The game features Judges being called in when a gang challenges another gang that is too tough to fight. A wide range of miniatures has been released including box sets for an Ape Gang and an Undercity Gang. A Robot Gang was also produced but was released as two blister packs instead of a box set. Only one rules expansion has been released, called Death on the Streets, which is now out of print. The expansion introduced many new rules including usage of the new gangs and the ability to bring Judge Dredd himself into a fight. Signs and Portents continues to contain articles for this game fairly regularly.
There was also a short-lived collectible card game
called simply 'Dredd' based on the world of Judge Dredd. In the game players would control a squad of judges and arrest perps. The rules system was innovative and the game was well-received by fans and collectors alike, but various issues unrelated to the game's quality caused its early demise.
Games Workshop
produced a boardgame based on the comic strip in 1982. In the game players, who represent judges, attempt to arrest perps that have committed crimes in different location in Mega City One. A key feature of the game is the different action cards that are collected during play; generally these cards are used when trying to arrest perps although some cards can also be played against other players to hinder their progress. The winner of the game is the judge who collected the most points arresting perps. Whilst it is a reasonably simple game it is quite amusing especially when players spend time sabotaging each others arrest attempts. Additionally, there were many amusing card combinations such as arresting Judge Death for selling old comics, as the Old Comic Selling crime card featured a 2000 AD cover with Judge Death on it. The game used characters, locations and artwork from the comic but is now out of print.
In 1987, Games Workshop published a second Dredd-inspired boardgame, "Block Mania
." In this game for two players, players take on the role of rival neighboring blocks at war. This was a heavier game than the earlier Dredd boardgame, focused on tactical combat, in which players control these residents as they use whatever means they can to vandalize and destroy their opponent's block. Later the same year, Games Workshop released the Mega Mania expansion for the game, allowing the game to be played by up to 4 players.
The Adeptus Arbites created by Games Workshop
seemed to be heavily inspired by Judge Dredd.
Justice Peace
Judge Dudd
Judge Fredd
Psycho Gran vs. Judge Dredd
Comics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
character whose strip in the British science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
anthology 2000 AD is the magazine's longest running (having been featured there since its second issue in 1977). Dredd is an American law enforcement officer in a violent city of the future where uniformed Judges
Judge (2000 AD)
Judge is a title held by several significant characters in the Judge Dredd series, which appears in the British comics 2000 AD and Judge Dredd Megazine...
combine the powers of police, judge, jury and executioner. Dredd and his fellow Judges are empowered to arrest, sentence and even execute criminals on the spot. He was created by writer John Wagner
John Wagner
John Wagner is a comics writer who was born in Pennsylvania in 1949 and moved to Scotland as a boy. Alongside Pat Mills, Wagner was responsible for revitalising British boys' comics in the 1970s, and has continued to be a leading light in British comics ever since.He is best known for his work on...
and artist Carlos Ezquerra
Carlos Ezquerra
Carlos Sanchez Ezquerra , who has also worked under the alias L. John Silver, is a Spanish comics artist who works mainly in British comics and currently lives in Andorra...
, although editor Pat Mills
Pat Mills
Pat Mills, nicknamed 'the godfather of British comics', is a comics writer and editor who, along with John Wagner, revitalised British boys comics in the 1970s, and has remained a leading light in British comics ever since....
also deserves some credit for his early development.
Judge Dredd is amongst the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's best known home-grown comic characters. So great is the character's name recognition that his name is sometimes invoked over similar issues to those explored by the comic series, such as the police state
Police state
A police state is one in which the government exercises rigid and repressive controls over the social, economic and political life of the population...
, authoritarianism
Authoritarianism
Authoritarianism is a form of social organization characterized by submission to authority. It is usually opposed to individualism and democracy...
and the rule of law
Rule of law
The rule of law, sometimes called supremacy of law, is a legal maxim that says that governmental decisions should be made by applying known principles or laws with minimal discretion in their application...
. Judge Dredd was named the seventh greatest comic character by the British magazine Empire
Empire (magazine)
Empire is a British film magazine published monthly by Bauer Consumer Media. From the first issue in July 1989, the magazine was edited by Barry McIlheney and published by Emap. Bauer purchased Emap Consumer Media in early 2008...
. In 2011 IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
ranked him 35th in the "Top 100 comic books heroes".
Publication history
When Pat MillsPat Mills
Pat Mills, nicknamed 'the godfather of British comics', is a comics writer and editor who, along with John Wagner, revitalised British boys comics in the 1970s, and has remained a leading light in British comics ever since....
was developing 2000 AD in 1976, he brought in his former writing partner, John Wagner
John Wagner
John Wagner is a comics writer who was born in Pennsylvania in 1949 and moved to Scotland as a boy. Alongside Pat Mills, Wagner was responsible for revitalising British boys' comics in the 1970s, and has continued to be a leading light in British comics ever since.He is best known for his work on...
, to develop characters. Wagner had written various Dirty Harry
Dirty Harry
Dirty Harry is a 1971 American crime thriller produced and directed by Don Siegel, the first in the Dirty Harry series. Clint Eastwood plays the title role, in his first outing as San Francisco Police Department Inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan....
-style "tough cop" stories for other titles, and suggested a character who took that concept to its logical extreme, imagining an ultra-violent lawman patrolling a future New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
with the power to administer instant justice. Mills had developed a horror
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
strip called Judge Dread but abandoned the idea as unsuitable for the new comic; but the name, with the spelling modified to "Dredd" at the suggestion of sub-editor Kelvin Gosnell
Kelvin Gosnell
Kelvin Gosnell is a British comics writer and editor. He was involved in the founding of the long-running comic 2000 AD in 1977.-Biography:...
, was adopted by Wagner for his ultimate lawman.
The task of visualising the character was given to Carlos Ezquerra
Carlos Ezquerra
Carlos Sanchez Ezquerra , who has also worked under the alias L. John Silver, is a Spanish comics artist who works mainly in British comics and currently lives in Andorra...
, a Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
artist who had worked for Mills before on Battle Picture Weekly
Battle Picture Weekly
Battle Picture Weekly, at various time also known as Battle Action Force, Battle and Battle with Storm Force, was a British war comic published by IPC Magazines from 8 March 1975 to 23 January 1988, when it merged with Eagle...
. Wagner gave Ezquerra an advertisement for the film Death Race 2000
Death Race 2000
Death Race 2000 is a 1975 cult action film directed by Paul Bartel, and starring David Carradine, Simone Griffeth and Sylvester Stallone. The film takes place in a dystopian American society in the year 2000, where the murderous Transcontinental Road Race has become a form of national entertainment...
, showing the character Frankenstein clad in black leather on a motorbike, as a suggestion for what the character should look like. Ezquerra elaborated on this greatly, adding body-armour, zips and chains, which Wagner initially thought to be over the top. Wagner's initial script was rewritten by Mills and drawn up by Ezquerra, but when the art came back a rethink was necessary. The hardware and cityscapes Ezquerra had drawn were far more futuristic than the near-future setting originally intended, but Mills decided to run with it and set the strip further in the future.
By this stage, however, Wagner had quit, disillusioned that a proposed buy-out of the new comic by another company (which would have given him and Mills a greater financial stake in the comic) had fallen through. Mills was reluctant to lose Judge Dredd and farmed the strip out to a variety of freelance writers, hoping to develop it further. Their scripts were given to a variety of artists as Mills tried to find a strip which would provide a good introduction to the character, all of which meant that Judge Dredd would not be ready for 2000 ADs first issue, launched in February 1977.
The story chosen to introduce the character was submitted by Peter Harris, and extensively re-written by Mills. It was drawn by newcomer Mike McMahon
Mike McMahon (comics)
Michael McMahon is a British comics artist best known for his work on 2000 AD characters such as Judge Dredd, Sláine and ABC Warriors, and the mini-series The Last American....
. The strip debuted in "prog" (issue) #2, but Ezquerra, angry that another artist had drawn the first published strip, quit and returned to work for Battle. Wagner, however, soon returned to the character, starting in prog 9. His "Robot Wars
The Robot Wars
The Robot Wars was the first extended storyline for Judge Dredd during which the character became the most popular in the comic 2000 AD...
" storyline was drawn by a rotating team of artists (including Ezquerra), and marked the point where Dredd became the most popular character in the comic, a position he has rarely relinquished. The character has appeared in almost every issue since, the bulk of the stories written by Wagner (in collaboration with Alan Grant between 1980 and 1988).
Since 1990 Dredd has also headlined his own title, the Judge Dredd Megazine
Judge Dredd Megazine
Judge Dredd: The Megazine is a monthly British comic magazine, launched in October 1990. It is a sister publication to 2000 AD. Its name is a play on words, formed from "magazine" and Dredd's locale Mega-City One.-Content:...
. With Wagner concentrating his energies there, the Dredd strip in 2000 AD was left to younger writers such as Garth Ennis
Garth Ennis
Garth Ennis is a Northern Irish comics writer, best known for the Vertigo series Preacher with artist Steve Dillon and his successful nine-year run on Marvel Comics' Punisher franchise...
, Mark Millar
Mark Millar
Mark Millar is a Scottish comic book writer, known for his work on books such as The Authority, The Ultimates, Marvel Knights Spider-Man, Ultimate Fantastic Four, Civil War, Wanted, and Kick-Ass, the latter two of which have been adapted into feature films...
, Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
and John Smith
John Smith (comics)
John Smith is a British comics writer best known for his work on 2000 AD and Crisis.Smith's work is characterised by intricate, sometimes obscure plots and an interest in taboos and the occult, told in an elliptic, fractured narrative style reminiscent of Iain Sinclair or the cut-up technique of...
. Their efforts were not popular with fans, and sales fell. Wagner returned to writing the character full-time in 1994. Recently, many strips have been written by Gordon Rennie
Gordon Rennie
Gordon Rennie is a comics writer, responsible for White Trash: Moronic Inferno, as well as several comic strips for 2000 AD and novels for Warhammer Fantasy....
, and in interviews Rennie and Wagner have indicated that there is a plan for Wagner to retire once Rennie has established himself.
Judge Dredd has also been published in a long-running comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
(1981–1998) in the Daily Star, and briefly in Metro
Metro (Associated Metro Limited)
Metro is a free daily newspaper in the United Kingdom published by Associated Newspapers Ltd . It is available from Monday to Friday each week on many public transport services across the United Kingdom.-History:The paper was launched in London in 1999, and can now be found in 14 UK urban centres...
from January 2004–2005. These were usually created by the same teams writing and drawing the main strip and the Daily Star strips have been collected into a number of volumes
Trade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
.
Character and appearance
Judge (2000 AD)
Judge is a title held by several significant characters in the Judge Dredd series, which appears in the British comics 2000 AD and Judge Dredd Megazine...
that run Mega-City One
Mega-City One
Mega-City One is a huge fictional city-state covering much of what is now the Eastern United States in the Judge Dredd comic book series. The exact boundaries of the city depend on which artist has drawn the story...
with the power not only to enforce the law, but also to instantly convict and sentence offenders – and occasionally execute them. Dredd is armed with a "Lawgiver" pistol (programmed to recognise his palm-print alone and capable of firing six types of ammunition), a daystick
Baton (law enforcement)
A truncheon or baton is essentially a club of less than arm's length made of wood, plastic, or metal...
, a knife, and stun/gas grenades. His helmet obscures all of his face except for his mouth and jaw. He rides a large "Lawmaster" motorbike, which has machineguns, a powerful laser cannon, and full artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
capable of responding to orders from the Judge and of driving itself.
Dredd's entire face is never shown properly in the strip. This custom began as an unofficial guideline, but soon became a rule which artists were required to follow. As John Wagner explained:
However, on very rare occasions Dredd's face has been shown in flashbacks to when he was a child, in pictures lacking in detail. In an early story in prog 8, Dredd is forced to remove his helmet and the other characters react as if he is disfigured, but Dredd's face was covered by a faux censorship sticker.
An aborted idea was to have Dredd as a non-white character. In Carlos Ezquerra's original design he drew Dredd with large lips, "to put a mystery as to his racial background." However not all of the artists who worked on the strip were told. As a result Mike McMahon
Mike McMahon (comics)
Michael McMahon is a British comics artist best known for his work on 2000 AD characters such as Judge Dredd, Sláine and ABC Warriors, and the mini-series The Last American....
spent four months drawing Dredd as a black man, while Brian Bolland
Brian Bolland
Brian Bolland is a British comics artist, known for his meticulous, detailed linework and eye-catching compositions. Best known in the UK as one of the definitive Judge Dredd artists for British comics anthology 2000 AD, he spearheaded the 'British Invasion' of the American comics industry, and in...
and Ron Smith
Ron Smith (artist)
Ron Smith, born 1924, is a retired British comic artist whose career spanned almost almost fifty years, during which time he built a solid reputation as one of the most popular and well respected illustrators working in his field....
drew him as a white man. As the strip was not in colour, this went unnoticed and the idea was dropped.
Time passes in the Judge Dredd strip in real time, so as a year passes in real life a year goes by in the comic. Thus the first Dredd story, published in 1977, was set in 2099, and stories published in 2011 are set in 2133. Consequently, as former editor Alan McKenzie
Alan McKenzie
Alan McKenzie is a British comics writer known for his work at 2000 AD.-Biography:McKenzie worked for Marvel UK during the early 1980s, editing Starburst, Cinema and Doctor Who Monthly magazines. After leaving the Marvel staff in 1985, he wrote several Doctor Who comic stories for the Monthly under...
explains, "every year that goes by Dredd gets a year older – unlike Spiderman
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
, who has been a university student for the past twenty-five years!" Dredd is currently more than seventy years old, with over fifty years of active service (2079–2132), and for some time characters in the comic have been mentioning that Dredd is not as young and fit as he used to be. It is not known whether there are any long term plans to address this issue (although Mega-City One has cloning and brain transplant technology, for instance). This remains a major theme of current episodes: in prog 1595 (2008) Dredd was diagnosed with benign cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
of the duodenum
Duodenum
The duodenum is the first section of the small intestine in most higher vertebrates, including mammals, reptiles, and birds. In fish, the divisions of the small intestine are not as clear and the terms anterior intestine or proximal intestine may be used instead of duodenum...
.
Fictional character biography
Senior Judge Joseph Dredd and his brother Rico DreddRico Dredd
Rico Dredd is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD magazine. He is the brother of Judge Joe Dredd, the strip's eponymous lead character.-Appearances:...
were cloned from the DNA of Chief Judge Fargo
Chief Judge Fargo
Chief Judge Eustace Fargo is an important fictional character from the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He is Judge Dredd's clone father....
, the first chief judge
Chief Judge of Mega-City One
Chief Judge of Mega-City One is the title of several supporting characters in the Judge Dredd comic strip published in 2000 AD. The chief judge is dictator and head of state of Mega-City One, a fictional future city of around 400 million people in 22nd-century America...
, in 2066. Their growth was artificially accelerated so that they emerged with an apparent physiological age of 5, with all the appropriate knowledge for their age electronically implanted in their brains by computer during gestation. The name Dredd was chosen by the genetic scientist who created them, Morton Judd
Morton Judd
Morton Judd is a fictional character from the Judge Dredd comic strip and appears in progs 559-563 of the British comic 2000 AD, in the story "Oz"....
, to "instil fear in the population."
In 2070, they saw action for the first time during the Atomic Wars
Atomic Wars
The Atomic Wars or Great Atom War is a fictional event in the Judge Dredd universe.In 2070, the possibly psychotic President Robert L. Booth started World War III by starting a nuclear war which dragged in all the major superpowers....
, when as cadets they were temporarily assigned the rank of full judge
Judge (2000 AD)
Judge is a title held by several significant characters in the Judge Dredd series, which appears in the British comics 2000 AD and Judge Dredd Megazine...
and sent to restore order to the panic-stricken streets. Distinguishing themselves, they were chosen to take part in assaulting the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
when the Justice Department deposed President Booth
President Robert L. Booth
Robert Linus Booth is a fictional character from the British comic strip Judge Dredd in 2000 AD. He was the last President of the United States and the man who initiated the Atomic Wars.-Fictional character biography:...
. They were fast-tracked through the Academy of Law
Academy of Law
The Academy of Law is a fictional place of learning appearing in the Judge Dredd series that appears in the British comic 2000 AD.-Fictional history:The Academy of Law is where the Judges of Mega-City One are trained...
, Joe graduating second in his class in 2079 (Rico came first). Later that year Joe was forced to arrest Rico for murder and corruption.
Joe Dredd excelled as a judge, rapidly gaining promotion to the rank of senior judge. Offered the opportunity to become chief judge
Chief Judge of Mega-City One
Chief Judge of Mega-City One is the title of several supporting characters in the Judge Dredd comic strip published in 2000 AD. The chief judge is dictator and head of state of Mega-City One, a fictional future city of around 400 million people in 22nd-century America...
in 2101, he declined, preferring to serve on the streets enforcing the law. On several different occasions he saved his city from conquest or complete destruction by powerful enemies, and in 2114, he almost single-handedly saved the world from being destroyed during the Fourth World War.
Although Dredd puts his duty to uphold the law above everything, this devotion is not blind loyalty. On two occasions (in 2099
The Robot Wars
The Robot Wars was the first extended storyline for Judge Dredd during which the character became the most popular in the comic 2000 AD...
and 2112), Dredd resigned from the force on points of principle, but both times, he returned to the fold. In 2113, Dredd insisted that the Justice Department gamble its very existence on a referendum to prove its legitimacy as a form of government. In 2116
Mechanismo
Mechanismo is the title of a Judge Dredd story published in the British comic Judge Dredd Megazine in 1992. It was the first story in a series of stories published over the next two years in both the Megazine and 2000 AD, most notably the epic "Wilderlands." The stories concern the Mechanismo...
, he risked 20 years' imprisonment with hard labour
Penal labour
Penal labour is a form of unfree labour in which prisoners perform work, typically manual labour. The work may be light or hard, depending on the context. Forms of sentence which involve penal labour include penal servitude and imprisonment with hard labour...
when he challenged the policy of a chief judge which he was unable to support. In 2129, he threatened to resign to persuade another chief judge to change the city's harsh anti-mutant laws
Mutants (Judge Dredd)
Mutants are a recurring theme in the Judge Dredd science-fiction stories published in British comics 2000 AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine...
.
After over fifty years of active service, Dredd's career may be drawing to a close. In 2130, he was diagnosed with cancer, though it was said to be operable. In 2132
Tour of Duty (Judge Dredd story)
Tour of Duty is a Judge Dredd story published in British comic 2000 AD . It lasted for 46 episodes, 39 of which were written by John Wagner. It has the greatest number of episodes and pages of any Judge Dredd story...
, Dredd was appointed to the Council of Five
Council of Five
The Council of Five is a fictional legislature and court in the Judge Dredd comic strip appearing in 2000 AD. It first appeared in 2000 AD prog 86 ....
, Mega-City One's highest governing body.
Family and associates
- Rico DreddRico DreddRico Dredd is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD magazine. He is the brother of Judge Joe Dredd, the strip's eponymous lead character.-Appearances:...
: Soon after becoming a judge, Dredd's brother Rico became corrupt and began breaking the law, forcing Dredd to turn him in. Twenty years later Rico returned from jail, seeking revenge, and Dredd was forced to kill him in self-defence. - ViennaVienna DreddVienna Dredd or Vienna Pasternak is a fictional character from the Judge Dredd comic strip, first appearing in prog 116 of the British comic 2000 AD in 1979....
: Dredd also has a niece, Vienna, who was fathered by Rico while in jail. They have a close relationship (for Dredd). Dredd has gone out of his way to save her on occasion, and they get on relatively well. - Judge RicoJudge RicoJudge Rico is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD magazine. He chose the name Rico to commemorate Rico Dredd.-Character biography:...
: Dredd himself has been cloned. One such clone, who adopted Rico's name (but as a surname), is often mistaken for Dredd. Judge Rico eventually inherited Dredd's apartment at Rowdy Yates Block. - Judge AndersonJudge AndersonJudge Cassandra Anderson is a fictional character that started as a supporting player in the comic story Judge Dredd of 2000 AD and eventually rose in prominence and became the star of her own series, which is entitled Anderson: Psi-Division. It was created by writer John Wagner and artist Brian...
: For years Dredd had a close but uneasy friendship with Cassandra Anderson of Psi DivisionPsi DivisionPsi-Division is a fictional organisation in the Judge Dredd and Anderson: Psi-Division comic strips in 2000 AD and Judge Dredd: The Megazine. It is the branch of Mega-City One's Justice Department that deals in supernatural phenomena, using Judges with psychic abilities. Psi-Judges are often...
. This friendship came to an end when Anderson abandoned the law for a short time. Later Dredd denied his friendship with her and claimed that he had merely tolerated her. After battling an alien who claimed to be Satan, Anderson was badly injured. At this point Dredd confirmed to her that they had, indeed, been friends. - Judge HersheyJudge HersheyJudge Barbara Hershey is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd series that appears in British comic 2000 AD. For nearly two decades she regularly appeared as Dredd's sidekick, before being promoted to become his superior: she was chief judge for nine years...
: Dredd has known former chief judge Hershey since 2102; like all chief judgesChief Judge of Mega-City OneChief Judge of Mega-City One is the title of several supporting characters in the Judge Dredd comic strip published in 2000 AD. The chief judge is dictator and head of state of Mega-City One, a fictional future city of around 400 million people in 22nd-century America...
since GoodmanJudge GoodmanChief Judge Clarence Goodman is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd stories published in the British comic 2000 AD. He appeared in the first episode of Judge Dredd in March 1977 , and was the first regularly recurring supporting character.-Biography:Goodman was joint deputy chief judge at the...
, he had easy access to her, but they also have a personal relationship based on mutual respect for each other. Dredd believes her to be "the best chief judge we've ever had." - Walter the WobotWalter the WobotWalter is a fictional character from the Judge Dredd comic strip in British comic 2000 AD.-Fictional character biography:Walter was Judge Dredd's house robot. He is usually used in stories to provide comic relief, and he has a speech impediment which causes him to pronounce his R's as W's...
and Maria: Dredd used to share his flat with a domestic robot called Walter the Wobot, who performed all his domestic chores. Walter was intensely loyal to Dredd, but Dredd mostly treated him with open disdain. Dredd also had a landlady called Maria. In later years, Dredd parted company with both Walter and Maria. - Galen DeMarcoGalen DeMarcoGalen DeMarco is a fictional character in the world of Judge Dredd. She is a former street judge who first appeared in the Judge Dredd storyline "The Pit" in 2000 AD #970.-Biography:...
was a judge who developed an infatuation with Dredd. While Dredd respected her as a judge, he did not reciprocate her feelings, since romantic attachment is prohibited to judges. Her breach of regulations led to her downfall and resignation from the force. Dredd maintained contact with her and tried to help her adjust to civilian life, but when he continued to reject her advances she eventually severed contact. - Fargo clan: Revealed in 2006 was the existence of a whole town occupied by the mutated descendants of Ephram Fargo, the twin brother of Chief Judge Eustace Fargo. These mutantsMutants (Judge Dredd)Mutants are a recurring theme in the Judge Dredd science-fiction stories published in British comics 2000 AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine...
, who share the common mutation of an overly large, exaggerated chin, are thus genetic relatives of Judge Dredd himself, and consider him a "cousin." This led to Dredd campaigning to have Mega-City One's mutant segregation laws repealed.
Villains
Numerous infamous criminals (or "perps" in the story's argotArgot
An Argot is a secret language used by various groups—including, but not limited to, thieves and other criminals—to prevent outsiders from understanding their conversations. The term argot is also used to refer to the informal specialized vocabulary from a particular field of study, hobby, job,...
) have featured over the years, including:
- The Angel GangAngel GangThe Angel Gang is a group of villains in the Judge Dredd comic strip, published in 2000 AD magazine in the UK.-History:The most infamous and feared band of thugs ever to come out of Texas City, the Angel Gang were responsible for a near endless string of crimes with one overriding common factor -...
- Mean Machine AngelMean Machine AngelMean "Mean Machine" Angel is a villain in the Judge Dredd stories of the British comic book series 2000 AD. He is one of the sons of Elmer "Pa" Angel, and as such, is a member of the Angel Gang.-Fictional biography:...
- Mean Machine Angel
- Chief Judge CalJudge CalChief Judge Cal is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He was loosely based on the real life Roman emperor Caligula, who is widely considered to have been insane...
- ChopperChopper (Judge Dredd character)Chopper is a fictional character in British comics 2000 AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine. He was created by John Wagner and Ron Smith and has appeared in numerous Judge Dredd stories, including "Oz", and has his own eponymous series.-Unamerican Graffiti:Marlon Shakespeare was...
- The Dark JudgesDark JudgesThe Dark Judges are recurring villains in the fictional Judge Dredd universe recounted in the UK comic 2000 AD. They are Judge Death, Judge Fire, Judge Fear and Judge Mortis. Later storylines added the "Sisters of Death" , to their ranks...
- Judge DeathJudge DeathJudge Death is a fictional character of the Judge Dredd universe recounted in the UK comic 2000 AD. He is the leader of the Dark Judges, a sinister group of undead law enforcers from the alternate dimension of Deadworld, where all life has been declared a crime since only the living commit crimes...
- Judge Death
- Armon GillArmon GillArmon Gill, also known as the Chief Judge's Man, is a fictional villain from the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD.-Fictional character biography:...
(a.k.a. the "Chief Judge's Man") - Judge GriceJudge GriceJudge Grice was a fictional character in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. Created in 1990 by John Wagner and Steve Dillon, Grice later had his own spin-off series, Purgatory by Mark Millar and Carlos Ezquerra...
- Morton JuddMorton JuddMorton Judd is a fictional character from the Judge Dredd comic strip and appears in progs 559-563 of the British comic 2000 AD, in the story "Oz"....
- The Judge ChildJudge ChildThe Judge Child was an extended storyline in the 2000 AD comic strip Judge Dredd that ran from issues 156 to 181 in 1980. It introduced a character with the same name...
- PJ MaybePJ MaybePhilip Janet Maybe is a fictional character in the 2000 AD comic strip Judge Dredd. He is a notorious serial killer, and most notably assumed the identity of Mayor Byron Ambrose, who he murdered.-Fictional character biography:...
- Sov Judge OrlokSov Judge OrlokSov Judge Orlok, also known as Orlok the Assassin, is a fictional character in the British comic strip Judge Dredd. He is an operative of the Soviet megacity of East Meg One.-Fictional character biography:...
The Judge system
Street Judges act as police, judge, jury and, if necessary, on-the-spot executioner. However, capital punishmentCapital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
in Mega-City One is rarely used, though deaths while resisting arrest are numerous. Numerous writers have used the Judge System to satirize contemporary politics.
Judges, once appointed, can be broadly characterised as "Street Judges" (who patrol the city), and administrative, or office-based, judges. Dredd was once offered the job of Chief Judge
Chief Judge of Mega-City One
Chief Judge of Mega-City One is the title of several supporting characters in the Judge Dredd comic strip published in 2000 AD. The chief judge is dictator and head of state of Mega-City One, a fictional future city of around 400 million people in 22nd-century America...
, but he refused it, believing that he was needed far more out on the streets. The incorruptibility of the Judges is supposedly maintained by the Special Judicial Squad, although even SJS judges have themselves broken the law on occasion, most notably SJS head Judge Cal
Judge Cal
Chief Judge Cal is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He was loosely based on the real life Roman emperor Caligula, who is widely considered to have been insane...
who killed the chief judge and usurped his office for himself.
The Judge System has spread throughout the globe, with various super-cities besides Mega-City One possessing some sort of Judge System of law enforcement and government. As such this political model has become the most common form of government on Earth, with only a few small areas practicing traditional civilian rule. There is an international "Judicial Charter" which countries and city states join upon instituting a Judge system.
Dredd's world
The setting of Judge Dredd takes place in a dystopian future where the Earth has been badly damaged by a series of international conflicts, much of the planet has turned to radioactive wasteland, and so populations have tended to aggregate in enormous conurbationConurbation
A conurbation is a region comprising a number of cities, large towns, and other urban areas that, through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban and industrially developed area...
s known as 'mega-cities'. The world of Judge Dredd is centred on the megalopolis
Megalopolis (city type)
A megalopolis is typically defined as a chain of roughly adjacent metropolitan areas. The term was used by Oswald Spengler in his 1918 book, The Decline of the West, and Lewis Mumford in his 1938 book, The Culture of Cities, which described it as the first stage in urban overdevelopment and...
of Mega-City One
Mega-City One
Mega-City One is a huge fictional city-state covering much of what is now the Eastern United States in the Judge Dredd comic book series. The exact boundaries of the city depend on which artist has drawn the story...
. Within Mega-City One, extensive automation (including the creation of a caste of intelligent robots) has rendered the majority of the population unemployed. As a consequence, the general population is prone to embracing any fashion or craze that comes along. Mega-City One is surrounded by the inhospitable "Cursed Earth
Cursed Earth
The Cursed Earth is a part of the fictional universe from the Judge Dredd series that appears in the UK comic book 2000 AD.-Background:...
" desert. Much of the remaining world's geography is somewhat vague, although other mega-cities have been referred to and visited in the strip.
Mega-City One's population of 400 million lives in gigantic tower blocks known as City Blocks, each holding some fifty thousand or so people. Each is named after some historical person or TV character, usually for comic effect. For example, Joe Dredd used to live in the Rowdy Yates Block – Rowdy Yates was a character in the American TV cowboy drama Rawhide
Rawhide (TV series)
Rawhide is an American Western series that aired for eight seasons on the CBS network on Friday nights, from January 9, 1959 to September 3, 1965, before moving to Tuesday nights from September 14, 1965 until January 4, 1966, with a total of 217 black-and-white episodes...
, played by a young Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood
Clinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. is an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide...
. Eastwood would later play "Dirty Harry" – one of the thematic influences by which Judge Dredd was inspired. A number of stories feature rivalries between different blocks, on many occasions breaking into gunfire wars between them (most notably in "Block Mania
Block Mania
Block Mania is a Judge Dredd story, which ran in British comic 2000 AD #236-244, in 1981. The story itself is a prologue for the longer storyline "The Apocalypse War", which immediately follows the conclusion of "Block Mania".-Story:...
"). The Judges' extreme powers reflect the difficulty of maintaining any order at all in the Mega-City's stifling environment.
Despite its frequent disasters, Mega-City One stretches from around Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
to Charlotte
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
; it stretched further before the Apocalypse War
Apocalypse War
The Apocalypse War is a storyline from the comic strip Judge Dredd, first published in British comic 2000 AD in 1982. A sequel to the story "Block Mania", it was written by John Wagner and Alan Grant and illustrated by Carlos Ezquerra...
, which saw widespread death and devastation, the south of the city being entirely wiped out. At its height, the city contained a population of about 800 million; it was halved in the War. The story Origins
Origins (Judge Dredd story)
Origins is one of the longest Judge Dredd storylines to run in the pages of British comic 2000 AD. Making extensive use of flashbacks, it tells the story of how the Judges of Mega-City One rose to power. It was written by John Wagner and illustrated by Carlos Ezquerra, who between them created...
revealed that Mega-City One was formed because of growing urban sprawl rather than deliberate design, and by 2051 it was recognised as the world's first mega-city.
There are four other major population centres in Dredd's Northern America. The first is Texas City, stretching across several of the southern United States and with a different culture to its northern cousin, based on Wild West frontier values. South of the city is Mex-City. North of Mega-City One is Canadia. Further north is Uranium City. Until 2114 Mega-City Two
Mega-City Two
Mega-City Two is a huge fictional city covering five thousand square miles of the Californian West Coast in the Judge Dredd comic book series....
also existed on the West Coast, but was destroyed during the events of Judgement Day. The centre of the continent is a nuclear desert called the Cursed Earth
Cursed Earth
The Cursed Earth is a part of the fictional universe from the Judge Dredd series that appears in the UK comic book 2000 AD.-Background:...
, containing various settlements and minor cities. Nuclear deserts and destruction elsewhere in the world are also extensive. Much of the north Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
is severely polluted, and is now known as the "Black Atlantic." An underwater settlement known as Atlantis exists in the Atlantic, bridging a Mega-City One to Brit-Cit
Brit-Cit
Brit-Cit is a huge fictional city in the fictional universe of British comics 2000 AD and Judge Dredd. It is also the home of Sam Slade in some of 2000AD's Robo-Hunter stories. The city covers the south of England and bordering on the Black Atlantic...
(England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
) tunnel.
Other cities are Cal-Hab (part of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
), Euro-City (eastern France and part of Germany), and Ciudad España (eastern Spain). Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
has the megacity of Murphyville and has been turned into an enormous tourist theme park re-creating a stereotypical view of traditional Irish life. Russia's East-Meg One was destroyed by Dredd in a massive nuclear strike at the climax of the Apocalypse War in 2104. Further east is East-Meg Two. Mongolia, lacking a Mega-City or Judge system, has called itself the Mongolian Exclusion Zone and criminals have flocked there for a safe haven; East-Meg Two performed vicious clearances there in 2125. In Asia, separated from East-Meg Two by an extensive nuclear desert, are Sino-City One (destroyed during Judgement Day, and originally referred to as East-Meg Three) and Sino-City Two in eastern China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, with Hong Tong built in the remains of Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and partitioned between Sino-Cit and Brit-Cit control. Hondo City
Hondo City
Hondo City is a huge fictional city covering most of Japan in the Judge Dredd comic book series. Most of its development comes from the Judge Dredd Megazine strip Shimura by Robbie Morrison.-Description:...
lies on the remains of the islands of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Indo City (later called Nu-Delhi) is in southern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Between Hondo and Sino-City lie the Radlands of Ji, a nuclear desert full of chaos magic and many violent outlaw gangs and martial arts schools. Into the Blue Pacific cities survive in south-east Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
(Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
-Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
Conurb) and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
(New Pacific City). All of Indonesia's islands are now linked by a network of mutant coral called "The Web;" this network of islands is a lawless hotbed of crime.
The Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
is without major cities, being either nuclear or natural deserts; the Mediterranean coast is heavily damaged by mutagens. In Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
much of the south is nuclear desert. Nuclear fallout and pollution appear to have missed Antarctica and the Arctic, causing one Mega-City (Antarctic City) to have been constructed there.
The high levels of pollution have created instances of mutation in humans and animals. The Mega-Cities largely operate on a system of genetic apartheid, making expulsion from the cities the worst punishment possible.
Earth's moon has been colonised, with a series of large domes forming Luna City; another colony, Puerto Luminae, exists but is a lawless, violent hellhole. In addition many deep space colonies have been established. Some are loyal to various mega cities, while many are independent states, and others still face violent insurgencies to gain independence. The multi-national Space Corps
Space Corps (Judge Dredd)
The Space Corps of 2000 ADs Judge Dredd strip are a professional army which deals with conflicts and peacekeeping away from Earth. They have appeared in several stories, most notably Judge Dredd: Mandroid and its sequel....
battles both insurgencies and external alien threats. The newly discovered planet Hestia (which is in a polar orbit of the Sun near to Earth's orbit) has a colony, there are some references to colonies on Mars such as Viking City, Saturn's moon Titan
Titan (moon)
Titan , or Saturn VI, is the largest moon of Saturn, the only natural satellite known to have a dense atmosphere, and the only object other than Earth for which clear evidence of stable bodies of surface liquid has been found....
has a judicial penal colony, and Mega-City One is known to have deep space missile silos on Pluto.
Major Judge Dredd storylines
There have been a number of Judge Dredd storylines that have either significantly developed the Dredd character or the fictional world background, or which have been "epic" in scale (i.e., have been lengthy multi-part stories, usually at least 20 parts or more, and have had a story of a grand scale). These are listed below. (For a complete list of all stories see here.)- The Robot WarsThe Robot WarsThe Robot Wars was the first extended storyline for Judge Dredd during which the character became the most popular in the comic 2000 AD...
(2000 AD progs 10–17; prologue in prog 9) The Mega-City Judges face an uprising by the city's robot servant workforce, led by carpenter-droid Call-Me-Kenneth. - The Return of RicoRico DreddRico Dredd is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD magazine. He is the brother of Judge Joe Dredd, the strip's eponymous lead character.-Appearances:...
(prog 30) Joe Dredd's clone brother Rico DreddRico DreddRico Dredd is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD magazine. He is the brother of Judge Joe Dredd, the strip's eponymous lead character.-Appearances:...
returns from Titan seeking revenge for being apprehended 20 years earlier but instead is shot and killed by the Judge. (This story introduces Rico and the penal colony on Titan.) - Luna-1 (multiple stories; progs 42–59) Dredd is made Judge Marshall of Luna-1, a colony on the moon governed by judges from all three Mega-Cities. (This story introduced Luna One and Judges from East-Meg OneEast Meg OneEast-Meg One is a fictional city in the world of Judge Dredd, the figurehead character of British weekly comic 2000 AD . It was introduced in prog 50 of 2000 AD , and destroyed in prog 267 ....
and Texas City.) - The Cursed Earth (progs 61–85): Dredd, accompanied by punkPunk ideologyPunk ideologies are a group of varied social and political beliefs associated with the punk subculture. In its original incarnation, the punk subculture was primarily concerned with concepts such as rebellion, anti-authoritarianism, individualism, free thought and discontent...
biker Spikes Harvey Rotten (and later the alien Tweak), leads a small group of Judges on an epic journey across the Cursed Earth, transporting the vaccine for the deadly 2T-FRU-T virus that is devastating Mega-City TwoMega-City TwoMega-City Two is a huge fictional city covering five thousand square miles of the Californian West Coast in the Judge Dredd comic book series....
. (This multi-part epic, often referred to as ‘the first Dredd epic’, was inspired by Roger ZelaznyRoger ZelaznyRoger Joseph Zelazny was an American writer of fantasy and science fiction short stories and novels, best known for his The Chronicles of Amber series...
's Damnation AlleyDamnation AlleyDamnation Alley is the title of a 1967 science fiction short story by Roger Zelazny, which he expanded into a novel in 1969. A film adaptation of the novel was released in 1977.-Plot introduction:...
.) - The Day the Law DiedJudge CalChief Judge Cal is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He was loosely based on the real life Roman emperor Caligula, who is widely considered to have been insane...
(progs 89–108; prologues in 86–88) The tyrannical and insane Judge CalJudge CalChief Judge Cal is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He was loosely based on the real life Roman emperor Caligula, who is widely considered to have been insane...
, head of the Special Judicial Squad, arranges the assassination of Chief Judge Goodman and assumes the title himself. By brainwashing the Judges and employing alien mercenariesMercenaryA mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
, Cal’s stranglehold on Mega-City OneMega-City OneMega-City One is a huge fictional city-state covering much of what is now the Eastern United States in the Judge Dredd comic book series. The exact boundaries of the city depend on which artist has drawn the story...
is almost total. Only Dredd and a few other Judges and Judge-Tutors escape to lead the resistance. (This story introduced the KleggsKleggsKleggs are alien mercenaries in the Judge Dredd comic books.A Klegg looks rather like a large man with green, scaly skin and the head and tail of an alligator or crocodile. They only take payment in meat, since they are pure carnivores...
and saw Chief Judge GriffinJudge GriffinChief Judge Griffin is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He was chief judge of Mega-City One between 2101 and 2104.-Fictional character biography :...
assume the Chief Judgeship after Cal is killed by Fergee.) - Judge DeathJudge DeathJudge Death is a fictional character of the Judge Dredd universe recounted in the UK comic 2000 AD. He is the leader of the Dark Judges, a sinister group of undead law enforcers from the alternate dimension of Deadworld, where all life has been declared a crime since only the living commit crimes...
(progs 149–151) Judge Death, an alien superfiend from another dimension, arrives in Mega-City One. Believing all life is a crime, he embarks on a killing spree before being caught and imprisoned. (The first appearance of both Judge Death, perhaps the Mega-Cities' deadliest foe, and Psi-Judge AndersonJudge AndersonJudge Cassandra Anderson is a fictional character that started as a supporting player in the comic story Judge Dredd of 2000 AD and eventually rose in prominence and became the star of her own series, which is entitled Anderson: Psi-Division. It was created by writer John Wagner and artist Brian...
.) - The Judge ChildJudge ChildThe Judge Child was an extended storyline in the 2000 AD comic strip Judge Dredd that ran from issues 156 to 181 in 1980. It introduced a character with the same name...
(progs 156–181; epilogue in 182) When the best 'pre-cog' in Psi-Division, Psi-Judge Feyy, predicts a child bearing the mark of the Eagle of Justice will have the power to save the city from an unspecified future disaster, it is up to Dredd to lead the galaxy-spanning search for the child. (An attempt to break away from the restrictive confines of Mega-City One, this story introduced several long-running characters and concepts into the Dredd mythos: Judge HersheyJudge HersheyJudge Barbara Hershey is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd series that appears in British comic 2000 AD. For nearly two decades she regularly appeared as Dredd's sidekick, before being promoted to become his superior: she was chief judge for nine years...
, The Angel Gang (except for Fink Angel, who was introduced later), Murd the Oppressor, and the new head of the SJS, McGruderJudge McGruderChief Judge Hilda Margaret McGruder is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd stories published in the British comic 2000 AD. She was the first female Chief Judge of Mega-City One, and the first Judge of Mega-City One to become Chief Judge twice...
.) - Judge Death Lives! (progs 224–228) Judge Death's three brothers, Judges Fear, Fire and Mortis arrive in Mega-City One to rescue him. Dredd and Anderson put a stop to the killing spree and follow the quartet as they flee back to their own native dimension (known colloquially as ‘Deadworld’). The four Dark Judges are seemingly destroyed. (Voted the third best story ever printed in the comic in a 2005 poll on the 2000ADonline website, this tale introduced the other three Dark Judges.)
- Block ManiaBlock ManiaBlock Mania is a Judge Dredd story, which ran in British comic 2000 AD #236-244, in 1981. The story itself is a prologue for the longer storyline "The Apocalypse War", which immediately follows the conclusion of "Block Mania".-Story:...
(progs 236–244) Contamination of water supplies by Orlok the AssassinSov Judge OrlokSov Judge Orlok, also known as Orlok the Assassin, is a fictional character in the British comic strip Judge Dredd. He is an operative of the Soviet megacity of East Meg One.-Fictional character biography:...
leads to all-out war between Mega-City One's many city blocks. (This story introduced Orlok and saw the death of Judge GiantJudge GiantJudge Giant can refer to either of two fictional characters appearing in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. They are father and son...
.) - Apocalypse WarApocalypse WarThe Apocalypse War is a storyline from the comic strip Judge Dredd, first published in British comic 2000 AD in 1982. A sequel to the story "Block Mania", it was written by John Wagner and Alan Grant and illustrated by Carlos Ezquerra...
(progs 245–270, except 268) Weakened by the effects of Block Mania, Mega-City One is attacked and invaded by the forces of East-Meg OneEast Meg OneEast-Meg One is a fictional city in the world of Judge Dredd, the figurehead character of British weekly comic 2000 AD . It was introduced in prog 50 of 2000 AD , and destroyed in prog 267 ....
. Almost half the city (400 million people) are killed in nuclear strikes. Many more die from radiation sickness, starvation and cold. The Mega-City Judges are unable to strike back as the Sov city is protected by a dimensional force field. Instead, the Judges fight a guerilla war, eventually culminating in the destruction of East-Meg One when Dredd captures a Sov missile bunker. (This story saw the death of Chief Judge Griffin and McGruder taking on the role.) - City of the DamnedCity of the Damned (Judge Dredd story)City of the Damned is a Judge Dredd story which was published in British comic 2000 AD in issues 393–406 . It was written by John Wagner and Alan Grant and illustrated by Steve Dillon, Ian Gibson, Ron Smith and Kim Raymond. It was the first Judge Dredd story to feature time travel...
(progs 393–406) The Judges develop time travelTime travelTime travel is the concept of moving between different points in time in a manner analogous to moving between different points in space. Time travel could hypothetically involve moving backward in time to a moment earlier than the starting point, or forward to the future of that point without the...
technology. Dredd and Anderson travel into the future to discover more about the disaster predicted by Psi-Judge Feyy. However they learn that the Judge Child Owen Krysler has in fact caused the events, rather than preventing them from happening. Dredd has his eyes torn out but fights on, even battling an undeadUndeadUndead is a collective name for fictional, mythological, or legendary beings that are deceased and yet behave as if alive. Undead may be incorporeal, such as ghosts, or corporeal, such as vampires and zombies...
future version of himself. He and Anderson flee back to the present (along with the undead Dredd), where his eyes are replaced by bionics, before tracking down the Judge Child and killing him, thus preventing the future they experienced from ever happening. (The undead Dredd would return in a future story. This story was originally intended to be much longer but the creative team tired of it.) - OzOz (Judge Dredd story)Oz is a mini-series featured in the comic 2000 AD, running for 26 episodes from 24 October, 1987 to 16 April, 1988....
(progs 545–570) When sky-surferSky-surferSky-surfing is a fictional sport practiced in the world of the British Judge Dredd comic books, often featuring the champion sky-surfer Chopper. It is like ordinary surfing, but is done on a surfboard rigged with anti-gravity that floats in the air. The surfer stands on the board and controls its...
ChopperChopper (Judge Dredd character)Chopper is a fictional character in British comics 2000 AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine. He was created by John Wagner and Ron Smith and has appeared in numerous Judge Dredd stories, including "Oz", and has his own eponymous series.-Unamerican Graffiti:Marlon Shakespeare was...
breaks out of jail and flees to the Sydney-Melbourne Conurb in Australia to take part in the (now legal) Supersurf 10, Dredd is sent to retrieve him. In addition, however, Dredd’s real mission is to confront the Judda, a religiously zealous army of clones, ruled over by former Council of Five member Morton Judd, who plans to dominate Mega-City One with his followers. Dredd destroys the Judda’s base (Ayers Rock) with a nuclear bomb, although some Judda are captured. - The Dead ManThe Dead ManThe Dead Man was a science fiction strip in the British comic 2000 AD by writer John Wagner and artist John Ridgway, published in black and white in 1989–90. Although it was not billed as a Judge Dredd story, it was set in Judge Dredd's world in 2112, and featured a new character called the Dead Man...
(prog 650–662) An unknown man with no memory is found almost dead and badly scarred in the Cursed Earth by a group of settlers. After recovering from his injuries, the man heads back to Mega-City One with a young boy, Yassa PoveyYassa PoveyYassa Povey is a fictional character in British comic 2000 AD. His first and main appearance was in Judge Dredd spin-off The Dead Man . He later briefly appeared in the Judge Dredd series itself ....
as his guide. Along the way, he recovers his memory and recalls that he is Dredd, having lost his memory when he encountered the Sisters of DeathDark JudgesThe Dark Judges are recurring villains in the fictional Judge Dredd universe recounted in the UK comic 2000 AD. They are Judge Death, Judge Fire, Judge Fear and Judge Mortis. Later storylines added the "Sisters of Death" , to their ranks...
. (This was not billed as a 'Judge Dredd' story when it first appeared in 2000 AD and great pains were taken to hide its connection with the series. There was no reference to locations or people from the main series until towards the very end of the storyline. The ‘Judge Dredd’ stories continued alongside this one, to further the illusion.) - A Letter to Judge Dredd (prog 661) Dredd receives a letter written by a child who has been killed as an indirect result of the Judges' suppression of a pro-democracyDemocracyDemocracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
demonstration, causing him to seriously question the entire ethical basis of the Judge system, and setting in motion the chain of events recounted in the episodes that follow. - Tale of the Dead Man (progs 662–668) Dredd resigns and takes the Long Walk following his assessment of ex-Judda Cadet Judge KrakenJudge KrakenJudge Kraken is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd comic strip featured in the long-running British comic 2000 AD. Although he only appeared in a few episodes, he was nonetheless a very important character in Tale of the Dead Man, in which he was given almost equal billing with Dredd, and in...
, and his crisis of faith in the Law that he had always sworn to uphold. This story acts as a prologue to Necropolis. - NecropolisNecropolis (Judge Dredd story)Necropolis is a 26-part Judge Dredd epic by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra, published in 1990 in 2000 AD progs 674–699. The story was the subject of extensive foreshadowing in the comic, beginning with The Dead Man , followed by "Tale of the Dead Man" , and finally three stories collectively...
(progs 674–699; prologues in 669–673) Manipulating the confused mind of Judge Kraken, the Sisters of Death are able to use the body of Psi-Judge Agee in order to take control of Mega-City One and create a trans-dimensional bridge enabling the Dark Judges to once again manifest themselves. The four Dark Judges take control of the minds of the Judges and begin systematically killing the entire population. Kraken becomes a fifth Dark Judge. Chief Judge Silver is killed. - The Devil You Know and Twilight's Last Gleaming (progs 750–753 and 754–756) The long running tensions between the totalitarian Judge system and the movement for the restoration of democracyDemocracyDemocracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
in the Mega-City at last come to a head. Finally given a vote, the apathetic population mostly don’t bother and of those that do, the majority favour keeping the Judges in control. A pro-democracy protest march of almost two million people heads for Justice Central, but violence is averted when Dredd alone convinces the leaders that the referendum was fair. - AmericaAmerica (Judge Dredd story)America was a Judge Dredd story published in the Judge Dredd Megazine in 1990. Told in flashbacks, the story concerns the character America Jara, her friend Bennett Beeny and their tragic encounters with the Justice Department. As Bennett Beeny grows up to reap the benefits of Mega City One,...
(Megazine 1.01–1.07) Dredd's philosophy is explored when democracy activists resort to terrorism. This story introduces the tragic characters America Jara and Bennett Beeny, as well as terrorist group Total War. - Judgement on Gotham (a 'crossover'Intercompany crossoverIn comic books, an intercompany crossover is a comic or series of comics where characters published by one company meet those published by another...
story co-published by DC ComicsDC ComicsDC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
and FleetwayFleetwayFleetway, also known as Fleetway Publications and Fleetway Editions, was a UK publishing company which mainly produced comic magazines. For a time owned by IPC Media, they are now a division of Egmont Publishing....
.) Dredd and BatmanBatmanBatman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
reluctantly join forces to defeat Judge Death, who has used dimension-jump technology to breach the DC UniverseDC UniverseThe DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
and attack Gotham CityGotham CityGotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...
. This issue was also notable for painted artwork by Simon BisleySimon BisleySimon Bisley is a British comics artist best known for his 1990s work on ABC Warriors, Lobo and Sláine. His style, reliant on paints, acrylics, inks and multiple-mediums, is strongly influenced by Frank Frazetta, Bill Sienkiewicz, Gustav Klimt, Salvador Dalí, Egon Schiele, and Richard Corben...
. - Judgement DayJudgement Day (Judge Dredd story)Judgement Day was a Judge Dredd story published with alternating episodes in both 2000 AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine in 1992. It was the first crossover between the two publications; three more have since followed...
(progs 786–799 and Megazine 2.04–2.09) Sabbat the Necromagus re-animates the corpses of the dead and uses them to attack the world's Mega-Cities, leading to the deaths of billions. This story includes the teaming of Dredd with Johnny Alpha, a character from another long running 2000 AD comic strip, Strontium DogStrontium DogStrontium Dog is a long-running comics series featuring in the British science fiction weekly 2000 AD, starring Johnny Alpha, a mutant bounty hunter with an array of imaginative gadgets and weapons....
. (Dredd and Alpha had however previously crossed paths in an earlier story.) - MechanismoMechanismoMechanismo is the title of a Judge Dredd story published in the British comic Judge Dredd Megazine in 1992. It was the first story in a series of stories published over the next two years in both the Megazine and 2000 AD, most notably the epic "Wilderlands." The stories concern the Mechanismo...
trilogy (Megazine 2.12–17, 2.22–26 and 2.37–43) After Necropolis and Sabbat's zombies, Mega-City has lost far too many judges. To combat this, the Chief Judge test-runs ten robot judges, with disastrous results. - Inferno (progs 842–853) Escaped rogue Judges from Titan take over the city, forcing the Judges into exile in the Cursed Earth.
- Wilderlands storyline (progs 891–894 and 904–918 and Megazine 2.57–2.67) Dredd is exposed as falsifying evidence to shut down the Mechanismo project and is arrested, while Chief Judge McGruder attempts to remain in power and see Mechanismo implemented despite her failing mental capacities. When a malfunctioning Mechanismo crashes a space cruiser on an alien world in an attempt to kill McGruder, Dredd is forced to take control of the survivors. The mega-epic ended many long-running subplots including the Mechanismo Program and McGruder's second stint as Chief Judge, as well as bringing in Judge VoltJudge VoltChief Judge Hadrian Volt is a fictional character from the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He was chief judge of Mega-City One between 2116 and 2121 .-Fictional character biography:...
, bringing back the Council of FiveCouncil of FiveThe Council of Five is a fictional legislature and court in the Judge Dredd comic strip appearing in 2000 AD. It first appeared in 2000 AD prog 86 ....
and introducing Judge Castillo. - The PitThe Pit (Judge Dredd story)The Pit is a Judge Dredd story which appeared in British comic 2000 AD in 1995–1996 . With 30 episodes, it had the greatest number of episodes of any single Judge Dredd story until "The Doomsday Scenario" in 1999...
(progs 970–999) Dredd takes the job of Sector Chief at Sector 301, an isolated area of the city that has become a dumping ground for corrupt and incompetent judges. Introduced the popular character Judge Galen DeMarcoGalen DeMarcoGalen DeMarco is a fictional character in the world of Judge Dredd. She is a former street judge who first appeared in the Judge Dredd storyline "The Pit" in 2000 AD #970.-Biography:...
, the closest thing Dredd has had to a love interest, who would go on to star in her own strip. - The Doomsday ScenarioThe Doomsday ScenarioThe Doomsday Scenario is the collective name of a series of Judge Dredd comic stories published in 2000 AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine in 1999...
(progs 1141–1164 and 1167, and Megazine 3.52–3.59) The first series to run the same story from different viewpoints concurrently from start to finish, one in 2000 AD and the other in the Judge Dredd Megazine. One is told from the viewpoint of Galen DeMarcoGalen DeMarcoGalen DeMarco is a fictional character in the world of Judge Dredd. She is a former street judge who first appeared in the Judge Dredd storyline "The Pit" in 2000 AD #970.-Biography:...
, now a civilian, as she is caught up in crimelord Nero Narcos' attempt to take over the city with his army of robots. The other is told from Dredd's viewpoint as he is taken prisoner by Orlok the Assassin and tried by the East Meg One government in exile for his war crimes during the Apocalypse War. Once Dredd escapes (with Anderson's assistance), he secured the help of Brit-Cit in breaking Narcos' control over his robot hordes. The story saw the Judges briefly lose power and Chief Judge Volt committed suicide as a result; Hershey replaced him. - Helter Skelter (progs 1250–1261) An army of Dredd's greatest foes, from alternate dimensions where they won, band together under an alternate Judge Cal (see The Day the Law Died) and use dimension jump technology to invade Dredd's dimension, unable to stand the idea that there is a universe where he won. Their presence starts a total collapse of all universes, causing characters from other 2000 AD stories to appear in Mega-City One – Cal intends to exploit this chaos. Dredd defeats Cal with the help of dimension technician Darien Kenzie.
- Blood Cadets (progs 1186–1188) saw the introduction of a new clone of Dredd, who took the name Rico; Blood And Duty (progs 1300–1301) saw the return of Dredd's niece Vienna PasternakVienna DreddVienna Dredd or Vienna Pasternak is a fictional character from the Judge Dredd comic strip, first appearing in prog 116 of the British comic 2000 AD in 1979....
. With Vienna's reintroduction and the new Rico's arrival, Dredd was given a family and several new plot points for future stories, including the Justice Department creating a large number of Dredd clones and Dredd's problems with trying to connect with his niece. - Judge Dredd vs. AliensJudge Dredd vs. AliensJudge Dredd vs. Aliens is an intercompany crossover, featuring Judge Dredd and the Alien from the Alien franchise. It was published weekly in 2000 AD in 2003.-Plot:...
(Prog 2003 special and 1322–1335) pitted Dredd against the monsters from the AlienXenomorph (Alien)The Alien is a fictional endoparasitoid extraterrestrial species that is the primary antagonist of the Alien film series. The species made its debut in the 1979 film Alien, and reappeared in its sequels Aliens , Alien 3 , and Alien Resurrection , two crossovers Alien vs...
movie series, with mutant terrorist Mister Bones breeding an army of xenomorphs in the Undercity and having them assault the Department of Justice. - Terror and Total War (progs 1392–1399 and 1408–1419) A pair of stories that deals with the actions of a terrorist cell in Mega-City One. Fanatically dedicated to the democratic cause, Total War smuggles 12 nuclear devices into the vast megalopolis and threaten to detonate them all unless the Judges leave the City. A standard thriller plot made more significant through explorations of Judge Dredd's extended family, including Vienna and a Dredd clone, Nimrod.
- Blood Trails (progs 1440–1449) Following on from elements of Total War and Gulag (where Dredd led a Judge team to try and free POWs from the Sov block), a clone of Sov judge Kazan tries to attack Dredd by targeting Vienna, sending the face-changing assassin Pasha to gain her trust and abduct her. In the aftermath of the story, the Kazan clone was cut loose by East-Meg 2 and claimed political asylum from Mega-City One; Dredd's long-term ally Guthrie was severely injured, losing both legs and an arm and eventually being turned into a cyborg; and both Judges Giant and Rico were severely injured.
- OriginsOrigins (Judge Dredd story)Origins is one of the longest Judge Dredd storylines to run in the pages of British comic 2000 AD. Making extensive use of flashbacks, it tells the story of how the Judges of Mega-City One rose to power. It was written by John Wagner and illustrated by Carlos Ezquerra, who between them created...
(progs 1505–1519 and 1529–1535; prologue in 1500–1504) consists largely of flashbacks and sets out the history of the Judges and of Chief Judge FargoChief Judge FargoChief Judge Eustace Fargo is an important fictional character from the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He is Judge Dredd's clone father....
, as well as scenes from Dredd's childhood during the Third World WarAtomic WarsThe Atomic Wars or Great Atom War is a fictional event in the Judge Dredd universe.In 2070, the possibly psychotic President Robert L. Booth started World War III by starting a nuclear war which dragged in all the major superpowers....
. - Mutants in Mega-City One (progs 1542–1545) is the first in a series of short stories in which Dredd campaigns to change the apartheid laws prohibiting mutantsMutants (Judge Dredd)Mutants are a recurring theme in the Judge Dredd science-fiction stories published in British comics 2000 AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine...
from entering the city. This results in Chief Judge Hershey being voted out of office and replaced with Judge FranciscoJudge FranciscoChief Judge Dan Francisco is a fictional supporting character in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He is chief judge of Mega-City One.-Fictional character biography:...
. - Tour Of DutyTour of Duty (Judge Dredd story)Tour of Duty is a Judge Dredd story published in British comic 2000 AD . It lasted for 46 episodes, 39 of which were written by John Wagner. It has the greatest number of episodes and pages of any Judge Dredd story...
(progs 1650–1693) sees Judge Dredd posted out into the Cursed EarthCursed EarthThe Cursed Earth is a part of the fictional universe from the Judge Dredd series that appears in the UK comic book 2000 AD.-Background:...
to oversee the foundations of four new Mutant townships. The corrupt judge Martin SinfieldJudge SinfieldJudge Martin Sinfield is a fictional supporting character and antagonist in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD, most notably in the story "Tour of Duty"...
, puppet master behind the new Justice Department regime, manipulates Francisco so he can install himself as Chief Judge, and promptly becomes the target of repeated assassination attempts. Dredd is recalled from exile to lead the investigation into the attacks, which are the work of serial mass-murderer PJ MaybePJ MaybePhilip Janet Maybe is a fictional character in the 2000 AD comic strip Judge Dredd. He is a notorious serial killer, and most notably assumed the identity of Mayor Byron Ambrose, who he murdered.-Fictional character biography:...
, who has assumed the identity of mayor Byron Ambrose. - Day of ChaosDay of ChaosDay of Chaos is a Judge Dredd story published in British comic 2000 AD . It is mostly written by John Wagner.-Chapters and contributors:...
(progs 1743-ongoing, as of August 2011)
List of stories
- A list of all Judge Dredd stories to appear in 2000 AD from 1977 to 2010 can be found here.
- A list of all Judge Dredd stories to appear in the Judge Dredd MegazineJudge Dredd MegazineJudge Dredd: The Megazine is a monthly British comic magazine, launched in October 1990. It is a sister publication to 2000 AD. Its name is a play on words, formed from "magazine" and Dredd's locale Mega-City One.-Content:...
from 1990 to 2010 can be found here.
All of the stories from both comics are currently being reprinted in their original order of publication in two series of trade paperbacks
Trade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
. Stories from the regular issues of 2000 AD and the Megazine are collected in a series entitled Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files. This series began in 2005.http://www.grovel.org.uk/judge-dredd-the-complete-case-files/ Stories from special holiday issues and annuals appear in Judge Dredd: The Restricted Files. This series began in 2010.
Alternative versions
Shortly before the release of the 1995 movieJudge Dredd (film)
Judge Dredd is a 1995 American science fiction action film directed by Danny Cannon, and starring Sylvester Stallone, Diane Lane, Rob Schneider, Armand Assante, and Max von Sydow. The film is based on the strip of the same name in the British comic 2000 AD...
, three new comic book
American comic book
An American comic book is a small magazine originating in the United States and containing a narrative in the form of comics. Since 1975 the dimensions have standardized at 6 5/8" x 10 ¼" , down from 6 ¾" x 10 ¼" in the Silver Age, although larger formats appeared in the past...
titles were released, followed by a one-off comic version of the film story.
Judge Dredd (DC Comics)
- DC ComicsDC ComicsDC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
published an alternative version of Judge Dredd between 1994 and 1995, lasting 18 issues. Continuity and history were different to both the original
Chief Judge Fargo
Chief Judge Eustace Fargo is an important fictional character from the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He is Judge Dredd's clone father....
, portrayed as incorruptible in the original version, was depicted as evil in the DC version. Most issues were written by Andrew Helfer
Andy Helfer
Andrew Helfer , usually credited as Andy Helfer, is an award-winning comic book creator best known for his work as an editor and writer at DC Comics, where he founded the Paradox Press imprint.-Biography:...
, but the last issue was written by Gordon Rennie
Gordon Rennie
Gordon Rennie is a comics writer, responsible for White Trash: Moronic Inferno, as well as several comic strips for 2000 AD and novels for Warhammer Fantasy....
, who has since written Judge Dredd for 2000 AD. (Note: the DC crossover story "Judgement on Gotham" featured the original Dredd, not the version depicted in this title.)
Judge Dredd – Legends of the Law
- Another DC Comics title, lasting 13 issues between 1994 and 1995. Although these were intended to feature the same version of Judge Dredd as in the other DC title, the first four issues were written by John WagnerJohn WagnerJohn Wagner is a comics writer who was born in Pennsylvania in 1949 and moved to Scotland as a boy. Alongside Pat Mills, Wagner was responsible for revitalising British boys' comics in the 1970s, and has continued to be a leading light in British comics ever since.He is best known for his work on...
and Alan Grant and were consistent with their original
Judge Dredd – Lawman of the Future
- From the same publishers as
David Bishop
David Bishop is a screenwriter and author. Born in New Zealand, he was a UK comics editor during the 1990s, running such titles as the Judge Dredd Megazine and 2000 AD, the latter between 1996 and the summer of 2000....
prohibited writers from showing Dredd killing anyone, a reluctance which would be completely unfamiliar to readers acquainted with the original version. As one reviewer put it years later: "this was Judge Dredd with two vital ingredients missing: his balls." It ran fortnightly for 23 issues from 1995 to 1996, plus one "Action Special."
Judge Dredd: The Official Movie Adaptation
- Written by Andrew Helfer and illustrated by Carlos Ezquerra and Michael Danza. Published by DC Comics in 1995, but a different version of Dredd to that in the DC comics described above.
Heavy Metal Dredd
- From the same publishers as 2000 AD, this was a series of ultra-violentAestheticization of violenceThe aestheticization of violence in high culture art or mass media is the depiction of or references to violence in what Indiana University film studies professor Margaret Bruder calls a "stylistically excessive," "significant and sustained way." When violence is depicted in this fashion in films,...
one-off stories from "a separate and aggressive Dredd world." The first eight episodes were originally published in Rock Power magazine, and were all co-written by John WagnerJohn WagnerJohn Wagner is a comics writer who was born in Pennsylvania in 1949 and moved to Scotland as a boy. Alongside Pat Mills, Wagner was responsible for revitalising British boys' comics in the 1970s, and has continued to be a leading light in British comics ever since.He is best known for his work on...
and Alan Grant and illustrated by Simon BisleySimon BisleySimon Bisley is a British comics artist best known for his 1990s work on ABC Warriors, Lobo and Sláine. His style, reliant on paints, acrylics, inks and multiple-mediums, is strongly influenced by Frank Frazetta, Bill Sienkiewicz, Gustav Klimt, Salvador Dalí, Egon Schiele, and Richard Corben...
. These were reprinted, together with ten new stories (some by other creators), in the Judge Dredd MegazineJudge Dredd MegazineJudge Dredd: The Megazine is a monthly British comic magazine, launched in October 1990. It is a sister publication to 2000 AD. Its name is a play on words, formed from "magazine" and Dredd's locale Mega-City One.-Content:...
. The original eight stories were collected in a trade paperbackTrade paperback (comics)In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
by HamlynHamlyn (publishers)Hamlyn is a UK publishing company founded by Paul Hamlyn in 1950 with an initial investment of £350. His desire was to create "fine books with the common touch" which remains the foundation of its commercial success...
in 1993. The complete series (plus a bonus Judge Dredd story) was collected by RebellionRebellion DevelopmentsRebellion is a British computer games company, based in Oxford, who are most famous for the first Aliens vs. Predator computer game. It has published comic books since 2000 and launched its own book imprint, Abaddon Books, in 2006.-History:...
in 2009.
Judge Dredd (1995)
An American filmJudge Dredd (film)
Judge Dredd is a 1995 American science fiction action film directed by Danny Cannon, and starring Sylvester Stallone, Diane Lane, Rob Schneider, Armand Assante, and Max von Sydow. The film is based on the strip of the same name in the British comic 2000 AD...
loosely based on the comic strip was released in 1995, starring Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone
Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone , commonly known as Sylvester Stallone, and nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, film director and occasional painter. Stallone is known for his machismo and Hollywood action roles. Two of the notable characters he has portrayed...
as Dredd (it was said that Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
was originally requested for the role, but declined because in the original script, Dredd would keep the helmet on during major parts of the film). The film received negative reviews upon its release. It currently holds a 15% rating on review aggregator
Review aggregator
A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services . This system stores the reviews and then uses them for purposes such as: creating a website for users to view the reviews, selling information to third parties about consumer tendencies and creating databases for...
website Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, with the critical consensus stating that "Director [Danny] Cannon fails to find the necessary balance to make it work". In deference to its expensive Hollywood star, Dredd's face was shown. In the comic, he very rarely removes his helmet, and even then his real face is never revealed. Also the writers largely omitted the ironic humour of the comic strip, and ignored important aspects of the 'Dredd mythology.' For example, in the film a 'love interest' is developed between Dredd and Judge Hershey
Judge Hershey
Judge Barbara Hershey is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd series that appears in British comic 2000 AD. For nearly two decades she regularly appeared as Dredd's sidekick, before being promoted to become his superior: she was chief judge for nine years...
, something that is strictly forbidden between Judges (or Judges and anyone else for that matter) in the comic strip. In America, the film won several "worst film of the year" awards. Also of interest is the cameo appearance of an ABC Warrior
ABC Warriors
ABC Warriors is a long-running 2000 AD comic strip written by Pat Mills, which first appeared in prog 119 in 1979 and continues to run today. Art for the opening episodes was by Kevin O'Neill, Mike McMahon, Brett Ewins, and Brendan McCarthy - who between them designed the original seven members of...
robot bearing a distinct resemblance to Hammerstein
Hammerstein (robot)
Hammerstein is a fictional robot created by Pat Mills who first appeared in 1978 as a member of Ro-Busters in the British comic Starlord but is best known as the leader of the ABC Warriors in 2000AD.-Physical description:...
.
Dredd (2012)
RebellionRebellion Developments
Rebellion is a British computer games company, based in Oxford, who are most famous for the first Aliens vs. Predator computer game. It has published comic books since 2000 and launched its own book imprint, Abaddon Books, in 2006.-History:...
and 2000 AD have announced that a new movie is in the works, working with DNA Films
DNA Films
DNA Films is a British film production company founded by Duncan Kenworthy and Andrew Macdonald.-Film productions:* Dredd * Never Let Me Go * Shooting Someone...
.
Concept art has been released, it was created by Jock
Jock (artist)
Mark Simpson, known by the pen name Jock, is a British comics artist, best known for his work in 2000 AD and on The Losers.-Career:...
who has worked on numerous Judge Dredd stories.
The main Judge Dredd writer John Wagner
John Wagner
John Wagner is a comics writer who was born in Pennsylvania in 1949 and moved to Scotland as a boy. Alongside Pat Mills, Wagner was responsible for revitalising British boys' comics in the 1970s, and has continued to be a leading light in British comics ever since.He is best known for his work on...
has said:
It was revealed in May 2010 that the film will be in 3-D
3-D film
A 3-D film or S3D film is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception...
, funding had been secured from Reliance Big Entertainment and those behind the film will be looking for buyers at Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
. It will be filmed in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, with Pete Travis
Pete Travis
Pete Travis is an English television and film director. His work includes Cold Feet , The Jury and Omagh for television, and Vantage Point and Endgame for cinema...
("Vantage Point
Vantage Point (film)
Vantage Point is a 2008 American political action thriller film directed by Pete Travis. It was adapted from a screenplay written by Barry L. Levy. The story focuses on an assassination attempt on the President of the United States as seen from a different set of vantage points through the eyes of...
") directing and Michael S. Murphey (supervising producer on District 9
District 9
District 9 is a 2009 South African science fiction thriller film directed by Neill Blomkamp. It was written by Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, and produced by Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham. The film stars Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, and David James...
) as co-producer. Karl Urban
Karl Urban
Karl-Heinz Urban is a New Zealand actor.He is known for playing Éomer in the second and third installments of Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy in the 2009 film Star Trek and Julius Caesar on Xena: Warrior Princess...
has been confirmed to portray Dredd and Olivia Thirlby will portray Judge Anderson
Judge Anderson
Judge Cassandra Anderson is a fictional character that started as a supporting player in the comic story Judge Dredd of 2000 AD and eventually rose in prominence and became the star of her own series, which is entitled Anderson: Psi-Division. It was created by writer John Wagner and artist Brian...
. The film will be called Dredd and will feature a dark neo-noir style.
Video games
Video game tie-inTie-in
A tie-in is an authorized product based on a media property a company is releasing, such as a movie or video/DVD, computer game, video game, television program/television series, board game, web site, role-playing game or literary property...
s to the 1995 film were released for the Sega Genesis and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
. The SNES version was developed
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
by Probe Software and published
Video game publisher
A video game publisher is a company that publishes video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a video game developer....
by Acclaim
Acclaim Entertainment
Acclaim Entertainment was an American video game developer and publisher. It developed, published, marketed and distributed interactive entertainment software for a variety of hardware platforms, including Sega's Mega Drive/Genesis, Saturn, Dreamcast, and Game Gear, Nintendo's NES, SNES, Nintendo...
.
Judge Dredd: Dredd Vs. Death
Judge Dredd: Dredd Vs. Death
Judge Dredd: Dredd Vs. Death is a first-person shooter video game based on the Judge Dredd character from the 2000 AD comic series, developed by Rebellion Developments. It was released on October 17, 2003 in Europe and February 8, 2005 in the United States...
was produced by Rebellion Developments
Rebellion Developments
Rebellion is a British computer games company, based in Oxford, who are most famous for the first Aliens vs. Predator computer game. It has published comic books since 2000 and launched its own book imprint, Abaddon Books, in 2006.-History:...
and released in early 2003 by Sierra Entertainment
Sierra Entertainment
Sierra Entertainment Inc. was an American video-game developer and publisher founded in 1979 as On-Line Systems by Ken and Roberta Williams...
for the PC
IBM PC compatible
IBM PC compatible computers are those generally similar to the original IBM PC, XT, and AT. Such computers used to be referred to as PC clones, or IBM clones since they almost exactly duplicated all the significant features of the PC architecture, facilitated by various manufacturers' ability to...
, PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
and Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
. The game sees the return of the Dark Judges
Dark Judges
The Dark Judges are recurring villains in the fictional Judge Dredd universe recounted in the UK comic 2000 AD. They are Judge Death, Judge Fire, Judge Fear and Judge Mortis. Later storylines added the "Sisters of Death" , to their ranks...
when Mega-City One
Mega-City One
Mega-City One is a huge fictional city-state covering much of what is now the Eastern United States in the Judge Dredd comic book series. The exact boundaries of the city depend on which artist has drawn the story...
becomes overrun with vampires and the undead. The player takes control of Judge Dredd, with the optional addition of another Human player in Co-operative play. The whole game is played in the style of an FPS
First-person shooter
First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
(first-person shooter) — with key differences from the standard FPS being the requirement to arrest lawbreakers and an SJS death squad which will hunt you down should you kill too many civilians. The player can also go up against three friends in the various multiplayer modes which include Deathmatch
Deathmatch (gaming)
Deathmatch or Player vs All is a widely-used gameplay mode integrated into many shooter and real-time strategy computer games...
/Team Deathmatch, Elimination/Team Elimination, Informant, Judges Vs Perps, Runner and more.
There have also been several games released across formats such as the PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
, SNES/Super Famicom
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
, Mega Drive/Genesis and several home computers, such as the Sinclair ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
, while a high-profile arcade game
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
, or "coin-op," was developed — but never released — by Midway Games
Midway Games
Midway Games, Inc. is an American company that was formerly a major video game publisher. Following a bankruptcy filing in 2009, it is no longer active and is in the process of liquidating all of its assets. Midway's titles included Mortal Kombat, Ms.Pac-Man, Spy Hunter, Tron, Rampage, the...
, creators of the Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat (series)
Mortal Kombat, commonly abbreviated MK, is a science fantasy series of fighting games created by Ed Boon and John Tobias. The first four renditions and their updates were developed by Midway Games and initially released on arcade machines. The arcade titles were later picked up by Acclaim...
video game franchise. Some of them (more specifically the SNES/Genesis versions) had the film as a basis, given that the box artworks for these depict Stallone as he appears in the film poster.
Bally also produced a Judge Dredd pinball
Pinball
Pinball is a type of arcade game, usually coin-operated, where a player attempts to score points by manipulating one or more metal balls on a playfield inside a glass-covered case called a pinball machine. The primary objective of the game is to score as many points as possible...
machine.
A costume set for the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
video game LittleBigPlanet
LittleBigPlanet
LittleBigPlanet, commonly abbreviated LBP, is a puzzle platformer video game, based on user-generated content, for the PlayStation 3 first announced on 7 March 2007, by Phil Harrison at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, California...
was released in May 2009 which contained outfits to dress the game's main character Sackboy as five 2000 AD characters one of which is Judge Dredd. Dredd's uniform is also used to create the Judge Anderson
Judge Anderson
Judge Cassandra Anderson is a fictional character that started as a supporting player in the comic story Judge Dredd of 2000 AD and eventually rose in prominence and became the star of her own series, which is entitled Anderson: Psi-Division. It was created by writer John Wagner and artist Brian...
costume for the Sackpeople.
Novels
From 1993 to 1995, Virgin BooksVirgin Books
Virgin Books is a United Kingdom book publisher 90% owned by the publishing group Random House, and 10% owned by Virgin Enterprises, the company originally set up by Richard Branson as a record company.-History:...
published nine Judge Dredd novels. They had hoped the series would be a success in the wake of the feature film, but the series was cancelled after insufficient sales. The books are:
- DeathmasquesDeathmasquesDeathmasques is an original novel written by Dave Stone and based on the long-running British science fiction comic strip Judge Dredd. It also features the character Detective-Judge Armitage, who appears in his own series in the Judge Dredd Megazine.-Synopsis:A deadly creature of self-aware energy...
(Dave StoneDave Stone-Biography:Stone has written many spin off novels based on the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who and Judge Dredd.Stone also contributed a number of comic series to 2000AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine, focusing on the Dreddverse...
, August 1993 ISBN 0-352-32873-8) - The Savage AmusementThe Savage AmusementThe Savage Amusement is an original novel written by David Bishop and based on the long-running British science fiction comic strip Judge Dredd...
(David BishopDavid BishopDavid Bishop is a screenwriter and author. Born in New Zealand, he was a UK comics editor during the 1990s, running such titles as the Judge Dredd Megazine and 2000 AD, the latter between 1996 and the summer of 2000....
, August 1993 ISBN 0-352-32874-6) - DreddlockedDreddlockedDreddlocked is an original novel written by Stephen Marley and based on the long-running British science fiction comic strip Judge Dredd.-Synopsis:...
(Stephen MarleyStephen Marley (writer)Stephen Marley is a British author and video game designer, best known for his Chia Black Dragon series. He was born in Derby of Irish parents and was educated in Bemrose School in Derby and at Nottingham. He graduated in Social Anthropology in 1971 in London, gained an M.Sc in the Sociology of...
, October 1993 ISBN 0-352-32875-4) - Cursed Earth AsylumCursed Earth AsylumCursed Earth Asylum is an original novel written by David Bishop and based on the long-running British science fiction comic strip Judge Dredd. It is Bishop's second Judge Dredd novel...
(David BishopDavid BishopDavid Bishop is a screenwriter and author. Born in New Zealand, he was a UK comics editor during the 1990s, running such titles as the Judge Dredd Megazine and 2000 AD, the latter between 1996 and the summer of 2000....
, December 1993 ISBN 0-352-32893-2) - The Medusa SeedThe Medusa SeedThe Medusa Seed is an original novel written by Dave Stone and based on the long-running British science fiction comic strip Judge Dredd...
(Dave StoneDave Stone-Biography:Stone has written many spin off novels based on the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who and Judge Dredd.Stone also contributed a number of comic series to 2000AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine, focusing on the Dreddverse...
, January 1994 ISBN 0-352-32895-9) - Dread DominionDread DominionDread Dominion is an original novel written by Stephen Marley and based on the long-running British science fiction comic strip Judge Dredd. It is Marley's second Judge Dredd novel.-Synopsis:...
(Stephen MarleyStephen Marley (writer)Stephen Marley is a British author and video game designer, best known for his Chia Black Dragon series. He was born in Derby of Irish parents and was educated in Bemrose School in Derby and at Nottingham. He graduated in Social Anthropology in 1971 in London, gained an M.Sc in the Sociology of...
, May 1994 ISBN 0-352-32929-7) - The Hundredfold ProblemThe Hundredfold ProblemThe Hundredfold Problem is a science fiction novel written by John Grant. The original version, published by Virgin Books in 1994, was based on the long-running British science fiction comic strip Judge Dredd...
(John GrantJohn Grant (author)John Grant is a Scottish writer and editor of science fiction, fantasy, and non-fiction. Born as Paul le Page Barnett, Grant has sometimes written under his own name "Paul Barnett" or as "Eve Devereux"...
, August 1994 ISBN 0-352-32942-4) - SilencerSilencer (Judge Dredd novel)Silencer is an original novel written by David Bishop and based on the long-running British science fiction comic strip Judge Dredd. It is Bishop's third Judge Dredd novel. At the time of publication Bishop was editor of the Judge Dredd Megazine.-Synopsis:Dredd is assigned to Sector 66 to...
(David BishopDavid BishopDavid Bishop is a screenwriter and author. Born in New Zealand, he was a UK comics editor during the 1990s, running such titles as the Judge Dredd Megazine and 2000 AD, the latter between 1996 and the summer of 2000....
, November 1994 ISBN 0-352-32960-2) - WetworksWetworks (Judge Dredd novel)Wetworks is an original novel written by Dave Stone and based on the long-running British science fiction comic strip Judge Dredd. It is Stone's third Judge Dredd novel.-Synopsis:...
(Dave StoneDave Stone-Biography:Stone has written many spin off novels based on the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who and Judge Dredd.Stone also contributed a number of comic series to 2000AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine, focusing on the Dreddverse...
, February 1995 ISBN 0-352-32975-0)
(In 2003 The Hundredfold Problem was re-released by BeWrite Books, rewritten as a non-Dredd novel.)
Also in 1995, St. Martins Press published two novelizations of the film
Judge Dredd (film)
Judge Dredd is a 1995 American science fiction action film directed by Danny Cannon, and starring Sylvester Stallone, Diane Lane, Rob Schneider, Armand Assante, and Max von Sydow. The film is based on the strip of the same name in the British comic 2000 AD...
:
- Judge Dredd (Neal Barrett, Jr.Neal Barrett, Jr.Neal Barrett, Jr. is a writer of fantasy, science fiction, mystery/suspense, and historical fiction. His story "Ginny Sweethips' Flying Circus" was nominated for both the 1988 Nebula Award for Best Novelette and the 1989 Hugo Award for Best Novelette...
, June 1995 ISBN 0-312-95628-2) - Judge Dredd: The Junior Novelisation (Graham Marks, May 1995 ISBN 0-7522-0671-0)
From 2003 to 2007, Black Flame
Black Flame
Black Flame was an imprint of BL Publishing, the publishing arm of Games Workshop and a sister imprint to the Black Library and Solaris Books. Black Flame was devoted to publishing cult fiction in the fields of science fiction, fantasy and horror...
published official 2000 AD novels, including a new run of Judge Dredd novels. Their nine Judge Dredd books are:
- Dredd Vs DeathDredd Vs DeathDredd Vs Death is a novel written by Gordon Rennie and based on the 2003 computer game Judge Dredd: Dredd Vs. Death featuring Judge Dredd.-Synopsis:...
(Gordon RennieGordon RennieGordon Rennie is a comics writer, responsible for White Trash: Moronic Inferno, as well as several comic strips for 2000 AD and novels for Warhammer Fantasy....
, October 2003 ISBN 1-84416-061-0) - Bad Moon RisingBad Moon Rising (Judge Dredd novel)Bad Moon Rising is an original novel written by David Bishop and based on the long-running British science fiction comic strip Judge Dredd. It is Bishop's fourth Judge Dredd novel.-Synopsis:...
(David BishopDavid BishopDavid Bishop is a screenwriter and author. Born in New Zealand, he was a UK comics editor during the 1990s, running such titles as the Judge Dredd Megazine and 2000 AD, the latter between 1996 and the summer of 2000....
, June 2004 ISBN 1-84416-107-2) - Black AtlanticBlack AtlanticBlack Atlantic is an original novel written by Simon Jowett and Peter J. Evans, and based on the long-running British science fiction comic strip Judge Dredd.-Synopsis:...
(Peter J. EvansPeter J. EvansPeter J. Evans is a British author.He made his professional writing debut in 1992. Since then he has worked on a broad spectrum of projects, including over two hundred articles for various entertainment magazines...
& Simon JowettSimon Jowett-Biography:His early work was in comics, as the writer of the James Bond stories Silent Armageddon and Shattered Helix ) and as a contributor to 2000AD. He left comics largely behind in the mid-1990s, when he moved into script-writing for other media...
, June 2004 ISBN 1-84416-108-0) - EclipseEclipse (Judge Dredd novel)Eclipse is an original novel written by James Swallow and based on the long-running British science fiction comic strip Judge Dredd. It is Swallow's first Judge Dredd novel.-External link:* at the 2000 AD website....
(James SwallowJames SwallowJames Swallow is a British author and scriptwriter. He is the author of several original books and tie-in novels, as well as numerous audio dramas and videogames....
, August 2004 ISBN 1-84416-122-6) - Kingdom of the BlindKingdom of the BlindKingdom of the Blind is an original novel written by David Bishop and based on the long-running British science fiction comic strip Judge Dredd. It is Bishop's fifth Judge Dredd novel...
(David BishopDavid BishopDavid Bishop is a screenwriter and author. Born in New Zealand, he was a UK comics editor during the 1990s, running such titles as the Judge Dredd Megazine and 2000 AD, the latter between 1996 and the summer of 2000....
, November 2004 ISBN 1-84416-133-1) - The Final CutThe Final Cut (Judge Dredd novel)The Final Cut is an original novel written by Matt Smith and based on the long-running British science fiction comic strip Judge Dredd from 2000 AD. At the time of publication Smith was editor of 2000 AD.-External links:...
(Matt SmithMatt Smith (comics)Matt Smith is the editor of long-running British science fiction weekly anthology comic 2000 AD, and the sister title Judge Dredd Megazine. He has also written two novels.-Biography:...
, February 2005 ISBN 1-84416-135-8) - Swine FeverSwine Fever (Judge Dredd novel)Swine Fever is an original novel written by Andrew Cartmel and based on the long-running British science fiction comic strip Judge Dredd.-Synopsis:...
(Andrew CartmelAndrew CartmelAndrew Cartmel is a British science fiction writer and journalist, and former script editor of Doctor Who. He has also worked as a script editor on other television series, as a magazine editor, a film studies lecturer and as a novelist.-Biography:...
, May 2005 ISBN 1-84416-174-9) - WhiteoutWhiteout (Judge Dredd novel)Whiteout is an original novel written by James Swallow and based on the long-running British science fiction comic strip Judge Dredd. It is Swallow's second Judge Dredd novel.-Synopsis:A powerful cybernetic weapon is stolen by a criminal...
(James SwallowJames SwallowJames Swallow is a British author and scriptwriter. He is the author of several original books and tie-in novels, as well as numerous audio dramas and videogames....
, September 2005 ISBN 1-84416-219-2) - PsykogeddonPsykogeddonPsykogeddon is an original novel written by Dave Stone and based on the long-running British science fiction comic strip Judge Dredd. It is Stone's fourth Judge Dredd novel, and the third to also feature his character Judge Steel from the spin-off comic series Armitage in the Judge Dredd...
(Dave StoneDave Stone-Biography:Stone has written many spin off novels based on the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who and Judge Dredd.Stone also contributed a number of comic series to 2000AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine, focusing on the Dreddverse...
, January 2006 ISBN 1-84416-321-0)
Audio series
In recent years Big Finish ProductionsBig Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays based, primarily, on cult British science fiction properties...
has produced eighteen audio play
Radio drama
Radio drama is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance, broadcast on radio or published on audio media, such as tape or CD. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the characters and story...
s featuring 2000 AD characters. These have mostly featured Judge Dredd although three have also featured Strontium Dog
Strontium Dog
Strontium Dog is a long-running comics series featuring in the British science fiction weekly 2000 AD, starring Johnny Alpha, a mutant bounty hunter with an array of imaginative gadgets and weapons....
. In these Judge Dredd is played by Toby Longworth
Toby Longworth
Toby Longworth is a British actor who has appeared on film, radio and television. He is originally from Somerset, where he attended King Edward's School, Bath...
and Johnny Alpha, the Strontium Dog is played by Simon Pegg
Simon Pegg
Simon Pegg is an English actor, comedian, writer, film producer, and director. He is best known for having co-written and stared in various Edgar Wright features, mainly Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and the comedy series Spaced.He also portrayed Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the 2009 Star Trek film...
. In July 2009 four further Judge Dredd titles were released under the banner 'Crime Chronicles', once more featuring Toby Longworth
Toby Longworth
Toby Longworth is a British actor who has appeared on film, radio and television. He is originally from Somerset, where he attended King Edward's School, Bath...
.
The current list of 2000 AD audio plays featuring Dredd includes:
- 1. Judge Dredd – Wanted: Dredd or Alive by David BishopDavid BishopDavid Bishop is a screenwriter and author. Born in New Zealand, he was a UK comics editor during the 1990s, running such titles as the Judge Dredd Megazine and 2000 AD, the latter between 1996 and the summer of 2000....
- 2. Judge Dredd – Death Trap! by David BishopDavid BishopDavid Bishop is a screenwriter and author. Born in New Zealand, he was a UK comics editor during the 1990s, running such titles as the Judge Dredd Megazine and 2000 AD, the latter between 1996 and the summer of 2000....
- 4. Judge Dredd – The Killing Zone by Dave StoneDave Stone-Biography:Stone has written many spin off novels based on the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who and Judge Dredd.Stone also contributed a number of comic series to 2000AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine, focusing on the Dreddverse...
- 5. Judge Dredd – The Big Shot! by David BishopDavid BishopDavid Bishop is a screenwriter and author. Born in New Zealand, he was a UK comics editor during the 1990s, running such titles as the Judge Dredd Megazine and 2000 AD, the latter between 1996 and the summer of 2000....
- 6. Judge Dredd – Trapped on Titan by Jonathan ClementsJonathan ClementsJonathan Clements is a British author and scriptwriter. His non-fiction works include biographies of Confucius, Koxinga and Qin Shihuangdi , as well as monthly opinion columns for Neo magazine...
- 7. Judge Dredd – Get Karter! by David BishopDavid BishopDavid Bishop is a screenwriter and author. Born in New Zealand, he was a UK comics editor during the 1990s, running such titles as the Judge Dredd Megazine and 2000 AD, the latter between 1996 and the summer of 2000....
- 8. Judge Dredd – I Love Judge Dredd by Jonathan MorrisJonathan Morris (author)Jonathan Morris was born in Taunton England in 1973. He is an author principally known for writing various kinds of Doctor Who spin-off material...
- 9. Judge Dredd – Dreddline by James SwallowJames SwallowJames Swallow is a British author and scriptwriter. He is the author of several original books and tie-in novels, as well as numerous audio dramas and videogames....
- 11. Judge Dredd – 99 Code Red! by Jonathan ClementsJonathan ClementsJonathan Clements is a British author and scriptwriter. His non-fiction works include biographies of Confucius, Koxinga and Qin Shihuangdi , as well as monthly opinion columns for Neo magazine...
- 12. Judge Dredd – War Planet by Dave StoneDave Stone-Biography:Stone has written many spin off novels based on the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who and Judge Dredd.Stone also contributed a number of comic series to 2000AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine, focusing on the Dreddverse...
- 13. Judge Dredd – Jihad by James SwallowJames SwallowJames Swallow is a British author and scriptwriter. He is the author of several original books and tie-in novels, as well as numerous audio dramas and videogames....
- 14. Judge Dredd – War Crimes by David BishopDavid BishopDavid Bishop is a screenwriter and author. Born in New Zealand, he was a UK comics editor during the 1990s, running such titles as the Judge Dredd Megazine and 2000 AD, the latter between 1996 and the summer of 2000....
- 15. Judge Dredd – For King and Country by Cavan ScottCavan ScottCavan Scott is a freelance author, journalist and editor best known for his work on a variety of spin-offs from the BBC Television series Doctor Who...
- 16. Judge Dredd – Pre-Emptive Revenge by Jonathan ClementsJonathan ClementsJonathan Clements is a British author and scriptwriter. His non-fiction works include biographies of Confucius, Koxinga and Qin Shihuangdi , as well as monthly opinion columns for Neo magazine...
(with Strontium DogStrontium DogStrontium Dog is a long-running comics series featuring in the British science fiction weekly 2000 AD, starring Johnny Alpha, a mutant bounty hunter with an array of imaginative gadgets and weapons....
) - 17. Judge Dredd – Grud is Dead by James SwallowJames SwallowJames Swallow is a British author and scriptwriter. He is the author of several original books and tie-in novels, as well as numerous audio dramas and videogames....
- 18. Judge Dredd – Solo by Jonathan ClementsJonathan ClementsJonathan Clements is a British author and scriptwriter. His non-fiction works include biographies of Confucius, Koxinga and Qin Shihuangdi , as well as monthly opinion columns for Neo magazine...
Note: 3 and 10 are Strontium Dog stories that do not feature Dredd.
- 1.1 Judge Dredd: Crime Chronicles – Stranger Than Truth by David BishopDavid BishopDavid Bishop is a screenwriter and author. Born in New Zealand, he was a UK comics editor during the 1990s, running such titles as the Judge Dredd Megazine and 2000 AD, the latter between 1996 and the summer of 2000....
(October 2009) - 1.2 Judge Dredd: Crime Chronicles – Blood Will Tell by James SwallowJames SwallowJames Swallow is a British author and scriptwriter. He is the author of several original books and tie-in novels, as well as numerous audio dramas and videogames....
(November 2009) - 1.3 Judge Dredd: Crime Chronicles – The Devil's Playground by Jonathan ClementsJonathan ClementsJonathan Clements is a British author and scriptwriter. His non-fiction works include biographies of Confucius, Koxinga and Qin Shihuangdi , as well as monthly opinion columns for Neo magazine...
(December 2009) - 1.4 Judge Dredd: Crime Chronicles – Double Zero by James SwallowJames SwallowJames Swallow is a British author and scriptwriter. He is the author of several original books and tie-in novels, as well as numerous audio dramas and videogames....
(January 2010)
In addition, both "The Day the Law Died
Judge Cal
Chief Judge Cal is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He was loosely based on the real life Roman emperor Caligula, who is widely considered to have been insane...
" and "The Apocalypse War
Apocalypse War
The Apocalypse War is a storyline from the comic strip Judge Dredd, first published in British comic 2000 AD in 1982. A sequel to the story "Block Mania", it was written by John Wagner and Alan Grant and illustrated by Carlos Ezquerra...
" stories were featured on Mark Goodier's
Mark Goodier
-Early career:Mark Goodier was born in Rhodesia . His family moved to the UK when he was a child, eventually settling in Scotland. He was educated at George Heriot's School, in Edinburgh. He became a mobile DJ in Edinburgh and then joined local station Radio Forth at the age of 19...
afternoon show on BBC Radio One, and issued separately on dual cassette and double CD. Both titles have since been deleted. "The Apocalypse War" contains plot elements from "Block Mania
Block Mania
Block Mania is a Judge Dredd story, which ran in British comic 2000 AD #236-244, in 1981. The story itself is a prologue for the longer storyline "The Apocalypse War", which immediately follows the conclusion of "Block Mania".-Story:...
" as this story set the scene for the East-Meg One invasion.
Boardgames and CCGs
Mongoose PublishingMongoose Publishing
Mongoose Publishing is a prolific British manufacturer of role-playing games, miniatures, and card games, actively publishing material since 2001...
have released a miniatures skirmish game of gang warfare based in Mega City 1 called Gangs of Mega-City One, often referred to as GOMC1. The game features Judges being called in when a gang challenges another gang that is too tough to fight. A wide range of miniatures has been released including box sets for an Ape Gang and an Undercity Gang. A Robot Gang was also produced but was released as two blister packs instead of a box set. Only one rules expansion has been released, called Death on the Streets, which is now out of print. The expansion introduced many new rules including usage of the new gangs and the ability to bring Judge Dredd himself into a fight. Signs and Portents continues to contain articles for this game fairly regularly.
There was also a short-lived collectible card game
Collectible card game
thumb|Players and their decksA collectible card game , also called a trading card game or customizable card game, is a game played using specially designed sets of playing cards...
called simply 'Dredd' based on the world of Judge Dredd. In the game players would control a squad of judges and arrest perps. The rules system was innovative and the game was well-received by fans and collectors alike, but various issues unrelated to the game's quality caused its early demise.
Games Workshop
Games Workshop
Games Workshop Group plc is a British game production and retailing company. Games Workshop has published the tabletop wargames Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000...
produced a boardgame based on the comic strip in 1982. In the game players, who represent judges, attempt to arrest perps that have committed crimes in different location in Mega City One. A key feature of the game is the different action cards that are collected during play; generally these cards are used when trying to arrest perps although some cards can also be played against other players to hinder their progress. The winner of the game is the judge who collected the most points arresting perps. Whilst it is a reasonably simple game it is quite amusing especially when players spend time sabotaging each others arrest attempts. Additionally, there were many amusing card combinations such as arresting Judge Death for selling old comics, as the Old Comic Selling crime card featured a 2000 AD cover with Judge Death on it. The game used characters, locations and artwork from the comic but is now out of print.
In 1987, Games Workshop published a second Dredd-inspired boardgame, "Block Mania
Block Mania
Block Mania is a Judge Dredd story, which ran in British comic 2000 AD #236-244, in 1981. The story itself is a prologue for the longer storyline "The Apocalypse War", which immediately follows the conclusion of "Block Mania".-Story:...
." In this game for two players, players take on the role of rival neighboring blocks at war. This was a heavier game than the earlier Dredd boardgame, focused on tactical combat, in which players control these residents as they use whatever means they can to vandalize and destroy their opponent's block. Later the same year, Games Workshop released the Mega Mania expansion for the game, allowing the game to be played by up to 4 players.
The Adeptus Arbites created by Games Workshop
Games Workshop
Games Workshop Group plc is a British game production and retailing company. Games Workshop has published the tabletop wargames Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000...
seemed to be heavily inspired by Judge Dredd.
In popular culture
- The metal band AnthraxAnthrax (band)Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981. Founded by guitarists Scott Ian and Danny Lilker, the band has since released ten studio albums and 20 singles, and an EP featuring Public Enemy. The band was one of the most popular of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
included a song about Judge Dredd on their third album (Among the LivingAmong the LivingAmong the Living is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Anthrax. The album was released in March 1987 by Megaforce Worldwide/Island and is certified gold by the RIAA. The BBC has described the album as "arguably their big breakthrough", and "often cited by fans as their favourite...
) entitled "I Am the Law". They also released a 12" single and a 7" picture disc, both bearing the image of Dredd. One 12" version featured a fold-out poster of the band dressed as Judges drawn by drummer Charlie BenanteCharlie BenanteCharlie Benante is the drummer for the heavy metal bands Anthrax and Stormtroopers of Death .- Career :...
. Also, the Cursed Earth tour had Judge Death as the main imagery of the shirts sold during the concerts. - The UKUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
skaSkaSka |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
/Two-Tone band MadnessMadness (band)In 1979, the band recorded the Lee Thompson composition "The Prince". The song, like the band's name, paid homage to their idol, Prince Buster. The song was released through 2 Tone Records, the label of The Specials founder Jerry Dammers. The song was a surprise hit, peaking in the UK music charts...
also recorded a tribute single to Dredd under the name of The Fink Brothers, entitled "Mutants in Mega-City One". Released on the ZarjazzZarjazzZarjazz was a record label, a sub-label of Virgin Records. The name comes from zarjaz, a fictitious slang word meaning "excellent" in the comic 2000 AD. The label was formed in 1984 by British ska band Madness. Its first release was Feargal Sharkey's hit single "Listen to Your Father", on which...
label in February 1985, the record featured a cover drawn by 2000 AD Dredd artist Brian BollandBrian BollandBrian Bolland is a British comics artist, known for his meticulous, detailed linework and eye-catching compositions. Best known in the UK as one of the definitive Judge Dredd artists for British comics anthology 2000 AD, he spearheaded the 'British Invasion' of the American comics industry, and in...
. - The UKUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
band The Human LeagueThe Human LeagueThe Human League are an English electronic New Wave band formed in Sheffield in 1977. They achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s and have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success throughout the 1980s up to the present day.The only constant...
also wrote a song about Judge Dredd. "I am the Law" appeared on the album DareDare (album)Dare is the third studio album from British synthpop band The Human League.The album was recorded between March and September 1981 and first released in the UK on 20 October 1981, then subsequently in the U.S...
. - The Screaming Blue MessiahsThe Screaming Blue MessiahsThe Screaming Blue Messiahs were a rock band, formed in 1983 in London by Bill Carter , Chris Thompson and Kenny Harris in the wake of the pub rock and punk scenes that had been so predominant on the UK capital's live music circuit during the late '70s/ early '80s...
recorded a song entitled "Mega-City One" on their final album Totally Religious. - The Manic Street PreachersManic Street PreachersManic Street Preachers are a Welsh alternative rock band, formed in 1986. They are James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, Richey Edwards and Sean Moore. The band are part of the Cardiff music scene, and were at their most prominent during the 1990s...
' song, "Judge Yr'Self" was influenced by the comic, and was intended to appear on the Judge Dredd film soundtrack. It reached the demo stage, but after lyricist and guitarist Richey Edwards disappeared, the other members of the band said that a song for a soundtrack was the last thing on their mind. Edwards himself was heavily influenced by the Judge Dredd and 2000 AD comics (the slogan "Be pure. Be vigilant. Behave" from the 2000 AD strip Nemesis the Warlock was included in the song "P.C.P."). A fully produced mix of "Judge Yr'Self" (by long time Manics producer Dave EringaDave EringaDave Eringa is an English record producer from Essex who has engineered, mixed, produced, and played on albums by such bands as Manic Street Preachers, Ocean Colour Scene, Idlewild, 3 Colours Red, South and Johnny Boy...
) was later released on the 2003 double-album of B-sides and rarities, Lipstick Traces. Furthermore, Manic Street PreachersManic Street PreachersManic Street Preachers are a Welsh alternative rock band, formed in 1986. They are James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, Richey Edwards and Sean Moore. The band are part of the Cardiff music scene, and were at their most prominent during the 1990s...
bassist Nicky WireNicky WireNicholas Allen Jones, known as Nicky Wire, is the lyricist, bassist and occasional vocalist with the Welsh rock band Manic Street Preachers.-Early life:...
was the basis for the character Domino in the 2000 AD story Zenith Phase IV Part 2: Blind Justice (prog 795, 8 Aug. 1992). He has said that this annoyed fellow band member Richey, who was a great fan of Judge Dredd and even had one of his drawings published in the comic during his late childhood. Richey himself was later parodied as "Clarence" of the "Crazy Sked Moaners" in the Dredd story Muzak Killer: Live! Part 3 (prog 838, 5 Jun. 1993), in a scene which parodied the infamous 1991 incident of Richey carving 4 REAL into his forearm with a razor (Clarence lasers 4 RALE into his forehead). - Simon PeggSimon PeggSimon Pegg is an English actor, comedian, writer, film producer, and director. He is best known for having co-written and stared in various Edgar Wright features, mainly Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and the comedy series Spaced.He also portrayed Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the 2009 Star Trek film...
is a fan of 2000 AD, and Judge Dredd memorabilia (supplied by the comic) appears in the background of several episodes of SpacedSpacedSpaced is a British television sitcom written by and starring Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson, and directed by Edgar Wright. It is noted for its rapid-fire editing, frequent pop culture references and jokes, eclectic music, and occasional displays of surrealism and non-sequitur humour...
. - There is a rapper from Houston, TexasHouston, TexasHouston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
who goes by the name of Judge Dredd. He was featured on two tracks on ChamillionaireChamillionaireHakeem Seriki , better known by his stage name Chamillionaire, is an American rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur. He is the CEO of Chamillitary Entertainment. Chamillionaire is also the founder and an original member of The Color Changin' Click...
's Greatest Hits Mixtape. - A sleeve illustration on German metal band HelloweenHelloweenHelloween is a German power metal band founded in the mid 1980s by members of Iron Fist and Powerfool. The band was a pioneering force in the European Power Metal movement and their second and third studio albums, Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt...
's album Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 1 depicts a pumpkin-headed character (a band trademark) wearing a distinctive Judge's uniform. It's placed next to the lyrics for the song "Future World", and was used as the sleeve illustration for the single release of that track. - Multiple references to the movie are made on the sitcom ScrubsScrubs (TV series)Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
, notably by J.D. at the end of the episode "His Story II", while being wooed by Elliot. - Finnish power metal band Sonata ArcticaSonata ArcticaSonata Arctica are a Finnish power metal band from the town of Kemi, originally assembled in 1995. Their later works contain several elements typical of progressive metal.....
references Judge Dredd in the song Peacemaker. - The British band PitchshifterPitchshifterPitchshifter are a British five-piece electronic-metal band from Nottingham, United Kingdom formed in 1989. The band was started by bassist and vocalist Mark Clayden, lead guitarist and programmer Johnny A...
, also fans of 2000 AD, released a Judge Dredd t-shirt for their final tour. It included the slogan "13 years punk," referring to how long the band had been together before they broke up. - In the Warhammer 40,000Warhammer 40,000Warhammer 40,000 is a tabletop miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop, set in a dystopian science fantasy universe. Warhammer 40,000 was created by Rick Priestley in 1987 as the futuristic companion to Warhammer Fantasy Battle, sharing many game mechanics...
universe, the Imperium'sImperium (Warhammer 40,000)The Imperium of Man is a fictional galactic empire of over a million planets that contains the vast majority of humans in the forty-first millennium, set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe created by Games Workshop....
police force, the Arbites, (Latin; translates as Judge or judgment) were visually based upon Judge Dredd stemming from the time Games Workshop held the rights to Judge Dredd games. The current range is more similar in design to RoboCopRoboCopRoboCop is a 1987 American science fiction-action film directed by Paul Verhoeven. Set in a crime-ridden Detroit, Michigan in the near future, RoboCop centers on a police officer who is brutally murdered and subsequently re-created as a super-human cyborg known as "RoboCop"...
. The original designs for the Space Marine power armour and bikes also drew heavily on the Judges uniform and Lawmaster bikes. In return the original design for the Space Marine jet bike also featured in an episode of Judge Dredd as a Judge antigravity bike. A number of artists who have worked on Judge Dredd have also worked for Games Workshop.
Parodies
Judge Elmer Dwedd- Judge Dredd was satirized by Marvel ComicsMarvel ComicsMarvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
, by combining the lawman with Looney TunesLooney TunesLooney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
character Elmer FuddElmer FuddElmer J. Fudd/Egghead is a fictional cartoon character and one of the most famous Looney Tunes characters, and the de facto archenemy of Bugs Bunny. He has one of the more disputed origins in the Warner Bros. cartoon pantheon . His aim is to hunt Bugs, but he usually ends up seriously injuring...
to create Judge Elmer Dwedd. This pastiche of Dredd appeared in a handful of issues of Howard the DuckHoward the DuckHoward the Duck is a comic book character in the Marvel Comics universe created by writer Steve Gerber and artist Val Mayerik. The character first appeared in Adventure into Fear #19 and several subsequent series have chronicled the misadventures of the ill-tempered, anthropomorphic, "funny...
prior to the release of the Judge Dredd movie, and the character was discontinued afterwards.
Justice Peace
- A former officer of the Time Variance AuthorityTime Variance AuthorityThe Time Variance Authority is a fictional organization, a group of timeline monitors in the Marvel Universe. They first appeared in Thor vol. 1 #372 .-Fictional background:...
, he rides a flying and (formerly) time traveling Hopsikle, wields a Peacemaker multipurpose gun, is based in "Brooklynopolis" and is genetically incapable of both lying and humor.
Judge Dudd
- Appeared in Buster comic, which was published by Fleetway. As his name implies, Dudd was an inept law officer.
Judge Fredd
- Appeared in the D&D spoof game called "Munchkin" and "Beats you to death for resisting arrest" if you fail to defeat him.
Psycho Gran vs. Judge Dredd
- In an issue of Oink!Oink! (comic)Oink! was a British comic for children which was published from 3 May 1986-22 October 1988. It set out to be deliberately anarchic, reminiscent of Viz but for children....
comic, which was published by Fleetway, Psycho Gran was transported through a time warp into the far future and materialised in Mega City One just as she is training in a boxing gym and Judge Dredd was arresting a perp. She punches Dredd, knocking him out before apologising and disappearing back through the time warp. Dredd, explaining away his bandaged nose, later tells the Chief Judge that he was attacked by a gang of giant mutants, while behind his back he has the fingers of one hand crossed.
See also
- Judge Dredd MegazineJudge Dredd MegazineJudge Dredd: The Megazine is a monthly British comic magazine, launched in October 1990. It is a sister publication to 2000 AD. Its name is a play on words, formed from "magazine" and Dredd's locale Mega-City One.-Content:...
- 2000 AD crossovers. Judge Dredd's timeline has crossed over with many other 2000 AD stories.
External links
- Judge Dredd story index at 2000 AD website
- Judge Dredd, The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, 5 March 2002 - Big Finish Productions 2000AD page
- BBC Cult 2000AD comics page
- BBC Cult 2000AD audio page
- Judge Dredd boardgame page at BoardGameGeek
- Block Mania boardgame page at BoardGameGeek
- Dredd: The Card game details
- Mega City One fansite