Walter the Wobot
Encyclopedia
Walter is a fictional character from the Judge Dredd
comic strip in British comic 2000 AD
.
'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. He was made a free robot with the rights of a human citizen in 2099 for his loyal services during the First Robot War
. However he was so devoted to Dredd that he chose to remain in Dredd's employ and even got rid of his freedom papers in exchange for a Deed of Ownership giving him to Dredd. (A later story would retroactively reveal he was granted his freedom again for services against the insane Judge Cal
.
He remained a major recurring character − in the run of stories set on the Moon, he was in fact the only supporting character from Mega-City One
− and several stories were even told from his point of view. Walter also was involved in the mega-epics The Day The Law Died, where he went undercover to help bring down Judge Cal, and the Apocalypse War
, where he assisted Dredd in escaping the Sov-occupied Grand Hall of Justice. Although Dredd would never admit it, he developed a small fondness for the robot.
He left Dredd's service after he sustained serious damage at the hands of Mean Machine Angel
. This was an effort by the writers to kill him off when Judge Dredd stories were becoming grittier and more mature; in the same story, Dredd's landlady Maria was also written out.
However, the character was brought back by John Wagner
in the early '90s, following the Necropolis storyline; he now ran his own used-droid company and on the surface appeared to be a success (including partially overcoming his speech impediment). By the end of the story though, it was revealed Walter was still infatuated with Dredd and desperately wanted to be taken back as his servant. He met Dredd again in 2115, helping him escape the forces of Judge Grice
and wielding a vast amount of deadly weaponry, killing many ex-convict Judges in the process.
The next year, Walter snapped and attempted to lead a second Robot War, and actually shot Dredd to punish him for Dredd's harsh treatment of him over the years. He was arrested by Rookie Judge Giant and sentenced to thirty years. However he was freed from jail during the actual Second Robot War
in 2121.
After the war he surrendered to Dredd, who paroled him. Walter now lives with Mrs Gunderson as a condition of his parole. He helps her run her Judge Death
-based tourist attraction, and has since made several appearances with her.
, in 1978
Walter had his own eponym
ous comedy series (one-page episodes), in 2000 AD progs 50-61, 67-68, and 84-85. These were almost entirely drawn by Brian Bolland
, with the first couple by Ian Gibson
, and the last couple by Brendan McCarthy
. The writing was credited to Joe Collins and G.P. Rice.
Walter also had a substantial role in the Death Trap audio drama.
Judge Dredd
Judge Joseph Dredd is a comics character whose strip in the British science fiction anthology 2000 AD is the magazine's longest running . 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...
comic strip in British comic 2000 AD
2000 AD (comic)
2000 AD is a weekly British science fiction-oriented comic. As a comics anthology it serialises a number of separate stories each issue and was first published by IPC Magazines in 1977, the first issue dated 26 February. IPC then shifted the title to its Fleetway comics subsidiary which was sold...
.
Fictional character biography
Walter was Judge DreddJudge Dredd
Judge Joseph Dredd is a comics character whose strip in the British science fiction anthology 2000 AD is the magazine's longest running . 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...
'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. He was made a free robot with the rights of a human citizen in 2099 for his loyal services during the First Robot War
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...
. However he was so devoted to Dredd that he chose to remain in Dredd's employ and even got rid of his freedom papers in exchange for a Deed of Ownership giving him to Dredd. (A later story would retroactively reveal he was granted his freedom again for services against the insane 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...
.
He remained a major recurring character − in the run of stories set on the Moon, he was in fact the only supporting character from 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...
− and several stories were even told from his point of view. Walter also was involved in the mega-epics The Day The Law Died, where he went undercover to help bring down Judge Cal, 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...
, where he assisted Dredd in escaping the Sov-occupied Grand Hall of Justice. Although Dredd would never admit it, he developed a small fondness for the robot.
He left Dredd's service after he sustained serious damage at the hands of Mean Machine Angel
Mean Machine Angel
Mean "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:...
. This was an effort by the writers to kill him off when Judge Dredd stories were becoming grittier and more mature; in the same story, Dredd's landlady Maria was also written out.
However, the character was brought back by 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...
in the early '90s, following the Necropolis storyline; he now ran his own used-droid company and on the surface appeared to be a success (including partially overcoming his speech impediment). By the end of the story though, it was revealed Walter was still infatuated with Dredd and desperately wanted to be taken back as his servant. He met Dredd again in 2115, helping him escape the forces of Judge Grice
Judge Grice
Judge 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...
and wielding a vast amount of deadly weaponry, killing many ex-convict Judges in the process.
The next year, Walter snapped and attempted to lead a second Robot War, and actually shot Dredd to punish him for Dredd's harsh treatment of him over the years. He was arrested by Rookie Judge Giant and sentenced to thirty years. However he was freed from jail during the actual Second Robot War
The Doomsday Scenario
The 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...
in 2121.
After the war he surrendered to Dredd, who paroled him. Walter now lives with Mrs Gunderson as a condition of his parole. He helps her run her Judge Death
Judge Death
Judge 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...
-based tourist attraction, and has since made several appearances with her.
Appearances
As well as numerous appearances in Judge DreddJudge Dredd
Judge Joseph Dredd is a comics character whose strip in the British science fiction anthology 2000 AD is the magazine's longest running . 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...
, in 1978
1978 in comics
This is a list of comics-related events in 1978.- Year overall :* DC suffers the DC Implosion, the abrupt cancellation of more than two dozen ongoing and planned titles, with the vast majority of the books leaving uncompleted storylines .* Archie Goodwin resigns as Marvel Comics editor-in-chief,...
Walter had his own eponym
Eponym
An eponym is the name of a person or thing, whether real or fictitious, after which a particular place, tribe, era, discovery, or other item is named or thought to be named...
ous comedy series (one-page episodes), in 2000 AD progs 50-61, 67-68, and 84-85. These were almost entirely drawn by 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...
, with the first couple by Ian Gibson
Ian Gibson (artist)
Ian Gibson is a British comic book artist, best known for his 1980s black-and-white work for 2000 AD, especially as the main artist on Robo-Hunter and The Ballad of Halo Jones, as well as his long run on Judge Dredd.-Biography:...
, and the last couple by Brendan McCarthy
Brendan McCarthy
Brendan McCarthy is a British artist and designer best known for his work in comic books, film and television.- Biography :Brendan McCarthy, of Irish descent, was born in London. Brendan soon began painting and drawing his own home-made comics....
. The writing was credited to Joe Collins and G.P. Rice.
Walter also had a substantial role in the Death Trap audio drama.