Maintaining order on the chaotic streets of futuristic Mega-City One, Judge Dredd is the ultimate lawman. Authorized to convinct and sentence perps on the spot, he not only enforces the law, he is the law! And he also happens to have a movie coming out later this month that should hopefully wipe the memory of the risible Sylvester Stallone adaptation.
But if you're wondering who Judge Dredd is, the following is a brief overview of the character's past, present and potential movie future.
A is for Atomic Wars
In the year 2070, the highly xenophobic, and borderline psychotic, US president Robert L. Booth gave the order that would begin World War III. Believing that the US’s anti-nuclear shield would shelter the States from any retaliation, he launched a massive nuclear attack against his perceived enemies. The US’s defenses failed through, and the resultant counterattack devastated much of the continent. The Mega-Cities’ defensive laser grids protected them from the brunt of the attack, but the rest of the country was reduced to a barren radioactive wasteland known as The Cursed Earth.
Further reading: “The Cursed Earth” in Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files 02, and Judge Dredd: Origins.
B is for Blocks
In the vast urban centres known as the Mega-Cities, citizens live packed together in the close confines of massive super-skyscrapers known City Blocks. The average height of a city block is 400-700 stories, and the average population of a Mega-City One block is 60,000 people. City Blocks are frequently named after famous people or fictional characters, and are often named after 2000 AD creators - one of the blocks in the movie is named after artist Henry Flint. Large blocks can be like their own nations, and tensions and rivalries between neighbouring blocks sometimes escalate into fully fledged conflicts known as Block Wars.
Further reading: “Block Mania” in Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files 05.
C is for Cassandra Anderson
Portrayed by Olivia Thirlby in the movie, Judge Cassandra Anderson is a rookie with powerful psychic abilities due to a genetic mutation. At the start of the movie, Dredd is putting Anderson through her paces when they are called to investigate a heinous crime.
In the comics, Anderson has been around since 1980, and is a member of a special division of Justice Department known as Psi Division. Her powers enable her to sense approaching danger and foresee events in the near future. She is also able to read peoples’ minds through telepathy. The character even has her own spin-off series in the pages of Judge Dredd Megazine called Anderson Psi-Division.
Further reading: Judge Anderson: Psi Files Volume 01, Judge Anderson Psi Files Volume 02.
D is for Dark Judges
While they don’t feature in the new movie, Alex Garland has expressed that he would like to expand the film into a trilogy, and that the Dark Judge will likely appear in the third film.
The dark judges - Judge Death, Judge Fire, Judge Fear and Judge Mortis - hail from a parallel universe known as Deadworld. They are led by Judge Death, who determined that all crime was committed by the living, and thus by extension, life itself was a crime. After destroying all life in their own universe, the Dark Judges happened across a dimension jumping warp device, used it to travel to Mega-City One, and took it upon themselves to end all life there too.
Further reading: “Judge Death” in Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files 03, “Judge Death Lives” in Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files 05, and many, many, more...
E is for Ezquerra, Carlos
Carlos Ezquerra is the artist who is responsible for Judge Dredd’s iconic look. Co-creator John Wagner originally suggested that Ezquerra should make Dredd look like the character Frankenstein from the movie Death Race 2000. Ezquerra took this basic idea and added a number of embellishments like a visor, zips, chains, and elaborate body armor like his infamous spaulders, which Wagner initially thought to be “way over the top.” Ezquerra went on to illustrate many of the major Judge Dredd storylines of the last 35 years.
F is for Fargo, Eustance
Chief Judge Eustace Fargo is commonly referred to as the “Father of Justice.” Fargo was the man responsible for establishing the Judge system of law, and was Mega-City One’s first Chief Judge. Officially, he was born in the year 1999, and died in the year 2051 - though the modern Judge Dredd blockbuster “Origins” revealed that this was far from the truth.
Further reading: Judge Dredd: Origins.
G is for Garland, Alex
Alex Garland is the writer and co-producer of Dredd. He first rose to prominence in 1996 with the publication of his critically acclaimed novel The Beach, which was used as the basis of the 2000 film of the same name, directed by Danny Boyle. This lead to him and Boyle collaborating on the contemporary horror classic, 28 Days Later - a movie that elevated his “geek cred” no end, and made him the perfect candidate to write a movie like Dredd.
A self-confessed fan of 2000 AD, Alex Garland has been reading Judge Dredd’s adventures since he was “10 or 11 years old,” so needed to do very little research when it came to plotting the new movie. He originally drafted two different versions of the movie, which he has mentioned he plans to explore in subsequent films, possibly making a trilogy.
H is for Hall of Justice, Grand
The Grand Hall of Justice is the headquarters of the Justice Department of Mega-City One. The Grand Hall houses a number of governmental offices, the living quarters of several senior judges, a well stocked armoury, and two public museums - The Hall of Heroes, which commemorates the most distinguished heroes and judges of the city; and The Black Museum, which contains exhibits relating to the city's most notorious criminals.
I is for Irradiated
Following the atomic wars of 2070 most of the United States was reduced to an irradiated wasteland known as the Cursed Earth. Considered unfit for human habitation the cursed earth is populated by all manner of hideously mutated creatures and monsters. Mutated humans are banned from living in the Mega-Cities, and so are forced to eke out a living in the vast and lawless wastelands.
Further Reading: The Cursed Earth Saga, or Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files 02.
J is for Joseph Dredd
Judge Joseph Dredd is by far the most famous of the Judges of Justice Department, and over the years has become the face of law in Mega-City One. Joseph Dredd and his brother Rico were cloned from the the DNA of Chief Judge Eustace Fargo in the year 2066. Their growth was artificially accelerated so that when they were born they were effectively five years old, the minimum age for enrolment in the Academy of Law.
Judge Dredd’s face has never been shown in the comics, creator John Wagner says this is because "It sums up the facelessness of justice − justice has no soul. So it isn't necessary for readers to see Dredd's face, and I don't want you to."
In the comics, Judge Dredd ages 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 2012 are set in 2134. This makes Judge Dredd 73 years old!
Karl Urban is the man inside the helmet in the new Dredd movie. Rising to prominence with his role as Eomer in the second and third instalments of the Lord of the Rings movies, Urban went on to wow fans with his amazing performance as Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy in the 2009 reboot of the Star Trek Franchise.
In interviews Urban has impressed fans with his familiarity with the character of Judge Dredd, and the passion he shows towards the project. He’s even promised that the character will never remove his helmet while he is playing the role!
L is for Law , as in “I am the Law!”
The law in Mega-City One is upheld by the Judges - law enforcement officers who combine the roles of police officers and traditional judges, allowing them to dispense instant justice - trying and sentencing criminals on the spot.
The Judge System was created by Eustace Fargo, special government prosecutor for street crime, between 2027 and 2031, to combat a rising tide of violent crime and to speed up the process of justice. Following the Third World War of 2070 and upon discovering that President Robert Booth had stolen the election, the Judges overthrew the Government of the United States and seized power.
A Judge's standard-issue weaponry includes a daystick, a boot knife, stun grenades, and a Lawgiver pistol, which is programmed to respond only to the palm-print of the Judge to whom it was issued, and fires six different types of ammunition. Judges are also issued a Lawmaster motorbike, which is armed with machine guns, a laser cannon, and an onboard AI.
M is for Madeline “Ma-Ma” Madrigal
Portrayed by Lena Headey, Ma-Ma is a new character created by Alex Garland to be the villain in the upcoming Dredd movie. Ma-Ma is a horribly scared prostitute who kills her pimp and takes over his drug-running business. Ma-Ma runs the Peach Tree City Block, from which she pumps the drug slow-mo out onto the streets of Mega-City One. It’s not long before her nefarious activities come to the attention of the Judges.
N is for nuclear attacks
In the year 2104, the spectre of nuclear war once again rose its ugly head in the Judge Dredd mega-epic The Apocalypse War. During this battle Soviet infiltrators from East Meg-One were able to disable Mega-City One’s laser defensive grid, and then launch a massive nuclear attack, which resulted in the reduction of the city’s population from over 800 million to just about 400 million. The war was eventually won when Judge Dredd lead a commando unit to seize an East-Meg missile silo and used it to obliterate East-Meg One, with the loss of 500 million lives.
Further Reading - “The Apocalypse War” in Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files 05.
O is for One, as in Mega-City One
Mega-City One is a vast city-state that covers much of what is now the Eastern United States. Mega-City One was one of three major areas to survive the atomic wars of 2070, and at the end of the 21st century the population of the city was around 800 million. The city’s inhabitants live in close confines, packed into super-skyscrapers called City Blocks, and the dangerous streets are patrolled by the dedicated Judges of Justice Department.
The city is bordered on the east by the heavily polluted waters of the Black Atlantic, and is surrounded on all other sides by the mutant-filled radioactive wastelands known as The Cursed Earth.
P is for PJ Maybe
Philip Janet Maybe is the most notorious serial killer of all time, an evil genius, and a master of disguise. He killed for the first time at age 12, by murdering a neighbourhood couple who he chose at random from the phone book. He has escaped capture and captivity many times, and for a few years even assumed the identity of politician Byon Ambrose, becoming elected mayor of Mega-City One. Over the years he’s been a constant thorn in Dredd’s side, and is akin to his “white whale.”
Further reading - Judge Dredd: The Complete P.J. Maybe (out of print), Judge Dredd: Tour of Duty: The Backlash.
Q is for Quintessential Dredd library
Over 2000 AD’s 35-year history, the Judge Dredd stories have been collected many times, by many different publishers, though countless collections have come-and-gone out of print, making it hard for readers and collectors to keep up with the various storylines.
A few years ago, Rebellion/2000 AD decided to put together the quintessential library of Judge Dredd stories, starting from 2000 AD prog 2, and continuing through the present day stories. So far they have published 19 volumes in the Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files collection - with each volume collecting one whole year’s worth of storylines.
The collections should be avilable from all good book sellers and comic shops, and can also be purchased here.
R is for Resyk
Nothing goes to waste in Mega-City One, not even the dead. Due to the massive population of the city, and incredibly close confines, burying the dead is a privilege reserved for the super-rich. Most corpses are sent to the nearest Resyk centre, where the body is broken down into its component parts, and rendered into other materials. Funeral services are frequently held at Resyk so the bereaved can say goodbye to their loved ones, and purchase reasonably priced souvenirs at the gift shop.
S is for Slo-Mo
In the Dredd movie, Slow-Mo is a dangerous new craze that has taken Mega City one by storm. Slow-Mo is a reality-altering substance that allows users to experience reality at a fraction of its normal speed. The flow of Slow-Mo is controlled by villainous Ma-Ma and her violent gang.
T is for Titan
Titan, the largest moon of Saturn, is home to a brutal penal colony where Mega-City One sends its most notorious villains. Inhabitants have to undergo cosmetic surgery to survive the harsh climate, resulting in their permanent disfigurement. Judges who are found to have broken the law are sentenced to life imprisonment on Titan, a fate considered worse than death.
Further reading - Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files 01.
U is for Ugly craze
Mega-City One is a very strange place, and due to the city’s massive, and easily bored population, ridiculous crazes often arise and sweep rapidly through the city, sometimes losing popularity again by the end of the day. Occasionally through, some crazes have an enduring presence, such as the Fattie craze, and the Ugly craze started by Otto Sump with his line of Ugly clinics and related products.
V is for Vendetta in Gotham
In the late 1980s and early 1990s both John Wagner and Alan Grant worked for DC Comics on a number of titles, including Detective Comics. This lead in 1993 to the Judge Dredd and Batman crossover Judgement on Gotham, which featured Judge Death jumping dimensions to Gotham City and causing all kinds of chaos for the caped crusader. This one-shot was followed by three more: Vendetta in Gotham, The Ultimate Riddle, and Die Laughing.
Further reading: DC Comics and Rebellion/2000 AD are planning a hardcover collection of all four stories, to be published later this year as The Batman/Judge Dredd Collection.
W is for Wagner, John
John Wagner is Dredd’s co-creator, and for over 35 years has been the character’s guiding force. Wagner came up with the idea of Judge Dredd when he was brought in as a script adviser for the fledgling 2000 AD, by then editor Pat Mills. Wagner thought that the new comic needed a cop title, and so decided to take the concept of “Dirty Harry” to its ultimate extreme, and cast him as a violent lawman, empowered to dispense instant justice on the streets of a futuristic version of New York City. Most of the classic Dredd storylines originated from the pen of John Wagner, often collaborating with Alan Grant under the pen names of T. B. Grover and John Howard.
X is for Xenomorphs
Believe it or not, Judge Dredd has even faced down Ridley Scott’s alien xenomorphs, in the Dark Horse Comics / 2000 AD crossover Judge Dredd vs. Aliens. Written by John Wagner & Andy Diggle, with artwork from Henry Flint, this miniseries serves as a brilliant introduction to the world of Dredd.
Further Reading: Judge Dredd vs. Aliens.
Y is Yurges, Elmore
In the year 2133, Soviet terrorists kidnapped scientist Elmore Yurges, a biological warfare expert who had been working on making a weaponised form of toxoplasma gondii. They forcedhim to divulge his research, and develop a weapon from the virus, which they dubbed the Chaos Bug. In retaliation for the destruction of East-Meg One during the Apocalypse Wars (see above), they released this extremely virulent virus on the streets of Mega-City One, beginning the disaster referred to as Day of Chaos.
The release of the bug and several other events related to it, including the release of the Dark Judge from captivity, resulted in a reduction of the population of Mega-City One by 87%, from 400 million to 50 million - making it the biggest disaster in Mega-City history.
Further reading: Current issues of 2000 AD.
Z is for Zombies
Yes, zombies have even permeated the Judge Dredd universe! In the classic Garth Ennis penned storyline Judgement Day a powerful necromagus called Sabbat raised all the corpses in the world as zombies, overrunning all of the mega-cities with the walking dead. This is particularly problematic for Mega-City One, because they had just buried 60 million citizens killed by the recent Necropolis disaster...
This classic storyline was also the inspiration behind the highly addictive iOS game Judge Dredd vs. Zombies.
Further reading: “Judgement Day” in Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files 17.
Edward Kaye is a feature writer, whose articles and reviews you can find on a number of popular comic industry websites. He lives and breathes comics, and has been reading 2000 AD since he was ten years old. Find him on Twitter as @edkaye.
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