Pat Wagon? H-Wagon? Manta? What are the differences?

[Frank]

.
Patrol Wagon is a good rationalisation*, but the name's probably a gag based on the Paddy wagons referred to above. The use of the archaic term 'wagon' is difficult to explain otherwise.

Both theories are just fanwank, though. Maybe next time Wagner does a Q&A, one of us can put their fascinating question about when we're going to see Judge Death again to one side, and get the real explanation, straight from the horse's mouth.


* Although it doesn't explain why Pat wagons aren't P wagons, like H wagons

[Lobo Baggins]

Patrol Wagon is a good rationalisation

Nope, when one first appears in 'The Day The Law Died', Dredd initially identifies the vehicle as a 'patrol wagon', but then has to explain to Fergee that 'you don't get heavy with a Pat Wagon!'

See, canon!

[Frank]

See, canon!

You win!

[Lobo Baggins]

Manta Prowl Tanks ... don't appear to be particularly fast or manoeuvrable

... yet they're small enough to fit down a sewer!*


* See Michael Carroll and Paul Davidson's New Tricks, prog 1884. John Wagner and Greg Staples think Mantas are suitable for kicking in doors (Dark Justice, 1912)

Well, OBVIOUSLY, following the Alien incursion which came via the Undercity in Dredd Vs Aliens, the Justice Department added a dirty great door to the bit of the Grand Hall of Justice that extends into the Undercity (we also see this in Dredd vs Aliens), thus allowing the possibility of more firepower to be directed against Undercity based threats.  When the surface parts of the Grand Hall of Justice was destroyed in Chaos Day, the Undercity dwellers we able to gain access to the subterranean bits, thus allowing them to steal whatever was left behind in the parking bay.  It was full of Manta Tanks because the Justice Department is very fond of overkill reactions to things.

Tsk!  CALL YOURSELVES FANS?!?

[Dark Jimbo]

...or a Meat Wagon if they're already dead (I don't recall ever actually seeing one of these in the strip though).

In Meg 224 Dredd does a shift on 'meat patrol' and Si Coleby gives us probably the best shots we've ever had...



We get plenty turning up in panel backgrounds to cart away dead bodies in earlier years (for instance, The Other Slab Tynan in the '84 Annual) but more often than not they're indistinguishable from an ambulance.

[Colin YNWA]

Well just reading Prog 207 and in the Dredd (Part 2 of Unamerican Graffiti) Chopper has tagged a flying Justice Department vehicle which the Judge who spots it refers to as a Hover Wagon.

[Lobo Baggins]

We get plenty turning up in panel backgrounds to cart away dead bodies in earlier years (for instance, The Other Slab Tynan in the '84 Annual) but more often than not they're indistinguishable from an ambulance.

Oh, interesting one!  Dredd appears to be guest starring in an episode of CSI: MC1 there.



Seems to be indicating they can trace people by DNA-like profiling of their sweat, too.

[Dark Jimbo]

Ah, I've missed this place. 

[Modern Panther]

When the surface parts of the Grand Hall of Justice was destroyed in Chaos Day, the Undercity dwellers we able to gain access to the subterranean bits, thus allowing them to steal whatever was left behind in the parking bay.  It was full of Manta Tanks because the Justice Department is very fond of overkill reactions to things.

Isn't this the plot to Dark Knight Rises?

[ZenArcade]

Ah, I've missed this place. 

Was going to ask, where were you? Z

[shaolin_monkey]

Thanks guys, lots of awesome clarification here, and that pic of the Meat Wagon is awesome!

I'm interested in seeing some variations of Catch and Pat Wagons please, if anyone is feeling a bit generous with their time, graphic novels, and scanners? 😃

[Steve Green]

First Pat Wagon I think, by Garry Leach

[Dark Jimbo]

Was going to ask, where were you? Z

On my first holiday in over 10 years! Spent six weeks gallavanting across the US colonies with m'new lady. Only downside being I completely missed out on prog 2000, which I had naively planned to grab a back issue of when I got back...  !

[ZenArcade]

Never worry you'll pick one up on e-bay for nothing, well ok you won't.
Good to hear you had fun with your trip and of course companion as well. Z

[sheridan]

'Wagon' seems to refer to any Justice Department ground vehicle; Pat Wagons patrol (we see them doing this in 'The Day the Law Died' and 'Necropolis'), and Dredd will occasionally send for a Catch Wagon when he wants perps picked up after he's arrested them or a Meat Wagon if they're already dead (I don't recall ever actually seeing one of these in the strip though).  There's variations including the floating, riot control Pat Wagons seen in 'Block Mania' and Med Wagons (ambulances) also occasionally turn up.

Coming late to the party, but my take on it has always been:

   
• Pat Wagon - Patrol wagons, though I'd have read about them in Dredd before hearing the term Paddy Wagon - though it works as a backronym if it was taken from the American name.
• H-Wagon - Hover Wagon, but some artists have obviously not been aware of this, and protrayed them as being H-shaped

Unless named, I don't think it's always entirely clear whether what we see is a Pat Wagon or an H-Wagon.  Many different artists have drawn these in many different ways.  One of my favourites is McMahon's depiction from the early episodes of Block Mania - without referring to the progs (and probably even if I do refer to them) I wouldn't be able to tell you whether they're Pat or H-Wagons.

   
• Med-Wagons - obvious, though I'd draw a distinction between them and ambulances, with med-wagons being specifically Justice Department vehicles.
• Meat-Wagons - there has actually been a strip about a clean-up crew (one of the crew members was called to clean up the body of his paramour) pretty sure we get to see the wagon in that story
• Manta Prowl Tank - my favourite, and the only one of all these vehicles which should look the same whomever draws it - none of your artistic interpretation on this one!  I see these as being the most powerful of the standard Justice Department vehicles.