If that was the intent, it is a sliver away from fridging. At best, it's manipulative. Like a movie that introduces a bunch of characters and LOVEABLE DOGGO. And then, like clockwork, LOVEABLE DOGGO IS DEAD.
I think it's also important to separate impact/sadness from a kind of anger/resignation. Arguably, "and only Dredd was left standing" is the least imaginative ending we can get in this kind of story. It's cliche. Dredd literally being saved by the cadet who survives ("I knew I liked you.") and then who goes on to be a surprising support cast member (given her not being the flashy one) would have been more interesting to me. But there you go. What's done is done, and I'm sure Williams wrote the strip he wanted, for the reasons he wanted to. And I at least liked all but one page of it, so that's overall a win.
I think it's also important to separate impact/sadness from a kind of anger/resignation. Arguably, "and only Dredd was left standing" is the least imaginative ending we can get in this kind of story. It's cliche. Dredd literally being saved by the cadet who survives ("I knew I liked you.") and then who goes on to be a surprising support cast member (given her not being the flashy one) would have been more interesting to me. But there you go. What's done is done, and I'm sure Williams wrote the strip he wanted, for the reasons he wanted to. And I at least liked all but one page of it, so that's overall a win.