Prog 2371 - Smash the State

[IndigoPrime]

Mm. It's very much along the lines of fearing the worst and then getting it, rather than there being any sliver of optimism. I can't imagine anything that could happen next week that would make things 'better' in that sense. Dredd rocking up, growling and punching Hernandez in the face isn't going to cut it. Maitland, in the end, is just another example of a brief shining light in Mega-City One that was mercilessly snuffed out because the people in charge continue to delude themselves that they're doing it for the people, when they just don't want to relinquish any control.

Again, it'll be interesting to see if this will – or even can – have any long-term impact on Judge Dredd (the strip and the character) as a whole. How long will Dredd himself continue to dodder along, accepting the need for some change, and arguing that the few allies need to make that change from within, when they are constantly bumped off by ambitious judges who seek power, not least when he refuses to take responsibility in any meaningful sense?

[Richard]

It's a salutary lesson for Judge Beeny, that's for sure.

[JayzusB.Christ]

It's a salutary lesson for Judge Beeny, that's for sure.

Good point - I'd forgotten about Beeny. I suspect John Wagner had a vaguely similar arc in mind for her character before he semi-retired.

[JayzusB.Christ]

Mm. It's very much along the lines of fearing the worst and then getting it, rather than there being any sliver of optimism. I can't imagine anything that could happen next week that would make things 'better' in that sense. Dredd rocking up, growling and punching Hernandez in the face isn't going to cut it. Maitland, in the end, is just another example of a brief shining light in Mega-City One that was mercilessly snuffed out because the people in charge continue to delude themselves that they're doing it for the people, when they just don't want to relinquish any control.

Again, it'll be interesting to see if this will – or even can – have any long-term impact on Judge Dredd (the strip and the character) as a whole. How long will Dredd himself continue to dodder along, accepting the need for some change, and arguing that the few allies need to make that change from within, when they are constantly bumped off by ambitious judges who seek power, not least when he refuses to take responsibility in any meaningful sense?

Sorry for the double post but I've just remembered the Fargo issue too - Dredd's known for decades now that Fargo didn't believe in the system himself. I know it's been mentioned since but I'm not sure it's really been addressed properly.

I suppose,  realistically,  things can't change too much, otherwise there's no Dredd strip. 35 years ago Dredd's age was slowing him down, making him doubt the system and causing him back pains,  but here we are with our favourite geriatric in tight leathers still tearing round the streets on his motorbike fighting young people, and still questioning that same system.

[Robin Low]

Okay.

It's conceivable that Maitland had a plan when she rattled Hernandez's cage. It's conceivable that she put a robot double in place to seemingly take her out of the picture. After all, she and Dredd were talking before she confronted Hernandez. Neither of them are stupid. Both of them can anticipate and plan.

God, I hope so.


Regards,
Robin

And yeah, some of us do consider Maitland a major character.

[Batman's Superior Cousin]

A major character or a major supporting character...?

[Jacqusie]

35 years ago Dredd's age was slowing him down, making him doubt the system and causing him back pains,  but here we are with our favourite geriatric in tight leathers still tearing round the streets on his motorbike

I think this is where I'm seeing my vested interest wain somewhat as we all advance in age. Sure, of course  people will want to see Dredd go on and on and on into his 80's, 90's and beyond.

I'm not sure I do without losing some credibility down the back of the sofa along the way.

Wagner had me with his doubts and inner monologue about the system, we got to know Dredd a bit with his narrative. As someone else mentioned, Dredd seems to be doddering about a bit these days.

What ever happened to Rico I wonder?

[JayzusB.Christ]

Isn't he already in his 90s? Can't be too far away anyway.

[M.I.K.]

Mid-eighties biologically, I think, (not counting any rejuve treatments).

[Richard]

85 biologically (2146 minus 2061).

Born in 2066 at the artificially-advanced biological age of five.

[JayzusB.Christ]

Thanks.

[warmachineuk]

Unless the author's going to pull a deus ex machina, which would be lazy, MC1 will get much worse.  Once you let riots run out of control, the genie doesn't go back into the bottle, and the judges have been chronically undermanned for years.  A political system that's been slowly failing will fail faster and, sadly, a way to fix it has just been killed.

[IndigoPrime]

I suppose that depends on Tharg and whether or not Dredd is now like a Marvel strip where big events happen and are sometimes referenced afterwards but where everything effectively resets even after major trauma, or whether it's still a strip with the capacity to evolve, in ways that are more permanent.

Tonally, it always shifted because of John Wagner, but he's clearly no longer the driving force behind the strip. But there's also no obvious successor, unless that's Tharg himself as editor. Instead, we have several parallel realities of sorts, which don't overlap all that much, even if – through some skilful writing and editing – they don't contradict all that often.

Honestly, Mega City One logic has always been a house of cards. 800 million in a city of the size it used to be, with the density we saw in most frames, was nonsensical. And today there are similar issues, given that Chaos cut the population back so severely. Even though the numbers have been subtly ticking upwards in the Nerve Centre box, we're still at 200 million. Again, given the density, most of Mega City One should be empty, and that in itself would cause massive problems regarding crime and security.

So probably with this latest story, it'll just be a very good yarn, but the following week we'll return to business as usual, and the next time we'll be reminded of Maitland, Mr Sniper Dude, Hernandez, Hernandez's spectacular moustache and Knock-Off Trump will be when Williams (and perhaps Wyatt) next write a Dredd series.

[norton canes]

I wonder if we're already ramping up for an epic 50th anniversary story?

[Barrington Boots]

Yeah this is the biggest question. I know some of us on here predicted this story would end in tragedy when it started because it would put too much of a dent in the status quo.

I've been reading Dredd for well over half my life and I'm comfortable with, and even eager for, the concept of major shifts in the status quo, but realistically is Dredd now too big of an IP to mess with it like that? I suspect so. It seems a cert that although the arc finishes next week the implications will linger, but for good or bad I hope this does trigger a bit of a shift in things across the whole of Dredd and not just Williams stuff.

Unrelated but I hadn't considered that Major Domo wasn't the sniper before people raised it here, but I think that's a great idea that could add more to the tale.