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Could have been supporting cast. Could have grown. But no: dead. Yet another in the long, long, long list.

I was thinking of why some of the strips in Dredd's world and in 2000AD have worked so well and it comes down to character development and building personalities around a central figure, who with Dredd, isn't really all that interesting.

The Pit was a great example of this as John Wagner introduced us to a diverse cast who we really engaged with as did Necropolis with the Cadets, McGruder & Anderson.

Rob Williams has also given birth to a wonderful range of personalities, most notably in Low Life and some of the supporting cast in Dredd and MC1 have been the kind of characters you can get behind...  before they all pretty much die.

It might be quite funny when in the script writing room, but I see this as such a waste and takes too much away from the story. Ok they are Judges, it's dangerous, we get it, but readers like familiarity and people we can return to over and over again to get to know and love.

Someone mentioned cancelling their subscription recently, I've done the same, I don't get much from stories like this now, Dredd's world has shrunk and despite the Editors wanting him to live for another 20 years (that's another story) I just don't enjoy these stories as I once did. I find myself getting winsome for the Wagner days and I'm not as excited as most on here by the new artists and writers, so perhaps it's a good time to bow out after 36 years.

Maybe Mr Williams could kill off another significant character in the Dredd universe and I would definetly pay to see that... I suspect that if he could get away with it, he would.

That hairy bloke on the cover is either doing the splits or he walks very strangely indeed...

Either way, perhaps not the best pose to be trying to get out of the way of what's behind him.

I'm all for different interpretations and artists putting their own spin on Dredd, but at least keep it consistant.

Dredd's bits and bobs including his helmet keeps changing shape and size throughout and that dead chicken on his shoulder reminds me of when they nailed poultry to Judge Death in Judgement on Gotham.

Am I allowed to think this is pretty awful?

"Joko-Jargo died on the way back to his home planet."

One can only hope, ey?


A DIY / Domesticated themed cover this week, Dredd looks like he's been doing a bit of painting the back drop and he's been using his big stick to stir the paint pot.

That funny looking fella at the bottom has been to the shops to get some knives and Rogue Trooper has a handy spanner or two hanging from his helmet, which is nice if his bike gets a puncture.

They all look like they are in some discomfort though, maybe Dredd's old enermy, Emma Roids is back to give him grief.

Crikey, Old Dredd's put on a bit of timber hasn't he?

Must be all those munce burgers and synthi sausage's...

Kind of surprised there wasn't official confirmation in the Nerve Centre that Regened has come to an end (if indeed it has)

Having read all of this thread, are we saying it hasn't actually finished?

We're jumping to conclusions based on some circumstantial evidence.

Ah righto, sounds like the content of most of Social Media and indeed the current mainstream media.

Very good, carry on, as you were...

Kind of surprised there wasn't official confirmation in the Nerve Centre that Regened has come to an end (if indeed it has)

Having read all of this thread, are we saying it hasn't actually finished?

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

By Wagner?

That would be good.

Dredd gets piles & goes on an adventutre to buy some Preparation H and a nose hair trimmer

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?

I remember Rob Williams once saying something like: "Don't get too attached to my characters in Dredd" and you can see why. I was gutted about Judge Sam and still am, I am.

Henry Flint mentioned in the Thrill Cast that there was a head in hands, moment crying out "Noooo!" and there it was.

It makes it somewhat hard to invest in a story and the characters, if one has this pervading sense of doom over them and it appears we are just waiting for 'that' moment. Why do the good guys always die? Or do we just feel it more when they do? Is that just life in MC1?

Apart from ol' Dreddy of course... although you never know with Rob around...

I was wondering if Wagner was writing any future JD

I have a sense that there is one big storyline left with him and his Dredd. Something that's a culmulation of years of plotlines, epics, stories and John's very essence of the Dredd inner monologue and narrative over his past and where's he's at as an aging badge.

I always liked it when Dredd did the 'fit for duty?' storylines with Judges who were deemed to be past their prime and struggling to keep up with the rigours and demands of the role.

Is there someone waiting to conduct an assessment Dredd's way I wonder?

A 70 odd year old brain is still a 70 year old brain, no matter what malarky has been grafted into / onto his body... Brain cells atrophy and so then do the functions they carry out.

Unless they can grow new ones of course...

Thrill-power reaches new heights!


Does it? Really?

What higher than Judge Dredd America, Stront Dog - Rage or even Zenith (a real high point - yok!)

Which begs the next question, if Lowborn High is the new Zenith and this is good as it gets - the creme de la creme what passes for the lower grade stuff?


I get it, it's a strap line. But I'm not sure 2000AD has been reaching new heights for a while. Or more likely I'm loosing my interest in the new style of art and story telling. There's a definate shift in the narrative these days and in my humble opinion, a lack of character development.

I'm getting old & grumpy and maybe it's time for me to leave the new heights of Thrillpower to the next generation now.

Mills himself has repeatedly said that he took his foot off of the accelerator when it comes to 2000 AD. Joe Pineapples kind of represents the worst of everything that's happened to his 2000 AD output in recent years, and that's sad.

I think it's really sad and it might have been kinder to say something editorial before this godawful mess of a story was allowed to be published. I don't think allowing it to run unedited was the right thing to & it's a bit like trying to stop your mates embarrassing themselves when their trousers are round their ankles staggering around.

I thought Mills' best work is where he is obviously enjoying weaving in the research he did for the stories, the best of recent was Defoe which was great for the most part, lets just forget that last series when they went into space eh.

Good cover btw, reminded me of Steve Dillon

[Dredd]

Tuesday Prog!

Dredd – This was an alright Dredd - interesting concept, but not especially funny or exciting in its presentation. Not bad, but not up to the usual Niemand standard imo. 

It was a bit clunky for sure. I'm really scratching my head as to why 4 judges would kick down the door, fire all their guns at once (at what?) whilst telling the perps to put down their weapons or face erm, the Judges opening fire on their perhaps now injured or already deceased arses...

PAGE 1: Joe Pineapples moping because he'll never see the ABC Warrior again.

SUBSEQUENT PAGES: Inconsequential flashbacks showing us stuff the ABC Warriors did in more consequential, less mopey stories.

Or money for old rope... someones royaly taking us for a ride with this story and the way it's been written. It shouldn't have been published really, I realised I used the word 'story' then, my apologies...

Still we have that wondeful cover, a thing of greatness indeed. It's amazing how Cliff & Ken can still come up with new concepts to delight and keep Dredd's world looking fresh, no recycling of hackneyed & tired old ideas here thankfully...