Its here! The Design-a-Baddie Competition!!

[Bolt-01]

Hey Krusti, I like that one.

Bolt-01

[VampiraJen]

oh, my god, the board's back...oh, piss better get drawing...ah sh1t....

[Woolly]

Well, due to personal issues my internet access has all but dried up, so apologies if the judging of this takes its time!

I'm gonne get my mate Matt Lonsdale, who is a lifelong squaxx and even did a bit of work on the Dredd Movie, to judge the entries.

Youve got till friday to get any ideas posted up, and i'll print a list of winners here as soon as circumstance allows.

Well, guess i'll not be posting for a while, so take it easy everyone. Gonna miss you all! Even RC, in a sick kinda way!

Woolly

[Dudley]

The Suitor
Book I

A Robo-Hunter Story

Words - Dudley
Illustration - Bolt-01


Sam Slade looked down at his new robot body with a certain amount of satisfaction.  It was made from state-of-the art materials, and he was happy to see that the surgeon had indeed incorporated certain suggestions as to how the basic mechanoid design could be...improved...  After a final admiring downward glance, he dressed and moved to the dining table in the next room.

Samantha, his granddaughter, had taken over running the family business some time ago.  There had been some initial conflict between the two - something silly about a couple of million going missing from the firm's account - but he had to admit he'd grown fond of the kid.  And she'd handled some pretty good cases.  Her tracking and disposal of the psychotic Millar droid had won her a whole lot of headlines, and going on to blow up the "Return to Verdus" headquarters had cemented her rep as the best Robohunter since – since – well, since himself.  Sam had given her the benefits of his wisdom, and she'd grown under his tutelage, until one day she'd said "If you put a fragging sock in it, I'll buy you a body to go with that jar, OK, old-timer?"

And now she was bringing a boy home to meet her old granddad.  That felt nice.  Respectful, in a way.  She'd even made stopped him escaping through the back window.  

Samantha walked in, wearing a tight black cocktail dress that reminded him of the day they'd first been tied together and threatened by a mad film producer.  She had a Slade's good looks alright, plus a figure hot enough to melt a Haagen-Daz at a dozen paces. Beating off robots all day had only toned that fabulous physique.  He felt a lump form at the back of his throat.  This boyfriend, this Julian, he'd better be good enough for her.

LATER

Julian seemed like a nice kid, Sam decided.  A polite and well-dressed young man, such as anyone would be proud to call his grandson.  He listened well, that was for sure, taking in all the details of the old robohunting days with wide eyes.  And he sure seemed to know a lot, seemingly quite familiar with all Slade's old companions and most of his enemies.  Heck, he even knew about Doctor Robotski – something Slade himself had always tried to forget.

"I'll just go wash up," said Samantha, clearing the dishes from the room.  She sure must be in love, Slade reflected, for her not to have even thought of using the Maidotron.

"So, what are your intentions towards my grand-daughter?"

Barely were Sam's words out of his mouth than he noticed a great change come over the face of the young man sitting opposite him.  Julian seemed to be suddenly filled with light, his wide-open eyes fixed onto Slade's.

"Mr Slade – Sam – I hope you can forgive me.  I just – I had to tell you – that – that Samantha..."

"I know, kid, she's one of a kind –"

"No!  I mean, yes, sure she is, in a way, because, you see, the thing is, well, I think there's a lot of you in her.  That's what I've fallen in love with.  What little of you I see in her."

"Now wait a minute –" protested Sam

"Just hear me out, Mr Slade.  I have to say this.  I – I – " the young man paused, swallowed, and continued in a rush.  "I'm in love with you, sir.  I always have been.  Many's a time, when I was a kid, growing up, I used to read about your adventures, and dream of being Hoagy, well not Hoagy, no, to be honest, sir, I used to dream of being, of being..." his voice was rising to a squeak "...of being Carlos Sanchez Robostogie.  Of being held between your –"

"Look kid, I've heard enough!" snapped Sam.  "I don't float that particular boat.  You don't got enough up there, and you've got wayyy too much down there, if you get what I'm saying.  Plus, I'm stuck in this stupid jar on a robot body, plus – hey! – what about my granddaughter?"

"Well, sir, Samantha's very nice.  But you!  I mean, the combination of robots and killing and now, well, it's like you're half robot, and that's – that's – very, um, well, very sexy, especially your...your...  Oh, I knew you'd never let me show my love for you!  You're so fixated on robots, and killing, and robots..." Julian's voice tailed away for a moment, then he gulped and carried on in a new, firmer tone.  

"That's when I came up with my plan.  If I walk out of here, it'll break Samantha's heart, and you know it.  You're too nice to let that happen.  I'd never do anything like that, of course.  Well..." his fingers were suddenly covering Slade's, "Not unless I were...broken-hearted..."

Before Sam could say anything, Julian's fingers withdrew as Samantha re-entered the room.  "I hope you boys are getting along OK?"

"Yeah, babe, just peachy.   Listen you wouldn't believe the cra-"

"I'm glad to hear it.  This guy's made me the happiest woman on Earth and if you'd done anything to screw it up you'd have been outside for the glass recycling guys first thing Monday!"

She leaned over and wrapped her arms around Julian, staring deep into his eyes.  It was a touching love scene, thought Slade.  Still looking deep into Samantha's eyes, Julian seemed again to be the normal upstanding young man Slade had first taken him for.  Then he noticed that one of the younger man's hands was no longer wrapped around Samantha's peachy ass.  Instead, it was reaching for the improvements he'd been so proud of only hours earlier...

http://img24.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Bolt-01/ROBOHUMPER.jpg">


Will Sam be forced to succumb to Julian's machinations?  Will Samantha ever forgive him?  And what are The Suitor's intentions towards Carlos Sanchez Robostogie?  Find out in 7 Earth days!!!

[Dudley]

Sorry - first attempt to post that went astray...

[Oddboy]

And there I was thinking you'd just done it for the sake of it!

"ZARJAZ"

[Al_Ewing]

The Dimensionator! He traps Dredd into being frozen forever as a series of two-dimensional static images, forced into action poses with strange white bubbles filled with words hanging next to his head! All other judges and citizens seem similarly affected - and this state of sequential immobility continues forward into the future and back all the way to 2099! How can Dredd fight when he has no objective reality?

[Bart Oliver]

http://www.2000adonline.com/images/page/oliverr.jpg>


Texas City's original sociopath with a silver star, Judge Ustus Tate-Roscoe IV.


http://img26.photobucket.com/albums/v78/Diaz57/tate_page_noboarder__72dpi.jpg>


Cheers,

B.

[longmanshort]

Bah, was all my idea ... ;oP

[Matt Timson]

Yeah, but that dude can draw!

No wonder he's your new best friend while I'm out in the cold... *snffl*

;)

[Bart Oliver]

++ Bah, was all my idea ... ;oP ++

Not a chance Longman- if anyone deserves joint creator props it's Von Scottster.. ;p

Heh, heh, Matt you not enjoying the respite from Yorkshire's greatest text pest?

B.

[Quirkafleeg]

A Dredd Baddie....?

Pat Mills.

(I thank you...)

[Banners]

Breathe deep and slow.

Breathe deep and slow.

Breathe deep and slow. Can't see his eyes, but he's looking straight at me. I know it. So - avoid eye contact, just carry on walking and - and fighting that sweat back into its skin.

Breathe deep and slow. Slower, slower now - come on.

I catch a reflection fall across the Shine-E-Ad's holographic promise of retail happiness. For Grud's sake, from the way he's sat on his bike, you'd think the Judges owned this Drokkin' city. Leg outstretched, arms crossed, and the gaze of his visor cast across this packed pedway, looking for his prey like that Gruddam eagle on his shoulder.

The badge. Quick - check the badge. Dredd? Drokk! It's DREDD! Breathe deeper, come on, you can do it. Slow down, man. Be cool.

I turn up my collar, pull out my long hair and untangle the chains, and I realise I can hear my heart. Can you imagine that? In this miasma of engines and power and grinding, I can hear my life! The beat of my fear is sounding out like an alert. Keep walking, keep walking. But slower, slower now.

Grud knows how many people I hurt. Plenty is all I know. Didn't think of the penalty - the fine or the cube time. Don't even know why. Ain't got no reasons, no motivations - nothing like that thing the used to call conscience. How can anybody have a soul in this hell City? That's my defence, Your Honour. I didn't care. And that's your fault, not mine.

Drokk. He's started up his bike, he's coming this way. Be cool. Slower, slower now. DROKK!

- "Me?"

Be casual. Be friendly. There is no way he knows about what I just did. No way.

- "Ed Southern. Steve Wynn Block. Sector 129."

Don't hesitate, don't be vague.

- "Been to the RESYK to sell some skin I shed."

Smile.

-"Yeah, now just on my way to grab some munce."

Don't waiver. Breathe deep and slow. Don't give in to the stare, don't answer back, don't show fear. Don't fiddle, quiet that heart! Come on. Do it. Or I'm a dead man. Slower now.

There! A glimpse! As the ad flickered bright, I swear I got through the black and saw - his eyes. Dredd's eyes! Why, he's just - a man! A MAN!

-"No problem, sir"

I've done it"

-"Certainly, if I see anything suspicious, I'll call it in."

The bike roars to life, and he's gone. Dredd's gone! Exhale. Exhale! EXHALE! Slow, slower now.

I'm your greatest enemy, Joe, the biggest baddie you ever faced. Me? Who am I? Hell...

I'm someone who got away with it.

---

M@

[Matt Timson]

"Yorkshire's greatest text pest?"

Ah yes- The lateness of the hour means nothing to the mighty Mulcher- and he costs me a *fortune* in texts.  I've just had two about this thread in half as many minutes...

Heh

;)

[Bart Oliver]

LOL- well that's two more than me in half as many minutes!

BTW will we get to see the Anti-Tharg before midnight?

B.