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Do we know what Dredd looks like?

Started by kev67, 28 April, 2021, 10:26:53 PM

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The Legendary Shark


Just because we never see his face, that doesn't necessarily mean that nobody in MC1 (or the rest of that world) never sees it either. Maybe Dolman's face was changed because Dredd's face is well known and the change avoids awkward questions, nefarious plots, farces, and misunderstandings.

[move]~~~^~~~~~~~[/move]




TordelBack

Quote from: The Legendary Shark on 29 April, 2021, 06:05:15 PM
Just because we never see his face, that doesn't necessarily mean that nobody in MC1 (or the rest of that world) never sees it either. Maybe Dolman's face was changed because Dredd's face is well known and the change avoids awkward questions, nefarious plots, farces, and misunderstandings.

Yeah,  I think that point can't be emphasised enough. That early episode and some Chimpsky shenanigans aside, the thing with Dredd's hidden face is entirely for our benefit as readers. It doesn't exist in MC1.

JayzusB.Christ

QuoteThat early episode and some Chimpsky shenanigans aside, the thing with Dredd's hidden face is entirely for our benefit as readers. It doesn't exist in MC1.

Are you sure?  I remember a story about some rich hunting types who captured Dredd - the prize was to see his face.  The other judges recognised him helmetless when they arrived, but that's hardly unexpected. It was an eighties one, but Dredd and his world had already been pretty well established by the time it was published.

There was also that Megazine story where a blind girl wanted to 'see' his face by touching it, though it was early Robbie Morrison so it's up to you whether that's canon or not.




"Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest"

TordelBack

Heh, I'd forgotten those!  I suppose I see it more that Dredd-under-the-helmet is unfamiliar to citizens because he's always in uniform, indeed he is the uniform. He's on duty 23hrs 50min a day, every day, and so he wears the helmet. It's not like he consciously hides his face, or that it's a state secret.

Funt Solo

#34
Seems only fair to also post up the Dredd-after-a-face-change image:




And the ones already posted on this thread are also on a wiki:

++ A-Z ++  coma ++

Dark Jimbo

Quote from: JayzusB.Christ on 29 April, 2021, 07:34:59 PM
Are you sure?  I remember a story about some rich hunting types who captured Dredd - the prize was to see his face.  The other judges recognised him helmetless when they arrived, but that's hardly unexpected. It was an eighties one, but Dredd and his world had already been pretty well established by the time it was published.

There was also that Megazine story where a blind girl wanted to 'see' his face by touching it, though it was early Robbie Morrison so it's up to you whether that's canon or not.

Also this one, again by Robbie, about a photographer trying to capture the holy grail...

@jamesfeistdraws

Dark Jimbo

Quote from: TordelBack on 29 April, 2021, 07:42:00 PM
I suppose I see it more that Dredd-under-the-helmet is unfamiliar to citizens because he's always in uniform, indeed he is the uniform. He's on duty 23hrs 50min a day, every day, and so he wears the helmet. It's not like he consciously hides his face, or that it's a state secret.

This is by far the best solution to these stories - I hate the ones (thankfully few and far between) that suggest Dredd's got some weird disfigurment or phobia.
@jamesfeistdraws

milstar

#37
I don't know if it's enough credible, but Alan Moore's Wagesof Sin from Future Shocks reminds me on how Dredd might look like, like the meanest SOB in the universe.

Quote from: The Legendary Shark on 29 April, 2021, 06:05:15 PM

Just because we never see his face, that doesn't necessarily mean that nobody in MC1 (or the rest of that world) never sees it either. Maybe Dolman's face was changed because Dredd's face is well known and the change avoids awkward questions, nefarious plots, farces, and misunderstandings.

One of the earliest issues has Dredd showing his face to bunch of perps, but the image is censored for supposedly being too visually intense. I read that it was originally meant to have his face shown but (Belardinelli's) art didn't pull it off properly.

If anything, we know that Dredd is blondie. At least in earlier issues.
Reyt, you lot. Shut up, belt up, 'n if ye can't see t' bloody exit, ye must be bloody blind.

The Legendary Shark


I suppose Justice Department would want every judge to be feared and respected equally, so while it might not be illegal for one to show his or her face, regs probably mandate them to be in full uniform whilst on duty (like a contemporary copper expected to always wear a hat). Dredd's a stickler for regs, so... Getting a photo of Dredd's face, then, might be one of those crazy fads the cits enjoy so much.

As an aside, I'm just watching Boys from the Blackstuff and it struck me how Dreddish a face Yosser (Bernard Hill) had when this was made. If it wasn't for that 'tache, of course.

[move]~~~^~~~~~~~[/move]




TordelBack

Quote from: The Legendary Shark on 29 April, 2021, 08:33:15 PM
... it struck me how Dreddish a face Yosser (Bernard Hill) had when this was made.

Gizza face-job.

TordelBack

Quote from: Dark Jimbo on 29 April, 2021, 08:11:00 PM


Let me just bask in that page for a bit... It's like pure sunshine, what an artist.

milstar

Quote from: The Legendary Shark on 29 April, 2021, 08:33:15 PM

I suppose Justice Department would want every judge to be feared and respected equally, so while it might not be illegal for one to show his or her face, regs probably mandate them to be in full uniform whilst on duty (like a contemporary copper expected to always wear a hat). Dredd's a stickler for regs, so... Getting a photo of Dredd's face, then, might be one of those crazy fads the cits enjoy so much.

As an aside, I'm just watching Boys from the Blackstuff and it struck me how Dreddish a face Yosser (Bernard Hill) had when this was made. If it wasn't for that 'tache, of course.

I think the whole face idea serves as "justice is blind", because Dredd ofcourse represents justice, first and foremost. But not every judge in MC1 wears a mask.
Reyt, you lot. Shut up, belt up, 'n if ye can't see t' bloody exit, ye must be bloody blind.

Funt Solo

The awful truth can finally be revealed (or, if you prefer, reviled):

++ A-Z ++  coma ++

JayzusB.Christ

Quote from: Funt Solo on 29 April, 2021, 10:10:48 PM
The awful truth can finally be revealed (or, if you prefer, reviled):



I miss Dredd's Dark Secrets!
"Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest"

Richard

I don't recognise that art, where is it from?

The blind girl doesn't count, how else is she supposed to know what he looks like? Look at a photo with her eyes?

Dredd is the clone of Fargo, who didn't always wear a helmet and who must have been famous when the president appointed him Special Prosecutor for Street Crime and began establishing the street judges. So everyone would know what Dredd looks like. I can't explain that hunting story, but fuck it.