We're witnessing the death of the 'real' Judge Dredd

[AD2000]

Hi.

I'm a long-term 2000AD reader, have read Dredd for years and it's with great sadness that I have to say I'm very dismayed at the development of Dredd from tough iron-man of the law to mutant-loving liberal.

Whilst I accept John Wagner can write Dredd how he sees fit, I've always believed certain behavioural characteristics of Dredd were immutable and not adaptive.

Dredd has never been pro-mutant, at best his attitudes to mutants and their plight have been morally ambiguous. If people doubt this, just ask yourself: "how many mutants has Dredd killed in his 30 plus year career?" Loads is the answer. In fact, Dredd's attitude to the New Mutant Army - a mutant group campaigning for mutant rights -is no different to Strontium Dog's mutant-hating Nelson Bunker Kreelman. Dredd is happy to wipe out those mutants he regards as a threat to the security of the city and yet now we have to believe Dredd wants all mutant laws repealed, full human rights given to mutants? It's not remotely credible.

I didn't recognise Dredd in this week's 2000AD - prog 1546. He's become a mutant social worker and I find it terrible lame and contrary to the point of the character.

I know Dredd fans will say Dredd is entitled to change with the times but when that change reduces Dredd's character it's a negative step - not a productive one. If Mr Wagner wants to write about a liberal fascist sci-fi cop (which is, by definition, an oxymoron) please create a new character and call it JUDGE SOCIAL WORKER. Please don't ruin Dredd, Mr Wagner, by promoting your liberal agenda because it's destroyed that which made Dredd so great in the first place and that was an iron-willed man of the law.

Dredd's never cared about people, not in the same way that we understand the word 'cared'. He cares for the law, that's it. The welfare of the citizens come second and mutants come well down the list. Dredd's never cared about mutants, never wanted to improve their standard of living but now Wagner has emasculated the character. Dredd's attitude to Lilliman was like an employer talking to his worker and since when has Dredd given people jobs and salaries? Dredd isn't a social worker with a cheque book. Dredd doesn't give out jobs - he enforces the law.

I didn't see the real Dredd in this week's prog, just some liberal character dressed as a Judge. You can't have a liberal fascist cop, it doesn't work, the two dynamics don't gel into a cohesive whole and this week's Dredd shows it. With due respect to Mr Wagner's 30 year body of Dredd-related work, he's killed off the real Dredd and that's very sad to see.  RIP Judge Dredd.

[mogzilla]

have they taken my message off?...am i onto summat? if i am will this vanish?if so why am i still typing?

[judge dreddd]

things change