Prog 2372 - Escape Pod!

[Grush]

I thought, in Full Tilt Boogie, her screaming caused some kind of resonance in the big pink thing that eventually shattered. Also the floaty spanner got her out of the immediate confines of the trap. Really enjoying this Thrill, even though the text is sparse.

[JayzusB.Christ]

My subscription's due to be renewed in a week or two.

I think it's finally time for me to draw the line.

Regards,
Robin

Sorry to see you leave, Robin.  I've been wavering a bit myself in recent years but generally at least one story has kept me on board.

[Link Prime]

This Dredd strip seems to have been a crowd-pleaser for most of the forum.
I'll take the contrarian stance - I thought it was awful from start to inevitable finish.

First; the promo.
There is a certain aspect to the story-line's marketing that seems to readily wish to attempt to ingratiate / piss off the 5% of whack-jobs on either of the polar opposite ends of the ever-so-tiresome political spectrum.
"Defund Judge Dredd!!!" probably doesn't resonate too strongly with the overwhelming majority of level headed readers hailing from the UK or Ireland.
As a citizen of the latter, I can reliably inform you all that we're about 20 years away from funding our (unarmed) police force to a competent minimum level.
Yeah, I'm aware of the location that the strip is set in, but this just seemed to be too much of a Bleedingcolon level of shit-stirring cringe for my taste buds.

Second; the premise.
How did anyone think that the story would end in any other way than it did?
If they can't let a late septuagenarian take the long walk in peace, then why would this be the story to upend the basic set-up of the strip?

Third; the execution.
God-tier artwork from Flint can't always save the day, as history has regrettably shown us, and this was another such case for me.
Couldn't stand Maitland from her first appearance, have no clue about the Red Queen stuff as a non-Meg reader and typing the words "Lead Villain: Major Domo" would give Chris Claremont a spinal convulsion.
This story didn't even come close to Twilight's last Gleaming for me, never mind the likes of America.


As for the rest of the Prog; I am getting a Thrill-Kek out of both Indigo Prime and Deadworld, and Thistlebone III remains the strongest strip in ages, maybe years.
Wonderful artwork on all three strips too.

I still skip the impenetrable Full Suck Suckie, but yeah - nice cover by Lex.

[Funt Solo]

Parody?

[IndigoPrime]

the power of the character is at its strongest when we're reminded that he genuinely believes that being a shouty bully and using violence to solve problems is the best way to keep citizens safe

Or at least that the best way to keep the citizens safe is something that Dredd is wholeheartedly behind, and he shows his willingness to take people there.

Thinking about this more broadly, it's interesting to look back over the history of Dredd and consider how he was for a time akin to a weapon. The Chief Judge of the era would point Dredd at a problem and he would sort it – in a manner befitting of that Chief Judge. So when hardliner Silver rocked up, Dredd was at his most ferocious. Only when he started questioning his place in the system and was faced with Chief Judges that were sub-par (thereby positioning Cal not so much as a blip but a regular occurrence) did he start to step up.

The question is: what does Dredd believe now? Does he believe in the status quo, despite it being shown to not be the best way? Or will he argue that 304 did ultimately fail and need 'saving' by the judges, even though it was compromised and sabotaged by Justice Department itself? And if we're still somewhat in the space of "a few bad eggs – with notably more at the top", what then? Dredd carries on dispensing justice and occasionally going above and beyond in being a bit more human, but ultimately supports a top-down mandate he no longer fully believes in, because there's no alternative – even though an alternative did exist?

I'd honestly be surprised if too much of this is answered. But it's interesting one shortish series has provided a wealth of opportunity for some fantastic follow-ups. (And looking online, it's really engaged people with the strip again.) I just hope whatever does come can be transformative in a meaningful sense, and it won't just be Dredd punching Hernandez in the face "for Maitland", while a fridge lurks at the edge of the panel, muttering "Really?"

As noted elsewhere in this thread, I'd hope the creators and Maitland were both too smart for that. If Hernandez is going to be taken down, it needs to be Maitland that does it, albeit from beyond the grave and perhaps with Dredd driving/assisting that. But it cannot – must not – be Dredd alone.

[Richard]

SPOILER WARNING for Judge Dredd: Origins (because it's in the latest Complete Case Files)

Origins ended with Fargo pleading with Dredd to end the system he had created, but Dredd didn't do anything about it then and it wasn't followed up on. Then at the end of Day of Chaos it was obvious to everyone that Justice Dept had failed to protect the city. If neither of those events prompted Dredd to change his views, I'm not sure what else would.

[Funt Solo]

With Origins, I'd say that Dredd leaves with a question in his mind. As evidenced in the recent story (and it's not the first time Dredd's expressed discomfort) he actively avoids anything that he perceives as too political. It gives him an out, basically. If he's a hammer, and those perps are nails, then he knows what to do. With the politics, he can't tell clearly where the nails are, sometimes, so he goes looking for more obvious nails.

With Day of Chaos, yes, the Judges had failed to protect the citizenry - but they were under attack. It would be odd for Dredd to conclude "well, we failed to protect the city so we should let it descend into further chaos", as if disbanding the Judge system would somehow make it easier for the city to survive.

I'd say we're moving into new territory with this latest story, building on those events from the past. Dredd has low esteem for plots against the Council (exception: Cal), and only moves against it when it's absolutely clear that he's hammering a nail. He's been outsmarted here, and retreats in confusion.

[Robin Low]

SPOILER WARNING for Judge Dredd: Origins (because it's in the latest Complete Case Files)

Origins ended with Fargo pleading with Dredd to end the system he had created, but Dredd didn't do anything about it then and it wasn't followed up on. Then at the end of Day of Chaos it was obvious to everyone that Justice Dept had failed to protect the city. If neither of those events prompted Dredd to change his views, I'm not sure what else would.

Dredd's problem is that he doesn't know what else to do. Here, Maitland had shown him an alternative, or at least a positive way forward, and proved it could work.

Now, it may be that there will be follow-up stories where Dredd kicks the shit of Hernandez and then gets someone else to implement Maitland's vision. Hell, for all we know they really plan to reveal that Maitland isn't really dead and Hernandez is being played.

Maitland's vision doesn't doesn't stop Dredd being Dredd or undermine continuation of the series. There will still be future crime. There'll still be ordinary crime. Hell, we have an education system, some countries have better ones, but crime, poverty, and hopelessness still exist. It is possible to make the city better, but still need the Judges. Maybe fewer of them. Maybe like that early depiction of the system where you have and ordinary police force and the Judges.

The story that set this all up probably stopped me dropping the comic at the time. This story just rubbed me up the wrong way, and I can't see the point any more. Perhaps I'm wrong and I'll get story I want, but, you know, I'll pick it up in the collections.


Regards,
Robin

[broodblik]

for me if Maitland's plan did get implemented it would have ended Dredd as we know it. I just cannot see how the world would have moved forward for me. I excepted this type of ending but not the end of Maitland (no Hersey moves here please). I can see that some interesting development could spawn out of this - maybe a coup, maybe so limit Maitland projects or even Dredd changes how he do things. Lets see and hopefully we will see some repercussions from this.

[Funt Solo]

I respect Robin's position. I'd say it surprises me that Dredd might be the thing that the prog stands or falls on. For me, Dredd has always had ups and downs, and ever since Wagner stepped back as the core creative voice, it's been a little disjointed in terms of its continuity.

Isn't it utterly bonkers, though, that we have a narrative throughline stretching all the way from 1977 to 2024? I mean, no wonder that the continuity is stretched to breaking point, and Dredd's too old etc.

Anyway - I enjoy the prog as a whole, whether I'm enjoying Dredd or not. (Honestly, I'm a bit "I'm with N-AI-mand block", but there's lots to enjoy about the other writers as well.)

[Proudhuff]

Crickey! you guys read a lot into all this! I'm just hanging on to Dredd's coat tails enjoying the ride, and this latest story was a corker, great build up, great reveal, shock ending (for me), wonderful art and hopefully a great set up for the next story arc.
This and Thistlebone have carried the Prog for me recently, with the promise of Scarlet Traces and the death of deathworld, I'm happy to keep my subbie keeping Tharg in plastic cups 

[Link Prime]

Parody?

Parody, maybe.
Clickbait - yes.

SPOILER WARNING for Judge Dredd: Origins (because it's in the latest Complete Case Files)

Origins ended with Fargo pleading with Dredd to end the system he had created, but Dredd didn't do anything about it then and it wasn't followed up on. Then at the end of Day of Chaos it was obvious to everyone that Justice Dept had failed to protect the city. If neither of those events prompted Dredd to change his views, I'm not sure what else would.

Agree with this.
Fancifully mooted a few times on the Forum, but Day of Chaos felt like a natural end to the series.
Moreso as the years have passed.

[Funt Solo]

I was just pondering that the difference between Day of Chaos and the other disasters that have befallen the city is just one thing: Dredd hangs his head in shame.

[Richard]

Dredd hangs his head in shame.

That was such a powerful image.

[norton canes]

Did think it was a little bit of a cop-out (if you'll excuse the pun) to end the penultimate instalment with Dredd at the hands of a baying mob, then start the next episode with the hand-waving explanation the riots "dwindled to nothing hours later".

(Or did I miss something..?)