The Future of Dredd?

[Crowbar]

Hi all,

I've been away from 2000AD since prog 1080 or so, but I've come back to it since I've been reunited with my old collection of progs and graphic novels. I initially just wanted to catch the final Dante story before embarking upon a mission to fill in the gaps between it and Tsar Wars, but having just read my favourite Dredd story 'The Pit' I've been hungering for more of old stoneyface too.

There's obviously been a lot happening since I've been away, Hershey as Chief Judge, Dante without the cold war hilarity and real swearing(!). Seems like a good time to be back though, what with the Complete Case Files being released and the upcoming 30th Anniversary and of course the end of my favourite ever 2000AD character ND.

Reading my old progs I've been getting floods of nostalgia and the same thrills I got 10 years ago- no-one draws a gunshot wound like Alex Ronald! Funny to find that I'm getting the same enjoyment I did when I was younger.

Anyway, enough reminiscing, I've been wondering about Dredd. Seems like they're setting him up for replacement according to Wikipedia, perhaps he'll retire from active duty with the coming anniversary? Or maybe a rejuve job? Surely they can't have a new star of the show? I just can't imagine 2000AD without JD on the streets cracking skulls.

Sorry this is one of these n00b posts, and I recognise that this has probably been posted here before, just wondering what your thoughts are on the subject? I suppose I'm a little worried that they might write Dredd out, as he was always important to me when I was a kid.

[DavidXBrunt]

Welcome. We like speculating on Dredd round here, so thanks for that.

Don't believe everything you read on Wikipedia, but check out Dredd:Total War and Brothers of the blood for a lot of the information we base our speculation on.

[Emperor]

I'm not sure they are setting him up with a replacement but with his clones even if he dies they can keep the story moving along.

In the short term I think Origins will give us:

Dredd without his helmet (they are working hard to only show Fargo with his helmet and the face to face may be done... face to face).

Possible reform in Mega-City One. Or Dredd pushing for reform and taking the Long Walk when it doesn't happen.

This could leave us with the best of both worlds - a Dredd strip which is pretty much like the current one (with occasional lines like "He is just a chip off the old genome") and another (either excursion from the main strip or a separate strip "The Long Walk" or something in the Megazine - ongoing or mini-series) with Dredd bringing law to the Cursed Earth and facing up to his mutant heritage. With the possibility of the occasional Prager-like crossovers where he returns to warn of some threat and then sticks around to help defeat it before heading off again.

Obviously Wagner is going to have a few tricks up his sleeve to confound us but that is the way I'd like to see things play out. There are plenty of stories still left to tell both in Mega City One and involving Dredd and these needn't be one and the same.

There are plenty of threads around these parts with various lines of speculation in them. Best we can say is wait and see (and possibly strap yourself in for a wild ride).

[W. R. Logan]

>no-one draws a gunshot wound like Alex Ronald!

Pity he couldnt draw mutant alligators.

[ukdane]

Dredd without his helmet (they are working hard to only show Fargo with his helmet and the face to face may be done... face to face).

Doubt it, Logan's already said that Wagner's scripts specifically mentioned that neither Dredd nor Fargo should be seen sans-helmet, right Logan?
Possible reform in Mega-City One.
Based on what? The only topic(Red Herring?) we've had up til now is the Dredd/mutants plot, and reform there won't really shake MC-1 to it's bones, will it?

The only thing that might happen in conclusion to the Origins, is some form of closure on the problem about Dredd's age, and the possibility of him being replaced.

I would like to read a series based in the Cursed Earth if it was a series of one-issue stories, and preferably with either Preacher Cain (retired?) or an MC1 Judge, or group of on a Hotdog run, (but not Koburn, he started off as a great character, but for me, has failed to develop).

[Leigh S]

I'm with Logan, except for the last two words.

[Devons Daddy]

dredd reforms

with hersheys new ways, i could see dredd not standing in the way some form of a less strict policy. possible mirroring the wet foot dry foot the cubans have in the states,this could open open up massive script oppurtunites and spin off characters.or the current influx of former eastern bloc types in the UK.

wagner has always managed to include modern day laws with sci fi twists.
he could easily work his magic.

(pure speculation, how do you try to second geuss a writer of his standard) its just fun to try.