Interview with Douglas Wolk at Kotaku

[judgerufian]

That's why I struggle with some of the Dredd-centred stories, I love the hell out of the stories when they're focused on particular events or Dredd is reacting to the bigger picture (or where he's playing detective) but when they're focused more on him I struggle to get through to the end. Dredd has often been my least favorite thing in the prog cos I've been willing him to stay down when he's (way too often) shot, the knife to the throat incident had me laughing out loud for the wrong reasons.

If that makes any sense whatsoever.

So out of curiousity who do you like in the prog? I was always a massive fan of Johnny Alpha who was always more of a blatant hero in the past, despite killing people for a living, but his change in demeanor since being resurrected (!) has really made me not enjoy the latest chapter of Strontium Dog. You could argue he has become more Dredd-like! 

Also one mans scavanger is another mans looter 

[Proudhuff]

I.
I have always thought of Dredd as authoritarian, cold, a stickler for the rules and harsh bordering on facist but a dick? Not really...I just think its the wrong choice of word, hes not a character in a high school teen comedy.

This ^

I suppose its about what you think 'a Dick' is, first one to say nine inches is barred 

Dredd is a highly unlikeable character who doesn't (until recently) care about the innocents, after all he's mass murdered an entire city of them and aften banged up people who I describe as victims. He certainly never cared about them back when this story is set, this is even before his tighter boots right? He cared about the law and applying it with no shades of grey.

For me what has been of interest since the Mutie laws etc, has been his questioning of his beliefs, and now he possibly believes he brought the Day of Chaos down on his city, the questions build. of course none of that is about this Dredd.

[judgerufian]

I suppose its about what you think 'a Dick' is, first one to say nine inches is barred 

Dredd is a highly unlikeable character who doesn't (until recently) care about the innocents, after all he's mass murdered an entire city of them and aften banged up people who I describe as victims. He certainly never cared about them back when this story is set, this is even before his tighter boots right? He cared about the law and applying it with no shades of grey.

For me what has been of interest since the Mutie laws etc, has been his questioning of his beliefs, and now he possibly believes he brought the Day of Chaos down on his city, the questions build. of course none of that is about this Dredd.

Funnily enough, if the interviewee would have described him as a c*nt rather than a dick, I probably wouldnt have commented in the first place!

[Frank]

Dick, [spoiler]cunt[/spoiler], arsehole; you can choose whichever scatological metaphor best suits your own inclinations, but they all definitely apply to Dredd. Goodman's in the chair in IDW/Wolk Dredd, isn't he? The IPC Dredd of that period needed an ethnic stereotype landlady and a comedy robot to give him anything to talk about other than how necessary the rigid application of the law is, and the portrayal of Dredd and Rico as bloodthirsty wee zealots in Origins doesn't make me think that was a passing phase.

Forget Lopez, EM1, MC2, deliberately fucking up the mechanismo programme, and Chaos Day - I've basically never forgiven Dredd for sending Uncle Ump into solitary exile just for inventing the most delicious taste ever.

[Art]

He seems to have a pretty firm grasp on the character, TBH.

[TordelBack]

We might quibble over the precise definition of 'dick' (I'd see it as meaning someone who takes satisfaction in deliberately making life unpleasant for others through numerous often trivial acts), but from both interview and comic I think Douglas has a very sound grasp on the character: Joe has a lot of good qualities, but he really isn't very nice, and he was even worse back in the late 21st C.

I'd absolute hate the guy if I met him, despite his bravery, selflessness and occasional acts of kindness.  But I love reading about him.

[Proudhuff]

fair enough, it is a bit much to judge the man on one story and (IMHO) a leading question, perhaps i was a little hastie, i withdraw the remark