Employment Opportunities in MC1

[Geoff]

Something I've been wondering about for a while...apologies if this has been raised elsewhere on the forum.

One of the defining characteristics of MC1 has always been the tiny proportion of citizens who worked. Pre-Apocalypse war there were 800 million and whilst MC1 was crime ridden, in terms of services, industry etc it was all well set up with no need for the people to get involved - a miniscule proportion needed, or had the opportunity, to work - hence job riots and all the bizzare hobbies and habits and other crazy stuff.

With only 70 million citizens, wide spread destruction and the wide spread break-down of infrastructure wouldn't many more people have to work? Or have the opportunity to work?

Just wondering...as an actively involved, working citizenry would be a very different bunch to the Mega cits of old and would change the character of the city.

As I say, don't know if this has been raised elsewhere but I can't think of any stories that have gone into this (maybe changing employment patterns in MC1 just isn't why people read Dredd..who knows..)

[ZenArcade]

Well some if the better post DOC stories have concentrated on the utilisation of citizens in building clearance (in a: 'you don't work; you won't eat' kind of a way). So there may be some merit in what you say. Z

[maryanddavid]

That is interesting Geoff, if the heading the egg into the bucket was the pinnacle of life in MC1, and given all the 'mishaps' that have befallen the economy must be in ruins.
Robots must be seen a a luxury, and therefore, work must be done the cheapest way, by hand.

[The Adventurer]

I hear Professional Loitering is a pretty sweet gig.

[Dash Decent]

Could the citizens do the work though?

They could certainly be put to use on unskilled labour-intensive work like removing debris and rubble, but given the absolute unlikelihood of getting any kind of job, how many would actually be trained and able to step in as architects, town planners, service technicians for vital utilities, train drivers, bakers, etc?

[ZenArcade]

Well I guess the utilisation of citizens post DOC stems from two main drivers:
A: most of logistical resource needed to clear buildings, bodies etc was thrashed during the riots. Therefore the authorities had to resort to a tried and tested solution, that being people.
B: a longer term aim beyond immediate priorities is possibly the realisation that having tens of millions of citizens with no meaningful work to occupy their time, would essentially pose a huge risk. By this I suppose the apathy and resentment engendered by a purposeless existence couple with 24 hours a day to dwell on this led to a powderkeg of resentment waiting to be sparked off. Better to have people doing something for 8 hours a day. Z

[Geoff]

I was thinking that with things being more difficult now the cits would just have to be more self sufficient and start getting involved, hadn't really thought how the judges would want to play it...

On the one hand, a restless, directionless population could be a powderkeg on the other hand, the judges may feel that an apathetic population dependant on the welf is easier to control than an active and socially engaged one...

Are they still bat gliding, growing huge noses, peeping, sitting etc or having to do the 9-5!

[JayzusB.Christ]

Are they still bat gliding, growing huge noses, peeping, sitting etc or having to do the 9-5!

I miss a bit of that madness. The Dredd strip seems to focus almost exclusively on the police procedural style these days... It's great stuff, don't get me wrong, but I think with the loss of Al Ewing and the reduction of Wagner's input some of the craziness of MC1 has abated somewhat.

Of course, the deaths of 85% of the population isn't exactly an ideal backdrop for zany fun times.

[Dark Jimbo]

Are they still bat gliding, growing huge noses, peeping, sitting etc or having to do the 9-5!

I miss a bit of that madness. The Dredd strip seems to focus almost exclusively on the police procedural style these days... It's great stuff, don't get me wrong, but I think with the loss of Al Ewing and the reduction of Wagner's input some of the craziness of MC1 has abated somewhat.

Reading through the most recent Case Files and the cracking occassional cast of recurring citizens that Wagner's got in place at that point in the strip's history; Otto Sump, Oola and Homer Blint, Bishop Snodgrass, Frank and Chuck of the Quite Nice Bar, Mrs Gunderson... where are their equivalents now? The citizens are an empty, faceless lot these days. It's hard to care about yet another disaster when you don't know any of the characters it's affecting - a problem I found with Enceladus.

We've had some good Dredd in recent years, but Ewing, Carroll and Rob W all seem to want to write about Dredd arguing with Hershey, and the latest crazy mutant, space alien or foreign power plotting to invade Mega-City One. Where are the small scale stories to contrast against this? I just want to see Dredd on the beat now and again, get to know some of the citizenry. I'm been gradually falling out of love with the strip post-DoC as Wagner winds down his involvement, and I think this is part of the reason - I just don't care about the Big Meg as much as I used to.

[Professor Bear]

If only there was, oh I don't know... some kind of fanzine that by necessity concentrated on one-off, continuity-free stories of Big Meg silliness?

[ZenArcade]

As much as I like the political machinations etc I do like the otherness of Mc1: Jesus! it is a city set in the mid 22nd century, with robots, longevity, super-luminal travel, mutants, aliens, space nazis, ESP and on, and on ad infinitum. If that (incomplete) list doesn't engender the opportunity for craziness, what will!! Z

[13school]

Are they still bat gliding, growing huge noses, peeping, sitting etc or having to do the 9-5!

I miss a bit of that madness. The Dredd strip seems to focus almost exclusively on the police procedural style these days... It's great stuff, don't get me wrong, but I think with the loss of Al Ewing and the reduction of Wagner's input some of the craziness of MC1 has abated somewhat.

Reading through the most recent Case Files and the cracking occassional cast of recurring citizens that Wagner's got in place at that point in the strip's history; Otto Sump, Oola and Homer Blint, Bishop Snodgrass, Frank and Chuck of the Quite Nice Bar, Mrs Gunderson... where are their equivalents now? The citizens are an empty, faceless lot these days. It's hard to care about yet another disaster when you don't know any of the characters it's affecting - a problem I found with Enceladus.

We've had some good Dredd in recent years, but Ewing, Carroll and Rob W all seem to want to write about Dredd arguing with Hershey, and the latest crazy mutant, space alien or foreign power plotting to invade Mega-City One. Where are the small scale stories to contrast against this? I just want to see Dredd on the beat now and again, get to know some of the citizenry. I'm been gradually falling out of love with the strip post-DoC as Wagner winds down his involvement, and I think this is part of the reason - I just don't care about the Big Meg as much as I used to.

Couldn't agree more. I really miss the days when the focus was at least as much on daily life in MC-1 as it was the adventures of Dredd. Having Dredd mostly as a traditional action hero (with occasional moments of doubt) battling big threats seems to me to strip away a lot of the nuance and humour that made the strip great.

[JayzusB.Christ]

We've had some good Dredd in recent years, but Ewing, Carroll and Rob W all seem to want to write about Dredd arguing with Hershey, and the latest crazy mutant, space alien or foreign power plotting to invade Mega-City One.

I'd argue that Al Ewing did the small-scale citizen stuff very well - I'm thinking of The Americans (alright, it was about shadowy foreign agents, but the citizens played a huge part), the one about the mutant with a sentient cock, and the Choose-Your-Own-Adventure parody.  But it looks like he won't be around for the foreseeable.

[Geoff]

Agree with all of the above, it would be nice to engage with the cits again.

The poor sods have really just become statistics in death tolls of late.

Harsh times often bring about creative responses and employment is just one theme that could be interesting. For a populace so used to constant leisure how would they react to actually having to work! In an extreme way if we know MC1. Also bizzare jobs required and created. Sure there are so many more weird activities and scenarios that can bring us closer to our beloved mega cits again.

Btw, von Bear I've ordered the last 2 issues of Zarjaz (assume this is what you were referring to) so hoping for tales of madcap citizenry in them

[Dark Jimbo]

I'd argue that Al Ewing did the small-scale citizen stuff very well - I'm thinking of The Americans (alright, it was about shadowy foreign agents, but the citizens played a huge part), the one about the mutant with a sentient cock, and the Choose-Your-Own-Adventure parody.  But it looks like he won't be around for the foreseeable.

Oh aye, agree completely - but those first two stories you mention were published in 2009, and the Xmas one in 2011! And as you say he's lost to the US now, in any case.

Since DoC stories of that ilk have been few and far between. I really liked Carroll's recent one-parter about 'the man who killed Judge Dredd', though - I wouldn't say no to a few more like that.