Story: Error of Judgement
Appears: 2000AD Prog 388
Issues: 1
Writers: John Wagner and Alan Grant
Art: Ron Smith
Dated: 20 October 1984

Well, the new fluffy Dredd continues with him spending city money to take care of a sick child. Were she not run over by a truck we would think 2000AD had gone soft. That and Dredd punching the city’s accountant in the face.

As we have seen the most credible threats to Dredd don’t come from Perps but from within the system itself. Dredd’s slavish devotion to the law is both his strength and his weakness. The very fact that he could be losing his judgement and not fit to be a judge is a scary prospect.

Whilst we may be a little resistant to Dredd exploring or even exhibiting emotions there is an intriguing direction for Dredd opening up if it is handled correctly.

Smith delivers the art confidently in what is basically an extended flashback. The disembodied heads can be a little jarring but cram a lot of information in a few short pages.

Story: Question of Judgement
Appears: 2000AD Prog 387
Issues: 1
Writers: John Wagner and Alan Grant
Art: Ron Smith
Dated: 13 October 1984

This is definitely an interesting idea. Dredd seeks out his old mentor and trainer Judge Morph when he experiences self-doubt over a recent arrest. The story is well told and the background of the annual Apocalypse Day parade makes this so much more than extended talking heads.

The trouble is this behaviour is so uncharacteristic for Dredd it just doesn’t sit right with us. Dredd isn’t supposed to be a normal human being like us. His emotions don’t trouble him and never doubts himself or the law. His function as a character is to allow the writers to comment on our world with Dredd as the absolute constant that anchors the wacky future of the Mega-city.

If it were any other Judge this would be a cool story but the notion of Dredd having a soft-centre always makes you uncomfortable.

Story: Dredd Angel
Appears: 2000AD Prog 377-383
Issues: 7
Writers: John Wagner and Alan Grant
Art: Ron Smith
Dated: 4 August 1984 to 15 September 1984

How about a trip to the Cursed Earth? It’s the Dredd story that never fails with outlandish muties and the law relegated to the background. A writer’s free-for-all. Such latitude allows them to utilise one of our favourite characters, Mean Machine Angel.

In the tradition of dysfunctional cop/ buddy movies we see Mean and Dredd acting as partners in a way that doesn’t strain credulity. Although this story is typical of the Cursed Earth template, in that it is weirdness and spectacle rather than the usual social mockery, it is a guaranteed enjoyable romp.

This tale is firmly in the action/ adventure style that would delight its intended readers and reward the long term fan. What does get annoying is each issue has a story recap, sometimes at the start and sometimes during the action.

Ron Smith’s art and his caricatured portraits bring the Cursed Earth and the Angel family to life.