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.