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.