Judge Dredd: Cityblock 2

NAME
Judge Dredd: Cityblock 2

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 118

DATELINE
23 July 79

This prog also featured Dan Dare, Rick Random and Strontium Dog strips, a Judge Dredd Star Pin-Up by Brian Bolland and Strontium Dog cover by Carlos Ezquerra.

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Complete Judge Dredd 11, The Best Of 2000AD 47, Judge Dredd 26, Judge Dredd Chronicles Book 5 and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 03.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd tackles crimes in two Cityblocks

FIRSTS & LASTS
First thematic two-parter. Cityblock 2 has no direct link to Cityblock 1, except the thematic link exploring the idea of Cityblock life. The strip will return to this style of storytelling with The Mega-Rackets and ...

INFORMATION
Mega-City One's Harriet Beecher Stowe Block has at least 244 levels and an internal televid broadcasting company. Nearby Benjamin Spock Block has at least 111 floors.

Only 13% of Mega-City One's population is in employment. Humans could not adjust to the huge increase in leisure time. Leisure councillors are available in every Cityblock to help the unemployed readjust. They can organise educational courses on subjects like old-time dancing, arti-flower arranging, origami, alien spotting and party-giving.

According to the Mega-City Crime Survey of April 2095, over 750 crimes are committed every day in every Cityblock and 87 of those are crimes of major significance. Named Judges: Judge Le... (badge partially obscured), Judge Low

Working holidays to the mines of Mutieland are available. Super-Mace is an incapacitant spray.

JUDGE DREDD
He arrests three men who turned to robbery out of boredom and Arnold Short who went Futsie after losing his job.

OTHER CHARACTERS
ARNOLD SHORT
He's been the caretaker at Benjamin Spock Block for thirty years, but now he's been replaced by a robot. He goes Futsie and begins shooting people with a laz-rifle from his 111th floor home. Dredd forces his way in and Arnold attempts to jump. Dredd stops him, arrests him and sentences him to hard labour for the rest of his life.

MRS SHORT
She knits.

BENJI
The new robot caretaker at Benjamin Spock Block.

MRS FENNEMOE
Unemployed citizen. She has done courses in old-time dancing, arti-flower arranging, origami and alien spotting. She incapacitates her block Leisure Councillor and replaces him.

ARRESTS
Seven. Two Judges arrests three men for destroying a robot and sentence them to six months. Dredd apprehends three amateur burglars. Dredd arrests Arnold Short and sentences him to hard labour for the rest of his life.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Mrs Short (as her husband turns indiscriminate sniper): "Really, Arnold, I do think you're making an awful fuss. What will the neighbours think?"

WORST LINES
Human determined to work: "Lucky we saved these antique tools! Let's get busy!"

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
There is a statue of Fergee outside Benjamin Spock block as seen in The Day The Law Died: Aftermath.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
The Cityblocks here are named after Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896), writer of Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) and best-selling paediatrician Benjamin Spock (1903-1998).

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: John Howard
Artist: Ron Smith
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
This is more of a series of vignettes that shows the cause and effect that sees citizens driven to crime.