Judge Dredd: Alone In A Crowd!

NAME
Judge Dredd: Alone In A Crowd!

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 205

DATELINE
28 Mar 81

PAGE COUNT
6

This Prog also featured Tharg's Future Shocks, Meltdown Man, Return To Armageddon and Strontium Dog, some more of Tharg's Futureworlds Poster and a Meltdown Man cover by Dave Gibbons.

REPRINTS
The Best of 2000AD 6, The Complete Judge Dredd 19, Judge Dredd 19, Judge Dredd (Volume 2) 23, Judge Dredd Mega City Vice Book 2 and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 04.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd investigates a tap gang.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First Judge Dredd art by Steve Dillon. First Judge Dredd to portray law-abiding citizens as fearing the Judges.

INFORMATION
In Mega-City One, walkways get very busy and rush hour. The Vernon Cleaver Walkway is near Cleaver Street and the Rathole Eatery.

JUDGE DREDD
He attends the crime scene at Vernon Cleaver Walkway. He arrests Earl, who informs him of the rest of the gang. Dredd rides to the site of, and into, the Rathole.

OTHER CHARACTERS
EARL
Lookout for the Wessel Brothers' tap gang. Dredd shoots him in the shoulder and sentences him to seven years.

SLOPEY CHARLIE
Member of the Wessel Brothers' tap gang. Dredd arrests him after a chase.

ARRESTS
Presumably four. Dredd sentences Earl, a member of the tap gang to seven years. He gives the Rathole's chef five years for aiding and abetting. He arrests Slopey Charlie and presumably the surviving Wessel Brother.

DEATHS
At least one. Dredd shoots one of the Wessel Brothers dead.

BEST LINES
Unknown: "Don't get involved, nothing you can do!"

The repetition of this line is really effective.

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
A Wessel Brother screams "Aaeeeeee!", Slopey says "Drok"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: T.B. Grover
Artist: Steve Dillon
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
The SYNOPSIS above doesn't do this story justice. This is masterpiece which invites us to despise a member of the Mega-City One public who doesn't help a victim of crime for fear that he will be next, on the first page. Then following Dredd's efforts to arrest the tap gang, the same anonymous member of the public attempt to avoid catching the Judge's attention, equally fearful of our hero.

Next Prog: Graffiti!