Judge Dredd: The Mega-Rackets, Crime File: 3 - The Umpty Baggers, Part 1

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Mega-Rackets, Crime File: 3 - The Umpty Baggers, Part 1

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 213

DATELINE
23 May 81

This prog also featured Tharg's Future Shocks, Meltdown Man, Return to Armageddon and Strontium Dog, a Pin-Up of Judge Anderson, a cover by Brian Bolland as well as two packets of Buck Rogers stickers.

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Best of 2000AD 32, The Complete Judge Dredd 20, Judge Dredd's Crime Files 4, Judge Dredd Mega City Vice Book 2 and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 05.

SYNOPSIS
Umpty is back. Dredd investigates the supply chain.

FIRSTS & LASTS
Last appearance of Uncle Ump.

INFORMATION
In Mega-City One, there is a Malcolm Allison Block.

Umpty Bagging is the illegal manufacture and sale of addictive Umpty candy. 22nd Century medicology has permanently eliminated all known addictions, with the exception of Umpty. Mellowmel is an ingredient of Umpty.

The Justice Department has a dedicated Umpty Squad and operates Umpty Clinics where addicts can dry out. Named Judges: Judge Cheyney, Judge Jones.

JUDGE DREDD
He arrests Candy Man Fitchit for Umpty Bagging and investigates his supplier.

OTHER CHARACTERS
CANDY MAN FITCHIT
Umpty bagger working for Oggie Jong. Dredd arrests him and discovers he is addicted to Umpty. He uses this to get information out of him.

JUDGE CHEYNEY
Head of the Umpty Squad. Dredd is not impressed with his results.

OGGIE JONG
Member of the Jong crime family. They are tipped off that Uncle Ump is, contrary to popular belief, alive in space. The find him and acquire his Umpty recipe and kill him. Their Umpty factory is situated on the top floor of Malcolm Allison Block, but he is warned to get any evidence out by his informer.

UNCLE UMP
He is discovered two light years from Earth by the Jong brothers. Uncle Ump's recipe is so precise that it requires twelve drops of mellowmel and to be whisked clockwise for exactly thirty-seven beats. The torture him to reveal his Umpty recipe and when he does they throw him out of an airlock.

ARRESTS
Four. Dredd arrests Candy Man Fitchit for Umpty Bagging and three juves for taking it.

DEATHS
One. The Jong brothers leave Uncle Ump suffocating in space.

BEST LINES
Candy Man Fitchit: "Let me outa here! Umpty! I need Umpty!
Dredd: "Talk first - Umpty later

WORST LINES
Candy Man Fitchit: "Smashed the fire escape!"

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
There is a flashback to the events "over a year ago" of Uncle Ump's Umpty Candy. The Ump dumping is the second chump dumping in as many weeks.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Malcolm Allison Block is named after controversial footballer turned manager Malcolm Allison (1927-2010) who had just lost his job at Manchester City Football Club.

MISTAKES
Medicology isn't a word. Yet. The leader of the Jong gang is identified as both Oogie and Oggie.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: T.B. Grover
Artist: Ron Smith
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
This sequel to Uncle Ump's Umpty Candy takes the drugs metaphor of the first and turns it up to eleven. This time around Ump himself is the first victim of his recipe and his death makes for a darker tale altogether.

Next Prog: Bagging The Baggers!