Judge Dredd: Crime And Punishment

NAME
Judge Dredd: Crime And Punishment

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. and Starlord Prog 86

DATELINE
14 Oct 78

This strip appeared in the Prog in which 2000 A.D., became 2000 A.D. and Starlord as such the line up changed to include Ro-Busters and Strontium Dog, as well as the return of Flesh and a cover by Dave Gibbons featuring all of the above. It was also the first Prog in which Tharg was joined by Steve MacManus.

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Complete Judge Dredd 8, Judge Dredd Epics: The Day The Law Died, Judge Dredd Epics: Judge Caligula 1, Judge Dredd Epics: The Complete Judge Caligula, Judge Dredd 9 and Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files 02. The story also formed part of the Judge Dredd radio adaptation of The Day The Law Died.

SYNOPSIS
After a hero's welcome, Dredd is accused, arrested, tried and sentenced for murder.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First appearance of Deputy Chief Judge Cal, first use of Chief Judge Goodman's name.

INFORMATION
(This strip takes place on Monday the 12th October 2101)

The Mega-Times is the Mega-City One's daily video-journal, it retails for 45 credits.

Judges can submit expenses claims. The Special Judicial Squad investigate crimes committed by Judges. A suspect Judge is tried by a council of five who hear witness testimony and then pass their verdict. The verdict is made clear by the placing of coloured balls into a bowl: black for guilty, white for innocent. The verdict must be a unanimous vote for a Judge to receive penalty of twenty years penal servitude on Titan. Named Judges: Chief Judge Clarence Goodman, Deputy Chief Judge Cal, Judge Quincy, Judge Bili... (partial name only).

Cekrus 4 is an inhabited planet. The native species are the Cekretia.

JUDGE DREDD
He returns to Mega-City One to a hero's welcome and parade. He is arrested, tried for murder, found guilty and sentenced to twenty year penal servitude on Titan.

OTHER CHARACTERS
CHIEF JUDGE CLARENCE GOODMAN
After a crisis of conscience he votes that Dredd is guilty during his murder trial.

DEPUTY CHIEF JUDGE CAL
Head of the SJS. He takes issue with Dredd's expenses claims. During his trial he votes that Dredd is guilty of murder.

WALTER THE WOBOT
He arranges a welcome home celebration for Dredd with Maria. He gives evidence at Dredd's trial and is later attacked by citizens for his support of the Judge.

MARIA
She arranges a welcome home celebration for Dredd with Walter.

ROCKY VOLLO
Actor. He starred in The Mutie Inside Him, Blue Suede Spacer and a remake of the 1950's film The Blob, during which he met Miss Nawxyus Slym, a Cekretia. On the 12th October 2101, they were married.

JUDGE QUINCY
Member of the Special Judicial Squad. He arrests Dredd for murder.

'BOX' PATON
Deceased photographer for the Mega-Times. He took a photograph of Dredd killing the editor and the next victim.

ARRESTS
One. Dredd is arrested for the murders of Box Paton and his editor at the Mega-Times.

DEATHS
Two. 'Dredd' kills two employees of the Mega-Times.

BEST LINES
Goodman (of Judge Cal): "Then thank Drokk you're not Chief Judge. Let's get on with it..."

WORST LINES
'Box' Paton: "Dredd's gone crazy! Gotta get a picture -"

CATCHPHRASES
Walter says awanged, bwave, celebwation, Dwedd, gweetings, Mawia, stowies and wong, while Maria breaks out a "Mama Mia!". Dredd chalks up a Drokking and Goodman a "Thank Drokk"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
Dredd has returned from The Cursed Earth to a hero's welcome and he is reunited with Walter and Maria, which means this must take place before Walter The Wobot: Meets Mek-Quake.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Crime And Punishment shares its name with a novel by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821–1881), first published in 1866.

Cal's name is inspired by Caligula, the nickname of Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (12–41 AD) which means 'little soldier's boot'. He was Roman Emperor from 37 AD to 41 AD and contemporary sources describe his cruelty, extravagance, sexual perversity and claims of divinity as well as presenting him as an insane tyrant. He is accused of adultery, incest, killing for amusement, wasting money, causing starvation and on one occasion, during the interval at some games, he ordered his guards to throw a section of the crowd into the arena to be eaten by animals because there were no criminals to be prosecuted and he was bored. He holds the dubious honour of being the first Roman emperor to be assassinated.

The Blob is a 1958 American SF horror film starring Steven McQueen in his debut role, interestingly given the Rocky Vollo story in the Mega-Times the film was released as a double feature with I Married A Monster From Outer Space. The Blob was later remade in 1988.

MISTAKES
Assuming the calendar doesn't change the 12th October 2101 won't be a Monday, but a Wednesday. The population of Mega-City One is given as 100 million, but it was 800 million in 'Dream Palace'. The space shuttle is "bound for Jupiter - and the horrors of Titan", but Titan orbits Saturn. This could be explained away as a space shuttle with multiple destinations, but that doesn't seem to be the intention.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: John Howard
Artist: Brian Bolland
Letters: Tomas Frame

REVIEW
This is a brilliant bold step and a shock to the system. Bolland's art is as beautiful as ever, the dialogue is great and Judge Cal is an instant success. Fantastic.

Next Prog: The Nightmare!