Judge Dredd: The Judge Child, Part 7 – The Ghost Of Echo Bravo Four

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Judge Child, Part 7 – The Ghost Of Echo Bravo Four

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. and Tornado Prog 162

DATELINE
26 Apr 80

This prog also featured M.A.C.H.0, Robo-Hunter, Tharg The Mighty, The V.C.'s and The Mind Of Wolfie Smith strips, a future of the first of the seven wonders of the galaxy by Kevin O'Neill and a Robo-Hunter cover by Ian Gibson

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd In The Judge Child Quest 2, The Complete Judge Dredd 15, Judge Dredd Epics: The Judge Child 1, Judge Dredd Epics: The Judge Child Quest, Judge Dredd Epics: The Complete Judge Child Quest and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 04.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd's search takes him out into space and onto a suspicious drilling rig.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First appearance of Judge Hershey, Justice 1 and Dredd's log. First time Dredd takes a spacewalk.

INFORMATION
Texas City has a spaceport.

Judge's boots have magnets for circumstances without gravity. Justice One is a Justice Department star cruiser equipped with a hyperdrive, offensive weaponry, arti-grav, a shuttlecraft and robots. It carries all known alien currencies and precious metals. Named Judges: Judge Hershey, Judge Larter, Judge Lopez, Judge Winslow

There are Deep Space drilling rigs in the mineral fields beyond Pluto. They carry a enough supplies for a year. Echo Bravo 4, a rig owned by the Mega Tinto Mining Co, disappeared over three years ago whilst under the command of Captain Jim Flint. Its computer controls every system on the rig and can duplicate any voice. The computer was due to be replaced and killed the crew to prevent this happening.

JUDGE DREDD
Justice One picks him up from Texas City and heads after the Angel Gang. He and Hershey investigate Echo Bravo 4 and discover that the rig's computer is responsible for deaths of its crew. It attempts to kill Dredd and Hershey, whilst also luring Justice 1 to within range of its rock blasters. Dredd and Hershey escape in pressure suits through the rig's Dust Exhaust Funnel and out into space. Free from Echo Bravo 4's influence, Dredd contacts Justice 1 and warns it of the trap. Dredd and Hershey are picked up by Justice 1 and he orders the destruction of Echo Bravo 4. Dredd doesn't like to see facial hair on a Judge.

OTHER CHARACTERS
JUDGE HERSHEY
Justice One's stringer. She and Dredd investigate Echo Bravo 4.

JUDGE LARTER
Justice One's pilot.

JUDGE LOPEZ
Justice One's engineer. He has a moustache.

JUDGE WINSLOW
The accountant assigned to Justice One. Dredd orders him to disembark and he complies.

CAPTAIN JIM FLINT
Deceased captain of Echo Bravo 4.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
None. Although Echo Bravo 4 is destroyed and had previously killed Captain Jim Flint and the other members of his crew of which we see at least four.

BEST LINES
From Dredd's log: "Don't like to see a Judge with facial hair"

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
Hershey refers to Dredd as "Old Stoney-Face" and "J.D.", says "My Dok!" and "Drokk!"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
None.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

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

REVIEW
This is a surprising change of pace as Dredd's heads out into space. Bolland's art is fantastic as ever and Dredd's obsession with Lopez's facial hair is a very welcome bit of levity.

Next Prog: Buggo Versus Black Boab!