Judge Dredd: The Greatest Story Ever Told.

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Greatest Story Ever Told.

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD Sci-Fi Special 1980

DATELINE
1 June 80

This Sci-Fi special also featured Ro-Jaws' Robo-Tales twice, Tharg The Mighty, the House Of The Future, a Judge Dredd Data-File and a Judge Dredd cover by Mike McMahon.

PAGE COUNT
10

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd Classics 63, Judge Dredd (Volume 2) 7, Judge Dredd Megazine 208 and Judge Dredd: The Restricted Files 01.

SYNOPSIS
Fergie is raised to Godhood, represented by a group of giant robots and the subject of a movie. It's a busy day.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First credited work on Judge Dredd by Alan Grant and Steve Dillon.

INFORMATION
(This strip is set "almost a year" since the Fergie's death in The Day The Law Died)

In Mega-City One's Aftermath Square stands a monument to Fergie, there is a strada that overlooks it. There are similar statues in Sectors 6, 17, 21 and 42. Cecil B. DeMille Block is home to the city's film community.

The Control act of '89 allows freedom to worship of registered religions. The Fergites are a registered religion that worships Fergie. Named Judges: Judge Kray

JUDGE DREDD
He watches the Fergites and intervenes when they break the law. Dredd evades attack by a giant robot in the form of Fergie and destroys it. He tracks down the robot that replaced Oscar Weiner and discovers that he is making a film from the chaos caused by his giant robots. Dredd destroys his film.

OTHER CHARACTERS
JUDGE KRAY
She accompanies Dredd as he tracks down the robot that replaced Oscar Weiner and she arrests it.

FERGIE
After his death, he became to object of worship by a group calling themselves, the Fergites. The statue of Fergie in Aftermath Square is replaced by a giant robot, which is used to attack Dredd, who destroys it. A robot that replaced Oscar Weiner mobilises nineteen more giant Fergie robots.

OSCAR WEINER
Film director. He directed The Beasts That Ate The Beasts That Ate Mars. He was declared insane and committed, but replaced himself with a robot.

ARRESTS
Dozens. The surviving Fergites are ll held for questioning, while Oscar Weiner's robot replacement is arrested for the damage he caused.

DEATHS
At least five. The Fergite Priest that Dredd knocks out is flattened by Fergie Robo Statue 1. Two Fergites are dropped by one of the Fergie robots. An H-Wagon crew are killed by Fergie Robo-Statue 19's flying club.

BEST LINES
Dredd: "They may be fools, Kray, but they break no law."

WORST LINES
Kray: "Jumpin' Judge-Boots! It's a -"

CATCHPHRASES
Fergie's catchphrases "Easy the Ferg" and "Get heavy with him!" are appropriated by the Fergie. Kray say "Oh my Dok!" as the statue of Fergie came to life.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
Fergie's deification is as a result of the events of The Day The Law Died.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
The Greatest Story Ever Told shares its title with a 1965 American epic film retelling of the story of Jesus Christ. Cecil Blount DeMille (1881–1959) was the American film director responsible for Cleopatra (1934), The Greatest Show On Earth (1952) and The Ten Commandments (1956).

MISTAKES
Fergee is spelled Fergie here throughout.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: A.A. Grant
Artist: Steve Dillon
Letters: Tom Frame

A.A. Grant is Alan Grant. This is his first credited Judge Dredd, but he would go on to write for the character in 2000 A.D., the Judge Dredd Megazine, the Daily Star and a host of specials and annuals as well as in Heavy Metal Dredd, Batman/Judge Dredd, Lobo/Judge Dredd and Judge Dredd: The Lost Cases. He also wrote for Ace Trucking Co, Cadet Anderson, Judge Anderson, Apocalypse Soon, Armageddon, Bad City Blue, Bad Company, Blackhawk, B.L.A.I.R.1, Bob The Galactic Bum, Bogie Man, Doomlord, House Of Daemon, Durham Red, The Helltrekkers, Judge Hershey, Makabre, Mazeworld, Middenface McNulty, Mean Team, Mean Machine, Mega-City One, Max Normal, Juliet November, Robo-Hunter, Strontium Dog, Tales Of Mega-City One, Tales Of The Doghouse, Tharg The Mighty, Tharg's Future Shocks, Time Twisters, Whatever Happened To?, What If...? and a couple of one-offs.

Steve Dillon provided art for A.B.C. Warriors, Bad Company, Diceman, Judge Dredd, Tharg's Future Shocks, Hap Hazzard, Harlem Heroes, Judge Joyce, The Mean Arena, Ro-Busters, Rogue Trooper, Ro-Jaws' Robo-Tales, Tyranny Rex and a one-off called Danger: Genius At Work. He also wrote for Tharg's Future Shocks, Hap Hazzard and Rogue Trooper. Away from the Galaxy's Greatest Comic he worked on Doctor Who, Hellblazer, Preacher, and The Punisher.

REVIEW
The story is bizarre with too many elements vying for space, but Steve Dillon's stunning art more than makes up for it.

The End.