Judge Dredd: The Judge Child, Part 16 – Sagbelly

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Judge Child, Part 16 – Sagbelly

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. and Tornado Prog 171

DATELINE
2 Aug 80

This prog also featured Robo-Hunter, The Stainless Steel Rat, The V.C.'s and The Mind Of Wolfie Smith and a wraparound cover featuring The Stainless Steel Rat by Carlos Ezquerra.

PAGE COUNT
7

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd In The Judge Child Quest 4, The Complete Judge Dredd 16, Judge Dredd Epics: The Judge Child 2, Judge Dredd Epics: The Complete Judge Child Quest, Judge Dredd Epics: The Judge Child Quest, Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files 04 and The Judge Child.

SYNOPSIS
Murd brings Dredd back from the dead to feed him to his toad.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First appearance of Sagbelly and first resurrection of Dredd.

INFORMATION
Lawmasters can fire flares.

Oracle Spice is a secretion from a wart on the hindquarters of Sagbelly, a giant Toad on Necros.

JUDGE DREDD
Dead. Killed by one of Murd's Watchers. Murd brings him back to life and in order to give Sagbelly live food. Dredd stabs Sagbelly with his knife and escapes. He kills Murd who falls into Sagbelly's pity and is eaten instead. Dredd takes some Oracle Spice with him and destroys the rest.

OTHER CHARACTERS
MURD THE OPPRESSOR
He has stockpiled ten thousand years worth of Oracle Spice. He feeds ten fat men to Sagbelly and resurrects Dredd. Murd was once like the rest of the inhabitants of Necros, but his use of the Oracle Spice has altered him. His mother died ten thousand years ago. Dredd kills him with a metal stake, he falls into Sagbelly's pit and is eaten. With him dead his Watchers crumble to dust and the mist clears. He haunts Dredd briefly as the Judge takes the Oracle Spice.

SAGBELLY
Toad of Toads. The Oracle. Oracle Spice comes from a wart on his hindquarters. He is at least ten thousand years old. Murd has been harvesting the Oracle Spice and sacrifices ten fat men to Sagbelly who swallows them alive to maintain production, one life for one drop of Oracle Spice. When Dredd kills Murd and he falls into the pit, Sagbelly eats him.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
Twelve. Sagbelly eats ten fat men, Dredd impales Murd on a stake and Sagbelly eats him too, but it disagrees with him and kills him.

BEST LINES
Dredd: "Sagbelly is dead! Must've been something he ate!"

WORST LINES
Fat Man: "Not the toad!"

Where did you think you were going?

CATCHPHRASES
Dredd says "Drokk!" as he is flung off the face of an enormous toad, but then wouldn't you? A blinded Murd screams "Aaaiiiii!"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
Murd returns solo in Behold The Beast, with Sagbelly in Judge Dredd: Judgement Day and with one of his Watchers in Lowlife: Saudade.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: John Howard
Artist: Mike McMahon
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
A giant toad that secretes a prophetic substance from a wart on its arse? It's bizarre and really doesn't feel like Judge Dredd anymore, but it's still brilliant. The oracle spice had better be worth it though.

Next Prog: The Jigsaw Man