Judge Dredd: The Mega-Rackets, Crime File: 4 - The Blitz Agencies
FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 215
DATELINE
6 June 81
This prog also featured Tharg's Future Shocks, Meltdown Man, Return To Armageddon and Strontium Dog, alongside a Star Pin-Up of Tharg and all behind a Judge Dredd cover by Brian Bolland.
PAGE COUNT
6
REPRINTS
The Best of 2000AD 27, The Complete Judge Dredd 20, Judge Dredd's Crime Files 2, Judge Dredd Mega City Vice Book 2 and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 05.
SYNOPSIS
Dredd takes on a pair of contract killers.
FIRSTS & LASTS
First of the Mega Rackets to be a single part. Last of the Mega Rackets to be a single part.
INFORMATION
In Mega-City One, Grover Cleveland Block is poor quality housing, Mark Clark Block is thought to be worse and Sir Kenneth Clarke Block is part of a new upcity development and considered much better accommodation. Mega-City One has a housing committee responsible for moving people out of slum housing. It's rare to see a human delivering things door-to-door in Mega-City One, it's work usually performed by robots.
Contract murder is also known as blitz, wipe-out, hit, big whack, among others. Organised contract killers are known as a blitz agency or 'blitzers'. All 'blitzers' are equipped with emotion-sensitive self-destruct devices or 'suicide boxes'. Conspiracy in a blitz agency murder carries a sentence of fifteen years in an iso-cube.
Munce can be fried.
Kneepads come in different grades.
JUDGE DREDD
He is called to the Lumly's home following the assassination of Teddington Lumly. He is present when an attempt is made on the life of Reeta Lumly. He intervenes and shoots a Blitzer dead. He arrests Reeta for her own safety.
OTHER CHARACTERS
REETA AND TEDDINGTON LUMLY
A jobless couple that rent poor quality housing in Grover Cleveland Block who upon being informed that they are expected to move into Mark Clark Block decide to commit suicide. They can't go through with it and they elect instead to spend their life savings taking a contract out on their own lives. They then discover that they are due to be moved to Sir Kenneth Clarke Block instead and that Teddington has successfully found employment as a kneepad grader, but at that moment the blitz agency strikes and he is killed. Reeta calls in the Judges. Dredd finds Reeta Lumly guilty of conspiracy in a blitz agency murder which carries a sentence of fifteen years in an iso-cube. He commutes that sentence in exchange for assistance in finding her husband's killer. When she discovers that the contract is still open and her life is still under threat, she insists upon serving it.
CHARLIE
Blitz Agency killer that Teddington Lumly contracted to kill him and his wife.
ARRESTS
One. Dredd finds Reeta Lumly guilty of conspiracy in a blitz agency murder which carries a sentence of fifteen years in an iso-cube. He commutes that sentence in exchange for assistance in finding her husband's killer, but she insists upon serving it for her own safety.
DEATHS
Two. Teddington Lumly is shot dead by a Blitz Agency Killer and a 'Blitzer' called Salinas shot dead by Dredd.
BEST LINES
Blitzer: "There's more than one way to fry munce!"
WORST LINES
Big Whack
CATCHPHRASES
None.
CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.
INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Grover Cleveland Block is named after Stephen Grover Cleveland (1837–1908) the 22nd and 24th president of the United States of America, the only president in American history to serve two non-consecutive terms in office (1885–1889 and 1893–1897). Sir Kenneth Clarke Block is named after Sir Kenneth Clarke (1903-1983) British historian and television presenter. Mark Clark Block is presumably named after a Mark Clark, but which one?
MISTAKES
Not necessarily a mistake, but why is Charlie so scaly?
RETROSPECT
None.
NOTES
None.
CREDITS
Script: T. B. Grover
Artist: Ron Smith
Letters: Tom Frame
REVIEW
The artwork is great, the idea compelling and the script drives the story along well. This is the most engaging suicide attempt I can think of.
The End
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