Judge Dredd: The Judge Child, Part 15 – The Necromancer!

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Judge Child, Part 15 – The Necromancer!

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 170

DATELINE
26 July 80

This prog also contained Ro-Jaws' Robo-Tales, Robo-Hunter, The Stainless Steel Rat and The Mind Of Wolfie Smith and a Judge Dredd cover by Mike McMahon.

PAGE COUNT
7

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd In The Judge Child Quest 3, 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 the Oppressor kills Dredd.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First example of 'magic' in Judge Dredd, the first appearance of Murd and the first death of Dredd.

INFORMATION
(This strip begins fifty days after Part 7)

Necros is home to a city of the same name.

Justice 1's computer can respond to voice command and take over landing procedures in an emergency.

JUDGE DREDD
Justice 1 arrives at Necros and encounters a vapour that shapes itself into the form of Murd the Oppressor and seizes the ship. Justice 1 is forced to land and Dredd explores Necros. He encounters the Watchers taking sacrifices and intervenes killing several. Murd creates a voodoo doll of Dredd, traps him in a transparent sphere and has a Watcher stab him.

OTHER CHARACTERS
MURD THE OPPRESSOR
Necromancer of Necros, Lord of Darkness and Keeper of the Sacred Toad. Murd has kept the planet Necros in darkness for 10,000 years. He stops Justice 1 is orbit and attacks it. He lives in a mist-shrouded castle in the city of Necros. The people of Necros make sacrifices to Murd so he will spare the rest of them. Murd's henchmen are called the Watchers, he uses one of kill Dredd.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
At least four. Dredd kills at least three of Murd's Watchers. One of the Watcher's kills Dredd, but it's not immediately obvious.

BEST LINES
Fat Man: "Please! Don't let them take us!"
Necros Native: "Somebody has to go, Fatty!"

WORST LINES
Hershey: "Some kind of flying lizard - they're eating us alive!"

CATCHPHRASES
Someone says "Stomm!"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Murd's transparent sphere are a lot like Rover from The Prisoner (1967-1968)

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

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

REVIEW
McMahon's art is intriguing, but fails to capitalise on the cliffhanger. Dredd is dead, but if we don't know it until the following what is the point of killing him?

Next Prog: Schlick! Schlock! Gulp!

Judge Dredd: The Judge Child, Part 14

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Judge Child, Part 14

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. and Tornado Prog 169

DATELINE
19 July 80

The first prog with a wraparound cover, here a Judge Dredd one by Mike McMahon also featured Robo-Hunter, The Stainless Steel Rat, The V.C.'s and The Mind Of Wolfie Smith.

PAGE COUNT
5

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd In The Judge Child Quest 3, 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
Dredd ends the war.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First three within the structure of a longer story.

INFORMATION
The Skreel and the Maglians are two more of the warring races on Agros. Skreelo and the Flmbaar Islands are due to fight tomorrow's war on Battlefield 3.

Oracle Spice is rumoured to be found on the planet Necros.

JUDGE DREDD
He plans to deliver the ? flag on the ? hill to end the battle. At one point the flagpole is hit by enemy fire and breaks, but Hershey catches it. When her bike is hit, he retrieves the flag and plants it on the Gallipardan Home Mound, thus ending the game. The referee declares this a foul, but as Dredd was declared a natural hazard h hasn't broken any rules.

OTHER CHARACTERS
JUDGE HERSHEY
When the pole carrying the Lurgan Standard breaks in Dredd's hand, she catches the flag and carries on toward the Gallipardan Home Mound. When he Lawmaster is hit, she returns the flag to Dredd.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
Hundreds more.

BEST LINES
Hershey: "C'mon. Let's scram before you start doing things I'm gonna regret!"

WORST LINES
Hershey (in mid-air): "Direct hit on my bike!"

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: John Howard
Artist: Ron Smith
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
The art is great, but storywise this stretches us further from the objective as the quest for Oracle Spice eclipses the search for Krysler, but also this covers the same ideas as 'Luna 1 War' which robs it of the drama it might have had.

Next Prog: After The War - The Horror!

Judge Dredd: The Judge Child, Part 13

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Judge Child, Part 13

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. and Tornado Prog 168

DATELINE
12 July 80

This prog bore a Judge Dredd cover and also featured Robo-Hunter, The Stainless Steel Rat, The V.C.'s and The Mind Of Wolfie Smith with the seventh and final wonder of the galaxy.

PAGE COUNT
5

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd In The Judge Child Quest 3, The Complete Judge Dredd 15, 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
Dredd and Hershey are declared natural hazards and must remain part of the battle until it ends.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First use of the Judge's translation processors.

INFORMATION
Wargames on Agros have rules. When two races do battle, a representative from each of the other ten sit on a council that referees the conflict. Each side has a home mound and a flag to protect. Mercenaries are not permitted, other combatants can be declared natural hazards. The second phase of the battle allows heavy weapons, including battle tanks from Eptura and Pazazz War Wheels.

Lurgans have green blood.

Judge's wear micro-processors attached to their throats that are capable of translating human speech into any alien language. Another processor in their helmet simultaneously translates the alien language to human. The translator takes a little while to pick up a new language.

JUDGE DREDD
He finds himself involved in the wargame between the Gallipardans and the Lurgans. The referees declare him a natural hazard. When he is not permitted to leave the battlefield until the fighting is over, he seizes the Lurgan flag.

OTHER CHARACTERS
JUDGE HERSHEY
She finds herself involved in the wargame between the Gallipardans and the Lurgans. The referees declare her a natural hazard and not permitted to leave the battlefield until the battle is over.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
Dozens.

BEST LINES
Dok: "And what about you, John? Any reaction to being declared a natural hazard?"
Hershey: "Not at all. I expected to run into loonies on this mission."

WORST LINES
Dredd: "Yeah, crazy...like we've blundered into some fantastic game!"

CATCHPHRASES
Dok calls everyone John. Dying soldiers scream "Aiaa!" and "Aiaaee!"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Having a alien called Spok, obviously calls to mind Leonard Nimoy's character from the original Star Trek (1966-1969), its animated follow-up by the same name (1973-1974) and recently a big screen adaptation Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979).

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: John Howard
Artist: Ron Smith
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
The speech bubbles requiring translation are a nice touch as is all of Dok's dialogue, but this is even more of a runaround than the last part.

Stay Tuned For Part Three - Next Prog!

Judge Dredd: The Judge Child, Part 12 – Battleground

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Judge Child, Part 12 – Battleground

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. and Tornado Prog 167

DATELINE
5 July 80

This prog also contained Comic Rock featuring Nemesis The Warlock, Robo-Hunter, The Stainless Steel Rat and The Mind Of Wolfie Smith, the sixth wonder of the galaxy and a Nemesis The Warlock cover by Kevin O'Neill.

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd in The Judge Child Quest 3, The Complete Judge Dredd 15, Judge Dredd Epics The Judge Child 2, Judge Dredd Epics The Judge Child Quest, Judge Dredd Epics The Complete Judge Child Quest, Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 04 and The Judge Child.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd and Hershey wander into a battleground.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
(This strip begins 39 days after Part 7)

Agros is a planet in the Hadean System, it is home to twelve different races, including Lurga and Gallipardan nation. There are at least eight battlefield. Lurgans have three parents: a mother, a father and a dum.

Laz lances are a weapon. Furry Liquid is a hand softener. Brax Anti-Personnel Weapons sell landmines. Beast Paste is a dental product.

JUDGE DREDD
Justice One lands on Agros to make repairs, while Dredd and Hershey explore. They encounter the conflict on Battlefield 8 and become involved.

OTHER CHARACTERS
JUDGE HERSHEY
She explores Agros with Dredd and becomes embroiled in the fighting on Battlefield 8.

DIK
Neutral commentator on Agros.

DOK
Neutral correspondent on Agros

SPOK
Game controller on Agros.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
Hundreds. The Lurgan and Gallipardan armies kill each other. Dredd and Hershey join in and kill.

BEST LINES
Dok: "Don't go away, folks! We'll be back with some more war after this commercial break!"

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
Dredd refers to the damage incurred to Justice One inside the planet creature of Part 11.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: John Howard
Artist: Ron Smith
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
The set-up is great and the artwork is stunning. Dik and Dok are a brilliant device, while the adverts are nice diversion. Again though this feels as though it is taking us further away from the main point of the story and not to the story's benefit.

Don't Miss Next Prog!

Judge Dredd: The Judge Child, Part 11 – The Hungry Planet

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Judge Child, Part 11 – The Hungry Planet

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. and Tornado Prog 166

DATELINE
21-28 June 80

This prog featured Ro-Jaws' Robo-Tales, Robo-Hunter, The Stainless Steel Rat and The Mind Of Wolfie Smith, the fourth wonder of the galaxy and a Star Wars cover by Brian Bolland

PAGE COUNT
7

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd In The Judge Child Quest 3, The Complete Judge Dredd 15, Judge Dredd Epics: The Judge Child 2, Judge Dredd Epics: The Complete Judge Child Quest, Judge Dredd Epics: The Judge Child Quest, The Judge Child and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 04.

SYNOPSIS
Justice 1 is swallowed by an alien lifeform the size of a planet.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
There is a species of spaceborne lifeform that can mimic the appearance of a planet and swallows and digests spacecraft.

Justice 1 is equipped with an emergency drive for when extra power is required, starshells for providing external illumination, blast screens to protect the cockpit, x-ray scanners, nuclear depth charges and an armour piercing nuke.

JUDGE DREDD
Justice 1 is swallowed by a spaceborne lifeform the size of a planet. Dredd launches elements of Justice 1's arsenal in a calculated fashion to kill the creature and ensure the ship's escape.

OTHER CHARACTERS
JUDGE LARTER
He panics when Justice 1 is swallowed by a planet-sized creature.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
One. The planet creature is killed when Justice 1's nuclear depth charges detonate in its heart.

BEST LINES
Larter: "Yehaa! Gusher!"
Dredd: "Restrain yourself, Larter! We've still got work to do!"

WORST LINES
Larter: "The creature is dead, Judge Dredd!"
Dredd: "Yeah...even a heart that big can be broken!"

CATCHPHRASES
Someone, presumably Dredd says "Drokk!"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

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

REVIEW
The artwork is nice, but the plot is very thin. The Judge Child seems very far away.

Next Prog: Welcome To The War!

Judge Dredd: The Judge Child, Part 10

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Judge Child, Part 10

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. and Tornado Prog 165

DATELINE
14 June 80

This prof was delayed by five weeks due to a strike at IPC. It contained M.A.C.H.0, Robo-Hunter, The V.C.'s and The Mind Of Wolfie Smith, the fourth of the wonders of the galaxy and a M.A.C.H.0 cover by Mike Dorey.

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd In The Judge Child Quest 2, The Complete Judge Dredd 15, Judge Dredd Epics: The Judge Child 2, 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 rescues the President's biochip.

FIRSTS & LASTS
None.

INFORMATION
(According to Dredd's Log, this part takes place sixteen days after Part 7)

There is Wild Aliens and the amputee Aliens. The Warriors of the Immortal Chip are a group of Native Aliens that want the secret of the biochip so they can live forever.

Orrten is an inhabited planet. Lesser Lingo receives an ambassadorial delegation from Orrten. The Hadean System is a little known group of planets deep in the galaxy.

JUDGE DREDD
He rescues President Carlyle's biochip. He and the crew of Justice 1 head for the Hadean System in search of Oracle Spice.

OTHER CHARACTERS
POLICE CONSTABLE NUMBER 49
He accompanies Dredd into wild Alien territory and attempts to arrest several members of the Warriors of the Immortal Chip.

PRESIDENT CARLYLE
Dredd rescues his biochip. In its absence, Rockin' Rocky Rock has been filling in. Carlyle has his chip implanted into a wild alien body and declares equal rights for aliens.

ROCKIN' ROCKY ROCK
Whilst Carlyle's biochip is missing, Rock fills in as President. He causes three interplanetary incidents.

ARRESTS
No. 49 attempts to arrest at least two Warriors of the Immortal Chip.

DEATHS
Dredd kills five of the Warriors of the Immortal Chip

BEST LINES
Warriors of the Immortal Chip Leader: "We only wanted to force the humans to give us the secret of the biochip! Then we, too, could live forever - and what creature does not want that?"
Dredd: "Me for one."

WORST LINES
49: "You can't trust wild aliens, sir! They're all terrible liars!"

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
Why have a vice-president if in the president's biochip's absence power passes to a rock star?

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: John Howard
Artist: Ron Smith
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
The treatment of the aliens and the wider implications of a society where people live forever in biochip form are largely ignored in favour of a chase sequence and setting up the Oracle Spice as Dredd's next objective.

Next Prog: The Hungry Planet!

Judge Dredd: The Judge Child, Part 9

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Judge Child, Part 9

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. and Tornado Prog 164

DATELINE
10 May 80

This prog also contained M.A.C.H.0, Robo-Hunter, The V.C.'s and The Mind Of Wolfie Smith strips, a Judge Dredd cover by Ron Smith and the third of the wonders of the galaxy.

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 is

FIRSTS & LASTS
First use of biochips in 2000 A.D. ahead of Rogue Trooper.

INFORMATION
(The section of this strip starting with Dredd's Log takes place eleven days after Part 7, with the President's abduction a week earlier)

Biochipping is the process by which an individual's personality could be programmed at the moment of death onto a biochip, which could then be inserted into a new body.

Lesser Lingo is the only inhabited planet in the Epsilon system. It was colonised by humans in 2055 ands has an estimated human population of 250,000. Lesser Lingo's human government is headed by President Carlyle and Vice-President Kolbec. There is a native race known only as 'The Aliens', they do menial work for the humans and live either in the Alien Quarter or Wild Alien Country around the major human settlements. Alien police constables have their wings amputated. Named Judges: Police Chief Nye (Lesser Lingo). Biochipping is legal on Lesser Lingo where the biochips are placed in hired bodies for a rental period up to a maximum of ten hours per day. It is a means for the rich to stave off death.

Biochipping is illegal in Mega-City One. There are no regulations against a Judge having a moustache.

Oracle Spice can give important knowledge to those who take it.

JUDGE DREDD
He checks police records on Lesser Lingo for any sign of the Angel Gang. Vice-President Kolbec asks him to rescue the President's biochip with No. 49.

OTHER CHARACTERS
JUDGE HERSHEY
She visits Lesser Lingo with Dredd.

JUDGE LOPEZ
He is resisting shaving off his moustache. He gives Dredd and Hershey's Lawmasters an overhaul.

POLICE CHIEF NYE
Police Chief on Lesser Lingo. He has rented his body to a Mrs Murdston for 78.50 an hour.

PRESIDENT CARLYLE
President of Lesser Lingo. He is dead and his personality stored on a biochip contained in Rockin' Rocky Rock's body. He is kidnapped by native aliens. Rock's body was recovered without the President's biochip.

VICE-PRESIDENT KOLBEC
The Vice-President of Lesser Lingo. He is dead and his personality stored on a biochip contained in Ivor Goulgonov's body.

NO. 49
Alien police constable who volunteers to help Dredd rescue the President's biochip.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
From Dredd's Log: "Lopez proving difficult re moustache"

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
Hershey calls Dredd "Old Stoney-Face" again.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Hertz Rent-A-Body and Avis Body Hire both name contemporary car hire firms. Police constable No. 49 is a reference to an Eagle character, PC 49.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: John Howard
Artist: Ron Smith
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
Ron Smith's art is great and the aliens are a wonderful character design, but this falls a little flat.