Dredd Alert

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 8 – The Sleeper Awakes!

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D.Prog 68

DATELINE
10 June 78

PAGE COUNT
7

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd 6, The Complete Judge Dredd 6, Judge Dredd Epics: The Cursed Earth 1 , Judge Dredd Epics: The Cursed Earth, Judge Dredd Epics: The Collected Cursed Earth and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 02.

SYNOPSIS
Believing him to be a Vampire, Ikkabod tries to take revenge on the last President of the United States of America.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First real appearance of Robert L. Booth, first example of war crimes, first appearance of Judge Solomon.

INFORMATION
In 2070, the American President Robert L. Booth pushed the button that began the Atomic Wars. Millions died and there were protests calling for his resignation and for his powers to be handed to the Judges, genetically chosen to be tough, but fair. Booth was tried before a Grand Council of Judges and found guilty of war crimes. His sentence was a hundred years of suspended animation, interred at Fort Knox with a trio of Medic Droids programmed to obey the Judges. Booth became the last President of the United States of America, by order of the Judges who took over the running of the country.

The Medic Robots checked and changed Booth's blood until Fort Knox was hit by a bomb that destroyed their supply of blood. The robots were forced to look further afield for their blood and the legend of a Kentucky vampire grew.

Named Judges: Judge Solomon (active circa 2070).

JUDGE DREDD
He convinces the Medic Robots to end their attack, descends to the lower level and prevents Ikkabod from killing Booth. He changes Booth's sentence to life.

OTHER CHARACTERS
ROBERT L. BOOTH
He was President of the United States of America in 2070, nicknamed Smooth Booth. He started the Atomic Wars, which lead to calls for his resignation and a trial before a Grand Council of Judges. Booth was found guilty of war crimes and sentenced to a hundred years in suspended animation at Fort Knox.

He was awoken and released in 2100 by a group who thought him to be a vampire. He begged not to be returned to suspended animation for another seventy years. Judge Dredd hears his appeal, changes his sentence to life and orders him to grow crops in the Cursed Earth under Ikkabod's watchful eye.

JUDGE SOLOMON
He presided over Booth's trial and sentenced him to hundred years in suspended animation.

SNAP, CRACKLE AND POP
Names Dredd gives to Booth's three Medic Robots. They checked and changed Booth's blood until a bomb hit Fort Know and destroyed their blood supply, their programming forced them to search for blood elsewhere which caused the legend of the Kentucky vampire. Dredd orders that they are to be reprogrammed to help re-cultivate the Cursed Earth.

IKKABOD
He promises to keep an eye on Booth.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Snap: "I'm afraid it's true. We..."
Crackle: "...did go around "drinking" everyone's motion lotion."
Pop: "And we've like to apologise!"

WORST LINES
Dredd: "You want an explanation? Okay, you got it! Now listen...and listen good..."

CATCHPHRASES
Dredd says "Drokk it!" twice.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
Dredd refers to Walter as "that metal freak I left behind in Mega-City One", Walter was last seen in Judge Dredd: Firebug.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
The Watergate scandal and President Richard M. Nixon's subsequent impeachment presumably served as inspiration for Booth's fall from grace. Dredd dubs the Medic robot trio Snap, Crackle and Pop which are the names of the three elf mascots seen on boxes of Kellogg's Rice Krispies since 1933. He also mentions Count Dracula who famously appeared in Bram Stoker's 1897 novel and numerous films.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
President Booth will become a significant character later on.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Mike McMahon
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
The resolution to 'The Bit With The Vampire' is far more rewarding than expected. In a beautiful example of world building, the flashback provides a fascinating insight into the last days of America, the arrival of the Judges and Robert L. Booth as a name for a US President somehow just sounds right.

Next Prog: The Slay-Riders!

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 9 – The Slay-Riders!

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D.Prog 69

DATELINE
17 June 78

PAGE COUNT
7

REPRINTS

Judge Dredd 6, Judge Dredd Epics: The Cursed Earth, Judge Dredd Epics: The Cursed Earth 1, Judge Dredd Epics: The Cursed Earth, Judge Dredd Epics: The Collected Cursed Earth, The Complete Judge Dredd 7 and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 02.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd meets an enslaved alien life-form who escapes and seeks the Judge's protection.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First time that a story has reached nine parts and the first appearances of Dredd's log, alien life and Tweak.

INFORMATION
(This part takes place on Days Twelve and Thirteen of the journey)

The Mississippi river is a foul-smelling river of fire, polluted with petrol and nuclear waste from the Great Atomic War. There was an alien nature reserve near the Mississippi, but when the war began the specimens were sold off as slave labour.

The Slay-Riders retrieve any runaway slaves. They are a group of mutants, lead by the Alien Catcher General that ride an array of mutant steeds.

Robo-Navvies are a mechanised workforce.

JUDGE DREDD
He keeps a log of the journey. His reputation has reached the Mississippi (at least at co-ordinates A7..L5..3). He helps Tweak after he escapes from captivity. He fights and kills a Slay-Rider to protect Tweak. The two of them are attacked by the Slay-Riders napalm throwers.

OTHER CHARACTERS

TWEAK
An alien life-form. Tweak eats rocks and has incredibly strong pincers. He is a slave, until he encounters Dredd and escapes that night. He evades the slay-riders long enough to find Dredd. He is recaptured, but Dredd rescues him. The pair are attacked by the Slay-Riders napalm throwers.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
At least four. Dredd shoots a Slay-Rider dead with his bike cannon, while the weapons on the land-raider kills two steeds and one rider.

BEST LINES
Dredd (about Tweak): "Maybe he finds the way humans eat other animals just as stupid."

WORST LINES
Slaver: "Jodie, when the cages are all mucked out. Check they're locked tight. Don't want to have to call out the Slay-Riders after any runners."
Jodie: "Sure, Boss. Ain't nothin' getting' out o' here tonight."

CATCHPHRASES
Tweak says Twurp three times and Twaaark once, while Dredd returns to "I am the law!".

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
The Slay-Riders were mentioned in The Cursed Earth, Part Four.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Slay-Riders is a pun on Sleigh Ride, which is the name of a famous orchestral piece composed by Leroy Anderson, who had the idea for the piece during a heat wave in 1946, he finished it in February 1948 and the orchestral version was first recorded in 1949 by Arthur Fiedler and The Boston Pops Orchestra. Lyrics were written by Mitchell Parish in 1950.

The cages and the washing down of their occupants resembles a scene from Planet Of The Apes (1968). The Alien Catcher General recalls the Witchfinder General. He wears a smiley (☺) badge, the smiley was apparently created in the USA in 1962 and initially meant to represent genuine happiness, but by 1978 it became, after years of cynical marketing and branding, a hollow symbol that now had the opposite meaning, while in the UK it accompanied psychedelic drug culture. He is also wearing a gollywog badge of a sort similar to those given away with Robertson's Marmalade between 1910 and 2002. Yes, 2002. The debate over whether gollywogs are an innocent toy or a racist caricature periodically rears its head. For the record, it's the latter.

MISTAKES
The prose style in Dredd's logbook is surprisingly florid.

RETROSPECT
One of Slay-Rider's steeds appears to be cross between a horse and Tyrannosaurus Rex.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Brian Bolland
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
On the face of it, the moral of this section is that slavery is wrong, but to write this off accordingly is to do it a disservice. The Slay-Riders are mutants, and brilliantly realised mutants on brilliantly realised steeds at that. Mutants who would be second class citizens in Mega-City One exerting power over creatures that have travelled thousands of light years. The slaves have become the enslavers. Tweak is a masterstroke of design and may well be the cutest individual to appear in comics ever.

Next Prog: Requiem For An Alien!

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 10 – Requiem For An Alien!

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D.Prog 70

DATELINE
24 June 78

PAGE COUNT
7

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd 6, Judge Dredd Epics: The Cursed Earth 1, Judge Dredd Epics: The Cursed Earth, Judge Dredd Epics: The Collected Cursed Earth, The Complete Judge Dredd 7 and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 02.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd protects Tweak from the Slay-Riders.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First time that a story has reached ten parts and our first insight into Tweak's backstory.

INFORMATION
Power swords presumably have an electric charge running through them.

Quasar Bikes have an auto-mortar.

JUDGE DREDD
He kills the Alien Catcher General. Dredd orders that the grave Tweak is guarding be dug up and upon seeing the contents, he assists Tweak in burying the occupants again.

OTHER CHARACTERS
SPIKES HARVEY ROTTEN
He fights in the battle with the Slay-Riders. He is suspicious of Tweak, but ultimately helps cover Tweak's grave.

TWEAK
A Slay-Rider's napalm thrower sets his fur alight. He accidentally activates the Quasar Bike's auto-mortar and kills a number of Slay-Riders and their steeds. After the battle, he returns to a rock-covered grave. Dredd surmises that it contains Tweak's mate and young, that they were shot dead for not working hard enough and that the rocks are food for the afterlife. Dredd, Spikes, Jack and the remaining robots help Tweak cover the grave with more rocks. Tweak prefers granite and quartz.

JUDGE PATTON
He is killed during the battle, eaten by one of the Slay-Rider's steeds.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
At least eight. Tweak kills two slay-riders and their steeds with the Lawmaster's auto-mortar and the Ferry-Master with his pincers. Dredd kills a napalm throwing slay-rider and the Alien Catcher General armed with power sword with their own weapons. Judge Patton is eaten by a Slay-Rider's steed. Spikes says that most of the robots have been destroyed, at least two have survived intact.

BEST LINES
Dredd (about the Alien Catcher General): You bit off more than you could chew, pal!

WORST LINES
Dredd: "Judge Dredd has no favourites! If Tweak is guilty of murder...I'll shoot him myself!"

CATCHPHRASES
Tweak says Twaar, Twaaaw, Twalk, Twark, Twilk, Twokk, Twolk and Twurrrrp once each, as well as Twurp twice and Tweak five times. Reliably Dredd thinks a "Drokk" and exclaims a "By Stomm", while one of the Slay-Riders lets out an "Aieee".

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Brian Bolland
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
The fight sequence is great, Bolland's artwork is wonderful and, although not subtle, the last page and a half concerning Tweak's family are surprisingly effective, but it would have been nice to see Tweak returning the favour and helping bury Judge Patton.

Next Prog: The Battle Of The Burger Barons!

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 11 – Battle Of The Burger Barons

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D.Prog 71

DATELINE
1 July 78

PAGE COUNT
7

REPRINTS
None.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd becomes embroiled in a war between two Burger Barons.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First time that a story has reached eleven parts and this is also the first of the 'banned' strips.

INFORMATION
The Great Atomic War turned Kansas into a nuclear dustbowl and it suffers from dust storms. In Between is a town with a population of 99, mainly normal. The town got its name because it is 'In Between' the land of the neighbouring burger barons. 'Ronald MacDonald' leads Macdonald's Marauders from a base in Macdonald City to the north of In Between, while the 'Burger King' leads the Burger Boys from Burgerville to the south.

JUDGE DREDD
He fights in the battle between the MacDonald's Marauders and the Burger Boys, but is kidnapped when 'Ronald MacDonald' wins.

OTHER CHARACTERS
SPIKES HARVEY ROTTEN
He rides into In Between with Dredd and orders a hamburger from a café, which causes the locals to pull a gun on him believing he is spying for one of the Burger Barons. He fights in the battle between the MacDonald's Marauders and the Burger Boys, but is kidnapped when 'Ronald MacDonald' wins.

'THE BURGER KING'
Burger Baron in charge of the Burger Boys. He is not the original Burger King. He gave the people of In Between an ultimatum to decide which side they were on. When it ran out he and his troops entered the town to discover the result only to find that MacDonald's forces were also present. They clashed and the Burger King was beaten by MacDonald and his forces fled.

'RONALD MACDONALD'
Burger Baron in charge of the MacDonald's Marauders. He is not the original Ronald MacDonald, but instead the son of the man who ran MacDonald's before the Great Atomic War. His troops clash with those of the Burger King in In Between and win. MacDonald orders the town set on fire and the inhabitants kidnapped.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
At least four. We see three soldiers of indeterminate affiliation die in battle, while 'The Burger King' is killed by 'Ronald MacDonald'.

BEST LINES
'Ronald MacDonald': "You'll have to stay a MacDonald customer till this war is won - An' that might be quite a spell yet....This is big country - Burger Country!".

WORST LINES
The 'Burger King': "You've bitten off more'n yuh kin chew this time Ronald!"

CATCHPHRASES
Dredd understandably asks "What the drokk are you talking about?", a fast food fighter shouts an "Aieeeee!" and 'Ronald MacDonald' says "There's a difference at MacDonald's - - A difference you'll enjoy", which was a McDonalds advertising slogan between 1974 and 1986.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
M(a)cDonalds and Burger King are fast food restaurants.

MISTAKES
At one point Dredd's badge reads Dreed.

RETROSPECT
This strip was not banned per se, but after encountering problems with another trademark infringing two-part section of The Cursed Earth, IPC decided to play it safe and chose not to reprint this part or its successor.

NOTES
There is very little here to draw attention to the fact that Tweak is now part of Dredd's crew. He appears in the background of one panel.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Mike McMahon
Letters: T. Frame

REVIEW
Mike McMahon's interpretation of 'Ronald MacDonald' is great and the genuine corporate rivalry left unchecked premise behind this strip is brilliant, but the end result is mostly ham-fisted.

Next Prog: Burger Law!!

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 12 – Burger Law!

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D.Prog 72

DATELINE
8 July 78

PAGE COUNT
7

REPRINTS
None.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd and Spikes must escape the Burger Barons.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First time that a story has reached twelve parts and I'll bet this is 2000 AD's first lynching as well.

INFORMATION
The lack of government after the Atomic War left a power vacuum, which the hamburger chains have sought to fill.

Cattle have mutated to the size of elephants.

Those affiliated to Burger King have declared it a crime to work for a different hamburger chain.

JUDGE DREDD
He and Spikes are taken to MacDonald City. They are locked up in a hamburger warehouse, but escape. They steal a pre-war truck from a transport depot and leave MacDonald City. They encounter a stampede caused by the Burger King vigilantes. Dredd and Spikes are found guilty of Hamburger Crimes and sentenced to death by the Burger King judge. They are to be hanged, but the sentence is interrupted by an attack by Judge Jack. They continue their journey.

OTHER CHARACTERS
SPIKES 'HARVEY' ROTTEN
He and Dredd are taken to MacDonald City and locked up in a hamburger warehouse, but they escape and steal a pre-war truck from a transport depot and leave the city. The run into a cattle stampede caused by Burger King forces and are arrested for Hamburger Crimes and sentenced to death by hanging. Judge Jack intervenes. They continue their journey.

JUDGE JACK
He finds Dredd and Spikes' Q-Bikes abandoned at In Between and heads to MacDonald City, but discovers the lynching instead and attacks the Burger King forces in the land-raider and saves Dredd and Spikes from being hanged .

ARRESTS
At least six. Dredd and Spikes are found guilty of Hamburger Crimes and sentenced to death by the Burger King judge. Jack subsequently arrests at least four Burger King soldiers and is forced to release them.

DEATHS
Two. 'Ronald MacDonald' shoots an employee dead and a Burger King soldier dies in Jack's attack.

BEST LINES
'Ronald MacDonald': "Don't worry, folks. Everythin' in MacDonalds is disposable - includin' the staff."

WORST LINES
Stampede Starter: "Hyaa! Move, lil' doggies!"

What?

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
'Ronald MacDonald' paraphrases the "I have a dream" speech delivered by Martin Luther King, Jr (1929–1968) in 1963. He mentions Hershey Bars and the New York Yankees, and the lyric "From sea to shining sea" is a line from 'America The Beautiful' by Katharine Lee Bates and Samuel A. Ward (1895).

MISTAKES
Part 11 took place in Kansas, but it's stated here that Dredd has reached Arkansas.

RETROSPECT
Dredd says he will return and "deal with that crazy hamburger war", which seems unlikely given IPC's 'banning'.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: T.B. Grover
Artist: Mike McMahon
Letters: Tom Frame

T.B. Grover is another in John Wagner's line of pseudonyms.

REVIEW
This is better. 'The Bit With The Burger Barons' comes to an end with more of the satire and dark humour than it began as competition gives way to dreams of monopoly. The opening double page splash of MacDonald City and the panel of the lynching in silhouette (both above) are astonishing pieces of work.

Next Prog: The Coming Of Satanus!

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 13 – The Coming Of Satanus!

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D.Prog 73

DATELINE
15 July 78

PAGE COUNT
7

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd 7, The Complete Judge Dredd 7, Judge Dredd Epics: The Cursed Earth, Judge Dredd Epics: The Cursed Earth 2, Judge Dredd Epics: The Collected Cursed Earth and Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files 02.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd encounters fleeing dinosaurs and is stalked by their predator.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First time that a story has reached thirteen parts and the first appearance of Satanus.

INFORMATION
The Dinosaur National Park brought back several species of dinosaur using genetic engineering. When the Atomic War (possibly also referred to as World War Three) affected the area the specimens were able to roam freely. Among the dinosaurs recreated are Styracosaurus, Diplodocus, Stegosaurus, Triceratops, Pterodactyl and Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Repentance is a town a few miles away from Dinosaur National Park.

JUDGE DREDD
He is suspicious of people he deems too friendly.

OTHER CHARACTERS
SATANUS
A black Tyrannosaurus Rex with red eyes. His DNA was cloned from a fossil in the Colorado Desert and the cells were injected into alligator eggs. He was the only T-Rex of a batch of 4 to successfully hatch from the egg and within seconds he was walking and bit a scientist's finger. He was initially fed on sheep, then cattle and at one point a cat. An attempt to cut down his food intake resulted in one of the scientists losing a leg. He refused to eat a soya meat substitute. When the Dinosaur National Park opened he was the star attraction and fed on drugged meat to keep him docile. Until one day, a keeper forgot to drug the meat and Satanus made an escape attempt with two Hairy Tyrannosaurs eating seven tourists in the process. When recaptured he saw his fellow escapees sedated, but he resisted and escaped a second time into the mountains. Six rangers went in search of him and failed to return. He has possibly become known as the Dark One. He follows Dredd's land-raider to the town of Repentence, which Satanus regards as his 'special place'.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
At least fourteen. A Styracosaur is eaten alive by Satanus in the present, while in flashback he eats sheep, cattle, a cat and at least thirteen people between panels.

BEST LINES
Spikes: "I thought it was meant to stand up to anything, Judgey."
Dredd: "Guess no-one told the manufacturer about stampeding dinosaurs!"

WORST LINES
Judge Jack: "...Like something out of Hell!"

CATCHPHRASES
Dredd "By Stomm!"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Other than the Tyrannosaurus Rex, the other specimens represented at the Dinosaur National Park are all herbivorous and lived in what is now North America. Diplodocus and Stegosaurus lived about 150 million years ago at the end of the Jurassic Period while Styracosaurus and Triceratops lived in the Cretaceous Period about 75 million years ago and 65 million years ago respectively. There is also an unidentifiable Pterosaur and neck frilled lizard. The carnivore Tyrannosaurus Rex was also to be found in the late Cretaceous Period about 65 million years ago and it easily the most famous dinosaur of all. We are so familiar with the Tyrannosaurus Rex that the idea of a Hairy T-Rex seems ridiculous, but three fossils of Yutyrannus, a related species, were discovered in China in 2012 with evidence of feathers or hairy bristles.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
The use of genetic engineering from fossil DNA to bring back the dinosaurs will later be a central tenet of Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park novel (1990) and subsequent film (1993).

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Mike McMahon
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
'The Bit With The Dinosaurs' barely features Dredd as it gets underway with an extended flashback. It's clear this is the prologue to a story of much larger scope. The dinosaurs look great and the Jurassic Park comparison is eerily close.

Next Prog: For Whom The Bell Tolls!

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 14 – For Whom The Bell Tolls!

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D.Prog 74

DATELINE
22 July 78

PAGE COUNT
7

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 02.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd and Spikes are set up to be sacrificed to Satanus.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First time that a story has reached fourteen parts, first reference to Flesh.

INFORMATION
Black Rock is near Repentance. When the townsfolk ring the church bells in Repentance the dinosaurs assemble at Black Rock to be fed.

JUDGE DREDD
He has programmed the land-raider's computer to teach Tweak elementary English. His food is drugged in Repentance's saloon and he awakes to discover he has been tied up at Black Rock as a sacrifice.

OTHER CHARACTERS
SATANUS
He has memories of his first life, 65 million years ago, Old One Eye was his hag-mother, she taught him everything he knew and she killed him when he attacked her in a bid to replace her as pack leader. Now, he tears off another Tyrannosaur's tail and the dinosaur falls into a volcano. He now leads a pack of at least eight Tyrannosaurs. He is also known as Satanus the twice-born and Satanus the unchained.

OLD ONE EYE
Hag-mother to Satanus in his first life. She killed a Scolosaur and tipped it onto its back for her three offspring to eat from its armour like a feeding trough. She taught them how to hunt. In her eightieth year, Satanus attacked her in an attempt to replace her as pack leader. He was unsuccessful, she broken every bone in his body and ate him alive. At the age of one hundred and twenty, she lost an eye, earning her the name Old One Eye and she led an army of Tyrannosaurs to great and bloody victory.

TWEAK
Dredd has programmed the land-raider's computer to teach Tweak elementary English.

SPIKES 'HARVEY' ROTTEN
His food is drugged in Repentance's saloon and he awakes to discover he has been tied up at Black Rock as a sacrifice.

JACK
His food is drugged in Repentance's saloon and the townsfolk intend to sacrifice him to Satanus later.

BULL CANNON
Blacksmith of Repentance.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
Six. Satanus kills another Tyrannosaurus Rex and his pack eats two of the sacrifices. In flashback. Satanus and his siblings eat a Scolosaur and a Brontosaurus, and later Satanus is killed by his mother.

BEST LINES
Bull Cannon: "The way we see it, Judge...The tyrant lizards ruled for millions of years at the beginning of the world...And now they'll rule again at the end of the world! It's a judgement on the human race!"

WORST LINES
Spikes: "They're coming for us now! Well, why don't yer say something, Judge? Anything!"
Dredd: "What is there to say, Spikes - Except...we're dead meat!"

CATCHPHRASES
Dredd says "what the Drokk...?"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
Satanus is revealed to be the clone of the son of Old One Eye from Flesh.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
For Whom the Bell Tolls is a novel by Ernest Hemingway published in 1940.

In the saloon someone sings a version of 'Home On The Range' with dinosaury lyrics, the original lyrics were written by Dr. Brewster M. Higley (1823–1911) in the early 1870s, set to music by Daniel E. Kelley (1845–1905) and it was officially adopted as the state song of Kansas in 1947.

Scolosaurus is a heavily armoured dinosaur from about 76 million years ago and fossils have been found in what is now Canada. Brontosaurus, now known by the name Apatosaurus, lived about 150 million years ago, during the Jurassic Period and was one of the largest land animals known to have ever existed.

MISTAKES
Vittals again.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Mike McMahon
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
Another flashback heavy chapter, but the tie in with Flesh is great and the rudimentary pseudo-religion of the people of Repentance is a nice touch, deftly explained.

Next Prog: Picnic At Black Rock!

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 15 – Picnic At Black Rock!

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D.Prog 75

DATELINE
29 July 78

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd 7, The Complete Judge Dredd 7, Judge Dredd Epics: The Cursed Earth, Judge Dredd Epics: The Cursed Earth 2, Judge Dredd Epics: The Collected Cursed Earth and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 02.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd and Spikes escape being eaten by Satanus.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First time that a story has reached fifteen parts.

INFORMATION
Repentance has a jailhouse and stages dinosaur claw fights.

War Robots programme number 3 is riot and heavy duty assault work and can be armed with flamethrowers.

JUDGE DREDD
He escapes being sacrificed to Satanus, cutting himself and Spikes free with a dinosaur tooth. He threatens to raze Repentance to the ground.

OTHER CHARACTERS
SPIKES 'HARVEY' ROTTEN
Dredd frees him from his bonds and Spikes throws his grenade earring at another Tyrannosaur. The explosion blows its head off and the rest of Tyrannosaur pack devour its body as Dredd and Spikes escape.

TWEAK
He is appalled by the people of Repentance enjoying dinosaur blood sports. He uses the Land-Raider to run them over.

JUDGE JACK
He is locked in the jailhouse and nearly eaten by Satanus.

SATANUS
He is known by the people of Repentance as his Satanic Majesty. He breaks into the jailhouse and eats several individuals incarcerated as future sacrifices.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
At least nine. Red Zombie is killed by Little Hades in a claw fight. Spikes kills a Tyrannosaurus Rex with his grenade. Tweak runs down two at least two Repentance residents in the Land-Raider. Satanus eats at least five sacrifices.

BEST LINES
Spikes: "I hate to waste good jewellery-but...choke on this pineapple, Dino!"

WORST LINES
Repentance Resident: "Sieve 'em"

CATCHPHRASES
Tweak says Twark and Twurrrk, while Dredd says "By Stomm!" again.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
Spikes found his grenade in Chapter 4.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
The title is a combination of the novel Picnic At Hanging Rock (1967) and film Bad Day At Black Rock (1955).

MISTAKES
Spikes says "Whaddayknow...", but he probably means "Whaddyaknow...".

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Mike McMahon
Letters: T. Frame

REVIEW
After the last two chapters, the lack of flashback here is odd. This is brilliantly gory and it's nice to see Tweak being incorporated into the narrative.

Next Prog: Black Sabbath!

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 16 – Black Sabbath!

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 76

DATELINE
5 Aug 78

This prog also featured Ant Wars, Dan Dare, Tharg's Future Shocks and Robo-Hunter strips, the second part of the Cursed Earth board game and a Robo-Hunter cover by Ian Gibson.

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Complete Judge Dredd 7, Judge Dredd Epics: The Cursed Earth, Judge Dredd Epics: The Cursed Earth 2, Judge Dredd Epics: The Collected Cursed Earth, Judge Dredd 7 and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 02.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd razes Repentance to the ground and Satanus is defeated.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First time that a story has reached sixteen parts.

INFORMATION
The town of Repentance is burned to the ground.

JUDGE DREDD
He saves Judge Jack from Satanus. Repentance is razed to the ground on his orders.

OTHER CHARACTERS
SPIKES
He helps to destroy Repentance. Spikes drives the Kill-Dozer into Repentance's church, whilst Satanus rides atop it.

JUDGE JACK
Dredd shoots through his chains and saves him from Satanus.

SATANUS
He jumps onto the Kill-Dozer and is smashed into the church when it crashes. He is burned by the flamethrower armed robots and believed dead, instead he fell into the vault below the church and survived.

BULL CANNON
He is killed by a Tyrannosaur tooth through the skull, but not before he orders his pet dinosaurs, Little Hades, to kill Dredd.

TWEAK
He kills Little Hades when it attacks Dredd.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
At least five. Satanus eats two more sacrifices, while his pack eat at least two Repentance residents. Tweak kills Little Hades with his claws.

BEST LINES
Bull Cannon: "You...turned the forces of darkness against Repentance...I tried to tell them I was on their side - but...wouldn't listen...turned on me..."

WORST LINES
Spikes: "It's on the roof! Can't get the guns to traverse!"

CATCHPHRASES
Tweak says "Twaark", a resident of Repentance shouts an "Aieeeee!" and Dredd makes a speech which culminates in "I am the law!"

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Black Sabbath shares its name with a 1963 horror film and Ozzy Osbourne's band. Pterodactyls are a genus of Pterosaur that lived about 150 million years ago in the late Jurassic Period throughout what is now Europe and Africa. Dredd paraphrases "bats in the belfry", a phrase meaning crazy apparently dating from the early 1900's.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
Satanus would indeed be back.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Mike McMahon
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
'The Bit With The Dinosaurs' culminates with a brilliant action-packed finale with set pieces that many a movie would envy.

Next Prog: Loser's Leap!

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 17 – Giants Aren't Gentlemen!

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 77

DATELINE
12 Aug 78

This strip also featured Ant Wars, Dan Dare, Tharg's Future Shocks and Robo-Hunter, a Judge Dredd cover by Brian Bolland and part three of the Cursed Earth board game.

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
None.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd encounters some copyright infringing mascots and is drugged.

FIRSTS & LASTS
Fist time that a story has reached seventeen parts.

INFORMATION
In the middle of the Great Utah Dustbowl lies a grassland and a farm, which is home to a variety of creatures from green giants to soluble people.

In 2093, Gribbon's farm produced a Blueberry and Mesquite wine, which he will one day describe as "a rather vivacious vintage!"

JUDGE DREDD
He is almost eaten by a giant. He is drugged by Gribbon.

OTHER CHARACTERS
SPIKES 'HARVEY' ROTTEN
He is drugged by Gribbon.

GRIBBON
He runs a farm in the Great Utah Dustbowl. He plans to extract gland fluids from Dredd and Spikes via brain surgery to feed his creatures.

ELMER & ABNER
Two thirty feet tall green giants.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
Two. Alki-4 dissolves in water, while Dredd shoots a farmhand dead.

BEST LINES
Farmhand: "Quit, strugglin', brat! It's the big fizz for you!"

WORST LINES
Spikes: "(Ha Ha) Even better than matchsticks under the toenails!"

What?

CATCHPHRASES
Dredd fits two futuristic expletives into one speech bubble: "Stomm! That drokking giant again!" and takes Dokk's name is vain twice.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Elmer and Abner would struggle to look more like the Minnesota Valley Canning Company's mascot for Green Giant Vegetables since 1928 and one of them even says "I'm the Jolly Green Giant..." Alkis-4 9, 25 and 42 look very much like Speedy the face of Alka Seltzer since 1951. Gribbon looks dangerously close to Kentucky Fried Chicken's Colonel modelled on founder Harland Sanders (1890–1980). Mr Peanut is the company logo for Planters Peanuts created via a 1916 competition by a fourteen year-old schoolboy named Antonio Gentile and another artist who added the spats, top hat, monocle and cane. The Michelin Man is the symbol of the Michelin tire company since 1894 and one of the world's oldest trademarks, his name is Bibendum and apparently comes from the slogan "Nunc est bibendum", which bizarrely means "Now is the time to drink".

MISTAKES
Spikes describes their journey so far as "a thousand miles of hell on Earth", but they've driven about twice that.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
The gland fluids which the creatures feed on must go pretty far, because Gribbon say they haven't had any visitors for many years.

CREDITS
Script: Jack Adrian
Artist: Brian Bolland
Letters: Tom Frame

Jack Adrian is a pseudonym used by Chris Lowder. This instalment of The Cursed Earth and its successor were the only Judge Dredd strips that Lowder scripted, but he also wrote two text stories for Judge Dredd annuals. He also wrote for Dan Dare, Invasion, Tharg's Future Shocks, Timequake, Ro-Busters, a one-off called The Great Detective Caper and plenty of Time Twisters.

REVIEW
What were they thinking? This is beyond odd. It's like an adaptation of The Island Of Doctor Moreau with the cast drawn exclusively from corporate mascots with the express hope of getting sued. In its favour, Brian Bolland's artwork is beautiful as ever.

Next Prog: Soul Food

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 18 – Soul Food

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 78

DATELINE
19 Aug 78

This strip featured alongside Ant Wars, Dan Dare, Tharg's Future Shocks, Robo-Hunter, part four of the Cursed Earth board game and an Ant Wars cover by Kevin O'Neill.

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
None.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd and friends escape Gribbon and his trademarked workforce.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First time that a story has reached eighteen parts and the last of the banned strips.

INFORMATION
Judges need to be ambidextrous marksmen.

Gribbon's farm was built on the site of a pre-Atomic War Government Agricultural Research Station. It burns to the ground and he and his creatures are all killed.

JUDGE DREDD
He has been drugged, when he comes around he attacks Doctor Gribbon, escapes his bonds and discovers the doctor's inspiration for his creatures. Gribbon shoots him in the left shoulder.

OTHER CHARACTERS
DOCTOR GRIBBON
He took inspiration for his creatures from pre-Atomic War advertising. Dredd incapacitates him and escapes, but Gribbon traps him with Spikes and Jack in a concrete corridor with the walls closing in. He is later killed by a tablet-kid powder jam that caused his gun to explode.

TWEAK
He eats his way through a concrete wall to save Dredd, Spikes and Jack. The impurities in the rock give him indigestion.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
At least 48. Dredd pops a Michelin Man-style creature. Elmer and Abner are killed when the Solar Power explodes as are all the creatures attacking them (I count 43). Gribbon shoots two of the Tablet-kids dead, one of whom jams the barrel of his gun and the doctor is killed when it explodes.

BEST LINES
Gribbon: "Ah! Awake, Dredd? Excellent! So much more interesting to operate on a conscious subject!"

WORST LINES
Michelin Man-style creature: "Whee-ssss!"

Why is he saying this? Surely, this is a sound effect.

CATCHPHRASES
Another "Drokk it!" from Dredd, while Tweak says "Twark!" three times, "Tweak" twice and "Twurk" once and one of the green giants laughs a potentially copyrighted "Ho ho ho!".

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Soul food is a form of African American cuisine which is influenced by food of West Africa, Louisiana Creole and the Southern United States. "Tiens!" is French for "Hey!"

MISTAKES
The Michelin Man style creature fires at Judges Dredd and Jack with their own Lawgivers with none of the self-destructing ill effects established in Judge Dredd: 'The Wreath Murders'.

RETROSPECT
The threat of legal action from the owners of the Jolly Green Giant caused IPC to promise that neither this strip, nor its predecessor, would ever be reprinted. In addition, an apology strip would be published in Prog 84.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Jack Adrian
Artist: Brian Bolland
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
The eccentric set up of chapter 17 at least gave the impression that we were onto something interesting. Sadly it was not to be. This wasn't worth the prospect of the legal action, Dredd's moralising at the end is very awkward and the best thing about 'The Banned Bit With Corporate Mascots' is that its superfluity means that The Cursed Earth can still be enjoyed without it.

Next Prog: Loser's Leap!

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 19 – Losers Leap

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 79

DATELINE
26 Aug 78

This Prog bore a Judge Dredd cover by Mike McMahon, and also featured Ant Wars, Dan Dare, Robo-Hunter and Walter The Wobot strips, alongside the fifth part of the Cursed Earth board game.

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Complete Judge Dredd 7, Judge Dredd Epics: The Cursed Earth 2, Judge Dredd Epics: The Collected Cursed Earth, Judge Dredd Epics: The Cursed Earth, Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 02 and possibly Judge Dredd 7.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd reaches Las Vegas.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First time that a story has reached nineteen parts and first example of a mutant Judge.

INFORMATION
After the Great War, Las Vegas was taken over by the Syndicate, which runs the Judges and the gambling. Citizens can gamble on the outcome of tank battles, dice games, roulette, criminal sentencing and methods of execution. Their equivalent of the Chief Judge is known as the God Judge, their Hall Of Justice is a casino and their sentencing sometimes a game of chance: individuals might be asked to pick a card and different cards have different outcomes, for example a deuce would result in the being buried alive. Other crimes result in a jump from Loser's Leap, an elevated aperture high up in the Hall Of Justice that 'Losers' are forced to jump through to the deaths and onto a target with bets taken on their final position. Their unit of currency is the Cred. Named Las Vegas Judges: Judge Fingers.

The League Against Gambling is an illegal organisation that is anti-gambling.

JUDGE DREDD
He is appalled by the Las Vegas Judges and confront them. They force him to prepare to jump Loser's Leap.

OTHER CHARACTERS
SPIKES 'HARVEY' ROTTEN
He has always wanted to see Las Vegas.

THE GOD JUDGE
He is in charge of Las Vegas. He tries criminal cases in the Grand Hall of the city's Hall Of Justice.

JUDGE FINGERS
Las Vegas Judge. He has extra fingers. Fingers fights Dredd and forces him to jump Loser's Leap.

ARRESTS
One. The God Judge sentences one man for being a member of the League Against Gambling to being buried alive.

DEATHS
One. A suicidal jump off Loser's Leap.

BEST LINES
Las Vegas Judge (whilst guarding the suicidal Loser's Leap queue): "Make space at da front there."

WORST LINES
Spikes: "Crazy, man! Dey all had numbers on their tanks like dey was in some kinda contest."

CATCHPHRASES
Dredd says "M-my Dok!" at the sight of the Las Vegas Halls Of Justice.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Mario Puzo's 1969 novel The Godfather, its film adaption of the same name in 1972 and the film's 1974 sequel, The Godfather, Part II, all feature the Mafia and their contribution to Las Vegas.

MISTAKES
The city's name is mis-spelt Las Vagas on the first page (above).

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: TB Grover
Artist: Mike McMahon
Letters: Johnny Aldrich

REVIEW
'The Bit In Las Vegas' starts oddly with some confusing tank choreography, but the city, its warped version of the Judge system and its ability to seize every opportunity to gamble is great.

Next Prog: The God Judge!

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 20 – The God Judge

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 80

DATELINE
2 Sep 78

This Prog also featured a Robo-Hunter cover by Ian Gibson, Ant Wars, Dan Dare, Tharg's Future Shocks and Robo-Hunter strips and the last part of the Cursed Earth board game.

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd Epics: The Cursed Earth 2, Judge Dredd Epics: The Cursed Earth, Judge Dredd Epics: The Collected Cursed Earth, The Complete Judge Dredd 7, Judge Dredd 8 and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 02.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd attempts to become the God-Judge.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First time that a story has reached twenty parts.

INFORMATION
Once a year, Judge from the Mafia families meet to compete in a gang fight to become God-Judge. It is the big gambling event of the year.

The League Against Gambling meet in a huge, disused fallout shelter. Their leader, Abner Cobb was executed, but he prophesied that a saviour will come and end their struggle.

VTV are a Las Vegas television station.

Named Las Vegas Judges: God-Judge Lucky Mutiano, Judge Rocko Steeleye, Judge Aldo

JUDGE DREDD
Spikes saves him when he jumps off Loser's Leap, they meet Rudy and he takes them to the League Against Gambling. They inform him of their prophecy and the next day's gang fight. Dredd enters and wins and is in principle the God-Judge of Las Vegas, but appoints Rudy to serve in his stead.

OTHER CHARACTERS
SPIKES 'HARVEY' ROTTEN
He saves Dredd from Loser's Leap with a fire escape chute. Spikes enters the gang fight as Dredd's number 2 and he drives while Dredd shoots.

THE GOD-JUDGE
His name is Lucky Mutiano. Last year, he won the gang fight and competes again this year to defend his title.

RUDY
Member of the League Against Gambling.

ABNER COBB
Executed former leader of the League Against Gambling. He prophesied that a man in black with a steed of iron would come from the East and smite the God Judge, replace him for the next 24 years and his name will be Dread.

JUDGE ROCKO STEELEYE
He is competing for the Androidini family in the competition to become the God-Judge. He is half Vegas Bionics.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
Four. Dredd shoots Judge Rocko's car during the gang fight and it explodes, before running the God-Judge off the road.

BEST LINES
Linus: "I-I don't understand. The saviour was supposed to remain one score years and four!"

WORST LINES
Dredd: "Get this buggy, Spikes!"

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
We saw a different type of fire escape chute in Judge Dredd: Firebug .

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Lucky Mutiano's name recalls Charles "Lucky" Luciano (1897–1962), the man considered the founder of the US Mafia.

MISTAKES
If the League Against Gambling is illegal, then having LAG written across your chest or forehead is madness.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: T.B. Grover
Artist: Mike McMahon
Letters: John Aldrich

REVIEW
The first page, Spikes saving Dredd and the prophecy are all great, but 'The Bit With The Mafia' suffers during the gang fight set piece from some awkward geography.

Next Prog: Tweak's Story!

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 21 – Tweak's Story!

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 81

DATELINE
9 Sep 78

This Prog also featured Ant Wars, Dan Dare, Tharg's Future Shocks and Robo-Hunter strips, a Dan Dare Futuregraph and a Dan Dare cover by Dave Gibbons.

PAGE COUNT
7

REPRINTS
The Complete Judge Dredd 7, Judge Dredd 8, Judge Dredd Epics: The Cursed Earth 2, Judge Dredd Epics: The Collected Cursed Earth, Judge Dredd Epics: The Cursed Earth, The Best Of Judge Dredd and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 02.

SYNOPSIS
Tweak tells his story.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First time that a story has reached twenty-one parts.

INFORMATION

Tweak's planet featured vast cities and rock farms beneath the ground. The arrival of human astronauts forced them to develop an isolationist way of life.

JUDGE DREDD
He listens to Tweak's story and presumes the worst.

OTHER CHARACTERS
TWEAK
He was the leader of his people on their planet. Tweak has powers of pre-cognition. When humans first landed on his planet he could see that if they remained they would mine it and bring pollution and disease. He ordered that the surface be cleared of all evidence of his species, but not before his mate and two children were captured.

He can now speak rudimentary English and his Mathematics is very advanced.

SPIKES 'HARVEY' ROTTEN
He listens to Tweak's story and wants to exploit the riches of Tweak's planet.

JUDGE JACK
Dredd orders him to fix the land-raider's vaccine refrigeration unit.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Tweak's mate: "Twolk"
Tweak: "Twexx?"

WORST LINES
Astronaut: "Let's go, men. This planet ain't worth returnin' to in a hurry!"

CATCHPHRASES
When not speaking English, Tweak and his species say Twaal, Twalk, Twexx, Twolk, Twurk, Twurrp and Twuurp.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
This part works like a prequel to The Cursed Earth, Chapters Nine and Ten.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None,

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Brian Bolland
Letters: Pete Knight

REVIEW
Finding out more about Tweak was always going to be a hit with me and Brian Bolland's artwork is sublime, but the Dredd's thought bubble in the final panel is fails to provide any peril.

Next Prog: Alien Messiah!

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 22 – Tweak's Story

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 82

DATELINE
16 Sep 78

This Prog bore a Judge Dredd cover by Brian Bolland and featured Ant Wars, Dan Dare, Tharg's Future Shocks, Robo-Hunter and Walter The Wobot strips.

PAGE COUNT
7

REPRINTS
The Complete Judge Dredd 8, Judge Dredd Epics: The Cursed Earth 2, Judge Dredd Epics: The Collected Cursed Earth, Judge Dredd Epics: The Cursed Earth, Judge Dredd 8, The Best Of Judge Dredd and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 02.

SYNOPSIS
Tweak finishes telling his story.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First time a story has reached twenty-two parts.

INFORMATION
There are plantations near the Mississippi river.

JUDGE DREDD
He listens to Tweak's story and subsequent prediction.

OTHER CHARACTERS
TWEAK
Human scientists did several intelligence tests on him, which he deliberately failed to protect his people from human interaction.
He was sold into slavery to work for a ferry owner. Tweak escaped, but too late to be reunited with his family and he buried them in a rock covered grave as food for the afterlife.

TWEAK'S MATE
She and her two young were sold into slavery on a plantation. She worked in the fields, while her offspring were kept as pets for, Sophie, the plantation owner's daughter. Sophie was bitten by one of Tweak's young whilst she tried to dress them and with her pre-cognisance, Tweak's mate could see that her children were about to be shot. She came to their rescue and was killed with them, but not before she had killed the plantation owner.

SPIKES 'HARVEY' ROTTEN
He was raised in Mega-City One. Tweak signs over half a planet to him, but predicts that he will die in Death Valley.

JUDGE JACK
He has fixed the land-raider.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
Four. Tweak's mate and two children were shot dead by the plantation owner, and with her dying breath Tweak's mate got her own back.

BEST LINES
Tweak: "Willllll it make you happy, Spiiiiiiiikes?"
Spikes: "Yahooo! I own half a planet...Me, Spikes Harvey Rotten, raised in the gutters of Mega-City One! I'll be a somebody at last! First punk billionaire- Wiv solid gold earrings!"

WORST LINES
Scientist: "The thick brute doesn't understand weapons either - He's pointing the gun at himself!"

You gave him a gun? Count yourself lucky that he's pointing it at himself.

CATCHPHRASES
Tweak and his mate each say Tweak three times, as well as Twaaaaaw, Twaaaar, Twaaaawk, Twokk and Twol. Dredd says "By Stomm!" again and Sophie will "thcweam and thcweam and thcweam!" (see INFLUENCES & REFERENCES).

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
Again this is a prequel to Chapter Nine.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Sophie thcweams just like Violet Elizabeth Bott in the Just William short stories by Richmal Crompton, first published in 1922.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Brian Bolland
Letters: Pete Knight

REVIEW
'The Bit With Tweak's Back Story' risks outstaying its welcome showing us events that Dredd had supposed in Chapter Ten, but the sumptuous Bolland artwork and the prediction of Spikes' death save it.

Next Prog: Legion Of The Damned!

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 23 – Legion Of The Damned!

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 83

DATELINE
23 Sep 78

This Prog was the first to cost 10p and featured Ant Wars, Dan Dare, Tharg's Future Shocks and Robo-Hunter strips alongside a Judge Dredd cover by Mike McMahon and a Star Pin-Up of Tweak by Brian Bolland.

PAGE COUNT
7

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd 8, Judge Dredd Epics: The Cursed Earth 2, Judge Dredd Epics: The Collected Cursed Earth, Judge Dredd Epics: The Cursed Earth, The Complete Judge Dredd 8 and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 02.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd and company are attacked by robot soldiers in Death Valley.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First time that a story has reach twenty-three parts and the last appearance of Judge Jack.

INFORMATION
The lights of Mega-City Two are visible from Death Valley.

The Battle of Armageddon was fought in 2071 in Death Valley between the Judges and the deposed President 'Bad Bob' Booth's robot armies. It is considered worse than Alamein, Iwo Jima and Stalingrad. There is a war memorial to the one hundred thousand Judges and Mega Troopers that fought and died. The battlefield is still littered with troops of the robot armies. Among them the Presidential Iron Guard, the first and second Berserkers and the Mek Panzers.

The Castillo De Los Hombres Muertos (The Fort Of The Dead Men) is nearby.

JUDGE DREDD
He speaks some Spanish. Dredd wants to pay his respects to those who fell in the Battle of Armageddon, but is attacked by the robot soldiers of the Battle of Armageddon. He, Spikes and Tweak take refuge in a nearby Spanish fort.

OTHER CHARACTERS
SPIKES
He is shot off his bike by the robot army.

JUDGE JACK
He is rattled by the robot soldiers and deserts in the Kill-Dozer. He is killed by the robot army whilst surrendering outside the Kill-Dozer.

GENERAL BLOOD 'N' GUTS
Commander of the Mek Army.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
One. Judge Jack is killed by the robot troopers.

BEST LINES
Dredd: "Get a grip on yourself, Judge Jack!...It was only an old war 'droid left over from the battle, with a little energy left in its batteries. It had to obey it's programming to kill Judges!"

WORST LINES
Spikes: "This place looks like it's seen some action before...What's some joker scrawled on the wall?"

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
There are mentions of Bad Bob Booth in Chapter 8 and Judge Jack's tangle with Satanus in Chapters 15 and 16.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Alamein presumably refers to a World War II campaign in 1942 which included the First Battle of El Alamein, the Battle of Alam el Halfa and the Second Battle of El Alamein. The Battle of Iwo Jima or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in 1945 which the USA fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Japanese. The Battle of Stalingrad saw Nazi Germany fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad from August 1942 to February 1943. It is a serious contender for bloodiest battle ever and therefore Dredd's contention that the Battle of Armageddon was worse means that more than 1.3 million must have died.

General Blood 'N' Guts is named after General George S. Patten's nickname 'Old Blood And Guts' (1885–1945).

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
Judge Jack's badge will turn up in Shok!

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: P. Mills
Artist: M. McMahon
Letters: John Aldrich

REVIEW
'The Bit In Death Valley' starts very well and Judge Jack's meltdown is well-explored, although it's a shame that Tweak's prediction has been shelved, however briefly.

Next Prog: Dredd's Last Stand!

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Supplement – The Last Meal

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 84

DATELINE
30 Sep 78

This strip featured alongside Chapter 24 of Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, a Ant Wars cover by Kevin O'Neill and Ant Wars, Dan Dare, Robo-Hunter and Walter The Wobot strips.

PAGE COUNT
1

REPRINTS
None.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd and Spikes discuss running out of food and giants. The Jolly Green Giant restocks their supplies.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First example of product placement.

INFORMATION
Green Giant Foods are available in Mega-City One. Their mascot is the Jolly Green Giant.

JUDGE DREDD
He and Spikes have been eating Green Giant corn throughout their journey across the Cursed Earth.

OTHER CHARACTERS
SPIKES 'HARVEY' ROTTEN
He is sick of the Cursed Earth.

JOLLY GREEN GIANT
Mascot of the Green Giant Foods. Roams the Cursed Earth. He secretly supplies Dredd and Company with cans of Green Giant Corn while they sleep.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
Spikes: "I'm sick o' this Cursed Earth, Judgey Boy! Sick of it y'hear?"

WORST LINES
Dredd: "Green Giant Foods have served us well on this trek. I'm glad the Jolly Green Giant isn't like that other giant we met a while back!"

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
Dredd and Spikes discuss the Giants they met in Chapters 17 and 18.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
This strip appeared by way of an apology to Green Giants Foods, after Chapters 17 and 18 sailed a bit too close to the wind, copyright wise.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Unknown
Artist: Brendan McCarthy
Letters: Unknown

REVIEW
By its very nature this little oddity is slight on story, but it's actually much better than expected. The Jolly Green Giant visits Dredd sounds like a terrible idea, but it's arguably handled better here than the offending Chapters 17 and 18.

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 24 – Dredd's Last Stand!

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 84

DATELINE
30 Sep 78

PAGE COUNT
7

REPRINTS
The Complete Judge Dredd 8, Judge Dredd Epics: The Cursed Earth 2, Judge Dredd Epics: The Collected Cursed Earth, Judge Dredd Epics: The Cursed Earth, Judge Dredd 8 and Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files 02.

SYNOPSIS
Spikes goes out in a blaze of glory.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First time that a story has reached twenty-four parts and the last appearance of both Spikes and the land-raider.

INFORMATION
Anti-Personnel Grabbers, or APGs, are claws that can be mounted on robotic siege tanks. War Droids have infra-red eyes.

JUDGE DREDD
After a four day siege in the fort, he offers to give himself up and entrust the vaccine to Spikes. When Spikes is killed, Dredd uses his body as part of a decoy. He and Tweak set off for Mega-City Two on foot carrying a crate of vaccine each.

OTHER CHARACTERS
SPIKES 'HARVEY' ROTTEN
He rejects the robot surrender and is killed climbing over the fort's battlements. Dredd dresses him up in a spare Judge's uniform as a decoy and sends him into battle on a bike set to automatic.

TWEAK
He's almost killed by the APG. Dredd gives him a crate of vaccine to look after and the pair set off for Mega-City Two on foot.

GENERAL BLOOD 'N' GUTS
He offers surrender, but his terms are that Dredd gives himself up and the others can go free. After Dredd's decoy using Spikes' body and the Land-Raider, he believes the Judge is dead.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
One. Spikes is shot dead by the Mek Army.

BEST LINES
Dredd: "So long, Spikes...You were more than just a punk...you were...the greatest punk of all time!"

WORST LINES
Robot: "Attack! Attack! Unto the end! Never stop! Never bend!"

CATCHPHRASES
Tweak says Twark, Twaaark and his own name three times, while Dredd says "By Stomm!" again.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
Tweak's prediction from Chapter 22 comes true here.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
The title recalls Custer's Last Stand, which is another name for The Battle Of The Little Bighorn which took place in 1876 between the combined forces of Lakota, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes, against a US army cavalry regiment.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
One of the robot is called Mills and there's a gun labelled McMahon.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: M. McMahon
Letters: Pete Knight

REVIEW
The penultimate chapter takes a surprising turn as the ending to 'The Bit In Death Valley' successfully gives Spikes not one great send off, but two.

Next Prog: The Big Kiss-Off!

NAME
Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Final Chapter – Death Crawl!

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D. Prog 85

DATELINE
7 Oct 78

This Prog contained Ant Wars, Dan Dare, Walter The Wobot and a pair of Tharg's Future Shocks strips and a Judge Dredd cover by Mike McMahon.

PAGE COUNT
7

REPRINTS
Judge Dredd Epics: The Cursed Earth 2, Judge Dredd Epics: The Collected Cursed Earth, Judge Dredd Epics: The Cursed Earth, The Complete Judge Dredd 8, Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 02 and possibly Judge Dredd 9

SYNOPSIS
Dredd crawls to Mega-City Two.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First time that a story has reached twenty-five parts (and therefore the first twenty-five part story).

INFORMATION
The neon lights of Mega-City Two had gone out, the vaccine is delivered and the city is saved. The city boasts the Los Angeles spaceport and a new Pleasure Emporium.

JUDGE DREDD
The walk through the Mojave desert with the vaccine on his back leaves him hallucinating. A buried robot injures his leg leaving him crawling and requiring surgery. Dredd delivers the vaccine to Mega-City Two, is rushed to surgery and almost loses his leg. After weeks of recuperation, he sees that Tweak is returned to his home planet. Dredd returns to Mega-City One on a Strat-Bat.

OTHER CHARACTERS
TWEAK
He delivers his crate of vaccine to Mega-City Two. He plays dumb to preserve the illusion that his species are unintelligent. He asks Dredd to have him returned to his home planet which the Judge duly does.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
None that we see, but those suffering from the plague are being "eliminated".

BEST LINES
Dredd: "Tweak, I want the whole world to know how you risked your life to save Mega-City Two! I want them to realise how brave and intelligent you are!"

WORST LINES
Dredd: "Out...way...come...this far...I'll...make...rest...alone!"

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
Dredd hallucinates characters from the earlier chapters of The Cursed Earth. Another appearance of the trademark helmet-shaped bandaged first seen in 'The Judge's Graveyard'.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Unknown.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
As the first epic, this is the benchmark by which all future epics will be judged.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Pat Mills
Artist: Mike McMahon
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
The big finale revisits its predecessors in style and pushes Dredd further than we've ever seen before. The hallucinations, the return of Dredd's bandage, Tweak pretending to be mute and the misplaced optimism of the last panel are great, but based upon the examples seen here Mega-City Two probably wasn't worth saving.

But the Judge is wrong! It's worse!! As you'll discover in the first great issue of "2000 A.D. and Starlord"!

NAME
The Cursed Earth Game, Part 1

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 A.D.Prog 75

DATELINE
29 July 78

PAGE COUNT
1

REPRINTS
None.

SYNOPSIS
You too can relive Dredd's trek across the Cursed Earth. Sort of.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First Judge Dredd game.

INFORMATION
The Cursed Earth could be easily divided into ten equal parts.

JUDGE DREDD
None.

OTHER CHARACTERS
None.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
None.

BEST LINES
None.

WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
None.

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: Unknown
Artist: Unknown

REVIEW
It's difficult to see from this what this game will be like or how representative of the twenty-five chapter epic it really is.

Cut Out This Page And Keep Safe! We Will Print Full Rules And Instructions With Part Six Of The Game

Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 8 – The Sleeper Awakes!

Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 9 – The Slay-Riders!

Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 10 – Requiem For An Alien!

Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 11 – Battle Of The Burger Barons

Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 12 – Burger Law!

Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 13 – The Coming Of Satanus!

Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 14 – For Whom The Bell Tolls!

Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 15 – Picnic At Black Rock!

Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 16 – Black Sabbath!

Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 17 – Giants Aren’t Gentlemen!

Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 18 – Soul Food

Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 19 – Losers Leap

Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 20 – The God Judge

Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 21 – Tweak's Story!

Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 22 – Tweak's Story

Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 23 – Legion Of The Damned!

Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Supplement – The Last Meal

Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Chapter 24 – Dredd’s Last Stand!

Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth, Final Chapter – Death Crawl!

The Cursed Earth Game, Part 1