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| Judge Joseph Dredd | |
| Aliases: | Judge Dredd Judge Joseph Dredd The Dead Man |
| Continuity: | Judge Dredd |
| Notability: | Main character |
| Type: | Law enforcement |
| Gender: | Male |
| Race: | Clone |
| Location: | Mega-City One |
| Associations: | Mega-City One Justice Department |
| Known relatives: | Eustace Fargo Rico Dredd |
| Status: | Alive |
| First: | 2000 A.D., Prog 2 |
| Actor: | Sylvester Stallone Karl Urban |
Judge Joseph "Joe" Dredd is a fictional futuristic law-enforcement officer and the main character from the Judge Dredd comic book franchise. He first appeared in a series of vignettes featured in the British science fiction anthology magazine, 2000 A.D., beginning with Prog 2 in March, 1977. The character has since become one of the most iconic figures of not only British comicdom and independent publishing, but of the entire medium as a whole. To date, there have been two feature films spotlighting the character, the first of which was 1995's Judge Dredd, starring Sylvester Stallone. The film is not well regarded by many, owing largely to the "Hollywoodized" approach to the subject matter. A more faithful adaptation of the tone and feel of Judge Dredd would not be realized until more than a decade and a half later with the film Dredd, released in 2012. In this film, the title role went to Karl Urban and gained favorable reviews from both fans and critics.
Biography[]
Equipment[]
- Lawgiver: The Lawgiver is a futuristic handgun that has become standard issue for all Judges. It has multiple settings and is capable of firing different types of ammunition.
- Lawmaster: The Lawmaster is a specially-designed, highly durable motorcycle. They are a standard mode of transportation for all street judges.
Notes & Trivia[]
- The character of Joseph Dredd was created by writer Matt Wagner and artist Carlos Ezquerra. Writer Peter Harris and artist Mike McMahon were the first creators on the first Judge Dredd story.
- Judge Dredd's first appearance was in the "Judge Whitey" story, which was the sixth and final vignette featured in 2000 A.D. Prog 2 in March, 1977.
- The origin of Judge Dredd, and his connection to Judge Rico was revealed in 2000 A.D. Prog 30 in September, 1977.
- The heavy metal band Anthrax recorded a song titled "I Am the Law", which on the A side of their 1987 album Among the Living. The song is about the character and environment of Judge Dredd and is titled after one of Dredd's most famous lines of dialogue.