Vintage Dredd - Warlord, Magnificent Obsession, Taxidermist
Here's a few original art pages still available from early Dredd stories. Please head over to the Dredd page & look on the pages list to see current availability & pricing.
The Magnificent Obsession Prog 440 Page 7 Script: John Wagner/Alan Grant, Artist: Cam Kennedy Featuring: Fatties Reprinted Rebellion: Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 09
The fatties are back in another Dredd high point. This is the heart-warming story of Tony Tubbs' quest to be the first two-ton man in the Fatty of the Year contest. Note: Originally published after "Requiem for a Heavyweight" in issue 29.
The Warlord (Progs 451 to 455) Script: John Wagner/Alan Grant, Artist: Cam Kennedy Featuring: Judge Omar, Judge McGruder resigns as Chief Judge in ep. 5 Reprinted Rebellion: Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 09
Shojun, Warlord of Ji had powerful psionic abilities and attempted to take over the world.
Shojun came from the infamous Radlands of Ji (radioactive wastes in post-nuclear war China), home to some of the most dangerous individuals on the planet. He arrived in Mega-City One in 2108, and immediately warned the Judges not to interfere with his plans. His demonstration of his considerable powers began with the destruction of a building by will alone, resulting in over 250 deaths. He also had the ability to generate a psionic shield to protect himself, to stop bullets in mid-air, to attack people with blasts of psychic energy, to teleport himself and other people, and even to kill with a thought.
Impressed by his powers, Mega-City One's ruler, Chief Judge McGruder, thought it would be prudent to wait and see what Shojun intended to do before deciding on a course of action. In this matter she overruled the advice of Judge Dredd, whose immediate reaction was to request Shojun's instant assassination (using a laser since this would be too fast for Shojun to react to). Instead she ordered Dredd to place a bug in Shojun's premises to listen to his plans.
It was discovered that Shojun planned to raise the Seven Samurai, seven immensely powerful demons invulnerable to normal weapons, and use them to take over the world. Realising the gravity of the threat, McGruder finally authorised Shojun's assassination, but not in time. Teleporting to another location before the chief judge's orders could be carried out, Shojun raised the Seven Samurai and embarked on a murderous rampage. Justice Department surrounded the afflicted area with tanks and aerial assault vehicles, but even military firepower was completely ineffective against Shojun and his supernatural servants. In only a few minutes one hundred judges and three hundred civilians were slaughtered.
Although wounded in the encounter, Judge Dredd found one of the Samurai's shuriken (throwing stars) and realised that it alone was capable of penetrating Shojun's psionic shield. Although Shojun saw it coming, even he could not stop it and he was killed.
However, Shojun's death did not stop the Seven Samurai as Dredd had hoped. With the street judges helpless against this unprecedented threat, it fell to Psi Division (psychic judges) to defeat them. Judge Omar, head of Psi Division, destroyed the Seven Samurai, but at the cost of his own life, a price he knew in advance he would have to pay.
We also have an unpublished page - the original Warlord 455 page 7 - more details of that to come!
Taxidermist
4 episodes (Progs 507 to 510) 26 pages Script: John Wagner/Alan Grant, Artist: Cam Kennedy (pencils), Mark Farmer (inks) Featuring: The Taxidermist Reprinted Rebellion: Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 10
In Mega-City One, death is not necessarily the end – those bereaved that cannot bear to be parted from their loved ones can opt to have them stuffed and displayed in their homes. Jacob Sardini is one such professional taxidermist, an exceptional craftsman of the old school, who prides himself on the personal touch. But this kind of talent means all manner of clients come to his door, seeking his skill with a corpse. Scripted by John Wagner & Alan Grant (Batman), with art by Cam Kennedy (inks by Mark Farmer)
