Daily Comics Digression #20: I AM THE LAW!

Daily Comics Digression #20: I AM THE LAW!

Judge Dredd is an iconic, if not misunderstood character in pop culture. Stern, uncompromising lawman that he is, Dredd has also gotten the reputation of being a ruthless killer. He is supposedly judge, jury, and executioner all rolled into one. But although Dredd has killed his fair share of miscreants in firefights, he is ultimately a policeman. Once he has suspects in custody, he usually hands out sentences, not executions. That doesn't mean that he is in any way a nice guy. His sentences are often hilariously severe: years in prison for infractions that would barely result in one getting a ticket in today's world, for example. But it's his nemesis, Judge Death, who is the true executioner. At the end of the day Dredd is still on the side of justice, even if the concept of justice in Mega-City One is so far removed from our own that it's unrecognizable.

In America, however, Dredd often seems to be portrayed as some sort of ultraviolent, super cheesy parody of himself. When people hear of Judge Dredd, they probably think of Stallone's hammy performance of the character. Interestingly enough, the comics are parodies of modern consumer culture; so although the movie is pretty campy, it's still related to the source material in its tone. On the other hand, the recent Dredd film seems to take things to an exorbitantly  dark and bitter world where the sense of irony is missing.

It would seem that Dredd is a difficult character for people to grasp. He's a weird blend of satire, seriousness, violence, and justice. Getting that blend of characteristics right must be a challenge.