John Wagner interview over at Bleeding Cool...

[Colin YNWA]

... with very Bleeding Cool click bait headline which you can take with apinch of salt.

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2016/07/29/judge-dredds-creator-john-wagner-plans-to-kill-him-offf-forever/

[Frank]

JW: I would like to write his death story, and have suggested it to Rebellion. I've thought about it for some time now. I couldn't do it without Rebellion's agreement. You never know. There may be an Elseworlds-like story one day.

OM: Like Dredd's Dark Knight?

JW: Yeah. ... something like that. Not an epic, but maybe ... a dozen or so episodes

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2016/07/29/judge-dredds-creator-john-wagner-plans-to-kill-him-offf-forever/

I can't really justify forking out for yet another copy of The Cursed Earth: vajazzled- no matter how hard the hardback is, or whether the colour spreads have been restored by Banksy - but Judge Dredd's story being finished by the men who created him is worth 20 quid of my hard earned.

Cheers, Colin.

[Geoff]

Wagner should write the 12 episodes now and store it away.

12 episodes, with Carlos on art for first and last and 10 other Dredd artists for the other 10 episodes. Bolland (if pigs will agree to fly, just this once) and McMahon. And then...8 others...

[Richard]

No it should be Carlos all the way.

[Matty_e]

I hope the interviewer made it clear he was going to upload this conversation.

John is very open and willing to talk to fans and I wonder if that's what he thought was happening here.

There's nothing new here but it's just a bit unhelpful without context. Of course John would want to write that story if it were ever to be told at all...

[dweezil2]

Mr Wagner has been vocal on many occasions about killing Dredd off.

I guess it's something he's often thought about and I suspect he's got a few ideas percolating in that talented brain of his on how he'd do it!

Wasn't it on a recent podcast where he said he thought of writing Dredd's final story, then locking it away until after his death?

[Colin YNWA]

The idea of an 'Elseworlds' (DC alternative universe thing' would be neat. The problem is the 'Death of Dredd' is like the itch you can't scratch. Its talked about so much I feel its best left alone. At least for now...

... well either that or just go for it and have a damned good itch... but you know that will only make it worse!

[Frank]

The idea of an 'Elseworlds' (DC alternative universe thing) would be neat. The problem is the 'Death of Dredd' is like the itch you can't scratch. Its talked about so much I feel its best left alone. At least for now ...

I know what you mean, but the only two creators I'd want to do that story are almost seventy*. Wagner can type it up and stick it in a drawer for later, but unless Carlos draws it soon the story could itself become one of those What Ifs ..?


* ... with just three lungs between them

[PsychoGoatee]

Always nice to see John getting mentioned on the news sites. He's the best!

I think it'd be awesome to see this story no matter who drew it, as long as they do a great job of it. Carlos would be my first pick, but Flint would be good, or anybody John likes. But Carlos is one of the best visual storytellers of all time needless to say.

I wouldn't want a "what if" story (well I wouldn't turn it down), I'd just like to see the end of Dredd's life long story as written by John Wagner. Of course, I can see how that might need to be marketed as a "Possible future" kind of thing, so they can do other Dredd comics.

Personally, I'd love it if he really does get to conclude the story of Dredd's life. But the Judge Dredd comic could continue, even though Dredd isn't in it anymore. And not replaced by a clone or anything. They could focus on one street judge more than others if they want. Or maybe just let it rest for a few years, I dunno.

Either way, I do think it'd be a crime if we don't get to see this story he wants to write get written.

[Richard]

Rebellion would never agree to genuinely and permanently killing Dredd off, for sound commercial reasons.*

But I'm sure they would agree to publish such a story on the basis that it would officially be non-canonical, and Dredd would be back as normal after it finished. A sort of hypothetical, "we're never actually going to do it but this is what it would have looked like if we did." And that story should definitely be written by Wagner and illustrated by Ezquerra.

Having said that, if it never happens then at least Michael Carroll recently showed us a pretty good version of it, before bringing him back. And the Necropolis storyline was originally conceived as Dredd's swan song, before the editor at the time vetoed it.


*The only way that might happen is if he was replaced with a new Judge Dredd who had essentially the same characteristics, i.e. Rico took his name (his original name was Dredd after all), but I read on another thread that Wagner was on record as saying that was a terrible, fan fiction-y idea and that it would never happen. Which is a shame because I think it's a cracking idea, but then I would not have the first idea about how to write a good story, so I suppose he knows best.

[Dash Decent]

Although it's a double-edged sword (the high interest in how Dredd goes vs the potential destruction of the strip/entire comic) it would be much better for Rebellion to have such a story on file somewhere rather than never do it.

At worst case, if the 2000AD (forgive me) "brand" became completely unviable and they knew they were wrapping it up, having the Death of Dredd to go out on would be a good way to go, as well as perhaps attracting a last boost of readership to finish up with.  And if you're going to do it, then get Wagner and Carlos to do it so it has that stamp of authenticity and also that 'blast from the past' attraction, particularly if you roll it out long after they've stopped working on comics.

Wagner probably has thoughts on how the strip could continue without Dredd, and could set things up in his story.  Rather than have the final frame being a high overhead shot of Dredd's body crumpled on bloody snow as other Judges lead the killer away, he could pass the mantle or at least have Hershey etc grumping that tomorrow it will all be the same again, a never-ending grind for the Judges.

Alternatively - and I think it's been suggested here before - you do a series of 12 or so standalone stories, each one purporting to tell the death of Dredd, all with different artists and writers. Instead of setting them all in the same year they could be set at different times in Dredd's timeline (what if he'd died young, what if he'd got jigsaw disease while chasing the Judge Child, etc) to avoid any thoughts that "these are all set in 2142 therefore that must be the end of Dredd's life, regardless."

I suspect though that the Wagner death of Dredd might involve a "Jexit" story, with the citizens finally getting their wish for a return to elected government and an end to the power of the Judges.  That way Dredd would pass away at the same time as the system he was sworn to serve.

[JOE SOAP]

Alternatively - and I think it's been suggested here before - you do a series of 12 or so standalone stories, each one purporting to tell the death of Dredd, all with different artists and writers. Instead of setting them all in the same year they could be set at different times in Dredd's timeline (what if he'd died young, what if he'd got jigsaw disease while chasing the Judge Child, etc) to avoid any thoughts that "these are all set in 2142 therefore that must be the end of Dredd's life, regardless."

As soon as John & Carlos put their names to a story about the end of the road for Dredd, that likely becomes the definitive one, whether it be branded an alternative story or not.

[Frank]

it would be much better for Rebellion to have such a story on file somewhere rather than never do it

Agree. They could keep it in the same drawer where David Bishop found Para-sites and all those unused Fleischer Friday strips.

[Richard]

But I want to read it now!

[JayzusB.Christ]

it would be much better for Rebellion to have such a story on file somewhere rather than never do it

Agree. They could keep it in the same drawer where David Bishop found Para-sites and all those unused Fleischer Friday strips.

I forgot about Para-Sites.  Wonder what happened to Mike Hadley?  I always liked his art - loads of shit going on in the background, and lots of obscure visual jokes that were probably filthy.