"Smokers Crime”
Mega City One Year: 2099
Published 30rd July 1977, 2000ad Prog: 22 (Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 01.)
Parts: 1
Script: Gerry Finley-DayArtist: Mike McMahonLetters: Tom Frame/Peter Knight
Synopsis
As Dredd drives past, two citizens decide its safe to light up their cigarettes in plain sight of Judge Dredd-endorsed signs warning of it being prohibited. But just before they do, Dredd is back, but he cannot charge them as his bike’s nicotine sensors confirm they did not light up. Across the city, a bank robbery is being committed, and the leader of the group, known as Al, lights up a cigar as the robbery progresses. After a bank teller raises the alarm, Al burns the teller hand with his cigar then shoots them through the bank window in cold blood, then proceed to get away.
When Dredd arrives on the scene, he finds the used cigar butt, and is marked with where it was purchased: Tobacco Centre 7. Dredd gets ahead of the gang who are expected at the Tobacco Centre and hides in the guise of an Indian statue on display for their return. The trap works, and Dredd takes down the gang except for Al who was waiting outside in his vehicle. Dredd gives chase, with Al thinking he’s gotten away as he takes refuge in a nearby building. Unfortunately for Al, he’s walked right into one of Mega City One’s smokatoriums, the only legal locations smokers are allowed to indulge themselves with their nicotine, and without a regulation helmet proceeds to choke on the nicotine-heavy surroundings.
Leaving the building brings him face to face with Dredd, gun in hand, as Al declares he’ll never been taken alive. Dredd duly obliges, gunning Al down in the street.
Review
A perfect future crime tale from the creator of Rogue Trooper, Gerry Finley-Day. Well paced, well drawn, with yet another aspect of Mega City One life (and crime) presented to its readers. Somewhat ironically, it was thirty years later that the indoor workplace smoking ban in the United Kingdom came into effect in a form of foreshadowing.
This is the first Dredd credit for letterer Tom Frame, who would go on to work on more 2000ad stories than anyone else, with almost six hundred credits for Judge Dredd alone, before his death in 2006. Rest in peace, Mr Frame.
Line of the strip: Dredd (after a lawbreaker lit a match on him): "And you just struck an officer of the law."
Be back next time citizens for : 'The Wreath Murders'
