Judge Dredd - Dan Cornwell - 2000ad Prog 2204

Dan put some art up for sale - seriously contact him his prices are insanely good - and I wanted a Dredd to go with my Rok pieces, but ended up with this page, which has limited Dredd in it (mind what Dredd there is is superb). From his 2020 story with Rob Williams - "They shoot talking horses don't they?" I just fell in love with this page.

First it does have Dredd on it looking very cool in a western setting - and I love a western setting. But two other things were more important to me. Secondly I love the way Dan draws Judge Anderson. Making her handsome, but not sexualised and not making her look like she's 19 or something daft. She looks hard and tired. Its just a fantastic depiction of this superb character.

Third and most importantly though the sequence on the bottom half the page is just superb storytelling. The establishing shot giving place and character. The joyful chase in only two panels quickly breaking down into the horror of that terrifying final panel. Its a simple masterclass. And man the design of monster and the 'Enormo-chickens' is wonderful - just look at the terror in the eye of the chicken hiding behind the left panel!

So yeah not the most Dreddy of Dredd pages, but I'm beginning to realise I really value Dredd pages that do a little bit more than simply show a cool action Dredd. I like to see his wider world and this one screams 'Cursed Earth' to me ... even if the beastie is an inter-dimensional hell-dog.