First print date: January 23 1982
Prog appearance: 248
Writer(s): John Wagner
Artist(s): Carlos Ezquerra
Total episodes: 25
The Apocalypse War, Episode IV
Unsurprisingly, the Betty Boop Blockers turn out to be easy prey for Dredd and Daley, as they blow them away with the practiced instincts of Judges, and the fatalistic realisation that these men are too far gone to attempt reasoning with them. Perhaps another, less experienced man might have tried to get through to the manic Blockers, but Dredd and Daley know there is only one way this is going to end. The Blockers are well armed though, and as a hand bomb is lobbed towards them Daley throws himself upon it, sacrificing his life for that of the Chief Judge. Barely breaking stride, Dredd continues on alone, Griffin slung over his already-injured shoulder.
Finding an abandoned skimmer in the parkway, he takes it and manages to fly outside the Block, where Justice Central, monitoring the situation, sees him and brings him underground by means of hydraulic elevators which seem to be set into the ground, taking him into the TCB (Tactical Command Bunker) deep underneath the city. There, Dredd hands over the unconscious Griffin and gets his own wounds seen to. As a call from Sov Supreme Judge Bulgarin comes in, Dredd suggests McGruder or Ecks should take it, but McGruder is missing, presumed dead, and Ecks is definitely dead, so it's left to him to shoulder (sorry) the responsibility.
Bulgarin confidently demands Dredd's, and the city's surrender, and by way of persuasion launches a fresh strike, which he says will change Dredd's mind about continuing the fight.
Quotes
Dredd (to Bulgarin): “Don't tell me, creep: you've called to apologise!”
Betty Boop Blocker: “Boop-poop-ee-do, Judgy boys! It's dyin' time!”
Med-tech (trying to fix Dredd's arm on the move): “You're not making this any easier, Dredd!”
Dredd: “Nothing's easy these days! There's a war on, or hadn't you heard?”
Judge Gunton: “Tactical Command Bunker North reports Judge McGruder not yet arrived, presumed dead. TCB West took a direct hit: Judge Ecks is definitely dead.”
Laughing in the face of death
Not a lot to laugh at here. The cry of the Betty Boop Blocker, using Betty's signature catchphrase , is mildly funny, given the context.
Dredd's own grim humour, even in the midst of such chaos and death, comes through as he faces Bulgarin on the screen and tells him he assumes the Supreme Judge has called to apologise about the attack.
I'll ask the questions, Creep!
It's not really a question so much as an observation, but if TCB West has indeed taken a direct hit, can it be that even down here, miles under the city, the Sov nuclear missiles can hit their targets?
I AM THE LAW!
Dredd makes it clear to anyone who opposes him in Betty Boop Block that he is not in the mood for talking or reasoning his way out of a situation. He shoots first. What do you mean, ask questions later? What questions? He shoots first. That's it. I guess it's interesting also to note that Block Mania by its very nature must now be seen as a crime, or at least, anyone engaging in it seen as a criminal, as Dredd does not rattle off his customary chant - “Attacking a Judge: six years creep!” or whatever – just shoots the guys down. Mind you, it
is a case of kill or be killed.
Nothing changes?
As ever, the ruling classes have their bunkers to flee to, ostensibly from where to direct the defence of their city, but in reality it's a bolt-hole for those who are more interested in saving their skins than facing what's coming. However, in the case of the Judges, it does in fact seem to be an entire underground command-and-control facility. Nevertheless, none but the Judges are invited to attend, though of course by now so much of the city is locked in senseless Block War that they wouldn't even be able to understand if they were told about it. You do wonder, though, if the Block Wars were not raging and people were milling about in confusion, desperately seeking shelter, would the Judges allow them into the highly-defended secret bunkers?