It's 2125 AD, Fifty-five years years ago the nightmare came true, the world ripped it's self to shreds with only the parts of the USA shielded from the Atomic warfare. The rest became a radiation desert (The Cursed Earth ). Most of the world was effected, with the entire Middle Eastern and South African regions destroyed.
In America three mega-cities with massive populations and overcrowding were left ( as shown on the map ) buildings were forced to go up. With government and country now gone the already developing Special Police Forces took over, The Judges. New powers and new laws Judge, Jury and executioner to police new cities. The judges were trained from an early age to be tough, incorruptible upholders of the law, they fulfilled the roles of policeman, judge, jury and excutioner!! As well as running the civil administration and military of Mega-City One.
What is illegal? almost everything sugar, coffee, smoking and variety of new drugs. Most citizens do not know, what are the laws are! Lawyers become defunct as there is no re-trial, no appeal, no bail, no parole.

It is an era of city states, where every state is a police state.

The future world created by John Wagner back in 1977 for Judge Dredd, has grown to have a life of it's own. With countless stories, characters. It needed to be a world with a lot of depth as from the beginning Judge Dredd was to have permanent place in 2000AD every time, The strip developed so that Dredd might only appear in a few frames and speak a few catchphases, He is, for most part, a two-dimensional anti-hero who is rarely seen out of uniform and NEVER without a helmet. For example in what has been called the best Judge Dredd story ever 'America' He is an ever-present background figure. ( The relationship of Judge Dredd over the lives of America Jara and Bennett Beeny is symbolised by the Statue of Judgement towering over the Statue of Liberty ).
Judge, Jury and executioner replaces Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness. The Judges themselves are victims of this system as despite what the Dredd movie suggests, they have no life. The Justice Department rules this city of 400 Million with an Iron Fist, 90% of the citizens spend a stretch in the cubes.

Some Characters of Dredd's Universe

Judge Death: a true super-villain. "You Can Kill, What does not live"

Angel gang Chopper Judge Giant Judge Joyce Judges Shiruma & Inaba Jake Sardini Harmony

Walter the robot Robo-servant to Free business robot

Brit-Cits finest

Psi-Judge Cassandra Anderson

Judge Hershey From Rookie judge in 2101 to Chief Judge in 2121

Classic Art
Pup Fiction page1,page2 by Cliff Robinson, Doomsday by Colin Wilson War Games by Mike McMahon, Blood cadets by Simon Frazer
From Block Mania (One of my favourite Dredd stories)...City going mad & Complete Judge Dredd reprint cover by Mike McMahon - Orlok and Judge Giant & city map pre-Apocalyse Warby Steve Dillon - Brian Bolland - Out of the undercity by Carl Critchlow
Psycho Tales from Mega-City One by Siku -|- Cityscape/Unemployment by Cam Kennedy (written by John Wagner) -|- Dredd looming over city by John Higgins -|- Headbangers by Kev Hopgood (written by Alan Grant)

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All other characters and art (c) Rebellion 2003.