Addiction requires a steady supply for without the ability to throw coal into the furnace, the choo choo will stop in its tracks. In the case of Umpty Candy, the secret rests with a man who dresses like the personification of the USA (only without the uncomfortable back story of a gender swap). In order to get this secret, sacrifices have to be made, deals have to be struck and Judge Dredd has to commit assault. Simple stuff.
DATELINE:
May 2103 (Progs 203-214).
WHO’S RESPONSIBLE?:
John Wagner and Alan Grant kill off Ump and Ron Smith and Ian Gibson look at each others work.
WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT (IN ONE SENTENCE)?:
Dredd works with the Umpty Squad to stem the flow of Umpty in the city.
WHO’S THAT IN THE HELMET?:
Judge Cheyney, the head of the Umpty Squad, is exposed as a traitor to the badge, smashed on the noggin and hauled off to Titan for a 20 stretch.
Judge Jones and his ‘tache assist Dredd with raiding the Jong family’s operation as well as doling out some exposition.
Judge Brent is a member of the Umpty Squad who needs his eyes tested.
IT’S CULTURAL, INNIT?:
Malcolm Allison was a football manager known for his panache, fedora and cigar.
The Jong’s spaceship of choice resembles a Star Trek vessel.
ANY LAW LORE?:
Such is the threat of UMpty Candy that a squad is dedicated to cracking down on it.
CANON FODDER?:
The Umpty Squad wear unusual uniforms (white helmets and pads) when carrying out their blitzes and don’t wear badges.
WHAT THE DROKK?:
Despite being many months into the trip, Ump is wearing the same clothes.
Dredd tells Cheyney he has the name of the traitor and despite this, Cheyney doesn’t run. He must know Dredd can fuck him up, so why does he come over and not just send the Jongs in first?
WHAT’S THE ART LIKE?:
That’s a great panel of Dredd assaulting the umpty buyers with his bike. Smith’s art is surprisingly the better of the two artists here with Gibson’s work being angular and less like his innovative style. Perhaps this was done to better blend in with Smith’s first part.
HOW MANY LINKS?:
Dredd is seen here to be going outside of the chain of command and interceding in the Umpty Squad’s case, and becoming overtly unimpressed with Cheyney’s arrest record. It’s also a sad end for Uncle Ump and despite the victory there is the downbeat ending that the umpty dealing continues, showing some sense of the futility of the Judges’ fight. It was also nice to see Dredd gunning down the Jongs with ruthless efficiency. Four solid links.
Everything Comes Back To 2000AD 