"Judge Dredd" Wilderlands

Judge Dredd storyline from 2000AD and the Megazine.

Countdown to Wilderlands - Mechanismo

• Mechanismo (Megazine v2 12-17)
• Mechanismo Returns (Megazine v2 22-26)
• Mechanismo: Body Count (Megazine v2 37-43)

Despite the disaster of the first Mechanismo project (where a robot judge malfunctioned and went on a killing spree), Chief Judge McGruder secretly reinstated it and created the Mk2 Mechanismo.

There is much controversy when the new Mk2s are deployed to the streets and Dredd calls for McGruder's resignation, who he believes has impaired judgement and should stand down.

However, with a rogue Mk1 robot still on the loose in the sewers beneath the city, the Chief Judge sends out the newly created Mk2s to track it down.

Dredd wants to get to the rogue robot first and discredit the new droids, but he finds it at the same time as a Mk2, who destroys the robot first. Dredd then illegally fires on, and destroys, the Mk2 and persuades Mechanismo creator (Judge Stitch, who has witnesses the entire incident), that the Mk1 destroyed the Mk2 and he then destroyed the Mk1.

Dredd had broken the law and this would catch up with him. Several months later, after lengthy interrogations (and administration of various truth drugs), Judge Stitch 'remembers' what actually happened and Dredd is brought before the Council of Five. Dredd confesses to his actions and is sentenced to 20 years on the penal colony of Titan.

McGruder, due to make a visit to the planet Hestia on a diplomatic visit, takes Dredd with her, intending to take him to Titan on her return journey.

Countdown to Wilderlands - The Tenth Planet

• Conspiracy of Silence (2000AD 891-894)
• The Tenth Planet (Megazine v2 57-62)

On her visit to Hestia, McGruder tried to sell some of the new Mechanismo units to the Hestian Government. It is not a success. When a stampede of large creatures threatens to flatten them all, her robot bodyguard does nothing to protect her and to add insult to injury, it is Dredd who saves them all, despite being a handcuffed prisoner.

Wilderlands

• Wilderlands (2000AD 904-914 and Megazine v2 63-67)
• Parting Shots, The Candidates, Voting Day (2000AD 915-918)
• Farewell to the Chief (Megazine v2 68)

Leaving Hestia, the Judges spaceship (Justice 4) crashlands in the hostile wilderlands on an unknown and unexplored planet. With no distress call made, the survivors are on their own.

McGruder has received a head injuring from the crash and is in a life-threatening coma. Dredd, despite being a prisoner, assumed command.

While struggling to survive, Dredd is forced to deal with a rogue Mk2 Mechanismo robot and prevents it from assassinating McGruder, who finally sees the error of her ways and pardons Dredd for his crimes.

Eventually managing to contact civilisation, the survivors are rescued and return to Earth. Once back in Mega-City One, McGruder aborts the Mechanismo programme and resigns from office. Dredd is reinstated, and returns to the streets.