NationMaster - Encyclopedia: America (Judge Dredd story)

America is perhaps the quintessential Judge Dredd story. It was published in the Judge Dredd Megazine in 1990. Told in flashbacks, the story concerns the character America Jara, her friend Bennett Beeny and their tragic encounters with the Justice Department. As Bennett Beeny grows up to reap the benefits of Mega City One, becoming a famous singer and comedian, America becomes more and more disillusioned. She becomes a democracy activist and later a terrorist. The story is grounded in the conflict between the Democracy movement and Mega City One's fascist police state, and is one of the most political Judge Dredd stories ever told. Writer John Wagner (co-creator of Dredd) has said that America is his favourite Judge Dredd story,^[1] and editor David Bishop describes it as "the best Judge Dredd story ever written."^[2] For the 1995 film, see Judge Dredd (film). ... Judge Dredd Megazine is a British magazine featuring comic strips set in the world of Judge Dredd, launched in October 1990. ... Judge is a title held by several significant spores in the Judge Dredd series, which appears in the British comic book 2000 AD. In the fictional future history of the series, the role of Judge combines those of judge and police officer, thus avoiding long legal wrangles by allowing for... Mega-City One is a huge fictional city covering much of what is now the Eastern United States in the Judge Dredd comic book series. ... Dredd on democrats (drawn by John Higgins) Democracy in the fictional future city of Mega-City One has been a significant recurring theme in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. In particular, a number of stories published since 1986 have addressed the issue of the Judges dictatorial... Judge is a title held by several significant spores in the Judge Dredd series, which appears in the British comic book 2000 AD. In the fictional future history of the series, the role of Judge combines those of judge and police officer, thus avoiding long legal wrangles by allowing for... John Wagner is a comics writer who has also written under the pseudonyms John Howard, T.B. Grover, Mike Stott, Keef Ripley, Rick Clark and Brian Skuter, among others. ... For other persons named David Bishop, see David Bishop (disambiguation). ...

The story also introduced the terrorist group Total War, which became significant in later stories. Dredd on democrats (drawn by John Higgins) Democracy in the fictional future city of Mega-City One has been a significant recurring theme in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. In particular, a number of stories published since 1986 have addressed the issue of the Judges dictatorial...

Plot

America begins as a love story, told from the point of view of Bennett Beeny, whose secret love for his close childhood friend America Jara is sadly unrequited. As they grow up together, America becomes disillusioned with the Judges' dictatorial rule over Mega-City One, and becomes a campaigner for the restoration of democracy. Beeny, on the other hand, is too afraid of the Judges to stand up to them, and craves a quiet life; however his efforts to dissuade America from pursuing her dangerous activities fall on deaf ears. As they are about to graduate from high school, Beeny confesses his deep love for America, who (as he predicted) rejects him, saying that her love for him is only platonic. She leaves him to go to university with her boyfriend Doody, while Beeny becomes a successful singer of comedic songs and makes his fortune. Over time their correspondence dwindles to nothing. Unrequited love is love that is not reciprocated, even though reciprocation is usually deeply desired. ... Judge is a title held by several significant spores in the Judge Dredd series, which appears in the British comic book 2000 AD. In the fictional future history of the series, the role of Judge combines those of judge and police officer, thus avoiding long legal wrangles by allowing for... Platonic love in its modern popular sense is an affectionate relationship into which the sexual element does not enter, especially in cases where one might easily assume otherwise. ...

Some years later Beeny, still pining for his lost love, has resorted to seeking the services of prostitutes, having failed to establish a long-term relationship with anyone else. By complete chance, one night the prostitute he approaches transpires to be America, who in fact is in disguise, as she is part of a terrorist cell which has laid an ambush for a patrol of judges. Before either of them can react to their unexpected reacquaintance, two judges arrive, and America and her terrorist comrades shoot them both dead. As they are about to flee from the scene of the crime, one of the terrorists, Kurd, sees Beeny and, ignoring America's protests, shoots Beeny in the throat, so as not to leave any witnesses. Judge is a title held by several significant spores in the Judge Dredd series, which appears in the British comic book 2000 AD. In the fictional future history of the series, the role of Judge combines those of judge and police officer, thus avoiding long legal wrangles by allowing for...

Miraculously however, Beeny survives and is rushed to hospital, where he is interrogated by Judge Dredd (Beeny typing his answers). Beeny covers for America, and lies to conceal her involvement. Afterwards Beeny receives an electronic throat implant which enables him to speak again, but his illustrious career as a singer is over.

On his discharge from hospital, Beeny returns home, where he is soon visited by America, ostensibly to apologise for what happened, and to thank him for not informing on her. She also reveals the reason why she has turned from peaceful protest to violent methods. In 2109 she took part in the Democratic March, a peaceful demonstration which was subverted by undercover judges who provoked violence, in order to give the riot squads a pretext to attack the demonstrators. During the ensuing violence, her boyfriend Doody was killed and America – pregnant by Doody at the time – was seriously injured. While serving her sentence in custody, the judges scheduled her child for mandatory abortion, an experience which left her traumatised. On her eventual release, she was consumed with bitterness and hatred for the judges, and she joined the violent anti-judge organisation Total War. After telling Beeny her tragic story, America unexpectedly makes love to him. Dredd on democrats (drawn by John Higgins) Democracy in the fictional future city of Mega-City One has been a significant recurring theme in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. In particular, a number of stories published since 1986 have addressed the issue of the Judges dictatorial... Dredd on democrats (drawn by John Higgins) Democracy in the fictional future city of Mega-City One has been a significant recurring theme in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. In particular, a number of stories published since 1986 have addressed the issue of the Judges dictatorial...

The next morning America asks Beeny for a large donation of money to fund Total War's next operation. Initially Beeny is reluctant, since he does not approve of murder, and he also suspects America of cynically using sex and his love for her to manipulate him. However he eventually relents and hands over the money, since she assures him that nobody will be hurt, and he refuses to believe that she would stoop so low as to use him, preferring to believe that she is sincere.

As America promised, Total War's plan is not to take more lives but to blow up the Statue of Liberty, in a symbolic gesture to emphasize that there is no longer any liberty anymore under the Judges' rule. However, Beeny secretly informs Judge Dredd of their plan, since he realises that his conscience will not permit him to be an accessory to another terrorist attack. He obtains Dredd's assurance that America will not be harmed. For other monuments to freedom, see Monument of Liberty. ...

On the night of the attack, Dredd's team of judges lie in wait in various hiding places around the Statue. Beeny is not authorised to be present, but is waiting in his car not far away. When the terrorists' vehicles arrive, the judges electronically disable their vehicles and then reveal themselves in force. Surrounded, the terrorists immediately recognise that they have no chance of escape, and Kurd attempts to surrender, discarding his weapon and exclaiming "no contest!" Unmoved, Dredd gives the order to fire at will. Kurd is cut to pieces by automatic fire from at least two dozen weapons.

Within seconds all of the terrorists lie dead, except America. However, one judge either ignores or fails to hear Dredd's order to cease fire, and shoots America in the head, just as Beeny arrives at the scene. Beeny desperately calls for medical assistance, but she is beyond help. Beeny rails against the unrepentant Dredd for the massacre, until he realises that America's blood is, literally and metaphorically, on his own hands.

America is brain-dead, but her body is still fully functional, and Beeny arranges for his own brain to be transplanted into her body, as he is unable to let go of her memory, or of his own guilt. Living in America's body ensures that Beeny is constantly reminded of the woman he loved, and of his role in her demise. He returns to his singing career, but now instead of singing funny songs, all of his songs are sad.

Sequels

There are two sequels to America: America II: Fading of the Light (1996) and Cadet (2006).

It is revealed in the second story that Beeny arranged to become pregnant from sperm he stored before transplanting his brain, and gave birth to his and America's daughter, named America Beeny. Bennet Beeny survives a second encounter with Total War terrorists, but dies shortly afterwards of medical complications resulting from the transplant. Ironically he arranges for five-year-old America to be inducted into the Academy of Law in order to become a judge, reasoning that the Academy is the only place where she will be safe from Total War, and that she might change the system from within. This is a list of minor characters in the British comic strip Judge Dredd appearing in 2000 AD, Judge Dredd Megazine and related publications. ... The Academy of Law is a fictional place of learning appearing in the Judge Dredd series that appears in the UK comic book 2000 AD. The Academy of Law is where the Judges of Mega-City One are trained. ...

Ten years later the third story followed Cadet Beeny's progress through training, when Dredd supervised her during an assessed investigation. She did not hold Dredd personally responsible for her genetic mother's death. She passed the assessment, and has since appeared as a supporting character in Judge Dredd stories not directly related to Total War.

Publication

There are now three parts to the America story, all written by John Wagner with art by Colin MacNeil. John Wagner is a comics writer who has also written under the pseudonyms John Howard, T.B. Grover, Mike Stott, Keef Ripley, Rick Clark and Brian Skuter, among others. ... Colin MacNeil is a British comics artist, best known for his work on 2000 AD and in particular on Judge Dredd and other stories within his world like Shimura and Devlin Waugh. ...

See also

This is a list of minor characters in the British comic strip Judge Dredd appearing in 2000 AD, Judge Dredd Megazine and related publications. ...

References

External links

Category: Judge Dredd storylines The Angel Gang is a group of villains in the Judge Dredd comic strip, published in 2000 AD magazine in the UK. They are portrayed as a futuristic version of rural criminals from the American Deep South, at least as such people are imagined by British writers. ... Mean Machine Angel is a villain in the British comic book series Judge Dredd. ... President Robert L. Booth is a fictional character from the British comic 2000 AD. He is the last President of the United States and the man who triggers the Atomic Wars. ... Oola Blint was a character in Judge Dredd. ... Chief Judge Cal is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He was loosely based on the real life Roman Emperor Caligula, who was insane. ... The Dark Judges are recurring villains in the fictional Judge Dredd universe recounted in the UK comic 2000 AD. They are Judge Death, Judge Fire, Judge Fear and Judge Mortis. ... Judge Death and his lieutenants Fear, Mortis and Fire - artwork by Brian Bolland Judge Death is a fictional character of the Judge Dredd universe recounted in the UK comic 2000 AD. He is the leader of the Dark Judges, a sinister group of undead law enforcers from the alternate dimension... Rico Dredd is a fictional character who has appeared in the comics in 2000 AD magazine, notably in The Return of Rico (in 2000 AD #30, 1977). ... This is a list of minor characters in the British comic strip Judge Dredd appearing in 2000 AD, Judge Dredd Megazine and related publications. ... Morton Judd is the name of a fictional character from the Judge Dredd universe and appears in progs 559-563 of the UK comic book 2000AD. Judd was originally a Judge, Head of Genetics at the Justice Department and a prominent member of the Council of Five. ... Kleggs are alien mercenaries in the Judge Dredd comic books. ... Judge Kraken is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd comic strip featured in the long-running UK comic 2000 AD. Kraken was originally one of the Judda, a tribe of rogue clones of Chief Judge Fargo created by the renegade Judge Morton Judd and based beneath Ayers Rock in... Stan Lee aka Deathfist is a fictional character from the Judge Dredd comic strip in British comic 2000 AD. Lee is an expert in martial arts, hailing from the Radlands of Ji in China and trained by the outlaw Fighting Heart Kwoon, and a deadly assassin. ... Philip Janet Maybe is a fictional serial killer in the 2000 AD comic strip Judge Dredd. ... This is a list of minor characters in the British comic strip Judge Dredd appearing in 2000 AD, Judge Dredd Megazine and related publications. ... Sov Judge Orlok is a fictional character in Universe of UK comic book character Judge Dredd. ... Jacob Sardini is a fictional character from the Judge Dredd comic strip in the British comics 2000 AD and Judge Dredd Megazine. ... Illustration by Cam Kennedy Shojun, Warlord of Ji was a fictional villain in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD in 1986. ... Chopper (a. ... Vienna Dredd or Vienna Pasternak is a fictional character from the Judge Dredd Universe, first appearing in prog 116 of the UK comic book 2000AD. Vienna is Judge Dredds niece, the daughter of his corrupt brother Rico, and was orphaned when Dredd was forced to kill her father. ... Fergee is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd universe, first introduced in prog 100 of the UK comic book 2000AD. Finding himself on the wrong side of the law more than once, Fergee finally sought refuge from the Judges in the Undercity. ... This is a list of minor characters in the British comic strip Judge Dredd appearing in 2000 AD, Judge Dredd Megazine and related publications. ... Yassa Povey is a fictional character in British comic 2000 AD. His first and main appearance was in Judge Dredd spin-off The Dead Man (1989). ... Otto Sump was a notoriously ugly man. ... Walter was Judge Dredds house robot. ... The Apocalypse War is a storyline from the fictional universe of Judge Dredd, first published in British comic 2000 AD in 1982. ... Block Mania is a Judge Dredd story that appeared in the British comic 2000 AD. The story starts off with what seems to be a typical Block War, as seen in the previous Dredd stories. ... City of the Damned is a Judge Dredd story which was published in British comic 2000 AD in issues 393-406 (1984-1985). ... Cover of 2000 AD #63 The Cursed Earth is the second extended storyline of the Judge Dredd character to appear in 2000 AD, and the first to exceed twenty episodes: as such it is sometimes called the first Judge Dredd epic. ... The Doomsday Scenario is the collective name of a series of Judge Dredd comic stories published in 2000 AD (progs 1141-1164) and the Judge Dredd Megazine (vol. ... The Judge Child (drawn by Ron Smith) The Judge Child was an extended storyline in the 2000 AD comic strip Judge Dredd that ran from issues 156 to 181. ... Judge Dredd vs. ... Judgement Day was a Judge Dredd story published with alternating episodes in both 2000 AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine in 1992. ... Published by DC Comics, Judgement on Gotham is the first of two Batman/Judge Dredd crossovers. ... Mechanismo is a Judge Dredd story which was published in British comic the Judge Dredd Megazine in 1992. ... Necropolis was created with the allegiance of the Dark Judges and the Sisters of Death. ... The Pit is a Judge Dredd story which appeared in British comic 2000 AD in 1995-1996 (issues 970-999). ... Predator vs. ... For other use of the word, see Origin. ... The Robot Wars was the first extended storyline for Judge Dredd during which the character became the most popular in the comic book 2000 AD. In the last of his Dredd scripts (prog 8) Pat Mills had introduced the idea that the future society of Mega City One relied on... Oz is a mini-series featured in the comic 2000AD, running for 26 episodes (Progs 545 to 570) from 24th October, 1987 to 16th April, 1988. ... Judge Anderson in The Jesus Syndrome (art by Arthur Ranson) Judge Cassandra Anderson, created by writer John Wagner and artist Brian Bolland in 1980, is a fictional character that started as a supporting character in the comic strip Judge Dredd of 2000 AD and eventually rose in prominence and became... Banzai Battalion are a group of recurring characters, created by John Wagner, that appears in 2000 AD. They are tiny gardening robots designed as a bug-fighting military outfit that have been deployed in a garden in Mega-City One where their adventures initially involved Judge Dredd, although in their... The Dead Man (foreground) and Yassa (drawn by John Ridgway) The Dead Man was a science fiction strip in the British comic 2000 AD by writer John Wagner and artist John Ridgway, published in black and white in 1989-90. ... Low Life is a comic strip, published in 2000 AD, set in the world of Judge Dredd which was created by Rob Williams and Henry Flint. ... Red Razors is a 2000 AD comic strip created by Mark Millar and set in the Judge Dredd universe. ... Jack Point aka the Simping Detective is a character in the comic book Judge Dredd Megazine, a spin-off from 2000 AD. He was created by Simon Spurrier and Frazer Irving. ... Judge Dredd vs. ... Judgement Day was a Judge Dredd story published with alternating episodes in both 2000 AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine in 1992. ... Published by DC Comics, Judgement on Gotham is the first of two Batman/Judge Dredd crossovers. ... Predator vs. ... The Academy of Law is a fictional place of learning appearing in the Judge Dredd series that appears in the UK comic book 2000 AD. The Academy of Law is where the Judges of Mega-City One are trained. ... Brit-Cit is a huge fictional city in Judge Dredd which covers the south of England and bordering on the Black Atlantic. ... Cuidad Barranquilla, also known as Banana City, is a huge fictional city covering much of Central America in the Judge Dredd comic book series. ... The Cursed Earth is a part of the fictional universe recounted in the Judge Dredd series that appears in the UK comic book 2000 AD. Following the Atomic Wars of 2070 most of the U.S.A. became a radioactive wasteland. ... East Meg One is a fictional city in the world of Judge Dredd, the figurehead character of British weekly comic 2000 AD (comic). ... The definitive version of the current Grand Hall, designed and painted by Carlos Ezquerra. ... Hondo City is a huge fictional city covering most of Japan in the Judge Dredd comic book series. ... Mega-City One is a huge fictional city-state covering much of what is now the Eastern United States in the Judge Dredd comic book series. ... Mega-City Two is a huge fictional city covering five thousand square miles of the Californian West Coast in the Judge Dredd comic book series. ... Pan-Africa is what remains of Africa following the Atom Wars in the Judge Dredd comic book series, and is the home of several Megacities. ... Illustration by Mike McMahon The Statue of Judgement is a fictional structure in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. It is a mammoth statue of a Mega-City Judge, built in Mega-City One where New York City once was, next to the Statue of Liberty. ... The Undercity is a part of the fictional universe recounted in the Judge Dredd series that appears in the UK comic book 2000 AD. In the comic strip, the cities of the Eastern Seaboard of the United States had become so polluted that by the end of the twenty first... Judge Dredd is a 1995 action film based on the Judge Dredd strip in the British comic 2000 AD. Certain elements of the film were altered from the comic series, but it still did not find wide mainstream appeal. ... The Judge Dredd tabletop role-playing game was published by Mongoose Publishing, based off of the fictional world of the Judge Dredd series from the British comic book 2000AD. Categories: | ... Judge Dredd is a pinball machine produced by Midway (released under the Bally name). ... Cover of the first issue of 2000 AD, 26 February 1977. ... Cover of Dice Man no. ... Judge Dredd Megazine is a British magazine featuring comic strips set in the world of Judge Dredd, launched in October 1990. ... Zarjaz is a fanzine for the long running British sci-fi comic 2000 AD. It was started in 2001 by Andrew Lewis and ran for four issues. ... 2000 AD crossovers are crossover stories appearing in British comic 2000 AD, its sister title the Judge Dredd Megazine, and other related output, such as novels, audio plays, films and role-playing games. ... The Atomic Wars or Great Atom War is a fictional event in the Judge Dredd universe. ... The Chief Judge of Mega-City One is dictator and head of state of the fictional future city of around 400 million people in 22nd-century America. ... City Blocks are a part of the fictional universe recounted in the Judge Dredd series that appears in the UK comic book 2000 AD. // Also known as starscrapers or stratoscrapers (compare skyscraper), they are the most common form of mass-housing in Mega-City One, averaging a population of 60... The Council of Five is a fictional legislative body in the Judge Dredd universe. ... The Diktatorat were the ruling council of East Meg One, a Sov-Blok city in the Judge Dredd universe. ... For the Mystery Science Theater 3000 character, see Pearl Forrester. ... In the long-running British comic strip Judge Dredd, The Long Walk is taken by retired Judges who feel that they can no longer be effective within Mega-City One, instead choosing to take law to the lawless in either the radioactive wastes of the Cursed Earth or the Undercity... Mayor of Mega-City One is a fictional office in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. The real political power in Mega-City One is not held by the mayor but by the unelected judges, headed by the Chief Judge. ... This is a list of organizations in the British comic strip Judge Dredd appearing in 2000 AD, Judge Dredd Megazine and related publications. ... PSI Divison is the branch of Mega-City One Justice Department that deals in supernatural phenomenon, using Judges with psychic abilities. ... The Public Surveillance Unit or PSU is a fictional institution in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. It was introduced in prog 959. ... SJS judges (painted by John Burns) The SJS or Special Judicial Squad, in the fictional Judge Dredd universe created by 2000 AD, are sometimes referred to as the Judges of the Judges. ... Sky-surfing is a sport practiced in the world of the British Judge Dredd comic books, often featuring the champion sky-surfer Chopper. ... This is a list of future technology and equipment appearing in the British comic strip Judge Dredd appearing in 2000 AD, Judge Dredd Megazine and related publications. ... This article is about the the comic-book character. ...

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