Who Is Judge Dredd? Origin, Powers and Key Facts

Judge Dredd is a Rebellion comic book character, the alter ego of Joseph Dredd, with over 4,158 comic issue appearances. In the dystopian post-apocalyptic future of the 22nd century, crime runs rampant in Mega-City One. Here the people are policed by the Judges, elite cops prepared to do whatever it takes to keep the peace, even if it means sentencing criminals to death on the spot. And the most feared of all the Judges is Judge Dredd.

Who is Judge Dredd?

Origin Mega-City One in the 22nd century, a vast urban nightmare situated along the east coast of post-apocalyptic North America. The irradiated wasteland known as The Cursed Earth to the west covering most of America, and the polluted Black Atlantic to the east. Home to 400 million citizens, crammed into gigantic city-blocks, overcrowding is rife, unemployment endemic and boredom universal. Tensions run a constant knife-edge, and crime is rampant. Only the Judges can prevent total anarchy. Empowered to dispense instant justice, these lawmen are judge, jury and executioner. The toughest of them all is Judge Joe Dredd, and he is the law! Judge Dredd, one of a number of clones of Chief Judge Fargo , is the most famous of the elite corps of Judges that run Mega-City One with the power not only to enforce the law, but also to instantly sentence offenders, to death if necessary. Dredd and his twin brother Rico emerged from the cloning facility as five years old in 2066, which took only a matter of months.

Key facts

Judge Dredd is of human origin and first appeared in "Prog 2". The character is published by Rebellion. With 4,158 recorded issue appearances, Judge Dredd ranks among the most featured characters in comics.