Since his creation by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra in 1977, future lawman Judge Joseph Dredd has traveled everywhere from nuclear wastelands to outer space, battling undead monsters, deranged hillbillies, and demented warlords. These longer stories -- such as road trip "The Cursed Earth," procedural "The Pit," and zombie apocalypse "Judgement Day" -- are known by Dredd fans and publishers 2000AD as Mega Epics.
One of the earlier Mega Epics is "Apocalypse War," Published in the pages of 2000AD, issues (or 'Progs,' as they are known) 236- 267, and 269-270, written by John Wagner and Alan Grant, and illustrated by Brian Bolland, Carlos Ezquerra, Mike McMahon, Steve Dillon, and Ron Smith, with letters by Tom Frame and Steve Potter. Regarded by many as the definitive Mega Epic and one of the greatest Judge Dredd stories of all time, "The Apocalypse War" sees Dredd and his city Mega City One come under attack from the forces of their Russian counterparts; East Meg One and the dastardly War Marshall Kazan.
Following an inauspicious beginning in the storyline "Block Mania," Wagner and Grant launch into the Apocalypse War proper with a surprise Soviet assault upon Mega City One. As the city devolves into mania in "Block Mania," Dredd learns that the chaos, riots, and city-wide fighting are a result of poisoning initiated by Soviet agent Orlok the Assassin. Dredd and Orlok fight, but the assassin and the block wars prove to be a mere smokescreen for the real event -- an all-out war on Mega City One, with the weakened city at the mercy of the Soviets.
As nuclear attacks obliterate random sectors of the city, the Soviets target the Eastern seaboard wall - bringing down a massive tidal wave that destroys the Atlantic Wall and several other sectors of Mega City One. In these attacks -- and those which follow -- 150 million people die, leaving Dredd and his troops helpless as the onslaught continues. With the Chief Judge captured, Kazan and the Soviets embark upon a disinformation campaign, brainwashing the Judges' leader and forcing him to spout lies and propaganda on state television.
Perhaps more so than any other Dredd Epic, "The Apocalypse War" is a radical shake-up of the status quo of Dredd and his world. In addition to the 150 million citizens killed, the story sees the deaths of such vital characters as Chief Judge Griffin and long-standing ally Judge Giant. It also introduced major recurring series villains in Orlok the Assassin (who would return again and again until his later execution), War Marshall Kazan (killed but still pops up in alternate dimensions and nightmare visions), and the East Sov menace.
More than that, it causes readers to re-examine their position on Dredd himself. Judge Dredd was always something of a morally grey figure - functioning both as hero and villain, depending on the story's needs - but "The Apocalypse War" delivers one of Dredd's darkest moments to date. As the tides of battle turn, Dredd himself brings the conflict to its end - first assassinating his brainwashed Chief Judge and then launching a retaliatory strike upon East Meg One, killing 150 billion people in the process.
The consequences of Dredd's actions continue to resound today, as East Sov survivors continue to come after Dredd and Mega City One for revenge. With over 150 million people killed and the city left in rubble, neither Dredd nor his world would ever be the same again. The story remains one of the character's most reprinted - most recently as a part of the Essential Judge Dredd Collection, updated in full color by Charlie Kirchoff.
Other Mega Epics would follow in the footsteps of "The Apocalypse War," but this - together with "America" and "Necropolis" - remains the gold standard for Judge Dredd stories. And also one which, unfortunately, remains frighteningly relevant today.
