JUDGE DREDD

Judge Dredd

Block Mania 9 episodes (Progs 236 to 244) 55 pages
Script: John Wagner/Alan Grant, Artist: Mike McMahon/Ron Smith/Brian Bolland/Steve Dillon
Featuring: Judge Giant Snr, Orlok the Assassin, Max Normal
Prelude to The Apocalypse War.
Timeline data: 2103
Reprinted
Titan: Judge Dredd Epics The Apocalypse War
Titan: Judge Dredd Epics The Complete Apocalypse War
Titan: Judge Dredd Epics Block Mania
Rebellion: Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 05
The Complete Judge Dredd 23
Eagle: Judge Dredd 18 (1-5), Colour: John Burns
Eagle: Judge Dredd 19 (6-9), Colour: John Burns
Hachette: Judge Dredd The Mega Collection The Apocalypse War

In late 2103 a 4-Cred Freezy Whip was dropped from Enid Blyton Block onto Melda Dreep of Dan Tanna Block. This seemingly innocuous event was to herald the beginning of one of Mega City One's strangest chapters - Block Mania. Dan Tanna Block had already decided to start a Block War, an occasional yet deadly occurrence in Mega City One, the only question left was, who to fight? Melda Dreep suggested Enid Blyton and war was commenced. Other blocks joined them and soon the Northern Sector was at war. With Justice Dept. resources stretched to capacity Dredd realised something was wrong when even Judges took sides and joined the fight. The only man not affected was Max Normal, Dredd's occasional snitch.

As Block Mania spread to other areas of the city, an anonymous tip off gave Dredd his first clue that the contaminant was in the water (something Max never touched, considering it unhealthy). The race began to find the perpetrator in the hope of creating an antidote. However it was soon apparent that this was no ordinary perp and many judges lay dead, including Judge Giant, before Dredd finally defeated him. In the struggle Dredd was exposed to a massive overdose of the Block Mania viro-chemical and declared: "I'm with Rowdy Yates Block! Who you fighting with?" before he was sedated. By the time Dredd had recovered, the perp was revealed to be Sov agent Orlok and Block Mania a plot by the Sovs to destabilise the city in preparation for an invasion. But the news came too late, for the Apocalypse War had begun!

Paul Scott