The authors of the legendary lawman Judge Dredd caused a stir by suggesting that he might be gay. The latest issue of the comic 2000 AD is titled “Closet” and deals with a teenager’s coming out.
The first page was published on the Internet and apparently shows Dredd – a judge/police officer from the future – kissing teenagers in a gay club. Reactions to the teaser, released online last month, were mixed, with some fans so averse to the idea that they threatened to burn the comic. A spokesman said: “We have had some pretty extreme reactions. Dredd has always been satirical but at the same time touched on serious issues. This is another example of that.”
But the story takes an unexpected turn, and not everything is as it seems. Dredd is a street judge in the American metropolis Mega-City One, who can enforce the law and impose immediate punishments, including executions.
According to writer Rob Williams, Dredd’s sexuality – whatever it may be – is buried beneath his love of the law. He said: “Sure, Dredd could be gay. You can’t look at the original costume design of leather and chains without seeing a fetishistic note in it. But Dredd’s feelings are so deeply hidden that it’s extremely unlikely he’ll ever show them.”
The author said comics are a “great” medium for dealing with issues such as homophobia, adding: “As long as you stay true to the character throughout – and I think that’s the case with ‘Closet’ – you can tackle all kinds of issues in a story.”
“And if they provoke people, that’s fine. I’d rather have a story that provokes than just ‘and they fight.’ Plus, putting Dredd in a gay club full of men dressed as him is a pretty funny image. That alone is worth it.”
The strip, illustrated by Mike Dowling of CLiNT magazine, will be available from Wednesday.
Judge Dredd
