Robot Wars was the first multi-issue Judge Dredd story line which began in 2000AD Prog 10 and continued until Prog 17.
Synopsis[]
Part One[]
The carpenter robot Call Me Kenneth goes berserk and starts attacking people. Dredd blows up its head with a High-Ex bullet, but only succeeds in blinding it. He shoots down a high voltage Skyrail power cable to electrocute the robot, and it cuts itself in half with its own chainsaw[1].
Part Two[]
Judge Dredd quits after the Grand Judge refuses to listen to his warning about the potential robot threat. Meanwhile, Call Me Kenneth is given a new body casing, and Dr. Arnold Wisenheimer operates on it live on TV to repair the fault which caused it to go berserk. A nurse's mistake causes the robot to reactivate before it can be fixed however, and it kills the doctor. Through the TV it incites robots all over the city to rebel against humans. Dredd returns to lead the Judges against the robot army[2].
Part Three[]
The Judges fall back behind a robot proof steel barrier, but huge demolition robots called Heavy Metal Kids appear to smash through it. Dredd uses his bike to ride rings around them while they try to smash him, causing them to break apart the elevated roadway they're stood on so they plummet to the ground a mile below. The exhausted Dredd is returned home by Judge Jack where his housekeeper Maria tries to put him to bed. Dredd refuses to rest and says he will hunt down Call Me Kenneth alone[3].
Part Four[]
At the Grand Hall of Justice, Dredd stops Walter from being destroyed so he can accompany Dredd into the robot-held part of the city as his guide. Dredd tries to bluff his way in, posing as a realistic robot, but his ruse is discovered when he is spotted bleeding from a recent wound. He is taken before Call Me Kenneth who threatens to turn him into a living robot[4].
Part Five[]
Dredd witnesses Call Me Kenneth ruling over the other robots like a ruthless tyrant. He is put in robotic handcuffs, beaten, and led away. Later that night, Walter turns up and frees him by burning through the cuffs with acid[5].
Part Six[]
Dredd and a small band of robots disillusioned with Call Me Kenneth's new regime manage to switch the circuits in the central computer so all newly created robots are loyal to humans again. With this newly created army he regains control of the factory. Meanwhile Call Me Kenneth has escaped and is threatening the Grand Hall of Justice with a squad of Heavy Metal Kids[6].
Part Seven[]
Dredd takes control of Atmosphere Control and uses Walter's help to reprogram it to produce a massive electrical storm over the Heavy Metal Kids that are attacking the Grand Hall of Justice. The demolition robots turn on and destroy each other. The Judges win but the body of Call Me Kenneth can't be found[7].
Part Eight[]
Call Me Kenneth is found trying to hijack an oil tanker. Dredd boards it as it takes off, and he battles Kenneth on top of it as it flies above he city. Dredd is knocked from the tanker but manages to ignite the oil as he falls. Call Me Kenneth is killed in the resulting explosion, and Dredd is caught in a Fire Dept net. Walter the Wobot is rewarded for his part in the victory with his freedom, and chooses to become Dredd's manservant[8].
Recurring Characters[]
Judge Dredd[]
- Dredd is a Judge in Mega-City One. He patrols the streets and dispenses justice with total impartiality. He IS the Law.
Grand Judge[]
- Although not directly named here, this is Chief Judge Goodman
Walter the Wobot[]
- Walter is Dredd's speech-impaired robot man-servant. Although technically a free robot, he serves Dredd because he enjoys it.
Maria[]
- Maria is Dredd's Italian cleaning lady.
Other Characters[]
Call-Me-Kenneth[]
- Call-Me-Kenneth is a carpenter robot who develops a fault that stops it being obedient to humans, desiring to rule over them instead[1].
Dr. Arnold Wisenheimer[]
- Dr. Wisenheimer is a scientist who operates on Call-Me-Kenneth live on TV to repair it[2].
Graham[]
- Graham is a house robot that sees Call-Me-Kenneth on TV and kills his owners[2].
Judge Jack[]
- Judge Jack is one of the Judges sent with Dredd to put down the robot insurrection. He takes Dredd back to his apartment after he collapses from exhaustion[2].
Robo-Dogs[]
- Dredd is attacked by a pack of robo-dogs on his way to the Cybo Comp factory[5]. These are identified in a much later spin-off story as Bingo, Ringo, Fluffy & Pie-Face[9].
J70 stroke 12[]
- J70 stroke 12 is a robot seen speaking out against Call-Me-Kenneth[7].
Stewart[]
- Stewart is one of the robots Walter recruits to help Dredd overthrow Call-Me-Kenneth[7].
Howard[]
- Howard is one of the robots Walter recruits to help Dredd overthrow Call-Me-Kenneth. He comes up with the idea of reprogramming all the new robots to be obedient to humans again[7].
J70 stroke 13[]
- J70 stroke 13 is one of the robots Walter recruits to help Dredd overthrow Call-Me-Kenneth[7].
Locations[]
- Central Hospital of Applied Robotics[2]
- Sector 9[1]
- Sector 7[2]
- Sector 2[2]
- Sector 4[2]
- Grand Hall of Justice[2]
- Cybo Comp[4]
Technology[]
Robots[]
Weapons[]
Arts and Culture[]
Food and Drink[]
- Synthi-Caff[6]
Real World[]
The final panel on page 2 of part 4 of this story is used to illustrate the Robo-Dogs Combat Action card in Judge Dredd - The Board Game[10].
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Judge Dredd: Robot Wars Part 1, 2000AD Prog 10
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 Judge Dredd: Robot Wars Part 2, 2000AD Prog 11
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Judge Dredd: Robot Wars Part 3, 2000AD Prog 12
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Judge Dredd: Robot Wars Part 4, 2000AD Prog 13
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Judge Dredd: Robot Wars Part 5, 2000AD Prog 14
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Judge Dredd: Robot Wars Part 6, 2000AD Prog 15
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Judge Dredd: Robot Wars Part 7, 2000AD Prog 16
- ↑ Judge Dredd: Robot Wars Part 8, 2000AD Prog 17
- ↑ Judge Dredd: The Lost Cases: Ratted, Judge Dredd Megazine 295
- ↑ Judge Dredd - The Game of Crime-Fighting in Mega-City One