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JUDGE BREDD

Real Name: Bredd (first name unrevealed, see comments)

Identity/Class: Extradimensional/alternate reality extraterrestrial (Melmacian)

Occupation: Judge (street-level law enforcer)

Group Membership: Melmega-City One Judges

Affiliations: Fellow judges, notably Judge Hamderson

Enemies: Ritz Brothers, Roller Toaster, other law-breakers

Known Relatives: Gordon Shumway (later ALF) (ancestor)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Melmega-City One, Melmac

First Appearance: ALF#35/2 (November, 1990)

Powers/Abilities: Judge Bredd is a trained and highly experienced law enforcer, extremely dedicated to his role (roll? :D ), doling out maximum penalties with an intricate knowledge of Melmacian law of his era. He is armed with a special handgun that can fire various projectiles, determined via a click dial, and rides an armed oversized motortricycle (that appears to also have additional pedal power). He lacks a sense of humor. It's assumed that despite planet Melmac's nuclear problems, Bredd has the usual physical attributes of a Melmac native (compared to humans), with heightened immunity and extended lifespan (set at 650 years).

Height: 4'
Weight: Unrevealed
Eyes: Unrevealed (presumably black)
Hair: Brown

History:

(ALF#35/2 (fb) - BTS) - In an alternate timeline, the planet Melmac still had its nuclear problems, but it only partially destroyed the planet (as opposed to completely destroying it in Reality-88131). Huge cities grew amongst the wastelands; the largest of the cities was Melmega-City One. Various problems arose; chief was a severe bread shortage that led to higher crime. In response, law was enforced by street-level Judges, empowered to instantly enact law and harsh penalties using superior weapons. Judges maintained proper loaf distribution in the city.

(ALF#35/2) - A descendant of Gordon Shumway (later ALF) was the stern Judge Bredd, treated as a hero by much of the population. On one shift, Bredd was challenged by the criminal Roller Toaster, who used a flamethrower from his jet-powered skateboard. Bredd soon downed him using a gun projectile that honed in on foot odor. Later, after being given a free treat from a baker for patrolling the area, Bredd arrested and sentenced him for bribery. Bredd was called away and caught in one of many exploding "bunbombs" (also called "roll models") that covered him and several other judges in dough-like slime. The Chief Judge assigned Bredd to resolve the chaotic issue and assigned the "melepath" (telepath) Judge Hamderson, despite Bredd's protestations that melepaths were undisciplined. An unexploded bunbomb led Hamderson to identify its origins from the wastelands, where long-term exposure to lethal laughing gas had mutated the denizens into perpetual pranksters. Hamderson found the makers at the Ritz Cracker Bros. factory. Hamderson kept trying to make jokes while Dredd kept dismissing them. Bredd stormed the factory and overcame the crook bakers; Hamderson discovered they unleashed the bunbombs only as practical jokes. While Hamderson destroyed the factory, Bredd handcuffed the three brothers and sentenced them to a penitentiary.

 

 

Comments: Created by Michael Gallagher, Rusty Haller, Marie Severin.

Judge Bredd is, of course, an obvious parody of the legendary future lawman Judge Dredd, who first appeared in the UK comic anthology magazine 2000 AD and which is set in the dystopian future city of Mega-City One (covering most of future eastern America). He rides a large "Lawmaster" motorbike and is armed with a special handgun, and never removes his helmet. Judge Hamderson is parody of Judge Anderson, who has psychic powers. Dredd's stories are served gritty and brutal with a side serve of comedy and satire.

Given Bredd is (assumed to be) his surname (just as Dredd is for the one being parodied), it's safe to say that Bredd is not a direct descendant, but at closest a nephew.

ALF describes this as an "alternate future," given that his planet Melmac was completely destroyed in his reality (Reality-88131) in his time. So does Bredd require his own Reality-number? I think not; because Melmac is so remote, it could fit neatly into many existing alternate realities. Furthermore, the first story of Judge Dredd (which Bredd parodies) is set in 2099 (an iconic Marvel future reality), so... it's close enough to ALF's description of "several decades from now!"

ALF calling up a future alternate timeline begs the questions: is this just a fake story to gain attention? (And then calls into question other stories he tells his hosts, the Tanner family). But we'll just go with what the story says.

Is there room to revisit this character as well as parody other prominent Dredd foes? How about Judge Blech and the Dork Judges (parodying Judge Death & the Dark Judges)? Shopper the web surfer (Chopper the sky surfer)? The Angle Gang (or Angelcake Gang) & Eatin' Machine (Angel Gang & Mean Machine)? How about having a boxer-turned movie star imitating a Judge but he keeps flopping about? (What a great movie that was...). Maybe incorporate parodies of other 2000 AD characters, like Fishfinn (Finn), Nick al Dente (Nikolai Dante), Tequila Nada (from Nemesis' villain Torquemada), BBQ Warriors (or GMO Warriors or LOL Warriors) (ABC Warriors), and Gargle the Mighty (Tharg the Mighty; hm, not sure on this one). I gotta think on others.

Further details on the Melmacian alien species (according to the ALF television show) can be found on a Melmac fansite. No problem!

Profile by Grendel Prime.

CLARIFICATIONS :
Judge Bredd has no known connections to:

Judge Hamderson

Judge Hamderson was from the RY-1 division, which trained "melepaths" (telepaths) who used ESP to help solve crimes, but some other judges, like the stern Judge Bredd, considered them undisciplined and flaky. However, Melmega-City One was beset by exploding "bunbombs" that covered people nearby in dough-like slime, so the Chief Judge brought in Hamderson to assist Bredd resolve the case. Somewhat vain, Judge Hamderson cracked jokes, but Bredd dismissed them. Utilizing her ESP, Hamderson used an unexploded bomb to trace its origins to the wastelands outside the city to the Ritz Cracker Bros. factory. After Bredd incapacitated the villains, Hamderson mind-linked and found the three brothers intended the bunbombs only as a practical joke. She destroyed the factory with her special handgun while Bredd handcuffed and sentenced the nefarious bakers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

--ALF#35/2

Roller Toaster

Roller Toaster was an anarchic criminal who rode a jet-powered skateboard and used a flamethrower to further cripple the city's bread supply. Judge Bredd chased him and used a "feetseeker" projectile from his special gun that honed in on the perpetrator's foot odor. Bredd sentenced him to 200 years to harsh mines off-planet.

 

 

 

 

--ALF#35/2

images: (without ads)
ALF#35/2, p3, pan1 (main image)
   p4, pan2 (headshot)
   p3, pan5 (on motor tricycle)
   p6, pan1 (Hamderson)
   p3, pan4 (Roller Toaster)

Appearances:
ALF#35/2 (November, 1990) - Michael Gallagher (writer), Rusty Haller (pencils), Marie Severin (inks), Fabian Nicieza (editor)

First posted: 11/12/2022
Last updated: 11/12/2022

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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