The comic book anti-hero Judge Dredd within the 2000 AD comic book universe is beloved by many fans - but there's one element to his story that easily beats both Marvel and DC. The character is well-known for his uncompromising views regarding justice and the all-important law within Mega City 1, and his propensity for violence (while still adhering to the law himself). But Judge Dredd's tales depart from Marvel and DC's superhero narratives in one important aspect: the timespan in which these stories are told.
The world was introduced to Judge Joseph Dredd in 1977 as part of the 2000 AD comics, and the entire narrative depicts a cold future in which the population of Earth lives in sprawling urban centers. Crime is a constant, and order is maintained through the Judges: law enforcement officers who act as judge, jury, and (if necessary) executioner. Dredd is the most popular character within the universe, and though he does have his moments of humanity, he acts mostly as the face of justice itself. As a result, he never removes his helmet (a rule that the 1995 Judge Dredd film dispensed with, leading to fans dismissing the movie).
But the Judge Dredd stories of the comics, unlike the stories of Marvel and DC, are told in real-time. That is to say, a year in the real world equates to a year in Mega City 1. The first story in 1977 takes place in 2099, meaning the current year of 2000 AD is 2144. Dredd has undergone multiple procedures to maintain his fighting shape, but he still ages according to the real-world dates. This also means the universe cannot be subject to cosmic retcons; Dredd cannot be magically younger without an in-universe explanation. Marvel and DC notably do not do this; they operate on 'comic book time' in which the ages of characters are entirely subject to whoever happens to be writing the book.
This leads to such curiosities as Spider-Man never aging past 30 despite his stories beginning in 1963, or other characters remaining the same age despite taking part in historical events, such as 9/11 or Barack Obama's election (Spider-Man again). Characters are unable to confront their own aging if they don't age - and continuous retcons make characters younger and younger, such as DC's New 52 initiative. Some characters may age, but not all - the first Robin aged from a teenager to an adult upon becoming Nightwing...yet Batman has not noticeably aged at all.
Judge Dredd's continuity remains the same as it always has, but Marvel and DC subject their characters to retcon after retcon. They can change, but they cannot age - which is one of the biggest indicators of the passage of time (and time begets change). Perhaps the writers of Marvel and DC Comics can learn from Judge Dredd's uncompromising ways - if not in terms of fighting crime, then perhaps in terms of keeping time.
Comments
Post a Comment