Mechanismo
Encyclopedia
Mechanismo is the title of a Judge Dredd
story published in the British comic Judge Dredd Megazine
in 1992. It was the first story in a series of stories published over the next two years in both the Megazine and 2000 AD
, most notably the epic "Wilderlands." (The rest of this article is about the series as a whole.) The stories concern the Mechanismo Programme, a project to build robot Judges
to police the streets of Mega-City One
, and the decline of Chief Judge McGruder's
authority during her last years in office. All of the stories were written by Judge Dredd creator John Wagner
.
"Mechanismo" may also refer to the robots themselves.
was one of the most important supporting characters in the Judge Dredd strip at the time that the Mechanismo stories were published. Her eccentricity and questionable mental health had been a recurring theme in the background of many Judge Dredd stories ever since the character's reintroduction to the strip in Necropolis
over two years earlier. There had been hints of a split personality, a tendency to talk to herself, and other odd mannerisms and characteristics, which were primarily used for comic relief. However, in the first three Mechanismo stories McGruder's judgement and suitability for high office were increasingly called into question. This issue rapidly became the focus of the Mechanismo storyline, and was dealt with in a much more serious tone than previous stories had done. As the storyline developed, the emphasis moved away from robots and action, and towards political intrigue and McGruder's paranoia, before reverting back to action again as it neared its conclusion.
The storyline is also notable because it included "Wilderlands", the second crossover
story between the Megazine and 2000 AD.
The Mechanismo robots were humanoid in shape and were armour-plated, with insignia resembling those on human judge uniforms. They had infra-red vision, built-in weaponry including missiles and gas grenades, and carried large machine-guns. They were issued with Lawmaster motorcycles. Although no longer vested with judicial powers, they are still used as combat units in dire emergencies.
Their original appearance was designed by artist Colin MacNeil. A later upgraded version, the "Mark IIA," was designed by artist Peter Doherty
.
and Judgement Day
in which many street judges
lost their lives, Justice Department was severely under strength. To supplement the numbers of human judges and bring the escalating crime rate under control, Chief Judge McGruder
authorised Tek Division (Justice Department scientists) to build robot judges, which once ready would be vested with full judicial powers: authority to arrest, convict, sentence and if necessary execute criminals. The whole project was developed in strict secrecy under the auspices of Tek-Judge Stich, and was not revealed to the public or to rank-and-file judges until the first batch of robots were ready for duty in late 2114.
The Mark I robots were field-tested under strict supervision. Although they made a promising start, Judge Dredd
was not impressed with the idea and was aggressively resistant to the whole concept: however Stich and the Chief Judge ignored his concerns. Dredd was soon vindicated when two of the robots ran amok and began slaughtering innocent civilians indiscriminately. When the robots were ordered to shut down, the two rogue units ignored the order and had to be destroyed. Dredd personally gunned down unit number 8.
Dredd was appalled to learn that the Mechanismo Programme had continued in secret, and openly demanded the Chief Judge's resignation. She refused. This was a major turning-point in the strip, as the two characters, formerly allies, became adversaries.
Resolving to stop the Mechanismo Programme, Dredd decided to discredit the Mark II robots by finding Number Five before they did. He realised that the robot was still using the sewers to move around undetected, and began his search there. However, one of the Mark IIs found Number Five at the same time as Dredd. Ignoring Dredd's shouted order not to fire, the Mark II destroyed Number Five. Dredd then illegally destroyed the Mark II and persuaded the suggestible Judge Stich – who had witnessed the entire incident – that he had seen Number Five destroy the Mark II and then Dredd destroy Number Five.
's design looked sinister and inscrutable.)
To much controversy and consternation, the new robots were again deployed on the streets. This finally brought to a head the widespread concerns about Chief Judge McGruder's deteriorating judgement, and a delegation of the city's most senior judges – including Dredd – met with her and requested that she reform the Council of Five
(which she had suspended four years earlier). McGruder refused, believing the request to be a ploy to depose her: "crazy old McGruder appoints a Council, Council votes out crazy old McGruder!" McGruder was prepared for this turn of events, and had ex-judge Stich brought into the meeting. Stich had been interrogated at length by Greel, and subjected to truth drugs, until he had remembered the true sequence of events when Number Five and the Mark II robot had been destroyed. Implicated in criminal damage and perjury, Dredd confessed and was sentenced to 20 years' hard labour on the penal colony of Titan
. The delegation dispersed, defeated.
McGruder was due to visit the planet Hestia on a diplomatic visit, and left Greel in charge as acting chief judge in her absence. She took Dredd with her, intending to take him to Titan on the return journey.
Dredd sent Judge Castillo away from the main party to search for an abandoned outpost from which it was hoped she could raise Mega-City One on whatever communication equipment was there, while Dredd remained in charge of survival efforts. While Castillo struggled through the hostile terrain on foot, Dredd was forced to deal with a rogue Mark IIA Mechanismo robot which had escaped the stricken spaceship and which had been responsible for causing the crash in the first place. Dredd prevented the robot from assassinating McGruder, who finally saw the error of her ways and pardoned Dredd for his crimes.
decisively defeated Dredd, Hershey
and Herriman in the election, and reinstated the Council of Five.
. Whereas "Judgement Day" had been told in a completely linear fashion, with episodes alternating between the two comics, "Wilderlands" initially began in the same way, but then diverged into two separate plotlines, one following Dredd and the other following Castillo. This meant that readers who only bought one comic could still follow the story. However, some readers who read both titles complained that much of the content of the early episodes was repetitive, as the same events were told twice – once in each comic – until Dredd and Castillo were separated. Writer John Wagner would not perfect this technique until the third such crossover, "The Doomsday Scenario
," in 1999.
. Taking control of the stored Mechanismo units was the key part of an attempted coup by Space Corps
veterans in 2129 (in the story Mandroid: Instrument of War). In Tour of Duty
another model were used as guards at a Cursed Earth
prison, and in the audio drama Death Trap Mechanismos were used to guard Judge Death
(as he can not possess robots).
: Incubus, Judge Giant
and several of the Mark IIA robots defended the Grand Hall of Justice
from the Xenomorph
.
Judge Dredd
Judge Joseph Dredd is a comics character whose strip in the British science fiction anthology 2000 AD is the magazine's longest running . Dredd is an American law enforcement officer in a violent city of the future where uniformed Judges combine the powers of police, judge, jury and executioner...
story published in the British comic Judge Dredd Megazine
Judge Dredd Megazine
Judge Dredd: The Megazine is a monthly British comic magazine, launched in October 1990. It is a sister publication to 2000 AD. Its name is a play on words, formed from "magazine" and Dredd's locale Mega-City One.-Content:...
in 1992. It was the first story in a series of stories published over the next two years in both the Megazine and 2000 AD
2000 AD (comic)
2000 AD is a weekly British science fiction-oriented comic. As a comics anthology it serialises a number of separate stories each issue and was first published by IPC Magazines in 1977, the first issue dated 26 February. IPC then shifted the title to its Fleetway comics subsidiary which was sold...
, most notably the epic "Wilderlands." (The rest of this article is about the series as a whole.) The stories concern the Mechanismo Programme, a project to build robot Judges
Judge (2000 AD)
Judge is a title held by several significant characters in the Judge Dredd series, which appears in the British comics 2000 AD and Judge Dredd Megazine...
to police the streets of Mega-City One
Mega-City One
Mega-City One is a huge fictional city-state covering much of what is now the Eastern United States in the Judge Dredd comic book series. The exact boundaries of the city depend on which artist has drawn the story...
, and the decline of Chief Judge McGruder's
Judge McGruder
Chief Judge Hilda Margaret McGruder is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd stories published in the British comic 2000 AD. She was the first female Chief Judge of Mega-City One, and the first Judge of Mega-City One to become Chief Judge twice...
authority during her last years in office. All of the stories were written by Judge Dredd creator John Wagner
John Wagner
John Wagner is a comics writer who was born in Pennsylvania in 1949 and moved to Scotland as a boy. Alongside Pat Mills, Wagner was responsible for revitalising British boys' comics in the 1970s, and has continued to be a leading light in British comics ever since.He is best known for his work on...
.
"Mechanismo" may also refer to the robots themselves.
Significance
Judge McGruderJudge McGruder
Chief Judge Hilda Margaret McGruder is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd stories published in the British comic 2000 AD. She was the first female Chief Judge of Mega-City One, and the first Judge of Mega-City One to become Chief Judge twice...
was one of the most important supporting characters in the Judge Dredd strip at the time that the Mechanismo stories were published. Her eccentricity and questionable mental health had been a recurring theme in the background of many Judge Dredd stories ever since the character's reintroduction to the strip in Necropolis
Necropolis (Judge Dredd story)
Necropolis is a 26-part Judge Dredd epic by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra, published in 1990 in 2000 AD progs 674–699. The story was the subject of extensive foreshadowing in the comic, beginning with The Dead Man , followed by "Tale of the Dead Man" , and finally three stories collectively...
over two years earlier. There had been hints of a split personality, a tendency to talk to herself, and other odd mannerisms and characteristics, which were primarily used for comic relief. However, in the first three Mechanismo stories McGruder's judgement and suitability for high office were increasingly called into question. This issue rapidly became the focus of the Mechanismo storyline, and was dealt with in a much more serious tone than previous stories had done. As the storyline developed, the emphasis moved away from robots and action, and towards political intrigue and McGruder's paranoia, before reverting back to action again as it neared its conclusion.
The storyline is also notable because it included "Wilderlands", the second crossover
Fictional crossover
A fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
story between the Megazine and 2000 AD.
Robots' design
Their original appearance was designed by artist Colin MacNeil. A later upgraded version, the "Mark IIA," was designed by artist Peter Doherty
Peter Doherty (comics)
Peter Doherty is a British comic book artist and colourist.-Biography:Doherty's work over a 15 year career has mainly been concentrated on the classic 2000 AD character Judge Dredd. He has illustrated several significant episodes of the strip...
.
First story
Following the cataclysmic disasters known as NecropolisNecropolis (Judge Dredd story)
Necropolis is a 26-part Judge Dredd epic by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra, published in 1990 in 2000 AD progs 674–699. The story was the subject of extensive foreshadowing in the comic, beginning with The Dead Man , followed by "Tale of the Dead Man" , and finally three stories collectively...
and Judgement Day
Judgement Day (Judge Dredd story)
Judgement Day was a Judge Dredd story published with alternating episodes in both 2000 AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine in 1992. It was the first crossover between the two publications; three more have since followed...
in which many street judges
Judge (2000 AD)
Judge is a title held by several significant characters in the Judge Dredd series, which appears in the British comics 2000 AD and Judge Dredd Megazine...
lost their lives, Justice Department was severely under strength. To supplement the numbers of human judges and bring the escalating crime rate under control, Chief Judge McGruder
Judge McGruder
Chief Judge Hilda Margaret McGruder is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd stories published in the British comic 2000 AD. She was the first female Chief Judge of Mega-City One, and the first Judge of Mega-City One to become Chief Judge twice...
authorised Tek Division (Justice Department scientists) to build robot judges, which once ready would be vested with full judicial powers: authority to arrest, convict, sentence and if necessary execute criminals. The whole project was developed in strict secrecy under the auspices of Tek-Judge Stich, and was not revealed to the public or to rank-and-file judges until the first batch of robots were ready for duty in late 2114.
The Mark I robots were field-tested under strict supervision. Although they made a promising start, Judge Dredd
Judge Dredd
Judge Joseph Dredd is a comics character whose strip in the British science fiction anthology 2000 AD is the magazine's longest running . Dredd is an American law enforcement officer in a violent city of the future where uniformed Judges combine the powers of police, judge, jury and executioner...
was not impressed with the idea and was aggressively resistant to the whole concept: however Stich and the Chief Judge ignored his concerns. Dredd was soon vindicated when two of the robots ran amok and began slaughtering innocent civilians indiscriminately. When the robots were ordered to shut down, the two rogue units ignored the order and had to be destroyed. Dredd personally gunned down unit number 8.
"Mechanismo Returns"
Even this fiasco was not enough to persuade McGruder to cancel the Mechanismo Project. She simply paid compensation to the victims' families and ordered Stich to rectify the fault in the robots' design and programming. Her ambitions suffered a further setback however when the damaged Number Five reactivated itself and embarked on a second killing spree, escaping from Justice Department premises and shooting judges and civilians alike. This time the robot escaped into the sewer system and was not recaptured."Body Count"
After the massacres perpetrated by the Mark I robots, Judge Stich was unable to bear his share of the responsibility for the disaster and he went insane. He was committed to a psychiatric ward, from where he would persistently escape and search the sewers for the rogue Number Five. It was therefore generally assumed that McGruder had learned her lesson and that the project had been discontinued. It suited McGruder to allow people to think so. However, she still authorised the development of Mark IIs, this time under the purview of Tek-Judge Quiggley. After another year of work, Quiggley almost had the improved robots ready for a second field test when Number Five re-emerged from the sewer and began its third campaign of murder. This time Number Five had learned to go to ground after each attack, and all efforts to locate it failed. Taking personal charge of the search, McGruder brought forward the new robots' field test and deployed them on the streets, reasoning (wrongly as it transpired) that the best way to anticipate the next move of a robot was to use other robots to hunt it.Dredd was appalled to learn that the Mechanismo Programme had continued in secret, and openly demanded the Chief Judge's resignation. She refused. This was a major turning-point in the strip, as the two characters, formerly allies, became adversaries.
Resolving to stop the Mechanismo Programme, Dredd decided to discredit the Mark II robots by finding Number Five before they did. He realised that the robot was still using the sewers to move around undetected, and began his search there. However, one of the Mark IIs found Number Five at the same time as Dredd. Ignoring Dredd's shouted order not to fire, the Mark II destroyed Number Five. Dredd then illegally destroyed the Mark II and persuaded the suggestible Judge Stich – who had witnessed the entire incident – that he had seen Number Five destroy the Mark II and then Dredd destroy Number Five.
New direction
For Judge Dredd to break the law was almost unheard of, as one of the defining traits of his character is his inflexible devotion to enforcing the law. This crime was to have major repercussions in the next phase of the storyline, as attention moved away from the robots themselves and settled more on the conflict between Dredd and McGruder.Plot: "Wilderlands" story arc
"Conspiracy of Silence"
Following the apparent failure of the Mark II robot judges, Judge Quiggley was demoted and Tek-Judge Greel was put in charge of the Mechanismo Programme, again in secret. In 2116 his Mark IIA robots were ready. They had a radically different appearance to the first two batches, and were given names instead of numbers to make them less intimidating to the public. (Although the script described the Mark IIAs as looking "friendlier" than their predecessors, artist Peter DohertyPeter Doherty (comics)
Peter Doherty is a British comic book artist and colourist.-Biography:Doherty's work over a 15 year career has mainly been concentrated on the classic 2000 AD character Judge Dredd. He has illustrated several significant episodes of the strip...
's design looked sinister and inscrutable.)
To much controversy and consternation, the new robots were again deployed on the streets. This finally brought to a head the widespread concerns about Chief Judge McGruder's deteriorating judgement, and a delegation of the city's most senior judges – including Dredd – met with her and requested that she reform the Council of Five
Council of Five
The Council of Five is a fictional legislature and court in the Judge Dredd comic strip appearing in 2000 AD. It first appeared in 2000 AD prog 86 ....
(which she had suspended four years earlier). McGruder refused, believing the request to be a ploy to depose her: "crazy old McGruder appoints a Council, Council votes out crazy old McGruder!" McGruder was prepared for this turn of events, and had ex-judge Stich brought into the meeting. Stich had been interrogated at length by Greel, and subjected to truth drugs, until he had remembered the true sequence of events when Number Five and the Mark II robot had been destroyed. Implicated in criminal damage and perjury, Dredd confessed and was sentenced to 20 years' hard labour on the penal colony of Titan
Titan in fiction
Titan is the largest moon of Saturn. It has a substantial atmosphere and is the most Earth-like satellite in the Solar System, making it a popular science fiction setting.- Literature :* Flight on Titan , short story by Stanley G. Weinbaum...
. The delegation dispersed, defeated.
McGruder was due to visit the planet Hestia on a diplomatic visit, and left Greel in charge as acting chief judge in her absence. She took Dredd with her, intending to take him to Titan on the return journey.
"The Tenth Planet"
The diplomatic visit was not a success. McGruder attempted to sell some Mechanismo units to the Hestian government, but when her party was threatened by a stampede of large animals her robot bodyguard took no action to protect her. Worse still, it was Dredd – despite being in handcuffs – who averted disaster. On a later occasion McGruder's life was threatened by an attack of deadly Dune Sharks: deadly man-eating predators native to Hestia. One of the Mechanismo units had a dune shark in its sights, but appeared to deliberately miss, and it was a human judge, Judge Castillo, who saved her life."Wilderlands"
As McGruder's spaceship, Justice 4, began to leave the planet Hestia the flight crew were murdered, and the ship crashed. Many passengers and crew were killed, and the survivors were stranded in the hostile wilderlands of the unexplored part of the planet. Since no distress message had been sent, nobody even knew that they had crashed. McGruder received a head injury in the crash, and went into a life-threatening coma. Even though Dredd was a prisoner he assumed command, since none of the ship crew (who now all technically outranked him) were competent or experienced enough to keep the survivors alive.Dredd sent Judge Castillo away from the main party to search for an abandoned outpost from which it was hoped she could raise Mega-City One on whatever communication equipment was there, while Dredd remained in charge of survival efforts. While Castillo struggled through the hostile terrain on foot, Dredd was forced to deal with a rogue Mark IIA Mechanismo robot which had escaped the stricken spaceship and which had been responsible for causing the crash in the first place. Dredd prevented the robot from assassinating McGruder, who finally saw the error of her ways and pardoned Dredd for his crimes.
Aftermath
Greel was arrested on suspicion of sabotaging the robots and attempting to kill the Chief Judge. However, after 72 hours of intensive interrogation no evidence was found to prove the charge, and he was released (but demoted). McGruder aborted the Mechanismo Programme and, on returning to Mega-City One, resigned from office. Her final, controversial act as chief judge was to order that her successor was to be elected by the 400 senior judges of the Justice Department. Judge VoltJudge Volt
Chief Judge Hadrian Volt is a fictional character from the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He was chief judge of Mega-City One between 2116 and 2121 .-Fictional character biography:...
decisively defeated Dredd, Hershey
Judge Hershey
Judge Barbara Hershey is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd series that appears in British comic 2000 AD. For nearly two decades she regularly appeared as Dredd's sidekick, before being promoted to become his superior: she was chief judge for nine years...
and Herriman in the election, and reinstated the Council of Five.
Crossover and criticism
The Mechanismo trilogy had been told entirely in the Judge Dredd Megazine in 1992-93, and no mention of those events had been made in sister comic 2000 AD. This was addressed by a short story in 2000 AD in 1994, beginning the new "Wilderlands" arc which then continued in the Megazine. The story "Wilderlands" itself was told in both comics, but using a different method to the previous crossover "Judgement Day"Judgement Day (Judge Dredd story)
Judgement Day was a Judge Dredd story published with alternating episodes in both 2000 AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine in 1992. It was the first crossover between the two publications; three more have since followed...
. Whereas "Judgement Day" had been told in a completely linear fashion, with episodes alternating between the two comics, "Wilderlands" initially began in the same way, but then diverged into two separate plotlines, one following Dredd and the other following Castillo. This meant that readers who only bought one comic could still follow the story. However, some readers who read both titles complained that much of the content of the early episodes was repetitive, as the same events were told twice – once in each comic – until Dredd and Castillo were separated. Writer John Wagner would not perfect this technique until the third such crossover, "The Doomsday Scenario
The Doomsday Scenario
The Doomsday Scenario is the collective name of a series of Judge Dredd comic stories published in 2000 AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine in 1999...
," in 1999.
Subsequent appearances
Although the Mechanismo Programme was ended, the existing robots were not destroyed, but were retained for military use. The Mark IIs were deployed on spaceships, and the Mark IIAs were mothballed and kept in storage in the Grand Hall of JusticeGrand Hall of Justice
The Grand Hall of Justice of Mega-City One is a fictional building in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. It actually refers to three different buildings which existed at different times...
. Taking control of the stored Mechanismo units was the key part of an attempted coup by Space Corps
Space Corps (Judge Dredd)
The Space Corps of 2000 ADs Judge Dredd strip are a professional army which deals with conflicts and peacekeeping away from Earth. They have appeared in several stories, most notably Judge Dredd: Mandroid and its sequel....
veterans in 2129 (in the story Mandroid: Instrument of War). In Tour of Duty
Tour of Duty (Judge Dredd story)
Tour of Duty is a Judge Dredd story published in British comic 2000 AD . It lasted for 46 episodes, 39 of which were written by John Wagner. It has the greatest number of episodes and pages of any Judge Dredd story...
another model were used as guards at a Cursed Earth
Cursed Earth
The Cursed Earth is a part of the fictional universe from the Judge Dredd series that appears in the UK comic book 2000 AD.-Background:...
prison, and in the audio drama Death Trap Mechanismos were used to guard Judge Death
Judge Death
Judge Death is a fictional character of the Judge Dredd universe recounted in the UK comic 2000 AD. He is the leader of the Dark Judges, a sinister group of undead law enforcers from the alternate dimension of Deadworld, where all life has been declared a crime since only the living commit crimes...
(as he can not possess robots).
Incubus
In Judge Dredd vs. AliensJudge Dredd vs. Aliens
Judge Dredd vs. Aliens is an intercompany crossover, featuring Judge Dredd and the Alien from the Alien franchise. It was published weekly in 2000 AD in 2003.-Plot:...
: Incubus, Judge Giant
Judge Giant
Judge Giant can refer to either of two fictional characters appearing in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. They are father and son...
and several of the Mark IIA robots defended the Grand Hall of Justice
Grand Hall of Justice
The Grand Hall of Justice of Mega-City One is a fictional building in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. It actually refers to three different buildings which existed at different times...
from the Xenomorph
Xenomorph (Alien)
The Alien is a fictional endoparasitoid extraterrestrial species that is the primary antagonist of the Alien film series. The species made its debut in the 1979 film Alien, and reappeared in its sequels Aliens , Alien 3 , and Alien Resurrection , two crossovers Alien vs...
.
Collected editions
- Mechanismo (Hamlyn, 1993, ISBN 0-7493-1640-3)
- Does not include "Body Count."
- Wilderlands (Hamlyn, 2001, ISBN 0-600-60309-1)
- Does not include "Farewell to the Chief."
- Mechanismo (Rebellion, 2009, ISBN 978-1-906735-18-0)
- Includes "Body Count."
Other reprints
- Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files 18 (Rebellion, 2011, ISBN 978-1-907992-25-4)
- Reprints various stories including "Mechanismo" and "Mechanismo Returns." (Case Files 19 is expected to include "Body Count.")
External links
- Cover of Megazine vol. 2 #41 in which Dredd first demanded McGruder's resignation