Sunday 4 May 2014

Judge Dredd: Monkey Business At The Charles Darwin Block, Part 1

NAME
Judge Dredd: Monkey Business At The Charles Darwin Block, Part 1

FIRST PUBLISHED
2000 AD Featuring Judge Dredd Prog 184

DATELINE
1 Nov 80

This prog also bore a Judge Dredd cover by Mike McMahon and contained Dash Decent, The Mean Arena, Meltdown Man, Ro-Jaws' Robo-Tales and Strontium Dog strips and a Torquemada Star Pin-Up by Kevin O'Neill.

PAGE COUNT
6

REPRINTS
The Best Of 2000AD 9, Judge Dredd Classics 66, The Complete Judge Dredd 17, Judge Dredd Definitive Ed. Bad Science, Judge Dredd Chronicles Book 2, Judge Dredd 13, Judge Dredd Paperbacks Monkey Business and Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 04.

SYNOPSIS
Dredd is forced to deal with a block full of de-evolved citizens.

FIRSTS & LASTS
First time T.B. Grover is used for both John Wagner and Alan Grant.

INFORMATION
Mega-City One's Charles Darwin Block has a school and a garage. Sweetair Ventilation Co. carry out maintenance on the block's ventilation ducts.

Throwing Caretaker Droids out of windows is a reportable offence.

Fribb enzyme reverses the process of evolution and smells like spaghetti sauce. It was discovered by Professor E. Northcote Fribb and has been described as the greatest breakthrough since inflatable kneecaps.

Named Judges: Judge Rioch


JUDGE DREDD
He attends the scene at Charles Darwin Block and armed with respirator and lawmaster he enters the block. He is caught in an explosion caused by the combination of a de-evolved Bob Kempinski, a flaming torch and a petrol tank.

OTHER CHARACTERS
PROFESSOR E. NORTHCOTE FRIBB
He lives in Apartment 66c of Charles Darwin Block. He discovers an enzyme which reverses the process of evolution. It will later become known as the Fribb enzyme. The smell of it de-evolves him. The smell of the Fribb enzyme spreads through the entire block de-evolving everyone inside.

ARRESTS
None.

DEATHS
Two. A de-evolved Theodore Wainwright shoots himself in the face with an antique hunting gun, while a de-evolved Bob Kempinski blows himself up with a flaming torch and a petrol tank.

BEST LINES
Caption at a de-evolved waves a flaming torch around his home: "Always quick on the uptake, Bob lost no time experimenting with his dangerous discovery"


WORST LINES
None.

CATCHPHRASES
None.

CONTINUITY & CROSSOVERS
None.

INFLUENCES & REFERENCES
Charles Darwin (1809-1882) was a naturalist and the author of On The Origin Of Species (1859) and The Descent Of Man, And Selection In Relation To Sex (1871).

MISTAKES
None.

RETROSPECT
None.

NOTES
None.

CREDITS
Script: T.B. Grover
Artist: Mike McMahon
Letters: Tom Frame

REVIEW
This is great fun. A Brilliant set-up as science runs amok, then its victims run amokker and with Dredd in the middle of it all. The artwork is wonderful, particularly Fribb's transformation.

Next Prog: The Origin Of Species!

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