America (Judge Dredd story)
| "America" | |
|---|---|
Cover of Judge Dredd: America (2008), trade paperback collected edition.Art by Colin MacNeil.
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| Publisher | Rebellion Developments |
| Publication date | October 1990 – April 1991 |
| Genre | |
| Title(s) | Judge Dredd Megazine #1.01-1.07 |
| Creative team | |
| Writer(s) | John Wagner |
| Artist(s) | Colin MacNeil |
| Editor(s) | Steve MacManus |
| America | ISBN |
"America" was a Judge Dredd story published in the Judge Dredd Megazine in 1990. Told in flashbacks, the story concerns the character America Jara, her friend Bennett Beeny and their tragic encounters with the Justice Department. As Bennett Beeny grows up to reap the benefits of Mega City One, becoming a famous singer and comedian, America becomes more and more disillusioned. She becomes a democracy activist and later a terrorist. The story is grounded in the conflict between the Democracy movement and Mega City One's fascist police state, and is one of the most political Judge Dredd stories ever told. Writer John Wagner (co-creator of Dredd) has said that America is his favourite Judge Dredd story, and editor David Bishop describes it as "the best Judge Dredd story ever written."
The story also introduced the terrorist group Total War, which became significant in later stories.
"America" begins as a love story, told from the point of view of Bennett Beeny, whose secret love for his close childhood friend America Jara is sadly unrequited. As they grow up together, America becomes disillusioned with the Judges' dictatorial rule over Mega-City One, and becomes a campaigner for the restoration of democracy. Beeny, on the other hand, is too afraid of the Judges to stand up to them, and craves a quiet life; however his efforts to dissuade America from pursuing her dangerous activities fall on deaf ears. As they are about to graduate from high school, Beeny confesses his deep love for America, who (as he predicted) rejects him, saying that her love for him is only platonic. She leaves him to go to university with her boyfriend Doody, while Beeny becomes a successful singer of comedic songs and makes his fortune. Over time their correspondence dwindles to nothing.
Some years later Beeny, still pining for his lost love, has resorted to seeking the services of prostitutes, having failed to establish a long-term relationship with anyone else. By complete chance, one night the prostitute he approaches transpires to be America, who in fact is in disguise, as she is part of a terrorist cell which has laid an ambush for a patrol of judges. Before either of them can react to their unexpected reacquaintance, two judges arrive, and America and her terrorist comrades shoot them both dead. As they are about to flee from the scene of the crime, one of the terrorists, Kurd, sees Beeny and, ignoring America's protests, shoots Beeny in the throat, so as not to leave any witnesses.
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