Random Happenstance

Here's where my little Humble Bundle read count goes off the rails, since I'm unsure of the exchange rate of British progs to American issues...as from the pages of Judge Dredd, we start with from 2004, the Simping Detective, written by Simon (Si) Spurrier, art by Frazier Irving.

"Simping" has taken, shall we say, a different connotation in recent years; but for 2000 AD/Dredd fans, 'simps' are adherents of the Church of Simpology, who "embrace the absurdity of life in the (Mega-)City by dressing and behaving in an outrageous and ridiculous manner. They're usually nutso. Undercover Judge Jack Point dresses like a clown, but it's camouflage for his work in the Angeltown district, as well as being exceptionally helpful as far as hiding weapons...

While he himself was often drunk and miserable, Jack's stories are stylish, sarcastic fun; even if they were set squarely in Dredd continuity. This does cause him to get dragged back into the plot every so often, doubtless kicking and screaming: he has had stories set after the Day of Chaos event. I read that as well: a rogue Sov agent, seeking revenge for Dredd's retaliation in the Apocalypse War (wherein Dredd destroyed East Meg-One) unleashes a virus on Mega-City One. It's a bloody one, that will remind of a lot of the pandemic, except it's the absolute worst case there, and it was written several years prior to it! Day of Chaos is also a long one: 48 episodes, the longest Dredd story to that time. (The first chapter was in 2000 AD #1743 in 2011; but reading it the other day I would've sworn it was post-COVID.) I think Wagner pulled a trick he's used a few times: a Psi-Division Judge has a premonition of doom, that ultimately doesn't help the Judges the least little bit.

But, while Mega-City One lost 350 million in Day of Chaos, Jack Point and his supporting cast made it out okay! He would go through a couple later plotlines, and I'm not sure he's still simping. Although, that might depend on Spurrier or Irving coming back to him. Anyway, we add like 75 progs to our count here, for whatever that's worth.