Age: Either 36, somewhere in his 70s, or approximately minus 53
Erm, what? Well he's a comic book character who was invented in 1977, but since then his storylines have taken place in real time so he is now in his 70s, although his actual year of birth is supposed to be 2066, but then he was/will be an accelerated clone who is physically five years old at the end of the gestation process …
Let's move on. Appearance? Huge muscly bloke dressed in skin-tight biker's leathers covered with chains, handcuffs and chastising tools.
You can't improve a classic look. No indeed. Although Dredd could yet change in other ways. There are rumours that he might be gay.
A comic book character? Is that possible? The next issue of 2000AD, the magazine he appears in, is called Closet. The writers have let it be known that the Dredd storyline concerns a teenager coming out. An image from it has also been released, showing Dredd kissing another man.
I suppose that is textbook gay behaviour. But isn't Dredd meant to be a celibacy fanatic? He is.
Who goes out each night to violently enforce conservative values? That's right.
And you're saying he might have been repressing something? I am. And he's not the only one. Many gay or bisexual comic-book characters came to prominence recently. There was Northstar in the X-Men comics, who married his partner last year. As did Kevin Keller, the gay character in Life with Archie. That's in addition to Shatterstar, Batwoman, Midnighter and Apollo, Karolina Dean, Daken, Hulkling and Wiccan, Starman …
All the ones I've never heard of, basically. Yes, and the Green Lantern.
I think I've think of heard of him, or her, or them. So does this mean Mega-City One will start being governed more sensitively now Dredd can relax a little? I doubt it. More likely this is a one-off. As the strip's writer Rob Williams explains: "Dredd's feelings are so deeply hidden, he is extremely unlikely to ever let them show."
That's a relief. I don't mind comics having social value, but above all they must include a lot of fighting. I'm sure you're safe there.
Do say: "You have beautiful eyes, creep!"
Don't say: "What about if Superman and Batman, you know …"
