CADET DREDD Enters the School of Hard Knocks courtesy of PAUL STARKEY and NICK BROKENSHIRE
- Andrew Irvin
- 1 hour ago
- 5 min read
Luis Godoy II is back, this time bringing two of the 2000 AD crew in to chat about "Cadet Dredd," starting in Judge Dredd Megazine 479 - now in its fourth installment!
COMIC BOOK YETI: Hello Paul Starkey and Nick Brokenshire, Welcome to the Yeti Cave. How’s it going for each of you?
PAUL STARKEY: Good thanks. It’s been a very busy year. I work full time, but of course I’ve been writing!
NICK BROKENSHIRE: Very well, thank you!
CBY: Today I’ve got a few questions for the two of you. Your story now appears in Judge Dredd Megazine. It's called “Cadet Dredd: The Haunting of ISO-BLOCK 8” (with part 4 appearing in Megazine #482). This may surprise many, but these were the first sequential pages I’ve ever read of Judge Dredd. I am only familiar with the film adaptations of the character. I liked the Karl Urban version a lot, but I know that with any adaptation they change from page to screen. What can you tell me about your version of Dredd’s personality and his look in your story?
PS: This version of Dredd is obviously very young. That gives me the leeway to perhaps make him a little softer than he’ll become, though he’s obviously still the rigid stickler for the law, only maybe he bends a little more at this age. I’ve tried to give him a sense of humour, even though its very dry. I’m very conscious of the weight of history, the thousands of pages of Dredd that other writers have created.
Hopefully my version of the character doesn’t step too far outside of the margins of how the character has been portrayed over the years.
NB: Well this is interesting! Your first Dredd story in comics – What a blast! Well, the Dredd most people know is the fully adult version with a lot of experience and a much more hardened personality. As this is a very young Dredd, he has the freshness of youth and a SLIGHTLY sunnier attitude.
He is very driven to uphold the law at all costs but is perhaps a little less ruthless and fascistic… But only slightly! For me, drawing him in a more ‘all-ages’ setting and style has had the effect of softening his personality somewhat, although seeing him doing his thing as a young guy really shows us that that he’s always been a tough guy!
CBY: This is part four, and I’m not familiar with the normal length of stories within 2000 AD or Judge Dredd Megazine. How many parts will this story have and how far along are you in writing and drawing it?
PS: The story is six parts, I’ve already written all six parts and as far as I’m aware Nick has probably already drawn all six parts.
NB: We completed it early January of this year. So it’s all wrapped up for us!
CBY: I see from each of your social media accounts that you were both fans of Judge Dredd prior to taking on this story. For “Cadet Dredd,” was this a story you pitched or were you pitched on the idea of a young Dredd?
PS: I pitched the story to (2000 AD editor) Matt Smith, but he had asked for a multi-part "Cadet Dredd" story featuring other cadets. My original pitch was only three parts and didn’t feature Dredd and the other cadets time traveling, Matt suggested that, and then I went back and expanded the pitch to include the cadets tumbling back in time to two different time periods.
NB: This was a story Paul had invented and pitched to 2000 AD before I came on-board. The Mighty One approached me last spring to ask me to draw it and off we went!
CBY: Of all the stories written or drawn about Judge Dredd, excluding your own, which is your favorite and what creators were involved in the stories?
PS: It feels almost trite to say it but "Necropolis" by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra.
NB: I’ve always enjoyed the "Judge Death" stories but I must say that the Dredd/Batman crossover, Judgement on Gotham stands out. Written by John Wagner and Alan Grant with art by Simon Bisley – it’s absolutely bananas and a great representation of both characters, in my mind anyway.
CBY: I’m a big sci-fi fan and you both also appear to lean more into sci-fi than any other genres. What draws you into sci-fi as opposed to other genres?
PS: I think it’s the scope. You can tell any kind of story with sci-fi; you can invent new worlds, you’re not restricted by the world as it is.
NB: I think Sci-Fi/Fantasy allows us to look at ourselves in a more palatable way than stark realism. The more intense themes of life can be dealt with without turning our stomachs to jelly quite as much. Not only that but we get to try and imagine things the way we might want to see them – sometimes! The world is a difficult place to deal with and these stories help us understand it in more ‘fun’ way… I think!
CBY: Are you open to doing more work within the Judge Dredd universe, and do you have ideas for future stories after working on “Cadet Dredd?”
PS: My mind is full of stories so I’m always open to new work. Most recently I’ve written a Black Museum story which will hopefully be in the Megazine soon as well. I’d love to do more work in the Dredd universe.
NB: I would love to have a crack at grown up Dredd in a less all-ages style for sure! He was one of the main characters I focused on as a kid, so it would be a dream come true for sure. As for stories? Oof, I have ideas upon ideas!
CBY: Are there any other properties across all of comics that you’d want to tackle outside of the Judge Dredd Universe?
PS: I’d say Rogue Trooper, and not just because of the upcoming film, Rogue’s always been one of my favourite characters in 2000 AD. Beyond this I’d love to bring back Mean Arena and street football - not sure quite how that’d work these days, though!
NB: I would like to draw a Madman story! Perhaps a Swamp Thing story! That would be fun. I always wanted to draw Wonder Woman too. Silver Surfer! There are many!
CBY: I see that the next issue comes out 20 August 2025 (today!), beyond this issue, where can people find each of you in comics and on social media?
PS: There’ll be the Megazine in September with part 6, and then my Black Museum script will also appear at some point. I’m technically still on Twitter but rarely post there anymore. People are more likely to find me on BlueSky at @starkers.bsky.social
NB: I have a couple of recent creator owned graphic novels that I’d point people to: Cold Iron written by Andy Diggle and Dead Seas written by Cavan Scott. They’re tons of fun. I also recently drew a story for Tomorrowland called the "Odes of Orbyz" with is definitely an interesting project. I’m currently working on a project written by a VERY well known author which will be announced very soon – keep your eyes peeled for that!
And you can find me on Instagram and Facebook under Nick Brokenshire as well as at NickBrokenshire.co.uk. Cheers!
CBY: Thank you both! This was Luis from Comic Book Yeti, signing off with another interview from the Yeti Cave. Be good, do good, and read comics! Find me on BlueSky @luisgodoyii.bsky.social or the CBY discord
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