Pan-Africa (2000 AD)
Encyclopedia
In the Judge Dredd
comic book
series, Pan-Africa is what remains of Africa following the Atom Wars, and is the home of several Megacities. A strip, Pan-African Judges by Paul Cornell
and Siku
, fleshed out most of its detail.
While most of the future Earth ended up ruled by single governments ruling a single Megacity, Pan-Africa is divided up into multiple governments with different governmental styles: Communism, fundamentalist Islamic theocracies, criminal areas, free trading states, dictatorships, Megacities and capitalist states.
of Pan-Africa have to maintain order in not just the Megacities, but also between the various different states. This is made difficult by the refusal of many of the states to recognise the Judge's authority, and as a result the Judges are given the power to enforce the law by any means necessary. The Judge uniforms are green and gold, with shoulder armour designed to resemble a rhino and a lion, and with a white cape. The most famous of the Pan-African Judges is Kwame Assengai, leader of the Judge team.
Luxor and Casablanca, however, possess their own Judge forces - in Casablanca's case, this comes after a period of being under martial law. Luxor's Judge uniforms and legal system is modeled on Ancient Egypt, whereas Casablanca's law is based on Sufi principles.
After the Atom Wars, Luxor reverted back to ancient Egyptian polytheism
(as seen in "Book Of The Dead").
, Siku referred to Paul Cornell's first script as being well researched but the plot was too close to how Britain sees Africa - "imperialism, jungle safaris". Siku also designed the Judge uniforms in response to a Brendan McCarthy
African Judge sketch, as he felt they were too stereotyped. Cornell himself referred to his work as 'a trudge', feeling it had too many competing ideas in one story; he was happy, however, with his decision to deliberately show Islam
and a Muslim Judge, as he felt the Judge Dredd universe was "a little too disconnected from the real world" by turning all the world's religions into the worship of Grud.
Judge Dredd
Judge Joseph Dredd is a comics character whose strip in the British science fiction anthology 2000 AD is the magazine's longest running . Dredd is an American law enforcement officer in a violent city of the future where uniformed Judges combine the powers of police, judge, jury and executioner...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
series, Pan-Africa is what remains of Africa following the Atom Wars, and is the home of several Megacities. A strip, Pan-African Judges by Paul Cornell
Paul Cornell
Paul Cornell is a British writer best known for his work in television drama as well as Doctor Who fiction, and as the creator of one of the Doctor's spin-off companions, Bernice Summerfield....
and Siku
Siku (comics)
Siku is the pseudonym of British/Nigerian artist and writer Ajibayo Akinsiku, best known for his work in 2000 AD.-Biography:Siku studied design and printing at the Yaba’s School of Art, and theology at the London School of Theology....
, fleshed out most of its detail.
Description
In the 21st Century, the nations of Africa teamed up to rebel against the crippling interest on loans received from Western banks and Megacities. The Credit Wars was the result, up until the Atom Wars occurred and devastated much of the planet. Renamed Pan-Africa, the continent tried to rebuild in the face of severe damage - much of the south is nuclear desert and the nation of South Africa was completely destroyed.While most of the future Earth ended up ruled by single governments ruling a single Megacity, Pan-Africa is divided up into multiple governments with different governmental styles: Communism, fundamentalist Islamic theocracies, criminal areas, free trading states, dictatorships, Megacities and capitalist states.
Law
The JudgesJudge (2000 AD)
Judge is a title held by several significant characters in the Judge Dredd series, which appears in the British comics 2000 AD and Judge Dredd Megazine...
of Pan-Africa have to maintain order in not just the Megacities, but also between the various different states. This is made difficult by the refusal of many of the states to recognise the Judge's authority, and as a result the Judges are given the power to enforce the law by any means necessary. The Judge uniforms are green and gold, with shoulder armour designed to resemble a rhino and a lion, and with a white cape. The most famous of the Pan-African Judges is Kwame Assengai, leader of the Judge team.
Luxor and Casablanca, however, possess their own Judge forces - in Casablanca's case, this comes after a period of being under martial law. Luxor's Judge uniforms and legal system is modeled on Ancient Egypt, whereas Casablanca's law is based on Sufi principles.
Mega-Cities
The known Megacities of Pan-Africa are:- Umar (in former LibyaLibyaLibya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
) - Simba City (CameroonCameroonCameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
) - Luxor (EgyptEgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
) - New Jerusalem (north-east EthiopiaEthiopiaEthiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
) - Casablanca
After the Atom Wars, Luxor reverted back to ancient Egyptian polytheism
Polytheism
Polytheism is the belief of multiple deities also usually assembled into a pantheon of gods and goddesses, along with their own mythologies and rituals....
(as seen in "Book Of The Dead").
Criticisms
In an article in Judge Dredd MegazineJudge Dredd Megazine
Judge Dredd: The Megazine is a monthly British comic magazine, launched in October 1990. It is a sister publication to 2000 AD. Its name is a play on words, formed from "magazine" and Dredd's locale Mega-City One.-Content:...
, Siku referred to Paul Cornell's first script as being well researched but the plot was too close to how Britain sees Africa - "imperialism, jungle safaris". Siku also designed the Judge uniforms in response to a Brendan McCarthy
Brendan McCarthy
Brendan McCarthy is a British artist and designer best known for his work in comic books, film and television.- Biography :Brendan McCarthy, of Irish descent, was born in London. Brendan soon began painting and drawing his own home-made comics....
African Judge sketch, as he felt they were too stereotyped. Cornell himself referred to his work as 'a trudge', feeling it had too many competing ideas in one story; he was happy, however, with his decision to deliberately show Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
and a Muslim Judge, as he felt the Judge Dredd universe was "a little too disconnected from the real world" by turning all the world's religions into the worship of Grud.
Publication
- Pan-African Judges:
- "Pan-African Judges" (by Paul CornellPaul CornellPaul Cornell is a British writer best known for his work in television drama as well as Doctor Who fiction, and as the creator of one of the Doctor's spin-off companions, Bernice Summerfield....
and SikuSiku (comics)Siku is the pseudonym of British/Nigerian artist and writer Ajibayo Akinsiku, best known for his work in 2000 AD.-Biography:Siku studied design and printing at the Yaba’s School of Art, and theology at the London School of Theology....
, in Judge Dredd Megazine #2.44-49, 1993-1994) - "Fever of the Gods" ( art by Siku, story by Akin Siku), in Judge Dredd Megazine #3.6-3.13, 1995-1996)
- "Pan-African Judges" (by Paul Cornell
- Judge DreddJudge DreddJudge Joseph Dredd is a comics character whose strip in the British science fiction anthology 2000 AD is the magazine's longest running . Dredd is an American law enforcement officer in a violent city of the future where uniformed Judges combine the powers of police, judge, jury and executioner...
: "Book of the Dead" (by Grant MorrisonGrant MorrisonGrant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
/Mark MillarMark MillarMark Millar is a Scottish comic book writer, known for his work on books such as The Authority, The Ultimates, Marvel Knights Spider-Man, Ultimate Fantastic Four, Civil War, Wanted, and Kick-Ass, the latter two of which have been adapted into feature films...
and Dermot PowerDermot PowerDermot Power, originally from County Waterford, Ireland, is a movie concept artist who started his career as a comic book artist working for British anthology comic 2000 AD.-Biography:...
, in 2000 AD #859-866, 1993, reprinted 1996, ISBN 0-7493-9692-X )