Judge Dredd the Megazine #44

The provocative cover question — "What if Dredd had never existed?" — sets a compelling tone for this December 1993 issue of Judge Dredd: The Megazine. Greg Staples' cover art presents a brooding Dredd in close-up, his trademark helmet and eagle insignia dominating the composition, while a chaotic crowd of armed figures, sinister characters, and the unmistakable "Death" badge lurk in the surrounding shadows. It's a richly detailed piece that makes this fortnightly a genuinely intriguing pick-up, with the first part of "It's a Dreddful Life" promising an alternate-world story from writers Jim Alexander and Robbie Morrison with interior art by Colin MacNeil.