The Judge Dredd Megazine celebrated its tenth anniversary in the year 2000 AD. To mark the occasion, then editor Andy Diggle saved up his editorial pennies and commissioned US comcis legend Frank Miller to do the cover art for the birthday issue. Andy had already moved on to editing 2000 AD by the time the picture arrived and I was back in charge of the Megazine as freelance editor. By chance, Dredd's co-creator John Wagner happened to be in the office when the Frank Miller cover image arrived. I opened the package up in John's presence - his response was the comment used as the headline for this blog posting.
After some back and forth via email, Miller withdrew permission for us to publish his work - but we didn't have to pay him, so that was the end of that. [We never actually had the art in our possession, only a full size print of it.] Some time later Miller put his original art up for auction, with all proceeds going to an extremely worthy cause, the Comic Book Legal Defence Fund. I think it sold for at least a thousand US dollars, so some good emerged from the whole episode. I figured I'd never seen the thing again.
I was wrong.
Former 2000 AD artist Jock kindly sent me a link to ebay, where the Miller Dredd picture is up for auction. As of this moment it's attracted 17 bids, with the highest price thus far of $1450 - but still has yet to reach its reserve. So, if you want to see Frank Miller's take on Judge Dredd, you can view it for yourself here.
4 comments:
I quite like that drawing, shame it didn't pan out. Look's like Miller tried a little too hard to make it different from his Dark Knight (what's with the stubble?) but otherwise seems fine.
I won't be bidding though, bit steep for me!
"So, if you want to see Frank Miller's take on Judge Dredd"
And why, in God's sweet name, would we want to do that?!
In response to John's comment, you didn't say "Well, *I* didn't ask him to do it!" did you? ;)
So, c'mon David - why didn't you use the piece. What was the problem. I think it's great.
I remember coming up to the office in Tavistock St and you pulling the Cover out of the Plan Chest... I'd forgotten what a carcrash wonder it was!
Toldja you should've got Mignola...
:-) rufus
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