The title of prog 60's Dredd story was, appropriately enough, Firebug. 
Again by Wagner and McMahon it opened with a stratoscraper going up in flames,
the tenth to be destroyed by a serial arsonist.  By contemporary Dredd story
standards the deathtoll was light, 713 dead.  Of course as always for Dredd 
that was 713 too many.  With no clues to the arsonist's identity or any idea
where he would strike next Dredd was in a bad mood.  So Walter picking the
same frustrating day Dredd had just spent sifting through the rubble of the 
firebug's latest target was a definite great moment in bad timing.  Though it
did give Dredd an inspiration.





     Sure enough checking records Dredd discovered all the building were owned
by a citizen Chuck McCracken.  Some digging by the Accountancy division turned
up that McCracken's company was in trouble.  Or at least had been before he 
received the insurance on his burned buildings.  Figuring that McCracken 
didn't dare hire anyone to do this job for fear of them talking and must be
setting the fires himself Dredd brought him in for questioning.  Mega City One
style.  Citizen McCracken was more than a little surprised when, on answering 
a judical summons to the Grand Hall of Justice, Dredd invoked the Reasonable 
Grounds of Suspicion Act of 2086 to have all Chuck's skin peeled off to 
be tested for fire accelerant chemicals.  Sure enough traces were found and 
McCracken was sent away.  Dredd returned home on the Chief Judge's advice to 
get some much needed rest.  Where he found a definite surprise waiting for him.






     Sadly Walter's happiness was shortlived.  The following issue was the
prologue to the Cursed Earth.  Next week, in Prog 62, Dredd set off on 
his epic adventure.  Left behind to languish in Mega City One the Nerve Center 
for Prog 62 included this note from Walter.



    After Dredd's return to Mega City One the dynamic duo only got a short
reunion.  First Dredd was framed for murder and sentanced to Titan.  After 
escaping from the shuttle and proving his innocence Walter was parted from his 
beloved master by a near fatal assassination attempt.  An attempt made by one 
of Deputy Chief Judge Cal's SJS Judges.  Though parted at the start of Judge 
Cal's coup Walter found himself crucial to Dredd's rebellion against the 
insane Chief Judge.  But that's another story which you'll find on the Walter 
the Hewo page.

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Comments on page to Mark Latus