Judge Dredd artist Ron Smith has passed away at the age of 94.
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Smith passed away at this home early this morning and had been fighting Parkinson’s over the past few years. Smith was known mostly for his work and contributions to 2000 A.D. & Judge Dredd. Not only did he illustrate the character throughout but he also created several characters that went on to become staples in the character’s mythos like Otto Sump.
2000 AD shared a tribute to the artist and expressed their sadness at this passing.
We’re very sorry to hear that Judge Dredd artist Ron Smith has passed away. From co-creating Chopper to the weird Otto Sump and the wonderful Mayor Dave, he was an incredible artist with a career spanning decades. Our deepest sympathies to his family.
Droid tribute by @PyeParr pic.twitter.com/sbLqGJHooa
— 2000 AD (@2000AD) January 10, 2019
“We’re very sorry to hear that Judge Dredd artist Ron Smith has passed away. From co-creating Chopper to the weird Otto Sump and the wonderful Mayor Dave, he was an incredible artist with a career spanning decades. Our deepest sympathies to his family. Droid tribute by @PyeParr”
One of Ron’s greatest achievements was the long-running daily Judge Dredd strip in the @Daily_Star newspaper, in which he – with John Wagner and Alan Grant – compressed the entire Apocalypse War saga into a nine panel story. #ronsmith pic.twitter.com/VRWKeiDVGE
— 2000 AD (@2000AD) January 10, 2019
Smith’s style is synonymous with Judge Dredd and can be found in the character’s most popular stories, including The Day the Law Died, which you can see some of below. He also drew the daily Judge Dredd comic strip in the Daily Star newspaper, which went on to become the longest running in the history of British newspapers, and that’s in addition to his always frenetic and bold covers.
Three pages of Ron’s art from The Day The Law Died (2000 AD Progs 89-108, 1978-9). Not sure there’s a time his quality ever dipped below ‘excellent’… #RonSmith pic.twitter.com/r1YjQhI9D6
— 2000 AD (@2000AD) January 10, 2019
“One of Ron’s greatest achievements was the long-running daily Judge Dredd strip in the @Daily_Star newspaper, in which he – with John Wagner and Alan Grant – compressed the entire Apocalypse War saga into a nine panel story. #ronsmith”
2000 AD’s editor Matt Smith told Previews World ‘Ron was one of the artistic stalwarts of 2000 AD during the 1980s, and his Judge Dredd strips in particular were instrumental in making the Galaxy’s Greatest the cult, counter-cultural game-changer that redefined British comics. Like Carlos Ezquerra, his style was uniquely his own – you never mistook a Ron Smith strip – and he filled his panels with comical grotesques, his Mega-City One full of living, breathing loons. Capable of amazingly detailed work – check out his episodes of Block Mania, where he dealt with thousands of rioting citizens – and professional to a fault, it’s no wonder he was one of Tharg’s regular go-to Dreddguys. A 2000 AD legend, he will be greatly missed by fans and fellow creators alike.’
Our thoughts are with his friends and family at this time.
