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Batgirl artist Babs Tarr announced as 2000AD Summer Special ‘Judge Dredd’ artist

By John Freeman on May 3, 2018

Batgirl and Black Canary by Babs Tarr

Batgirl artist Babs Tarr is to draw the “Judge Dredd” strip for this year’s 2000AD Summer Special, with Emma Beeby on script.

Emma has also written the all-female creators “Judge Anderson” story.

US artist Barbara Tarr (also known as Babs Tarr) is best known for her work on Batgirl and Motor Crush, and for her Japanese-style illustrations. Her credits including work for both DC and Image Comics.

Motor Crush Print for Travelling Man at SDCC by Babs Tarr

Batman and Robin by Babs Tarr

“It was a weird honour to be the first woman to write [Dredd],” Beeby told Hollywood Reporter about her history with the iconic character.

(Her 2013 story “Suicide Watch” was the first time a woman had written the character since his 1977 creation).

“I wasn’t really aware of that when I wrote that first story,” she continued, “apart from idly wondering how many other writers had on hot pink nail polish as they worked on their Dredd script, or whether their autocorrect also insisted that they really meant to type ‘Dress.’”

“Visually, he’s just so fun I had to jump at the chance to get to draw him,” says Tarr of Dredd. “Especially since I feel like most people wouldn’t expect me to since he’s so gritty, which makes me wanna prove them wrong.”

Beeby is excited about the Summer Special. “It’s going to be a stunning issue,” she says, that I hope will lead to even more women contributing to the pages of 2000AD.”

• Read the full Hollywood Reporter story here

• The 2000AD Summer Special 2018 will be released 19th June in the UK and on digital platforms

• Babs Tarr is online at babsbabsbabs.com

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.