Henry Flint's Got It Covered: Building Judge Dredd's 'Small House'

by Troy-Jeffrey Allen

Sometimes opportunities are just a matter of time, space, and place. For example: When asked about how he got involved with Judge Dredd, artist Henry Flint simply answers, "After drawing many characters, including Rogue Trooper, I was asked to draw Dredd."

Seeing that he's tackling a comic book icon, Flint's statement might seem a bit matter-of-fact. But don't let that fool you. Henry Flint is no overnight sensation. He has been working at the British publisher since the 1990s. Perfecting his craft and embracing the culture of the sci-fi institution that is 2000 AD. "What I like most is the sense of community, both with the creators and the fans," a modest Flint adds.  

With the arrival of Jude Dredd: The Small House, Flint is re-teaming with writer Rob Williams (Suicide Squad. Ghost Rider). Their combination has proven to be a winning recipe, having accrued noticeable acclaim for their previously released Judge Dredd: Titan and Lowlife. The Small House rounds off a trilogy of sorts that kicked off with Judge Dredd: Trifecta.

In The Small House, Judge Dredd comes up against a lawman more severe than him. That opposition goes by the unassuming name of Judge Smiley, and he is a master manipulator who must contend with Dredd's blunt force methods. "I had a picture of Smiley for the cover but it didn't look right," Henry Flint explains. "I preferred the secrecy and mystery, so I decided it best to leave him out." 

To bring it all together, Flint ultimately focused on Dredd's never-ending and always expanding theme of adjudication. "An image of the Grand Hall of Justice was the important thing," he describes. "I wanted this to be an 'intrigue' cover [instead of] an action one. A few targets dotted around here and there seemed appropriate and made a connection with one of Dredd and Smiley's big scenes in the firing range." That may be a minor spoiler, but in comics, the story should start with the cover anyway. "I felt Rob wrote the story to pivot around this scene, and any effort to draw eyes toward it can only help with story-telling."

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About Judge Dredd The Small House:

The critically-acclaimed and fan-lauded latest Judge Dredd tale which sent shockwaves through the universe and Mark Millar called "one of the best runs ever!" Everything is at stake and no-one is safe - in the critically-acclaimed storyline from Rob Williams and Henry Flint, as Judge Dredd and his team of hand-picked allies finally takes on the nefarious Judge Smiley, Mega-City One's behind-the-scenes manipulator! But who will be left standing at the end?

Judge Dredd: The Small House (JUL192144) is available on September 4th at your local comics shop. 

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Troy-Jeffrey Allen is the producer and co-host of PREVIEWSworld Weekly. His comics work includes BAMN, Fight of the Century, the Harvey Award-nominated District Comics, and the Ringo Awards-nominated Magic Bullet.