Mega City Justice Department: Judge Hershey

Judge Barbara Hershey

Judge Barbara Hershey has had a long history in Judge Dredd. Probably the third most recognisable Judge (after Dredd and Anderson and just above Giant or the likes of McGruder I reckon) she is one of the enduring characters in the strip.

Hersheys career brought her to the highest Justice Department office, that of Chief Judge. Unlike the majority of holders of that role she left it while retaining a pulse, rather than posthumously like most of the previous holders. She was succeeded by the current Chief Judge, Dan Francisco.

I have always liked the character of Hershey since I first read stories that featured her when I was a kid. At the time I found it unfamiliar that a stern, sexy female character was not being played as a love interest for the main character. While that fit the context of the story (with all MC1 Judges being both celibate and virgin) it was still of note to me as a kid.

Like most of the other Foundry 2000AD figures, Hershey is portrayed in a more cartoony fashion that I would like, with some peculiar proportions (and that eagle pad is completely bananas: its huge and may be the least ergonomic looking representation of an already odd looking piece of attire that I have ever seen).

Chief Judge Hershey

The figure has quite a big head, with what is to my mind an adequate but not stellar representation of what the character looks like in the strip.  I also probably emphasised the lines on her face a little too harshly, which maybe make her look a little too haggard.

But with the haircut, uniform and stern expression it is undeniably Hershey, which gives me a little kick.

I painted Hersheys uniform like any of the rest of my Judges. As I get older I am having more and more trouble painting eyes due to the gradual deterioration of my own eyesight and my reserves of patience getting smaller and smaller. This is my excuse for Hersheys somewhat wonky eyes.