Why Judge Dredd vs Biker Mice From Mars is my ultimate 90s dream crossover.
As a 90s kid, there’s two properties I’m more than familiar with. You could even say that I hold a deep love for both of them in my heart. Those are Biker Mice from Mars and Judge Dredd. I remember being eight years old when Throttle, Vinnie and Modo teared onto the screen in 1993 – as the anthropomorphic motorbike-riding mice from another planet – crash-landed in downtown Chicago to save the world from Lawrence Limburger and the Plutarkian invasion that never comes.
It was a cartoon that producers were desperate for. Especially in the wake of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle merchandise plummeting from $1 billion to $200 million from 1991-1992. Marvel Productions then President Rick Unger came up with the idea of the Biker Mice from Mars – so it wouldn’t surprise you that promotion for the infamous rodent trio came in the form of a comic book – just prior to the show’s debut.
As fate would have it, a short two years after the first Biker Mice from Mars episode, one of my favourite films of the 90s, Judge Dredd, came out in movie theatres in 1995, starring Sylvester Stallone. While its often copping the short end of the stick with negative reviews, there was nothing that could divert me from loving everything about this movie about a 22nd Century cop who plays judge, jury and executioner. Yes, I’m aware that it fell prey to the 90s blockbuster schtick of feeling that writers needed to include everything about a superhero into one singular movie. But, to me, that’s part of what makes Judge Dredd so terribly incredible. Or is it incredibly terrible?
So, you’re probably wondering – how could a comic book publisher even remotely consider the idea of a crossover comic book event involving Judge Dredd and the Biker Mice from Mars? Well, to be honest, Throttle, Vinnie and Modo have more in common with the infamous Judge than you might think. While their show revelled in slapstick comedy paired with outlandish action sequences in every episode – hardcore fans will remember the show ending on a decisively dark note.
From February 10, 1996 to February 24 of the same year, a three-parter aired that wrapped up the entire Biker Mice from Mars saga. It was titled “Once Upon a Time on Mars” and it follows the Plutarkian conquest of Mars. And for a tv show about talking mice who ride motorcycles – it was dark as fuck! It’s told from the perspective of the three mice to their friend, Charley, as they deal with a Plutarkian situation on earth which mirrors the fate of their own home planet. Mars is basically a post-apocalyptic wasteland, the remainder of the Mice resistance are hiding out in caves, and it retells the origin of how the three mice got their signature looks.
Well, I say looks, but they’re mostly disabilites. For instance, during a mission, Modo gets his arm blown off, Vinnie’s face is left badly scarred and Throttle is left blind. It might not seem like much now when you compare it to shows like Game of Thrones or Oz – that feature absolutely brutal scenes. But trust me – it was confronting for an 11-year-old.
So while the Biker Mice from Mars lived in their own post-apocalyptic torment, Judge Dredd waged an ongoing battle in his dystopian one. And as lots of dark science fiction has taught us, post-apocalyptic wastelands and dystopian mega-structures often go hand-in-hand. Especially given Dredd’s racism towards anything non-human. Which reinforces this planned two-issue 40 page mini-series where both Judge Dredd and the Biker Mice from Mars collide in a blockbuster crossover event. And the writers come from an established pedigree.
There’s Dan Watters, who worked on MASK and Batman: Dark Patterns, and Ryan O’Sullivan, who worked on Warhammer 40,000. Paired with artist Jordi Tarragona, who worked on Injustice: Gods Among Us, which goes to show that with all three of those talents involved – we’re going to be in for some epic grimdark charged action!
Watters, O’Sullivan and Tarrogona introduce the reader to familiar territory. Where Lawrence Limburger and the Plutarkians are taking their vision of galactic plunder and conquest to an inter-dimensional scale – landing them and the Biker Mice from Mars in the middle of Mega-City One. Thanks to the havoc this causes, 400 million citizens want the mice dead and Judge Dredd won’t stop at any cost: to give them a swift serving of 22nd Century justice. Unfortunately for everyone involved, this catches the attention of the otherworldly entity known as Judge Death, and pretty soon – all hell breaks loose!
Judge Dredd/Biker Mice from Mars #1 boasts an incredible assortment of battle-ready covers by David Finch (known for Batman: The Dark Knight and Skinbreaker), Karl Kerschl (known for The Flash), and Andrew Krahnke (known for G.I. Joe). Plus, four randomly intermixed “Badge Variant” covers, designed by Oni’s Winston Gambro, in the style of Brian Bolland’s classic 2000 AD design. Featuring Judge Dredd’s iconic shield and one of the three Biker Mice from Mars on a Department of Justice badge. These designs are demonstrating that this crossover is being created with equal respect for both properties.
So anyway, that’s it for today’s video. Pick up Judge Dredd Biker/Mice from Mars Issue #1 from your local comic shop on December 2nd, 2026. But that’s it for now. I’ll see you guys next time. For the next List of the Damned.
TL;DR? Watch the article here.
Judge Dredd/Biker Mice From Mars Issue #1 – Preview Pages
