There’s been news of more Treasury of British Comics titles from 2000AD publisher Rebellion for 2019 over the past few days, so here’s a run down of what we know they’re releasing so far.
Note that in some cases, covers may not be final and in others we’ve featured art or comic covers from the original publication.
Note also that publication dates may change.
Wildcat Book 1: Turbo Jones
By Barrie Tomlinson and Ian Kennedy
Release Date: 10th January 2019
Post-Earth pulp space opera of discovery and adventure, from the pages of the short-lived Wildcat comic (more on that project here on downthetubes).
In 2488, Earth history professor, Turbo Jones predicted that the planet would be destroyed in 2500 by a vast meteoroid storm.
Ridiculed by the world’s leaders, Turbo spent the next twelve years constructing a huge spaceship and employing a group of volunteers to help him leave the Earth and find a new home in the stars…
After months in space, Turbo and his senior staff including former mercenary Loner, the mysterious Kitten Magee and the last survivor of Xgangbe-4, Joe Alien, have found a potential new home.
Now they need to get down onto the planet and make sure that it is safe for the five hundred colonists and livestock aboard the Wildcat…
• Available to pre-order from Amazon here (affiliate link) – and also available from all good book and comic shops
Billy’s Boots, Book One
By Fred Baker and drawn by John Gillatt, including early episodes by Mike Western, Tom Kerr and others
Release Date: 7th February 2019
The story reprinted from Scorcher from 1970. Fantasy meets football in the magical story of a boy and his enchanted boots!
Young Billy Dane was one of the most passionate football fans at Bingley Road Junior school…unfortunately he was also one of the worst players! Then, one afternoon, Billy’s grandmother got him to clean out her attic and Billy finds a pair of old fashioned football boots that belonged to ‘Dead-Shot’ Keen – a famous centre forward who once played for England.
• Available to pre-order from Amazon here (affiliate link) – and also available from all good book and comic shops
Roy of the Rovers: Teamwork (Fiction)
By Tom Palmer
Release Date: 7th February 2019
The second instalment of the brand new series of illustrated middle grade fiction titles starring Roy of the Rovers, the classic British children’s football hero rebooted for the 21st century.
Roy Race has it all: all the skill, all the talent, and all the eyes on him now he’s broken into the Melchester Rovers first team at only 16 years old.
Except, of course, there’s more to life than football. His dad’s in a wheelchair and needs looking after, his mum is working all hours, and his sister? His sister wants to play football too, and she won’t leave Roy alone until he helps her do something about it…
Join us for amazing scenes, incredible tekkers, and all the thrills, sprills and drama of football!
The new era of Roy of the Rovers continues!
• Available to pre-order from Amazon here (affiliate link) – and also available from all good book and comic shops
Roy of the Rovers: Foul Play (Graphic Novel)
By Rob Williams and Ben Willsher
Release Date: 7th March 2019
The second instalment of the all new – and highly anticipated – Roy of the Rovers graphic novel series. After an astonishing breakthrough into the Melchester Rovers first team, 16 year old superstar-in-waiting Roy Race must now battle it out for survival in the tough ranks of professional footballers. Competition, injuries, and the demands of the fans are mounting – can Roy cope?
Join us for amazing scenes, incredible tekkers, and all the thrills, spills and drama of football!
The new era of Roy of the Rovers continues!
• Available to pre-order from Amazon here (affiliate link) – and also available from all good book and comic shops
Fran of the Floods
By Alan Davidson and Phil Gascoine
Release Date: 21st March 2019
From the popular Jinty weekly, a cracking and thought-provoking science fiction tale of ecological disaster and survival that’s regarded as instrumental in shaping the direction of the comic.
Due to increased climate change, the sun starts to melt the ice caps and evaporates the world’s oceans, causing an onslaught of never ending rain. At first, young Hazelford resident, Fran Scott, finds the whole thing amusing, but as the town begins to disappear underwater, the desperation of her predicament becomes all too clear.
After losing her parents in the chaos, Fran decides to seek out her sister June, who recently moved to Scotland. But as the situation gets worse and society begins to crumble around her, Fran must overcome a vast array of dangers, including disease, wild animals, marauding gangs of vicious thugs and most bizarre of all, the self-proclaimed king of Glasgow!
• Available to pre-order from Amazon here (affiliate link) – and also available from all good book and comic shops
• There’s a great background feature to this thought-provoking and often hard-hitting tale here on the Jinty resource
Invasion 1984
By John Wagner and Alan Grant, art by Eric Bradbury
Release Date: 2nd May 2019
Featured in Battle, a War of the Worlds style story beams down for some classic comics carnage!
It’s 1984. Skeletal-looking alien warriors have invaded the Earth, bringing many large cities like London to the brink of total destruction! Taken by surprise, mankind must now dig deep to survive! In Britain the tough-as-boots military outfit known as Storm Squad mount the fightback against the ‘Spooks’ while professor Ed Lomax looks into a way of permanently ridding the plant of this unearthly foe for good!
• Available to pre-order from Amazon here (affiliate link) – and also available from all good book and comic shops
The Leopard From Lime Street Volume 2
By Tom Tully, Eric Bradbury and Mike Western
Release Date: 13th June 2019
The ‘UK’s answer to Spider-Man’ returns in the second collection of this long lost classic from the hugely popular and long running Buster comic.
THE BEAST OF SELBRIDGE RETURNS!
After being scratched by a radioactive leopard, Billy Farmer discovered that he had somehow developed the powers of the mighty jungle cat. Life is getting tougher for Selbridge’s premier crime-fighter. The criminals are getting tougher, his the local newspaper editor is out for his blood and now his new leopard skin costume is turning him into a savage beast!
To make matters worse, a girl from his school suspects his true identity! Is this the end for the Leopard from Lime Street…?
• Available to pre-order from Amazon here (affiliate link) – and also available from all good book and comic shops | Read our review of The Leopard From Lime Street Book One here | Buy it from Amazon (Affiliate link)
Deathwish Volume 1: Best Wishes
By Barrie Tomlinson and Vanyo
Release Date: 11th July 2019
Blake Edmonds had it all – fame, money, looks… and then the world-famous F1 driver suffered a terrible accident which left him hideously disfigured. Fashioning a mask to hide his terrible visage, Edmonds has taken on a new career as a stuntman, flirting with death on a regular basis.
• Available to pre-order from Amazon here (affiliate link) – and also available from all good book and comic shops
• Rebellion’s Treasury of British Comics web shop is here
With thanks to David McDonald of classic comics publisher Hibernia for comics covers – check out their available titles here, and keep an eye on their plans via their Facebook group.
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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.
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