Blistering “Black Max” art by Chris Weston up for auction on eBay

By John Freeman on February 12, 2020

Artist Chris Weston’s take on the Thunder comic character “Black Max”, commissioned for the Someone Old, Someone New blog back in 2011. Black Max © Rebellion

A cracking piece of art by Chris Weston starring British villain Black Max, who first appeared in Thunder in the 1970s, but whose adventures continue to this day thanks to his revival in 2000AD and elsewhere, is up for sale on eBay.

Bids currently stand at £200.

The current owner Eric Moore, who originally commissioned Chris to create the A3-size artwork, reveals he approached the Judge Dredd to draw his favourite ever British comic character, the Black Max, a few years back.

“He was happy to do it, being a fan himself, but I had to wait quite a while,” Eric recalls, “but, boy was it worth it!

“I love it dearly, and I loved it even more when, a few years later it appeared alongside Pat Mills’ introduction to a volume of Charley’s War that involved aerial combat… [I’m] gutted to see my old friend go, but needs must.”

Created by writer Frank Pepper and artist Eric Bradbury and initially appearing in the 1970s comic Thunder, then Lion, ace fighter pilot Baron Maximilien Von Klorr is the scourge of the skies, menacing the Allied forces during the bloodiest battles in World War One. Skilled, ruthless and in possession of two giant, mutated kingbats who fight by his side, Von Klorr, aka Black Max, is almost unstoppable.

Only the brave pilots of the Royal Flying Corps, including Lieutenant Tom Wilson, opposed the Black Max’s complete dominance of the air in his original adventures.

Rebellion released a terrific Treasury of British Comics collection of the early Black Max stories back in 2018, and he’s appeared in the Scream and Misty Specials, but his appearance in “Fiends of the Eastern Front” in 2000AD , written by Ian Edginton with art by Tiernen Trevallion was much more substantial, in which he unveiled a horrifying plan for the future of the world!

In Black Max Volume Two, on sale in October 2020, which features a cover by Chris Weston, as we exclusively revealed back in January, Lieutenant Tom Wilson returns to battle Baron Maximilien Von Klorr and his attack force of giant vampire bats in a continuation of the popular series.

Black Max Volume Two – Cover by Chris Weston, coloured by Dylan Teague

The World War One era story moves to England, with a monstrous albino bat attacking London, and features art by Spanish artist Alfonso Font.

• Bid on Black Max by Chris Weston here on eBay

• Buy Black Max Volume One here on AmazonUK (Affiliate Link)

• Treasury of British Comics Web Shop

• Chris Weston is online at www.chriswestonart.com

• Alfonso Font is online at www.alfonsofont.com | Facebook

• Buy 2000AD books and collections from AmazonUK

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.