2000AD celebrates its 43rd birthday this week – no mean achievement in today’s difficult marketplace. The “birthday” Prog comes with a powerful Judge Dredd cover by Cliff Robinson, coloured by Dylan Teague – and offers its usual blend of the action packed, eclectic and fear-filled thrills.

Here’s our guide to the new issue, plus other new and upcoming releases – Books and Specials from Rebellion through 2020…

2000AD Prog 2169 is not the only treat on offer from Rebellion this week. Not only do we get a pulse-pounding issue of Judge Dredd Megazine (Issue 417), but on sale today in all good book and comic shops via the Treasury of British Comics is Battle Stations – a tale of stark terror and war at sea that first appeared in War Picture Library in 1963, written by Donne Avenell with art by the legendary Hugo Pratt.

It may be a decades-old war tale, following three survivors of a Nazi naval attack as they seek their revenge on a deadly U-Boat, no matter the cost, but it’s offers a thought-provoking strip as well as impressive art from the creator of Corto Maltese.

(You can read my review here).

The latest 2000AD comes ahead of next week’s “All-Ages Takeover” Prog – the first of four special issues of the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic Rebellion will be publishing this year, following the success of last year’s edition in the same vein.

That’s surely a good idea to try and attract younger readers, but with the massive library of characters Rebellion now owns, I just wish the British news stand was more suited and more supportive of new launches – comics and magazines.

Given current problems, with WHSmith effectively using its purchasing power and distribution opportunities and reach to push publishers into paying more to have their titles in their 1500 stores (1000 plus travel outlets and 576 high street shops), I genuinely can’t see any publisher feeling it’s worth pursuing the expense of a newsstand launch for a new all-ages comic.

I’d dearly love to be proved wrong, of course, but it looks to me that building out from a subscription base and comic store distribution in the first instance might be the only way you could make such a title financially viable.

REBELLION TITLES ON SALE THIS WEEK…

2000AD Prog 2169
Cover: Cliff Robinson, coloured by Dylan Teague
 
JUDGE DREDD: COLD CASE 
by Kenneth Niemand (Writer) Tom Foster (Artist) Chris Blythe (Colourist) Annie Parkhouse (Letterer)

Mega-City One, 2141 AD. Home to over 130 million citizens, this urban hell is situated along the east coast of post-apocalyptic North America, with the irradiated wasteland known as the Cursed Earth to the west. Unemployment is rife, boredom universal and crime is rampant. Tensions rest on a knife-edge and only the zero-tolerance Judges can stop total anarchy. Toughest of them all is JUDGE DREDD — he is the Law!

BRINK: HATE BOX
by Dan Abnett (Writer) INJ Culbard (Artist) Simon Bowland (Letterer)

The late 21st century, and through environmental catastrophe and industrial overload Earth has been reduced to a wasteland. Mankind finally evacuated the planet in 2072 and millions were housed in a number of deep-space Habitats. But life on these cramped, overcrowded stations is tense, with many spilling over into madness. Now, HSD cop Bridget Kurtis has stopped the spread of a dangerous viral video clip…

THE ZAUCER OF ZILK: A ZAUCERFUL OF SECRETS
by Peter Hogan (Writer) Brendan McCarthy (Artist and Colourist) Len O’Grady (Colourist) Jim Campbell (Letterer)

The realm of Zilk, on the fringes of the imagination. The Zaucer was the wizard to the royal court of Curtaindown, and was the most famous and powerful person in the kingdom. But then came Errol Raine, master of despair from the world of Dankendreer, who tried to take him down, and the Zaucer sacrificed his immortality to save his young ward Tutu. Now, a mysterious figure called the Criminaut has stolen his fused wand…

PROTEUS VEX: ANOTHER DAWN
by Michael Carroll (Writer) Henry Flint (Artist) Simon Bowland (Letterer)

Another galaxy, the far future. The centuries-long war between the Alliance and the Obdurate people is now over, a conflict brought to an end with the deaths of billions of Obdurate citizens, caused by the Alliance teleporting a dying white dwarf star into their system. Now, Imperium agent PROTEUS VEX has been tracking the missing Chancellor Rho 7 Baryon, who he has learnt plans to destroy an innocent colony world…

FERAL & FOE
by Dan Abnett (Writer) Richard Elson (Artist and Colourist) Joe Elson (c) Annie Parkhouse (Letterer)

It is five years after the Last-of-All-War, when the Monarchy succeeded in defeating the Malign Lord, whose army of creatures sought to eradicate humanity. With their leader dead, his minions are scattered across the lands, fleeing retribution from the
Wretchfinders. Necromancer Bode and warrior Wrath are two such beings, and have been offered a deal — hunt and kill their own kind or be declared FERAL & FOE…

Judge Dredd Megazine Issue 417
Cover: Karl Richardson
 
JUDGE DREDD: PLUNDER 
by Michael Carroll (Writer) Karl Richardson (Artist) Annie Parkhouse (Letterer)

Mega-City One, 2141 AD. Home to over 130 million citizens, this urban hell is situated along the east coast of post-apocalyptic North America, with the irradiated wasteland known as the Cursed Earth to the west. Unemployment is rife, boredom universal and crime is rampant. Tensions rest on a knife-edge and only the zero-tolerance Judges can stop total anarchy. Toughest of them all is JUDGE DREDD — he is the Law!

DEVLIN WAUGH: A VERY LARGE SPLASH 
by Ales Kot (Writer) Mike Dowling (Artist) Annie Parkhouse (Letterer)

The Amalfi Coast, 2141 AD. A freelance paranormal troubleshooter and exorcist for the Vatican, Devlin Waugh is the world’s foremost supernatural investigator. Despite becoming a vampire after getting bitten tackling an outbreak in an underwater prison, Devlin continues to enjoy the finer things in life. Recently, he trapped the spirit of the demon Titivillus in a dildo…

BLUNT III 
by TC Eglington (Writer) Boo Cook (Artist) Simon Bowland (Letterer)

The Mega-City One colony Getri-1, 2138 AD. Earth colonists attempted to make a new home on the planet, but discovered that its flora and fauna are psychically linked, and the world itself fought back against any intruders. Following battles with mutants and the alien Zhind, half-human, half-Uplift Blunt has led the survivors to safety. Now, a rescue ship is coming…

ZOMBIE ARMY: LAST RITES
by Chris Roberson (Writer) Andrea Mutti (Artist) Matt Soffe (c) Simon Bowland (Letterer)

Southern France, the second year of the Dead War. In the closing stages of World War Two, Hitler called upon occult forces to raise an army of zombies to battle the Allies. Efram Schweiger, Marie Chevalier, Major Haripal Singh, Reginald Patterson and Shola are a team of Deadhunters, tasked with clearing out areas where the ghouls may still be present…

LAWLESS: BOOM TOWN
by Dan Abnett (Writer) Phil Winslade (Artist) Jim Campbell (Letterer)

Features: A tribute to the late Ellie De Ville, Interrogation: Martin Simmonds, New Books: Battle Stations

Bagged reprint: The Nightcomers

War Picture Library: Battle Stations
by Donne Avenell & Hugo Pratt
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781-08752-7, 20 February 2020 (UK) 18 February 2020 (US), 65pp, £14.99
• Buy it here on AmazonUK • Read our Review

The first in a major series of new collections bringing the long lost UK war comics of Italian art maestro Hugo Pratt to the public in stunning new editions. Two brothers of differing rank have to make extraordinary sacrifices in the line of the toughest duty. This is a true story of courage under fire; a high-octane story of a blistering World War Two naval battle.

All illustrated by Hugo Pratt, one of the world’s most renowned comic book artists. This thrilling war picture story marks the beginning of the Treasury of British Comics mission to return all of Pratt’s UK work to print and is published in an oversized format befitting the importance of his incredible and highly influential artwork.

Part of a new ‘War Picture Library’ series showcasing the finest combat comics illustrated by legendary and iconic artists, this oversize book highlights the extraordinary the artwork of the international comics luminary and creator of Corto Maltese.

• Read our Advance Review of War Picture Library: Battle Stations

• Read Keith Page’s Hugo Pratt Creator Spotlight

• Hugo Pratt works available on Amazon

• Unleash Hell: War Picture Library Collection includes “The Iron Fist” first published in War Picture Library Issue 25, published in September 1959, drawn by Hugo Pratt

• There’s a guide to writer Donne Avenell’s work here on the UK Comics Wiki

Also out this week from Hachette is 2000AD: The Ultimate Collection Issue 65, featuring Strontium Dog: The Life And Death Of Johnny Alpha. The part work is available through newsagents and comic shops, but the official web site is still offline, part of a change the company is making to its services that seems to be taking rather a long time to complete.

RECENTLY RELEASED COLLECTIONS

Links were available are AmazonUK Affiliate Links – using these helps support downthetubes, thank you

Third World War
Pat Mills, Carlos Ezquerra, Angela Kincaid, D’Israeli
ISBN: 9781781087510
Out: Now
UK £19.99 // US $24.99
Pages: // Paperback

Using brand new scans of the original artwork supplied by the family of the late Carlos Ezquerra, this definitive collection of Pat Mills and Carlos Ezquerra’s ground-breaking, highly-political comic book classic of global capitalism, rebellion and exploitation is collected in its entirety for the very first time! Eve is unemployed after leaving university and is immediately conscripted as a soldier working for a corporation and discovers just how South American countries are being exploited to create food needed to feed the increasing population for their profit under the guise of western paternalism. Third World War is suffused with economic, political, and social issues, and deals with ever-more prescient issues around capitalism and global politics. Ezquerra’s painted colour artwork is a highlight of his long and distinguished career. A truly anti-establishment graphic novel from the late 1980s, this is unlike anything else published by the Treasury of British Comics so far.

• Read Luke Williams review of Third World War

Billy’s Boots
Fred Baker, Colin Page, Mike Western, Tom Kerr, Bill Lacey
ISBN: 9781781086711
Out Now
UK £14.99
Pages: 120 // Hardcover

A brand-new restoration paperback of one of the most popular football comic strips ever produced! 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.

Perfect for nostalgic gift purchase for dads, this is the beginning of the popular serial that ran for over 20 years . A brilliant companion comic to the new Roy of the Rovers comics and fiction, these fantasy infused sports stories are sure to delight and surprise.

UPCOMING COLLECTIONS – 2000AD AND TREASURY OF BRITISH COMICS

Links were available are AmazonUK Affiliate Links – using these helps support downthetubes, thank you

Judge Dredd – Mechanismo: Machine Law
John Wagner, John McCrea, Colin MacNeil
ISBN: 9781781087541
5 March 2020 (UK) 3 March 2020 (US)
UK £10.99 // US 13.99
Pages: 96 // Paperback

A buddy cop tale like no other! Man and mechanismo, on the mean streets of Mega-City One. The next chapter in the legendary Judge Dredd epic, penned by incomparable Judge Dredd co-creator John Wagner! With art by renowned DC Comics artist John McCrea (Deadpool, Wonder Woman), this is the new blockbuster collection from Judge Dredd’s co-creator. With Mega-City one eating Judges faster than they can be replaced, the Justice Department prepares once more to trial a radical solution for their manpower shortage: The Mark-8 RV Mechanismo unit, robotic judges programmed to deal with everything the city can throw at them.

Judge Dredd has never hidden his feelings on robot Judges, but the responsive, resilient and ultimately expendable machines may be the answer to the justice department’s problems. Dredd is ordered to put aside his prejudices and conduct an assessment with one of the latest models, nicknamed HARVEY…

The Rise and Fall of The Trigan Empire Volume 1
Mike Butterworth, Don Lawrence
ISBN: 9781781087558
19 March (UK) 17 March (US)
UK £19.99 // US $24.99
Pages: 304 // Paperback

The Trigan Empire was a landmark 1960s science fiction series which rivalled Game of Thrones in popularity and was the precursor to every mythic sci-fi adventure to come! Under the leadership of Trigo, the Vorg tribesmen band together to resist the Lokan invaders, forming a new country, The Trigan Empire.

This is the epic story of its rise and fall. Featuring an extraordinary combination of the Roman Empire and ancient Greece, Trigo’s story is told in ground breaking fully painted artwork. Originally published in Ranger magazine, it transferred to the hugely popular Look and Learn where it ran for over a decade.

This is the first in a series collecting all the stories painted by the legendary Don Lawrence.

Kingmaker: A World Lost
Ian Edginton, Leigh Gallagher
ISBN: 9781781087572
2 April (UK) 7 April (US)
UK £14.99 // US $19.99
Pages: 144 // Paperback

The Magic is Gathering! The inhabitants of the nine kingdoms fought hard to liberate their world from the tyranny of Ichnar the Wraith King. Little did they suspect that a greater threat would soon fall upon them in the form of the Thorn – a race of aliens intent on strip mining all of the magic from the world.

Now old enemies have formed an alliance – Wizard Ablard, ork Crixus and the dryad Princess Yarrow have set aside their differences and are seeking to use the Ebora world spirit against the invaders…

The first book in a thrilling post-modern fantasy action saga, written by one of 2000AD’s modern masters Ian Edginton (Scarlet Traces, Brass Sun).

Masters of British Comic Art
David Roach
ISBN: 9781781087596
2 April (UK) 7 April (US)
UK £39.99 // US $50
Pages: 384 // Hardcover

This wildly entertaining and educational tome is a journey through the history of British comics – from the birth of the 20th century to the ‘80s invasion of American comics and through to today’s best contemporary artists! A high-production hardcover compendium perfect as a coffee table book or academic encyclopaedia, Masters of British Comics is painstakingly researched.

Behind a brand new cover by superstar artist Brian Bolland, and featuring artwork from a vast number highly-acclaimed artists carefully scanned from original artwork, Masters of British Comic Art is the definitive study and celebration of a beloved industry!

Featuring a Who’s Who of talent, including Brian Bolland, Yvonne Hutton, Dave Gibbons, celebrated greats such as Don Lawrence and lost masters like Reg Bunn and Shirley Bellwood. Author and 2000AD artist David Roach takes us on a journey through time detailing the surprising and fascinating evolution of the art from its humble beginnings to its current world-conquering status.

War Picture Library: Battle of Britain
Ian Kennedy
ISBN: 9781781087794
16 April (UK)
UK £14.99
Pages: 128 // Paperback

The second in the new ‘War Picture Library’ series showcasing the finest combat comics illustrated by legendary and iconic artists. Two true stories of aviation heroism and derring-do – “Never Say Die” and “Steel Bats” – set during the Battle of Britain in 1940 and drawn by comics legend Ian Kennedy!

A talented pilot who never loses his determination to defend his country against immense obstacles both technical and personal. A squadron undertakes heart-stopping missions to combat the intense night-time assaults of the Axis air force. Set against the backdrop of the Battle of Britain comes an enthralling collection of aviation and heroism featuring daredevil pilots and the lengths they go to stop the German Luftwaffe attacking Britain.

The Complete Johnny Future
Alf Wallace, Luis Bermejo
ISBN: 9781781087589
30 Apr 2020 (UK) 28 Apr 2020 (US)
UK £19.99 // US $24.99
Pages: 208 // Hardcover

One of the most memorable comic strips of the 1960s, which asks the question “What if King Kong became Superman”? This is the complete hardcover collection of breathtaking Pulp adventure comics – beloved by fans and the creators it inspired – Alan Moore among them!

‘The Missing Link’ – a creature of limitless strength, is drawn to Britain in pursuit of an expedition party he encountered in his homeland. The man-ape causes havoc until he accidentally stumbles into an experimental nuclear research facility and is bombarded by radiation. Instead of killing him, the creature evolves into an advanced human. Now possessing a genius mind, super-strength, enhanced senses and the ability to fly, as Johnny Future he protects mankind from such sinister beings as The Master, Disastro, Animal Man and the Secret Society of Scientists.

Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files #35
John Wagner, Alan Grant, Gordon Rennie, Richard Elson, John Higgins, Ian Gibson, Siku, Ben Willsher, Colin MacNeil, Kevin Walker, Paul Marshall, Cam Kennedy, Carlos Ezquerra
ISBN: 9781781087541
14 May 2020 (UK)
UK £19.99
Pages: 304 // Paperback

The latest in the smash-hit, best-selling graphic novel series! Almost half a million copies sold! The floating multi-story metropolis of illegal delights known as “Sin City” has anchored outside Mega-City one, and Dredd has seemingly been sent aboard to keep what order can be kept on a lawless floating city.

His real task? Locate Ula Danser, the De-Megification terrorist determined to destroy the Mega-Cities at any cost! But Danser isn’t working alone – Dredd’s old enemy Orlok is coming to meet her, and he’s carrying a cargo intended to pay back everything Dredd did to East-Meg one – with interest!

The latest in the world-wide best-selling, flagship 2000AD graphic novel series which has become a perennial classic. Includes artwork by some of 2000AD’s very best, including Cam Kennedy, Ian Gibson, Carlos Ezquerra, and Marvel artist Kev Walker!

Sláine: The Horned God Collector’s Edition
Pat Mills, Simon Bisley
ISBN: 9781781087626
28 May 2020 (UK) 26 May 2020 (US)
UK £19.99 // US $24.99 // CAN $33.99
Pages: 208 // Paperback

Rediscover one of the most influential graphic novels ever, with the Sláine: The Horned God – Collector’s Edition. Timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary of its first publication, this new, larger edition of the bestselling 2000AD collection, written by industry visionary Pat Mills, features the groundbreaking fully-painted art of comics legend Simon Bisley.

One of the most popular stories ever published in the pages of 2000AD, The Horned God is a heady mix of Celtic mythology, extreme violence, and beautiful artwork. As well as Mills’ fascinating characters and saga-like storytelling, the stunning enormity of Bisley’s work on the series cannot be understated, with epic battles and vast landscapes evoking everything from the work of Frank Frazetta to Gustav Klimt.

This deluxe collector’s edition returns us to the mist-wreathed realm of Tír na nÓg, the ancient land suffering under the dominion of the Drunes; strange druids who have poisoned the land with their magic. Sláine has had enough of their tyranny and, through the Earth Goddess, he learns some shocking truths about the priesthood and his own future. Now Sláine must unite the four kings of Tír na nÓg and use their mystical weapons as he and the Sessair tribe prepare for all-out war!

Roy of the Rovers: The Best of the 1970s: The Tiger Years
Tom Tully, Yvonne Hutton, David Sque
ISBN: 178108792X
28 May 2020
UK £19.99

The best comic strips from the golden age of Roy of the Rovers.

The 1970s was a very turbulent time in Britain. Following the optimism of the 1960s, the country faced a decade of strikes and power cuts. Luckily for the fans of Melchester Rovers, Roy Race and his loyal time mates provided great moments of glory for their fans, starting with European Cup final win in 1973 in the year that the club celebrated its 50th anniversary.

It was the decade in which footballers became real superstars a time when Melchester goalkeeper Charlie Carter had to choose between staying at the club or perusing a burgeoning career as a pop singer. And it was a period when Roy Race truly cemented himself as the heart, soul and brain of the club by taking on the role of player manager.

Concrete Surfer
Pat Mills, Christine Ellingham
ISBN: 9781781087633
25 June 2020
UK £9.99
Pages: 80 // Paperback

A skateboarding rivalry, timed to coincide with skateboarding’s 2020 Olympic debut! Sent home to Britain after her parents fail to establish a new life in Australia, Jean Everidge is forced to rely on family charity, moving in with her Aunt, Uncle and cousin Carol, successful gymnast, beloved of teachers and pupils alike, and all round charming “top girl”. Jean has one solace left to her – skateboarding, surfing the concrete pavement, while forgetting all her troubles, and feel free.

But Jean’s freestyling talent soon attracts attention, and if there’s one thing Carol can’t stand, it’s being out of the spotlight. With the new skatepark freestyle contest coming up, just how far will Carol go to stay number one?

Strontium Dog: Search & Destroy
John Wagner, Carlos Ezquerra
ISBN: 9781781087657
26 June 2020 (UK)
UK £19.99
Pages: 144 // Hardcover

The earliest adventures of one of 2000AD’s greatest series – Strontium Dog – are to be reprinted in colour for the first time in decades. Reprinted with its original colour pages, Strontium Dog: Search and Destroy is a sumptuous hardcover 144-page collection collecting the origins of John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra’s hard-hitting story of prejudice and violence.

Strontium Dog: Search and Destroy brings back into print one of the seminal series of British comics, a science fiction Western that merges everything from time travel to a trip to Hell itself. This new collection is a must for fans and collectors alike, restoring this series to its rightful place as one of the key series in the annals of British comics.

Originally published in Starlord, 2000AD’s sister comic, these early stories had a profound effect upon readers, including future film director Edgar Wright.

After the comic merged with 2000AD, Johnny Alpha quickly became a fan favourite character and Strontium Dog remains one of the most iconic strips in the history of British comics!

Judge Dredd: Control
Rob Williams, Chris Weston
ISBN: 9781781087770
9 July 2020 (UK) 7 July 2020 (US)
UK £14.99 // US $19.99 // CAN $26.99
Pages: 128 // Paperback

Writer Rob Williams follows up his smash hit Judge Dredd: Small House with a brand new collection that sees him at the mercy of Judge Pin – his most sinister opponent since Judge Death! The psychopathic SJS Judge murders officers that fall short of her standards, and Judge Dredd is in her sights in this collection of stories featuring flesh-eating Kleggs, hijacking ape gangs and out of control war robots reprogrammed by insane accountants in tales ranging from deathly serious to outrageously funny, all from one of the most popular contemporary Dredd creative teams – Rob Williams and Chris Weston.

Entirely drawn by Weston, the talented artist for DC Comics (The Filth), Image (Ministry of Space) and Marvel Comics (The Twelve), this storyline is a game changer for the Dredd universe.

War Picture Library: Battler Britton
V.A.L. Holding, Hugo Pratt
ISBN: 9781781087664
30 July 2020 (UK) 28 July 2020 (US)
UK £14.99 // US $19.99 // CAN $26.99
Pages: 64 // Hardcover

In this second book in the series of collections reprinting every story drawn by Hugo Pratt, the Italian art maestro meets one of the most popular British comic book characters: Battler Britton! Battler Britton is a World War Two air ace as skilled a fighter on land as he is in his Spitfire. In 1960, Hugo Pratt drew two of his adventures – “Wagons of Gold” and “Rockets of Revenge” – and they are to be reprinted in graphic novel format for the first time.

These fast-paced adventure stories feature the classic character facing off against the Nazis and this second book continues Rebellion’s mission to bring all of Pratt’s work back into print. Readers of Corto Maltese will love these forgotten classic war stories from the world-renowned comic book artist, published in a format larger than originally published to show off his impressive and universally-lauded artwork.

Hope … Under Fire
Guy Adams, Jimmy Broxton
ISBN: 9781781087718
20 August 2020 (UK) 18 August 2020 (US)
UK £9.99 // US $9.99 // CAN $12.99
Pages: 64 // Paperback

The second volume of the dazzling 2000AD debut – mixing Hollywood noir and occult magic! In an alternate post-war 1940s Los Angeles, where dark magic is a fact of life, Mallory Hope is a private detective haunted by his past…and by the occult forces he uses. An inspired new classic in the making, a stylish supernatural detective noir for fans of The Fade Out (Ed Brubaker/Sean Phillips) and the novels of Raymond Chandler, James Elmore and Dashiell Hammett.

Death Squad
Alan Hebden, Eric Bradbury, Carlos Ezquerra
ISBN: 9781781087688
20 August 2020 (UK) 18 August 2020 (US)
UK £14.99 // US $19.99 // CAN $26.99
Pages: 128 // Paperback

Meet the deadliest band of fighters on the Eastern Front in an all-out all-action, complete-in-one brutal war story from the pages of the classic war comic, Battle! During World War Two the Eastern Front was Hell on Earth – German Punishment Battalions were thrown into the thick of the conflict where they were expected to fight well and die hard. In these harshest of conditions only the strongest warriors survived.

Enter the Death Squad – Grandad, Swede, Licker, Gus and Frankie. Alone they were failures and outcasts, but together they were one of the most formidable combat units the Russians ever faced!

One of the all-time classics from the groundbreaking and hugely influential Battle comic, this features gritty art from Eric Bradbury and Carlos Ezquerra, bringing the horrors of the Eastern Front to readers in a brand new collection!

The Best of Sugar Jones
Pat Mills, Rafael Busóm
ISBN: 9781781087701
20 August 2020 (UK)
UK £14.99
Pages: 112 // Paperback

Sugar Jones is the charming twenty-something host of her own late night variety show, beloved by viewers up and down the nation. Only her assistant Susie knows her secret – Sugar is really selfish, sour, scheming – and 40 years old! She do anything to make a quick buck.

Written by 2000AD legend Pat Mills, Sugar Jones features stunningly beautiful art from Spanish illustrator Rafael Busóm – it’s not just a comic book but an archive of 1970s fashion too!

A luscious collection that will appeal to readers young and old, a morality tale that combines fashion and soap opera in only the way ‘70s British comics could! Sugar Jones is a forgotten gem from The Treasury of British Comics’ archive.

2000AD Regened
Alex De Campi, Alec Worley, Chris Weston, Neil Googe
ISBN: 9781781088135
27 August (UK) // 25 August (US)
UK £10.99 // US $13.99
Pages: 96 // Paperback

Your old 2000AD favourites break out with an all-new all-ages bumper adventure package! 2000AD Regened is a one-off, bumper, all ages instalment of the Galaxies Greatest Comic! Join Cadet Dredd in three astonishing adventures (one of which is brand new for this collection), discover how Johnny Alpha became a Strontium Dog in ‘Trial Run’ and meet the teenage intergalactic bounty hunter and her family in ‘Full Tilt Boogie’, plus many other new takes on old favourites!

Essential Judge Dredd: America
John Wagner, Garth Ennis, Colin MacNeil, John Higgins
ISBN: 9781781088609
September
UK £19.99 // US $25 // CAN $34
Pages: 160 // Paperback

Beginning a brand new series of essential stories from one of the greatest ever comic characters, the Essential Judge Dredd is the perfect jumping on point for new readers! In Mega-City One, the Judges are the law – acting as judge, jury, and executioner. But how do the citizens really feel about a system where they are powerless? America Jara and Bennett Beeny grow up as best friends, living a fairly trouble-free life in a dangerous city… bar the odd, negative encounter with a Judge.

Time draws them apart, and when they are brought back together, Beeny is a successful singer and America has become involved with a terrorist organisation known as Total War, which has the Justice Department in its sights! This dark and complex tale is considered to be one of the best stories to ever come out of the Judge Dredd universe. Now it has been contextualised with contemporarily thematic stories and recoloured art by John Higgins (Watchmen).

Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files 36
John Wagner, Gordon Rennie, Andy Diggle, Henry Flint, Ben Willsher, Ian Gibson, John Ridgeway, Mick McMahon, Jim Baikie, Simon Fraser, PJ Holden, Carl Critchlow, Staz Johnson, Carlos Ezquerra
ISBN: 9781781087695
3 September (UK)
UK £19.99
Pages: 304 // Paperback

The best-selling Judge Dredd graphic novel series continues with the most popular crossover story in its history! Mega-City One – a nightmarish enclosure located along the Eastern Seaboard of North America. Only the Judges – powerful law enforcers supporting the despotic Justice Department – can stop total anarchy running rife on the crime-ridden streets. Toughest of them all is Judge Dredd – he is the law and these are his stories… Judge Dredd has brought countless monsters to justice but now the ultimate killing machines, cinema’s most famous xenomorphs, surface in Mega-City One and it may well be more than the Justice Department can handle!

Features action-packed stories from some of 2000AD’s greatest, including Carlos Ezquerra (Preacher), Mick McMahon (Hellboy, Slaine), Ian Gibson (Halo Jones) and Henry Flint (Haunted Tank)!

The Vigilant
Simon Furman, Simon Coleby, DaNi, Henrik Sahlstrom, Warwick Fraser-Combe, Staz Johnson, Will Sliney, Jake Lynch
19 September (UK)
UK £14.99
Pages: 128 // Paperback

Classic British Superheroes remade for a 21st Century audience! Lost in the mists of time, home-grown British superheroes once entertained and enthralled millions of kids…Now, the likes of Adam Eterno, Blake Edmonds, Thunderbolt the Avenger, and The Leopard from Lime Street are back for a new generation of readers.

This volume collects the trilogy of Vigilant stories (the third story due for publication later this year) written by Simon Furman (Transformers) and drawn by an all-star roster of artsists including Simon Coleby (Dark Souls), DaNi (Coffin Bound), Henrik Sahlstrom (Thirteenth Floor), Warwick Fraser-Combe, Staz Johnson (Spider-Man), Will Sliney (Spider-Man 2099), Jake Lynch (Judge Dredd)

Fiends of the Eastern Front
Gerry Finley-Day, Carlos Ezquerra, Ian Edginton, Tiernen Trevellion, Dave Taylor, Dave Kendall
ISBN: 9781781087749
October
UK £19.99 // US $24.99 // CAN $33.99
Pages: 176 // Paperback

Sink your teeth into the collection of the classic supernatural war stories from the pages of 2000AD – now expanded and updated! Buried deep underground are the remains of Wehrmacht soldier, Hans Schmitt, and his diary, which journals his eerie encounter with the Romanian Captain Constanta and his platoon of blood-sucking freaks! Back in 1943, with the Russians willing to fight until their last man in order to defend Stalingrad, Panzergrenadier Richter discovers Constanta’s secret and learns than sometimes your allies can be just as dangerous as the enemy!

This fiendishly-fun collection features the breathtaking art of Carlos Ezquerra (Judge Dredd) and Colin MacNeil (America, Chopper: Song of the Surfer), with stories from Gerry Finley Day (Rogue Trooper), David Bishop (Thrill-Power Overload), and recent classics from Ian Edginton (Stickleback, Scarlet Traces), and Dave Kendall (Fall of Deadworld), that takes the blood-soaked story of Constanta back into history!

The Thirteenth Floor Volume Two
John Wagner, Jose Ortiz
ISBN: 9781781087725
October
UK £14.99
Pages: 176 // Paperback

Collecting the darkly comical series from the pages of Eagle, this second volume of the hugely popular The Thirteenth Floor continues the misadventures of the murderous machine A.I., Max! The Thirteenth Floor exists in Maxwell Tower – an experimental tower block run by an A.I. called Max who looks after his tenants and take revenge on those who threaten them by sending them to The Thirteenth Floor – a place where nightmare and reality become one! This second collection of the popular series which began in Scream! and continued in Eagle carries the story further into the Eighties with the authorities becoming more aware of Max’s out of control vindictiveness, and their attempts to shut him down.

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

Black Max Volume 2
ISBN: 9781781088623
October
UK £14.99
Pages: 112 // Paperback

Bi-planes vs giant vampire bats in this thrilling collection of war comics with a horror twist! 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.

The World War One era story moves to England with a monstrous albino bat attacking London with each page beautifully drawn by Alfonso Font working on one of his very first comic series.

This exciting World War One aviation adventure is ideal for fans of “Charley’s War”, Battle, and Hammer horror films!

Essential Judge Dredd: Origins
John Wagner, Carlos Ezquerra
ISBN: 9781781088630
November
UK £19.99 // US $25.00 // CAN $34.00
Pages: 192 // Paperback

The origin of Judge Dredd, and the Mega-City One Justice system – This is Judge Dredd: Year One! An unusual delivery is made to the Grand Hall of Justice, a package that will force Dredd to lead a mission into the Cursed Earth and into the darkest recesses of the history of the Judges and Mega-City One…

In this acclaimed epic, history is written by Dredd co-creators John Wagner (A History of Violence) and Carlos Ezquerra (Strontium Dog) with a special introductory tale featuring the art of Kev Walker (ABC Warriors: Khronicles of Khaos). Now presented as part of the Essential line of Judge Dredd stories, this book is the ultimate introduction to the Judge Dredd universe.

The Trigan Empire Volume 2
Mike Butterworth, Don Lawrence
ISBN: 9781781087756
November
UK £19.99 // US $24.99 // CAN $33.99
Pages: 288 // Paperback

The lost sci-fi classic from the 1960s continues in gloriously restored collections! Among the distant stars, fractious tribes come together to found a mighty empire that will wage war against aggressive kingdoms, battle alien invaders, and conceive of incredible new technologies.

This extraordinary volume continues to chart the glorious Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire, a landmark in British comics history, painted by the legendary Don Lawrence in stunning, classic style, and springing from the grandiose pen of Mike Butterworth. This is an epic tale that creates a new far-future science fiction mythos that captured the imagination of a generation, featuring an introduction from one-time Don Lawrence apprentice Chris Weston (Judge Dredd).

Note: May not be Final Cover

Cor!! Buster Bumper Fun Book
Cavan Scott, Neil Googe, Hilary Barta, Tom Paterson, Sheli Paroline, Olivia Hicks and Brett Parson
ISBN: 9781781088647
November
UK £10.99 // US $13.99
Pages: 96 // Paperback

Brighten up the Christmas holidays with this bumper collection hilarious stories filled with laughs and fun, for kids of all ages! Britain’s golden age of humour comics returns for the 21st century, with brand new stories by today’s top talents.

Featuring characters like Kid Kong, Grimly Feendish, Faceache, and Frankie Stein are given new life in this compendium of hilarity by Neil Googe (The Flash), Cavan Scott (Doctor Who), Tom Paterson (The Beano, The Dandy), Shelli Paroline (Adventure Time) and Hilary Barta (DC Comics Plastic Man)!

The Incredible Adventures of Janus Stark
Written by Tom Tully, Various Artists
Out: 27th November 2020
Pages: 48, Perfect Bound

A perfect-bound 48-page magazine showcasing one of the forgotten heroes of the heyday of British comics – a rubber-boned Victorian escapologist capable of incredible feats of agility and able to squeeze through the smallest gaps!

The magazine will be available exclusively from the Treasury of British Comics webshop from 27th November 2019, with online pre-orders from 4th November. Early preview copies will be available from the 2000 AD stand at the Thought Bubble convention in Harrogate this weekend (Tables 10-12, Comixology Originals Hall).

This is first in a series of specials from Rebellion bringing classic British heroes out of the archive and back onto the page and follows the company’s acquisition of the vast IPC back catalogue in 2017, creating the world’s biggest archive of English-language comics and encompassing more than a century of comic book publishing.

Janus Stark is an escapologist in Victorian London who appears to be a simple music hall act, but who privately uses his extraordinary abilities to battle crime and injustice. With an unusually flexible bone structure, he’s able him to get out of an astonishing variety of tight situations at will, all the while either dressed in a three-piece suit or with his shirt off – a unique, unusual, and quintessentially British character.

• Read our feature on this Janus Stark Special Edition here

• Read our Janus Stark Profile Feature

Ken Reid’s Football Funnies
Ken Reid, Various Writers
ISBN: 9781781087794
3 December (UK)
UK £19.99
Pages: 144 // Hardcover

Between 1970 and 1974, Ken Reid drew a weekly humour strip for Scorcher and Score, and this collection collects the first two years of those strips, featuring the strips “Sub”, “Manager Matt”, “Hugh Fowler” and “Football Forum”.

Irmantas Povilaika, who has long documented the life and work of Ken Reid and published the wonderful two-book collection The Power Pack of Ken Reid (still available here, and well worth buying!), notes Ken was not a sports fan, and only agreed to draw the strips because he was desperate for work after the demise of Odhams comics. Of the strips featured, he wrote “Sub”, the other strips the work of unknown Fleetway script writers who ably found the funny side of the game.

Let’s hope a collection of the other football-focused strips he drew – “The Soccernauts”, “Harry Hammertoe”, “Jimmy Jinks” and “Triptoe Triers” will follow.

If you want to know more about Ken’s work for Scorcher and Score, then an extensive two-part feature on all of Ken’s football strips featured in two issues of ComicScene last year. You can buy a digital collection of every issue of ComicScene published in 2019 here on GetMyComics.

Thistlebone Book One
Tom Eglington, Simon Davis
ISBN: 9781781087787
3 December (UK)
UK £12.99
Pages: 64 // Hardcover

The first volume in an all new creepy folk-horror series, beautifully painted by the popular Sláine artist Simon Davis! England, 2019. The secluded rural village of Harrowvale holds a dark past — that years earlier, on a farm bordering the vast tracts of woodland, it hosted a cult that was seeking to escape civilisation and find purity in the old ways, namely worshipping an ancient deity called THISTLEBONE.

Led by the charismatic Jasper Hillman, their pagan beliefs grew ever more radical to the point where they held the young Avril Eason captive with the intention of sacrificing her. But Avril escaped…

2020 SPECIALS FROM REBELLION

On Sale in all good comic shops and newsagents, and direct from the 2000AD web shop – including a great Specials Bundle

Action Special cover by Staz Johnson, colour by Quinton Winter

March: Action Special

It horrified prudes and censors alike – but the ground-breaking Action is back! The 1970s comic they tried to ban returns with the same blend of unbeatable characters and no-holds-barred action – all brought to you by the best talents of today! Featuring the killer shark Hookjaw by Dan Lish, juvenile delinquency in “Kids Rule OK” by Ram V and Henrick Stahlstrom, frontline German Panzer with “Hellman of Hammer Force” by Garth Ennis and Mike Dorey, merciless secret agent action with “Dredger” by Zina Hutton, and the brand new “Hell Machine” by Henry Flint.

Plus, the exclusive edition available from the 2000 AD website will come with a bagged reproduction of the ‘banned’ issue of Action from October 1976, an issue “pulped” on the orders of company management, very few copies surviving… which have fetched a huge price at auction.

Cor!! Buster Easter Special cover by Neil Googe, colour by Jim Boswell

April: Cor!! Buster Easter Special

On sale Wednesday 8th April 2020 in WHSmith and from all good newsagents with a sense of humour, comics shops and via digital platforms

The biggest and brightest humour comic in Britain is back for another 48-page special! A smash hit with kids, the Cor!! Buster Easter Special brings together two of Britain’s most beloved humour comics for 48 pages of belly laughs and silly japes from some of the best creators around, including Lew Stringer and John Freeman on “Buster and Delbert“, “Sweeny Toddler” and “Gah!” by Tom Paterson, “Grimly Feendish” by Ned Hartley and Tom Paterson, “Frankie Stein” by Cavan Scott and Steve Mannion, “Daisy Jones’ Locket” by Olivia Hicks and Shelli Paroline, “Birdman and Chicken” by Edward Whatley, “Swines of Anarchy” by Lee Langford and Pye Parr, “Faceache” by Matt Smith and John Lucas, “Gums” by Lizzie Boyle and Abigail Ryder, “Deadly Hedley” by Paul Goodenough and Rositsa Vangelova, “Kid Kong” by Alec Worley and Tiernen Travallion, and “Duck Turpin” by Robin Etherington and David Follett.

May: Smash! Special

They’re the home-grown superheroes who gave Superman and Spider-Man a run for their money – and now their back in the Smash! Special! Featuring some of the most original and unusual caped crusaders you’ll ever encounter, this 64-page special features super-villain-turned-hero The Spider by Rob Williams and John McCrea, supercharged secret agent The Steel Claw by Danijel Žeželj, the ‘missing link’ who became the man of the future Johnny Future by Tom Raney, giant robot ape Mytek the Mighty by Suyi Davies Okungbowa and Anand Radhakrishnan, and many more!

June: Roy of the Rovers Euro 2020 Special

It’s going to be an incredible summer of football with the European Championships and the Roy of the Rovers Euro 2020 Special will bring you excitement on and off the pitch. Featuring the talents of the Roy of the Rovers creative team – Rob Williams, Lisa Henke and Tom Palmer – this 48-page special kicks off this June!

June: 2000 AD Sci-Fi Special: Twenty Years of Rebellion

2020 marks two decades since Rebellion stepped in to save the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic. The 2000 AD Sci-Fi Special celebrates 20 Years of Rebellion with a specially-curated look at 2000 AD during the tenure of its longest-serving owners and longest-serving editor; featuring some of the best talents of the past 20 years, this 48-page special celebrates the evolution of 2000 AD since its namesake year with comics and features about Britain’s biggest and best comic!

July: Tammy & Jinty Special

Tammy & Jinty return for two feature-length stories from modern creators in a new 48-page comic, continuing the work of last year’s hit special! Tammy and Jinty were ground-breaking female-led comics covered that everything from science fiction and fantasy to romance and domestic drama. Now retooled for the 21st Century, the Tammy & Jinty Special pays tribute to this legacy of trail-blazing comics while introducing a new audience to the medium!

September: Battle Special

It was the comic than inspired a generation and introduced readers to some of the reality of war – Battle is back and it’s bigger than ever! This 96-page special features the returns of Rat Pack, Destroyer, El Mestizo, and more of your favourite characters – direct from the comic book front lines!

Inspired by the classic comic and ground-breaking characters, creators such as Garth Ennis, Alex De Campi, Alan Hebden, Brent McKee, Keith Burns, Rob Williams, and more bring you stories of war inspired by real events but with the flair and excitement that made Battle the innovative comic it was!

September: Misty & Scream! Special

Following the success of last year’s fright-filled outing, the Misty & Scream! Special returns this Hallowe’en! Two of Britain’s best loved comics reunite for an anthology of brand new tales that are guaranteed to terrify and entertain you – courtesy of a coven of creators, including Kek-W, Simon Coleby, Vincenzo Riccardi, Cavan Scott, Alec Worley, DaNi, and many more!

November: Thriller Picture Library Special

Thriller Picture Library was the pocket book series packed with thrilling tales of danger and adventure, which delighted audiences for more than a decade in the mid-20th Century, establishing the careers of D. C. Eyles, Mike Hubbard, Eric Parker and Septimus E. Scott. With a brand new cover by VV Glass, this 128-page special includes two classic John Steel adventures from the 1960s, drawn by Luis Bermejo (Eerie, Vampirella) and coloured for modern audiences.

November: The Return of Sexton Blake

He’s the world’s greatest detective and now one of the most popular fictional characters of all time, Sexton Blake, is back! Part Sherlock Holmes, part action hero, Blake was created by Harry Blyth in 1893 and his instant success saw him become the subject of countless novels, comics, radio, and TV, making him one of the last century’s most popular characters.

Featuring a guide to his adventures alongside just some of his timeless comic book adventures, The Return of Sexton Blake is a 96-page collection that will reintroduce the master of mystery and suspense!

December: Misty Presents… Special

Christmas is the perfect time for a ghost story and this year’s Misty Presents... special will bring a few seasonal scares with a 48-page special that will shock your Xmas stocking off the wall and have you cowering under the tree with your presents! Prepare yourselves for a Yuletide shocker as M.R. James meets Black Mirror in a brand new title to round out a very special year!

Date TBC: Evil Genius 2 Special

Evil Genius 2: World Domination is coming to Steam in 2020 in a fully-fledged sequel to the 2004 classic PC game – and, like all the best villains, now that Rebellion have you captive we’re going to reveal the inner workings of our fiendish plans in a 64-page special! In this spy-fi lair builder you take control of an Evil Genius, with your aim nothing less than taking over the world and the Evil Genius 2 Special will take you behind-the-scenes on this long-awaited sequel!

• All these Specials will all be available from all good newsagents and comic book stores – and all the 2020 specials are also be available to pre-order as a special £59.99 subscription bundle from the 2000 AD webshop, which includes 20% off and with an exclusive bagged reproduction of the infamous ‘banned’ issue of Action from October 1976

• 2000AD-related books and more on AmazonUK (Affiliate Link)

• Judge Dredd-related books and more on AmazonUK (Affiliate Link)

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.

Categories: 2000AD, British Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News

Tags: 2000AD, Adventure Comics, Battle Stations, Donne Avenell, downthetubes News, Hugo Pratt, Janus Stark, Judge Dredd, Judge Dredd Megazine, Rebellion, SF Comics, Strontium Dog, The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire, Treasury of British Comics, War Comics