2000AD was back to its “normal” format this week after the latest Regened edition, and the first episode of the new “Thistlebone” story in Prog 2221 proved a definite page turner (no spoilers!). I’m looking forward to the collection of the first story of this cracking folk horror series, out in April – and a lot more great collections are on the way, too, including a long-awaited third collection of British strips drawn by Hugo Pratt.
Overall, it’s been a busy week for Rebellion, with the release of the Major Eazy collection (reviewed here by Paul Trimble), and a smashing Roy of the Rovers collection, too. But it’s next month that things really start to ramp up, especially in terms of classic collections. I think it’s fair to say there’s a lot of anticipation for both The Spider’s Syndicate of Crime , which is followed up by the release of Adam Eterno in May.
The new Battler Briton – War Picture Library hardcover collection, out in June, a title that was rescheduled after the disruption caused to the publishing industry by the pandemic last year. While things aren’t exactly back to normal, you definitely should not miss these “forgotten” stories, drawn by Hugo Pratt, who went on to create the world famous adventurer Corto Maltese. “Battler Britton” was one of the most popular post-war characters in British comics, and it’s smashing to see some of his stories collected.
Hugo Pratt’s influence on comic art can still be felt today, one of the 20th century’s greatest artists. In 1967 he created the internationally popular comic book character, Corto Maltese, but he had already been working in comics for 20 years before then. In 1959 he moved to London, where he worked for Fleetway on their War Picture Library line of comics. He won countless awards for his work before he died in 1995.
Comic artist Keith Page kindly provided a feature on Hugo Pratt’s work a while back, which you can read here, which includes a listing of his War Picture Library work.
REBELLION RELEASES – A RAPID CHECKLIST
• 2000AD is available in print from: newsagents and comic book stores via Diamond |Available in digital from: 2000 AD webshop and apps for iPad, Android, Windows 10
Out This Week…
• Major Eazy: The Italian Campaign – Out Now, released 2nd March
Read a review by Paul Trimble
• 2000AD Prog 2221 – Out Now, released 3rd March
Cover by PJ Holden
• Judge Dredd: Who Killed Captain Cookies by Kenneth Niemand (Writer) PJ Holden (Artist) Quinton Winter (c) Annie Parkhouse (Letterer)
• Sláine: Dragontamer by Pat Mills (Writer) Leonardo Manco (Artist) Annie Parkhouse (Letterer)
• Thistlebone: Poisoned Roots by TC Eglington (Writer) Simon Davies (Artist) Simon Bowland (Letterer)
• Proteus Vex: The Shadow Chancellor by Mike Carroll (Writer) Jake Lynch (Artist) Jim Boswell (Colourist) Simon Bowland (Letterer)
• Durham Red: Served Cold by Alec Worley (Writer) Ben Willsher (Artist) Jim Campbell (Letterer)
• The Mean Arena Volume One – All To Slay For (digital) – Out Now, released 3rd March
Tom Tully (Writer) John Richardson, Steve Dillon, Johnny Johnstone (Artists) Peter Knight, Bill Nuttall, Tony Jacob, Steve Potter (Letterers)
The Mean Arena is set in a dystopian vision of Britain where deadly games of street football are played in evacuated towns. Matt Talon plays for the Slater’s Slayers, and he isn’t just in the Mean Arena for the love of the game – he’s here for revenge! This classic 2000AD story by Tom Tully and John Richardson – two legends of British comics – is collected in a digital-only graphic novel for the first time.
Available in digital from: 2000AD webshop & apps for iPad, Android and Windows 10
• Roy of the Rovers: The Best of the 1970s – The Roy of the Rovers Years – Out Now, released 4d March
Coming Soon…
• Judge Dredd: End of Days – Out 16th March
April 2021 Releases
• Flesh: Midnight Cowboys (Digital Only) – 7th April 2021
• The Spider’s Syndicate of Crime – 15 April
• The Vigilant TPB – 15 April
• Thistlebone – 29 April 2021
May 2021 Releases
• Time Flies (Digital Only) – 5th May 2021
• Devlin Waugh: Blood Debt – 13 May 2021
• Fill Tilt Boogie – 13 May
• Adam Eterno – 27 May
June 2021 Releases
• Slaughter Bowl (Digital Only) – 2 June
• Roy of the Rovers: The Best of the 1980s – Who Shot Roy Race? – 10 June
• Tammy & Jinty Remixed – 10 June
• Judge Dredd: Guatemala – 22 June
• Battler Britton – War Picture Library by Hugo Pratt – 24 June
July 2021 Releases
• 2000AD Regened Vol. 2 – 06 July
Aquila Vol. 2 (Digital Only) – 7th July 2021
• The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire Volume III – 20 July
• Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files Vol. 37 – 22 July
August 2021 Releases
• Bad City Blue (Digital Only) – Release Date: 4th August 2021
• Ken Reid’s Football Funnies: The First Half – 5 August
• Lawless Volume 3: Ashes to Ashes – 5 August
• Hershey: Disease – 17 August
• The Stainless Steel Rat – 19 August
• Essential Judge Dredd: Origins – 31 August
September 2021 Releases
• Firekind (Digital Only)
• Sláine: Dragontamer – 2 September
• Dark Judges: The Fall of Deadworld Vol. 3 – 14 September
• The Thirteenth Floor Volume 3 – 16 September
October 2021 Releases
• Black Max Volume 2 – 14 October
• Fiends of the Eastern Front – 14 October
• Megatropolis – 14 October
• Roy of the Rovers: New Digs – 28th October 2021
November 2021 Releases
• Tales from the Black Museum Volume 1 (Digital Only) – 3rd November 2021
• Judge Dredd: Dreadnoughts – 9 November
• Misty Presents: The Jaume Rumeu Collection – 11 November
• Brink Volume 4 – 23 November
• The Treasury of British Comics Presents: The Tom Paterson Collection – 25 November
December 2021 Releases
• Durham Red – Born Bad (Digital Only) – 1st December 2021
• Hellman of Hammer Force – 9 December
• Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files Vol. 38 – 9 December
• Scarlet Traces Vol. 3 – 9 December
• 2000AD is available in print from: newsagents and comic book stores via Diamond |Available in digital from: 2000 AD webshop and apps for iPad, Android, Windows 10
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, British Comics - Collections, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News