Rare Colin Wilson “Rogue Trooper” art offered on eBay

By John Freeman on May 27, 2021

New Zealand artist Colin Wilson had a short run on “Rogue Trooper” for 2000AD, and while examples of his terrific work on the strip feature online, it’s apparently rare for one to be offers for sale, so a page being offered on eBay right now is attracting much bidding interest.

Offered is the closing page of 2000AD Prog 269’s episode, part of the Dix-1 storyline.

Colin Wilson’s credits for 2000AD also include Judge Dredd, but he’s best known for his work for European publishers, including Blueberry.

“Some of the best – and most convincing – designs in futuristic weapons and machines I’ve ever seen came from Wilson’s accomplished hands,” it’s noted here, “hardly surprising given that many were clearly based on contemporary military technology. From the Mil Mi-24 Hind, the famous Soviet-era attack helicopter, to the lesser-known Centurion main battle tank Wilson took real world inspirations and extrapolated their future equivalents in technically exquisite detail.”

“Early 2000AD art rarely seems to come up for sale these days, and that’s doubly true of Wilson,” notes artist and comics archivist David Roach. “I suspect it won’t be cheap though…”

• Check out the Rogue Trooper Colin Wilson original art on offer here

*Rogue Trooper by Colin Wilson for 2000 AD Prog 269 (19th June, 1982)*

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.