New issues of 2000AD, Prog 2466, and Judge Dredd Megazine, Issue 488, are on sale in TG Jones and WHSmith Travel stores across the UK today, and, of course, Local Comic Shops.

Judge Dredd Megazine features the final chapters of the current “Dreadnoughts” and “Anderson, Psi-Div” arcs, and the start of a new Judge Dredd thriller, “Halfway House”, by Ken Niemand and Jake Lynch, following up on the enjoyable“Old Man Joe” story from last year.

Alongside “Megatropolis” and “Armitage”, continuing this issue, also new is “Rok the World”, the third instalment in the SF football epic by creators John Wagner and Dan Cornwell, exclusive to the Meg, which we, er, exclusively previewed here last week. It’s a glorious tip of the hat to “Doomlord”, once star of New Eagle, which John created with Alan Grant – and I can’t wait to see how it develops.

John Wagner is also subjected to an Interrogation as he talks about this series of “Rok”, as well as his and Mike Perkins’ portentious-sounding Dredd story “Death of a Judge”, currently running in 2000AD. (Over in this week’s edition of the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic, by the way, things aren’t looking great for Dredd, victim to a shocking trap).

Also chatting to Karl Stock this issue is “Johnny Red” artist Keith Burns and film director Ben Wheatley, best known for movies such as Kill List, Sightseers and A Field in England, but now dipping his toe into comic-scripting with the Psi-Div series “Judge Dee”, drawn by Simon Coleby, launching in 2000AD next week.

Plus, Stephen Jewell talks to Alex De Campi and Marc Laming about B7 Comics new take on Dan Dare, the Kickstarter launching soon; and what’s not to love about a “Gronk” pinup by Steve Roberts? Icing on the cake!

2000AD Prog 2466
PRINT and DIGITAL: 21 January £3.99
COVER: Cliff Robinson with Dylan Teague

In this issue:

JUDGE DREDD // DEATH OF A JUDGE
by John Wagner (Writer) Mike Perkins (Artist) Chris Blythe (Colourist) Annie Parkhouse (Letterer)

Mega-City One, 2148 AD. Home to over 300 million citizens, this urban hell is situated along the east coast of post-apocalyptic North America. Crime is rampant, and only the Judges — empowered to dispense instant justice — can stop total anarchy. Toughest of them all is JUDGE DREDD — he is the Law! Now, as the Mechanismo robot Judges return to the streets, Dredd’s been targeted in an explosion…

HERNE & SHUCK // POWER TRIP
by David Barnett (Writer) Lee Milmore (Artist) Gary Caldwell (Colourist) Annie Parkhouse (Letterer)

The UK. Herne is a troubleshooter and hired help for many different magical factions. Accompanied by Shuck, a demon in dog form, he travels the country picking up work where he can, whether it be an exorcism or a rescue. Recently, he was tasked with saving young Carys from ritual sacrifice, and has made an enemy of the organisation known as St Michael. Now, he must prove himself before a magical council…

FUTURE SHOCKS // THE STATE OF NOSTALGIA
by Ned Hartley (Writer) Steve Roberts (Artist) Simon Bowland (Letterer)

Out in the vast reaches of the universe, there are an infinite number of stories waiting to be told. These cautionary tales pass from traveller to traveller in the spaceports and around campfires on distant planets, acquiring the status of legend, their shocking ends a salutory lesson in hubris. Anything is possible in these twisted trips into the galaxy’s dark side. Abandon your preconceptions, and expect the unexpected…

AZIMUTH // CORNERED
by Dan Abnett (Writer) Tazio Bettin (Artist) Matt Soffe (Colourist) Jim Campell (Letterer)

Welcome to the city of AZIMUTH, a data-driven metropolis, where anything is possible. Ruled by an aristocracy of the New Flesh, anyone can take any shape, if it can be conceived by the imagination. But the fact is, Azimuth was once Downlode, and it has been remade by a rogue A.I. Gun-shark Ramone Dexter is on a mission to destroy it, aided by Psi-Judge Cassandra Anderson and Suzi Nine Millimetre…

THE DISCARDED
by Peter Milligan (Writer) Kieran McKeown (Artist) Jim Boswell (Colourist) Simon Bowland (Letterer)

Junkfall, the near future. Society’s extravagant attitude to waste has continued unabated, with robot drones now collecting rubbish to be hauled away in giant hovering tankers, bound for the vast garbage island/prison known as Junkfall that lies out in the middle of the ocean. Dissident Aaxon ‘Red’ Banksy has been incarcerated here, but has discovered a self-evolving chip amongst the trash…

2000AD is available from your Local Comic Shop, TG Jones, WHSmith Travel and the 2000AD webshop

Judge Dredd Megazine 488
RELEASE DATE: 21 January £7.50
COVER: Simon Harrison

In this issue:

JUDGE DREDD // HALFWAY HOUSE
by Ken Niemand (Writer) Jake Lynch (Artist) Matt Soffe (Colourist) Annie Parkhouse (Letterer)

Mega-City One, 2148 AD. This vast urban hell on the east coast of post-apocalyptic North America is bordered by the toxic Black Atlantic and the irradiated Cursed Earth. It is home to over 300 million citizens, where tensions run a constant knife-edge. Crime is rampant, and stemming the tide of chaos are the Judges. Toughest of them all is Judge Dredd – he is the Law!

MEGATROPOLIS II
by Ken Niemand (Writer) Dave Taylor (Artist) Jim Campbell (Letterer)

Imagine a Mega-City One from an alternate timeline – less the gleaming metropolis of the twenty-second century but instead an art deco retro-future variation. Joe Rico is the one good cop in a police department riddled with corruption, and partnered with the young Amy Jara, they investigated a series of vigilante killings committed by a robot…

ARMITAGE // DROKK THE RIPPER
by Liam Johnson (Writer) Staz Johnson (Artist) Quinton Winter (Colourist) Annie Parkhouse (Letterer)

Brit-Cit, 2148 AD. While the UK equivalent of Mega-City One has its own Judge force, it’s retained its CID plainclothes division, of which Detective Inspector Armitage was one of its veteran officers. Now a consultant, who works on cold cases, Armitage hasn’t lost his surly demeanour and distrust of authority – and now an old flame is wanted for murder…

ANDERSON, PSI-DIV
by Alec Worley (Writer) Ben Willsher (Artist) Simon Bowland (Letterer)

Mega-City One, 2148 AD. Psi-Div is a section within Justice Department that deals with the supernatural, and its operatives all have psi-powers, from telepathy to psychokinesis. Cassandra Anderson is one of the division’s most experienced and powerful officers – and now she must deal with a cinema multiplex that’s overrun with demons…

NEW THRILL! ROK THE WORLD
by John Wagner (Writer) Dan Cornwell (Artist) Jim Boswell (Colourist) Rob Steen (Letterer)

Rok is back on Earth! But is his identity safe? Is anyone who crosses him safe? Check out our exclusive preview of the new story here!

DREADNOUGHTS // QUALIFIED IMMUNITY
by Mike Carroll (Writer) John Higgins (Artist) Sally Hurst (Colourist) Simon Bowland (Letterer)

USA, 2036 AD. The new Justice Department is still in its early years, with Judges working alongside the police. It’s proving an explosive transition, with many citizens – and more than a few cops – unhappy with these helmeted officers taking to the streets. Boulder, Colorado, was a recent flashpoint, and now the Judges’ influence is spreading wider to California…

Judge Dredd Megazine is available from your Local Comic Shop, TG Jones, WHSmith Travel and the 2000AD webshop

• About the Author
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John Freeman

John  is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of  comics such as 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.

• New Dredd, Rok of the Reds in this week’s Judge Dredd Megazine
• Annual Cartoon Museum Conference returns next month
• Comics: The Famous & Forgotten Exhibition opens at The Beacon Museum, Whitehaven

Categories: 2000AD, British Comics, British Comics - Current British Publishers, Comic Previews, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News

Tags: 2000AD, Azimuth, Dan Cornwell, Dan Dare, downthetubes News, Herne & Schuck, John Wagner, Judge Anderson, Judge Dredd, Judge Dredd Megazine, Megatropolis, Rok of the Reds, SF Comics