2000AD Prog 2494 is out today, Earthlets, which features an incendiary cover from Colin MacNeil alongside the latest instalments of “Judge Dredd”, “Brink”, “Fall of Deadworld” and “Nightmare New York”.
Joining them is a one-off Thrill – “The Zombie Apocalypse ABC”, written by James Lovegrove, with art by Russell Mark Olson. If you’ve ever wanted a guide on escaping a zombie invasion, but absolutely need it to rhyme, then, finally your time has come thanks to this new “Future Shock”!
James Lovegrove is author of over 70 books, including the Pantheon series, a set of standalone military-SF adventures combining high-tech weaponry and ancient gods, and new Sherlock Holmes and Firefly adventures.
He’s also penned two Marvel novels, Doctor Strange: Dimension War and Fantastic Four: The Coming of Galactus, released last year, retellings of classic tales from Marvel Comics’ Silver Age. You may also recognise him as author of Conan: Cult of the Obsidian Moon, featuring Robert E Howard’s famous pulp-fiction barbarian hero, a standalone adventure with links to the Black Stone storyline that has run in the Conan comics from Titan Publishing.
His latest book, from PS Publishing, is Tongue Disease, a short story collection described as “a foray into the lunacy of locution and the madness of miscommunication”, centred on Wormwood Mead, a UK government research facility that conducts experiments in all kinds of strange science.
Here, words can be weapons. Language is the stuff from which armaments are created. Grammar and syntax get forged into guns and ammo.
But science can and will go wrong, and Wormwood Mead is no exception. The cost is health, sanity, even lives.
In the seven stories that make up Tongue Disease, sentences can be sentient, diacritical marks can go critical, and typography can turn atypical… Signed hardback editions are available here.
It’s been awhile since a downthetubes favourite, Russell Mark Olson, worked for 2000AD, but after being asked if he was doing anything new for Tharg at the Portsmouth Comic Con this year, the creator of the brilliant Gatwway City saga contacted to Tharg, and “Zombie Apocalypse Alphabet” is the the first of two new stories he’s drawn. “It was a lot of fun to do, lots of cartooning and making every panel count,” he’s teased over on his subscriber-based Patreon.
In addition to Gateway City, Russell is also creator of The Black Iris, Ditch Angels, Lady Hollywood (with George Lennox) and a founding member of the SKRAWLLORDZ, whose latest, superb-looking anthology is currently seeking support here on Kickstarter. The new edition also features strips from Mark Hughes, Nick Prolix, Martin Simpson, Pete Taylor, and Gustaffo Vargas, and additional material from guest creators. Do check it out!
2000AD Prog 2494
UK RELEASE DATE: 5th August £3.99
LUNAR RELEASE DATE: 19th August $7.99
COVER: Colin MacNeil
In this issue:
JUDGE DREDD // THE OUBLIETTE
By Ken Niemand (Writer) Dan Cornwell (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, he’s found himself imprisoned in a mysterious dungeon, and must make his way up the levels if he is to escape…
BRINK // THE CALL OF THE VOID
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, often spilling over into madness. Sects are rife, and Bridget Kurtis of the Habitat Security Division is investigating their reach…
NIGHTMARE NEW YORK // BOOK TWO
By Kek-W (Writer) David Roach (Artist) Peter Doherty (Colourist) Annie Parkhouse (Letterer)
Lower Manhattan, 1845. The early days of the North American metropolis are marked by a mix of poverty and organised crime. Young Lil, living rough on these dank streets, had just turned eighteen when she discovered she was part of a select group of individuals that were imbued with special powers. Now she’s found refuge in a bakery, but she can’t seem to escape the trouble magic brings with it as she partners up with fireboy Mose…
FUTURE SHOCK: A ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE ABC
By James Lovegrove (Writer) Russell M. Olson (Artist) Rob Steen (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…
THE FALL OF DEADWORLD // JUSTICE
By Kek-W (Writer) Dave Kendall (Artist) Simon Bowland (Letterer)
The planet that became known as DEADWORLD was once a regular civilisation existing in a parallel dimension. But the end of days is coming, and creatures called the Dark Judges are spreading their contagion, exterminating all life. While Sov forces have take advantage of the chaos and invaded, Jess Childs and her fellow rebels have reunited with Judge Fairfax as they try to save a world falling into chaos…
• Available in print from: 2000AD webshop, newsagents, Local Comic Shops and supermarkets | Available in digital from: 2000AD webshop, 2000AD app for Apple & Android | Buy a Cover Print
Don’t forget that if you buy an issue of 2000AD in the first week of its release from 2000AD direct, then postage in the UK is free!
Coming Soon from Rebellion…
The Complete Scarlet Traces, Volume Four
By D’Israeli and Ian Edginton
Out: Scheduled for 26th August 2026
Paperback | 112 Pages
ISBN: 978-1837867868
• Pre-order from AmazonUK (Affiliate Link)
No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man’s and yet as mortal as his own
In the immediate aftermath of The War of the Worlds, Britain, having defeated the invading Martians, is a weakened shell of its former self. As it begins the process of rebuilding, a new, more Earlthly, foe seizes its opportunity.
Scarlet Traces continues in this fourth volume of Ian Edginton and D’Israeli’s critically acclaimed sequel to H.G. Wells’ iconic novel The War of the Worlds.
Ian Edginton is a New York Times bestselling author and multiple Eisner Award nominee. He has written Batman’66 meets The Avengers (Steed and Mrs Peel, not the other ones!) for DC Comics as well as Judge Dredd, Stickleback, Helium, Kingmaker and Brass Sun for 2000AD. He lives and works in Birmingham, England.
Under the pen name D’Israeli, Matt Brooker has been a comic artist since 1988. He is perhaps best known for his collaborations with writer Ian Edginton, including Leviathan, Kingdom of the Wicked, The War of the Worlds, Scarlet Traces, Leviathan and Batman. Other career highlights include work on Sandman, collaborations with Warren Ellis, including Lazarus Churchyard and the cryptic SVK, and his colouring on the later Miracleman stories, to which he’ll be returning in 2015. Since 2003, he’s been a regular contributor to 2000AD, mostly as series artist on Stickleback with Ian Edginton and Low Life with Rob Williams. His and Rob’s creator owned series, Ordinary, was published in the Megazine and is now available as a graphic novel. He lives in Nottingham, UK and wishes he had a cat.
REBELLION RELEASES – CURRENT CHECKLISTS
• Check out our guide to 2000AD and Treasury of British Comics releases for 2026
• Check out our guide to 2000AD and Treasury of British Comics releases for 2027
• Roy of the Rovers – Rebellion Books Check List
PREVIOUS YEARS CHECKLISTS
• Check out our guide to 2000AD and Treasury of British Comics releases for 2025
• Check out our guide to 2000AD and Treasury of British Comics releases for 2024
• Check out our guide to 2000AD and Treasury of British Comics releases for 2023
• Check out our guide to 2000AD and Treasury of British Comics releases for 2022
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
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.
Categories: 2000AD, British Comics, British Comics - Current British Publishers, Comic Previews, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
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