“Dandridge” Goes Digital First in new 2000AD collection

By John Freeman on October 30, 2015

2000AD has announced its latest digital-first release – the paranormal action comedy, Dandridge, collecting the adventures of Spartacus Dandridge, the comic’s best-dressed ghostfinder and the world’s first ‘spookpunk’ action hero, for the first time.

It is the next digital-first collection following the publication of the two volumes of Red Seas by Ian Edginton and Steve Yeowell earlier this year. The strip – a story full of panache and supernatural mystery – is written by Alec Worley (Age of the Wolf, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and with art from Warren Pleece (Hellblazer, Incognegro) and Jon Davis-Hunt (Judge Dredd, Transformers).

After the Victorian Spiritualist movement’s ability to capture otherworldly beings, such as ghosts, faeries and angels, ectoplasm becomes a cheap fuel alternative, bolstering the British Empire.

Dandridge was a ghostfinder at the turn of the century, hunting down rogue spooks, until he was shot dead and imprisoned. Now a spook himself, it’s 1981 and he’s finally freed from captivity.

With an Angel-tailored outfit and his loyal assistant Shelley, Dandridge must contend with all manner of spectral adversaries and dastardly goings-on!

Ben Smith, Rebellion Publishing’s head of books and comic books, said: “The ongoing success of our 2000AD app-and-web-comics brought Rebellion to the watershed moment this year when we could expand our output by launching new story collections digitally alongside our ever-expanding print list. With a vast catalogue of comics from our 38 year history we now have the chance for our dedicated digital team to bring out extra Thrill-power.”

• Dandridge is now available digitally from the 2000AD webshop, as well as from the 2000AD apps for Apple and Android devices – and when users of the shop or apps create a Rebellion ID account they can access their purchases through any other device, DRM-free

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.