In terms of “event” comics out this week by British creators, the return of Jupiter’s Legacy by Mark Millar, published by Image, will be welcome news for many and comes in a variety of variant covers – including a smashing one from Frank Quitely.

Simon Davis continues to stagger us all with his art of “Slaine” for 2000AD this week, and there’s no let up in the action throughout, as “Grey Area” by Dan Abnett with art by Mark Harrison concludes with more stunning art (despite the totally impractical clothing on the part of one character…) and continued intrigue for Judge Dredd (oh – do check out Dan McDaid‘s art on the IDW ongoing Judge Dredd title, too! Issue 7 is out this week).

While I’d argue this is a bit of a “sleeper” of a Prog, “Slaine”, written by Pat Mills, is firing on all cylinders.

Titan Comics may be gearing up for its Doctor Who Comic Day and Four Doctor/Cybermen special crossover next week, but there are a couple of great-looking new Doctor Who titles out this week, with the Ninth Doctor title going great guns written by Cavan Scott, with art by Adriana Melo.

Scroll down for more spotlights on new comics featuring British creators and publishers…

UK Newsagents Releases

There are plenty of comics on sale in newsagents that still delight in bringing you such subversive delights, including2000AD, The Beano, Commando (latest release intel here), Judge Dredd Megazine, Panini’s superhero titles, Titan Comics superhero titles and VIZ, with great strips also featuring in titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Doctor Who Adventures, Titan’s Doctor Who: Tales from the TARDIS (collecting their strips from the US format titles)Mega, TOXIC and many others.

Plus, the wonderful Phoenix Comic is now on sale in many (but not all) Waitrose supermarkets and – at last, selected high street WH Smiths stores – and some comic shops (stockist list here) as well as available on subscription.

So let’s not get too downhearted by some British publishers lack of faith in full-blown cover to cover comic strip action and humour that only those of us over a certain age remember.

Hachette Partworks, whose partwork titles include Doctor Who: The Complete History and Judge Dredd: The Mega Collection, continue their How To Draw The Marvel Way, along with their re-release of their hugely successful part work, Marvel’s Marvel Ultimate Graphic Novel series.

Some of you in certain areas of the country may also be able to pick up a copy of the new Star Trek Graphic Novel Collection, which is currently being road tested by Eaglemoss.

Note that you may now have to subscribe if you want to continue buying Part Works some are not distributed in newsagents after their first few issues.

Digital Comic Picks

Aces Weekly Volume 22, Week Six, is available now, featuring a tale of betrayal and vengeance in Tales Of The Black Root from Koh Hong Teng and Don Bosco; Batton Lash returning with the stylish, First Gentleman Of The Apocalypse; there’s a wilder, Wild, Wild, West, inW.E.S.T.E.R.N. Inc, from John A. Short and Alex Paterson; and a dark drama, Deophonic, comes from Martin Hayes and the pen of the extraordinary, Brian Corcoran; plus Jok LP and Rodolfo Santullo continue the fantastic, Dungeons and Burglars; and a very special member of the special forces makes her debut in, Debbie Drake Of The SAS, from Tim Quinn and Paul Collicutt – the ongoing debut at last of a strip first created by Aces Weekly publisher David Lloyd many years ago!

All this – a seven-week extravaganza of great comic art and storytelling – is exclusive to all Aces Weekly subscribers for just £1 per week! Grab it now viawww.acesweekly.co.uk/shop.

Don’t miss out on all the Previous Volumes, either, which have up to 200 pages of comics including Extras, and in full form feature in an exclusive Week-to-Week facility, which transforms any volume’s serialised stories into continuous comic book-sized narratives.

British Comic Publishers

2000AD/ Rebellion

2000 AD Prog 1987

In This Issue: Judge Dredd: Reclamation by Michael Carroll, Colin MacNeil, Len O’Grady, and Annie Parkhouse; Brink by Dan Abnett, INJ Culbard, and Simon Bowland; Sláine: Psychopomp by Pat Mills, Simon Davis, and Ellie De Ville; Black Shuck: Sins of the Father by Leah Moore, John Reppion, Steve Yeowell, Chris Blythe, and Ellie De Ville; Grey Area: A Lo ng Way Home by Dan Abnett, Mark Harrison, and Annie Parkhouse.

Titan Comics

Dark Souls #1 – 3rd printing
Writer: George Mann
Artist: Alan Quah

Welcome to the world of Dark Souls; a landscape bathed in arcane fantasy, where primordial forces govern the tides of time, bonfires flicker in the darkness, and the undead stalk the earth in search of impossible redemption. From Titan Comics and Doctor Who scribe George Mann comes this original tale of adventure and visceral horror that throws readers deep into the twisted myth of Namco-Bandai’s award-winning video-game franchise.

Cover: Alan Quah

Dark Souls #2 – 2nd printing
Writer: George Mann
Artist: Alan Quah
FC – 32PP – $3.99 – On Sale: Jun 29

With her past becoming hazier by the day, Fira’s quest to bring an end to the Undead Curse leads her deep into the gnarled heart of the Weeping Forest, domain of the fearful Everlord, where rotting nightmare creatures skulk in the darkness.

Cover: Alan Quah

Deus Ex #5
Writer: Alex Irvine
Artist: John Aggs

As TF29 heads into the Glasshutte for a final confrontation with the pro-aug forces, two questions remain in Adam Jensen’s mind: what will this mean for the future of augmentation and will the real conspirators ever come to light?

Cover A – Yohann Schepacz
Cover B – Nivanh Chanthara
Cover C – Ronan Cliquet

Doctor Who: The Ninth Doctor Ongoing #3
Writer: Cavan Scott
Artist: Adriana Melo
Colorist: Mateus Lopes
Letterer: Comicraft

Yes, the Doctor, Rose and Captain Jack are once again entangled with the Slitheen – or, to be more precise, they’ve fallen into the middle of a Raxacoricofallapatorian civil war! You’ve never seen these skinsuit-wearing shapeshifters in their natural hunting grounds… or witnessed them this terrifying! Trust no one!

Cover A: Rod Reis
Cover B: Photo – Will Brooks
Cover C: Claudia Ianniciello
Cover D: Blair Shedd

Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor Year 2 #7
Writer: George Mann
Artist: Mariano Laclaustra
Colorist: Ivan Nunes
Letterer: Comicraft

The Twelfth Doctor continues his solo tour… or has he already welcomed a new comics companion aboard the TARDIS? We’re not telling! Either way, it spells astounding interstellar adventure – with no limits!

Cover A: Alex Ronald
Cover B: Photo – Will Brooks
Cover C: Simon Myers
Cover D: Zak Simmonds-Hurn

Penny Dreadful #2
Story: Krysty Wilson-Cairns, Andrew Hinderaker & Chris King
Script: Krytsy Wilson-Cairns
Artist: Louie De Martinis

The horrifying truth of Mina’s disappearance is revealed to Vanessa, Sir Malcolm and Sembene, and they realize they face a foe that exists outside anything they’ve encountered. As they frantically regroup, they learn they are not the only ones with a score to settle with the monster in their midst…

Cover A: Shane Pierce
Cover B: Louie De Martinis
Cover C: Photo

Rivers of London: Night Witch #4 Cover A

Rivers of London: Night Witch #4
Writers: Ben Aaronovitch & Andrew Cartmel
Artist: Lee Sullivan
Colors: Luis Guerrero

Desperate to find his missing daughter, Russian oligarch Nestor Yakunin has resorted to extreme methods – he has kidnapped innocent civilians to force Peter Grant and Thomas Nightingale – London’s elite wizarding policemen – to help in the search. But you play with magic, you’re going to get burnt…

Cover A: Lee Sullivan
Cover B: Josh Cassara

Vikings #1 – Second Printing
Vikings #1
Writer: Cavan Scott
Artist Staz Johnson
FC – 32PP – $3.99 – On Sale: Jun 29

From the chronicles of the History Channel’s truly epic series, Vikings, comes a new saga of glory and plunder! Ragnar, Lagertha and their legendary kin sail once more for England and run straight into a shield wall of politics, intrigue, betrayal and, of course, axe-wielding, blood-spraying, sword-swinging combat!

Cover: Photo

New US Comics

On sale in all good comic shops from 29th June; list courtesy First Age Comics Lancaster

All New All Different Avengers 11
Amazing Spider-Man And Silk: The Spiderfly Effect 4
Art Ops 9
Batman And Robin Eternal Trade Paperback Volume 2
Black Hood 11
Black Panther 3
Bloodshot Reborn 14
Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season Ten 28
Captain America Steve Rodgers 2
Captain Marvel 6 CW2
Daredevil/Punisher 2
Dark Knight III Master Race 5
Darth Vader 22
DC Universe Rebirth 1 (3RD PRINTING)
Deathstroke Annual 2

Dirk Gently: A Spoon Too Short #5
Writer: Arvind Ethan David Artist/Cover Artist: Ilias Kyriazis

East Of West 27
Empress 3
Extraordinary X-Men 11 AW
Ghostbusters International 6
Grayson Annual 3
Harley Quinn 29 (b/ord)
Haunted Mansion 4
Hyperion 4
Jem And The Holograms 16

Judge Dredd Ongoing #7
Writer: Ulises Farinas, Erick Freitas Artist: Dan McDaid Cover Artist: Ulises Farinas

Jupiter’s Legacy Volume 2 Issue 1
Writer: Mark Millar Artist/ Cover Artist: Frank Quitely

Justice League 50 (2nd PRINTING)
Lady Mechanika Lost Boys Of West Abbey 2
Leaving Megalopolis: Surviving Megalopolis 5
Legen Of Wonder Woman 7
Lobster Johnson: Metal Monsters Of Midtown 2
Mae 2
Mars Attacks Occupation 4
Marvel Previews 12
Marvels Mightiest Heroes Vol 66 SCOTT LANG ANT-MAN HC
Micronauts 3
My Little Pony Friends Forever 30
Plutona 5
Previews 334
Rick And Morty 15
Rocketeer At War 4
Sex 29
Silk 9
Spider-Gwen Annual 1
Spider-Man 5
Spider-Man/Deadpool 3 (4th PRINTING)
Spider-Man/Deadpool 6
Star-Lord 8
Street Fighetr Vs GI Joe 5
Teen Titans Annual 2
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Bebop And Rocksteady Destry Everything 5
Transformers Sins Of The Wreckers 5
Transformers Vs GI Joe 13
Unbeatable Squirrel Girl 9
Uncanny Inhumans 11 CW2
Uncle Scrooge 16
Venom Space Knight 9
X-Men The Worst X-Man Ever 5
X-O Manowar 47

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.

Categories: 2000AD, Doctor Who, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News

Tags: Adriana Melo, Adventure Comics, Cavan Scott, Dan Abnett, Dan McDaid, downthetubes News, Frank Quitely, IDW, Judge Dredd, Jupiter's Legacy, Mark Harrison, Mark Millar, Pat Mills, SF Comics, Simon Davis, Slaine, Something for the Weekend, Superhero Comics, Titan Comics