Dark Judges make their mark on 2000AD web site

By John Freeman on April 30, 2012

Fear. Fire. Mortis. The Dark Judges have returned to 2000AD.

The countdown, which has been running at www.2000adonline.com, came to an end earlier today and the site has closed (although you can still get to the site’s online shop – there’s no stooping commerce!), replaced with a single image bearing the legend ‘THEY ARE HERE’.

Readers have been tantalised over the past month by a series of teaser images published through the US web site Comic Book Resources, which began as oblique symbols before slowly revealing the impending return of the terrible threesome. They must now wait to see what will be unveiled…

As part of the on-going Day of Chaos mega-epic, Judge Dredd co-creator John Wagner has unleashed Judge Fear, Judge Fire, and Judge Mortis onto a Mega-City One already reeling from the Chaos Bug epidemic, mass civil revolt, and terrorist attacks. In a storyline described by SFX as “both gripping and very compelling. It’s like watching news of a reallife crisis unfolding on TV”, the multi-faceted plotline offers current, lapsed, and new readers a rollercoaster of thrills.

Warped parodies of the Judges of Mega-City One, the Dark Judges are undead superfiends from a dimension where all life has been declared a crime. Originally led by Judge Death, who has since been sucked into Purgatory by the souls of his victims, the Dark Judges were created by John Wagner and Brian Bolland.

With a stunning cover by Henry Flint, publishersRebellion tell us this has been the most keenly anticipated 2000AD event in years.

– 2000AD Prog 1781 goes on sale on Wednesday, priced at £2.35 in the UK.

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.