Christmas is almost upon us – no, really, it is, I’ve already started or receiving or seeing eCards! and of course, the festive season wouldn’t be what it is with out the 2000AD Special, featuring a terrific cover by John Higgins!
Well, all right, there are a number of things I’d put above Prog 2111 – on sale now in all good newsagents – in terms of what Christmas and New Year is really all about, but this bumper edition of the award-winning SF anthology is one heck of a treat.
For a start, we get complete Christmassy tales featuring Judge Dredd (with amazing art by the brilliant Boo Cook!) and Durham Red, and the start of a new series of “Skip Tracer“and “Fiends of the Western Front“, alongside the continuing “Brink“.
What’s not to love about the appearance of 1970s villain Thunder and Lion and Thunder‘s Black Max in “Fiends”, more recently seen in the Scream & Misty specials? Nothing! It’s a must read from Ian Edginton and Tiernen Trevallion.
Plus, we get the long-awaited final episode of “Caballistics, Inc.” – just eleven years on the making! – and new “Sláine” – a fun story from Pat Mills and Chris Weston) and the chilling “The Fall of Deadworld“.
Finally, there are two terrific interviews to round off this bumper-sized, one hundred page Prog, with former editors Kelvin Gosnell (who seems still amazed the comic has lasted) and Richard Burton, who have both played pivotal roles in the development of 2000AD over its forty-year history.
The next regular issue of 2000AD is on sale 2nd January 2019, but Judge Dredd Megazine Issue 403 is on sale next week, which along with this festive 2000AD special will surely help tide you over in thrillpower until the New Year.
Judge Dredd – Jingle All The Way (Complete)
Writer: TC Eglington Artist: Boo Cook Letterer: Annie Parkhouse
Mega-City One, 2140 AD. Home to over 100 million citizens, this urban hell is situated along the east coast of post-apocalyptic North America, with the irradiated wasteland known as the Cursed Earth to the west. Unemployment is rife, boredom universal and crime is rampant. Tensions rest on a knife-edge and only the zero-tolerance Judges can stop total anarchy. Toughest of them all is JUDGE DREDD — he is the Law!
Caballistics, Inc. – Visiting Hour (Part 1)
Writer: Gordon Rennie Artist: Dom Reardon Letterer: Simon Bowland
During the Second World War, a department was formed within the Ministry of Defence to combat Nazi occult warfare. When its funding was scrapped it was bought up by reclusive millionaire rock star Ethan Kostabi and turned into a new paranormal investigation outfit CABALLISTICS, INC. However, Kostabi had his own agenda, and his employees had to battle to bring him down. Now, they’re counting the cost…
The Fall of Deadworld – Running Scared (Part 1)
Writer: Kek-W Artist: David Kendall Letterer: Ellie de Ville
The planet that eventually became known as DEADWORLD was once a regular civilisation existing in a dimension parallel to our own. But the end of days is coming, and creatures known as the Dark Judges are spreading their contagion, exterminating all life. A band of resistance fighters has attacked Sector House 13, but two of them, Spike and Patti, have become separated, and are at the mercy of Judge Fear…
Skip Tracer – Louder Than Bombs (Part 1)
Writer: James Peaty Artist: Paul Marshall Colourist: Dylan Teague Letterer: Ellie de Ville
The Cube, the 27th century. This vast city floating in the depths of space was once a monitoring station, but has been refitted by the Earth-led Consociation as a solution to a universal housing problem. It’s now home to every kind of undesirable and wanted criminal. That’s where SKIP TRACER Nolan Blake comes in, a former soldier turned tracker, who was left with psychic abilities after a clash on an alien planet…
Sláine – The Bogatyr (Complete)
Writer: Pat Mills Artist: Chris Weston Letterer: Ellie de Ville
Albion. Celtic warrior SLÁINE united the tribes of the Earth Goddess Danu and became the first High King of Ireland, but is now a wanderer, seeking adventure where the Goddess directs him. Having battled the Drune Lords on the Isle of Monadh, he’s now travelled to the city of New Troy, with the intention of taking the fight for Albion’s freedom to the tyrannical Emperor Brutus…
Brink – High Society (Part 12)
Writer: Dan Abnett Artist: INJ Culbard Letterer: Simon Bowland
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. Bridget Kurtis, investigator with the Habitat Security Division, was involved in a sect-crime case that saw her partner murdered. Now, she’s gone undercover on Yuliya Habitat…
Fiends Of The Eastern Front » Black Max (Part 1)
Writer: Ian Edginton Artist: Tiernen Trevallion Letterer: Annie Parkhouse
In 1980, the diary of German soldier Hans Schmitt was discovered in Berlin, detailing events that occurred in 1941, when he and his comrades encountered the terrifying Captain Constanta and his Romanian platoon, who feasted on the blood of their Russian enemies. But Schmitt was not the first trooper to encounter Constanta on the battlefield — the vampire was on the Western Front too, in France in 1916…
Durham Red – Three Gifts (Complete)
Writer: Alec Worley Artist: Ben Willsher Letterer: Annie Parkhouse
Late 22nd century. After the Atomic Wars, many survivors were warped by Strontium 90 fallout. These ‘mutants’ became a victimised underclass, forced into ghettos, with bounty hunting the only job open to them. One such former Search/Destroy agent is vampire DURHAM RED, who requires blood to survive. Feared by both the criminals she hunts and her fellow Stronts, Red has a formidable reputation that precedes her…
• 2000AD is sold in all good newsagents, some run by the Grinch, from the 2000AD official site (subscriptions available) and in digital format – visit 2000ad.com
• Find 2000AD graphic novels on AmazonUK
- About the Author
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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, British Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Reviews