Before we explore this week’s edition of the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic, on sale this Wednesday, downthetubes would like to congratulate current Tharg, Matt Smith, on 20 years as editor of 2000AD.
During his time on the title, first as assistant to Andy Diggle, and as editor from Prog 1274, released in 2002, he’s brought us some fantastic stories – thrills, spills, humorous, fantastical and thought-provoking. Our thanks to him for his hard work marshalling the droids, on 2000AD, Judge Dredd Megazine, and many other projects.
In the latest Prog, 2264, with a cover by Patrick Goddard, coloured by Dylan Teague, those adventures continue a-plenty, opening with sky-courier Mona Plankhurst trying to avoid the full arsenal of Justice Department in part two of the current Judge Dredd story, “Working Girl”.
Plus, Proteus Vex is a wanted being in “Desire Paths”; we learn something of Cassi’s past in “The Order”; Ichnar establishes his powerbase in “Kingmaker”; and the final instalment of “The Out Book Two” proves the expected belter of a finale we were hoping for, with an unexpected twist of an ending!
The good news about that terrific series is that creators Dan Abnett and Mark Harrison will be back with Book Three by the end of the year, which is welcome news in wintry January. I’m looking forward to that.
Meanwhile, look out for the collected edition of Volume Two, on sale in October.
Also on the way from Rebellion this month are two smashing collections – Essential Judge Dredd: Dredd vs Death and the first collection of Karl the Viking – Volume One: The Sword Of Eingar, featuring great art by Don Lawrence, written by Ted Cowan and Ken Bulmer.
This is a fantastic old school series first published in Lion, the quality of the work self-evident from these sample pages from the collection, art complemented by great scripts from Bulmer and Cowan.
In Prog 2264…
JUDGE DREDD – WORKING GIRL
Script: Ken Niemand Art: Patrick Goddard Colours: Dylan Teague Letters: Annie Parkhouse
Mega-City One, 2144 AD. Home to over 180 million citizens, this urban hell is situated along the east coast of post-apocalyptic North America. Crime is rampant and only the Judges – zero-tolerance cops empowered to dispense instant justice – can stop total anarchy. Toughest of them all is JUDGE DREDD – he is the Law! Now, courier Mona Plankhurst had become involved in a highly dangerous delivery scheme…
PROTEUS VEX – DESIRE PATHS
Script: Mike Carroll Art: Jake Lynch Colours: Jim Boswell Letters: Simon Bowland
Another galaxy, the far future. The centuries-long war between the Alliance and the Obdurate people is over, a conflict brought to an end with the deaths of billions when the Alliance teleported a dying white dwarf star into the Obdurate system. Imperium agent PROTEUS VEX – who is operated by a flesh-pilot – has now become an enemy of the Alliance when he released information about past war crimes…
THE ORDER – FANTASTIC VOYAGE
Script: Kek-W Art: John Burns Letters: Simon Bowland
Throughout history, mankind has been under threat of extermination by the Wurms, creatures that break into our reality. Defending humanity are the men and women of THE ORDER, a band of warriors that have fought the entities across the centuries. But time has become fractured, and now the despotic Francis Bacon is determined to rule a vast empire. Anna Kohl and the others, fleeing Bacon, have tumbled over Times Edge…
KINGMAKER – FALLS THE SHADOW
Script: Ian Edginton Art: Leigh Gallagher Letters: Jim Campbell
The Nine Kingdoms may have defeated Ichnar the Wraith King to live in relative peace, but they hadn’t reckoned on the Thorn – a race of aliens that occupied their world with the intention of strip-mining its magic. Wizard Ablard, ork Crixus and dryad Princess Yarrow believed they may have the means to stop them – but Ichnar manifested in Ablard, and Crixus and Yarrow were forced to kill him. Ichnar’s spirit escaped…
THE OUT – BOOK TWO
Script: Dan Abnett Art: Mark Harrison Letters: Annie Parkhouse
The furthest edge of the universe, far into the future. Cyd Finlea is photo-journalist working for the publishers Global Neographic, travelling deep into outer space – otherwise known as THE OUT – and cataloguing the alien societies that she encounters.
She left Earth ten years ago and has been seeking other ex-pat humans – but now she’s discovered that she’s been contaminated by the Tankinar, turning her into a cyborg…
Coming Soon from Rebellion…
Essential Judge Dredd: Dredd vs Death
By John Wagner, Alan Grant (Writers) Brian Bolland, Brett Ewins, Cliff Robinson, Robin Smith, Alex Ronald, Andy Clarke, Bryan Talbot (Artists) Gary Caldwell, Charlie Kirchoff (Colourists) Tom Frame (Letterer)
Out: 18th January 2022, 160 pages, paperback
ISBN: 9781786184818
The essential Judge Dredd graphic novel series – the ultimate introduction to the Lawman of the Future!
The crime is life! The Judgement is death! When Judge Death enters Mega-City One from a parallel dimension, his plan is simple: to find every single living cit and sentence them – to death!
The fourth volume in the oversized Essential Dredd series includes the first two Judge Death stories, from John Wagner (A History of Violence) and Brian Bolland (The Killing Joke), presented in stunning black and white, and featuring restored pages. It also includes the first solo Judge Anderson adventure, presented in luscious new colours, also starring Judge Death.
The Essential Dredd Collection is a perfect jumping on point for new readers and this volume introduces Judge Death, the Dark Judges and wisecracking Psi Judge Cassandra Anderson.
Karl the Viking Volume One: The Sword Of Eingar
By Ted Cowan and Ken Bulmer (Writers) Don Lawrence (Artist)
Out: 19th January 2022, Paperback, 240 pages | £19.99
ISBN: 9781786184627
Originally serialised in Lion, “Karl the Viking” is a sweeping historical fantasy story of an orphaned Saxon boy, adopted and raised by the viking Eingar after his raid on Britain.
Upon coming of age Karl succeeds Eingar and leads his tribe into battle in Britain against wild tribes of Picts, and re-connects with his old Saxon family, gaining an ally in his cousin Godwulf, and making an enemy of the Earl of Eastumbria.
These fast-paced stories were drawn by Don Lawrence shortly before he revolutionised painted comic art with “The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire”, when he was already a master of pen and ink, and his “Karl the Viking” series was the pinnacle of black and white comic art.
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, British Comics - Current British Publishers, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
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