The latest issue of 2000AD (Prog 2045) is on sale today in all good newsagents, comic shops and online stores, (as is the first volume of 2000AD: The Ultimate Collection, reviewed here, don’t miss their Facebook Live giveaway which starts at 10.00am and includes art prints by Tom Foster and Chris Weston!)
This week’s cover is by Cliff Robinson, coloured by Dylan Teague.
Artist Dan Cornwell makes his debut in 2000AD this week on “Judge Dredd – Ward Buds“. If you’re a British indie press fan you’ll know his work from the brilliant Rok of the Reds and his strips for anthologies such as 100% Biodegradable. The first episode sets the scene nicely, with Dredd visiting former ally Costa in a sanatorium, a man driven mad by the destruction he helped wreak on the Sovs in The Apocalypse War, a story told way back in Progs 245 – 270.
Condemned to euthanasia by his doctors, signed off by Dredd, it seems he’ll finally have release… Wagner throws up some challenging comment, as ever, on the right to die debate while Dan delivers the goods on this opening episode, which is, truth be told, a quite slow opener but without giving anything away I can tell you it’s going to get action-packed pretty quickly!
Along with “The Alienist” (written by Gordon Rennie and Emma Beeby, with gorgeous art from Eoin Coveney, a tale that’s surely fodder for TV pick up?), my other favourite strip this issue is the opener for “Tharg’s 3rillers Present -Mechastopheles“. The teaser image below (art by Karl Richardson) simply does no justice to the finale of the episode, but I’m not going to spoil it. It’s a smashing story, packed with great visuals. Well worth a look!
This week’s episodes:
Judge Dredd – War Buds Part One
Writer: John Wagner Art: Dan Cornwell Colour: Abigail Bulmer Letters: Annie Parkhouse
Mega-City One, 2139 AD. Home to over 72 million citizens, this urban hell is situated along the east coast of post-apocalyptic North America. Unemployment is rife, poverty widespread, and crime is rampant. Tensions rest on a constant knife-edge, and only the zero-tolerance Judges — empowered to dispense instant justice — can stop total anarchy. Toughest of them all is JUDGE DREDD — he is the Law!
The Alienist – Inhuman Natures (Part 4)
Writer: Gordon Rennie & Emma Beeby Art: Eoin Coveney Letters: Ellie de Ville
England, 1908. Madelyn Vespertine, an Edwardian woman of unknown age and origin, investigates strange events of an apparently occult nature, accompanied by Professor Sebastian Wetherall. Little do those that meet the pair know that the Professor is actually an out-of-work actor called Reginald Briggs, a stooge covering for the fact that Madelyn is not human, and is trying to protect mankind from an imminent inter-dimensional threat…
Greysuit – Foul Play (Part 6)
Writer: Pat Mills Art: John Higgins Colour: Sally Hurst Letters: Ellie de Ville
Bolivaria, 2014. John Blake is a GREYSUIT, a Delta-Class assassin working for a branch of British Intelligence. Given superhuman powers through extreme mental conditioning, Greysuits are feared for their ruthlessness. But Blake’s programming has broken down, and his memories have returned. Now, he’s getting payback on his handlers. But having targeted arms dealer Hugo Prince, Blake’s been captured and facing execution…
Hope…For the Future (Part 8)
Writer: Guy Adams Art: Jimmy Broxton Letters: Simon Bowland
An alternate 1940s Hollywood. WWII is over, victory having been secured by occult means. Now, magic is a part of everyday life, its practitioners commonplace. Mallory HOPE is one such skilled operative, though calling on the dark arts takes its toll on the user. He’s also a private investigator, hired for all manner of down n’ dirty jobs, but the one desperate case he wants to close is the whereabouts of his wife and son…
Tharg’s 3rillers Present – Mechastopheles (Part 1)
Writer: Gordon Rennie & Lawrence Rennie Art: Karl Richardson Letters: Annie Parkhouse
Three episodes, one complete, self-contained story — a condensed hit of super-charged Thrill-power beamed to you directly from the Nerve Centre! It is a year after the Fall, when the demons rose and society collapsed. Now, the human survivors that are scratching out an existence amongst the ruins struggle to avoid the creatures that roam this blighted world as they search for a safe haven that they can call home…
• For more on 2000AD and to buy the comic online and other 2000AD-related publications and products visit http://2000ad.com
• Catch up on The Apocalypse War – buy the collection (using this amazon.co.uk link helps support downthetubes, thank you)
The Apocalypse War ran for 25 episodes (Progs 245 to 270 – but not Prog 268), written by John Wagner and Alan Grant with art by Carlos Ezquerra. Featuring a Sov-Blok invasion of Mega City One, roughly half the city and its population wiped out. Dredd headed the fight back and East Meg-One was destroyed.
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
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, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Reviews
In Review: 2000AD: The Ultimate Collection Issue One – Sláine: The Horned God 
In Review: Future Shock! 40 Years of 2000AD – Cartoon Museum Exhibition 
By Gum! What a Grand Comics Exhibition at Woking’s Lightbox