This week’s 2000AD (available from all good newsagents and UK comic shops now, and various digital platforms) sees the start of a new “Judge Dredd” story from Michael Carroll and Staz Johnson, pitting the lawman against media machinations and the Sons of Booth, who have all sorts of devilry in the works. We’ve yet to see who’s going to prove the worse opponent.
with a smashing cover from Alex Ronald, favourite stories this issue remain the slow-burning “Strontium Dog” from John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra, with Johnny still trying to protect Wulf’s “fish out of water” son from harm on an alien planet, and the fast-paced “Anderson, Psi Division” from Emma Beeby with art by David Roach. There’s twists ahead on that one, but I’m enjoying a tale trading on back story but not getting bogged down in it.
I’m not quite sure where “Sinister Dexter” is going this week, but clearly nowhere good for the boys.
My one major criticism would be having “Dredd” and “Jaegir” together in the issue. Both stories have great art but with a dark palette, which doesn’t sit well for me, but that’s just a personal quirk and no criticism of the stories.
The Prog’s letters page includes a lovely short tribute to the late Jim Baikie from fellow artist Cam Kennedy.
In this issue…
JUDGE DREDD: FLAWS
by Michael Carroll (Writer) Staz Johnson (Artist) Abigail Bulmer (Colourist) Annie Parkhouse (Letterer)
Mega-City One, 2140 AD. Home to 100 million citizens, this urban hell is situated along the east coast of post-apocalyptic North America. With the population housed in giant city-blocks, and unemployment at ninety per cent, tensions run a constant knife-edge. Crime is rampant, and only the Judges — empowered to dispense instant justice — can stop total anarchy. Toughest of them all is JUDGE DREDD — he is the Law!
JAEGIR: IN THE REALM OF PYRRHUS
by Gordon Rennie (Writer) Simon Coleby (Artist) Len O’Grady (Colourist) Ellie De Ville (Letterer)
The Greater Nordland Republic. While the Norts are currently engaged in a galaxy-wide war with the Souther forces, it falls to military officers such as Kapiten-Inspector Atalia JAEGIR of the Nordland State Security Police to investigate war criminals amongst her own ranks. She’s also suffering from the Strigoi curse, a fault in the Nort DNA that can bring out the beast within. Now, she’s on a mission with her team on Nu Earth…
SINISTER DEXTER: THE DEVIL DON’T CARE
by Dan Abnett (Writer) Steve Yeowell (Artist) John Charles (Colourist) Annie Parkhouse (Letterer)
Gun-sharks Finnigan SINISTER and Ramone DEXTER are the best hitmen money can buy in the city of Downlode. Having been offworld hunting for Holy Moses Tanenbaum, a ganglord from an alternate dimension, they’ve returned home, and are getting back to business.
But whacking Tanenbaum reset the continuum, and no one knows who they are. Now, they must stop rival gun-shark The Devil from whacking Billi Octavo…
ANDERSON, PSI DIVISION: UNDERTOW
by Emma Beeby (Writer) David Roach (Artist) Jose Villarrubia (Colourist) Simon Bowland (Letterer)
Mega-City One, 2140 AD. Psi-Division is a section of Justice Department that specialises in Judges with accentuated psychic talents — from precognition to exorcism, it deals with all manner of paranormal crimes. Cass ANDERSON is Justice Dept’s top telepath, and now she and Judge Flowers are investigating a supernatural threat that is affecting all of Psi-Div’s operatives, to the point where they are now being considered hostile…
STRONTIUM DOG: THE SON
by John Wagner (Writer) Carlos Ezquerra (Artist) Ellie De Ville (Letterer)
Late 22nd century. After the Atomic Wars, many survivors were warped by the Strontium 90 fallout. These ‘mutants’ became a victimised underclass, and the only job open to them was bounty hunting. One such Search/Destroy agent, or STRONTIUM DOG, is Johnny Alpha. Now, the Doghouse has reopened for business, and Alpha’s been partnered with Kenton Sternhammer, son of his old Viking pal Wulf, on a job on Protoz…
Also on sale this week is the 2000AD Ultimate Collection Issue 17: Zombo. The flight from Ganymede to Epsilon-6 Orbital should’ve been without incident – but a fault onboard means the craft crashes on the mysterious planet of Chronos, all 33 passengers somehow surviving the impact.
They’re about to discover, however, that Chronos is a Deathworld, and their only hope of survival lies with the cannibalistic zombie hybrid that was stored in the ship’s hold. His name is Zombo, and he wants to eat you…
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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