The late 2000AD artist Kevin O’Neill’s final book(s), Silent Pictures, are available to preorder now on both publisher Knockabout and London comic shop Gosh!’s websites, and in-store from 2.00pm on Wednesday 14th January 2026.
Described in Alan Moore’s introduction to the book as “one of the finest and most original talents ever to emerge from the comic industry” Kevin died in 2022, after a long illness, his death still felt by friends and fans.
His five-decade career in comics is one of the most singular and distinctive in the history of the medium. In titles such as Mek Memoirs (with Chris Lowder), Nemesis the Warlock and Marshall Law (with Pat Mills) or The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Cinema Purgatorio (with Alan Moore), O’Neill carved his art into the minds and imaginations of countless fans.
Silent Pictures by Kevin O’Neill is the capstone to an extraordinary career in comics – two ferocious new books that flicker through the very dreams of art and imagination. Without words, O’Neill conjures an astonishing pair of feverish stories, brimming with detail on every page, packed with some of the most exciting, twisted artwork ever put to paper. Gorgeously painted in luminous colour, no fan of his work can afford to miss out.
In Feartreland we tag along as the son of Dick Whittington flits through a series of pantomime tableaus, splash pages and tortuous punning images. Crocodiles gambol with giant apes, and genies promise adventures on the high seas. An explosive entertainment, bright and bold as the stage that it draws its inspiration from.
Meanwhile, The Balaclava Kid invites us into the dreams of the artist’s youth, as his imagination gives him escape from the bullies of a bombed-out London into a dreamscape built of Wild West iconography and Tex Avery action. Demonic cowboys and infernal machines populate shimmering mesas and haunted mines. An adventure like no other!
Presented as a slipcased set of two luxurious hardback volumes, each with a new introduction by frequent collaborator and friend Alan Moore, a total of 800 copies of this stunning duo of books are available from both Knockabout’s retail website, and Gosh! Comics of London, online and in store, kicking off a year of celebrations for the shop’s 40th anniversary.
Celebrating its 40th year in 2026, Gosh! is London’s top destination for those who love comics. With an amazing range from around the world, from the smallest presses to the biggest hits, Gosh! is dedicated to championing the form in every way. You can find them online at goshlondon.com
Founded in 1975 to distribute underground comix in the UK, Knockabout Comics is one of the preeminent publishers of comics in the country, working with creators such as Alan Moore, Hunt Emerson, Gilbert Shelton, Brian Bolland, and many others. You can find them online at knockaboutcomics.com
• On downthetubes: In Memoriam: Comic Artist Kevin O’Neill 1953 – 2022
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as 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: British Comics, British Comics - Current British Publishers, Comic Previews, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
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Once again very grateful to downthetubes for drawing my attention to something I would probably have otherwise missed! Have put in my preorder with Gosh for this lovely looking bit of gear. By the by, I recently ordered a couple of blu-rays for the first time from Arrow Video and had to navigate a lot of ‘free gifts’ that were hidden subscriptions and popups offering an expensive free shipping app and a free bet. It was horrendous but it made me appreciate how straightforward and user friendly the Gosh online shop I’ve just used was.
Came here to say the same thing. I’d probably have missed this if I didn’t visit this site. Ordered from Gosh also.
Thank you for your service!