It’s another double serving of Thrill-Power this week, with both 2000AD Prog 2496 and Judge Dredd Megazine 495 heading your way, today, in newsagents, comic shops, and digital delivery. Don’t miss out!

“The Oubliette” has dominated Mega-City One for the last few months, and this week there are two stories connected to the Mega-Epic inside the Prog, as both Judge Dredd and The Finders are drawn closer and closer to the explosive climax of this terrifying threat to Mega City One…

Make sure you read 2000AD 2496, also featuring “Brink”, “Nightmare New York” and “Fall of Deadworld”, before you read the Meg! You’ll see why when you read the Megazine, which contains the devastating climax to “The Black Tower”, as Judge Rico and Judge Giant desperately try to destroy the supernatural influence which has held their city in its grasp.

Somebody won’t be walking away from this one…

The Megazine also includes more “Lawless”, “Rogue Trooper” and the represented “The Angry Planet”, Karl Stock chats with colourist Emily Roach, Stephen Jewell interviews writer James Lovegrove, and Si Spurrier and Mike Dowling give the lowdown on their new comic, Minotaur, published by Los Angeles-based Ignition Press.

Just like 2000AD, another packed issue with plenty to chew on!

While the Summer sizzling saga across both 2000AD and the Megazine offers thrills aplenty, do check out Mega-City 2099: Remembrance Day from Ken Niemand, which features absolutely top draw art from indie favourite Conor Boyle. It’s a great little story, delivered in an art style that should delight longtime Squaxx dek Thargo!

2000AD Prog 2496
UK RELEASE DATE: 19th August £3.99
LUNAR RELEASE DATE: 2nd September $7.99
COVER: Jake Lynch

In this issue:

JUDGE DREDD // THE OUBLIETTE
By Ken Niemand (Writer) Dan Cornwell (Artist) Chris Blythe (Colourist) Annie Parkhouse (Letterer)

Mega-City One, 2148 AD. Home to over 300 million citizens, this urban hell is situated along the east coast of post-apocalyptic North America. 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! Now, he’s been imprisoned in a mysterious dungeon, but has managed to fight his way through the levels to attempt escape…

BRINK // THE CALL OF THE VOID
By Dan Abnett (Writer) INJ Culbard (Artist) Simon Bowland (Letterer)

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. But life on these cramped, overcrowded stations is tense, often spilling over into madness. Sects are rife, and Bridget Kurtis of the Habitat Security Division is investigating their reach…

THE FALL OF DEADWORLD // JUSTICE
By Kek-W (Writer) Dave Kendall (Artist) Simon Bowland (Letterer)

The planet that became known as DEADWORLD was once a regular civilisation existing in a parallel dimension. But the end of days is coming, and creatures called the Dark Judges are spreading their contagion, exterminating all life. While Sov forces have take advantage of the chaos and invaded, Jess Childs and her fellow rebels have reunited with Judge Fairfax as they try to save a world falling into chaos…

NIGHTMARE NEW YORK // BOOK TWO
By Kek-W (Writer) David Roach (Artist) Peter Doherty (Colourist) Annie Parkhouse (Letterer)

Lower Manhattan, 1845. The early days of the North American metropolis are marked by a mix of poverty and organised crime. Young Lil, living rough on these dank streets, had just turned eighteen when she discovered she was part of a select group of individuals that were imbued with special powers. Now she’s been captured by a doctor, who intends to use her abilities to unleash chaos…

JUDGE DREDD // THE OUBLIETTE
By Ken Niemand (Writer) Jake Lynch (Artist) Emily Roach (Colourist) Annie Parkhouse (Letterer)

A black tower has materialised in Mega City One, causing chaos, and P.I.s Joe Fargo and Lana Locke are looking for Dredd…

• Available in print from: 2000AD webshop, newsagents, Local Comic Shops and supermarkets | Available in digital from: 2000AD webshop, 2000AD app for Apple & Android | Buy a Cover Print 

Don’t forget that if you buy an issue of 2000AD in the first week of its release from 2000AD direct, then postage in the UK is free!

Judge Dredd Megazine 495
RELEASE DATE: 19th August £7.50
US RELEASE DATE: 16th September $14.99
COVER: Nick Percival

In this issue:

JUDGE RICO // THE BLACK TOWER
By Ken Niemand (Writer) Nick Percival (Artist) Simon Bowland (Letterer)

Mega-City One, 2148 AD. This vast urban hell on the east coast of post-apocalyptic North America is home to over 300 million citizens, where tensions run a constant knife-edge. Crime is rampant, and stemming the tide of chaos are the Judges. Toughest of them all is Judge Rico – he is the Law! Now, a mysterious black tower has manifested in the metropolis, causing chaos..

STORM WARNING // SLAUGHTER HOUSE
By John Reppion (Writer) Lee Carter (Artist) Rob Steen (Letterer)

Brit-Cit, 2147 AD. Much like its Mega-City counterpart, Brit-Cit Justice Department has its various divisions, from Tek to plainclothes, Tactical to Psi, and one of its more prickly operatives in the latter is Lillian Storm, who has the ability to talk to the dead, and is always accompanied by her ghostly helpers. Now, Storm’s been called to a stately home called Slaughter House…

MEGA-CITY 2099 // REMEMBRANCE DAY
By Ken Niemand (Writer) Conor Boyle (Artist) Rob Steen (Letterer)

Mega-City One, 2099 AD. Before the Judges took complete control of the metropolis, there were two strands of law enforcement – regular uniformed cops did much of the day-today policing, while the helmeted Judges were called upon to pass judgement on certain criminals, their vested powers giving them the ability to dispense on-the-spot sentences…

ROGUE TROOPER // AN ITERATION OF ALLIES
By Andi Ewington (Writer) Sinu Senan (Artist) Jim Boswell (Colourist) Simon Bowland (Letterer)

Nu Earth, a planet ravaged by war, its atmosphere poisoned by chemical weapons. It is the site of the conflict between the Southers and the Norts, and where Genetic Infantryman Rogue Trooper, along with his biochipped buddies Helm, Gunnar and Bagman, is on a quest to find the Traitor General that sold out his comrades. Now, he’s found Norts and Southers hiding in an abandoned fortress…

LAWLESS // STRAY
By Dan Abnett (Writer) Phil Winslade (Artist) Simon Bowland (Letterer)

Colonial Marshal Metta Lawson was appointed to the frontier township of Badrock on the planet 43 Rega, intent on stamping her authority on the colony. But in doing so, Lawson made many enemies, including Munce, Inc., the mega-corporation that funded Badrock. Now, with the SJS also running things, Lawson’s recently returned to the force after going undercover…

THE ANGRY PLANET
By Alan Hebden (Writer) Massimo Belardinelli (Artist)

This archive tale, first published in the short-lived weekly comic, Tornado, collected by Hibernia Comics in 2021, centres on a war between 21st century colonists on Mars and a huge corporation attempting to wipe them out in order to stripmine the planet.

FEATURES

Karl Stock chats with colourist Emily Roach, Stephen Jewell interviews writer James Lovegrove, and Si Spurrier and Mike Dowling give the lowdown on their new comic, Minotaur, published by Los Angeles-based Ignition Press. Issue One hit Local Comic Shops last week.

• Available in print from: 2000AD webshop, newsagents, Local Comic Shops and supermarkets | Available in digital from: 2000AD webshop, 2000AD app for Apple & Android | Buy a Cover Print 

Coming Soon…

The Complete Scarlet Traces, Volume Four
By D’Israeli and Ian Edginton
Out: Scheduled for 26th August 2026
Paperback | 112 Pages
ISBN: 978-1837867868
• Pre-order from AmazonUK (Affiliate Link)

No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man’s and yet as mortal as his own

In the immediate aftermath of The War of the Worlds, Britain, having defeated the invading Martians, is a weakened shell of its former self. As it begins the process of rebuilding, a new, more Earlthly, foe seizes its opportunity.

Scarlet Traces continues in this fourth volume of Ian Edginton and D’Israeli’s critically acclaimed sequel to H.G. Wells’ iconic novel The War of the Worlds.

• About the Author
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John Freeman

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.

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Categories: 2000AD, British Comics, British Comics - Current British Publishers, Comic Previews, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News

Tags: 2000AD, Brink, Conor Boyle, downthetubes News, Jake Lynch, Judge Dredd, Judge Dredd Megazine, Judge Rico, Ken Niemand, Nick Percival, Rogue Trooper, SF Comics, The Angry Planet, The Fall of Deadworld