Out This Week: the 2000AD Sci-Fi Special 2018

By John Freeman on June 19, 2018

This Wednesday (20th June) sees the release of the latest 2000AD Sci-Fi Special, crammed with new strips featuring Judge Anderson, Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper and more.

This edition is entirely created by women – from writers to artists, colourists to letterers, a unique publication in more than four decades of the legendary SF action comic.

Combining a range of new and experienced talent, published together for the first time the Spcial features fresh voices on some of 2000AD‘s most iconic characters.

Alongside creators well-known in comics such as Babs Tarr, Alex De Campi, Leah Moore, and award-winning graphic novelist Tillie Waldon, there are new talents such as Katy Rex, Liana Kangas, Abigail Bulmer and Laura Bailey.

Of the strips featured (and it’s a great mix!), my favourites are, probably, “The Hockey Sticks of Hell”, a snappy Terror Tale from writer Olivia Hicks with cracking art by Abigail Bulmer, and the Alex De Campi penned “Rogue Trooper”, with a creepy “Future Shock” from Tillie Walden set to shiver, too.

The thing with anthologies like this is that I might just read it again later today and pick a different Top Three. Call me moody!

In this Special…

JUDGE DREDD: THE FEELS
by Emma Beeby (w) Babs Tarr (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)

TYRANNY REX: “DON’T FORGET TO BLAST MY CACHE”
by Katy Rex (w) Liana Kangas (a) Liana Kangas & Gab Contreras (c) Ellie De Ville (l)

ROGUE TROOPER: THE THOUSAND DAYS
by Alex De Campi (w) Sam Beck (a) Eva De La Cruz (c) Annie Parkhouse (l)

FUTURE SHOCKS: DELIVERY
by Tillie Walden (w+a+l)

JUDGE DEATH: DARKNESS DESCENDS
by Leah Moore (w) Xulia Vicentes (a) Pippa Mather (c) Annie Parkhouse (l)

DEMARCO, P.I.: LOVE REMAINS
by Laura Bailey (w) Dani (a) Ellie De Ville (l)

TERROR TALE: THE HOCKEY STICKS OF HELL
by Olivia Hicks (w) Abigail Bulmer (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)

ANDERSON, PSI-DIVISION: SPA DAY
by Maura McHugh (w) Emma Vieceli (a) Barbara Nosenzo (c) Ellie De Ville (l)

Plus! A Judge Anderson poster by Marguerite Sauvage

• The 2000AD Sci-Fi Special is on sale in all good UK newsgents and comic shops this Wednesday (20th June 2018) (and digitally) and 11th July in North America

• There’s a variant cover edition also available only from the 2000AD web shop – details here

About the Author
Latest Posts

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.