The latest 2000AD, featuring the final episode of current Judge Dredd thriller, “Poison” the true story behind Hershey’s murder revealed, two Treasury of British Comics collections and a new book, Comic Book Punks by Karl Stock, are available from Rebellion this week.
Plus the bumper 2000AD Christmas special edition, featuring a Strontium Dog story by Rufus Hound, is available to preorder now, and there’s much more to come from the publisher in early 2024… scroll down for the intel!
Don’t forget, either, that The Treasury of British Comics Annual 2024 is available now, a hardcover 112 page book that dives deep into the Rebellion archives, selecting slick and exciting stories from past annuals, specials and regular issues, including strips from such titles as Lion, Starlord, Misty, Action, Wham!, Scream! Smash!, Battle and Valiant, to name but a few.
The annual includes the best of British talent like Brian Bolland, Cam Kennedy, an uncredited Stan McMurtry (aka “Mac”, the strip unfortunately, wrongly credited to Leo Baxendale), Ken Reid, Mike Western, Brian Lewis, Joe Colquhoun and Pat Mills. Plus, there are also three brand new strips – “The Leopard from Lime Street Vs The Spider” by Simon Furman, David Roach and Mike Collins, “Black Beth” by Alec Worley and DaNi, and “Gustav of the Bearmacht” by Kek-W and Staz Johnson.
It’s available in print from Treasury of British comics webshop, book shops, and comic book stores via Diamond. Check out our full preview here
This Week’s Releases
2000AD Prog 2359
Cover by: D’Israeli
In this issue:
Judge Dredd: Poison by Rob Williams (w) PJ Holden (a) Peter Doherty (c) Simon Bowland (l)
Mega-City One, 2145 AD. Home to over 200 million citizens, this urban hell is situated along the east coast of post-apocalyptic North America. Crime is rampant, and only future cops the Judges — empowered to dispense instant justice — can stop total anarchy. Toughest of them all is JUDGE DREDD — he is the Law! Now, in the wake of former Chief Judge Hershey’s death, he’s tracked down who was responsible…
Helium: Scorched Earth by Ian Edginton (w) D’Israeli (a) Simon Bowland (l)
The far future. It has been three hundred years since the Great War ended, and eighty-five per cent of the Earth ’s surface now lies beneath a gaseous ocean known as the Poison Belt — a toxic cocktail of biological weapons. The survivors live above the lethal fugue, but a Professor Bloom has emerged, claiming he can make the planet habitable again. Constable Hodge is tasked with protecting him, but they’ve been followed…
The Devil’s Railroad by Peter Milligan (w) Rufus Dayglo (a) Jose Villarrubia (c) Jim Campbell (l)
The Earth year 3038, and Planet Diaspora X-167 is a world that has been ravaged by war, a conflict that sees no sign of ending despite years of death and destruction. One couple, Palamon and Constance, are attempting to escape the caranage, especially now that Constance is pregnant — if the baby is born on Earth, it’ll have full Earth rights. Seeking a new life, these refugees must take a risky journey…
The Fall of Deadworld: Retribution by Kek-W (w) Dave Kendall (a) Simon Bowland (l)
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 co have been trying to save Judge Fairfax — but in the process Jess has been sucked through a portal…
Feral & Foe: Bad Godesberg by Dan Abnett (w) Richard Elson (a) Jim Campbell (l)
It’s been over five years since the Last-of-All-War, when the Monarchy succeeded in defeating the Malign Lord. With their leader dead, his minions are scattered, fleeing retribution from the Wretchfinders. Necromancer Bode and warrior Wrath are two such beings, and were offered a deal — hunt and kill their own kind or be declared FERAL & FOE . Now, they’ve travelled to Godesberg, a stronghold that’s in trouble…
Comic Book Punks: How a Generation of Brits Reinvented Pop Culture
by Karl Stock
500 Pages | ISBN: 978-1786186942
The influence of the comic book has never been greater, from movies to streaming and beyond, but the journey comics took from disposable kids’ magazines to literary prize-winning books and global franchises turned on a highly unusual group of writers and artists. Few would have expected a small gathering of British comic book fans and creators in the early ’70s to spark a cultural revolution, but this was the start of a disparate movement of punks, dropouts and disaffected youths who reinvented a medium and became the imaginative heart of a global success story.
Based on years of interviews with a generation of leading writers, artists and editors, Karl Stock reveals the true story of the wild times, passion and determination that helped, hindered and saw the reinvention of comics.
Stock tells the story of the triumphs and disasters that rewrote the rulebook on what comics could be and who they should be for.
Classic Gums: The Monster Fun Years
By Roy Davis, Robert Nixon, Alf Saporito
Out: 9th November 2023
Paperback | 128 Pages | ISBN: 978-1786189998
The Great White (toothless) shark stalks a territory around the Australian coast, where he constantly butts heads with local surfer, Bluey. While Gums is out to snack on the youngster, Bluey is determined to take the shark’s false teeth as a memento!
Written by Roy Davis with art by Robert Nixon and Alf Saporito, this hapless, loveable shark with false teeth was a highlight of the short-lived humour comic Monster Fun and proved to be so popular with the fans that he appeared as the front cover strip for most of the run.
This collection includes Gums strips from Monster Fun 7 February to 30 October 1976, as well as the Monster Fun annual stories from 1977 to 1985.
The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire Volume 5
By Mike Butterworth (w) Don Lawrence, Oliver Frey (a) Simon Bowland (l)
Paperback, 240 pages
ISBN: 9781837860098
This fifth omnibus collection of the science-fiction classic, The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire, reprints all the stories originally published in Look & Learn from 1975 through to 1977, and contains Don Lawrence’s final flawlessly painted Trigan Empire pages.
The Emperor Trigo, his nephew Janno, and the trusted scientist Peric all band together to face off against the threats to the stability of the Trigan Empire – be they frozen superior life forms from an earlier age, or the machinations of Trigo’s own courtiers who are determined to seize control of the government – in these fast-paced yet beautifully painted comic stories which enthralled readers on original publication.
Coming Soon…
2000AD Prog 2360
UK and Digital: 29th November
US: 3rd January
Cover by Rufus Dayglo
In this issue:
Judge Dredd: Poison by Rob Williams (w) PJ Holden (a) Peter Doherty (c) Simon Bowland (l)
Helium: Scorched Earth by Ian Edginton (w) D’Israeli (a) Simon Bowland (l)
The Devil’s Railroad by Peter Milligan (w) Rufus Dayglo (a) Jose Villarrubia (c) Jim Campbell (l)
Enemy Earth Book III by Cavan Scott (w) Luke Horsman (a) Simon Bowland (l)
Feral & Foe: Bad Godesberg by Dan Abnett (w) Richard Elson (a) Jim Campbell (l)
SMASH! #2
UK and Digital: 29th November
US: 3rd January
The King of Crooks latest heist has gone badly wrong, he has been trapped in Maxwell Towers by the caretaker computer programme running the building and Robot Archie is closing in on capturing the arch-criminal. Forced to face his fears on the nightmare inducing-thirteenth floor and evade the team-up of two AI programmes, this could be the master thief’s last stand.
This 1980s-set thriller is brought to you by Paul Grist (Jack Staff) and Jimmy Broxton (Goldtiger).
The Definitive Nemesis the Warlock Volume One
By Pat Mills (w), Kevin O’Neill, Jesus Redondo (a)
Out: 6th December
Paperback, 178 pages
ISBN: 9781837860104
Long regarded as one of the crown-jewel epics from the pages of 2000 AD, at long last Nemesis the Warlock is back in print and better than ever in a brand-new series of definitive editions. Written by Pat Mills (Marshal Law) and drawn by Kevin O’Neill (League of Extraordinary Gentlemen), this definitive series is a collection of the complete storyline in order, and features development sketches showing the evolution of Nemesis and the Blitzspear.
Termight is the ruling planet of a cruel galactic empire led by the diabolical Torquemada, a twisted human despot intent on purging all alien life from the galaxy and punishing the deviants. His motto: Be pure! Be vigilant! Behave! Against his tyrannical rule, resistance rises in the form of devilish-looking alien warlock Nemesis, who represents everything that Torquemada hates and fears. Together, Nemesis and Torquemada are locked in a duel which will affect their fate and the fate of humanity itself as their conflict spans time and space!
The Helltrekkers
By John Wagner, Alan Grant (w) José Ortiz, Haracio Lalia (a)
Out: 7th December
Paperback, 128 pages
ISBN: 9781786187963
They were the new frontiersmen — men and women who hated life in Mega-City One so much that they were willing to travel 2000 kilometres across the radiated desert known as the ‘Cursed Earth’ in order to start a new life. The chances of reaching the new territories are slim – the hostile environment is full of danger, including acid rain downpours, killer viruses, mutants and herds of hungry dinosaurs! To increase their chances of survival, Helltrekkers set off in large convoys. But sometimes fellow travellers can cause just as many problems as the threats from outside.
Written by John Wagner and Alan Grant, The Helltrekkers is a monumental survival story and one of the earliest Dreddverse spin-off strips.
Fiends of the Eastern Front
By Gerry Finley-Day, David Bishop, Ian Edginton, Hannah Berry, Guy Adams (w) Carlos Ezquerra, Colin MacNeil, Dave Kendall, Dave Taylor, DaNi (a)
Out: 7th December
Paperback, 144 pages
ISBN: 9781781087749
A luxury omnibus of classic supernatural war stories from the Golden Age of comics – expanded and updated in a definitive edition!
Buried deep underground are the remains of Wehrmacht soldier, Hans Schmitt, and his diary, which journals his eerie encounter with the Romanian Captain Constanta and his platoon of blood-sucking freaks! Back in 1943, with the Russians willing to fight until their last man in order to defend Stalingrad, Panzergrenadier Richter discovers Constanta’s secret and learns than sometimes your allies can be just as dangerous as the enemy!
Featuring the breathtaking art of Carlos Ezquerra (Judge Dredd) and Colin MacNeil (America, Chopper: Song of the Surfer), with stories from Gerry Finley Day (Rogue Trooper), David Bishop (Thrill-Power Overload), and recent classics from Ian Edginton (Stickleback, Scarlet Traces), Dave Kendall (Fall of Deadworld).
Drokk the Halls! Rufus Hound joins 2000AD’s 100-page Christmas spectacular
The Galaxy’s Greatest Comic marks the end of another year with the traditional festive blowout – a 100-page mega-special featuring brand-new stories and a surprise creative guest!
2000AD Prog 2362 is out on the 13th December – and you can pre-order this special issue now, with FREE postage within the UK
This issue features an all-new Strontium Dog story by comedian and actor Rufus Hound (Doctor Who), drawn by Dan Cornwell, much to Hound’s delight who says:
“I’d never believed that I’d get a chance like this. That actual 2000AD would ask me – me! – to write so much as a single syllable for their illustrious pages. Not only that, but to be given the opportunity to reimagine something from the golden era of Strontium Dog? Proper dream come true stuff.”
In Strontium Dog: ‘Alpha’, Johnny and Wulf are en-route to the planet Aminovarm in the hold of a star cruiser when Johnny intervenes in a domestic incident. When the son gives Johnny an alien delicacy as a thank you gift, things go south and psychedelic in equal amounts!
“Johnny Alpha always had it hard, but kept his upper-lip stiff and his chin granite-like. However, what if a diary of his was discovered?” Hound teases. “Something that peeled away a later or two of the man? That allowed us some insight into the mind of Johnny Alpha, not merely marvel at his tough-as-hell actions. That’s what ‘Alpha’ is.
“I’ve filled my story with classic SD references, but I hope the greatest act of fan service is the tale itself. I’ve tried to give Wulf and Johnny something that I think most fans have always craved for them, whilst still letting them be Johnny and Wulf. With Carlos’ passing, getting this right seems even more important somehow. I just hope the amount of love and hard work I’ve lavished on it shines through.
The 100-page Spectacular will continue ongoing stories Feral & Foe, Helium, Enemy Earth and The Devil’s Railroad, but they’re joined by a heavenly host of one-off stories: a new Judge Dredd tale by Ken Niemand & Tom Foster, Azimuth by Dan Abnett & Tazio Bettin, Rogue Trooper by Geoffrey D. Wessel & Simon Coleby, Fiends of the Eastern Front by Ian Edginton & Tiernen Trevallion, Anderson, Psi-Div by Torunn Gronbekk & Kieran McKeown, and Strontium Dog by Rufus Hound & Dan Cornwell!
All this wrapped inside a chaotic cover from Cliff Robinson and Dylan Teague? Grud bless us, every one!
On sale 13 December, Prog 2362 isn’t a Christmas stocking-stuffer – it’s a Yuletide mind-expander!
Early 2024 Releases
Essential Judge Dredd: Tour of Duty Book One
By: John Wagner (w) Colin MacNeil, Kev Walker, Patrick Goddard, Rufus Dayglo (a)
Out: 3rd January 2024
Paperback, 224 pages
ISBN: 9781837860951
After Dredd’s discovery of a mutant branch of his bloodline during Origins, the lawman has started to take a closer look at Justice Department’s treatment of those unfortunates warped by the legacy of the Atomic Wars. Mutants are currently forbidden entry into Mega-City One, and exiled to facilities and townships in the irradiated wasteland, but Dredd believes it’s time the law was changed – but is even he prepared for the turmoil he’s about to unleash?
The stories collected in this volume have affected the Dredd strip for years, and feature work by writer John Wagner (Button Man) and artists Colin MacNeil (Essential Judge Dredd: America), Kev Walker (Star Wars), Patrick Goddard (Battle Action), and Rufus Dayglo (Tank Girl).
Judge Dredd Case Files 43
By: John Wagner, Gordon Rennie, John Smith, Si Spurrier (w) Colin MacNeil, PJ Holden, Carlos Ezquerra, Laurence Campbell, Simon Fraser, Paul Marshall, Peter Doherty, Inaki Miranda, Lee Garbett (a)
Out: 18th January 2024
Paperback, 304 pages
ISBN: 9781837860944
In this volume of the best-selling Complete Case Files series, Dredd uncovers the House of Pain, a no-way-out, brutal torture prison for serial perps, and must stop Orlok from spreading a lethal bio-virus – from beyond the grave! And, after a mysterious package is delivered to the Grand Hall of Justice, Dredd ventures into the Cursed Earth in search of answers that will unveil the history of the Judges, and their ascent to total power.
Strontium Dog – Search and Destroy 3: The 2000AD Years
By Alan Grant, John Wagner (w), Carlos Ezquerra (a)
Out: 1st February 2024
Hardback, 192 pages
ISBN: 9781837861033
In 2150 a catastrophic war led to 70 percent of Britain’s population being wiped out. Strontium 90 fallout led to an increase of children being born with strange mutations. Hated by average humans, the mutants faced terrible oppression when politician, Nelson Kreelman, introduced a series of anti-mutant laws enforced by a brutal police force.
In 2167 the mutants decided to fight back. Amongst their ranks was a young boy with named Johnny Alpha with white blank eyes and a mutant power that grants him a series of powers, including the ability to see through many surfaces. Driven by tragedy, Johnny has a very personal reason wanting to topple the regime and bring Kreeler down.
Co-written by Alan Grant (Batman)and John Wagner (A History of Violence) and featuring the artwork of Carlos Ezquerra (Judge Dredd), this collection features the explosive origin of Johnny Alpha in ‘Portrait of a Mutant’, a tale widely considered to be the greatest Strontium Dog story of all.
Essential Rogue Trooper: Genetic Infantryman
By Gerry Finley-Day (w) Dave Gibbons, Colin Wilson, Cam Kennedy (a) Bill Nuttall (l)
Out: 26th March 2024
Paperback, 160 pages
ISBN: 9781837861088
The first of a new series in the Essential line featuring 2000 AD’s legendary war machine, Rogue Trooper!
Rogue Trooper is the last of the G.I.s – genetically-engineered infantrymen designed to withstand the noxious atmosphere of Nu-Earth, a planet ravaged by the conflict between Norts and Southers. A lone survivor of the Quartz Massacre, equipped with the bio-chips of his fallen clone brothers, he crosses the war-torn landscape in search of the Traitor General, the man responsible for their deaths – and will not rest until he has his revenge!
Essential Judge Anderson: Satan
By: Alan Grant (w) Arthur Ranson, Mick Austin (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)
Out: 9th May 2024
Paperback, 144 pages
ISBN: 9781837861859
Judge Cassandra Anderson of Psi Division is one of the greatest minds on the Judges’ roster. As a precognitive telepath and empath, her quirks, such as her sense of humour, are tolerated by the otherwise oppressively strict Justice Department.
In the second volume of her Essential line, Anderson grapples with matters of faith and damnation, as a chance at eternal life comes at the cost of losing her mind forever, while her pursuit of a just system leads her to investigate a religious cult, and ultimately to engage in a battle of the minds with the most formidable of foes: Satan himself!
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, Comic Previews, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
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