This week’s 2000AD is a bumper issue of the Galaxy ’s Greatest Comic — the first of four that will be seeded throughout the year, allowing for bonus stories to run alongside the ongoing Thrills. Publisher Rebellion‘s hope is that they should prove “jumping on points” for new readers to join the throng of 2000AD devotees, and this pulse-pounding prog is no exception.
Joining the latest instalments of “Full Tilt Boogie” and “Indigo Prime“, and the heart-stopping climax to folk chiller “Thistlebone“, there’s a new “Judge Dredd” story by Rob Williams and RM Guera, that acts as a prologue to a series that starts next week, the ten-page opening instalment of deep-space actioner, “Proteus Vex” by Mike Carroll and Jake Lynch, and a complete “Rogue Trooper” tale, from David Barnett and Paul Marshall.
If you’re joining us anew, you may not be aware there’s a Rogue Trooper movie heading your way in 2025 courtesy of Duncan Jones, so Tharg and his droids and I are making sure everyone is fully versed in Nu Earth lore by the time it hits.
Look out for more Rogue stories coming your way in a few months, and don ’t miss the Essential Rogue Trooper: Genetic Infantryman collection, also out this week – details below – on sale now in all good book and comic shops, and online outlets.
2000AD Prog 2375 (Bumper Issue)
UK and DIGITAL: 27th March 2024
NORTH AMERICA: 1s May 2024
DIAMOND: JAN241898
COVER: John McCrea & Jack Davies
In this issue:
JUDGE DREDD // FIRST MAN UP
by Rob Williams (Writer) RM Guera (Artist) Giulia Brusco (Colourist) Annie Parkhouse (Letterer)
Mega-City One, 2146 AD. Home to over 200 million citizens, this urban hell is situated along the east coast of post-apocalyptic North America, with the toxic Black Atlantic to the east and the irradiated Cursed Earth to the west. 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!
FULL TILT BOOGIE // BOOK TWO
by Alex de Campi (Writer) Eduardo Ocana (Artist) Eva De La Cruz (Colourist) Annie Parkhouse (Letterer)
Out in the deep reaches of the cosmos, teenager Tee — together with her grandmother and cat — is a bounty hunter/hired help, operating from her spaceship the FULL TILT BOOGIE . Tee was paid to rescue the Luxine Prince Ifan from his debtors ’ prison. In the process, she encountered a resurrected Anubite warrior, a member of the enemy race with whom the Luxine Empire was at war. Now, they ’ve sought refuge on Tanzagar…
THISTLEBONE // THE DULE TREE
by T.C. Eglington (Writer) Simon Davis (Artist) Simon Bowland (Letterer)
Britain, 2020. It ’s been over a year since journalist Seema Chaudry accompanied cult survivor Avril Easton back to the village of Harrowvale, where she suffered at the hands of THISTLEBONE worshippers, a crazed occult group that believed in an ancient woodland deity. One man in the village, Malcolm Kinniburgh, was keeping the Thistlebone legend alive — but it seems to be connected with an old ‘70s horror film…
INDIGO PRIME // BLACK MONDAY
by Kek-W (Writer) Lee Carter (Artist) Jim Campbell (Letterer)
The multiverse. There is an infinite number of parallel realities, and all need managing in case of dimensional instability. This is where INDIGO PRIME came in, the multiverse ’s troubleshooters, whose agents are trained to deal with space/time catastrophes. Now, IP ’s HQ has been destroyed in a cataclysmic event, and its assets acquired by the company ICP. But Clive Vista has a plan, involving Tyranny Rex…
ROGUE TROOPER // WAR CHILD
by David Barnett (Writer) Paul Marshall (Artist) Pippa Bowland (Colourist) Jim Campbell (Letterer)
Nu Earth, site of a galactic war between the Norts and the Southers, where use of chemical weapons has rendered the atmosphere poisonous. So the Southers created the Genetic Infantrymen, bred to be immune to the planet ’s pollutants — G.I.s like ROGUE TROOPER , the last of his kind. Together with biochip buddies Helm, Gunnar and Bagman, they ’re searching for the traitor that sold them out…
PROTEUS VEX // DEVIOUS
by Mike Carroll (Writer) Jake Lynch (Artist) Jim Boswell (Colourist) Simon Bowland (Letterer)
The far future. The centuries-long war between the Alliance and the Obdurate people is over, a conflict ended when the Alliance teleported a dying white dwarf star into the Obdurate system. Imperium agent PROTEUS VEX — who is operated by a flesh-pilot — became an enemy of the Alliance when he released info about past war crimes. In the wake of the war with the Scorchers, Vex is missing, presumed dead…
• Available in print from: newsagents and comic book stores via Diamond | Available in digital from: 2000AD webshop, 2000AD apps for Apple & Android
Essential Rogue Trooper: Genetic Infantryman
By Gerry Finley-Day (Writer) Dave Gibbons, Colin Wilson, Cam Kennedy (Artists) Bill Nuttall (Letterer)
Out: 27th 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!
Hellman of Hammer Force: Downfall – including The Early Adventures: 2
by Gerry Finley-Day (Writer), Mike Dorey (Artist)
Out: 27th March 2024
Paperback, 128 Pages
ISBN: 978-1837860982
There has never before been an anti-hero like Hellman of Hammer Force in British comics!
From the invasion of Poland in 1939 through to the fall of Berlin in 1945, Hellman of Hammer Force saw action on many fronts, and this collection contains all the hard-hitting war stories told through the eyes of Hellman which were published in Battle from 1977 through to 1978.
This ground-breaking series of thrilling combat is written by Gerry Finley-Day (Rogue Trooper) and drawn by Mike Dorey (Ro-Busters) and Patrick Wright (Day of the Eagle).
One of the most prolific writers in the comic’s history, Gerry Finley-Day holds a special place in many 2000AD fans’ hearts as the creator of classics like Rogue Trooper, Fiends of the Eastern Front and The V.C.s, as well as Harry 20 on the High Rock and Ant Wars. A keen “ideas man”, Finley-Day’s concepts of the horrors future warfare had in store were key to both Rogue and The V.C.s’ continuing popularity, ensuring that their recent return to the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic was well-received. Finley-Day also scripted episodes of Judge Dredd and Dan Dare, and co-scripted much of Invasion! (and entirely scripted the prequel story, ‘Disaster 1990!’).
Mike Dorey joined 2000AD following its merger with rival action comic Tornado, where he pencilled Victor Drago. Following his move to greener pastures, he pencilled several Future Shocks and a Time Twister, as well as M.A.C.H. 0, M.A.C.H. 1, Ro-Busters, Invasion!, Rogue Trooper and Tharg the Mighty.
COMING SOON…
AmazonUK Affiliate Links Below
• downthetubes checklist- 2000AD, Treasury of British Collections and Specials – 2024
• Essential Rogue Trooper: Genetic Infantryman – 27 March
• Hellman of Hammer Force: Downfall – 27 March
• Joe Pineapples: Tin Man – 9 April
• Lowborn High – 24 April
• 40 Years of Scream! – 24 April
Check out our exclusive previews of 40 Years of Scream! here and here
MAY
• Essential Judge Anderson: Satan – 7 May
• Judge Dredd: Complete Case Files 44 – 7 May
• Robot Archie & The Time Machine – 28 May
• Picture Library: The Iron Fist – 29 May
JUNE
• Judge Dredd by Brian Bolland Masterpiece Edition – 20 June
• downthetubes checklist- 2000AD, Treasury of British Collections and Specials – 2024
- About the Author
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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, Comic Previews, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
Scream! stalks again, all-new Special out this week 
David Roach and Pete Doherty continue “Nightmare New York” in 2000AD, tributes paid to the late John M. Burns 
A Dish Served Cold: Apocalypse War revenge boils up in 2000AD! 
All change at 2000AD for all-out war!
There is a throwaway remark by Tharg in this week’s progs letters page that seems to indicate that the 2000ad regened issues have now been dropped for the forseable future to make way for these bumper progs I presume? Would be good if you tried to find out some more information on here as to why as I really enjoyed these all ages issues?
Speaking personally, while it was good to see the “2000AD:Regened” takes on the title’s characters, I was puzzled by the whole project. Younger readers were being encouraged to buy the comic, then the next week the title reverted to “normal” publishing, with its more adult themes. Where were these new readers expected to go next? It’s good to see the strips have been collected. Perhaps there is room on the newsstand for “2000AD Junior”, but launches are costly…
2000AD was a great idea that that unfortunately was hampered by bad management decisions. The collections apparently sell very well so I’m sure a stand alone junior 2000AD would work. They’ve launched Monster Fun, which appears to be doing alright?
These bumper progs are another weird strategy. They’re supposed to be jumping on points for new readers, yet most of the stories in it are ones that are nine parts in of a second volume, 12 parts in and the last episode of another, and so on. How is this supposed to hook new readers? They should have done this bumper prog when it was all new stories starting.