After his dramatic appearance in last week’s “Judge Dredd”, longtime 2000AD star Shako the killer polar bear makes the cover of this week’s Prog, delivered in style by Richard Elson.

Luckily, I’d read this week’s Prog, one of the few things I got the chance to peruse last week, before opening up 2000AD‘s announcement for Prog 2192, on sale this coming Wednesday in all good newsagents and digitally, too!

As if things haven’t been bad enough for Dredd lately, he’s now the latest British comic character to take on Shako, who made a surprise return battling Hookjaw in this year’s Action 2020 Special, and, more recently, featured in “Kingdom: Shako’s Kingdom”, in the smashing 2000AD Sci-Fi Special, released last month.

We can’t help but wonder where he’ll turn up next. Gorging on Ace Garp? Chomping down on Ukko? Slashing out at Strontium Dog?

This one could run and run! Unless, as artist David Roach once suggested, he finally meets his match…

First written by Pat Mills (“Charley’s War”, Marshal Law) and John Wagner (A History of Violence, Judge Dredd), the original “Shako” series was collected for the first time in book format back in 2012.

The stories of the only bear on the CIA’s death list featured stunning art from a number of European artists, including Ramon Sola (“Flesh”), and the collection came with a cover by Jock (The Losers, Batman).

Shako is a true classic from the early days of 2000AD, when blood-thirsty ultra-violence was a hallmark of an anarchic new comic, a blizzard of white hot horror, the deadly terror of the frozen wastes.

When a US Air Force plane crashes in the Arctic, the great white polar bear Shako gets his first taste of human flesh! Unfortunately for the CIA, the beast has swallowed the top secret capsule being transported by the plane, so they must track down the deadly creature to retrieve it.

This won’t be an easy task, because Shako hates mankind, and what Shako hates, Shako destroys!

• Buy Shako from amazon.co.uk

• Buy Shako from forbidenplanet.com

In 2000AD Prog 2192, on sale Wednesday 27th July…

Judge Dredd: End of Days
by Rob Williams (Writer) Henry Flint (Artist) Chris Blythe (Colourist) Annie Parkhouse (Letterer)

Mega-City One, 2142 AD. Home to over 140 million citizens, this urban hell is situated along the east coast of post-apocalyptic North America. Crime is rampant and only the Judges — zero-tolerance cops empowered to dispense instant justice — can stop total anarchy. Toughest of them all is JUDGE DREDD — he is the Law! Now, Dredd is leading a team to find the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and they’re battling Pestilence…

Full Tilt Boogie
by Alex de Campi (Writer) Eduardo Ocana (Artist) Simon Bowland (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. Capable and resourceful, Tee was recently paid to rescue the Luxine Prince Ifan from his debtors’ prison. Now, she’s delivered him to his number-one fan but cash-flow problems means she’s taken him back — and the Luxine Knights have attacked…

The Diaboliks: Profundo Rosso
by Gordon Rennie (Writer) Antonio Fuso (Artist) Jim Campbell (Letterer)

Solomon Ravne and Jennifer Simmons were once part of Caballistics, Inc., a private paranormal troubleshooting outfit put together by reclusive rock star Ethan Kostabi. Jennifer, however, was thrown into Hell, and became possessed by a demon. After Caballistics was disbanded, Ravne and Jenny became a couple, having a baby together. Now, they’re taking on the demonic Sisters, starting with the Red Madonna…

The Order: Land of the Free
by Kek-W (Writer) John Burns (Artist) Simon Bowland (Letterer)

Throughout history, mankind has been under threat of extermination by the Wurms, creatures from another plane that systematically break into our reality. Defending humanity are the men and women of THE ORDER, a secret band of warriors that have fought the entities across the centuries. But time has become fractured, allowing a new chronology to be created, and the despotic Francis Bacon is determined to rule it…

The Out
by Dan Abnett (Writer) Mark Harrison (Artist) Annie Parkhouse (Letterer)

The furthest edge of the universe, far into the future. Cyd Finlea is photo-journalist working for the publishers Global Neographic, travelling deep into outer space — otherwise known as THE OUT — and cataloguing the sights and alien societies that she encounters. She left Earth ten years ago and has now lost track of how far she is from home, but regardless she keeps going. Now, she ’s joined an aid party crossing a warzone…

• 2000AD Prog 2192, on sale from Wednesday, will be available in print from newsagents and comic book shops via Diamond; available in digital from: 2000AD webshop and apps for iPad, Android, Windows 10

• Buy Shako from amazon.co.uk

• Buy Shako from forbidenplanet.com

John Freeman

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, downthetubes News

Tags: Alex de Campi, Annie Parkhouse, Antonio Fuso, Chris Blythe, Dan Abnett, downthetubes News, Eduardo Ocana, Full Tilt Boogie, Gordon Rennie, Henry Flint, Jim Campbell, John M. Burns, Kek-W, Mark Harrison, Rob Williams, Shako, The Order