Slam, Bam! Rebellion set to deliver a stack of Comic Specials in 2020

Legendary comics Battle and Action are back as part of a roster of twelve new special titles for 2020 from Rebellion Publishing, including the return of the popular Cor and Buster Special, which debuted earlier this year, as the Cor!! Buster Easter Special.

A "warm up" sketch of The Spider by John McCrea, who's working on a new strip featuring the Lion star

A “warm up” sketch of The Spider by John McCrea, who’s working on a new strip featuring the Lion star

Some of the biggest titles in British comics will make a return to news stands, many of them for the first time in decades, as Rebellion lights up newsstands, comic stores, and digital devices from March through to December.

Reviving old favourites while introducing new audiences to the very best of British comics, these new specials include original fresh work from top names such as Garth Ennis (The Boys, Preacher), Ram V (Catwoman), Alex de Campi (Dredd), Rob Williams (Suicide Squad), Dan Lish (Egostrip), VV Glass (Doctor Who), Danijel Žeželj (Luna Park) and many, many more!

From the groundbreaking war stories of Battle to the violent carnage of Action, from home-grown superhero action in Smash! to old school derring-do with The Return of Sexton Blake and classic espionage in Thriller Picture Library, there’s something in this line-up for all readers.

As if that wasn’t enough, then we’re heading to the future with a special focusing on Rebellion’s eagerly anticipated release of Evil Genius 2 and kicking off exciting European Cup action with Roy of the Rovers!

There’s also the return of last year’s hit specials – Cor and Buster, Misty & Scream!, and Tammy & Jinty – along with a 2000 AD Sci-Fi Special celebrating two decades of Thrill-power under the Rebellion banner.

You can pre-order all the Specials now from the 2000 AD web shop for just under £60, which includes the facsimile of the “banned” Action.

“We’re really excited about our 2020 specials and to be able to put together such an impressive roster of talent has been a real privilege,” says Keith Richardson, senior editor at Rebellion Publishing, “with plenty more announcements still to come.

“Rebellion owns the world’s biggest archive of English language comics and to say we’re spoilt for choice is an understatement – but we’ve picked out iconic titles to reinvigorate for the 21st Century, alongside some of the best new products Rebellion has to offer. We’re putting these comics back where they belong – back on the newsstand and back in front of new audiences.”

Action Special 2020

Action Special cover by Staz Johnson, colour by Quinton Winter

REBELLION SPECIALS: THE FULL LINE-UP

March: Action Special

It horrified prudes and censors alike – but the ground-breaking Action is back! The 1970s comic they tried to ban returns with the same blend of unbeatable characters and no-holds-barred action – all brought to you by the best talents of today! Featuring the killer shark Hookjaw by Dan Lish, juvenile delinquency in “Kids Rule OK” by Ram V and Henrick Stahlstrom, frontline German Panzer with “Hellman of Hammer Force” by Garth Ennis and Mike Dorey, merciless secret agent action with “Dredger” by Zina Hutton, and the brand new “Hell Machine” by Henry Flint. Plus, the exclusive edition available from the 2000 AD website will come with a bagged reproduction of the ‘banned’ issue of Action from October 1976, an issue “pulped” on the orders of company management, very few copies surviving… which have fetched a huge price at auction.

Cor!! Buster Easter Special

Cor!! Buster Easter Special cover by Neil Googe, colour by Jim Boswell

April: Cor!! Buster Easter Special

The biggest and brightest humour comic in Britain is back for another 48-page special! A smash hit with kids, the Cor!! Buster Easter Special brings together two of Britain’s most beloved humour comics for 48 pages of belly laughs and silly japes from some of the best creators around, including Lew Stringer and John Freeman on “Buster and Delbert“, “Sweeny Toddler” and “Gah!” by Tom Paterson, “Grimly Feendish” by Ned Hartley and Tom Paterson, “Frankie Stein” by Cavan Scott and Steve Mannion, “Daisy Jones’ Locket” by Olivia Hicks and Shelli Paroline, “Birdman and Chicken” by Edward Whatley, “Swines of Anarchy” by Lee Langford and Pye Parr, “Faceache” by Matt Smith and John Lucas, “Gums” by Lizzie Boyle and Abigail Ryder, “Deadly Hedley” by Paul Goodenough and Rositsa Vangelova, “Kid Kong” by Alec Worley and Tiernen Travallion, and “Duck Turpin” by Robin Etherington and David Follett.

May: Smash! Special

They’re the home-grown superheroes who gave Superman and Spider-Man a run for their money – and now their back in the Smash! Special! Featuring some of the most original and unusual caped crusaders you’ll ever encounter, this 64-page special features super-villain-turned-hero The Spider by Rob Williams and John McCrea, supercharged secret agent The Steel Claw by Danijel Žeželj, the ‘missing link’ who became the man of the future Johnny Future by Tom Raney, giant robot ape Mytek the Mighty by Suyi Davies Okungbowa and Anand Radhakrishnan, and many more!

June: Roy of the Rovers Euro 2020 Special

It’s going to be an incredible summer of football with the European Championships and the Roy of the Rovers Euro 2020 Special will bring you excitement on and off the pitch. Featuring the talents of the Roy of the Rovers creative team – Rob Williams, Lisa Henke and Tom Palmer – this 48-page special kicks off this June!

June: 2000 AD Sci-Fi Special: Twenty Years of Rebellion

2020 marks two decades since Rebellion stepped in to save the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic. The 2000 AD Sci-Fi Special celebrates 20 Years of Rebellion with a specially-curated look at 2000 AD during the tenure of its longest-serving owners and longest-serving editor; featuring some of the best talents of the past 20 years, this 48-page special celebrates the evolution of 2000 AD since its namesake year with comics and features about Britain’s biggest and best comic!

July: Tammy & Jinty Special

Tammy & Jinty return for two feature-length stories from modern creators in a new 48-page comic, continuing the work of last year’s hit special! Tammy and Jinty were ground-breaking female-led comics covered that everything from science fiction and fantasy to romance and domestic drama. Now retooled for the 21st Century, the Tammy & Jinty Special pays tribute to this legacy of trail-blazing comics while introducing a new audience to the medium!

September: Battle Special

It was the comic than inspired a generation and introduced readers to some of the reality of war – Battle is back and it’s bigger than ever! This 96-page special features the returns of Rat Pack, Destroyer, El Mestizo, and more of your favourite characters – direct from the comic book front lines!

Inspired by the classic comic and ground-breaking characters, creators such as Garth Ennis, Alex De Campi, Alan Hebden, Brent McKee, Keith Burns, Rob Williams, and more bring you stories of war inspired by real events but with the flair and excitement that made Battle the innovative comic it was!

September: Misty & Scream! Special

Following the success of last year’s fright-filled outing, the Misty & Scream! Special returns this Hallowe’en! Two of Britain’s best loved comics reunite for an anthology of brand new tales that are guaranteed to terrify and entertain you – courtesy of a coven of creators, including Kek-W, Simon Coleby, Vincenzo Riccardi, Cavan Scott, Alec Worley, DaNi, and many more!

Thriller Picture Library 376

Thriller Picture Library

November: Thriller Picture Library Special

Thriller Picture Library was the pocket book series packed with thrilling tales of danger and adventure, which delighted audiences for more than a decade in the mid-20th Century, establishing the careers of D. C. Eyles, Mike Hubbard, Eric Parker and Septimus E. Scott. With a brand new cover by VV Glass, this 128-page special includes two classic John Steel adventures from the 1960s, drawn by Luis Bermejo (Eerie, Vampirella) and coloured for modern audiences.

Sexton Blake Annual (1938, 1940-42) 1-4. Only these four annuals were published, there was no annual for 1939. 164 pages omnibus editions with No 1 starring Sexton Blake against Raffles and No 4 with Blake co-opted into the Secret Service and fighting on the deck of a U-Boat

Sexton Blake Annual (1938, 1940-42) 1-4. Only these four annuals were published, there was no annual for 1939. 164 pages omnibus editions with No 1 starring Sexton Blake against Raffles and No 4 with Blake co-opted into the Secret Service and fighting on the deck of a U-Boat

November: The Return of Sexton Blake

He’s the world’s greatest detective and now one of the most popular fictional characters of all time, Sexton Blake, is back! Part Sherlock Holmes, part action hero, Blake was created by Harry Blyth in 1893 and his instant success saw him become the subject of countless novels, comics, radio, and TV, making him one of the last century’s most popular characters.

Featuring a guide to his adventures alongside just some of his timeless comic book adventures, The Return of Sexton Blake is a 96-page collection that will reintroduce the master of mystery and suspense!

December: Misty Presents… Special

Christmas is the perfect time for a ghost story and this year’s Misty Presents... special will bring a few seasonal scares with a 48-page special that will shock your Xmas stocking off the wall and have you cowering under the tree with your presents! Prepare yourselves for a Yuletide shocker as M.R. James meets Black Mirror in a brand new title to round out a very special year!

Date TBC: Evil Genius 2 Special

Evil Genius 2: World Domination is coming to Steam in 2020 in a fully-fledged sequel to the 2004 classic PC game – and, like all the best villains, now that Rebellion have you captive we’re going to reveal the inner workings of our fiendish plans in a 64-page special! In this spy-fi lair builder you take control of an Evil Genius, with your aim nothing less than taking over the world and the Evil Genius 2 Special will take you behind-the-scenes on this long-awaited sequel!

• All these titles will all be available from all good newsagents and comic book stores – and all the 2020 specials are also be available to pre-order as a special £59.99 subscription bundle from the 2000 AD webshop, which includes 20% off and with an exclusive bagged reproduction of the infamous ‘banned’ issue of Action from October 1976



Categories: British Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News

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1 reply

  1. An aging Fanboys’ dream!
    Thank you Rebellion!

    Are they going to resurrect Tri-Man in the Smash! special?

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