Sneak Peek: Ian Kennedy’s Johnny Red #2 cover, #1 Preview Pages

Ian Kennedy's variant cover for Johnny Red #2 from Titan Comics
Ian Kennedy’s variant cover for Johnny Red #2 from Titan Comics

Here’s a sneak peek at the covers of the second issue of their eight-issue limited series written by Garth Ennis and drawn by Keith Burns, which launches on 4th November (see news story).

Titan also sneaked out some preview art from Johnny Red #1 a while back via Diamond Previews, but I missed it, so I’ve included those pages here now.

Legendary British comic artist Ian Kennedy – best known today for his covers for Commando but whose credits a huge range of comic titles from Eagle and 2000AD to girls comic Emma – should need no introduction to most downthetubes readers.

Ian’s 60 year plus career encompasses some of the best loved characters and comics published in Britain. To this day, he remains the undisputed master of aviation depictions, from his pioneering days on Air Ace and Thriller Picture Library through to Battle Picture Weekly and Warlord, his work has thrilled great-grandparents and their offspring, right through to today’s kids who still regularly see the semi-reti red octogenarian’s artwork emblazoned across the covers of  DC Thomson’s Commando title.

I’m really looking forward to this limited series – not just because it’s Johnny Red – one of Battle‘s major characters – but because if it’s a success, I hope it will see other Egmont-owned characters get a revival. I’m rooting for “Dredger” by Andy Diggle, personally.

“Johnny Red” featured weekly in Battle comic and we can confirm, after talking to Titan Books this morning that, contrary to online data, the next collection – Johnny Red: Flying Gun – is now scheduled to go on sale in comic shops next year, on 3rd February 2016.

This collection features a continuation of Titan’s publication of  the original strips written by Tom Tully, and will be the first collection to feature art by John Cooper from the classic war comic, featuring some of the finest air-combat strip ever created in Britain.

Here’s a reminder of the announced issues of Titan’s Johnny Red Limited Series so far and detail on Johnny Red: Flying Gun

Keith Burns cover for Johnny Red #1
Keith Burns cover for Johnny Red #1
Carlos Ezquerra's variant cover for Titan's Johnny Red #1
Carlos Ezquerra’s variant cover for Titan’s Johnny Red #1
Sample art from Johnny Red #1 by Keith Burns
Sample art from Johnny Red #1 by Keith Burns
Sample art from Johnny Red #1 by Keith Burns

JOHNNY RED #1
Writer: Garth Ennis  Artist: Keith Burns

Legendary British fighter ace, Johnny “Red” Redburn, returns once more as the commander of the Falcons, a Russian fighter squadron battling the Nazis in the skies over Stalingrad. But dogfighting Messerschmitts is about to become the least of his troubles when the NVKD, the notorious Soviet secret police, come calling! (STK686614)

MATURE THEMES
PAGE REGULAR COVER — 32pgs, FC (1 of 8) $3.99
EZQUERRA SUBSCRIPTION COVER — 32pgs, FC $3.99
BLANK SKETCH COVER — 32pgs, FC $3.99

On Sale 4th November 2015

Johnny Red #2 - Keith Burns Cover
Keith Burns cover for Johnny Red #2

JOHNNY RED #2
Writer: Garth Ennis  Artist: Keith Burns

With the Battle of Stalingrad in full and savage swing, the Russians are throwing everything they have at the Nazis, in an effort to turn the battle’s tide. Caught up in the fighting is Johnny and his squadron of fighter pilots, the legendary Falcons, and the Nightwitches, an all-female unit flying ancient biplanes in a very one-sided war. But for Johnny, the war is about to take a very sudden, and unexpected, twist! (STK689708)

PAGE REGULAR COVER—32pgs, FC (2 of 8) $3.99
KENNEDY SUBSCRIPTION COVER—32pgs, FC $3.99

Johnny Red Volume 4: The Flying Gun

Johnny Red: Flying Gun
Writer: Tom Tully Artist: John Cooper
On Sale 3rd February 2016

From the pages of classic war comic Battle comes the finest air-combat strip ever created in Britain!

Johnny Redburn has just led Falcon Squadron on a successful mission over Stalingrad. But Major Rastovitch has a new mission for Johnny: to fly an important Russian official to a top-secret conference in England in the incredible “Flying Gun”. The stakes are high and danger never far away…



Categories: British Comics, British Comics - Collections, British Comics - Current British Publishers, Comic Previews, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News

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3 replies

  1. Brilliant touch, getting people like Ezquerra and Kennedy on board.

    Gutted a little about Johnny Red Vol. 4 being pushed back to next year – but hey, better late than never, eh?

  2. I am so glad to be ordering the variant covers but I will have to pick up Keith’s standard covers at a later date as that cover for issue 2 is fantastic.

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