Sneak Peek: Rebellion’s first Treasury of British Comics Annual arrives in November

By John Freeman on September 5, 2023

For over a century, the comic book annual has been an essential Christmas stocking filler for British children, and Rebellion has confirmed its newest edition to this proud tradition – the Treasury of British Comics Annual 2024 – is on course for November release.

Treasury of British Comics Annual 2024 - Covers — *The covers of the retail and 2000AD web shop exclusive edition of the Treasury of British Comics Annual 2024, side by side*

Arriving on 8th November in a gorgeous hardcover, crammed with a mix of old and new strips – the classic material carefully collected, featuring some great artists – the Treasury of British Comics Annual will arrive just in time for the festive period.

Available from comic shops, the Treasury of British Comics Annual 2024 will come in a retail edition with cover by Henry Flint (Judge Dredd) and an edition exclusive to the Treasury of British Comics webshop featuring a cover by David Roach (Anderson, Psi Division).

The team behind the Treasury of British Comics imprint have dived deep into the archives of IPC, one of the world’s biggest publishers of comic books, to select slick and exciting stories from such legendary British weekly comic titles as Lion, including an appearance by a time-travelling Robot Archie, Starlord, Misty, Action, Wham!, Scream!, Smash!, Battle (offering a rare reprint of a “Charley’s War” strip that features in one of the comic’s spin-offs), and Valiant.

Here’s a sneak peek at the classic strips that feature…

Featuring the best of British talent including Brian Bolland (Batman: The Killing Joke), Joe Colquhoun (Charley’s War), Steve Dillon (Preacher), Pat Mills (Nemesis the Warlock), Stan McMurtry and many more, the Treasury of British Comics Annual is a deft mix of strips, bringing the magic back to this great British tradition with a veritable newsagents’ shelf full of classic stories from annuals, specials and titles of the past, lovingly restored and reprinted comics will sit alongside three brand new strips.

Famed Transformers writer Simon Furman pits two of Britain’s greatest characters – The Leopard from Lime Street and The Spider – against each other. Artists David Roach and Mike Collins (Doctor Who) deliver a titanic head-to-head between the feline powers of young Billy Farmer against the inventive but ruthless master criminal and anti-hero.

Treasury of British Comics Annual 2024 - The Leopard of Lime Street vs The Spider

Plus, there’ i’s the thunderous return of the wandering warrior, Black Beth, with writer Alec Worley (Durham Red) once again teaming up with breakout artist DaNi (Coffin Bound) to deliver another tale of Beth’s quest to punish evildoers, with stunning pages evoking the work of master artist Sergio Toppi but with a dynamic, gothic edge and startling colour.

Treasury of British Comics Annual 2024 - Black Beth

And, on the Eastern Front in the dying days of World War Two, Sergeant Holstein and his battle-hardened unit of men (and one mighty beast) face off against cutthroat Cossacks in Gustav of the Bearmacht by Kek-W (The Order) and Staz Johnson (Dark Legacies).

Treasury of British Comics Annual 2024 - Gustav of the Bearmacht

The Treasury of British Comics Annual 2024 is a cracking Christmas gift for fans of classic British comics, although some scenes from the new strips are more PG than for universal audiences.

Treasury of British Comics Annual 2024
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781837860258
Release date: 8th November 2023
Price: £25 (webshop hardcover £30)
Pages: 112
Size: 275 × 194 mm

• Pre-order the retail cover edition of the Treasury of British Comics Annual 2024 here direct from the 2000AD web shop

• Pre-order the webshop exclusive cover edition of the Treasury of British Comics Annual 2024 here direct from the 2000AD web shop

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.