2000AD Prog 2441, The 2000AD Sci-Fi Special 2025, and Judge Dredd Megazine 482 are out today… a busy week for Tharg, then! (And that’s even before we get to this week’s new collections!)

2000AD, fronted by a new cover from Colin MacNeil, continues to bring new Thrills each week, including the start of a new “Tharg’s 3riller”, a three-part story, from Honor Vincent and Lee Milmore – both previous winners of the 2000AD talent search contests. “Relict: Invasive Species” follows a hyperintelligent lab mouse as it attempts to help his friend survive in a post-apocalyptic landscape…

Then: school’s out, so it’s time for the 2000AD Sci-Fi Special 2025 with a great cover from Chris Weston! Al Ewing returns to Judge Dredd for the first time in years, plus there’s a self-contained story for “The Out”, a relaxing “Future Shock” – and the welcome return of both Strontium Dog and occult detective Ampney Crucis to 2000AD’s storytelling rotation! Grab your lilo and a cocktail and get ready for the summer!

Finally, Judge Dredd Megazine brings a hefty dose of Thrillpower to the month, with “Mega-City 2099” and “Tales from the Black Museum” joining the lineup. Dredd gets up close with an octopus as he endures a kitchen nightmare, while Rok of the Reds ascends to become Rok the God, as the series enters a new storyline!

2000AD Prog 2441
UK And Digital: 16 July £3.80
North America: 3 September $30.00 (Prog Pack)
Diamond: May251643
Cover: Colin MacNeil

In this issue:

JUDGE DREDD // TUNNELS 
by Rob Williams (Writer) RM Guera (Artist) Giulia Brusco (Colourist) Simon Bowland (Letterer)

Mega-City One, 2147 AD. Home to over 250 million citizens, this urban hell is situated along the east coast of post-apocalyptic North America. Tensions are on a knife-edge, crime is rampant, and only the Judges — empowered to dispense instant justice — can stop total anarchy. Toughest of them all is JUDGE DREDD — he is the Law! Now, he’s in Ciudad Barranquilla, following a lead on an attack on a Sector House…

THE RAVILLIOUS PACT 
by T.C.Eglington (Writer) Steven Austin (Artist) John Charles (Colourist) Simon Bowland (Letterer)

London, 2025. Jason Ravilious is an enforcer for the notorious Boucher mob, one of the capital’s more feared underworld organisations. But they are no ordinary gangland outfit — they have connections with demonic entities that have helped them build their criminal empire. Jason is loyal to the Boucher patriarch Archie, but he’s dying, and soon there will be a transference of power…

THARG’S 3RILLERS // RELICT: INVASIVE SPECIES 
by Honor Vincent (Writer) Lee Milmore (Artist) Simon Bowland (Letterer)

Three episodes, one complete, self-contained story — a condensed hit of super-charged Thrill-power beamed to you directly from the Nerve Centre! Earth, the far future. A super-intelligent mouse, tired of its loneliness in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, travelled back in time intending to warn its human masters of the coming nuclear fire, but discovered they were experimenting on its rodent brethren, and rescued them instead…

AZIMUTH // ABANDONED BY GOD 
by Dan Abnett (Writer) Tazio Bettin (Artist) Matt Soffe (Colourist) Jim Campbell (Letterer)

Welcome to the city of AZIMUTH, a data-driven metropolis, where anything is possible. Ruled by an aristocracy of the New Flesh, such concepts of life, death, and body-forms are fluid. Anyone can take any shape, if it can be conceived by the imagination. A stranger has ridden into town — none other than Ramone Dexter — and revealed that Azimuth is in fact Downlode recrafted by a rogue Artificial Intelligence…

SCARLET TRACES // EMPIRE OF BLOOD 
by Ian Edginton (Writer) D’Israeli (Artist) Annie Parkhouse (Letterer)

England, the late nineteenth century. Earth has come under attack by Martian war machines, devastating huge swathes of the country with their heat rays and harvesting enormous numbers of people. Finally struck down by the planet’s viruses, the Martians’ assault collapses. Now, humanity is picking up the pieces and coming to terms with the aftermath, but there appears to be vestiges of the aliens left…

• Available in print from: 2000AD webshop, newsagents, select supermarkets, book stores, Amazon, and comic book stores via Diamond | Available in digital from: 2000AD webshop, 2000AD app for Apple & Android

The 2000AD Sci-Fi Special 2025
UK And Digital: 16 July £4.99
North America: 20 August $8.99
Diamond: May251644
Cover: Chris Weston

In this issue:

JUDGE DREDD // COSTAFERATU 
by Al Ewing (Writer) Dan Cornwell (Artist) Pippa Bowland (Colourist) Annie Parkhouse (Letterer)

THE OUT // THE WAR OF ART 
by Dan Abnett (Writer) Mark Harrison (Colourist) Simon Bowland (Letterer)

FUTURE SHOCKS // G.A.R.I. 
by Andi Ewington (Writer) Nick Dyer (Artist) Jim Campbell (Letterer)

AMPNEY CRUCIS INVESTIGATES… // EVIL UNDER THE SUN 
by Ian Edginton (Writer) D’Israeli (Artist) Annie Parkhouse (Letterer)

STRONTIUM DOG // THE HOLLIDAY JOB 
by Karl Stock (Writer) Jake Lynch (Artist) Jim Boswell (Colourist) Rob Steen

Available in print from: 2000AD webshop, newsagents, book stores, Amazon, and comic book stores via Diamond | Available in digital from: 2000AD webshop, 2000AD app for Apple & Android

Judge Dredd Megazine 482
UK And Digital: 16 July £6.99
North America: 20 August $11.99
Diamond: May251645
Cover: John McCrea With Mike Spicer

In this issue:

JUDGE DREDD // A TRUE TASTE 
by Alec Worley (Writer) Clint Langley (Artist) Quinton Winter (Colourist) Annie Parkhouse (Letterer)

Mega-City One, 2147 AD. This vast urban hell on the east coast of post-apocalyptic North America is bordered by the toxic Black Atlantic and the irradiated Cursed Earth. It is home to over 250 million citizens, where tensions run a constant knife-edge. Crime is rampant, and stemming the tide of chaos are the Judges. Toughest of them all is Judge Dredd – he is the Law!

MEGA-CITY 2099 // ANGER MACHINE 
by Karl Stock (Writer) Conor Boyle (Colourist) Simon Bowland (Letterer)

Mega-City One, 2099 AD. Before the Judges took complete control of the metropolis, there were two strands of law enforcement – regular uniformed cops did much of the day-to-day policing, while the helmeted Judges were called upon to pass judgement on certain criminals, their vested powers giving them the ability to dispense on-the-spot sentences…

CADET DREDD // THE HAUNTING OF ISO-BLOCK 8 
by Paul Starkey (Writer) Nick Brokenshire (Artist) Jim Campbell (Letterer)

Mega-City One, 2076 AD. Overcrowding in the metropolis is rife, unemployment is at ninety per cent, boredom is universal and crime is rampant. Only the Judges can stop total anarchy. Cadet Joe Dredd – together with his clone-brother Rico – is a rising star in Justice Department, and will one day be its finest officer. Now, he and a group of cadets have been plunged back in time…

TALES FROM THE BLACK MUSEUM 
by James Peaty (Writer) Warren Pleece (Artist) Annie Parkhouse (Letterer)

Mega-City One, 2147 AD. Deep in the heart of the Grand Hall of Justice lies the Black Museum, Justice Department’s permanent exhibition of the relics from bygone crimes. Whether it’s a notorious serial killer’s trophies or the weapons of the Dark Judges, the violent history of the Big Meg is laid bare here. Let undead guide Henry Dubble show you around…

ROK THE GOD 
by John Wagner & Alan Grant (Writer) Dan Cornwell (Artist) Abby Bulmer & Jim Boswell (Colourist) Jim Campbell (Letterer)

BARREL & HAMMER // HAMMER TIME 
by David Barnett (Writer) Luke Horsman (Artist) Simon Bowland (Letterer)

Deep in the void of space, the far future. The buccaneers that patrol the galaxy on the hunt for ships to plunder have a strict hierarchy that they have to adhere to – certain targets are only available to those that belong to the Space Pirates Guild. A vacancy has opened up in the Guild, and the pirates Barrel & Hammer are amongst those battling to win it…

Available in print from: 2000AD webshop, newsagents, book stores, Amazon, and comic book stores via Diamond | Available in digital from: 2000AD webshop, 2000AD app for Apple & Android

July 2025

The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire Volume VI
By Mike Butterworth (Writer) and Oliver Frey (Artist)
Release Date: Scheduled for Wednesday 16th July 2025
Hardback (Webshop Only) | Paperback | 240 Pages
ISBN: 978-1837865345
• Preorder the paperback edition AmazonUK (Affiliate Link)
• Webshop hardcover edition available here from 2000AD

The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire Volume VI contains Oliver Frey and Mike Butterworth’s final work on the series, as they pass the baton to Ken Roscoe and Gerry Wood, who would work on the remainder of the series.

This volume collects thirteen classic, fast-paced, yet beautifully painted stories featuring the Emperor Trigo, ruler of the Trigan Empire, holding the line against monsters, alien threats, and internal usurpers, with the help of his nephew Janno, and the scientist Peri.

New Collections

Rogue Trooper: The Complete Collection – Book 2
by Gerry Finley-Day, Cam Kennedy, et al.
Release Date: 16th July 2025
Paperback | 368 Pages
ISBN: 978-1837865352
• Buy it from AmazonUK (Affiliate Link)

The Complete Rogue Trooper series continues to collect every adventure of one of 2000AD’s most popular characters, originally created by Gerry Finley-Day and Dave Gibbons (Watchmen), this second volume features the work of veteran artists Cam Kennedy (Star Wars: Dark Empire) and Brett Ewins.

The hunt for the Traitor General, who betrayed Rogue and caused the deaths of his fellow soldiers, comes to a conclusion, bringing to an end the first phase of Rogue’s storyline.

The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire Volume VI
By Mike Butterworth (Writer) and Oliver Frey (Artist)
Release Date: Scheduled for Wednesday 16th July 2025
Hardback (Webshop Only) | Paperback | 240 Pages
ISBN: 978-1837865345
• Preorder the paperback edition AmazonUK (Affiliate Link)
• Webshop hardcover edition available here from 2000AD

The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire Volume VI contains Oliver Frey and Mike Butterworth’s final work on the series, as they pass the baton to Ken Roscoe and Gerry Wood, who would work on the remainder of the series.

This volume collects thirteen classic, fast-paced, yet beautifully painted stories featuring the Emperor Trigo, ruler of the Trigan Empire, holding the line against monsters, alien threats, and internal usurpers, with the help of his nephew Janno, and the scientist Peri.

Mike Butterworth is primarily known in comic circles as the writer of The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire, but had previously written “Battler Briton” and “Buffalo Bill” strips for Comet, and for Sun he wrote “Max Bravo”, “The Happy Hussar” and “Billy the Kid” (which was drawn by, amongst others, Don Lawrence). “The Trigan Empire” began in 1965 in Ranger, and continued when Ranger was absorbed into Look and Learn where it continued to be published through to 1982. From 1967 he also wrote crime novels under his full name, John Michael Butterworth, and gothic romances under the pseudonyms of Carola Salisbury and Sarah Kemp.

• About the Author
• Latest Posts

John Freeman

John  is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of  comics such as 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.

• British Comic Rarities aplenty in latest Phil-Comics auction, closing this weekend
• In Review: No Refuge by Joe Brady and Patrice Aggs
• New issue of comics anthology, World War 3 Illustrated, out next week

Categories: downthetubes News

Tags: 2000AD, 2000AD Sci-Fi Special, Al Ewing, Chris Weston, Colin MacNeil, downthetubes News, Judge Dredd, Judge Dredd Megazine, Mega-City 2099, SF Comics, Strontium Dog, Tales from the Black Museum