Zombies get set to take over Rebellion’s 2000AD multiverse!

By John Freeman on September 15, 2022

Trailed last year, there’s a major Zombie event coming to 2000AD and Judge Dredd Megazine next week, as a talented host of creators, some new to Rebellion titles offer an alternative, undead-laden end to the epic tale, “Judgement Day”.

This month, it will be thirty years since Judgement Day was averted… but it could have been very different, as Rebellion bring us “the comics event of the year” – an epic undead crossover comes to the 2000AD multiverse.

To mark the event, the 2000AD is offering a 2000AD Prog 2300 and Judge Dredd Megazine 448 bundle, both of which combine into one zarjaz epic storyline.

2000AD 2300 - Cover art by Cliff Robinson — *2000AD 2300 – Cover art by Cliff Robinson*

Longtime fans of 2000AD will know “Judgement Day”, centring on Judge Dredd, was first published with alternating episodes in both 2000AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine in 1992, a new collection out next year, the first crossover between the two publications, and a crossover with another 2000AD series, Strontium Dog, the second occasion on which Judge Dredd confronted Johnny Alpha. Written by Garth Ennis (based on an idea by John Wagner) the story was illustrated by Carlos Ezquerra, Peter Doherty, Dean Ormston and Chris Halls.

Set mainly in 2114, “Judgement Day” tells of how the Fourth World War took the lives of three billion people, when a powerful necromagus called Sabbat raised all the corpses in the world as zombies. The series is notable because it was Ennis’ longest Dredd story, killed off most of the supporting cast of the Judge Dredd series, and it was the first story to feature Johnny Alpha since he was killed off at the end of the Strontium Dog series (from Alpha’s point of view, the tale was set two years before his death).

An early trailer for the upcoming "Undead" crossover event from Rebellion, teased last year — *An early trailer for the upcoming “Undead” crossover event from Rebellion, teased last year*

Riffing off the 1990s mega-epic ‘Judgement Day’, the myriad of worlds from 2000AD’s 45 years converge in an explosion of death and destruction!

The issues feature work by Ken Niemand, Henry Flint, Mike Carroll, Gary Erskine, Emma Beeby, Neil Googe, Karl Stock, Kieran McKeown, Dan Abnett, Russell M. Olson, Ian Edginton, D’Israeli, Arthur Wyatt, Toby Willsmer, Rob Williams, Staz Johnson, Leigh Gallagher, Kei Zama, Honor Vincent, Boo Cook, Gordon Rennie, Dan Cornwell, James Peaty, Nicolo Assirelli, Liam Johnson, Conor Boyle, and Steve Yeowell.

• You can order this zombie-packed 2000AD/Judge Dredd Megazine bundle here

2000AD 2300 - Cover by Cliff Robinson and Dylan Teague

2000AD Prog 2300

Judge Dredd Megazine 448

• You can order this zombie-packed 2000AD/Judge Dredd Megazine bundle here

Coming in 2023…

Essential Judge Dredd: Judgement Day
by Garth Ennis, Carlos Ezquerra, et al
Out: 11th April 2023 | Date via AmazonUK and other online bookshops
ISBN: 978-1786187789

The essential Judge Dredd graphic novel series – this is the ultimate introduction to the Lawman of the Future!

It is Judgement Day! Sabbat the Necromagus has resurrected every corpse in the whole world to serve as his zombie horde. All over the globe the Judges are facing unimaginable odds, but then the unthinkable happens and time traveling Strontium Dog, Johnny Alpha, arrives to lend Dredd a hand. It is the team-up of the century as Dredd and Alpha destroy out the walking dead!

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.