Upcoming British Comics' Reference

The A to Z of British Newspaper Strips by Paul Hudson
Book Palace Books ISBN 978-191354824-7, July 2022, 320pp, £55.00. Available via Book Palace.

We are proud to announce the publication of this comprehensive guide to the long and distinguished career of the British Newspaper Strip, listing hundreds of newspaper strips printed in Britain over the last hundred plus years.
    Written by Paul Hudson, former owner of the much-missed London comic shop Comic Showcase, this upcoming title is the product of more than two years of assiduous research and is a wonderful point of reference for a cherished part of British daily life and culture.
    The book has over 680 entries, of which over 650 are illustrated, and features all your favourites such as Andy Capp, Axa, Bristow, Flook, Fred Bassett, Garth, George and Lynne, Jeff Hawke, Modesty Blaise, Pip, Squeak and Wilfred, Rupert Bear, Tamara Drewe, The Perishers, Varoomshka, plus many, many more!
    Each strip is credited with dates, creators and descriptions as well as sample illustrations.

Blazing Battle Action by David Bishop & David McDonald
Hibernia Press, July 2022, 76pp, £10.49. Available via Comicsy.

‘Blazing Battle Action’ is the sixth in Hibernia acclaimed Comic Archive series, exploring comics history through interviews, articles and rare art.

    ‘Blazing Battle Action’ contains a comprehensive history of ‘Battle’ by author and former editor of ‘2000 AD’, David Bishop. Originally serialised in the ‘Judge Dredd Megazine’, this is the first time it has been collected in print.

    Also included is David McDonald’s history of the hugely popular, and divisive, ‘Action Force’ stories that appeared in ‘Battle’, as well at its replacement ‘Storm Force’.

    Along with rare art, collectors checklist and and overview of Rebellions new ‘Battle’ comic, this is the ultimate Battle companion!

I Am the Law: How Judge Dredd Predicted Our Future by Michael Molcher
Rebellion ISBN 978-178618570-9, 27 October 2022, 208pp, £14.99. Available via Amazon.

An in-depth examination of the ways in which the comic strip Judge Dredd, published in 2000 AD, has predicted the changing face of policing in Britain over the last 45 years.
    He is the law - and you better believe it!
    Judge, jury and executioner, Judge Dredd is the brutal comic book cop policing the chaotic future urban jungle of Mega-City One, created by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra and launching in the pages of 2000 AD in 1977.
    But what began as a sci-fi action comic quickly evolved into a searing satire on hardline, militarised policing and ‘law and order’ politics, its endless inventiveness and ironic humour acting as a prophetic warning about our world today - and with important lessons for our future.
    Blending comic book history with contemporary radical theories on policing, I Am The Law takes key Dredd stories from the last 45 years and demonstrates how they provide a unique wake up call about our gradual, and not so gradual, slide towards authoritarian policing.
    From the politicisation of policing to ‘zero tolerance’, from violent suppression of protest to the rise of the surveillance state, I Am The Law examines how a comic book warned us about the chilling endgame of today's 'law and order' politics.

Rebellion Releases — 29 June 2022

The fourth book of Dan Abnett (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Phil Winslade’s (Wonder Woman) action-packed frontier epic Lawless is out now!

This latest collection includes the all singin’, all dancin’ episode – Lawless the Musical – with an easy way to sign-along with this original and hilarious musical at home, and a brilliant rendition of the music free to listen on the 2000 AD Soundcloud!

Having narrowly avoided being wiped from the face of the planet by Munce, Inc., Badrock is now a thriving boom town, predicated on an uneasy peace between the Zhind, the settlers and the Mega-City One Justice Department. Designated a Free Town, the future’s there for taking, and folks from all over the planet 43 Rega are flocking to Badrock to begin anew, all under the watchful, disapproving eye of the SJS.

Many are hardworking, honest folk – but some are parasites, drawn to Badrock to find new ways of making a killing. And when a caravan of settlers is brutally slaughtered, it’ll take all that Colonial Marshal Metta Lawson has to stop an outright war.

And now, this week's releases...

2000AD Prog 2288
Cover: Peter Yong

Cadet Dredd: Zootrapolis by Liam Johnson (w) Joel Carpenter (a) John Charles (c) Annie Parkhouse (l)
Lowborn High: Good Sport by David Barnett (w) Anna Morozova (a) Jim Campbell
Future Shocks: Into The Void by Karl Stock (w) Tom Newell (a) Barbara Nosenzo (c) Annie Parkhouse (l)
Pandora Perfect: Feed the Bird by Roger Langridge (w) Brett Parson (a) Simon Bowland (l)

Lawless: Boomtown by Dan Abnett & Phil Winslade
Rebellion ISBN 978-178618526-6, 23 June 2022, 128pp, £16.99 / $24.99. Available via Amazon.

Having narrowly avoided being wiped from the face of the planet by Munce, Inc., Badrock is now a thriving boom town, predicated on an uneasy peace between the Zhind, the settlers and the Mega-City One Justice Department. Designated a Free Town, the future’s there for taking, and folks from all over the planet 43 Rega are flocking to Badrock to begin anew, all under the watchful, disapproving eye of the SJS. Many are hardworking, honest folk – but some are parasites, drawn to Badrock to find new ways of making a killing. And when a caravan of settlers is brutally slaughtered, it’ll take all that Colonial Marshal Metta Lawson has to stop an outright war.
    Dan Abnett (Aquaman, Guardians of the Galaxy) and Phil Winslade’s (Howard the Duck, Wonder Woman) frontier epic Lawless continues in this fourth action packed volume, which includes the all singin’, all dancin’, Lawless the Musical!

Comic Cuts — 24 June 2022

What was meant to be a nice relaxing week, working at a nice steady pace, turned into a bit of a mare thanks to a rather poorly printed story that I had to clean up. Pages that I should have been able to rattle through became a bit of a chore that has taken me all week (so far, as I'm writing this on Thursday evening); I should be finished tomorrow, but I have some other strips to scan and clean up before the end of the month... which means that next week is also going to be a mad rush.

I get out for a walk twice a day, which has been for the most part in glorious sunshine, although I haven't benefited from the nice weather as much as I'd like. I slept through the thunderstorm last weekend, and we've only had passing showers where others have had downpours. (I've probably just cursed my walk for tomorrow morning, so... touch wood!) I need to keep up with the walks as I have put on half a stone since this time last summer. Not enough to cause me any great worries, but I could do with losing the additional pounds and a few more besides. I've made a couple of small adjustments to what I'm eating — part of the problem is that, with Mel back at work nowadays, it's so easy just to make a sandwich for lunch, and I'm convinced that one of the reasons I was able to lose weight during the lockdown periods was that I wasn't eating nearly as much bread. It's my kryptonite!

One benefit of the sunshine is that people have started putting out books that they want to get rid of. There isn't a lot of what I want — there's very little science fiction being read here in Wivenhoe and I haven't found a pre-decimal book for ages — but occasionally something turns up. I was surprised to find a couple of 1970s annuals in a box the other day, and I've picked up some odds and ends for cover galleries, usually different editions of books I already have, but welcome finds nonetheless. These include two SF novels (yes, I know I just said they don't turn up very often, but these were the first two in years), Philip K. Dick's The Man in the High Castle and Len Deighton's SSGB... which makes me wonder if there isn't somebody local who is interested in alternate world yarns where Germany defeated the Allies. I shall have to keep my eyes open for others... Jo Walton's Farthing trilogy would be a welcome addition to my shelves, for instance.

I managed to update the British Library Crime Classics listing (scroll down for what is now probably the longest single post on Bear Alley) and also the weird fiction listing. They seem to have given up on science fiction... clearly not enough people in Wivenhoe reading SF and the one person who does is trying to save money by picking up books second hand or for free...

The Crime Classics now runs to over 100 titles, of which I probably have half. I haven't read one in a while, but then I seem to be taking forever to finish a book these days. I'm reading three... I'm slowly working my way through Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel, which is very good (as, I gather, is her new novel); for fun, and while I'm waiting at the bus stop for Mel of an evening, I'm reading Men, Martians and Machines by Eric Frank Russell as the beaten up, old style 'C' format paperback copy I have fits nicely in my back pocket; and I'm also reading through the latest collection of essays by Andrew Nette & Iain McIntyre, Dangerous Visions and New Worlds, which is up to the same standard as their previous two books, which I imagine most paperback collectors will be familiar with (Girl Gangs, Biker Boys and Real Cool Cats and Sticking It to the Man, links to reviews here on BA).

I'll end with some random scans of recent finds, a throwback to the old days of this blog when I was trawling through the charity shops of Colchester every Saturday.

Commando 5551-5554

Air, land and sea dramas, duels and death-defiance in the next four splendid issues of Commando!
Issues 5551-5554 are in shops and online from Thursday 23rd June, 2022.

5551: Thunderfish!

Commander Ralph Hunter and Lieutenant Jimmy Hart are some of the few survivors of the sinking of the USS Pike. Now they’re assigned to a new Tambor Class submarine and have the opportunity to strike back against the enemy. But with Hunter quaking in his boots and rumours of cowardice abound, can Hart hold the loyalty of the crew long enough to even the score?

A tense underwater adventure in the Pacific from Brent Towns with expressive interiors from Khato and a clean-cut cover from Mark Harris.

Story | Brent Towns
Art| Khato
Cover | Mark Harris

5552: The Sword Shall Decide

Sergeant Bill Bradley has his work cut out for him when the Nazis come spoiling for a fight in the heat of the desert. But the enemy has the upper hand, as their informants are perfectly placed to lead the good-natured sergeant astray. There’s only one way to settle this kind of honour dispute — by the sword!

Secrets, lies and desert spies feature in this heated drama from Welsh, with Aguilar’s distinctive interior artwork and a classic Penalva cover.

Story | Welsh
Art | Aguilar
Cover | Penalva
Originally Commando No. 452 (1970)

5553: Bazooka Billy

The life of a spotter pilot is hardly glitz and glamour, and all Billy Joyner wants to do is take a pop at the enemy before he’s reported back and they’ve moved on. His Grasshopper might not have a radio, but those bazookas look pretty neat and pack a powerful punch to boot!

An action-packed adventure from Ferg Handley, with dynamic interiors from Paolo Ongaro and another exciting cover from Mark Harris.

Story | Ferg Handley
Art | Paolo Ongaro
Cover | Mark Harris

5554: Hard to Kill!

First, it was the jungles of Burma, then a term in Korea. Now, Fred Gates is stationed in Malaya and knows these jungles like the back of his hand. But the pace of war and tactics have changed and Fred will have to learn to adapt — and trust — if he wants to continue being so hard to kill!

An unusual cold-war story from Mike Knowles, featuring earlier interior and cover artwork from well-loved veteran Commando artist Manuel Benet.

Story | Mike Knowles
Art | Manuel Benet
Cover | Manuel Benet
Originally Commando No. 2704 (1993).

Rebellion Releases — 22 June 2022

The latest in the Essential Judge Dredd series of collections, featuring the greatest stories of the lawman of the future in full colour, is out now!

Mega-City One is under siege from the Dark Judges! Judge Dredd has been exiled to the harsh wastelands of the Cursed Earth and time is running out for the citizens he once swore to protect – with the body-count rising and hope running out, Dredd must reclaim his badge from the imposter Judge Kraken and retake Mega-City One from the grip of the Dark Judges; Death, Fear, Fire and Mortis!

Essential Judge Dredd: Necropolis is the ultimate Judge Dredd vs The Dark Judges storyline, a comic book blockbuster written and drawn by Dredd’s co-creators John Wagner (A History of Violence) and Carlos Ezquerra (Strontium Dog).

Out now, this is the fifth volume in the critically-acclaimed Essential Judge Dredd collections, which are the perfect jumping on point for new readers!

And now, this week's release...

2000AD Prog 2287
Cover: Andy Clarke.

Judge Dredd: Grinder by Ken Niemand (w) Nick Dyer (a) Gary Caldwell (c) Annie Parkhouse (l)
Hope: In The Shadows by Guy Adams (w) Jimmy Broxton (a) Jim Campbell (l)
Skip Tracer: Valhalla by James Peaty (w) Paul Marshall (a) Dylan Teague (c) Simon  Bowland (l)
Terror Tales: Music of the Spheres by Kek-W (w) Warren Pleece (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)
Brink: Mercury Retrograde by Dan Abnett (w) INJ Culbard (a) Simon Bowland (l)

Comic Cuts — 17 June 2022

I'm finally back on schedule with the various books I have been putting together for a couple of European publishers. I was running late through most of May — through nobody's fault, I should add. It was simply a case that there was more work than anticipated, and that led to some pagination problems. All is sorted now and the book I am due to deliver today (Friday) will be delivered, so we're back on track.

That will be the eighth for Dolmen Editorial, who are also publishing a number of other reprints as part of their 'Albion' line, including The Trigan Empire, Black Max and The Thirteenth Floor. It's a nice set of titles, inspired by Rebellion's own line of reprints. Dolmen will be well ahead in their reprints of The Spider and The Steel Claw, with volume two of each due this month. Rebellion will be releasing volume two of The Steel Claw in November, by which time Dolmen will have volume three out, and volume four already in production.

Talking of The Steel Claw, Rebellion has released an image of Brian Bolland's fantastic cover for the next volume, Reign of the Brain. This will be the hardback exclusive, to be published on 9 November. Amazon says the book has only 112 pages compared to the first volume's 128 pages. It should mirror the contents of the Dolmen volume, which contains two of the weekly stories from Valiant, The Brian and The Lactians, plus a bonus story from Valiant Annual 1967, drawn by Carlos Cruz.

(Incidentally, the Dolmen volume one had 144 pages because it carried more introductory matter and a very nice colour gallery of previous Spanish translations of the strip.) 

I'm seriously thinking of getting myself a new computer. This one (hush... don't let it know we're talking about it!) is a bit old and knackered, like its owner. The fan has been rattling quite a lot of late, and I think (but I'm not sure) that the machine has been throttling back the processing speed — who knew they could do that? I think I might be suffering from thermal throttling, "a term that refers to a CPU which is throttling as a direct result of poor temperature management," according to this blog. "In other words, the CPU is working as intended (by stepping down its voltage and frequency to maintain safe operating temperatures), but it's clear the system has an issue with overheating."

I've noticed that the system is increasingly overwhelmed if I have quite a few things running or uploading/downloading, and everything will freeze up for a while as the machine figures out what is going on. I'm guessing (and it is a guess, because I know nothing about these things) that it's an age problem. Not things wearing out Wilf-style, but that this computer was designed for Windows 8, and upgrading to Windows 10 plus all the years of bolt-on patches and whatnot, means that the graphics and sound cards are struggling. I know the machine can't cope with Windows 11, so this seems a sensible time to start looking for a replacement.

That's "start looking"... I need to get some advice, look at some options and figure out a budget, and  that might take weeks! I'm not one to rush into anything, especially as I will need it to last until 2035!

Rebellion Releases — 15 June 2022

Out this week from Rebellion Publishing...

2000AD Prog 2286
Cover: Steven Austin.

Judge Dredd: An Honest Man by Kenneth   Niemand (w) Tom Foster (a) Chris Blythe (c)   Annie Parkhouse (l)
 Hope: In The Shadows by Guy Adams (w)   Jimmy Broxton (a) Jim Campbell (l)
 Skip Tracer: Valhalla by James Peaty (w)   Paul Marshall (a) Dylan Teague (c) Simon   Bowland (l)
 Terror Tales: Last Days at Porpoise   Place by John Tomlinson (w) Stewart K.   Moore (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)
 Brink: Mercury Retrograde by Dan Abnett   (w) INJ Culbard (a) Simon Bowland (l)

Judge Dredd Megazine #445
Cover: Rachael Stott.

Judge Dredd: Regicide by Arthur Wyatt (w)   Jake Lynch (a) Jim  Boswell (c) Annie   Parkhouse (l)
Death Cap: Part Seven by T.C. Eglington (w)   Boo Cook (a) Simon Bowland (l)
Diamond Dogs III: Part 07 by James Peaty   (w) Warren Pleece (a) Simon Bowland (l)
Anderson, PSI-Division: Dissolution by   Dan Abnett (w) INJ Culbard (a) Simon   Bowland (l)
Lawless: Ballots Over Badrock: 07 by Dan   Abnett (w) Phil Winslade (a) Jim Campbell (l)

Comic Cuts — 10 June 2022

And I'm back, although I'm planning to keep this brief. I missed last week's episode of this diary column because of the Bank Holiday, which meant we were busy with family and friends. On the Thursday, when I usually write Comic Cuts, I was stuffing myself with a variety of cooked meats and, yes, some salad, at a barbecue on what turned out to be a gorgeously sunny day. Fit for a Queen, you might say.

Although it was a long Bank Holiday, I still had to get some work done, which I was (thankfully) able to finish by Tuesday. Spent Wednesday sorting out some scans for the next book, and yesterday I threw myself into the research for an introduction — which might be the best part of the job. I'd say the research and the writing are on an equal level, because however much fun it is just digging around in comics, reading strips I haven't seen for years (which is why we all got into this comic collecting lark in the first place), there's a huge amount of satisfaction to be had from putting all that information into order so that you can share your enthusiasm for certain stories with others.

Without giving too much away, I was researching a couple of key stories in what I call the 'weird menace' genre of comics. Although the title was usually applied to pulp magazines in the USA (also known as terror pulps or shudder pulps), I didn't pluck the phrase out of thin air — it could be found in the headers and footers of 'The Steel Claw'.

I think of 'The Steel Claw' as the jewel in the weird menace crown, but it had a few predecessors dating back into the 1950s. One that desperately needs to be reprinted is 'Maxwell Hawke' from Buster... come on Rebellion!

I was so engrossed in digging through a bunch of classic old strips — 'Toys of Doom', 'The Shrinker', 'The House of Dollman' and various others — that I completely forgot to write today's column. Thankfully, Mel has the day off, so I'm writing this instead of walking with her to where she catches the bus to work. Very handy!

Now... back to 'Toys of Doom'... what will the evil Toyman get up to next? And why isn't his evil plan being given the hardback treatment from the Treasury of British Comics? We all have our favourites that we'd like to see reprinted, but in my case my collection of Buster is so patchy that I really do need it reprinted so I can read the whole damn story! It was the most revived story in British comics, so it isn't just me.

Time to dive back in!

Commando 5547-5550

Brand-new Commando issues are available in shops and online from today, Thursday 9th June, 2022.

5547: Stay Behind Squad

As the Japanese descend into the Malayan peninsula led by the enthusiastic Lieutenant Colonel Nishio Shizuo, Captain Tony Kemp must do everything in his power to hold up the advance! Armed with nothing but a handful of munitions from the back of his clapped-out car, he teams up with local defenders Sarip, Teng and the formidable Siti, to put up the fight of a lifetime as they protect their homes and loved ones from the invasion of Empires.
 
Andrew Knighton is on script duty for this War in the East romp, with amazing art as always from Morhain and Keith Burns!

Story | Andrew Knighton
Art| Morhain
Cover |Keith Burns

5548: Hero in a Hurri

No one likes a coward! Buck Leigh was an ace pilot, capable of handling an aircraft in a way that most blokes could only dream about. David Walton had always been insanely jealous of his flying ability, ever since the days before the war when they’d both been in a flying circus. But now Walton had a chance to make Buck pay for stealing his limelight, for Buck had joined Walton’s squadron with the tag ‘coward’ around his neck —the tag that Walton had helped to give him!

Fan-favourite artist Jose Maria Jorge lends his talent to this issue penned by Smith and topped off with a dashing cover by Sanfeliz!

Story | Smith
Art | Jose Maria Jorge
Cover | Sanfeliz
Originally Commando No. 440 (1969)

5549: The Last of the Wattles

When war was declared in Europe in August 1914, thousands of miles away, an Australian rules football team called the Hollyvale Wattles was playing for the greatest prize of the year. Little did they know it would be the last match they’d ever play together as the next day all eighteen team members enlisted for The Great War. Eighteen Wattles went to do their duty but only one of them would return.

An incredible and poignant story about the Australian experience during World War One by Brent Towns. Vicente Alcazar’s moody art adds to this powerful issue alongside a new Commando artist, Mark Eastbrook as he makes his cover debut.

Story | Brent Towns
Art | Vicente Alcazar
Cover | Mark Eastbrook

5550: Forward the Brave!

The Allied invasion of France —and every patriotic Frenchman was dedicated to the task of throwing the Nazis out of his country. None more so than Jean le Brave, village teacher, museum curator and fanatical student of the campaigns of Napoleon Bonaparte. He saw himself as a master tactician and he was determined to play a leading part —whether anyone wanted his advice or not!
 
A weird and wacky issue picked by the readers themselves! This “By Special Request” issue features the work of Ian Clark, Olivera and an excellent cover by Ian Kennedy!

Story | Ian Clark
Art | Olivera
Cover | Ian Kennedy
Originally Commando No. 2662 (1993)

Rebellion Releases — 8 June 2022

The Battle Action Special is hitting comic book stores today!

Featuring seven brand new stories written by Garth Ennis – the mind behind The Boys, Preacher, and war comics such as The Stringbags and Sara – the 96-page hardcover anthology captures the spirit and action of the merger of the groundbreaking Battle and Action comics in the 1970s.

Behind the cover by Andy Clarke (Batman and Robin) and Dylan Teague (Madi), Ennis is joined by artists Mike Dorey (Ro-Busters), John Higgins (Watchmen), Keith Burns (Ladybird Expert series), PJ Holden (The Stringbags), Patrick Goddard (Judge Dredd), Chris Burnham (Batman) and League of Extraordinary Gentlemen artist Kevin O’Neill.

The 2000AD Website has been running a series of short features on the various characters that appear in the new volume. Here, for example, is an introduction to The Sarge:

Created by Gerry Finley-Day and Mike Western, veteran British sergeant Jim Masters leads his ten-strong infantry section from one end of the Second World War to the other: the Battle of France, the Western Desert, Tunisia, Sicily and Italy.

On the way he tries his best to keep as many of them alive as possible, matching two wars’ worth of experience against the German army’s apparently effortless lethality. Men come and go, replacements fill the gaps, and the long slog up the dusty trail continues. The peculiar mixture of individuals that makes up the section gels under Masters’ leadership, turning the little unit into an effective combat force – but no one is safe when the bullets start flying. Together they stand, yet together they die, too.

If there is a third string to Finley-Day’s bow it must surely be heart, and never was this displayed more strongly than in The Sarge. The sheer likeability of the section’s personalities – Sid, Beet, Lover, Bates, Pete and the rest – is testament to the writer’s expert command of character, with Mike Western’s unmistakable line setting them all in stone (the creative team’s portrayal of Masters himself, leavening warmth and humour with occasional but very necessary brutality, is simply superb).

Their work laid the groundwork for the strip to continue past their tenure, with a follow-up by Scott Goodall and Phil Gascoigne that took the section from Normandy to the German homeland. One of the comic’s longest lasting strips at just over three and a half years, The Sarge must surely vie with Rogue Trooper from 2000 AD for the title of Gerry Finley-Day’s finest hour.

Here are links to the seven introductions...

Johnny Red and Skreamer of the Stukas.
The Sarge.
Crazy Keller.
Dredger.
Hellman of Hammer Force & Glory Rider.
Kids Rule O.K.!.
Nina Petrova and the Angels of Death.

And now, this week's other releases...

2000AD Prog 2285
Cover: Tiernen Trevallion.

Judge Dredd: An Honest Man by Kenneth Niemand (w) Tom Foster (a) Chris Blythe (c) Annie Parkhouse
Terror Tales: Wunza by John Tomlinson (w) Eion Coveney, Alessandro Vitti (a) Simon Bowland (l)
Hope: In The Shadows by Guy Adams (w) Jimmy Broxton (a) Jim Campbell (l)
Brink: Mercury Retrograde by Dan Abnett (w) INJ Culbard (a) Simon Bowland
Fiends of the Eastern Front: 1963 by Ian Edginton (w) Tiernen Trevallion (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)

Black Beth: Vengeance Be Thy Name by Blas Gallego, Alec Warley & DaNi
Rebellion ISBN 978-178618635-5, 7 June 2022, 80pp, £16.99 / $24. Available via Amazon.

A warrior with a name born of the black rage that filled her heart! In a world of swords and sorcery, the evil tyrant Rassau discovers that he is destined to be killed by a fearsome warrior called Beth. Together with his men, Rassau seeks Beth out, destroying her village and killing all held dear to her. With the aid of a former warrior - the blind Quido - Beth becomes a skilled fighter and sworn enemy of all that is evil! She will not rest until her people are avenged! This book contains both the original strip and the brilliantly resurrected stories that have been masterfully guided by writer Alec Worley and DC Comic's newest star, the astonishing Greek artist, DaNi!

Essential Judge Dredd: Necropolis by John Wagner & Carlos Ezquerra
Rebellion ISBN 978-178618566-2, 7 June 2022, 224pp, £19.99 / $25. Available via Amazon.

The essential Judge Dredd graphic novel series – the ultimate introduction to the Lawman of the Future! Mega-City One is under siege from the Dark Judges, Dredd has been exiled to the harsh wastelands of the Cursed Earth and time is running out for the citizens he once swore to protect. With the body-count rising and hope running out, will the Judges be able to turn back the tide of death? Essential Judge Dredd: Necropolis is the ultimate Judge Dredd Vs The Dark Judges storyline. A comic book ‘summer blockbuster’, written and drawn by Dredd’s co-creators John Wagner (A History of Violence) and Carlos Ezquerra (Strontium Dog), where Dredd must reclaim his badge from the imposter Judge Kraken and retake Mega-City One from the grip of the Dark Judges; Death, Fear, Fire and Mortis.

Hawk the Slayer (Part III of V) by Garth Ennis & Henry Flint
Cover: Greg Staples.

The all-new comic-book sequel to the cult sword n' sorcery movie continues as Hawk and his companions battle the nightmarish horrors of the Forest of Weir, and converses with the spirit of Hawk's father in order to find out the secret of the Mindstone, while the resurrected Voltan brings yet more carnage to the land in his search for Hawk.

Rebellion Releases — 1 June 2022

The celebrations for 2000 AD‘s 45^th year continue with 45 Years of 2000 AD Anniversary Art Book, which was published last week.

Expect 45 pieces of artistic brilliance – brand new takes coming from artists old and new, both familiar names to readers of the Prog and new and exciting artists from further afield!

Inside you’ll find 45 stunning pieces from 45 great artists with one simple brief – interpret the characters that have made the Galaxy’s Greatest what it is over the past 45 years! And what a lineup it is… not just fabulous familiar names from the past and the present of 2000 AD history including Kevin O’Neill, Sean Phillips, Chris Weston, Henry Flint, and so many more, but some great artists who’ve not really been associated with 2000 AD before, including Jamie Smart, Hannah Templer, Priscilla Bampoh, Annie Wu, and a host of others.

Available in a standard hardcover or a special slipcase hardcover exclusive to the 2000 AD webshop, this is a unique collection honouring four and a half decades of groundbreaking comics!

The 2000AD Website has been running a series of interviews with the artists who have contributed artwork, leading off with editor Oliver Pickles, frontispiece artist SK Moore and artists Kevin O'Neill and Mick McMahon.

Here's Mick McMahon talking about his contribution:

Keith Richardson mailed me about this pin-up book and suggested that I might like to do my take on Bad Company. To be honest I’d never heard of Bad Company, but once I’d had a look at it I knew it was something I could get my teeth into.

First priority was to decide which characters to use, there’s a lot of ’em! At the roughs stage, I had several goes at trying to compose a shot where the characters are standing around in classic pin-up fashion but there were so many legs my head was spinning, so I decided to do an action shot instead.

Once I’d had the idea that they would all be firing their weapons only to the left or the right, it all seemed to come together quite naturally, and through the judicious use of smoke (the artist’s friend), I managed to not have to draw any legs at all. Hurrah!

Links to the various interviews:
Part 1: Oliver Pickles, SK Moore, Kevin O'Neill, Mick McMahon
Part 2: Chun Lo, Steve White, Eduardo Ocana, VV Glass, Andreas Butzbach, Josh Hicks
Part 3: Dani, Staz Johnson, Mike Perkins, Priscilla Bampoh, Henry Flint,
Part 4: Langdon Foss, Dave Kendall, Bex Glendining, Vincenzo Riccardi, Richard Elson, Sean Phillips, James Harren
Part 5: Simon Coleby, Lando, Mateus Manhanini, Hannah Templer

And now, this week's releases...

2000AD Prog 2284
Cover: INJ Culbard.

Judge Dredd: An Honest Man by Kenneth Niemand (w) Tom Foster (a) Chris Blythe (c) Annie Parkhouse
Future Shocks: School Run by John Tomlinson (w) Steven Austin (a) Simon Bowland (l)
Brink: Mercury Retrograde by Dan Abnett (w) INJ Culbard (a) Simon Bowland
Hope: In The Shadows by Guy Adams (w) Jimmy Broxton (a) Jim Campbell (l)
Fiends of the Eastern Front: 1963 by Ian Edginton (w) Tiernen Trevallion (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)