Rebellion Releases — 28 September 2022

It’s the sequel no-one wanted and which authorities did everything they could to prevent – but the corpulent giant alien Bonjo From Beyond The Stars has escaped and is lurching back into the pages of 2000 AD!

Prepare for a brand new tale of bilious chaos and comical carnage written by Garth Ennis (Preacher, The Boys) and drawn by the legendary artist and original Bonjo creator Kevin O’Neill (Nemesis the Warlock, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) – coming to the bumper Christmas issue of 2000 AD!

Bonjo From Beyond the Stars: Solids in the Bile Tube is a thirteen-page one-off story in 2000 AD Prog 2312, on sale 14 December 2022.

The strip marks O’Neill’s return to 2000 AD since drawing the concluding episode in 2000 of Nemesis the Warlock, his and Pat Mills’ groundbreaking series that began in 1980 and sealed O’Neill’s reputation as an artist of extraordinary skill and imagination.

However, Bonjo is no brave alien freedom fighter but a giant, idiotic alien with a voracious appetite who eats everything he comes into contact with! He now returns – unbidden, unwanted, and unfiltered – to 2000 AD in a gross, madcap and filthy new story that will have readers spraying invective with and at every page!

When Tharg heads to a publishers' conference and leaves the droids in charge, few expect the chaos that ensues when something emerges from the old filing cabinet marked 'Progatory', where old Thrills are supposed to go to die…

Garth Ennis said: 'Bonjo’s been stuck in my head ever since I first read his adventures back in 1978 - the character himself is adorable, his supporting cast is inspired (M.A.C.H. Sponge, M.A.C.H. Elephant and the heroic M.A.C.H. Aardvark), but the dialogue is simply irresistible: “Darn it- solids in the bile tube again! Have to mash it back down!” and the unforgettable “Uuur, what for you stick plunger up hooter?” A question well worth pondering; I find myself remembering that one almost daily.

'The story features Bonjo reappearing at the worst possible time in the worst possible way, as a money-hungry Tharg tries to impress other publishers with crossover possibilities featuring the Galaxy’s Greatest. What’s that stirring in the bottom drawer of the old King’s Reach Tower filing cabinet? Why should you never play poker with the VCs? And will Tharg’s droids save the day, or will they make things catastrophically worse?

'Kev and I had a hoot with Kids Rule OK in the Battle Action special, and I was delighted when he got in touch about doing another short story. Bonjo immediately came to mind- it’s not quite my first exposure to his work, which pops up all over the early progs, but it’s close enough. Bonjo provides a nice opportunity to talk about embarrassing old concepts that emerge right when you don’t want them to- which let's face it, is something that makes everyone laugh.

'Or if not everyone, me and Kev.'

Kevin O'Neill said: 'In space nobody can hear you- laugh! But Mad #215 used it: so BONJO 2: THIS TIME IT'S WARM! Kevin and Garth reboot unwanted, unloved and unburied page filler nobody asked for – took the Galactic Groats and ran.’

Matt Smith, editor of 2000 AD, said: 'For the last forty-four years, Squaxx dek Thargo had thought their progs were safe, that they’d seen the last of the interstellar menace. But he’s back, and not even Tharg can stop him. Bonjo From Beyond the Stars has returned in ‘Solids in the Bile Tube’, a thirteen-page story for the Xmas prog brought to you by Garth Ennis and Kevin O’Neill – and yes, it’s every bit as anarchic, filthy and bowel-looseningly funny as you’d expect. Few Thrills get as moist as this one, Earthlets.’

The original short humour strip, published over ten episodes between 1977 and 1978, was inspired by the humour titles of 2000 AD’s then-owners, IPC – including classic series such as Ken Reid’s ‘Faceache’.

And now, this week's releases...

2000AD Prog 2301
Cover: PJ Holden.

Judge Dredd: Half Smart by Arthur Wyatt (w) Dave Taylor (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)
Chimpsky’s Law: A Terrifically Disturbing Adventure by Ken Niemand (w) PJ Holden (a) Chris Blythe (c) Simon Bowland (l)
Enemy Earth: Book One by Cavan Scott (w) Luke Horsman (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)
Future Shocks: Echo by Honor Vincent (w) Liana Kangas (a) Adam Cahoon (c) Jim Campbell (l)
Hershey by Rob Williams (w) Simon Fraser (a) Simon Bowland (l)

2000AD Regened Volume 4 by Liam Johnson, Ramzee, David Barnett, David Baillie, Gordon Rennie, Emma Beeby, Colin Harvey, Karl Stock, James Peaty, Honor Vincent (w) Duane Redhead, Ben Wilsher, Luke Horsman, Korinna Mei Veropoulou, Nick Roche, Colin Macneil, Neil Googe, Steve Roberts, Tom Newell, V.V. Glass (a)
Rebellion ISBN 978-178618587-7, 27 September 2022, 112pp, £13.99 / $18.99. Available via Amazon.

2000 AD's all ages science fiction anthology series is returns with a fourth thrill-powered collection of epic, action packed stories featuring all of your favourite characters and a brand new, exclusive Harlem Heroes strip! Cadet Dredd goes undercover as a renegade runaway! It's the Harlem Heroes versus the Harlem Hellcats in the most dangerous - and deadly - aeroball game Mega-City One's ever seen! Does Chopper have what it takes to evade the Judges and win the Sky Surfing competition? Travel to other dimensions with Jaina and Jacen in 'Splorers! And Judge Anderson is back with another collection of brainbusting puzzles! It's the Galaxy's best and brightest all-ages comic - it's 2000 AD Regened!

Best of 2000AD Vol. 1 by John Wagner, Dan Abnett, Alan Moore, Alan Grant, Jamie Delano, Alan Davies (w) Kev Walker, INJ Culbard, Ian Gibson, Carlos Ezquerra, Arthur Ranson, Brendan McCarthy, Jamie Hewlett, Alan Davies (a)
Rebellion ISBN 978-178618706-2, 27 September 2022, 192pp, £14.99 / $22.99. Available via Amazon.

Best of 2000 AD is a landmark series from the cult comic, bursting with our greatest stories for a new generation of readers.
    Every Best of 2000 AD contains a mix of modern classics and gems from the vault. In each edition you'll find an explosive new Judge Dredd adventure, fresh essays by prominent popular culture writers, a graphic novel-length feature presentation by global legends and a vintage Dredd case.
    In this volume: Judge Dredd battles Mutie Block anarchy; Halo Jones escapes in Alan Moore’s first masterpiece; humanity is on the Brink in the space murder mystery from Dan Abnett and INJ Culbard; Judge Anderson takes centre stage in the search for Shamballa.
    Boasting brand new covers from an all-star line-up of artists including Jamie McKelvie (The Wicked + The Divine) and Karl Kerschl (Gotham Academy) with designer Tom Muller (X-Men), Best of 2000 AD is the essential gateway into the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic.