Rebellion Releases — 31 May 2023

Following the success of last year's hardcover special, this new series brings classic series from the legendary British comics Battle Picture Weekly and Action such as ‘Johnny Red’, ‘Crazy Keller’, ‘D-Day Dawson’, ‘Dredger’, ‘Major Eazy’, and ‘Hellman of Hammer Force’ back to life, courtesy of John Wagner (Judge Dredd), Dan Abnett (Guardians of the Galaxy), Torunn Grønbekk (Thor), Rob Williams (Suicide Squad), John Higgins (Watchmen) and Chris Burnham (Batman Incorporated)!

Available through comic book stores and the 2000 AD and Treasury of British Comics webshops, this first issue features the return of fan favourite World War Two flying ace ‘Johnny Red’ by Ennis and Burns, as well as the return of Battle Picture Weekly’s co-creator John Wagner to ‘HMS Nightshade’, the series he co-created with artist Mike Western in 1979, which tells the story of a Royal Navy warship protecting Allied shipping from the U-Boat menace!

Each issue comes wrapped in a stunning cover by award-winning artist Keith Burns. A special exclusive edition of issue one, available only from the 2000 AD and Treasury webshops, features a breathtaking wrap-around cover of HMS Nightshade in action, while a Diamond retailer exclusive cover edition drawn the John Higgins is available only through comic book stores.

Battle Picture Weekly was where the 1970s revolution in British comics began. Created in 1975 by writers and editors Pat Mills and John Wagner, it introduced new grittiness into comics with its cast of anti-heroes and misfits. Its bombast and energy sparked a sea-change in what comics could do, leading to Mills’ creation of the controversial Action and the globally influential 2000 AD.

The new Battle Action mini-series celebrates the merging of this landmark title with its controversial stablemate, Action, a combination that took the two comics to even greater heights. Now, more than forty years after the original, some of the cream of British comics talent are bringing these classic characters back to life.

2000AD Prog 2334
Cover: Boo Cook.

Judge Dredd: In The Event of My Untimely Demise Part 3 by Mike Carroll (w) Paul Marshall (a) Dlan Teague (c) Annie Parkhouse (l)
Void Runners Part 1 by David Hine (w) Boo Cook (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)
Enemy Earth: Book Two Part 9 by Cavan Scott (w) Luke Horsman (a) Simon Bowland (l)
Durham Red: Mad Dogs Part 9 by Alec Worley (w) Ben Willsher (a) Simon Bowland (l)
Rogue Trooper: Blighty Valley Part 9 by Garth Ennis (w) Patrick Goddard (a) Rob Steen (l)

Battle Action #1
Cover: Keith Burns.

In this issue:
Johnny Red: The Falcon by Garth Ennis (w) Keith Burns (a) Jason Wordie (c) Rob Steen (l)
HMS Nightshade by John Wagner (w) Dan Cornwell (a) Len O'Grady (c) Rob Steen (l)