Treasury of British Comics schedule for 2022

Treasury schedule for 2022. Rebellion's 2022 graphic novel schedule of 2000AD related titles can be found here.

Karl the Viking Volume I: The Sword of Eingar by Ken Mennell, Ted Cowan & Don Lawrence
Rebellion ISBN 978-178618462-7, 19 January 2022, 240pp, £19.99. Available via Amazon.

Originally serialised in Lion, Karl the Viking is a sweeping historical fantasy story of an orphaned Saxon boy, adopted and raised by the viking Eingar after his raid on Britain. Upon coming of age Karl succeeds Eingar and leads his tribe into battle in Britain against wild tribes of Picts, and re-connects with his old Saxon family, gaining an ally in his cousin Godwulf, and making an enemy of the Earl of Eastumbria. These fast-paced stories were drawn by Don Lawrence shortly before he revolutionised painted comic art with The Trigan Empire, when he was already a master of pen and ink, and his Karl the Viking series was the pinnacle of black and white comic art.

The Spider – Crime Unlimited by Jerry Siegel, Donne Avenell, Aldo Marculeta & Giorgio Trevisan
Rebellion ISBN 978-178618465-8, 3 February 2022, 256pp, £19.99. Available via Amazon.

The Spider is the uncrowned king of the New York underworld, so elusive to the police that he even manages to taunt the Police Commissioner at his retirement party. But Professor Aldo Cummings, a famous but ill-tempered scientist, determined to stop the schemes of the Spider once and for all, invents a ray-machine which will eliminate the evil from a person's personality. But a tragic miscalculation will turn Professor Cummings into the Professor of Power, and he will seek a more direct confrontation with the Spider. The first collection of the Spider stories originally published as part of the Picture Library series. These long-lost and fast-paced pulp adventure stories have never been reprinted before, written by Jerry Siegel (Superman) and Donne Avenell (Adam Eterno).

Birdman & Chicken by Trevor Metcalfe
Rebellion ISBN 978-178618492-4, 3 March 2022, 192pp, £14.99. Available via Amazon.

To the outside world, Dick Lane and Chic Dodds look like two average, law-abiding citizens. However, they lead an amazing double life - for when fiendish finks and vile villains step over the line, Dick and Chic strike back as the crime-fighting duo, Birdman and Chicken!
    Cowled, caped and equipped with a vast array of crime-busting gadgets, Birdman and Chicken fight back against the likes of The Giggler, Sourpuss, The Puzzler and Father Time – and sometimes they win!
    A rib-tickling parody of the 1966 Batman television series, Trevor Metcalfe’s super-series was a highlight of Krazy comic every week and is finally collected here for the first time.

The House of Dolmann by Tom Tully, Eric Bradbury, etc.
Rebellion ISBN 978-178618491-7, 14 April 2022, 144pp, £14.99. Available via Amazon.

Genius creator and expert ventriloquist, Eric Dolmann has created a small army of robotic puppets to help the forces of law and order fight back against crime. Whatever the situation, Dolman has a mechanical warrior perfectly suited to get the job done! From the safety of his flying ‘Dolmobile’, he directs Raider, Elasto, Mole, Togo and Giggler into action! Occasionally they will question his judgement and bicker amongst one another – even though they aren’t capable of independent thought!

The Sarge Volume 1 by Gerry Finley-Day & Mike Western
Rebellion ISBN 978-178618633-1, 12 May 2022, 144pp, £19.99. Available via Amazon.

THEY DEPENDED ON THE SARGE. AND THE WORLD DEPENDED ON THEM.
British Sergeant Jim Masters, a veteran of WW1, has to protect and lead his inexperienced platoon during the Second World War.
    From Dunkirk to North Africa, the might of the German Army face the ultimate adversaries when Masters and his boys spring into action - nothing can substitute experience!

The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire Volume IV by Mike Butterworth, Don Lawrence, Miguel Quesada & Philip Coke.
Rebellion ISBN 9781786185648, 24 May 2022, 240pp, £14.99. Available via Amazon.

"I love Trigan Empire! It's absolutely epic" - Duncan Jones.
The best-selling Treasury of British Comics archival series The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire reaches its fourth astounding volume.
The fourth omnibus of the science-fiction classic, The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire, collects the stories published from 1973 through to 1976.
    Don Lawrence's painted art continues to be a highlight of the series, and as he takes a sabbatical from the strip Miguel Quesada and Philip Corke match his impressive work with their own style.
    The Trigan Empire remains resilient against enemies on all fronts, from treacherous politicians, murderous Zith assassins, and alien invaders, Trigo and Janno protect the citizens of Elekton.

Black Beth: Vengeance Be Thy Name by Blas Gallego, Alex Worley & DaNi
Rebellion ISBN 978-178618635-5, 17 June 2022, 80pp, £14.99. 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!

The Astounding Jason Hyde by Barrington J. Bayley, illus. Eric Bradbury
Rebellion ISBN 978-178618638-6, 7 July 2022, ??pp, £9.99. Available via Amazon.

From the pages of UK comic Valiant - a series of amazing text stories featuring the strangest hero of all time!
    Accidental exposure to a form of natural radiation had caused scientist Jason Hyde's eyes to turn colourless and emit blue rays which gave him the power to see through solid objects and to read the thoughts of human beings. Hyde has dedicated his life to investigating strange phenomena and protecting the world from all manner of abnormal threats!
    From giant sentient spiders to a warlike race of subterranean humanoids, Jason Hyde is the Earth's only hope!

The Best of Cat Girl by Giorgio Giorgetti, Ramzee & Elkys Nova
Rebellion ISBN 9-78178618585-3, 12 August 2022, 128pp, £14.99. Available via Amazon.

"A furious, fun, action-packed superhero story" - Broken Frontier
The beloved UK superheroine finally pounces into her own collection!
From the pages of classic 1960s girls' comic Sally comes the first ever collection of beloved British superheroine The Cat Girl! Cathy Carter is not your average teen. She can jump further, fight longer and climb higher than anyone she knows – with the aid of a magic suit, she is Cat Girl! Facing off in glamorous, globetrotting adventures against supervillains and master criminals, Cathy often finds the hardest fight comes from her bumbling detective father, who doesn’t believe Cathy can fend for herself. Can Cathy save the world when the person trying to hold her back – is her dad?
     This collection contains Cat Girl's latest adventure, Cat Girl Returns from the Tammy & Jinty special, as well as a purrfect selection of the best classic Cat Girl stories from Sally, and a brand new cover from Elkys Nova.

Badtime Bedtime Stories by Leo Baxendale
Rebellion ISBN 978-178618531-0, 11 September 2022, 96pp, £tba. Available via Amazon.

Once upon a badtime… In these explosive, hysterical comics, Jack the Nipper, Little Miss Muffet and Little Red Riding Hood run wild in chaotic retellings of beloved tales. These anarchic, frenzied comics stories from the pen of Leo Baxendale are the arguably the jewel of the British humour comics, beloved by many for their DIY storybook aesthetic when they were originally printed in Monster Fun. Now, in this stunning new collection, the comics are restored to their full glory, while reprinted in a smaller style to retain the intimate feel of the originals.
    Crammed with gags and hidden details, these Badtime Bedtime Stories are the perfect late night read for kids and grown-ups!

A Spell of Trouble by Trini Tinture
Rebellion ISBN 978-178618612-6, 13 October 2022, 80pp, £tba. Available via Amazon.

TO WITCH OR NOT TO WITCH?
Popular, rich and great at school, Carrie lives a charmed life – because, unbeknownst to her classmates, she’s a witch! Hailing from a long line of witches and warlocks Carrie has never wanted for anything – that is until her bumbling, nonmagical and anti-magic cousin Angela shows up! And worst of all – if Carrie can’t turn Angela into a legendary sorceress – she’ll lose all her powers! Worlds collide and sparks fly as these cousins have to learn to live together – or else!
    This comedy classic from British girls’ comic Jinty features a brand new cover by the original artist, Trini Tinturé, as well as another tale, the spooky, insect-infested ‘Creepy Crawley’, in a volume perfect for Halloween!

The Steel Claw Volume 2: Reign of the Brain! by Tom Tully & Jesus Blasco
Rebellion ISBN 978-178618681-2, 10 November 2022, 112pp, £tba. Available via Amazon.

One of Britain’s most enduring comic book heroes returns in two stories reprinted here for the first time! The second collection of the sci-fi classic, the Steel Claw collects writer Tom Tully’s first two stories originally published in the comic Valiant between 1963 and 1964. Featuring the stunning, realistic black and white art of Spanish comics’ legend Jesus Blasco!

Karl the Viking Volume II: The Voyage of the Sea Raiders by Ted Cowan, Michael Moorcock & Don Lawrence
Rebellion ISBN 978-178618733-8, 6 December 2022, 256pp, £tba. Available via Amazon.

In the second, and concluding, volume of Karl the Viking, the brave Briton takes the fight even further abroad than before as he and his band of warriors battle against the rival viking Gefion One-Eye in Africa, become mercenaries in a violent dispute between treacherous Russian tribes, and survive against fantastical and unnatural sea monsters.
    Karl the Viking is the series which made Don Lawrence’s reputation, and it was on this basis that he was hired to revolutionise painted comic art with The Trigan Empire.
    This volume also contains stories written by Michael Moorcock penned when he was just beginning to create the adventures of Elric.

Treasury of British Comics - new titles for 2021

From long lost classics to new adventures, Rebellion is proud to announce the full schedule of Treasury of British Comics graphic novel titles for 2021!

Acclaimed by critics and readers, the Treasury of British Comics is bringing classics from the world’s largest archive of English language comic books back into print for young and old alike, and also reinventing some of the world’s most thrilling and enthralling characters for new generations.

The schedule for 2021 includes never-before-reprinted classics, as well as new volumes in on-going series, and collections of Rebellion’s new comics inspired by legendary titles.

These collections will be available from all good book and comic book stores, as well as online retailers, and digitally from the Treasury of British Comics webshop and the 2000 AD app.

Lovingly restored by Rebellion’s in-house reprographics team, next year will see new archive editions of The Steel Claw (February), in which a scientist’s prosthetic hand allows him to become invisible; the early misadventures of the laconic war hero Major Eazy (March); the first stories of the terrifying master criminal, The Spider (April); the time-hopping escapades of alchemist Adam Eterno (May); and the battles of Tiger tank commander, Hellman of Hammer Force (December).

There are also collections for new audiences, including the stunning reinvention of Britain’s greatest superheroes in The Vigilant (April) by Simon Furman and Simon Coleby, while a host of established creators and new talent bring back two of the country’s most popular comics aimed at girls - Tammy and Jinty - with Tammy & Jinty Remixed (June), an anthology of stories from Rebellion’s popular specials.

The incredible legacy of legendary artist Hugo Pratt will continue to be revealed with more of his forgotten war comics for the British market in two new hardcover volumes, Night of the Devil (February) and Battler Britton (June).

In November, two groundbreaking creators receive special tribute collections that showcase the very best art British comics has to offer, master of comedy Tom Paterson and Spanish comics maestro Jaume Rumeu. The Treasury of British Comics Presents: The Tom Paterson Collection (November), showcases Scottish-born Paterson’s unmistakable work for titles such as Buster, Whoopee!, Jackpot, Whizzer & Chips and Oink!, which established him as one of the most inventive and influential cartoonists British comics has ever produced. Lesser known but no less talented, Jaume Rumeu’s work for the girls’ horror comic Misty is nothing short of stunning. Misty Presents: The Jaume Rumeu Collection (November) will collect his short horror stories and the stories of one of the most iconic villains in British girls' comics—the lethal Mrs. Webb, a raging femme fatale with killer style and a bone to pick with the British Establishment!

The Treasury list will continue to focus on bring continuing series back into print, including the bestselling title of 2020 - Mike Butterworth and Don Lawerence’s The Rise and Fall of The Trigan Empire (July). This third volume continues to reproduce Lawrence’s lush painted comic art, which cemented his reputation as one of the greatest comic book artists of all time. This volume also includes the series’ never-before-reprinted short stories. There will also be new collections of Pat Mills and Carlos Ezquerra’s searing political polemic, Third World War (January); the bizarre adventures of World War One German air ace Black Max (October) and his giant bats; and The Thirteenth Floor (September) reaches its chilling conclusion with the third volume of John Wagner and Alan Grant’s wildly popular horror series from the pages of Scream!, featuring the malevolent caretaker computer Max!

There’s football action classic, new, and funny as the popular series of archive collections of classic Roy of the Rovers (March & June) stories continue into the 1970s and 1980s, with the mystery of who shot Roy! The most sensational storyline in Roy of the Rovers history sees an attempt on the life of the star strike, leaving him in a coma! Can Melchester Rovers survive without him? Meanwhile, in Rebellion’s reboot of the legendary footie strip, in Roy of the Rovers: New Digs (October) it’s the start of a terrific new season for Melchester Rovers, with a new kit, new owners and a fabulous new stadium. Rocky Race and her brother Roy couldn't be happier - but a personal tragedy and an appalling incident will push the footballing siblings to the limit!

And just in case things get too serious, there’s sporting laughs aplenty with the first collection of Ken Reid’s Football Funnies (August). The first time that many of these uproarious strips have been reprinted, Football Funnies collects silly scores and chucklesome kick-offs from the imagination of one of Britain's greatest cartoonists! Drawn for Scorcher and Score between 1970 and 1972, this collection joins the Treasury’s bestselling collections of Reid’s other classic comics, Faceache and World Wide Weirdies.

Editor Oliver Pickles said: “2020 was full of challenges but was nonetheless the Treasury of British Comics’ best year so far, so we’re very excited about our schedule of new titles for next year. We’ve tried to strike a balance between our continuing mission to bring comics from the archives back into print, often for the very first time, while also giving new creators the chance to breath new life into classic characters. We think there’s something for everyone next year!"

January 2021

Third World War Book Two

Written in the late ‘80s by Pat Mills (Marshal Law), this incendiary second volume of the ground-breaking political comic not only contains contributions by legend Carlos Ezquerra (Judge Dredd, Preacher) but also introduces international comics stars Sean Phillips (Criminal, Kill or Be Killed) and Duncan Fegredo (Hellboy, Kid Eternity). After her eye-opening experiences of corporate interference in Central America, Eve returns to Britain with a renewed political drive and determination to fight for what she believes in.

ISBN: 9781781089293
Release Date: 05 Jan 2021
Price: £19.99
Pages: 256
Format: standard paperback and webshop exclusive hardcover with cover by Sean Phillips
Dimensions: 259×168mm
Available via Amazon.

February 2021

Night of the Devil – War Picture Library
by Hugo Pratt

Two exciting and explosive war stories lushly illustrated by Hugo Pratt, comics legend and creator of iconic character, Corto Maltese. In Night of the Devil, take a hallucinatory trip through the oppressive heat of the Burmese jungle along with British soldiers engaged in desperate skirmishes with the enemy. In Bayonet Jungle, Private Jack Green’s presence is seen as an omen of bad luck but he struggles to prove himself to the experienced soldiers of Third Platoon as they fight against the Japanese army that surrounds them.

ISBN: 9781781089033
Release date: 16 Feb 2021
Price: £14.99
Pages: 144
Format: Hardcover
Dimensions: 240x172mm
Available via Amazon.

The Steel Claw: Invisible Man

Written by stalwarts of the British comics industry, Ken Bulmer (Jet-Ace Logan) and Tom Tully (Roy of the Rovers, Janus Stark) and illustrated by the legendary Spanish artist, Jesús Blasco (Capitán Trueno), Rebellion’s Treasury of British Comics is proud to present the first in a series of graphic novels collecting together for the first time every strip of 1960s adventure comics like none other! Louis Crandell was but a lowly lab assistant with a prosthetic, steel hand until an experiment gone awry results in a horrific explosion. Surging with electric charge which bestows Crandell the power of invisibility with the exception of his steel hand, so commence a series of uncanny thrills!

ISBN: 9781781089064
Release date: 02 Feb 2021
Price: £14.99
Pages: 128
Format: Standard pperback and webshop exclusive hardcover with cover by Brian Bolland
Dimensions: 276×210mm
Available via Amazon.

March 2021

Major Eazy: The Italian Campaign

Before Judge Dredd and Strontium Dog for 2000 AD, comic maestro Carlos Ezquerra created an iconic star character of bestselling British war comic, Battle. Now, collected in order for the first time, Rebellion is proud to present all of Major Eazy’s adventures remastered and from the beginning. From pulse-pounding invasion of Sicily to the German surrender at Brenner Pass, Major Eazy Volume 1 collects all of the character’s adventures across the Italian arena of war.

ISBN: 9781781089811
Release date: 02 Mar 2021
Price: £14.99
Pages: 160
Format: Standard paperback and webshop exclusive hardcover with cover by John McCrea
Dimensions: 276×210mm
Available via Amazon.

Roy of the Rovers: The Best of the 1970s Volume 2

The second outstanding archive collection of the classic Roy of the Rovers comics! This volume collects some of the  best stories from the Roy of the Rovers comic, including Roy becoming a father and being offered the job of England Manager!

ISBN: 9781781088043
Release date: 04 Mar 2021
Price: £19.99
Pages: 176
Format: Hardcover
Dimensions: 210x276mm
Available via Amazon.

April 2021

The Vigilant

Lost in the mists of time, home-grown British superheroes once entertained and enthralled millions of kids… Now, the likes of Adam Eterno, Blake Edmonds, Thunderbolt the Avenger, and The Leopard from Lime Street are back for a new generation of readers! This volume collects the trilogy of The Vigilant stories written by Simon Furman (Transformers) and drawn by an all-star roster of artists including Simon Coleby (Dark Souls), DaNi (Coffin Bound), Henrik Sahlstrom (The Thirteenth Floor), Warwick Fraser-Combe, Staz Johnson (Spider-Man), Will Sliney (Spider-Man 2099) and Jake Lynch (Judge Dredd).

ISBN: 9781781088593
Release date: 15 Apr 2021
Price: £14.99
Pages: 144
Format: Paperback
Dimensions: 259×167mm
Available via Amazon.

The Spider’s Syndicate of Crime
(US title: Jerry Siegel’s Syndicate of Crime)

Enter The Spider – comics’ lost Golden Age supervillain from the co-creator of Superman, Jerri Siegel! Equipped with a razor-sharp mind, superb athletic ability and a vast array of cutting edge gadgets, The Spider has his sights set on taking over the New York underworld and establishing a 'Syndicate of Crime'. Join the menacing Spider on his earliest adventures, recruiting other fiends into his fledging empire and seeing off competition from other villainous foes, including the master of illusion, Mirror Man! Fully remastered and collected for the first time, this volume presents many of the super-crook's exciting 1960’s adventures which featured the most popular British comic book villain and sprang from the imagination of Superman co-creator, Jerry Siegel.

ISBN: 9781781089057
Release date: 15 Apr 2021
Price: £14.99
Pages: 144
Format: Standard paperback and webshop exclusive hardcover with cover by Chris Weston
Dimensions: 276×210mm
Available via Amazon.

May 2021

Adam Eterno: A Hero For All Times

From the high seas of 1770 to the Western Front in 1916, follow Adam Eterno's earliest adventures from the pages of Thunder. 1580, London - Adam Eterno was working as an assistant to the great alchemist Erasmus Hemlock who had just achieved his life's goal – creating the 'Elixir of Life'! Adam swallowed the potion, defying his masters orders. With his last breath, Erasmus placed a curse upon Adam, wishing him immortality. Unless Adam is struck over the head with a solid gold object, he is, "doomed to wander through the labyrinths of time…!"

ISBN: 9781781088692
Release date: 27 May 2021
Price: £12.99
Pages: 128
Format: Paperback and webshop exclusive hardcover
Dimensions: 276×210mm
Available via Amazon.

June 2021

Battler Britton – War Picture Library
by Hugo Pratt

The master of Euro comics, Hugo Pratt, meets the classic comic book air ace who's as skilled a fighter on land as he is in his Spitfire! In this thrilling collection, Britton helps resistance fighters smuggle gold from Nazi occupied Yugoslavia, before escorting a ballistics expert on his mission to analyse an unexploded V2 rocket in Poland! Reprinted in graphic novel form for the first time, these two fast-paced Battler Britton stories from 1960 - Wagons of Gold and Rockets of Revenge - are drawn by the legendary artist behind Corto Maltese.

ISBN: 9781781087664
Release date: 24 June 2021
Price: £14.99
Pages: 64
Format: Hardcover
Dimensions: 240x172mm
Available via Amazon.

Tammy & Jinty Remixed

Collecting the critically-acclaimed Tammy & Jinty specials from 2019 and 2020, this 112 page anthology includes contributions from some of the most exciting female creators working in the industry today. New characters such as Rocky Race, ace footballer are showcased with updated classic characters like Cat Girl, Bella at the Bar and the Justice of Justine. A range of stories are included, from a mysterious boarding school that caters to just two pupils to action packed roller derby escapades, this collection pays tribute to the past while blazing a trail for girls' comics of the future! This collection also includes exclusive new interviews and features, plus a reprint of the fan favourite classic Cat Girl strip.

ISBN: 9781781089316
Release date: 10 Jun 2021
Price: £12.99
Pages: 112
Format: Paperback
Dimensions: 259×187mm
Available via Amazon.

Roy of the Rovers: The Best of the 1980s - Who Shot Roy Race?

Collecting the most sensational storyline from Roy of the Rovers history! The dawn of this new decade was one that Melchester Rovers would want to forget. The 80/81 season was far from their finest hour with the threat of relegation snapping at their heels all throughout the season and exits from the F.A. Cup and the European Cup leaving the trophy cabinet bare. For star striker Roy Race it couldn't be worse. His obsession with the team had caused a strain on his marriage and fractured his relationship with teammates like the hot-headed Vic Guthrie. And then there was an attempt on his life... After being shot in December 1981, Roy lay in a coma for several weeks while Sir Alf Ramsey stepped into the dugout for Melchester. Life in a lower division beckons, but at least the Rovers will be the most stylish team on the pitch with their new Gola sponsored kits!

ISBN: 9781781088968
Release date: 10 June 2021
Price: £19.99
Pages: 176
Format: Hardcover
Dimensions: 210x276mm
Available via Amazon.

July 2021

The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire Volume III

The third thrilling omnibus of the lost Sci-Fi classic from the 1960s. This is the epic story of the Trigan Empire’s rise and fall, and of how Trigo, often alone, had to fend off usurpers and monstrous threats to save his people. The lush painted comic art that Don Lawrence produced in this period would solidify him as one of the greatest comic book artists of all time. Collected within are all the Trigan Empire stories published in chronological order including the never before reprinted short stories not illustrated by Don Lawrence, to give you the complete saga of the Trigan Empire.

ISBN: 9781781089323
Release date: 20 July 2021
Price: £19.99
Pages: 256
Format: Paperback and webshop exclusive hardcover with cover by Chris Weston
Dimensions: 276×210mm
Available via Amazon.

August 2021

Ken Reid’s Football Funnies: The First Half

Go football crazy with comics' comedy master, Ken Reid! The first time that many of these uproarious strips have been reprinted, Football Funnies collects silly scores and chucklesome kick-offs from the imagination of one of Britain's greatest cartoonists. Drawn for Scorcher and Score between 1970 and 1972, this collection includes strips such as Sub, Manager Matt, Hugh Fowler and the Football Forum pundits.

ISBN: 9781781088838
Release date: 5 August 2021
Price: £19.99
Pages: 140
Format: Hardcover
Dimensions: 282×216mm
Available via Amazon.

September 2021

The Thirteenth Floor Volume 3

The thrilling conclusion to the classic 1980s horror comic strip! Max the maniacal computer is back in Maxwell Tower, dishing out his twisted form of retribution on anyone who dares to cross his beloved residents! From a conniving milkman to thuggish street urchins, anyone who enters Max’s territory looking for trouble is going for a one-way trip to the thirteenth floor! However, Max's past exploits have not gone unnoticed. The K.G.B. have sent their own super-powered computer called Boris to make Max an offer – help them conquer the world or face obliteration!

ISBN: 9781781089347
Release date: 16 September 2021
Price: £14.99
Pages: 176
Format: Paperback and webshop exclusive hardcover
Dimensions: 276×210mm

October 2021

Black Max Volume 2

Thrilling supernatural war comics from the pages of classic British comics Lion and Thunder! Ace fighter pilot Baron Maximilien Von Klorr is the scourge of the skies, menacing the Allied forces during the bloodiest battles in WWI. Skilled, ruthless and in possession of two giant, mutated kingbats who fight by his side, Von Klorr AKA Black Max is almost unstoppable. Only the brave pilots of the Royal Flying Corps, including Lieutenant Tom Wilson, oppose the Black Max's complete dominance of the air...

ISBN: 9781781086551
Release date: 4 October 2021
Price: £10.99
Pages: 96
Format: Standard paperback and webshop exclusive hardcover with cover by Ian Kennedy
Dimensions: 276×210mm

Roy of the Rovers: New Digs

It's the start of a terrific new season for Melchester Rovers. They are now a Championship club with a new kit, new owners and a fabulous new stadium. With Sowerby now fully integrated into the club, Rocky and Roy Race couldn't be happier. But a personal tragedy and an appalling incident during a Melchester Rovers match in Europe, will push the footballing siblings to the limit.

ISBN: 9781781089361
Release date: 28 October 2021
Price: £12.99
Pages: 72
Format: Paperback
Dimensions: 259×187mm

November 2021

The Tom Paterson Collection

Scottish artist Tom Paterson is one of the most inventive and influential cartoonists British comics have produced. Inspired by the work of George Martin, Leo Baxendale and Ken Reid, Tom’s work was unmistakable - packed with visual comedic gags and giving each one that instant re-readability. This collection features some of Tom’s outstanding work for IPC/Fleetway from titles like Buster, Whoopee!, Jackpot, Whizzer & Chips and Oink! amongst others. With quotes from the man himself and some extra, added treasures, this is a must have for fans of British humour comics both young and old!

ISBN: 9781781089408
Release date: 25 November 2021
Price: £19.99
Pages: 192
Format: Standard hardcover and webshop exclusive hardcover with cover by Tom Paterson
Dimensions: 210x276mm

Misty Presents: The Jaume Rumeu Collection

Black widows, mad scientists, femme fatales and giant spiders abound in this collection of horrifying Misty stories, all drawn by comics maestro Jaume Rumeu Perera! This collection celebrates one of the most iconic villains in British girls' comics: the lethal Mrs. Webb, a raging femme fatale with killer style and a bone to pick with the British Establishment. Determined to take over the country with her army of giant arachnids, only two schoolgirls stand between her and global domination! Full of stunning artwork, terrifying twists, beautiful - but deadly - women, and, of course - giant spiders, this is an essential comic for any horror connoisseur.

ISBN: 9781781089378
Release date: 11 November 2021
Price: £12.99
Pages: 112
Format: Paperback
Dimensions: 259×187mm

December 2021

Hellman of Hammer Force

This isn't your grandad's war comic - never had there been an anti-hero like Hellman of Hammer Force! One of the major highlights of the controversial 1970s comic, Action, Major Kurt Hellman is a Panzer commander in the 1940 German invasion of Belgium. But this man is no Nazi - he avoids taking life wherever possible, all while facing foes without and treachery within! Collected for the first time, and from the very beginning, this groundbreaking series of thrilling combat is written by Gerry Finley-Day (Rogue Trooper) and drawn by Mike Dorey (Ro-Busters).

ISBN: 9781781089422
Release date: 9 December 2021
Price: £12.99
Pages: 112
Format: Standard paperback and webshop exclusive hardcover
Dimensions: 276×210 mm

Rebellion Releases (2000AD)

This week you can indulge in some wild weirdness and become a gloriously grotesque globe-trotter with Ken Reid's World Wide Weirdies.

This beautiful and bizarre illustration collection from the legendary British cartoonist (ir)responsible for the gloriously grotesque Faceache - released to coincide with the holidays - is filled with the most wonderful weirdness you could possibly hope to encounter - from The Petrifying Pyramid to The Houses of Horrorment, from The Gruesome Gondola to The Chew-EE 2!

World Wide Weirdies collects the almost weekly run of Reid's beautifully bizarre illustrations from IPC's Whoopee! and Shiver and Shake.

Usually displayed in colour on the back cover, they are among the most striking images to have appeared in British comics and represent a major part of this master artist's ouevre.

2000AD Prog 2159
Cover: Rob Davis

JUDGE DREDD: THE HARVEST by Michael Carroll (w) Nick Percival (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)
DEFOE: THE DIVISOR by Pat Mills (w) SK Moore (a) Ellie De Ville (l)
BRINK: HATE BOX by Dan Abnett (w) INJ Culbard (a) Simon Bowland (l)
HOPE: UNDER FIRE by Guy Adams (w) Jimmy Broxton (a) Ellie De Ville (l)
THE FALL OF DEADWORLD: DOOMED by Kek-W (w) Dave Kendall (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)

Ken Reid's World Wide Weirdies Volume 1 by Ken Reid
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781-08692-6, 28 November 2019, 112pp, £19.99 / $24.99. Available via Amazon.

Glorious grotesques from around the globe! Beautiful and bizarre illustration collection from the legendary British cartoonist (ir)responsible for Faceache released to coincide with the holidays! World Wide Weirdies collects the almost weekly run of Reid's beautifully bizarre illustrations from IPC's Whoopee! and Shiver and Shake. Usually displayed in color on the back cover, they are among the most striking images to have appeared in British comics!

The Dark Judges – The Fall of Deadworld Book 2 by Kek-W (Nigel Long) & Dave Kend
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781-08693-3, 28 November 2019, 96pp, £19.99 / $24.99. Available via Amazon.

The terrifying sequel to the best-selling tale of Judge Dredd's greatest villains, Dark Judges! They are the four horsemen of the horror apocalypse, Dark Judges who declared that life itself is a crime. As they continue to turn their world into a necropolis, young Jess Childs rallies a team of survivors to rescue the one person who can help her prevent the death of the world! High body horror for fans of the iconic horror franchises Saw, Day of The Dead, and The Fly.

The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire limited hardcover

Rebellion has announced a limited pre-order for the hardcover edition of the first volume of The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire.

Available to pre-order exclusively through the Treasury of British Comics webshop until 4th December, this individually numbered 304-page special edition hardcover will ship in March 2020.

Featuring stunning artwork taken from crisp scans of Don Lawrence original artwork, this first volume includes a touching introduction from Liam Sharp (Green Lantern), who – along with Judge Dredd artist Chris Weston – was mentored by Lawrence early in his career.

Co-created by Mike Butterworth and Don Lawrence, The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire merges the movie serials of the 1930s, Flash Gordon, John Carter, and ancient history into a sprawling, classic science-fiction epic. It has been named as a major influence by the likes of writer Neil Gaiman (Sandman), artist Dave Gibbons (Watchmen) and Brian Bolland (Judge Dredd), amongst many others. This special hardcover edition perfectly showcases the remarkable talent of Lawrence, who is rightfully regarded as one of the finest artists in British comics history.

Rebellion is offering this limited-time pre-order to give fans the opportunity to own a slice of history in a sumptuous hardcover that will have pride of place on any shelf.

A paperback collection of volume one will also be available in March from all good retailers and comic book stores – the first time the series has been collected in a mass market edition.

Originally published in the anthology title Ranger from September 1965, and Look and Learn from June 19966 until April 1982, the series told the story of an alien empire on the planet Elekton that was heavily influenced by history, particularly that of the Roman Empire. Created by Mike Butterworth, who died in 1986, and artist Don Lawrence, who died in 2004, the series’ mix of political intrigue and Lawrence’s lush painted artwork won a host of fans worldwide, and proved to be highly influential, inspiring a generation of comic book creators with its depth and beauty.


Although the Trigan Empire has seen only limited English-language release it remains one of the most popular comic series in Holland and Germany, with over two million albums sold.

The limited edition Don Lawrence cover hardcover of volume one of The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire is available to order now from www.treasuryofbritishcomics.com, until 4th December.

To the left is Chris Weston's retailer variant cover, which Rebellion described by them thus:

With this special cover - available only from selected comic book stores - the artist on Judge Dredd, The Filth and The Invisibles has paid tribute to the inimitable work of the legendary Don Lawrence, artist on Trigan Empire - one of the finest comics creators in British comics history, and Weston's mentor early in his career.

The retailer variant hardcover with Chris Weston cover will be available to buy from Forbidden Planet, Forbidden Planet International, OK Comics, Book Palace, and other selected stockists.

Wildcat: Loner

Loner is the second character to be rescued from the pages of the now obscure fortnightly Wildcat comic, which ran a mere 12 issues between October 1988 and April 1989. The adventures of the various crewmen and crewwomen continued in the merged Eagle and Wildcat, Loner having a good run, appearing every few issues (the various crew members rotating) for a while, and then regularly between October 1989 and April 1990.

The premise of the comic was covered in my review of the previous Wildcat compilation featuring Turbo Jones. There is a brief, one-page recap in the new book that outlines the basics: a potential new planet has been discovered and with Earth gone it is up to the crew of the Wildcat to explore the new world for potential hazards.

There are plenty of hazards (what did you expect?) for Loner as he touches down on an unexplored plain. A former mercenary, "mean, tough... ruthless!", his only weapon an antique six-gun converted to fire an assortment of bullets.

Having a black hero in British comics wasn't a first, but it was still unusual. The storylines were also unexpected, with the ultra-masculine Loner first facing a race of alien furballs – fuzzballs, as Loner calls them – with spines like cattle prods. Electric tribbles are the least of his worries: before long he encounters a rather more savage-looking lizard creature in an underworld beneath the planet's surface. Captured, Loner learns that the lizard-creature is an alien, trapped on the planet, who has made slaves of the fuzzballs with its telepathic powers. The creature can also use Loner's own memories against him.

Sent to destroy another alien creature that is threatening the underworld, Loner undergoes a process to evolve his brain so he can use advanced weaponry by telepathy. He'll need to... the monster is the size of a high rise flat.

Thus begins Loner's adventures on the unexplored planet, a very different set of situations that face Turbo Jones and the other explorers sent down to the planet's surface. However, therein lies part of the problem with Wildcat: although aimed at a younger age group than 2000AD, it limited itself to planetary exploration, specifically one planet, and while the individual stories were varied, they were still only variations on a single theme. Look at the early issues of 2000AD with its space travel, near future invasion, violent sports game, a bionic man, time travel, dinosaurs and fascistic future cop – if you didn't like one future, you were probably captivated by another. 

Still, as a concept, Wildcat was an interesting one. Loner, a Jimi Hendrix lookalike (even moreso after gaining a headband), was a tough, no nonsense hero who owed more to Richard Roundtree for his attitude and, according to artist David Pugh, both Hendrix and the Senegalese singer Baba Maal.

Barrie Tomlinson, the writer, managed to keep the series racing along with a lengthy tale that began as The Incredible Shrinking Man, but which took a surreal turn when tiny Loner meets a giant version of himself. By now, Wildcat had merged with Eagle and the strip went through a period of complete stories before returning to serials in the new planet's post-colonisation era. Loner leaves the planet and returns to being a bounty hunter in a now busy galaxy full of inhabited planets, this left turn in the plot coinciding with a change of artist, David Pugh giving way to Eric Bradbury.

This period saw one of Loner's finest stories, as he tries to help an alien friend foil a plan to reconstruct an ancient stone that is also a weapon of terrible power. It's a long tale packed with plenty of interplanetary action, aliens that appear genuinely alien, and plenty of heroics and wisecracks from our hero.

The book includes a complete selection of Loner's appearances in specials and annuals. With over 200 pages of stories, there's plenty to enjoy in this latest volume from the Treasury of British Comics, especially once Loner breaks away from the bounds of exploring a single planet and enters his interplanetary phase.

Wildcat: Loner by Barrie Tomlinson, David Pugh and Eric Bradbury.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781-08684-1, 5 September 2019, 224pp, £14.99. Available via Amazon.

Leopard From Lime St. Volume 2

Originally published between June 1977 and July 1978, these six stories continue the adventures of the Leopard from Lime Street in a second volume of reprints from the pages of Buster. There's not much back story to catch up on if you missed the first volume, and that's neatly summarized in the opening panel:

After being scratched by a radioactive leopard, 13-year-old Billy Farmer found that he had somehow developed the strength and agility of the mighty jungle cat, and the ability to lick his own anus.

I may have made that last bit up.

Billy was Britain's answer to Peter "Spider-Man" Parker, an orphan living with his aunt Joan and uncle Charlie, the latter a conniving waster always on the look-out to score a quick reward for the little effort as he can muster. As the latest story opens, Charlie has his eye on a £1,000 reward offered by local newspaper owner Thaddeus Clegg and is convinced that Billy will lead him to the lair of the Beast of Selbridge. By coincidence, £1,000 is also the price of a hip operation at a specialist clinic in Austria that Aunt Joan needs in order to walk properly again.

The publicity attracts a chancer by the name of Bert Flanagan who own a run-down travelling fun-fair. He wants the Leopard as a sideshow attraction and, captured, Billy finds himself on exhibition behind bars at Campbell's Circus.

It's surprising that Uncle Charlie doesn't twig that Billy is the Leopard. It takes only one glance for new girl Debra Stevens to realise that there's something strange about Billy, a natural athlete who runs scared of doing athletics. (Two firemen find it suspicious that he calls a cat a "friend" when Billy has only just met the cat... that's the level of suspicion the Beast has caused in Selbridge!)

Over the coming weeks, Billy is catnapped by an eccentric millionaire, tracks down an escaped leopard ahead of a hunting party, struggles to control violent urges when he dons a new leopard costume, is blamed for a series of muggings in the local area, goes ghost hunting at a haunted cinema and foils a gang of would-be bank robbers.

Billy's acrobatic and action-packed adventures were penned by one of Britain's best scriptwriters, Tom Tully, who knew just how to keep his audience on the edge of their seat and anticipating next week's exciting installment. Combined with artwork by the twin talents of Mike Western penciling and Eric Bradbury inking, and you'll soon be swept along by Billy's efforts to help his aunt, avoid being bullied at school and by his uncle, and do right by the unappreciative citizens of Selbridge. The Leopard From Lime St. ran for almost a decade, so there are plenty of other stories waiting to be re-told in further volumes. Fingers crossed.

The Leopard From Lime St. by Tom Tully, Mike Western & Eric Bradbury. Rebellion Publishing ISBN 978-1781-08678-0, 13 June 2019, £14.99. Available via Amazon.

Fran of the Floods

The 1960s and 1970s were the great age of disaster strips in comics. The term "cozy catastrophe" was coined by Brian Aldiss to describe a couple of novels by John Wyndham, but has broadened over the years to encompass any post-apocalypse novel where the protagonist survives relatively unscathed in a world that has been emptied through disaster or invasion; you might also add that rebuilding the world seems to fall to a group of middle class folk, who immediately hole up in a deserted mansion and start growing vegetables and raising free range chickens.

No such luck for Fran, where freak weather has turned even the Sahara desert into a tropical rain forest and in suburban Hazelford the rivers are on the rise. Frances "Fran" Scott and her best friend Jill take advantage of the weather to get away from her fractious family and have some fun sailing a raft. Fran's scientifically-minded headmistress asserts that the ice caps are melting and this is the end of the world as we know it. She has been trying to keep the children's minds off the problem by organising a concert, while Fran's parents have been stockpiling food.

Towns around the Fens have disappeared underwater... and then the Thames bursts its banks. Meanwhile, tensions spill over in the Scott household and Fran's sister, June, leaves her job and escapes to Scotland. The relentless rain causes a rush on food and when the supermarket runs out, neighbours break into Fran's house after hearing about their stockpile. The Scott's are saved by Rod Pearson and a gang of his friends.

June is safe in Scotland, according to a letter, bit Hazelford is about to be destroyed as the reservoir cracks under the weight of water and sends a flood tumbling down onto the town and to the school just as Fran takes her turn on the stage at the school concert.

Alan Davidson's apocalyptic tale originally appeared in the pages of Jinty in 1976 and is being touted as an early example of cli-fi, although it is not man-made climate change that causes this disaster but the sun burning a little hotter. The intense heat and tropical jungles growing in England are more reminiscent of The Drowned World by J. G. Ballard (1962) than, say, Forty Days of Rain by Kim Stanley Robinson (2004).

It is not a tale that shies away from some of the grimmer aspects of disaster: people's fear, frustration, anger and resentment all spill out on the pages of the story. The grief in Fran's face as Rosie is swept away by the waters, her fear that she is the only survivor, and the knowledge that – having discovered a young girl and her pet – that the pet might be the only source of food they have... all are chillingly depicted by Phil Gascoine, a veteran of girls' comics who knew not to hold back with emotions.

Which was fortunate, because there is an emotional roller-coaster to get through before this tale is told. Fran and Jill (who has also survived) are captured by the Black Circle, who are using captives as slave labour to survive; then there's the eerie, guarded village that Fran breaks into only to find herself in a quarantine zone for an unrecognised plague and the community living in the limestone caves beneath the Pennines; finally – and it might indeed be the last thing they do – they meet the extraordinary David, King of Glasgow.

While disaster stories were popular in boys' comics (Buster was home to many, including one entitled 'The Drowned World' in 1964), few had anything like the same kind of emotional resonance as 'Fran of the Floods'. Fran also played a significant role in the history of Jinty, which had launched in the spring of 1974 with the usual mix of girls' adventure strips. Fran's adventures proved so popular, the strip ran for seven months and started a trend in Jinty for the kind of science fiction stories it was to become most remembered for, including other early environmental yarns and cosy catastrophies.

This is another superb choice of stories from Rebellion's Treasure of British Comics range of titles. Let's hope there are many more of the same to come.

Fran of the Floods. Rebellion ISBN  9781781086728, 21 March 2019, 112pp, £12.99. Available via Amazon.