Mills & Bisley’s groundbreaking Sláine: The Horned God to get collector’s edition in 2020
15th October 2019
“Sumptuously drawn… A Celtic Conan with a feminist mythology” – Time Out
Rediscover one of the most influential graphic novels ever, with the Sláine: The Horned God – Collector’s Edition.
Timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary of its first publication, this new, larger edition of the best-selling 2000 AD collection, written by industry visionary Pat Mills, features the groundbreaking fully-painted art of comics legend Simon Bisley.
Slaine: The Horned God – Collector’s Edition is a 208-page 210 x 276mm paperback collection, retailing at £19.99/$24.99 and arriving in stores on May 20, 2020.
One of the most popular stories ever published in the pages of 2000 AD, The Horned God is a heady mix of Celtic mythology, extreme violence, and beautiful artwork. Originally published in 2000 AD in three instalments between 1989 and 1990, as well as Mills’ fascinating characters and saga-like storytelling, the stunning enormity of Bisley’s work on the series cannot be understated, with epic battles and vast landscapes evoking everything from the work of Frank Frazetta to Gustav Klimt.
The Horned God sparked a revolution in sequential comic books and spawned a multitude of imitators, but even after three decades Mills and Bisley’s masterpiece is as fresh and startling as it was when it was first published as a weekly serial.
Created by Mills and artist Angie Kincaid in 1983, Sláine is a wandering warrior cast out from his tribe and wandering the mist-wreathed realm of Tír na nÓg, the ‘Land of the Young’, with his duplicitous dwarf, Ukko. This deluxe collector’s edition returns us to this ancient land, suffering under the dominion of the Drunes; strange druids who have poisoned the land with their magic. Sláine has had enough of their tyranny and, through the Earth Goddess, he learns some shocking truths about the priesthood and his own future. Now Sláine must unite the four kings of Tír na nÓg and use their mystical weapons as he and the Sessair tribe prepare for all-out war!
Pat Mills’ writing and editorial career started in Dundee, working for D.C. Thomson on the teenage romance magazine Romeo. Later he went freelance and started a long relationship with IPC Magazines, initially writing for girl’s titles like Tammy, Pink and Sandy. He then worked with Malcolm Shaw on devising Jinty before moving over to rejuvenate boy’s comics. He created Battle (with John Wagner), Action, Misty and 2000 AD. Other notable works include Marshal Law, Third World War in Crisis, and Requiem Vampire Knight.
Simon Bisley occupies an almost unique place in 2000 AD history as one of the first UK artists to popularise the fully painted style. His highly dynamic artwork made his two major series in the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic — A.B.C. Warriors: The Black Hole and Sláine: The Horned God. He also illustrated Heavy Metal Dredd before going on to paint the hugely successful first Batman/Judge Dredd crossover story Judgement on Gotham. Bisley has provided countless pin-ups and short pieces across an astonishing variety of comics, from legendary fantasy anthology Heavy Metal to anarchic DC superhero series Lobo, and has an even more extensive CV in Europe, where his painted style enjoys enormous success.