2000 AD Covers Uncovered: Dredd Vs Nazis? Henry Flint Covers Judge Dredd Megazine 460
20th September 2023
Every week, 2000 AD brings you the galaxy’s greatest artwork and 2000 AD Covers Uncovered takes you behind-the-scenes with the headline artists responsible for our top cover art – join bloggers Richard Bruton and Pete Wells as they uncover the greatest covers from 2000 AD!
This week, we welcome back the quite brilliant Henry Flint to the front of the Judge Dredd Megazine for the very special Battle Action crossover issue 460…
Henry’s fabulous cover leads us into a very special Megazine 460, where classic characters from the pages of Battle Action make their way into the Dreddverse, all thanks to a bit of what if-ing where Tharg wondered what might happen if the worlds of 2000 AD and Battle Action came together.
This 2000 AD & Megazine crossover all begins in Prog 2350, with Tharg imagining what might have happened if, back in 1982, Battle Action was merged into the pages of 2000 AD, with classic characters such as El Mestizo and Major Eazy getting a sci-fi makeover. But Tharg also pondered what might happen if the 1982 merger was so successful that it was worth launching a new monthly in 1984, this time with Battle Action characters crossing over into Dreddworld, meaning the likes of Darkie’s Mob and The Rat Pack getting a Mega-City twist.
And who better to give us a perfect Dreddworld cover than one of the true great modern day Dredd artists, Henry Flint?
Now, it’s true that Henry doesn’t do that many covers… but when he does… oh boy, they’re just the best. And here, we have even more Flint goodness as he’s on the back cover as well with a spectacular wrapround cover.
Henry, as you’d expect from an artist so damn good at what he does, is deep in deadlines and Tharg really didn’t want him taking any time off for chit-chat. But he was able to send us across his preliminary roughs and inks for the cover and this little insight into just how art droids can get it wrong occasionally…
HENRY FLINT: Here’s the latest Megazine cover plus some roughs. Including one where I accidentally thought Dredd was fighting Nazis, me jumping to conclusions. That thing where your brain is convinced it’s right when it’s not. Not the first time that’s happened.
Short and sweet and then straight back to work… just the way Tharg likes his art droids.
He then added – ‘Tharg originally referenced Prog 169 – The Civil War cover by Mick McMahon as a starting point.’
And yes, you can definitely see the DNA of the legendary McMahon droid’s cover to Prog 169, ‘A scene from the civil war in post-atomic America’ – stunning stuff…
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Okay then, back to Henry’s brilliant modern-day version of Dredd and the Judges fighting off the hoardes… beginning with the Dredd versus Nazis rough… which probably already has Tharg thinking of the possibilities…
And now, the roughs for the brief once Tharg had had a little word… and trust me, you NEVER want Tharg having a little word. Terrifying.
And from those to these, thanks to a load of work from the Flint droid…
Next, add a bit of magic with colours and, hey presto, a stunning Henry Flint cover…
And there you are, the final cover to the spectacular Megazine crossover special!
Thanks to Henry for sending them over. They’re something very special. You can find Megazine issue 460 wherever you pick up your monthly prescription of thrill power, including the 2000 AD web shop – it’s out from 20th September.
And now, just to show off even more of the incredible details of Henry’s work, the front and back cover separated and a few zoom-in images from what he sent over…
