2000 AD Covers Uncovered: Nick Percival returns for the Death Metal Planet finale in Megazine 458 – It’s Roscoe Vs Death… to the death!
19th July 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!
The latest Judge Dredd Megazine, issue 458, comes out 19 July – you can’t miss it, it’s got another stunning Nick Percival cover to mark the finale of the Dark Judges saga (for now at least) as Death Metal Planet comes to an end.
Nick’s art has graced the pages of the Megazine for nearly 400 pages of Dark Judges action. But all good things, as they say, must come to an end, even Judge Death.
But although Nick’s bidding farewell to Judge Death, we’ll be seeing him very soon with another Judge – but we’ll let him fill you in on that as he talks Megazine 458…
NICK PERCIVAL: “Here we go! – The final part of Death Metal Planet. It’s the end of the gig with no encore for Judges Death, Fear, Mortis and Fire.
It’s probably no surprise that things don’t end well for Death and the gang (do they ever?) and the cover image certainly shows that everything’s NOT coming up Milhouse for him.
It was actually Tharg’s cool idea to go with an image that would show Death vaporised from the intense power of Rosco in her Judge Light mode.
I wanted a full on, ‘there’s no coming back from this’ feel to the pic with a nice cosmic look.
I tweaked the image a little from the original sketch, just to make it clear it was Judge Death that was being destroyed and decided to go with a simple high-contrast colour palette to keep all the emphasis on the core image.
It’s been a fun and to be honest, quite a strange series to conclude my time (for now) on the Dark Judges after nearly 400 painted pages working on the characters with top writers, John Wagner and David Hine where I got to illustrate all manner of dark, weird and sometimes wacky stuff.
I’m back on Judge Dredd now with a little peek at something cool coming in the September Megazine and then a top secret, very dark Dredd epic for 2000AD that makes ‘Se7en’ look like Play School – say no more.
And as for the Dark Judges – Surely they can’t come back from this? (Although, I do have a couple of ideassss….)”
And thanks to Nick, we have a sneak peek of his next Dredd… just hope the Percival droid’s cleared this one with Tharg or we’re both in big trouble!
But remember, although this might be the end of Death Metal Planet – it’s not going to be the end for the Dark Judges and Judge Death. After all, ‘you cannot kill what does not live!’
Thanks so much to Nick for sending his cover process and that sneak peek of his work on Judge Dredd. As always, it’s grotesquely beautiful work from an art droid that never fails to impress.
You can get hold of Judge Dredd Megazine 458 wherever the Galaxy’s Greatest are sold, including the 2000 AD web shop from 19 July.
If you’re in the mood for more of Nick’s Covers Uncovered work, be sure to have a look at these – Prog 2247, Megazine 427, Megazine 430, Megazine 443, Megazine 448, and Megazine 453.
But before we go, just one last look at Nick’s version of Judge Death and Roscoe…
