Comics

2000 AD Covers Uncovered – Nick Percival’s Zombie Dredd Takes The Throne For Megazine 448

21st September 2022

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, the unmistakable artwork of Nick Percival on the cover of The Judge Dredd Megazine issue 448 – the second half of the epic undead crossover event that began in 2000 AD Prog 2300, both out right now!

Yes, it’s 30 years since Sabbat the Necromancer brought Judgement Day to Mega-City One and we’re celebrating with a thrill-powered extra special two-part event across 2000 AD and the Megazine as the undead across the entire 2000 AD Megaverse take over!

And when it comes to covering the Meg for the zombies take over tale… who else would Tharg call but the Percival droid? He’s been scaring us senseless with his tales of the Dark Judges with a style that horrifies… just like this…

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Okay then, over to Nick Percival to tell us all about the wrap-round cover that’s going to be giving you nightmares…

NICK PERCIVAL: Zombies! – Yeah, not exactly a hard sell for me!

I knew way in advance that this 2000AD/ Megazine crossover was happening and was I going to be heavily involved to create some of the Dredd interior artwork but those Dark Judges put a stop to that with their pesky deadlines!

But at least I got the chance to paint the Meg’s wraparound cover to go with the story.

Drokk it Nick, it would have been incredible to have seen you tackle Dredd in the crossover!

NP: Mighty Tharg had the cool idea of the undead Dredd sitting on the Justice Throne, so I ran with that, expanding the idea into a wraparound to include some of the decay and destruction and of course, a tiny bit of zombie shenanigans.

Those zombies and their pesky shenanigans, eh? And here’s Nick’s rough sketch of the cover in all its glory…

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NP: I wanted a dark and moody feel and a real grisly look to the whole thing – lots of grime, textures, lashings of blood with a rotted, dangerous vibe to final art.

The sketch was a very rough one, just to get the idea out there while it was still fresh in my head – I tend to pencil very loosely, which gives me the freedom to play with all the visual elements when I get to the painting stage and delve more into the lighting and the final forms, etc.

And now the final painted cover, complete with zombie Dredd perched on his throne…

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NP: I can’t wait to read the final story and see how it all ties together and if there is a next time, I’ll be there for my portion of brains and good old gory horror – which you’ll see plenty of in only a month when the new Dark Judges series kicks off in the Meg – just in time for Halloween!

Better get cracking skulls, as those DEADlines never end…

Oh wow – now that’s a terrifyingly great cover right there from Nick. Thanks to him for sending it along. And as for that new Dark Judges series that he’s talking about… well…

Yes, the galaxy’sss ssscariest quartet of foul fiends returns in Death Metal Planet just in time for Halloween.

But before that, do not miss out on the undead crossover event of the year – look out for both 2000 AD Prog 2300 and Judge Dredd Megazine 448 with that leaps out and eats you cover by Nick. Get them anywhere the Galaxy’s Greatest is sold, including the 2000 AD web shop.

Now, just to send you to bed feeling particularly spooked out, here’s a little bit more of that delightfully disgusting details from Nick’s prelims and finished art to send you to bed with some Dredd-ful nightmares…

And to leave you, let’s go closer and closer in on Nick’s zombie Judge…