Comics

2000 AD Covers Uncovered: Rogue’s Return for Trevor Hairsine on Prog 2402

1st October 2024

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!

More Rogue Trooper cover action now with Prog 2402 and the zarjaz return of Trevor Hairsine, with colours by Dylan Teague…

Get this cover as a print >>

Trevor Hairsine is another one of those droids that started off at the house of Tharg, only to get tempted away by work elsewhere. But, like so many art droids, there’s obviously just something in the synth-oil rations that brings him back for this latest, rather spectacular Rogue Trooper cover to go along with the new Rogue series by Garth Ennis and Patrick Goddard, When A G.I. Dies.

Like so many, Trevor began his career at 2000 AD, starting off with his co-creation, Harmony, in 1994. An instant fan hit, he graduated to Dredd, Strontium Dog, Missionary Man, Anderson, Mercy Heights, and Downlode Tales before being tempted away overseas to work on Rob Williams’ underrated Cla$$ War and a load of Marvel Comics, including Captain America, Ultimate Galactus, X-Men, and Wisdom in the 2000s, along with work at Valiant and DC Comics.

But, like we say, the lure of the Prog stays in the circuits, and it’s a real pleasure to see his art back here on his first cover for way too long.

In fact, that was the first thing we asked him – what’s it like to be back?

TREVOR HAIRSINE: In answer to your question, working for 2000 AD is like coming home. I was one of those kids who grew up waiting for the news agent to open of a Wednesday so I could collect my dose of Thrill Power and I recapture that feeling when I work on a character like Rogue.

Oh yes, absolutely. Say it together. There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home. Welcome back Trevor!

TREVOR HAIRSINE: Okay, so there’s two covers for you – I’ve labelled them 1 and 2 because that’s how high I can count these days. [Tell a lie! I can still count to 4. I’m a bass player.]

First up, my version of the classic Dave Gibbons running pose. It was one of those that just… popped out. Cover 2 came from a little thumbnail I did for cover 1. I showed it to Matt, and he told me to work it up in addition to Cover 1.

Well, I could show you both of them… but Tharg has ways of dealing with folks that spoiler his covers… and they’re not nice. So, you’ll just have to wait a while for the reveal of that one. But right now, we have this cracking take on the classic Gibbons cover.

And if you didn’t know, here it is, the classic Dave Gibbons Rogue pose from way back in 1981…

And here’s the pencils for Trevor’s take on the classic…

TREVOR HAIRSINE: I figured it was my one shot at drawing Rogue so I HAD to get some Colin Wilson Hoppas in there. Colin’s hardware is the BEST!

I’ve included some partial inks. I ink digitally most of the time these days, mostly because I travel a lot and it’s far easier to cart a laptop and tablet around rather than all my physical inking paraphernalia.

And here’s the inking, really leaning into that Gibbons classic for what would become the final cover – looking like this…

Thank you so much to Trevor for giving us the lowdown on his rather triumphant return home!

You can find Prog 2402, with that great Trevor Hairsine cover wherever you get your Thrill Power right now, including the 2000 AD webshop. As for that second cover, another great Rogue moment, you’ll just have to watch this space!