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Meet the Void Runners – the new series beginning this week in 2000 AD

A substance like no other. A harsh galactic regime reliant on its supply. A captain and her crew given an offer they can’t refuse. A Revolution that can’t be stopped!

VOID RUNNERS is the new series for 2000 AD from the warped minds of writer David Hine (Crossed, X-Men, Bulletproof Coffin) and artist Boo Cook (X-Factor, Judge Anderson, Elephantmen).

Beginning in 2000 AD Prog 2334, out now from all good comic book stores and newsagents, the eight-episode psychedelic sci-fi series follows the adorable Captain Shikari and their crew of alien misfits as they search the cosmos for Kali’s Dust – the drug that essentially holds the universe together. 

Uptight and repressive, the Ankorites are shared-mind entities that rely on the drug called Kali’s Dust – a magical medicine that feeds their psychic visions and allows them to rule over the network of planets and systems known as The Federation. However, supplies are running dangerously low and so their ruthless foot soldiers, The Subjugators, call on notorious Void Runner Captain Alice Shikari to track down the pleroma – the deep-space creatures that are the source of Kali’s Dust.

But Shikari has a vision of her own and it involves spreading joy and enlightenment to the masses – the revolution is here!

David Hine said: “When Boo asked me to come up with something a bit psychedelic to pitch to 2000 AD it seemed blindingly obvious that the world needs a sci-fi version of Ken Kesey’s Magic Bus trip across the USA in the 1960s. This time around the bus is a spaceship, crewed by Captain Shikari and her piratical crew of Void Runners. See fascistic cops who share one mind between three bodies, gigantic jellysquids who are also the oldest, wisest creatures in the cosmos, a battle with kamikaze space sharks and an actual vision of the ultimate meaning of the Universe. WARNING: Do not lick the pages!”

Boo Cook said: “Having been a big fan of David’s work for years I figured he would be the guy to ask about doing a space strip that was extremely psychedelic. This was a correct assumption – he did not disappoint! Void Runners it’s a sprawling space epic in the true 2000 AD tradition, full of irreverence, anarchy and mayhem. there’s vibes of ‘D.R. and Quinch’, ‘Nemesis the Warlock’, Moby Dick and Dune but they come out of the pipe like an exotic firework straight to the frontal lobe – I think I’ve had to invent some new colours during the course of it! Hopefully it’ll read like a hallucinogenic space manual on how it’s a real pain in the arse to live full of hate – no doubt that will annoy some people but ‘I’d like to think the affable Shikari could win round any galactic despot.”

Matt Smith, editor of 2000 AD, said: “The fevered imaginations of David Hine and Boo Cook are the perfect combination for a Dune-style surreal space adventure, full of weird beings and psychedelic cosmic vistas. Don’t miss this voyage into the void, Earthlets!”

Void Runners begins in 2000 AD Prog 2334, which is out now. Grab 2000 AD and more of Rebellion’s comic book titles from your local comics shop or newsagent – find your nearest stockist with the 2000 AD storefinder at 2000AD.com/store-finder or locate your local comic book shop at ComicShopLocator.com.

To read 2000 AD, the Judge Dredd Megazine, Monster Fun, fiction ebooks, and hundreds of graphic novel collections, download the 2000 AD app for iOS and Android devices. As well as gorging on a host of free comics, you can read your purchases in the app or download them as DRM-free files from the 2000 AD webshop.

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OUT NOW: The Complete 2000 AD Dice Man – the legendary ‘roll’-playing game

Your fate is in your hands, Earthlet – the The Complete Dice Man is out now!

Originally published during the adventure gamebook boom of the 1980s, Dice Man has never been reprinted in its entirety before, but now the complete run of the popular magazine is presented in this massive collection.

Using dice and a pencil, you will become Judge Dredd as he faces off against the Dark Judges, or guide Nemesis the Warlock as they race through the Torture Tube, or help Sláine steal the Cauldron of Blood from the Tower of Glass!

Written by John Wagner, Pat Mills, and Simon Geller, with art by Bryan Talbot, Garry Leach, Graham Manley, John Ridgway, Kevin O’Neill, Mark Farmer, Mike Collins, Nik Williams, Steve Dillon, David Lloyd, Glenn Fabry, and David Pugh, this is the definitive collection of these fantastic dice-based role-playing games.

The Complete Dice Man is available in standard hardcover or a special limited edition webshop hardcover, signed by Pat Mills.

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“You’ve got red on you” – read the Shaun of the Dead comic!

Nineteen years ago today, to publicise the forthcoming release of their ‘rom-zom-com’, Shaun of the Dead, writer and director Edgar Wright and writer and actor Simon Pegg penned a special tie-in comic that was published on this day!

There’s Something About Mary serves as a prequel to the critically-acclaim and BAFTA-nominated movie, which has since acquired a cult following. The story takes one of the minor characters from the beginning of the film, a young shop assistant called Mary played by Nicola Cunningham, and shows how she came to be one of the first of the undead horde that Shaun, played by Pegg, and Ed, played by Nick Frost, must battle to survive. In just a few pages, the comic shows how her story becomes interwoven with that of Shaun and eventually leads her to one of the movie’s most hilarious scenes!

The story that ran in 2000 AD Prog 1384, published on 7 April 2004, was written by Pegg and Wright and illustrated by fan favourite artist Frazer Irving, who after his work on Necronauts and Judge Death for 2000 AD was already well on his way to comics stardom on titles such as Batman, Iron Man, Annihilator, Klarion the Witch Boy and many others, and with letters by legendary Judge Dredd lettering droid Annie Parkhouse.

The story was included on the movie’s DVD extras, and is also available in the Storming Heaven digital collection.

And if you’re a fan of horror comics, check out this video featuring just some of 2000 AD‘s greatest horror hits, including Cradlegrave, Stone Island, Devlin Waugh: Swimming in Blood, Tales of Telguuth, Tharg’s Terror Tales, and Thistlebone

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Shaun of the Dead: There’s Something About Mary

Published in 2000 AD Prog 1384, 7th April 2004. Script: Simon Pegg & Edgar Wright, Artist: Frazer Irving, Letters: Annie Parkhouse

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Our future … their reality! Pre-order the Mega-City Max one-shot!

MEGA-CITY MAX

Our future – is their reality! Mega-City Max is the brand new comic special set in the world of Judge Dredd.

Inside its 48 pages are some of the hottest breaking talent in the industry including Hannah Templer (Cosmoknights), Ramzee (Edge of Spider-Verse), Oliver Gerlach (Young Men in Love), VV Glass (Boom’s The Last Witch), Lucie Ebrey (Amazing World of Gumball), Korinna Mei Veropoulou (Escape From Bitch Mountain) alongside industry veteran Roger Langridge (The MuppetsBill & Ted Are Doomed),

This new stand-alone comic presents fresh versions of classic 2000 ADcharacters – with no continuity knowledge required – like Harlem Heroes, De Marco P.I., Devlin Waugh and Walter the Wobot – as well as brand new characters!

Out on 19 July from comic book stores in the UK and 9 August in North America, as well as the 2000 AD webshop, this stand-alone sci-fi anthology is aimed at teenagers, with fast-paced, action-packed and hilarious stories, as well as cover art by Priscilla Bampoh.

The stories inside include: 

DEMARCO P.I.: SNAKE OIL
Story, Art and Letters by Hannah Templer

Galen DeMarco entered the Academy of Law to give her life a purpose, however she was unfairly expelled from the Academy. The incident didn’t stop her from wanting to help people, so she set herself up as a private investigator. DeMarco tackles cases that Justice Department can’t or won’t touch, helping out the unfortunate and needy, and she still keeps in touch with her friends from the Academy – straight-edge Barbara Hershey and psychic Cassandra Anderson.

WALTER THE WOBOT: DON’T BE CWUEL
Story, Art and Letters by Roger Langridge / Colours by Pippa Bowland

Built by the Interglobal Hardware Company, Walter the Wobot first served Mega-City One’s Justice Department, but through a series of misadventures he worked his way into becoming a free citizen! Or at least the Judges didn’t want him around anymore… Now, the meek drinks dispenser droid works to serve the citizens of Mega-City One, but he yearns forother experiences…

DEVLIN WAUGH: WEDDING HELLS
Story by Oliver Gerlach / Art by V.V. Glass / Letters by Simon Bowland 

Devlin Waugh is a Brit-Cit born Olympian who has fallen on tough times. A parttime occultist, and full-time dashing rogue, Devlin is determined to be back in the spotlight, and will seize on any opportunity to become part of the in-crowd once again – even if that means having to roll his sleeves up and deal with demonic interlopers.

HARLEM HEROES VS THE VENETIAN VIPERS
Story by RAMZEE / Art by Korinna Mei Veropoulou / Letters by Simon Bowland 

The most popular sport of the future is aeroball – a mixture of football, jetpacks, basketball and fighting all rolled into one. While the name Harlem Heroes evokes a long history of trophy-winning success, the current roster of players (led by ex-Judge Cadet Gem Giant) are a team of rough-around-the-edges rookies and have a lot to live up to.

Grab this title and more from your local comics shop – find your nearest stockist at ComicShopLocator.com.

To read 2000 AD, the Judge Dredd MegazineMonster Fun, fiction ebooks, and hundreds of graphic novel collections, download the 2000 AD app for iOS and Android devices. As well as reading a host of free comics, can read your purchases in the app or download them as DRM-free files from the 2000 ADwebshop.

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The legendary ‘roll’-playing game – pre-order The Complete 2000 AD Dice Man!

THE COMPLETE DICE MAN

Your fate is in your hands, Earthlet – pre-order the The Complete Dice Man now!

Originally published during the adventure gamebook boom of the 1980s, Dice Man has never been reprinted in its entirety before, but now the complete run of the popular magazine is presented in this massive collection.

Using dice and a pencil, you will become Judge Dredd as he faces off against the Dark Judges, or guide Nemesis the Warlock as they race through the Torture Tube, or help Sláine steal the Cauldron of Blood from the Tower of Glass!

Written by John Wagner, Pat Mills, and Simon Geller, with art by Bryan Talbot, Garry Leach, Graham Manley, John Ridgway, Kevin O’Neill, Mark Farmer, Mike Collins, Nik Williams, Steve Dillon, David Lloyd, Glenn Fabry, and David Pugh, this is the definitive collection of these fantastic dice-based role-playing games.

Out on 24 May, The Complete Dice Man is available in standard hardcover or a special limited edition webshop hardcover, signed by Pat Mills.

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The Ballad of Halo Jones full colour omnibus hardcover – out now!

The Ballad of Halo Jones full colour omnibus

The ultimate edition of Alan Moore and Ian Gibson’s The Ballad of Halo Jones is out now!

With a brand new introduction by Kieron Gillen (The Wicked & The Divine), lovingly restored and beautifully coloured art, original scripts, and bonus content, this is the ultimate edition of Moore and Ian Gibson’s feminist space opera from the pages of 2000 AD.

Radical and revolutionary, this ground-breaking and critically-lauded feminist space opera from Moore (WatchmenV for Vendetta) and Gibson (Star Wars) is a true science fiction classic, and is now brought together in a full colour, hardcover omnibus for the first time.

Halo Jones is bored. Trapped in The Hoop, a futuristic world where jobs are scarce and excitement non-existent, Halo sets out to see the galaxy any way she can and to rewrite her destiny. From drudge work on a glamorous cruise liner, to serving in a brutal war zone, Halo experiences love and loss and she grows up into the woman who will change the course of the galaxy’s history.

Where did she go? Out. What did she do? Everything.A cultural icon and a high water mark for British science fiction, this timeless tale of one woman’s tenacity amidst a sea of dead-end jobs, war, despair, love, and hope, remains one of Moore’s most beloved sagas. Restored and lovingly coloured by Barbara Nosenzo, and featuring a new introduction and bonus content – including scans of two of Moore’s original scripts – The Ballad of Halo Jones remains essential reading and this is its essential collection.

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Pre-order The Ballad of Halo Jones full colour omnibus hardcover!

The Ballad of Halo Jones full colour omnibus

The ultimate edition of Alan Moore and Ian Gibson’s The Ballad of Halo Jones is available to pre-order now!

With a brand new introduction by Kieron Gillen (The Wicked & The Divine), lovingly restored and beautifully coloured art, original scripts, and bonus content, this is the ultimate edition of Moore and Ian Gibson’s feminist space opera from the pages of 2000 AD.

Radical and revolutionary, this ground-breaking and critically-lauded feminist space opera from Moore (WatchmenV for Vendetta) and Gibson (Star Wars) is a true science fiction classic, and is now brought together in a full colour, hardcover omnibus for the first time.

Halo Jones is bored. Trapped in The Hoop, a futuristic world where jobs are scarce and excitement non-existent, Halo sets out to see the galaxy any way she can and to rewrite her destiny. From drudge work on a glamorous cruise liner, to serving in a brutal war zone, Halo experiences love and loss and she grows up into the woman who will change the course of the galaxy’s history.

Where did she go? Out. What did she do? Everything.A cultural icon and a high water mark for British science fiction, this timeless tale of one woman’s tenacity amidst a sea of dead-end jobs, war, despair, love, and hope, remains one of Moore’s most beloved sagas. Restored and lovingly coloured by Barbara Nosenzo, and featuring a new introduction and bonus content – including scans of two of Moore’s original scripts – The Ballad of Halo Jones remains essential reading and this is its essential collection.

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2000 AD horror that you HAVE to read this Halloween!

Looking for comics to chill the blood and trouble the soul this Halloween? Well, look no further!

2000 AD has been doing elevated horror for decades, giving you tales about real people in terrifying situations, as well as some more outlandish stories featuring everything from bodybuilding British exorcists to vampire-werewolf liaisons and everything in between.

If you’re looking for spooky reads this Halloween season, check out our video on six 2000 AD comics every horror fan should read – all available from our webshop and apps!

Download the FREE 2000 AD app on Google Play
Download the FREE 2000 AD app on Apple

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CRADLEGRAVE

After serving eight months at a Young Offenders Institution for arson, Shane Holt returns to his home on the Ravenglade Estate during a long, hot summer. Plagued by the ASBO generation, the estate has seen its fair share of problems but nothing comes close to the horror that lurks within Ted and Mary’s council home… From the extraordinary mind of John Smith (Devlin Waugh, Indigo Prime) with art by Edmund Bagwell (Tharg’s Future Shocks), this contemporary urban horror is guaranteed to deliver the chills!

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STONE ISLAND

Longbarrow Maximum Security prison has been many things over the centuries – a Roman fort, a Victorian asylum, and now the site of a gateway to another world. David Sorrell has been imprisoned for the murder of his wife and her lover, sentenced to twenty years in one of the country’s most forbidding jails. But when a strange infection starts warping the inmates into hideous creatures, life behind bars suddenly becomes a desperate struggle for survival! Written by Ian Edginton (Scarlet Traces) with art by Simon Davis (Sinister Dexter), Stone Island is modern horror at its bloody best!

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DEVLIN WAUGH

Vatican exorcist, freelance paranormal investigator and altogether dashing rogue, Devlin Waugh is in the business of getting up close and extremely personal with the occult! This time he’ll have to rescue his debtor brother Freddy from a casino suspended over an unending interdimensional void, save Brit-Cit from a plague of mutagenic nightmare spores, and befriend a possessed demonic dildo, all while negotiating boyfriends ex- and current…

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TALES OF TELGUUTH

In March 2014, British comics lost one of its most creative and distinct voices in the form of Steve Moore. Inventor of the Future Shock, Steve created many other memorable comic book characters, including Axel Pressbutton and the psychotic Dalek killer, Abslom Daak and worked on such landmark publications as Sounds, Warrior and the Fortean Times. This collection features the highly-regarded fantasy series Tales of Telguuth which Moore developed and wrote for 2000 AD.

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THARG’S TERROR TALES

Ever wondered what makes cthulhu cower, nosferatu’s knees knock or satan to shake uncontrollably? Tharg the Mighty presents tales so frightening – so outrageously scary, they should come with a health warning . . . Including blood-soaked romance A Love Like Blood and Necronauts, where Harry Houdini, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Charles Fort and H.P. Lovecraft team up to prevent a malevolent force from enslaving mankind! This fear-filled treat features the fantastic artwork of ‘Freaky’ Frazer Irving, with stories by ‘Growling’ Gordon Rennie and ‘Jittery’ John Smith.

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THISTLEBONE

Midsommar meets The Wicker Man in this break-out original folk-horror series from the pages of 2000 AD! England, 2019. The secluded rural village of Harrowvale holds a dark past. Avril Eason escaped a cult that worshipped an ancient deity called THISTLEBONE – but can she ever truly escape the evil that stalks the woods? Presented in a large format hardcover edition showcasing the lush fully-painted colour artwork by world-renowned painter Simon Davis (Sláine), this first volume in an all-new series is a great jumping on point.

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Behind The Art – Will Simpson’s Desperadlands

A couple of weeks ago, we interviewed both Michael Carroll and Will Simpson about their 4-part Judge Dredd series, Desperadlands, that began in 2000 AD Prog 2213.

Will was kind enough to send over a huge amount of artwork for the series. In his interview, we could only really include the art for the first part of Desperadlands, but this is really wonderful artwork that we really thought you’d appreciate seeing. So, now that Desperadlands has concluded in the Prog, we thought it was a fine time to look back on the incredible artwork Will Simpson has done for the series. Just like this, from episode 1, the final published version…

Just to give you a little context, Desperadlands appeared in Progs 2213-2216 and covered Dredd taking a trip down to the lawless land that is Ciudad Barranquilla, Banana City. Across four parts, Carroll and Simpson gave us a tale of Dredd investigating an ex-Judge on the run, all tying into Carroll’s back-story of former Judge Doya Meekins and young Cadet Judge Odessa. It all began with Dredd and Meekins connecting a body in a field outside Banana City with Syan Hegedos, a former MC1 Judge on the Justice Department’s most-wanted list.

As with so many of Carroll’s Dredd tales, this one plays deep into what he’s written before, whilst still reading perfectly great for anyone not intimately familiar with all that’s gone before.

At the end of it, Desperadlands is a great little Dredd tale, setting so many different possible future tales up to delight us in the future. And of course, no matter how good Desperadlands was, it was always going to be SO much better thanks to the fully-painted artwork of Will Simpson, more than welcome back in the pages of 2000 AD after a near 20-year absence.

Okay then, enough preamble. This is a post here that’s all about Will Simpson’s incredible artwork for Desperadlands, pencils, inks, and various stages of his wonderful colouring.

Be sure to go and check out the Desperadlands interviews with Michael Carroll and Will Simpson, but from here we will simply add loads of great Will Simpson artwork…

Beginning with part 1, from 2000 AD Prog 2213 – only a couple because you’ve already seen these from Will’s interview.

Desperadlands – Part 1 – Prog 2213, page 1, full colours
Desperadlands – Part 1 – Prog 2213, page 6, full colours
Desperadlands – Part 2 – Prog 2214, page 1, thumbnails
Desperadlands – Part 2 – Prog 2214, page 1, full colours
Desperadlands – Part 2 – Prog 2214, thumbnails for two alternative page 1 layouts + page 2
Desperadlands – Part 2 – Prog 2214, page 2, full colours
Desperadlands – Part 2 – Prog 2214, page 3, full colours
Desperadlands – Part 3 – Prog 2215, page 1, thumbnails
Desperadlands – Part 3 – Prog 2215, page 1, full colours
Desperadlands – Part 3 – Prog 2215, page 2, thumbnails
Desperadlands – Part 3 – Prog 2215, page 2, pencils and partial inks
Desperadlands – Part 3 – Prog 2215, page 2, pencils, paints, the whole works!
Desperadlands – Part 3 – Prog 2215, page 4, pencils and inks with masking tape all over pre painting
Desperadlands – Part 3 – Prog 2215, page 4, colours
Desperadlands – Part 3 – Prog 2215, page 5, pencils
Desperadlands – Part 3 – Prog 2215, page 5, colours – including that first glimpse at Dredd’s cute ‘lil socks!
Desperadlands – Part 3 – Prog 2215, page 6, colours
Desperadlands – Part 4 – Prog 2216, page 1, pencils
Desperadlands – Part 4 – Prog 2216, page 1, colours – the socks!
Desperadlands – Part 4 – Prog 2216, page 2, colours
Desperadlands – Part 4 – Prog 2216, page 3, colours
Desperadlands – Part 4 – Prog 2216, page 4, colours
Desperadlands – Part 4 – Prog 2216, page 5, colours
Desperadlands – Part 4 – Prog 2216, page 6, pencil roughs
Desperadlands – Part 4 – Prog 2216, page 6, colours

And that, one and all, is the entirety of what Will Simpson sent along to us. I think he’s the very definition of going above and beyond here!

So THANK YOU to Will Simpson for sharing all of this gorgeous work with us – and remember to check out Desperadlands by Michael Carroll and Will Simpson in the pages of 2000 AD Progs 2213-2216, available from the 2000 AD web shop right now!

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The 2000 AD Thrill-Cast: The John Wagner Interview, Part Three

We conclude our unmissable interview with John Wagner, who talks about Judge Dredd, Strontium Dog, his thoughts about the future, and a shock announcement!

Listen to part one

Listen to part two

The 2000 AD Thrill-Cast is the award-winning podcast that takes you behind-the-scenes at the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic! As well as interviewing top creators and famous fans, publicity droid Molch-R brings you announcements, competitions, and much more!

Subscribe to the Thrill-Cast on iTunes or listen now at www.2000ADonline.com/podcast