Futureshock! The Story of 2000AD

Saturday 22 September
10:30am - 11:00am
BBC Radio 4

Phill Jupitus tells the story of 2000AD. Over the past 30 years, the weekly British comic's distinctive visions of the future have shaped the imaginations of a generation of young readers. Its dark and gritty tales, often set in a near future of post-apocalyptic urban decay, have changed the tone of science fiction.

Shok!

Do you remember the story Shok! from the 1981 Judge Dredd Annual?
If not then you may not know that it was made in to a film in 1990, although the film was called 'Hardware'. The British Horror Films website has a small feature on the story which you can find by following the link and other links to the original story.

British Horror Films: Hardware
British Horror Films: Shok!
The Official 2000 AD website: Shok! [free to read online]

2000 AD on 80's TV Show Splash

A short clip of the old Nerve Centre as featured on the 80's tv show splash featuring Alan Grant [AALN-1], Simon Geller [SIM-1], Brett Ewins & Madness.

3D Models

Four 3D models created by Dave Carr. Judge Dredd, Mechanismo, The Lawgiver & The Lawmaster.

You can watch it on youtube below:



Or at Daves website in a much higher resolution.

Contract by Simon Spurrier

If you pass by here because of its tenuous links to anything to do with 2000 AD then you're probably aware of that oik Simon Spurrier. He's got a book due out soon so pop by its myspace page and see what its all about, there's also Si's myspace page and I'm sure he's on god knows how many other sites going on about his books impending release. There's even a site where you can read it for free, yes free.
Its being released chapter by chapter each week so you'll be able to read the whole book and not pay a penny, its only going to be available for a limited time so click on the link and see what its all about. I'm presently working my way through the hardback and so far its very good.

Contract by Simon Spurrier

ArtDroids

Ever felt like owning a piece of raw Thrill Power, to be able to hold a page of art in your hands, feel the paper, see the ink or paint well then Rufus Dayglo's ArtDroids site is the place to drop by.
Rufus, himself has appeared inside the pages of 2000 AD and on the cover and represents some of the biggest names that have worked for the Nerve Centre.
Besides selling artwork for other artists Rufus is presently working on such things as Tank Girl & Metal Gear Solid but if you pop along to his MySpace page you can see his blog and fantastic art.

A word of warning before clicking the link to the ArtDroids site, there's only one way known to stop Rufus selling you that fantastic piece or Carlos Ezquerra artwork. Or work by Henry Flint, Dave Gibbons, Garry Leach, Arthur Ranson, Cliff Robinson, Jock, Ian Gibson & Kevin O’Neil to name just a few.

Origins

'Origins', the story 30 years in the making arrives in graphic novel form. From his very first appearance in Prog 2 of 2000 AD through 30 years of stories, John Wagner has never told the story of how the Justice department and Dredd's world was set up but that all changed from Prog 1505 [September, 2006]

If you didn't catch the following epic story in the Progs or just want to have it to read in one go its now out. The book also has the preceding Dredd story 'The Connection' with art by Kev Walker, covers gallery and sketch book by Dredd's co-creator Carlos Ezquerra.

Origins: Buy Now.

2000 AD Review

If you haven't read 2000 AD for ages and don't know what you're missing then here's a site for you. Reviews on all new releases from the House of Tharg including 2000 AD, The Megazine, Extreme Editions, Abaddon Books and more.

Reviews from Prog 1304 way back in August 2002 through to the latest Prog. The Megazine reviews starting with Megazine 201 from January 2003 and host of other related titles reviewed. Collections like the recently released and one of my fave Graphic Novel from the Nerve Centre this year, XTinct. In fact it'd be easier to take a peek than for me to keep listing things and if looking isn't enough it has its own forum where you can discuss anything to do with Tharg, his droids and publications.

Previously

PJ Holden the smallest man in comics is currently putting together a comic showcasing some of his work that goes back many a year.
Its provisional line up is taken from PJ's Blog in his own words.

The Tallyman by Gordon Rennie, 1999
This marks the start of my long standing collaboration and friendship with Gordon. First appeared in Violent #1.

Bertie’s Backyard Bomber by Paul Glasswell, March 2004
A goofy cartoony strip in a style that I’ve never used before or since. Drawn for ‘Solar Wind’.

Broken Claw by Stu Taylor, October 2004
First printed in Neo #1 – we had big plans for ‘Broken Claw’ but we ended up doing a year long run of ‘Nanas ‘n’ Custard’ for Toxic! Instead. Relettered for this collection.

The Adventures of Rogue’s Secret Other Biochip Buddy by Gordon Rennie. c2002
Born out of a stupid conversation between Gordon and I, never intended to for print and drawn after Gordon had started Rogue but before I had.

Horror by Kieron Gillen, September 2006
Drawn for a horror anthology, relettered for this collection. Keiron is unnaturally fond of the pigs in this strip. It scares me.

Dark Judge Wedgie by Gordon Rennie, March 2003
Another daft Gordon strip, Dark Judge Wedgie, one imagines, is the Dark Judge that the others try to ignore and don’t tell when they’re going on inter-dimensional jumps.

Stripped Bare by Jaspre Bark, c2004
Written by Jaspre to accompany a series of articles he was doing for a fiction magazine I enjoyed the crammed detail (and now that I look again, it’s not unlike the Bertie strip previously mentioned, hmmmm…)

Face Rot, c2005, and Rebel Strip, February 2006
Origin of Face Rot unknown, the Rebel strip was written and drawn by me as part of a series of webstrips I’d decided to do for my website, wherein I would do a page a day. I lasted for two or three months and drew around 60 strips.

Bulldog: Forgetful Snow by Jason Cobley, March 2003
I’m fond of the delicate inking on this and there are some nice faces. Also, that’s my little brother Luke on the last page.

Strontium Dog: The Day the Dog Died by Kelt, March 2003
Posted to the alt.comics.2000ad by Kelt, this silly one page spoof was too funny not to draw. So I did.

Cages by Nick Brownlow Four page call of chtulu style strip for RPG magazine the Black Seal.

To find out more click on the link to PJ's Blog there's loads to see and damn it he's a nice bloke as well. Paul Holden's: Notes From The Drawing Board.

Tell him Logan sent you.

Dredd V's Death Statue

At this years ComicCon July 26th - 29th the Judge Dredd V's Death statue will be unveiled by First4Figures. Based on the stunning fully painted artwork by Greg Staples.
First4Figures also produced the Rogue Trooper statue that appeared at last years Comic Festival in Bristol.
Expect pictures and preorder details to start to appear after ComicCon.

Thrill Power Overload

THRILL-POWER OVERLOAD

By David Bishop
Thirty Years of Thrill-Power!
For over three decades one British comic has defined a generation: 2000 AD. From humble and rocky beginings to its current position as the Galaxy's Greatest Comic, Thrill-Power Overload charts the incredible history of this ground-breaking weekly. With exclusive interviews, hundreds of illustrations and rarely-seen artwork, former 2000 AD editor David Bishop guides the reader through three decades of action, adventure, excitement and the occasional editorial nightmare! Told by the people who were there, this is the definitive history of the comic that launched a thousand talents.
Large-format hardback
256 pages
£34.99
Includes bonus comic strip and comprehensive index

Although advertised at £34.99 its up on Amazon for £23.10 and should be out very soon.

For more info on the gestation of the book take look at David Bishop's Thrill-Power Overload Blog.

Slaine: The Horned God

A very good Spanish fan fim trailer for the Horned God based on the visuals of Simon Bisley

The image on the left is the cover to Prog 626 for more of Simon's 2000 AD work take a look at his profile page.

Colonel Marbles Minature Review

Not a huge link to 2000 AD but the Colonel is a huge 2000 AD fan and his minature reviews are well worth a watch.

30 Year Flashback: 2000 AD arrives!

For any fans of comics you've probably read something by Lew Stringer even if you didn't realise it.

His wonderful Blog "Blimey! It's Another Blog About Comics!" has a small feature on the Galaxies Greatest Comic reaching its 30th birthday and some pictures of adverts that appeared in other titles in the weeks before 2000 AD first went on sale.
My favourite being the one with the Biotronic stickers from Prog 2.

Bristol Comic Expo

For the 8th year Bristol will be home to many comic fans over the weekend of the 12th - 13th May 2007.The Bristol International Comic Expo website has all the details you'll need to see who will be their and what will be going on.

Of interest to anyone who may happen to stumble across this Blog is that Comic Expo are holding a very special fund raiser at the showin support of Bullying.co.uk
Based on an suggestion from Craig at Silver Bullets & in association with Rebellion they'll have a LIVE Charity Art Auction at the show which they are calling the 2030 AD Art Auction.
As part of the 30th anniversary celebration of Dredd and Co. They have some of the classic 2000AD Art Droids creating their favourite 2000AD heroes but with the twist of "what if they had aged that 30 years" ?

Dave Gibbons, Alan Davis, John Burns, Jock, Ian Gibson, Mark Buckingham, Bryan Talbot, Mike Collins, PJ Holden and Carlos Ezquerra are busy working on their sketches, with special previews of the art appearing on the Comic Expo site and in 2000AD. It'll be totally unique and only available at the Bristol International Comic Expo in support of Bullying.co.uk.

Judge Dredd Phonecards

Can't believe that's its over 10 years since the Judge Dredd Phonecards by P&J Promotions came out, I remember getting the first set but didn't buy the second.

There's an article about them on a Blog called 'Bear Alley' so click the link to read the feature and see some of the artwork for the cards.
There's also a page of John Wagner's script from the project as well.

2000 AD 30th Anniversary Party

Tickets now available for the 2000 AD 30th Anniversary Party at Madame Jo Jo's in London on the 25th April 2007.
Each ticket costs £10 - On presentation at the club you will recieve a Tom Frame commerative poster.

TOM FRAME
19th October 1931 - 14th July 2006

Links

If you want your Blog, Website or anything linked from this Blog send me a message and if it has some relevance to 2000 AD no matter how tenuous I'll consider putting it on the list.
Also if you know any sites that should be linked then feel free to drop a line as well.

No Free Space Spinner

Post 1 and no free gift, just a few words to see if this works and if I can put up a post without screwing it up.

Its April 2007 and I'm considering what to do on those long cold winter months to idle away the time. I suppose I could do something productive, or join a group or expand my limited mental capacity by doing an adult education course but no, none of these noble causes will do instead I'm going to waste my winter months writing my thoughts on the Galaxies Greatest Comic 2000 AD, starting at Prog 1 and working my way through them one Prog at a time.
This mammoth task I do for my own pleasure and if anyone stumbles across it then feel free to scorn upon my weak writing or reviewing abilities.