So tell me about 2000AD

[Pink Gregory]

So only recently have I decided to get into Judge Dredd, and I feel this was the right decision; but having only sampled the rest of 2000AD I'm curious as to what is what and what to seek/avoid.

For example, having read the first strip of Strontium Dog, I reckon that's my next direction, but I also hear that Dredd kinda went off the boil in the 90s.

But so far I'm looking at (Judge Dredd, naturally) Strontium Dog, ABC Warriors, Slaine, Rogue Trooper and Nemesis the Warlock.

Tell me more, basically, if you'd be so kind.

 

[Rellik San]

Good start with some of the mainstays of the 2000AD label.

Also if you can, track down: "The Ballad of Halo Jones" written by Alan Moore before he sold out and went Hollywood on our asses. It's considered one of the greatest comics starring a female protagonist ever. (although modern mileage may vary).

A name to look out for; if attached to a project you know it's gonna be good, pulpy as all hells and amazingly well written: Dan Abnett, specifically "Kingdom" and "Sinister Dexter".
Kingdom is a post apocalyptic jaunt through wastelands featuring bio-engineered dog soldiers with movie star names (our hero is Gene The Hackman), it also features work from one of my favourite artists and former Sonic the Comic alum; Richard Elson.

Sinister Dexter, is about a pair of hitmen and their increasingly bizarre misadventures, in Downlode City, working for and against the powers that be, installing new leadership and dealing with threats via irreverence and sarcasm, it's absolute madcap genius from one of todays best Sci-Fi authors.

I also highly recommend: NIKOLAI DANTE! an alternate history swash buckling adventure series, the writing can be a mixed bag at times, but this on going series is literally nothing but pure joy to read.

That's it for specific titles, but also look out for collected editions known as Thargs Future Shocks. Future Shocks are short one-shot comics, that feature a twist at the end and many of the best Sci-Fi and Fantasy writers not just in comics, but in film, television, theatre and novels have contributed over the years, including Neil Gaiman and Grant Morrison (yes THAT Grant Morrison.

And that's my recommendation for books without getting into a lot of more esoteric stuff like Atavar... but as you delve into the ranks of more and more 2000AD you'll start to wonder and explore the weirder and darker side of comics, 2000AD was a massive influence on me growing up and still is today, it's stories, dark, silly, sarcastic, satirical, slapstick but always clever. If you decide to get a subscription to the weekly 2000AD also grab one for the Monthly Judge Dredd: Megazine too, Megazine tends to print a lot darker and more mature stories than 2000AD, although the mainline Dredd will always be printed in 2000AD.

And as an aside: if you get into the character of Durham Red, prepare to scratch your head wondering how the fuck 2000AD didn't sure Terminal Reality for more or less ripping off that character wholesale.

Captcha: Hoi Polloi.
I guess that perfectly sums up the 2000AD feel.

 

[Queen Michael]

Also if you can, track down: "The Ballad of Halo Jones" written by Alan Moore before he sold out and went Hollywood on our asses. It's considered one of the greatest comics starring a female protagonist ever. (although modern mileage may vary).

Agreed, it's darn good. But don't neglect The Complete D.R. & Quinch by Alan Moore; it's an amazingly good humor comic. MUST be checked out.

 

[Rot_At_The_Root]

Sam Slade, Robo Hunter for the win!

 

[Pink Gregory]

Good start with some of the mainstays of the 2000AD label.

Well the reason I'm doing that is that I don't really want to wade in in the middle of the serialised ones. Otherwise I'd start getting the issues. But much obliged all the same; I am interested to look into Alan Moore's 2000AD work, I did find a strip of ABC Warriors that he wrote, I found it quite interesting. For a short strip anyway.

 

[Rellik San]

If you want some particular Dredd stories that don't need wider context here's a couple that are readily available:

Judge Dredd: America - This is an example of a graphic novel that literally blows everything out of the water, this was a massive game changer not just in British comics, but in the whole world of Comics in general, I'm genuinely surprised it doesn't land on more lists of top 100 books.

Megacity Undercover - An excellent look at rogue judges and how the seedier part of the justice system works, also I'm pretty sure one of the character actually is Alan Moore.

Judge Dredd/Batman - All 4 DC/2000AD crossover stories are present in this volume, great stories, excellent art and a nice bonus Lobo vs Dredd story at the end. Personal highlight... well let's just say the Joker steals the show.

 

[Megalodon]

Best thing I've found about 2000AD is the (for the most part) ease of picking it up, unlike super hero Marvel/DC stuff. Find the compilation books, Complete Case Files for Dredd, S/D agency files (I think) for Strontium Dog, Tales of Nu Earth for Rogue Trooper, start reading at 1, continue for as long as the numbers, your desire to keep going or money allows.

I wouldn't know if Dredd slumped in the 90's, as I've only read the first dozen or so Complete Case Files, but even if that's the case, there's still 14 years or so of quality comic there.

Strontium Dog really went off the boil for me tbh. Purely with the art style, when it changed at the end of the 4th compilation (the lead up to Final Solution), it was hideous and stopped me enjoying the story, which was sad.

 

[Rellik San]

Strontium Dog really went off the boil for me tbh. Purely with the art style, when it changed at the end of the 4th compilation (the lead up to Final Solution), it was hideous and stopped me enjoying the story, which was sad.

But that's another excellent point you bring up there, 2000AD is brilliant if for nothing else, than letting the artists go off the leash, sometimes it's excellent, sometimes it isn't, but you can't deny the sheer creativity of the more punk rock attitude of 2000AD is a big seller.

 

[elvor0]

So only recently have I decided to get into Judge Dredd, and I feel this was the right decision; but having only sampled the rest of 2000AD I'm curious as to what is what and what to seek/avoid.

For example, having read the first strip of Strontium Dog, I reckon that's my next direction, but I also hear that Dredd kinda went off the boil in the 90s.

But so far I'm looking at (Judge Dredd, naturally) Strontium Dog, ABC Warriors, Slaine, Rogue Trooper and Nemesis the Warlock.

Tell me more, basically, if you'd be so kind.

Haven't read 2000AD in a long while, haven't been able to afford it and you just can't get it in Finland *grumble*, so I'm a bit out of the loop with what's currently going on, but all those on the list are solid choices. I didn't read too much of ABC warriors, but it's from the same universe as Nemesis, which I did enjoy, so I see no reason why not to read it, I'm sure someone better informed can give you a better run down of it.

I'll echo Rellik San and mention Nikolai Dante and Sinister Dexter, both great reads. I'm not sure if they're still running in the main comic, they'd certainly finished when I stopped reading. But I think the good thing about 2000AD is that they tend to do more "limited" runs of characters, with the exception of Judge Dredd of course, so that some characters literally just get a full story that has a definitive end, or they stop publishing it until they can come up with decent stories, so theres much less filler than a traditional comic book. 2000AD just don't seem to publish flat material, there'll be stuff that doesn't interest you, but I'd be loath to say they publish anything bad.

There's also Duhram Red, a character introduced in Strontium Dog, she's essentially Blood Rayne, but Red came first, she's also a mutant, rather than a flat out vampire, but she's quite clearly a product of the 90s when you read her "graphic novels" but don't let that throw you, they're still great sci fi romps, with some excellent art and writing, though I'd read Strontium Dog FIRST, otherwise Duhram Red will retro actively spoil things, it very much carries on and yet diverges from Strontium Dog.

I also highly recommend: NIKOLAI DANTE! an alternate history swash buckling adventure series, the writing can be a mixed bag at times, but this on going series is literally nothing but pure joy to read.

I'm glad I wasn't going to be the first person to Nikolai Dante ^^ Was just thinking about trying to find Czar Wars the other day actually. He doesn't get nearly enough love, I'd say the writing wasn't as good /after/ Czar Wars, but I think thats because it seems like they'd planned everything out up till that point, then after that it was a bit directionless, still fun, but I prefered the earlier material.

Sam Slade, Robo Hunter for the win!

I'd totally forgot about Slade, that was great stuff. Damn it I wish I wasn't so poor, I want to start getting 2000AD again even more ><

 

[Rellik San]

I'll echo Rellik San and mention Nikolai Dante and Sinister Dexter, both great reads. I'm not sure if they're still running in the main comic, they'd certainly finished when I stopped reading. But I think the good thing about 2000AD is that they tend to do more "limited" runs of characters, with the exception of Judge Dredd of course, so that some characters literally just get a full story that has a definitive end,

I'm not entirely sure if it's still the case for Sinister Dexter, last time I picked up Megazine, SinDex has it's own comic series included in it, still being written by Dan Abnett and it was still as excellent as ever.

 

[Megalodon]

Strontium Dog really went off the boil for me tbh. Purely with the art style, when it changed at the end of the 4th compilation (the lead up to Final Solution), it was hideous and stopped me enjoying the story, which was sad.

But that's another excellent point you bring up there, 2000AD is brilliant if for nothing else, than letting the artists go off the leash, sometimes it's excellent, sometimes it isn't, but you can't deny the sheer creativity of the more punk rock attitude of 2000AD is a big seller.

Oh yeah, when it works, it really works. It's just a shame that it went wrong, at least for me with Simon Harrison's artwork (I blame him because I've not had trouble with MacNeil's artwork in other 200AD he's done, like The Pit, whereas I've not encountered anything good by Harrison that I'm aware of).

To me, the end of Strontium Dog tells us one thing, when Carlos Ezquerra doesn't like your plot to the extent he refuses to draw it, you should probably listen to him.

 

[elvor0]

I'll echo Rellik San and mention Nikolai Dante and Sinister Dexter, both great reads. I'm not sure if they're still running in the main comic, they'd certainly finished when I stopped reading. But I think the good thing about 2000AD is that they tend to do more "limited" runs of characters, with the exception of Judge Dredd of course, so that some characters literally just get a full story that has a definitive end,

I'm not entirely sure if it's still the case for Sinister Dexter, last time I picked up Megazine, SinDex has it's own comic series included in it, still being written by Dan Abnett and it was still as excellent as ever.

Sweet, twould appear I have a lot of back reading to do. I read it way past the point where they started running Sinister/Dexter again after that extended break. A friend of mine won an auction for about 700 issues of the comic, which I sat down and read very dilligantly, cover to cover, then I think I stopped reading 2000AD a little after the Judge Dredd "Origins" story, I just got seriously burned out ><

 

[Dragonlayer]

I always loved Judge Dredd and Rogue Trooper: FASCIST POLICE-STATE AND WW1 IN SPAAAAAAAAAAAAACE, RESPECTIVELY!

 

[Lovecrafts Sunny Day]

Hi There, new to forums (came here looking for info on Watch Dogs )

2000AD has some truly impressive strips, Dredd had some decent long running story archs, Judgement Day being one of my faves (and also a crossover with Strontium Dogs).

Strontium Dogs was really good in the first few outings, a dystopian view of the subjugation of mutants, echoing far right segregation of those deemed less than human. It went a bit off after the Gronk made a comeback, but otherwise brilliant.

ABC warriors - check
Rogue Trooper - check
Slaine - brilliant.

Other notable strips not mentioned yet would have to include:

Button Man - John Wagner & Arthur Ranson
Grounded British killers for cash storyline, well written thriller with outstanding realistic artwork, Dreamworks still own the film rights.

Bad Company - Alan Grant, John Wagner and others
Futuristic account of war, seen through the experiences of Danny Franks, from his beginnings as a 'raw' recruit to his evolution as part of Kano's war scarred outfit. Brutal storyline, stylistic artwork.

2000ad gave writers and artists a lot of scope, there are many more worthy of mention, even if their strips didn't last more than a couple of series, plus spin offs from more prominent titles that really add to the original (Purgatory for example, about the Mega City One offworld penal colony).

It's well worth a look.