Wagner and Ezquerra join growing guest line up at London Super Comic Convention

The creators of Judge Dredd, John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra, are teaming up once more to attend the London Super Comic Convention in February next year.

The huge event at London’s ExCel convention centre on 23rd and 24th of February 2013 will have a distinctly 2000AD flavour - and not just with a stellar line-up of guests.

It’s been a Dredd-filled 2012 with the release of DREDD 3D and 2000AD celebrating its 35th anniversary, and Wagner and Ezquerra are to be joined by fan-favourite artists Brian Bolland (Judge Dredd), Glenn Fabry (Sláine), and Brett Ewins (Judge Anderson, Bad Company).

Other 2000AD guests already announced include Gary Erskine (Judge Dredd, Flesh), Mike Collins (Judge Dredd, American Gothic), Alan Grant (Judge Anderson), Peter Hogan (Robo-Hunter, Strontium Dogs), and Nick Percival (Judge Dredd, Sláine).

One of 2000AD’s most popular characters, the Celtic warrior Sláine the Barbarian, celebrates his 30th birthday in 2013 and LSCC will be having a special competition along with Sláine-themed cosplay.

2000AD gets set to celebrate 35th birthday

 Break out the balloons, paper plates and the party poppers – it’s 2000AD’s birthday!

The Galaxy’s Greatest Comic is celebrating three and a half decades of Thrill-power at the SFX Weekender event in February 2012, with its one and only official 35th birthday party!

And what better way to mark this incredible moment in comics history than the legendary co-creators of classic characters Judge Dredd and Strontium Dog, John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra, appearing together for the first time in years!

Along with a glittering array of galactic talent, there’ll also be a special Friday night bash, and the 2000AD team will be ensuring that the next 35 years gets off to a flying start with all the latest graphic novels plus giveaways and freebies!
 
Back for a third year in 2012, the SFX Weekender, taking place at Prestatyn Sands holiday camp in Wales from 3-4 February 2012, will be packed with activities for fans: big-name guests, interviews, Q&A sessions, comic workshops, videogaming, music, book readings and plenty more.

“It's an incredible achievement for any British comic to reach 35 years of continuous publication,” said 2000AD editor Matt Smith, “and the fact that 2000AD is still here is testament to the remarkable talents of the writers, artists, colourists, letterers, designers and editorial staff that have worked on it over the past three and a half decades – and, of course, to the loyal readership that continue to pick up the Galaxy's Greatest every week.

"We hope that the 35th birthday party at SFX Weekender will be a fitting celebration for everyone to raise a polystyrene cup in salute to Tharg's Mighty Organ!”

"We're thrilled to be celebrating 2000AD's 35th anniversary at the SFX Weekender!” said Dave Bradley, editor of SFX. “The Galaxy's Greatest Comic has been incredibly influential through its history and remains a must-read – it makes sense to join up with the world's leading sci-fi mag for a fan-filled party. And meeting Judge Dredd legends Carlos Ezquerra and John Wagner will be a geek-tastic treat. Roll on February!"

• Tickets can be purchased by going to www.sfxweekender.com

2000AD launches 'Creator Interviews' ebook

2000AD has launched its first ebook collection of interviews with some of the biggest names in the comic book industry.

This first collection includes a three-part interview with the co-creator of Judge Dredd, Carlos Ezquerra, as well as pieces on the creator of 2000AD, Pat Mills, and two of the artists who fundamentally defined the look of Dredd – Mick McMahon and Ron Smith.

In a new experiment for 2000AD, the series is being made available in ebook format, firstly for Kindle only – available through Amazon for just £1.99.

These long-form interviews from the monthly Judge Dredd Megazine offer a unique insight into the life and work of seminal figures in British comics history, covering everything from their childhoods, to their time with 2000AD and their work elsewhere. Later volumes will include interviews with more top flight talent from the world of Tharg.

“These interviews are one of the highlights of the Judge Dredd Megazine and give unprecedented insights into the creative minds behind 2000AD and its characters,” said Matt Smith, editor.

“Nowhere else will you find this long-running series of long-form interviews, and these collections will allow fans to get an in depth look at the people who made 2000AD what it is today.”

Super Squirrel Undefeated: The Get-Well Carlos Project

Kev Levell's cover for the Get Well Carlos
comic

Back in July, comic fans heard the news that the legendary comics artist Carlos Ezquerra was suffering from lung cancer, so they thought it would cheer him up if they sent him a get well card – and that it would make sense to say it with comics.

The project quickly morphed into a book as comic creators from across the globe got enthusiastic about sending Carlos their best wishes and that book has now been delivered to a very surprized but delighted Mr Ezquerra.

Wrapped in a cover drawn by Kevin Levell, the comic included get well messages from a host of creators.

Now, a public version of this has now been released and can be found at the main download link and a back-up if that doesn't work.

A grateful Carlos - who had one lung removed in the battle in an ongoing effort to beat the cancer - has now sent a couple of messages through Facebook to Mark Howard, the man who made all the magic happen, indicating how much the comic meant to him and how it's helped given him renewed determination to defeat the illness as he undergoes chemotherapy.

"I was overwhelmed with the get well card," he writes, "a massive 34-page book full of beautiful illustrations and extremely nice words. It filled my heart with joy and my eyes with a couple of tears.

"What can I say but thanks - you are beautiful people and [you've] given me a reason to fight this illness and carry on working."

The Get-Well Carlos team are now working on a follow up project and you can read more about that here on the downthtubes forum courtesy of The Emperor, if you want to take part.

• Get Well Carlos Comic Card

Garth Ennis’ Battlefields

While we're primarily a British comics news site our remit does often cover the work being done by British comic creators beyond our shores - and one title that recently caught our attention, very belatedly, is Garth Ennis' Battlefields project for Dynamite Entertainment. (All right - make that incredibly belatedly, but the beauty of today's comics is that you can catch up with collections!)

Launched back in 2008 with "Night Witches" - the tale of female Russian fighter pilots inspired in part by Battle Picture Weekly's Johnny Red, in addition to the strips themselves, utilising top artists such as John Cassady, PJ Holden and, currently, Carlos Ezquerra, Garth has been plugging British war comics along the way. (He freely admits his love of the genre and is providing the introduction for the first Johnny Red collection from Titan Books, out later this year).

The latest series is a sequel to the critically acclaimed The Tankies storyline, set in 1945. Fan favourite character Sherman Stiles has been promoted from Corporal to Sergeant. With his Firefly, a British version of the Sherman Tank, and a high-velocity gun, Sherman is set to tear apart any German Tiger tanks in his own way – but this time, the Germans have an ace up their sleeve... the fearsome King Tiger tank!

“It’s early 1945 and the recently promoted Sergeant Stiles is now happily in command of a Firefly, a British adaptation of the American Sherman tank with a high-velocity gun – one that can even take out Stiles’ nemesis from last time, the German Tiger,” says Garth. “But as the Allied armies advance onto German soil, Hitler’s armies are getting ready to go down fighting, and Stiles soon finds himself locked in a one-on-one duel with the fearsome King Tiger tank.

"This monster makes the ordinary Tiger look like a house cat, so it’s pretty much back to square one for our hero and his crew… which Stiles takes with his usual good humor and stoicism, of course. ... Anna Kharkova from The Night Witches and Corporal (now Sergeant) Stiles from The Tankies were both strong enough characters that I wanted to write new stories for them.”

With interiors by the talented Carlos Ezquerra and covers by veteran series cover artist Gary Leach, Battlefields is clearly firing on all cylinders, and critics have been enthusing about Ennis’ relaunch in the action-filled period of World War II.

“Dynamite has a good series here with stories that Ennis truly seems passionate about," noted Doug Zawisa, Comic Book Resources about Battlefields: Happy Valley. "While it is hard to emotionally invest in these characters due to their lack of history, there is no denying these characters are human and can be related to or empathized with. For those looking for a war comic fix, you certainly cannot go wrong with Ennis’ series.”

“Battlefields: Happy Valley is the perfect example of how war comics should be done," agreed web site Hypergeek. "Actually, it’s not just an example of a perfect war comic, it’s an example of a perfect comic! Garth Ennis’ character driven script, accompanied by PJ Holden’s intense and powerful artwork, make for one of the best comics on the shelves. The second season of Battlefields is of to a fine start, and sets the bar incredibly high for the rest of the series.”

The latest issue of Battlefields is on sale in the UK in specialist comic shops. Dynamite collected the first Battlefields stories - Night Witches, Dear Billy, and Tankies - last year. The edition features some ever-so-slight tweaks the creators have meticulously restored, plus bonus art material including a complete cover gallery and a special look at the making of the stories.

Web Links


• Latest Battlefields on the Dynamite Entertainment web site

• Preview pages from the 2008 release 'The Night Witches' on Comic Book Resources

• Battlefields: Happy Valley - Dynamite Entertainment

• Battlefields: The Tankies - Dynamite Entertainment