2000AD Celebrates 35 Years of Thrillpower!

In 1977, something amazing happened. All across the land the first issue of 2000AD, dated 26th February, arrived in British newsagents. And your world has never been the same since.

35 years on and The Galaxy’s Greatest Comic is still going strong, still packed with top-notch Thrills by some of the world’s greatest comic book artists and writers, and still bringing intense weekly bursts of Thrill-power to the starving masses.

To celebrate this milestone, this Wednesday sees the anniversary edition, Prog 1771, hit newsstands in the UK (7th March in North America) with the choice of two amazing variant covers - one by Chris Weston (The Filth, The Twelve), riffing on a classic image by Brian Bolland and showing some of the classic characters of the past 15 years.

The second cover by 2000AD legend Mick McMahon shows the alien editor, Tharg the Mighty, surrounded by his loyal editorial droids!

This week will also see 2000adonline.com give away some exclusive prizes to Squaxx Dek Thargo everywhere, including:

• Copies of Kingdom: The Promised Land signed by New York Times bestselling writer Dan Abnett
• Copies of dinosaurs-farmed-by-cowboys-from-the-future classic Flesh: The Dino Files signed by 2000AD’s creator and first editor, Pat Mills
• Copies of the hilarious mobster comedy Al’s Baby signed by Judge Dredd creators John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra

Thanks to Planet Replicas, they’ll also be giving one lucky Earthlet the chance to get a custom made Judge badge – featuring their own surname! These high-quality fully licensed badges are a must for budding agents of the law, and the winner will get one embossed with their own name.

And as we head toward 2000AD’s official birthday, 2000ADonline have the pièce de résistance – an exclusive Mongrol figure from Ashley Woods’ threeA Toys. Yes – one of the most hotly desired piece of 2000AD merchandise in recent years. Standing over 11-inches high and over 13-inches wide, this fully articulated 1:6 scale figure has been drooled over by fans since its release last year and you’ll get the chance to try and win this stunning figure.

Keep your glues glued to 2000adonline.com, as well as the comic's official Twitter and Facebook feeds, as we gear up to mark 35 years of Thrill-powered awesomeness!

Happy birthday, 2000AD – it’s going to be a zarjaz week!

2000AD Mongrol Figure on sale next week

(Updated 24/2/11): The first of a series of seven A.B.C Warriors action figures, Mongrol, goes on sale next Monday and should be available from your local classy toy retailer.

Produced by 3A Toys, Mongrol is just one figure in a range that includes the Mighty Tharg - with more to come.

Mongrol is the first in a series of 1/6th figures of the ABC Warriors – a band of renegade robots designed to fight a future war and able to withstand 'Atomic', 'Bacterial' and 'Chemical' warfare – by renowned toys creators threeAToys.

Known for his brutal catchphrase "Mongrol smush!", the immensely strong battle-droid is always itching for a fight. Standing at 30cm high, and with a shoulder width of 35cm, this fully articulated figure will make a thrilling addition to any fans' collection.

ABC Warriors creator Pat Mills is delighted with the figure. "Normally I'm not impressed by toys, but Mongrol is amazing," he said on Facebook. "[It's] very McMahon and rightly so, as he was his creator."

"2000AD has produced some of the most innovative and famous characters in comic book history," notes the comic's editor Matt Smith, "So for threeA, a company with such a good reputation for making quality toys, to produce figures based on them is a match made in heaven for us.

“Mongrol is one of the classic characters from 2000AD and it's great to see him brought him to life like this, fit for any discerning fan's home.”

Based in Hong Kong, 3A Toys was formed as a partnership between internationally acclaimed artist Ashley Wood and leading designer toy maker ThreeZero in 2008. 3A Toys is home to the hit toy line World War Robot, Metal Gear Solid and Todd McFarlane’s Spawn.

“2000AD and the worlds within its pages was inspirational in igniting the dream of becoming a comic artist for me, which lead to my first professional comic job, illustrating a Dredd Story for the Megazine," said Ashley Wood, CEO at 3A Toys when the licensee was first signed back in 2009," It feels very gratifying and exciting to revisit this universe now with toys.”

This exclusive Mongrol figure will go on sale from threeA online and to retailers on Monday 28 February for a recommended retail price is US$250. There will also be a ‘stealth’ Black Mongrol exclusively available through Bambaland.com. While most threeA toys go on sale for limited periods, Mongrol’s ordering window is to be left open – giving fans of both 2000AD and stunning-looking toys a much better chance to get their hands on this fantastic piece.

• For more info email infoATthreeaonline or visit our website at: www.threeaonline.com

• Mongrol will be on sale from the 3A Store: www.bambalandstore.com