Complete Zenith Collection finally on its way from 2000AD

2000AD is to publish a complete - if strictly limited - collection of Grant Morrison and Steve Yeowell’s ground-breaking superhero series Zenith for the first time in December.

The 2000AD marketing team have been teasing fans with the possibility of a collection for weeks, starting, it appears, by wearing Zenith t-shirts at CE2 and running Zenith covers and other art on the comic's official tumblr. The official announcement was embargoed until today.

The limited edition hardback book will only be available from the 2000AD online shop. Restricted in 1,000 copies, it will be available for pre-order from 1 July 2013 and will be published on 1 December.

Although Titan Books published five collections, Zenith has never collected in its entirety before due to copyright issues, so this is a unique opportunity to own the whole of Morrison’s first superhero series in a never-to-be-repeated format.

Zenith is the world’s first “Superbrat” - a vain, self-obsessed, egotistical pop singer whose only interests are girls, partying, and where he is in the charts. Yet he does not realise that there are mighty forces at work which seek to enslave the Earth - and use him to do it!

Zenith on the cover of 2000 AD
prog 792, by Steve Yeowell

Starting in 1987, Zenith heralded the arrival of a talent to 2000AD who has since gone on to become one of the biggest names in comic books. A very cynical British take on superheroes, Zenith showcases themes and ideas found throughout Morrison’s later work for Marvel and DC, and demonstrates his remarkable depth and maturity as a writer.

Steve Yeowell’s striking black and white artwork - based on Zenith's character design by Brendan McCarthy - gave the strip a vitality and rawness that still shines through today.

The collection will feature all four series, or ‘phases’, the latter two of which have never been reprinted - and will also include later stories by Morrison and Mark Millar.

Both Grant Morrison and Steve Yeowell have been informed of the exciting plans for The Complete Zenith, and this new edition is being handled with the same respect and close attention to detail that 2000AD gives all its much-praised archive reproductions.

Brendan McCarthy's character design for Zenith

The Complete Zenith is one of more than 30 graphic novels that 2000AD will release in 2013.

The cover of Titan Books
Zenith Book 1

Titan Books published five trade paperbacks of Zenith between 1988 and 1990 collecting Phase I through III but previous attempts to republish the series (including the never collected Phase IV) were prevented by a copyright dispute between the publisher and Morrison.

"Fleetway have no paperwork to confirm their ownership of Zenith," Morrision told David Bishop in 2007 during interviews for David's book Thrill Power Overload, "so I'm currently involved in legal proceedings to clear things up."

(Titan did get as far as printing a Phase IV collection but had to warehouse the entire print run, hoping a deal could be worked out between Morrison and Rebellion. When nothing was forthcoming, Bleeding Cool reported back in 2010 that they pulped the entire run rather than pay the warehouse fees any longer. A few copies did escape, and were sold on eBay.

• The Complete Zenith will be available to pre-order 1st July 2013 only from the 2000AD online shop: shop.2000ADonline.com

• Background to the Zenith stories on International Hero

2000AD goes on tour in run up to 'Dredd' film release

It’s been the cutting edge powerhouse of British comics since 1977 – and now 2000AD is celebrating 35 years of Thrill-power with its first ever National Signing Event.

Just days before DREDD 3D hits movie screens, on Saturday 1st September, six comic book stores in six cities from north to south will play host to a band, nay, a legion of top British comic book talent from the past three and a half decades.

From old hands such as Dave Gibbons Simon Bisley to the newest finds such as Al Ewing and Alec Worley, 2000AD will be celebrating Britain’s greatest export across the nation.

Forbidden Planet stores in London, Bristol, and Birmingham, along with Travelling Man stores in Leeds and Manchester, and the Forbidden Planet store in Edinburgh will be stuffed with artists and writers who have made 2000AD what it is today.

Legendary writer, and Dredd and Strontium Dog co-creator, John Wagner will be headlining the day with a visit to Manchester and other big names now confirmed include Dave Gibbons (Rogue Trooper, Watchmen), Simon Bisley (Sláine: The Horned God, Lobo), Steve Yeowell (Zenith), Clint Langley (Sláine, ABC Warriors) Dan Abnett (Sinister Dexter, Kingdom), John Higgins (Judge Dredd), D’Israeli (Leviathan), Ian Edginton (Leviathan, Red Seas), and Mark Buckingham (Fables).

- More big British names will be announced in the coming weeks – keep an eye on 2000adonline.com for all the latest updates

 

Happy Birthday, 2000AD! From art droid Steve Yeowell

Steve's Red Seas art for a 2000AD cover. More about
this cover on 2000AD Covers Uncovered

Name:  Steve Yeowell

Currently working on:  

Cadet Anderson, and the final series of The Red Seas.

First memory of 2000AD?  

Prog 1. Lost the free Space Spinner within days.

Favourite Character or Story?

Judge Death lives!

What do you like most about the 2000AD?

Never rests on its laurels.

“Zenith Phase III, art by Steve Yeowell.
From 2000AD Prog 627.

What would you most like to see in 2000AD as it heads to its Forties?

More of the same!

• This post is one in a series of tributes to 2000AD to mark its 35th birthday on 26th February 2012. More about 2000AD at http://www.2000adonline.com/

2000AD © Rebellion

In Review: The Bristol Comic Expo 2010

Matthew Badham reports on this year's Bristol Expo, which attracted some 1000 fans and over 100 comic creators...

I promised myself that I was going to do four things at the Bristol Comics Expo this year: make time to watch Doctor Who; get to bed at a reasonable time; make lots of notes for this report; and take lots of photos for this report. The fact that I managed to do none of these things is probably indicative of the absolute blast that I had at the convention.

Fun, fun, fun... and more fun, basically.

I was up bright and early on Saturday – at 4.55am to be precise – not because I had to be off to Bristol, but because my 10-month old was hungry. After feeding him, dozing a bit, then looking after t’kids as my wife had a lie-in, I headed off on what must have been one of the hottest days of the year.

One not-so-quick train ride and I was at Bristol, and the first sight that greeted me was two cosplayers, one of whom was carrying a golden sword that was almost as big as him (and he wasn’t a short chap)… normally, I’d have sneered, but I must be mellowing in my old age, because the sight of the two of them, standing and chatting un-self-consciously at Bristol Temple Meads station, even though they looked liked visitors from another planet just made me smile.

"This is what Bristol and the other cons do best," I thought, "they allow people to cut loose, to be themselves, to escape and to play."

The event proper didn’t have an auspicious start. I arrived at the Ramada (the con is split between two venues, the Ramada and Mercure hotels, with the pro’ contingent in the former and the small pressers in the latter) and had a wander around before checking in. The ambience was distinctly comic mart more than it was comic con, which wasn’t helped by the sweltering temperatures. Things were looking bad.

However, once I’d had a shower and changed, it all started to look up. In terms of the venues, the Mercure was the hands-down winner for me. It was light, airy and the small press/independent comics exhibitors’ room on the fifth floor felt far more spacious than its counterpart at the Ramada. However, I have to admit that I’ve personally got a bias towards the small press/indie side of the British comics industry too, and so that’s probably one reason why I felt more inclined to linger at the Mercure than at the Ramada.

Even though I was on a strict budget, I did manage to pick up a few comics. Martin Eden very kindly gave me a complimentary copy of Spandex 2, which I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed. It’s got sharp writing, lashings of super hero hi-jinks and, best of all, pink ninjas. What’s not to love?

I also picked up an issue of There’s No Time Like The Present from Paul Rainey, one of the best comics being published in the small press (and indeed, anywhere). If you haven’t heard of it, you should check it out at your earliest opportunity. And I bagged the latest issue of West (Distance) by Andrew Cheverton and Tim Keable, which is also cracking stuff and recommended.

Having chatted to various other creators, I headed back to the Ramada, which wasn’t looking quite as grim as my first assessment had suggested. There was a steady through flow of punters, lots of laughter and chatter, and all sorts of creators sketching, talking to fans and answering questions, all with remarkable good humour (which was pretty amazing, considering the heat). I suppose this is the core of the con experience, punters getting face-to-face contact with the creators. I had a nice moment on Sunday when chatting to a comics fan and he started to show me, with obvious pride, his collection of sketches, which included contributions from the likes of Colin MacNeill and Steve Yeowell.

The creators also gave very good ‘value for money’ when it came to the panels I attended. I saw a panel on Saturday about creator-owned comics with its focus on the Image Comics model in particular. Featuring Richard Starkings (Elephantmen), Kieron Gillen (Phonogram), Paul Grist (Jack Staff), Charlie Adlard (The Walking Dead) and Ian Churchill (Marineman), it was a very illuminating glimpse into the benefits and drawbacks that face creators who do try to go the ‘Image Comics’ route.

It also gave tips about self-publishing and the creator-owned route generally, and I wouldn’t be surprised at all if some members of the audience were inspired ‘a la Sex Pistols at the Free Trade Hall’ to go and make their own comics.

The other panel I attended was about the Eagle Initiative, an offshoot of the Eagle Awards that hopes to foster new comics talent via a ‘talent search’-style competition. I went in pretty dubious, but if those involved manage to achieve even some of the things they were talking about then the Initiative could be an exciting opportunity.

All in all then, it was a great con and a fab weekend (topped off by a fun Saturday night chatting and also listening to music courtesy of comics super group The Power Cosmic – every con should have a band!) I plan to be back next year and if you’re into comics – of course you are, you’re reading downthetubes – then you should be there too.

• Official web site: www.fantasyevents.org/bristolcomicexpo/

News Items
• Bristol Evening Post
"The Bristol International Comic & Small Press Expo may not be the catchiest title but it proved a sell-out at the Redcliffe hotel this weekend."

• Mega Comics News reports on a bust-up at the Expo between Insomnia Productions staff -expect some changes there

Reviews

• Bleeding Cool: Baking in Bristol
• Blimey! It's Another blog about Comics by Lew Stringer: Heatwave for Bristol Comic Expo 2010

• Dirty Rotten Comics
• My Favourite Books
• Ace artist Kevin Levell
• Cheryl Morgan (describes the event as "A mixed bag")
• Artist Mark Pearce  ("Amazing... I met so many amazing artists and people is was really overwhelming, but inspiring. I'm still kinda wired from it all.")
• thirty-nine (includes recommended comics picked up at the Expo)

• Emma Viceli (reacting to her Eagle nomination)
• Doug Wilson (includes plenty of creator links)

First Look - Torchwood 20 by Minchin, Yeowell, Workman

Titan Magazines Torchwood title has hit Issue 20 and the comic strip is sure to appeal to 2000AD fans – it's drawn by Steve "Zenith" Yeowell.

Written by Brian Minchin, a Script Editor and Assistant Producer on the Torchwood TV series, with art by Steve Yeowell (with lettering and additional art by John Workman), the story, 'Fated to Pretend', opens with a prison van driving at breakneck speed along an isolated road - as if pursued by the devil itself. The doors break open and prisoners spill out onto the road - but something yanks them back inside. By the time Torchwood arrive, the prisoners and warders are dead. But worse than that. They've been eaten...

Torchwood follow the prison van back to Mynydd Coch, an aging prison built high above Cardiff in the Black Mountains. The prison has been locked shut, the transporter was the first vehicle to leave the building for months, and there have been strange stories from within of horror and brutality, of Zombie warders, and prisoners eaten alive. Jack has another theory... But what will happen when he, Ianto and Gwen get inside...?

Steve Yeowell is one of the UK’s most successful comic artists, who began his career back in the 1980s working with writer Grant Morrison on Marvel UK’s Zoids, He then went on to work with Morrison on 2000AD’s ground-breaking Zenith series and has never looked back, working on 2000AD series such as Sinister Dexter and The Red Seas, and also on several comics for Marvel (Skrull Kill Krew), DC (Batman, Starman) and Vertigo (The Invisibles, Sebastian O).

John Workman is one of comics’ most famous letterers, and has worked on comics by Walt Simonson, Grant Morrison and many more on such titles as Doom Patrol and Thor. Also a comic artist, and the Torchwood comic editor Martin Eden invited him to contribute to this special strip.

• Torchwood Magazine Issue 20 is on sale now in the UK (more info here) and on 16th March in the US (more info here) and is available from all good retailers and specialist comic stores.


• For the latest on Torchwood Magazine, sign aboard its Facebook Fan Page: www.facebook.com/TorchwoodMagazine