Tag Archives: rob williams

War is Declared! 2000 AD and Judge Dredd Megazine Cross Over For “Nordland Rising”

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Nordland Rising

This September, the Nort Army are setting out to conquer the 2000 AD Multiverse – and it’s going to take some unlikely allies to stop them!

The massive crossover event story Nordland Rising will see Rogue Trooper’s oldest enemies invade multiple different storylines from across 2000 AD’s history, as they take on Judge Dredd, Bad Company, Fiends of the Eastern Front, The VCs and more. Spread across 2000 AD Prog 2400 and Judge Dredd Megazine 472, this is an all-out action assault – and The Norts aren’t taking any prisoners!

Featuring stories from Ken Niemand, John McCrea, Peter Milligan, Ian Edginton, Nick Percival, Dan Abnett, Gordon Rennie, Simon Coleby, and more, Nordland Rising will see the return of familiar faces including Jaegir and Major Eazy as the War begins in 2000 AD and then crosses over for the epic climax in Judge Dredd Megazine. With both issues out on the 18th September, readers will be able to read the whole saga in one go – a veritable overdose of Thrill-power!

This is a great way to jump onboard 2000 AD for the first time and get a blast of action from some of The Galaxy’s Greatest writers and artists. Easily accessible for new readers – but packed with surprises for long-term fans – the crossover will then be followed by 2000 AD Prog 2401: a jump-on issue featuring the return of Garth Ennis and Patrick Goddard on Rogue Trooper; the follow up to Judge Dredd: A Better World from Rob Williams, Arthur Wyatt, and Jake Lynch, and the return of fan-favourite series The Out for an all-new run!

It’s never been a better time to become a regular reader of 2000 AD – or as we call it, a “Squaxx dek Thargo”! That is… assuming we escape The Norts in one piece…

Nordland Rising will begin in 2000 AD 2400 on the 18th September, and conclude the same day in Judge Dredd Megazine 472. Make sure to grab both halves of the story, Earthlets!

Garth Ennis and Brian K Vaughan bring back Battle Action this August!

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Get ready for action! Garth Ennis, Brian K Vaughan, John Wagner, Torunn Gronbekk and more head up the powerhouse creative team for the new Battle Action series – coming this summer!

Launching in August, the new ten-issue series will bring readers death-defying heroics and incredible action, delivered by a crack team of top comics creators, including a brand new revival of the controversial series ‘Kids Rule OK’ from Brian K Vaughan and Chris Burnham, and the final story of WWII aerial ace ‘Johnny Red’ by Garth Ennis and Keith Burns!

Combining stories and characters from 1970s classic comics Battle and Action, Ennis said Battle Action will deliver all the thrills that earned the original comics their hard-bitten, action-packed reputations…

Ennis and Burns will be joined on Battle Action by an all-star lineup of creators including John Wagner, Torunn Grønbekk, Dan Abnett, Rob Williams, John Higgins, Henry Flint, John McCrea, Steve White, and Tom Foster.

‘Kids Rule OK’ was the controversial and violent story that led to an issue of Action being pulled from shelves in 1976, now Vaughan and Burnham revisit this landmark series with a story set in a hostile future London where a young American boy runs for his life from a mob of xenophobic British Punks – but he has a secret weapon they aren’t expecting…

One of the most beloved characters in British comics history, Johnny Red is a fighter pilot in World War II who fights for peace and liberation. But this new story will cover a moment in his history which has never been seen before: the final days of World War II.

Alongside Johnny and returning heroes ‘Nina Petrova’, ‘Major Eazy’, ‘HMS Nightshade’, ‘Dredger’ and ‘Hellman of Hammer Force’, the series will expand to welcome in new takes on several other classic comics characters and stories – including killer shark ‘Hookjaw’, former-enslaved-man-turned-outlaw ‘El Mestizo’, and violent future sports series ‘Death Game’ – making Battle Action the most furiously action-packed comic on the stands!

The ten-issue series in magazine format kicks off in August with Battle Action #1, which will be available through all good comic book stores through Diamond Distribution.

Mini Reviews: Petrol Head, Sinister Sons, one of the best debuts of the year, and more!

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Sinister Sons #1

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling reviews of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full one for.

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews and Recommendations.

Logan

If You Find This, I’m Already Dead #1 (Dark Horse) – Despite its wordy title, If You Find This I’m Already Dead (IYFTIAD) #1 is a thrilling take on parallel worlds from Matt Kindt, Dan McDaid, and Bill Crabtree. Robin is a reporter joining a US military detachment in another reality called Terminus. Things go FUBAR pretty early, and Robin and soldier Gil instantly go into survival mode. Kindt’s captions feel journalistic, but disappear during confusing and frightening moments like when Robin and Gil get the aid of one of the Terminus natives to try to escape via the sewer. As the story unfolds, it turns into a narrative of oppressor and oppressed just like our own world. There are no clear answers or heroes, and the comic ends on one hell of a cliffhanger. McDaid and Crabtree’s art brings gritty documentary realism to a fantastic environment, and they go for authentic emotions instead of being lost in the trippiness. IYFTIAD is easily one of the strongest first issues I’ve read in 2024. Overall: 9.1 Verdict: Buy

Petrol Head #4 (Image) – Before getting into the continuing adventures of the motley crew Lupa, Sid the Sat Nav (I need him as a GPS voice), Dave, and Petrol Head, Rob Williams and Pye Parr begin Petrol Head #4 with a big picture look at the dystopian world of the comic. Basically, they tested the ozone bubbles on prisoners giving them a chance at freedom before letting them die in isolation. This scene adds a layer of darkness and a sense urgency to Petrol Head #4 as our protagonists scramble around looking for an opening to sprinkle nanobots and cleanse the environment. The tone might be dark, but Parr’s vehicle designs continue to be unique, and Williams’ gallows humor keep the story moving. For example, there’s the racer Hybrid whose only good stat is breaking. Petrol Head #4 definitely has a bleak tone, but it’s counterbalanced by a colorful cast of characters that find the laughs in an apocalyptic surveillance state that seems like a heightened version of our own. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy

Sinister Sons #1 (DC Comics) – Peter Tomasi, David Lafuente, and Tamra Bonvillain‘s new series starring the sons of Sinestro and General Zod is a nice little amuse bouche. The basic premise is that Sinson and Lor-Zod want to step out of their father’s shadows and making something for themselves. So far, that something is a lot of posturing and brattiness, but it makes for amusing reading especially with Lafuente’s cartoon-y visuals. Because I’ve been reading Kneel before Zod and not the current Green Lantern series, I have a better handle on Lor-Zod’s character versus Sinson, but Tomasi’s humorous script covers a multitude of sins. I do miss when a #1 on a comic didn’t come with added homework though. Overall: 7.4 Verdict: Read (I purchased a copy on Amazon.)

Brett

Fall of the House of X #2 (Marvel) – Overall, I haven’t been a fan of the Krakoan age of the X-Men. The concept, I think, went against the basics of the X-Men, though there was potential. So, I’m reading the “Fall” of that era mostly to see what comes next, hoping it all gets back to the X-Men I enjoyed in the past (and it’s ok if it doesn’t). Fall of the House of X #2 is one half of the closing chapter of this era, delivering the over the top event the X-Men is known for. Good or bad, Fall of the House of X #2 feels a lot like the classic events of the 90s, with a slightly choppy narrative where it feels like key moments are missed in its storytelling and instead the focus is on the spectacle. The issue is full of it, with Polaris front and center kicking ass. The issue overall is entertaining and as a slice of the overall story, it works, but on its own, it feels like an empty summer blockbuster. Overall: 7.0 Verdict: Read

Preview: Best of 2000 AD Vol. 5

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Best of 2000 AD Vol. 5

(W) Rob Williams, Peter Milligan, Al Ewing, John Wagner, Alan Grant, John Smith, Gordon Rennie, Jamie Delano, Alan Davis (A) Chris Weston, Tony Wright, Henry Flint, Cam Kennedy, Sean Phillips, Frank Quitely, Alan Davis, Mark Farmer (CA) Annie Wu
In Shops: Feb 14, 2024
SRP: $22.99

Best of 2000 AD is a landmark series from the cult comic, bursting with our greatest stories for a new generation of readers. In this volume: Judge Dredd raises not only the law when Mega City One’s super-rich consider themselves above it all in Elevator Pitch; crash-land on a Death Planet as Al Ewing and Henry Flint introduce the monstrous, weaponized (but dead polite) Zombo; go Swimming in Blood with occult detective Devlin Waugh as he investigates a vampire outbreak in an underwater prison by John Smith and Sean Phillips; ride out into the Godless wasteland of the Cursed Earth and witness Gordon Rennie and Frank Quitely preach faith through firepower in Missionary Man. Boasting brand new covers from an all-star line-up of artists including Annie Wu and with designer Tom Muller, Best of 2000 AD is the essential gateway into the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic.

Best of 2000 AD Vol. 5

Mini Reviews: Petrol Head and Thunderbolts!

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Thunderbolts #1

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling reviews of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full one for.

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews and Recommendations.

Logan

Petrol Head #2 (Image) – Rob Williams and Pye Parr‘s Petrol Head continues to be a damn good dystopian driving/racing comic in its second installment. The book runs the gamut tonally from heart-rending emotion (Protagonist Lupa saying farewell to her mom in an opening flashback) to silly fun with Sid the Cockney Sat Nav generally being a comedic gem. Hey, the world is fucked, and your dad is badly injured, but at least you’ve got hologram Michael Caine giving you directions, guvna. Petrol Head #2 has adrenaline-filled action with cool vehicle designs from Parr and a great sense of humor, and I look forward to what this dystopian comic has to offer in 2024. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy

Thunderbolts #1 (Marvel) – With a lineup tying into the 2025 film Thunderbolts, Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, and Geraldo Borges revive one of Marvel’s best concepts of the 90s and connect it to their recent Captain America run. Unfortunately, I haven’t read the run and had no idea what OXE is (Sounds like a Secret Empire ripoff) and why Sharon Carter was wearing a skull mask. The comic is mostly a done-in-one of the Thunderbolts taking out a Nazi podcaster Red Skull out, and Borges makes the fight scenes electric, but I feel like this story was done a lot better by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting back in the day (And probably by Steve Englehart and company better even earlier in the day) I do like the self-awareness that like fascism, the Red Skull will come back in some kind of incarnation, and the overall kicking of Nazi ass is enjoyable. However, Thunderbolts #1 is a little impenetrable for folks who haven’t been following this side of the Marvel Universe for the past couple years. Overall: 5.9 Verdict: Pass

Mini Reviews: Zawa, Petrol Head, and G.O.D.S.!

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Petrol Head #1

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling reviews of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full one for.

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews and Recommendations.

Logan

Zawa + the Belly of the Beast #1 (BOOM! Studios) – In Zawa #1, writer/artist Michael Dialynas puts a colorful and unique spin on the dystopian genre. He crafts a world centered around processed food and a feast honoring a corrupt mayor that screams factory town, but has a little bit of a Nintendo aesthetic. For example, the mayor looks like a Kirby baddie. The protagonists of Zawa run a bakery and try to scrounge together fresh food and remember a time when food was art and not just convenience. It all leads to some good trouble involving the aforementioned beast of the comic who is this series’ wild card. Dialynas handles coloring and lettering duties using colored font any time a character mentions a “rare” ingredient as well as bursts of brightness any time they have a breakthrough. The whole thing ends up being a visually charming version of a well-trodden genre. Overall: 8.2 Verdict: Buy

Petrol Head #1 (Image Comics) – Petrol Head is the other new dystopia series that was launched this week, but it’s very different from Zawa. Rob Williams and Pye Parr channel classic 2000 AD comics with a day-glo sheen in this tale of domed cities, retired, gas (Or petrol for the Brits) powered racing robots, and sassy robot birds. I really enjoyed the flashback scene of Petrol Head in his prime, and the excitement of the racing scenes pair nicely with Williams’ satirical script of how the world is basically rigged. Parr’s designs for the different robots have both form and function, and it’s a sheer thrill ride to see Petrol head run over the robot cops from the O-Zone. (Yes, there are lots of great puns in this comic too.) Petrol Head #1 sets the table for this brave new world with action, hijinks, and a pitch black sense of humor instead of gloms of exposition, and I’m interested to see how this rag tag bang takes down the authoritarian corporations that run their world. Overall: 8.4 Verdict: Buy

G.O.D.S. #2 (Marvel) – Jonathan Hickman and Valerio Schiti continue to cut off G.O.D.S. from the main Marvel Universe (Bye bye cameos) while having the bent of the series completely transcend and undergird it. And the final result is fantasy in a very sci-fi way as Aiko takes her soon-to-be sorcerer’s apprentice Mia to the Library of Worlds and offers this struggling, underprivileged college student a way to achieve. Even though G.O.D.S. is full of high concepts and powerful beings, Schiti’s skill with facial expression grounds the story and really let me connect with Mia. Of course, when you’re failing at life, the crazy white haired magic lady and library with supernatural beings might actually be appealing. Some other highlights of G.O.D.S. #2 are the flatness of the dialogue that Jonathan Hickman writes for Mia’s friends and the boringness of her life compared with the world of the Centivars. What sets apart G.O.D.S. from other Chosen One narratives other than the class consciousness is that Mia isn’t set up as some kind of messiah figure, but just gets to live an interesting life as the series progresses. Overall: 8.0 Verdict: Buy

Petrol Head #1 hits the gas for a familiar but entertaining start

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Petrol Head #1

In a climate crisis-ravaged future metropolis, an old, grumpy, obsolete, smoke-belching, cigar-chomping, Hotrod-Racing Robot is one 12-year-old girl’s only hope. Together, can they outrace the chasing Robo-Cops with an invention that might just save humanity? Petrol Head #1 kicks off a race that feels familiar but delivers it in a hell of a fun way.

Written by Rob Williams, Petrol Head #1 delivers an opening chapter that is general a story we’ve seen before, but one that’s just done so well. It’s a future whose environment has been destroyed. The masses are generally distracted from the dystopia that surrounds them. And, all hope lies in the hands of a scientist and his daughter. Something is up which forces them on the run, them being pursued, and a former racer to help them escape.

It’s a concept done again and again (scientist being pursued and needing help) but Petrol Head #1 just does it so well. The build up, the characters, the world, the pacing, it’s all done at a fantastic level. It’s entertainment that leans into its racing nature and builds such a wonderful, strange, world. It’s pop culture consumerism at so many levels.

Williams’ world is just solid, with such well thought out detail, it’s hard to not appreciate it all. The racing has such a great background to it, you get a sense of this world from it. It’s the modern gladiator games, built to suck in and distract the people from the world around it. It’s very much a reflection of our on media and consumerism, irony as it’s exactly that delivering the story. It lays its cards on the table building things up to the end where you just want to see some awesome driving.

All of this is helped by Pye Parr’s art which is top notch. The design of the characters is so unique and solid and world feels like something that’s been thought out. This isn’t just some simple characters with a background, every detail feels like it has purpose, and there’s a lot of detail, especially for the characters who pop on the page. The robots especially are full of personality and every one feels unique.

Petrol Head #1 is a hell of a start and one of the better of the year. The story is familiar but the execution of this debut is so good. This is one that stands out this week and has us excited to see what’s next.

Story: Rob Williams Art: Pye Parr
Color: Pye Parr Letterer: Pye Parr
Story: 8.75 Art: 8.75 Overall: 8.75 Recommendation: Buy

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – TFAW – Kindle

Battle Action #3 has two entertaining stories and nice history, though one story is a bit odd

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Battle Action returns with an all-new, five-issue mini-series of thrilling tales! Garth Ennis and John Higgins take a break from war stories to bring you a brutal tale set in 1981, featuring Dredger tracking down kidnappers and delivering justice in his own unique way. And Major Eazy makes a comeback in a brand-new story written by Rob Williams, as Eazy must ensure that his soldiers survive the Battle of El Alamein, drawn by Henry Flint.

Story: Garth Ennis, Rob Williams
Art: John Higgins, Henry Flint
Color: John Higgins, Sally Jane Hurst
Letterer: Rob Steen

Get your copy now! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

Zeus Comics

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Preview: Batman: The Brave and the Bold #6

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Batman: The Brave and the Bold #6

(W) Guillem March, Ed Brisson, Rob Williams, Collin Kelly, and Jackson Lanzing (A) Guillem March, Jeff Spokes, Stefano Landini, and Jorge Molina
In Shops: Oct 24, 2023
SRP: $7.99

Guillem March writes and draws a poignant and heartfelt tale of redemption in Back to Year One. The shocking final chapter of Stormwatch has arrived from Ed Brisson and Jeff Spokes: What secret has Director Bones been withholding from the team all this time?! Emilia Harcourt returns…from the dead?! A mystery unfolds courtesy of Rob Williams and Stefano Landini! Plus: a no-holds-barred story of Batman from Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, and Jorge Molina in their first Batman Black & White story!

Batman: The Brave and the Bold #6

Preview: Batman: The Brave and the Bold #5

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Batman: The Brave and the Bold #5

(W) Ed Brisson, Rob Williams, Tom King (A) Mitch Gerads, Jeff Spokes, Stefano Landini, Jorge Fornes
In Shops: Sep 26, 2023
SRP: $7.99

The shocking finale to the horrific, groundbreaking first encounter between Batman and The Joker will leave you gasping for breath. The origin of the greatest duel in the history of comics is finally told! Stormwatch is on the trail of an old god who’s been slumming his way across Europe, leaving a mess of jilted lovers and bloody bodies in his wake. The god is protecting a powerful weapon that the team needs to defeat one of their greatest adversaries–a weapon he’s sworn to protect with his life Emilia Harcourt is back from the dead thanks to…Amanda Waller?! A shocking tale that will have huge ramifications for the Dawn of DC by Rob Williams and Stefano Landini! Ed Brisson and Jorge Fornes bring an epic story to the pages of Batman Black & White!

Batman: The Brave and the Bold #5
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