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Will 2000 AD Feature More Women Comic Creators in One Issue Than in Its History?

Published Wed, 07 Feb 2018 14:00:30 -0600

Last updated Wed, 07 Feb 2018 15:03:33 -0600

There have not been many women comics creators who have worked on 2000 AD, the weekly sci-fi comic that has been running for 40 years. Emma Beeby was the first woman to write Judge Dredd in 2013. Who else, um, Fay Dalton, Angela Kincaid, (co-creator of Slaine), Natalie Sandells, letterer Ellie de Ville, um…

UPDATE: I am reminded of Leah Moore and letterer Annie Parkhouse…

Basically, when 2000 AD publishes a 48-page 2000 AD Sci-Fi Special on 20th June with an all-female creator list, it will probably have more female creator credits than in the entire history of 2000 AD.

Confirmed creators include all-new stories by Alex De Campi (Archie Vs Predator, Grindhouse), Maura McHugh (Witchfinder, The Nail), Tillie Walden (On A Sunbeam, The End of Summer), Katy Rex (Jade Street Protection Services), Laura Bailey (Future Shocks) with covers from Tula Lotay (Supreme: Blue Rose, Bodies) and newcomer Emily Zeinner.

Indeed many of the creators will be working on the galaxy of 2000 AD characters for the very first time, including Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper, Psi-Judge Anderson and DeMarco, P.I.

2000 AD editor Matt Smith said:

"I'm especially excited to welcome a group of new creators to 2000 AD, most of whom are making their debuts at the House of Tharg. This year's historic Sci-Fi Special is going to be packed with unique voices and amazing talent."

The Sci-Fi Special is just one of three 2000 AD specials being published this year, available from all good newsagents, comic book stores, and online.

In August, a forgotten generation of British superheroes are set to take flight in a brand new special from the team behind The Treasury of British Comics! Following Rebellion Publishing's acquisition of the Egmont Fleetway archive of classic British comics from the 1970s and 1980s, it will include home-grown superheroes that show the best of British, including The Leopard from Lime Street and Thunderbolt from Buster, Steel Commando from Thunder, and Blake Edmonds from Death Wish in Speed.

And following its sellout success last year, the Scream & Misty Special will return in October, with more stories inspired by two of the spookiest comics ever. Scream! was a popular short-lived horror anthology while Misty was an innovative girls' horror comic, both from the 1980s, whose former readerships made the 2017 Halloween Special a success. It introduced a new generation of comic book readers to characters such as homicidal caretaker computer Max in The Thirteenth Floor, the German World War One flying ace Black Max and his giant bats, and the sinister tower blocks of The Sentinels, and the 2018 special will continue to delve into the characters from the heyday of British horror comics.