Where to Start with 2000 AD?
2000 AD is a British comic magazine that has been running for almost 50 years. It’s been home to some of comics’ most iconic creations and genre-defining stories, and if you’re anything like me, it’s been on your to-read list for a while. Like much of the comic industry, which has such a rich history and so many stories, it can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s my hope that you’ll follow me as I help guide you through what this industry staple has to offer, from its iconic characters like Judge Dredd, to its more obscure adventures that are just begging you to read them, and by the end of this article you’ll have everything you need to know how to start your own journey into 2000 AD’s rich catalog.
If you’ve somehow found yourself on this article without knowing what 2000 AD even is, then to start, 2000 AD is a weekly-published magazine that has been running since 1977 and features an assortment of short comics collected in a Prog (like an issue) which take place in various science fiction and fantasy universes that range widely in tone, themes, and style. You are most likely familiar with the famous world of Judge Dredd (don’t worry, we will touch on Dredd soon), without even realizing his stories are just one in a litany of comics which share the 2000 AD magazine as their home. 2000 AD acts in a way most similar to popular anthologies, with the added caveat that between various Progs’ storylines connect and continue previous storylines like issues in comics over at publishers like DC or Marvel, but with the added bonus that no matter what Prog, every reader will find a story that matches their tastes. While you could simply go to any comic store and pick up the most recent 2000 AD Prog and jump right in, Rebellion Publishing has created a vast array of jumping-on points for readers to ease their way into their various franchises.
Let’s say you have absolutely no clue what you want to try. Where do you start? To help with this, I would recommend that you start by treating 2000 AD with an anthology approach, starting with the Best of 2000 AD series. This series, at the time of writing, has 6 volumes; each is a collection like the Progs themselves, but instead of housing a single part of a storyline, it holds a complete storyline or sections of longer-running series. Best described as a ‘mix-tape’ approach, these books are incredibly beginner-friendly; for example, Vol. 1, which I just finished, includes a range of titles. Complete stories such as two Judge Dredd stand-alones, Mutie Block by John Wagner and Kevin Walker and Spock Mocks Chocs by Alan Grant and Brenden McCarthy, that are designed as easy to digest one-off introductions to the world of Dredd. If you like the setting but are interested in what it’s like outside of Dredd himself this volume also includes the spin off story Shamballa, which follows Judge Anderson, a physic Judge whose quest to stop a wave of physic deaths take her on a globe trotting journey that has her questioning not only her own morality but the good she can do in the oppressive system of the Judge programme, which was my favourite of the collection.
At the same time, Vol. 1 is also designed to hook you on some of 2000 AD’s other successful and long-running series, like Dan Abnett and INJ Culbard’s Brink, a space police procedural set on a satellite holding the last remnants of humanity that have fled Earth. Or Alan Moore and Ian Gibson’s masterwork The Ballad of Halo Jones, a high-concept, fully fleshed-out science-fiction setting which follows Halo Jones as she longs to leave home as she clashes against the psychedelic and strange society she finds herself trapped in. Both of these are incredible reads and showcase the unique science-fiction material 2000 AD has to offer. This collection is fundamentally designed for new readers and was, in fact, what I started with. From here, you are free to read the other 5 volumes, each with its own collection of great starting points.
“But Jacob,” you say, “I’m not interested in trying a bunch of stories; I want to collect and read a specific thing.” Well, first I would say you’re doing yourself a disservice, but secondly I’d say worry not, as Rebellion’s other published collections have you covered; the question is what specific things do you want to read. Those with specific tastes I will try and cater to by offering a few series to focus on from 2000 AD’s most famous or acclaimed titles, starting with the law himself!
Created by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra.
Judge Dredd is one of the most unique dystopian and science fiction settings of all time, set in the post-nuclear apocalypse, humanity has encased itself in Mega Cities, giant multi-layered cities that keep humanity safe from the Cursed Earth, which encompasses the majority of the world, but the cities aren’t much better either. To ensure the last bastions of humanity stay safe, there is only one system of governance: the rule of law held in the authoritarian hands of the Judges sworn to be the entire justice system, channeled through each officer, they act without impunity, facing criminals, aliens, mutants, and machines. In this bleak world, there are many famous judges but none more infamous than Judge Joseph Dredd, who tirelessly patrols the blocks of Mega City One. Now there are a lot of Judge Dredd stories ranging from funny satire, cutting political commentary, and just general morally grey action, and because of that, there are many great ways to experience Judge Dredd. If you’re a completionist, you can always start with the Judge Dredd Case Files. These books act as complete omnibuses that collect the Dredd Progs in release order; these are the most comprehensive way to collect Judge Dredd and cover everything you could want to read from big epics to little short stories.
If, like me, you’re more interested in reading the stories everyone likes to talk about, the Essential Judge Dredd series is the best place to start. These regular comic volumes provide a way to read complete single story arcs; this series houses Dredd’s most iconic storylines, such as Apocalypse War, Origins, America, and Dredd versus Death. If you want recommendations, Apocalypse War captures the essence of Judge Dredd’s appeal to me. Created by Judge Dredd’s original creators, writer John Wagner and artist Carlos Ezquerra, it is labeled as the first Dredd epic. This 25-part story, introduced by its included prologue Block Wars, is an exciting and ever-escalating Cold War-style epic as Mega City One is plunged into a citywide civil war, leading to a nuclear war with the Soviet mega city East-Meg-One. Whilst being absolutely ludicrous in concept, this storyline showcases all the trappings of a strong Dredd story: rich political theming, a healthy dose of British comedic satire, and a murky Judge Dredd delivering classic one-liners as he pushes both the boundaries of justice and the reader’s moral judgment to extremes. It is clear Wagner and co set out to make Apocalypse War a true criticism of the 70s-80s New Right. It is a fascinating deconstruction of authoritarian politics delivering in both themes and spectacle on all points.
If you are looking for a modern Dredd story which tackles more ‘recent’ issues, Judge Dredd: A Better World’ by Rob Williams, Arthur Wyatt, Henry Flint, Boo Cook, and Jake Lynch is a great place to start. This series follows Judge Maitland as she discovers a drop in crime in sectors that have diverted funding from judges to citizens’ education, housing, and care. After this discovery, she moves to get a new program approved by the Judge Council to end crime across Mega-City One, but as forces who like the oppressive Judge system conspire against her, Judge Dredd is caught in the conspiracy. This comic is an excellent deconstruction of the political philosophy that backs the dystopian world of Judge Dredd, and like all great Dredd stories, has the reader question the nature of justice, totalitarianism, and the cost of freedom for perceived protection. It’s a fascinating use of the Dredd universe and a great point to enter the series without feeling lost under the weight of Dredd’s years of publication history.
Created by Gerry Finley-Day and Dave Gibbons.
Another series that displays 2000 AD’s ability to mix high-concept science fiction with thought-provoking political commentary is Rogue Trooper. Created by Gerry Finley-Day and Dave Gibbons in 1981, it centers around Nu Earth, a planet caught in a decade-spanning civil war between the Southers and the Norts. Nu Earth has become an uninhabitable war zone perpetually stirred up by the wormhole above it that spawns endless reinforcements from across the galaxy. In an attempt to finally win the war, Souther command initiated Project G.I, or Genetic Infantryman, a clone army of the perfect soldier, designed to be able to survive Nu Earth’s toxic environment and equipped with mental-backed drives which can be placed into a new body, making them practically immortal. But after their first deployment ended in the tragic ‘Quartz Zone Massacre ’, only the Rogue Trooper survived, accompanied by the consciousness of his fellow soldiers uploaded to his equipment; he now travels to Nu Earth seeking to hunt down the Souther General who betrayed them.
Rogue Trooper is a war comic through and through, touching on many aspects of war, its ramifications, and its cost. Like Dredd, Rogue Trooper has many jumping-on points. For me, I recommend the series Rouge Trooper: Ghost Patrol by Alex Di Campi and Neil Edwards; this acts as a modern retelling of Rouge Trooper’s origins whilst delving more into the political espionage and moral greyness of its central conflict. It quickly brings you up to speed on the context around Rouge Trooper whilst also showing off his character in contrast with other soldiers. Like Dredd, Rebellion has also created some Essential collections that contain classic stories like The Traitor General and All Hell on the DIX-I Front’ Unique to Rouge Trooper, and great for you completionists, there is also the Rouge Trooper: Complete Collection, a series of soon-to-be four omnibuses that aim, as it says on the tin, to collect the entirety of Rouge Trooper. Like Dredd, it’s hard not to recommend Rouge Trooper, and whilst I’ve personally never been a huge fan of war comics, this concept just has the right injection of science-fiction to make it feel fresh and exciting to read.
Created by Pat Mills and Angela Kincaid.
If all this talk about science fiction comics doesn’t interest you, however, I have one more recommendation out of the 2000 AD catalog that most certainly should: the fantasy comic Sláine. Created by Pat Mills and Angela Kincaid, Sláine is a barbarian fantasy, but what sets it apart is its use of Celtic mythology to cast him as a legendary hero in homage to Celtic sagas. Set in an enchanted Ireland both ancient and timeless, Sláine was exiled from his tribe as he travels the lands with his funny and sometimes sleazy Dwarf companion Ukko. Sláine has a lot of great adventures, many of them collected like Warriors Dawn, The Grail War, and The Lord of Beasts.
To start with, I would recommend the critically acclaimed storyline The Horned God, written by Pat Mills and art by Simon Bisley. It follows an older Ukko, who recites the legend of how Sláine united the tribes of Ireland and ascended to become the Horned God, servant to the earth Goddess. This comic is a treat, and if you read anything that I recommend, let it be this. Whilst this story takes place in the middle of Sláine‘s overarching narrative, Ukko’s narration easily catches you up to speed without becoming boring expositional drivel. Pat Mills uses the confines of this genre and the tropes associated with Barbarian fantasy to challenge preconceived notions of character archetypes in traditional narratives. At the same time, the series alters what could be a very mundane MacGuffin plot into a question around the morality of wanting power and what the quest for power does to an individual. The true stand out of this title though is the unbelievable art by Simon Bisley its is truly a beautiful book i found myself getting lost in many of the book’s splash pages, which need no words to convey the entirety of Mills’ script. Bisley’s work reminded me of other artist like Alex Ross and Glen Farby who capture that realistic yet also otherworldly iconography that makes this story feel like a myth of old and a timeless tale from another world. It is clear that Bisley was the only true choice for this series, and I am now a lifelong fan of his mastery of style.
It has never been easier to get into comics in my humble opinion than it is right now, and that shouldn’t just apply to the Big Two, and as I hope I’ve shown, accessibility is most certainly not an issue when it comes to the worlds of 2000 AD. No matter what genre, tone, or style your taste requires, I can assure you there’s a 2000 AD comic to match, and I hope you take on my recommendations, immerse yourself in this rich fountain of great works as I have, and like me, you just might become a super fan in no time.
