Preview: JUDGE DREDD MEGAZINE No.382

There's a new issue of Judge Dredd Megazine out this coming Wednesday. It's always good to help promote one of the best publications in the British comics industry, so my thanks to Rebellion for the advance preview. Here's a few selected pages...

• UK & DIGITAL: 15 March 2017 £5.99
• NORTH AMERICA: 15 April 2017 $13
• DIAMOND CODE: JAN171932
• COVER: JAKE LYNCH

In this issue:
Judge Dredd: Big Meg by TC Eglington (w) Boo Cook (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)

Anderson, Psi Division: Dragon Blood part 3 by Alan Grant (w) Paul Marshall (a) Dylan Teague (c) Simon Bowland (l)

New series: Havn by Si Spencer (w) Jake Lynch (a) Eva De La Cruz (c) Simon Bowland (l)

Lawless: Long-Range War part 3 by Dan Abnett (w) Phil Winslade (a) Ellie De Ville (l)

Features: 
Interrogation - Kim Raymond.
New Comics - Howl of the Werewolf.
Interrogation - Ben Wheatley.


...and the bagged reprint with this issue is The Best of Tharg's 3rillers Vol.2

Available in print from: UK newsagents and all good comic book stores via Diamond 

Available in digital from: 2000 AD webshop, 2000 AD iPad app, 2000 AD Android app, 2000 AD Windows 10 app

Preview: World War Tank Girl No.1

Art by Brett Parson. (Censored for the Internet.)

As revealed on the Tank Girl Facebook page tonight, a preview of the opening spread of World War Tank Girl No.1, coming soon from Titan Comics. Here's the info...

"TANK GIRL: WORLD WAR TANK GIRL #1 is a brand-new series from the co-creator of Tank Girl, Alan Martin, and fan-favourite artist Brett Parson (New Romancer, Two Girls One Tank)!

This series culminates Titan's T ank Girl trilogy which started in 2016 with TANK GIRL: TWO GIRLS, ONE TANK and followed up with TANK GIRL: GOLD. 

Today, Titan Comics are excited to reveal the first phenomenal art from the series which reveals Tank Girl's whereabouts following the time-twisting end of Tank Girl: Gold, when she was transported to the battlegrounds of World War II. The Third Reich have no idea what is coming their way!

Alongside this thrilling fully-lettered interior art, this new series also features variant covers by comics' brightest stars including Shaky Kane (Cowboys & Insects), Chris Wahl (Peepland), Keith Burns (Castles in the Sky , Johnny Red ) and series artist Brett Parson (Two Girls, One Tank, Tank Girl: Gold)!"

The final order cut-off for WORLD WAR TANK GIRL issue #1 is Monday 13th March, so GET YOUR ORDERS IN NOW! Order from you local comic store, or find an online dealer in your country.
Here's order codes for all variant covers -
(cover A by Brett Parson shown here)

Cover A: Brett Parson (order code: DEC161897)
Cover B: Keith Burns (order code: DEC161898)
Cover C: Shaky Kane (order code: DEC161899)
Cover D: 'Lori Petty' photo variant (order code: DEC161900)
Cover E: Chris Wahl (order code: DEC161901)

https://www.facebook.com/officialtankgirl/

Panini's Marvel Makeover

Next month, Panini's Marvel Collectors' Editions receive a bit of a facelift with a new trade dress. The distinctive red corner boxes will be replaced with a black one, but the Marvel logo will be more noticeable. 

More drastic will be the change to the masthead of The Mighty World of Marvel, with the Guardians of the Galaxy logo being prominent for the return of the strip to the comic. This makes sense, as there's a new Guardians movie coming to cinemas soon so it's important to catch the eye of new readers. (I've often thought that Marvel Legends could do likewise, making Thor, Iron Man and Captain America's names part of the masthead.) 

Sadly, it looks like the issue number, date, and price won't be part of the new corner box so presumably they'll be near the bar code instead. A bit inconvenient for buyers glancing quickly for such info. 

The Mighty World of Marvel No.7 featuring Guardians of the Galaxy goes on sale 6th April, and also includes The Silver Surfer and Doctor Strange. 

Until then, grab a copy of MWOM NO.6, featuring Doctor Strange and the conclusions of the current story arcs for Black Widow and Ms.Marvel. On sale now!
http://www.paninicomics.co.uk/

"Throw us a copper!"

Here's a quickie from the archive. The cover of Illustrated Chips No.2,177 from back in May 1932, showing a crowd throwing a policeman off a pier. It's a scene you'd be very unlikely to see in a children's comic today. Artwork by Percy Cocking.

...and from the back page of that same issue, Casey Court, as I know a few of you like this feature. Artwork by Albert Pease.

Review: SPACESHIP AWAY No.41

The 41st issue of thrice-yearly independent comic Spaceship Away has just been published and it's another good issue. Plenty of comic strips this issue plus a few interesting features. Here's what the 40 page comic delivers...

• A brand new cover by Graham Bleathman which is also used in the centre pages as an A3 poster minus the logos and banner. 

• The conclusion to the Dan Dare story Parsecular Tales by Tim Booth. This story has been running for so long, and with no resumés, that I'm afraid I've long forgotten the plot. It's very well illustrated though. 


• The beginning of a new Dan Dare story by Tim Booth; Shakedown Cruise. We get the first six pages here so plenty to get things moving. Good stuff, but I hope future chapters feature a "story so far" caption to bring us up to speed every four months. 

• A reprint of a self-contained seven pager, The Killing Zone, by Ron Turner, with new colours by Martin Baines. Looks great!

• The highlight of the issue for me is Martian Menace, a well written and illustrated all-new Dan Dare six pager scripted by John Freeman and drawn by Joe Piemental, with colours by John Ridgway. This was originally intended to be used in the ill-fated Strip Magazine but as that comic is no more it's finally seen print in Spaceship Away. John Freeman also provides an article giving background information on the strip.

Other items in this issue include a well illustrated article on artists Jack Daniel and Norman Williams, photographs of a classic piece of Dan Dare merchandise, an uncredited humour strip Davy Rocket, a new Dan Dare painting by Bill Naylor, and a one page article on the history of early rockets. I must admit, that last feature did feel a bit out of place but I'm sure it'll be of interest to the more academically-minded readers. 

Spaceship Away 41 will be available to order soon from the comic's website:
http://spaceshipaway.org.uk