Best of 2000 Ad 2: The Essential Gateway into the Galaxy's Greatest Comic

Al Ewing has been a Judge Dredd aficionado since the age of nine, and is best known in the UK for his work on Dredd in 2000 AD, where he also co-created Zombo and Damnation Station. In addition, Ewing has written various novels for Solaris and Abaddon Books, including The Fictional Man, Pax Omega and Gods of Manhattan, and is currently writing Mighty Avengers and Loki: Agent of Asgard for Marvel Comics.

Colin Wilson has gone from iconic status at 2000 AD to European superstardom as the artist of Moebius’ classic western, Young Blueberry. For the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic, Wilson was a key early Rogue Trooper artist. He has also pencilled Future Shocks, Judge Dredd, Pulp Sci-Fi, Tor Cyan, as well crime series, Du Plomb Dans La Tete (Headshot), for French publisher Casterman.

Pat Mills is the creator and first editor of 2000 AD. He developed Judge Dredd and is the writer-creator of many of 2000 AD’s most popular stories such as Sláine, Nemesis and A.B.C. Warriors. Amongst his credits are Marshal Law (Marvel and DC Comics), co-created with Kevin O’Neill, the French graphic novel series Requiem, Vampire Knight with artist Olivier Ledroit, and Be Pure! Be Vigilant! Behave! The Secret History of 2000 AD and Judge Dredd. His current projects include Joe Pineapples: Tin Man, illustrated by Simon Bisley and Clint Langley, Spacewarp, and Kiss My Axe! The Secret History of Sláine the Warped Warrior.

Kevin O’Neill was a 2000 AD legend. From working as an art assistant on the very first prog, he quickly became involved in the creative side of the comic, co-creating classics like A.B.C. Warriors, Bonjo From Beyond The Stars, Metalzoic and Nemesis the Warlock. Outside the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic, O’Neill was briefly notorious as the only artist ever to have his work rejected wholesale by the Comics Code Authority! Happily, his notoriety quickly became fame and acclaim, as his work on strips like Marshal Law and most recently The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen raised him to a very high profile.

Perhaps the most widely respected comic writer of the modern era, Alan Moore’s contribution to the comics world is incalculable. Creator of some of 2000 AD’s most popular series, including Abelard Snazz, The Ballad of Halo Jones, D.R. & Quinch and Skizz, he has also worked on A.B.C. Warriors, Ro-Busters, Rogue Trooper, Ro-Jaws’ Robo-Tales, Tharg the Mighty, Time Twisters and several one-off strips. Outside of the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic, Moore is best known for his work on the classic Watchmen, which redefined the superhero genre in 1986, but this is simply touching the surface of a career which has included 1963, A1’s Warpsmiths, Bojeffries Saga and Maxwell the Magic Cat, AARGH!, Batman, Big Numbers, Brought to Light, Captain Britain, Deathblow, Flesh and Bones, From Hell, Glory, Green Lantern Corps, Lost Girls, Miracleman, A Small Killing, Snakes and Ladders, Spawn, Supreme, Swamp Thing, Superman , V For Vendetta, WildC.A.T.S. and Youngblood. Moore is now owner and chief writer of the America’s Best Comics line, distributed by WildStorm, and including Promethea, Tom Strong, Tomorrow Stories, Top Ten and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, which has been made into a major Hollywood movie.

Steve Dillon is a fan-favourite 2000 AD writer and artist, and the creator of both Hap Hazzard and the Irish Judge Joyce. His writing for the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic includes Future Shocks and Rogue Trooper, while Dillon’s pencils have graced A.B.C. Warriors, Bad Company, Judge Dredd, Harlem Heroes, Ro-Busters, Rogue Trooper and Tyranny Rex. Dillon shot to international superstardom as a result of his work on DC/Vertigo’s Preacher, co-created with 2000 AD’s Garth Ennis.

John Higgins is a multi-talented 2000 AD artist and writer; as well as scripting a Future Shock and Judge Dredd, Higgins has illustrated Chopper, Freaks, One-Offs, Tharg the Mighty and Time Twisters. His work outside the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic is also highly respected, and he has contributed to some of the most important series of recent times, including working as a colourist on the modern superhero classic Watchmen, and on Vertigo’s Animal Man, Hellblazer and Pride and Joy.

John Wagner has been scripting for 2000 AD for more years than he cares to remember. His creations include Judge Dredd, Strontium Dog, Ace Trucking, Al’s Baby, Button Man and Mean Machine. Outside of 2000 AD his credits include Star Wars, Lobo, The Punisher and the critically acclaimed A History of Violence.

His characters all spiky lines and outsized boots, Mick McMahon – some times known as Mike – co-created perennial 2000 AD favourites The V.C.s, and provided Tharg with many classic episodes of Judge Dredd, Ro-Busters, A.B.C. Warriors and Sláine. Outside of the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic, he drew an adventure with the original Cybermen for Doctor Who Magazine; Sonic the Hedgehog for Sonic the Comic; and, in America, issues of Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight plus the mini-series Tattered Banners and The Last American, the latter co-created with John Wagner and Alan Grant.

Tom Shapira is the author of Curing the Postmodern Blues (Sequart, 2013) and The Lawman (PanelXPanel, 2020). His work has appeared in such venues as The Comics Journal, Haaretz, Shelfdust, NeoText and others