LARGER THAN LFE
Key Heroes From 2000 AD
JUDGE DREDD First Appearance: prog 2 Best story: the cursed Earth saga number of GAMES: 8
the flagship character of 2000 Ad, dredd proved popular enough to eventually spawn his own comic, the Judge
dredd Megazine, in 1990. As the foremost judge, jury and executioner of Mega-city one, dredd’s adventures have seen him pitted against mutants, dinosaurs, rival cities and a huge array of perps. strong, harsh but lawful, there’s always an iso-cube ready when dredd is around.
ROGUE TROOPER First Appearance: prog 228 Best story: the Future of WAR number of GAMES: 4
genetically engineered to be able to survive on hostile environments such as the poisoned planet of nu Earth, rogue trooper’s fellow infantrymen are slaughtered at the Quartz Zone massacre, betrayed by a traitor from his own side, the southers. Accompanied by biochipped versions of his former buddies, rogue finally tracks down the traitor and kills him, and his colleagues are given new bodies.
SLAINE First Appearance: prog 330 Best story: the horned god number of GAMES: 1
Banished from his own tribe, slaine is an outsider, barbarian, berzerker and all-round nutcase. Accompanied by repulsive dwarf ukko, slaine follows a bloody prophecy in which he is predicted to become king, and to help him in that aim he wields an enormous axe against enemies both human and other. the strip was created by pat Mills, and heavily indebted to celtic lore and fellow barbarian conan.
NEMESIS THE WARLOCK First Appearance: prog 167 (in ‘comic rock’) Best story: nemesis the Warlock series 1 (issue 222) number of GAMES: 1
Alien protagonist nemesis made its debut in the bizarre
comic rock and killer Watt strips before setting of on its own in issue 222. taking its cue from the spanish inquisition, nemesis’ main enemy is torquemada, an evil human determined to rid the galaxy of aliens. A loopy combination of sci-fi and fantasy, there’s nothing else quite like nemesis the Warlock.
STRONTIUM DOG (JOHNNY ALPHA) First Appearance: issue 1 (starlord), prog 86 (2000 Ad) Best story: portrait of A Mutant number of GAMES: 2
With his strange piercing white eyes, Johnny Alpha is able to read minds and see through walls – which are useful abilities in his profession as a bounty hunter, along with his outlandish gadgets and weapons. A thin holocaust parable, strontium dog follows Johnny and his comrade in arms Viking Wulf as they take out bad guys for cash, avoiding the scorn of the lucky ‘norms’ unaffected by the great war of 2150.