Seeing as 2000ad is celebrating 35 years of printed awesomeness I thought I take a little time out to pay my own small tribute to Britain’s greatest weekly anthology comic and just because it may be one of the last of its kind doesn’t detract from how brilliant it is.
I vividly remember racing to the newsagents on that fateful Saturday afternoon in Llandaff North, pocket money burning a hole in my Rupert Bear trousers (yes I was a style icon even back then). There nestled amongst the other comics proudly proclaiming it’s other worldliness and giving us all a glimpse into our futures Prog 1 of 2000ad – and it had a free space spinner with it – what more could a young boy want?
I can still remember the strange feelings it invoked, a
feeling of reading something that I wasn’t quite used to, there was something
very different about 2000ad, its futuristic premise was just right for the time
and I was well and truly hooked after that first Prog.
Now how long that obsession lasted for I’m not quite sure, time
plays tricks with my memories but I clearly remember it being a large part of
my childhood, well that and Star Wars Weekly.
Then queue what I like to term my wilderness years BMXing,
comprehensive school, girls, YTS, job, car and lager took over my inherent geekiness and
smothered it. I’m sad to say that 2000ad lost its place in my life and my heart
– stop sobbing at the back the best bit is yet to come.
Jump forward too many years later and I’m married with three
kids and I’ve started to listen to a lone voice in my head. No I’m not going
mad, it’s just my inner geek trying to persuade me to let it out of its cage.
And I do.
Now about this time a fortuitous event takes place in a
corner of Wales and with a little bit of help from America - a podcast that literally
changes my life (well perhaps that’s over egging it slightly but hey), Everything
Comes Back to 2000ad is launched. The podcast reignites my long dormant enthusiasm
for 2000ad and I hunt down my first Prog, which turns out to be 1640, June 2009.
All the old feelings come rushing back and I’m back in almost straight away and
a subscription to a better life is just around the corner.
So as 2000ad celebrates its 35 years in print why not join in the fun. If you’re a lapsed reader - go on - just pop around the newsagents and pick up a copy of the latest Prog it’s never too late to refill your life with Thrill Power. If you’ve never read 2000ad why not wait till a jumping on point – this is when there a Prog full of new Thrills (stories) it’s a perfect starting point for newbie.
If I’ve whetted your appetite for more 2000ad thrills why
not check out the following sites they’re all filled with true Thrill Power
just watch you don’t overload……
The Official 2000ad web
site
Does what it says on the tin
2000ad Covers
Uncovered
Run by Pete Wells this site is simply brilliant the site
gives a glimpse behind the magic and is home to the hotly contested Cover of
the Year competition.
The Cellar of Dredd
Run by John Burdis The Cellar of Dredd is a tale of one man’s
obsession with the law man of the future Judge Dredd.
Also did I mention Judge Dredd? well that’s going to have to
wait for another day.
Splundig Vur
Thrigg
